Americans have relied on public libraries for generations. Eliminating federal funding sends a message that knowledge is not valued.

Recently, Connie Schultz appeared in Cincinnati to read "Lola and the Troll," a book inspired by the author’s own experiences of being trolled on social media, following the 2016 election and in her proud years of calling our former president a liar.…

April is National Poetry Month. On Tuesday, April 18th, 2023, AlzAuthors gathered a community of poets who have all written poetry on their caregiver journeys to share their poems and stories. Thirty-five poets came to read and shared their beautiful…

A friend and I sat for coffee at a picnic table in a Costco store. It was the only place with seating near where we planned to meet. Her husband completed a few rounds of physical therapy after surgery for a broken femur bone. She’d been caring for…

Filter Content By: Annette Januzzi Wick Author, I’ll Have Some of Yours: What my mother taught me about dementia, cookies, music, the outside, and her life inside a care home, Has blogs on the Balance page Annette Januzzi Wick will discuss the…

My father-in-law, age 86, recently completed a round of surgery for glaucoma. Gradually, over the past three years, his eyesight had diminished. He willingly handed over his keys to his wife, and now she is the main driver in the family. But prior to…

WEDDED TO THIS SOUP Five dozen quarter-sized frozen meatballs thawed out slowly, exhaling their juices into a metal bowl on the counter. Sweat beaded around the bowl’s exterior, probably from the knowledge it contained such precious cargo. Another…

Pivotal moments in our lives lead to stories that can change the world Annette Januzzi Wick is a writer, teacher, speaker, and the author of I’ll Have Some of Yours (Three Arch Press), a journey of cookies and caregiving. Her writing is a combination…

Our 2022 Writer-in-Residence, Pauletta Hansel, is a poet, memoirist, teacher, and editor. Attend her upcoming workshops and writers' office hours. And, listen to her as host of CHPL's "Inside the Writer's Head" podcast. Interviewed by Cincinnati and…

Be Present Ensure that someone is available to consistently check on their physical and mental health, and their living situation. During the time spent with you, you might notice if their memory, physical health, or personal hygiene begins to…

Filter Content By: Remember when? That question was often asked of my mother and others who experienced Alzheimer’s or dementia. The phrase is so common. Despite my knowledge I obtained as a long-time caregiver to an older person, I slipped it into…

Filter Content By: My father was a stern man who worked his entire life in the family business or for himself. His soft side was not often evident while raising five children. As he grew older, and we left the nest, his disposition was more relaxed.…

I have 374 photos and videos of my mother stored on my iPhone. These likenesses capture her in the earliest days of her dementia while my father was still alive, through multiple care home moves, and finally the last days before my mother’s death,…

Filter Content By: In the final video recording I filmed of my parents together, Frank Sinatra croons on an old record player. In their senior living community residence, the music tingles my mother, Jean’s ear. She asks my father, “Hey Ette, let’s…

Filter Content By: Can We Think Ourselves Young? My parents were born in the same month of the same year, 1928, and married each other at the age of 33. Afterward, my mother gave birth to five children. Discreet in revealing her age, she often hid…

Filter Content By: Over the course of my career, I founded two businesses, one in retail and one in publishing. I also worked for several non-profits. In both instances, developing and adhering to a mission statement was an important step toward…

Filter Content By: During the upcoming weeks, we will celebrate the act of being together with family, friends, co-workers, and revelers. Exchanges of food, gifts, and memories will be at the core of these gatherings as we mark the occasion in…

Filter Content By: Have you ever found yourself walking through a nature preserve or forest and wondered if you truly are alone? This fall, I hiked one of our city’s hidden trails redeveloped a decade ago after numerous rockslides closed the mountain…

Annette Januzzi Wick 5 hours ago·1 min read ….thoughts uncovered before dawn land on Substack. Good morning, followers! Thanks to the wonder of technology, I’ve seized on the opportunity to utilize an additional platform for my writing. It’s called…

The Choices We Make Like most people, I thrive when shopping for basic clothing items. Denim jeans, white shirt? Easy. When the task shifts to a new style of sweater or a pair of boots to replace old ones, I am faced with too many choices, especially…