Holding the Net: Caring for My Mother on the Tightrope of Aging

Merriman, PhD has spent much of her life as a research scientist, hospice consultant, and foundation grant evaluator—driven by a passion to illuminate, understand, and find meaning. Melanie and her husband Klein Merriman split their time between South Florida and Cape Cod, MA.. She is also the co-author of Merriman’s Hawai‘i: The Chef, the Farmers, the Food, the Islands, a cookbook with stories about chef Peter Merriman. Now she writes with the same purpose. Holding the Net is her debut as a solo author. About the AuthorMelanie P

Now she writes with the same purpose. Melanie P. Melanie and her husband Klein Merriman split their time between South Florida and Cape Cod, MA.. Holding the Net is her debut as a solo author. She is also the co-author of Merriman’s Hawai‘i: The Chef, the Farmers, the Food, the Islands, a cookbook with stories about chef Peter Merriman. Merriman, PhD has spent much of her life as a research scientist, hos

When her father dies, Melanie commits herself to making the rest of her mother’s life the best it can be. It also challenges the notion that anyone can be an expert when it comes to caring for an aging parent, and encourages us to simply do our best. Melanie hits all the right notes, and her story will have readers nodding their heads and shedding healing tears.. In this poignant and timely memoir, Melanie Merriman shares her struggle to care for her fiercely independent aging mother. A win for either side suddenly feels like a loss for all. Written for people who have cared for a parent, are currently facing that challenge, or are aging parents themselves, Holding the Net offers practical details about the effects of aging on the body and mind, living arrangements for older people, health care decisions, and surviving rehab. Every decision becomes a tug of war, with Mom on one side, fighting for her independence, and the two sisters on the other, trying to keep her safe. But even with these advantages, Melanie finds the real-life experience of caring for her mother humbling. She brings knowledge to the situatio