Carlene Cable-Barley is the author of SAFE: Why Emotional Security Is

Essential as We Age, a compassionate exploration of emotional safety in the

lives of older adults.

Her understanding of the subject did not come from formal clinical

training, but from more than seven years of personally caring for her

mother as dementia gradually took away her independence. Through that

experience, Carlene began to recognize how deeply fear, uncertainty,

reassurance, and trust shape the emotional lives of older adults.

What she discovered was both simple and profound: as independence

fades, the need to feel safe increases.

Over time, she learned that many behaviors often associated with aging or

cognitive decline were not only medical or behavioral issues, but responses

to confusion, vulnerability, and emotional insecurity. By creating calmer and

emotionally safe environments, she witnessed significant changes in trust,

connection, and daily care.

Carlene wrote SAFE to help families, caregivers, and professionals better

understand the emotional needs of older adults and to encourage a more

compassionate approach to caregiving, rooted not only in physical

protection, but also in emotional reassurance and dignity.

An avid reader and a lifelong student of the Scriptures, with a deep love of

history and interior design, Carlene believes that we never outgrow the

need to feel safe, be valued, and stay connected.

She lives in Huntsville, Alabama, where she continues to write and develop

resources focused on emotional safety, caregiving, and human relationships

throughout our lifetime.