Tag Archives: aging parents

How a Narcissist Thinks

People who live, work or interact socially with a person who suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder are often at a loss as to the way in which the latter’s mind works. They are more than selfish, they appear to have little or no social conscience, yet on the other hand can exude a sense of charm that other, more normal people, could never compete with. So just what makes these people tick? People suffering from personality disorders in general have not gone through the same maturation processes that more well-balanced people normally do throughout the course of their childhood and … Continue reading →

Defending Yourself against the Aging Narcissist (2)

In the first article in this series (see link below) we looked at the first two tips for dealing with a parent with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Today we continue with further aids for dealing with these damaging and difficult people. 3. Examine carefully all the achievements you have made in your life in spite of your background. Your achievements, your victories, your assets: you have attained all of them without the usual parental encouragement and assistance. In fact, you may well have been berated for your achievements or even hijacked temporarily by your parent in your journey to success. … Continue reading →

The Aging Narcissistic Parent (2)

The person who suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder finds the aging process more difficult to deal with than the average person. Looks fade, the body no longer responds like that of a young healthy person, and the mind is no longer as sharp as it once was. All this contributes to an increasing sense of entitlement of the behalf of the narcissist. Entitlement simply means that the person believes that they are entitled to special treatment; in fact, they should get it as a matter of course without having to ask for it. Many teenagers display this trait but happily … Continue reading →

The Aging Narcissistic Parent (1)

In previous articles I have talked about many aspects of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). See the links below for further insights into this puzzling yet extremely damaging condition. In this series of articles, we will look further into the mind of a narcissist and will also address ways for the adult child of a narcissist to deal with the challenges before them. To survive in an environment dominated and controlled by a narcissist, you need to be aware of your own weaknesses, i.e. the way your narcissistic parent manipulates you. I have called this characteristic a “weakness,” but under normal … Continue reading →

The Biggest Challenges to Marriage

You may think I’ll bring up the marriage debates, but in my opinion it’s not related to the greatest challenges facing a successful marriage and successful interactions between the couples that are married. The challenges I want to talk about here are the challenges that can leave your relationship precarious and potentially lead to the dissolution of your marriage if you and your spouse aren’t equipped to handle the challenges. I like to call these challenges the final five, because when you and your spouse are capable of overcoming these challenges, then you are usually in a stronger place in … Continue reading →

Long-Term Care Insurance Policy Features to Look For

If you have been following this series of blogs and are here then it’s likely you have decided long-term care insurance may be a good option for you or a family member. A few more things to remember before purchasing a policy: A policy That requires the insured person to be no longer able to perform more than two activities of daily living. One of these activities should be bathing. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1999 National Nursing Home Survey, reported 94% of nursing-home residents need help with bathing. A policy with coverage for care not only … Continue reading →

What Choices Are There When Someone Can’t Take Care of Themselves Any Longer?

What if your parents can’t take care of themselves when they are old? Worse, what if you can’t take care of yourself when you are old? There are many options and resources we can choose when we face caring for an aging parent or considering our own futures: Children provide care for their elderly or disabled parents in their home or in their parents home. A home-health care service can be arranged. Adult Day Care Centers Assisted-living facilities Nursing Homes. The huge problem is paying for the kind of help, we would want for our parents or for ourselves. In … Continue reading →

Are You a Member of the Sandwich Generation?

Let me tell you, I’ve heard of some interesting terms before but ‘sandwich’ generation makes me think of ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly, not marriage stress. However, being a part of the sandwich generation actually means you are dealing with being a parent, possibly considering retirement while also dealing with your own aging parents and their needs. Some estimates show that about two-thirds of the baby boom generation will be taking care of an elderly parent alongside their own parenting. About 16 years ago, Newsweek estimated that women spend an average 17 years raising their own children … Continue reading →