Welcome to the online press kit for Parenting Our Parents and Jane Wolf Frances, M.S.W., J.D.

Family love expert, coach, advocate and author, Jane Wolf Frances, M.S.W., J.D., is a licensed psychotherapist, attorney and the founder of ParentingOurParents™ (POP) and its unique POP Family Coaching Program that helps families with aging seniors successfully navigate the many confusing and complex practical, emotional, financial, legal and other challenges. Jane offers qualified professionals the opportunity to become Certified as POP Family Coaches as well as offering POP Family Coaching to families. She has spent five decades honing her skills as a problem-solver, applying her special brand of “listening” to the concerns presented by her clients.

Background: Graduating with honors from Wellesley College, Jane received her Juris Doctor law degree from Boston University. Later in life, she attended UCLA to receive her master’s degree in social work, becoming a licensed Psychotherapist. Jane expanded her year of coaching skills by working with Dr. Martin Seligman and the country’s leading team of “Happiness Scientist” Coaches. Jane’s years of education reflect more than focused determination and scholarly discipline. They also afforded Jane a fascinating career with the Peace Corps and VISTA Volunteer programs; in anti-poverty law; as a Law Professor working with Dream Team attorney Gerald F. Uelmen; a “dealmaker” at 20th Century Fox and a part of some of the most fascinating cases of our day. Jane has also won awards volunteering her time at AIDS Project Los Angeles, running caregiver support groups and working to change unfair tax laws.

Therapy: Jane now practices psychotherapy telemedically and from her offices in southern California. For decades she’s counseled individuals and families to successfully resolve their biggest problems – losses, relationship, career, stage of life. She offers her patients not only her years as a mental health professional and family coach but also the experience of teaching and practicing law.

Parenting Our Parents: Jane’s realizations came one Christmas when she traveled back for a family visit and discovered that her aging parents, then in their late 80s, had been concealing from her that they were in seriously ill health and that their home was a shambles. Jane recognized that she’d come upon a life-defining moment, that this could be her chance to “give back” to the parents who’d given her life, an education and so much more. Choosing to reverse her former place as the child in the family, Jane found herself embracing a new role as their POParent. Soon thereafter, Jane founded POP when she discovered that her personal family problem was actually a problem for literally millions of Americans, and then she saw there was nowhere people could turn to learn how to successfully face and “fix” this widespread crisis. Little did she know then that for her, doing “POP,” as she soon called it, would last for ten years, require her to tap into all of her educational and life resources, provide her the biggest challenge of her life – and turn into her life mission. But all of that happened.

Book, Website, Blog, Community and Coaching: Jane courageously reveals her family’s story in her memoir/self-help book, “Parenting Our Parents: Transforming the Challenge into a Journey of Love.” She began with helping her own parents live their lives out with dignity and as much independence as their situations warranted. Then she reached out to so many others with a website, a blog, a POP community, a coaching program and by speaking to groups — so that other families could develop the practical and emotional skills they would also need. Perhaps most significant is the uplifting point of view that the “POP years” can actually become some of the best of our lives.

For more information on the book, CLICK HERE.

In her book and coaching, Jane shares the knowledge that Americans need as life expectancies grow and more and more of us find ourselves caring for elderly parents and other loved ones. Some topics she illuminates include:

* How to begin “The Conversation” with loved ones about declining health and what they need in their final years
* Warning signs that aging parents may need more help and what to do next
* Early signs of Alzheimer’s
* Healing old wounds, forging new bonds and creating memories: POP as one of the greatest gifts to your family and your own peace of mind
* Simple and effective ways to connect with elderly parents, including those suffering from Alzheimer’s
* How to prevent stress and improve your life when POParenting
* How siblings can “become a village” and help each other when caring for aging parents
* Helping elderly loved ones learn to protect themselves from swindlers

POP Family Coaching: It was also out of necessity that Jane became the first and Master POP Family Coach. She pioneered a national program when she saw how many people were desperate for specialized, customized guidance as they traversed this unique time in family life.

Jane trains certified POP Family Coaches who work across the nation teaming family with geriatric professionals to help create workable plans to care for elders and prevent unnecessary expense and anguish. Her goal is to help adult children everywhere discover how they can transform a potentially stressful time of life into one of joy, fulfillment and renewed family bonds.

For more information about doing POP FAMILY COACHING with Jane, CLICK HERE.

For more information about becoming a POP Family Coach (PFC), CLICK HERE.

In addition to her private practice, Jane still conducts a limited number of POP family coaching sessions whenever she can. Jane likes to offer these primarily via video conferencing, a virtually free communications technology. This live audio/video hookup allows her to bring together as many interested family members as possible, however near or far-flung, in ongoing discussions about utilizing POPlans, having particularly difficult conversations and whatever else they may need.

Download Jane Wolf Frances’ One Pager and POP Challenge Facts

For more information, visit www.ParentingOurParents.org