The Reality of Aging: Supporting the Ones Who Raised Us

October 2025

Since I tend not to share my life openly on social media, many of you might not know that my mother passed away last summer. She lived a full life, so when we accepted that it was, as some say, “God calling her home,” we said our goodbyes, and she left us. That didn’t make it any easier, though.

It's been a little over a year, and wow, what an eye-opener that time has been. As an adult child, you often see your parents as you did when you were growing up—like masked and caped superheroes, faster than a speeding train, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But you know what? While they are incredible humans, they are still just that—human—and not as fearless or independent as we thought they were when we were kids.

My dad has always been my favorite superhero, but now, without my mom, I see that his cape doesn’t quite blow as much and, for the most part, he’s taken off his mask. I notice him relying on my sister and me in ways I never thought possible, and I watch him struggle at times, even with basic tasks. Many say that in life, as a child, your role will reverse—parents become like their children, and children become like their parents. It’s something you never truly believe until you experience it firsthand.

This is where many of my friends and I find ourselves right now—balancing our already busy lives with the unexpected needs of our parents. They need us, just as we needed them when we were growing up. The needs are the same; only the roles have reversed. It’s frightening, but it’s a reality we’re all going to face if we keep living.

We will explore this topic over the next several weeks, including on our next episode of “How They See Us,” where we will have a candid conversation about the effect of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and brain health. We will speak with subject matter experts and hear real stories from families whose lives have been impacted.

As always, we encourage you to share our newsletter with a friend. If you have ideas for topics we should explore, please don’t hesitate to email us at info@herdstrategies.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Signing Off,

Denise

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