Making the Hardest Decision
You know the moment is approaching. A hundred times the notion has crossed your mind. You have always let it pass — until now. Your loved one’s medical condition has gotten worse in spite of your best efforts. His or her personal care needs and need for supervision have increased. You may feel exhausted. Your […]
New Study Gives Hope for a Method to Delay Alzheimer’s
Currently, there is no effective way to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease, but a solution would be welcomed with open arms.
Arthritis — Prevention & Pain Remedies
More than 46 million Americans suffer from arthritis pain. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is a major cause of disability in older adults.
Don’t Let Incontinence Diminish Quality of Life
Apparently urinary incontinence is a common syndrome affecting at least 1 in 3 older women. Incontinence is often associated with self-imposed social isolation, fractures, falls, a lowered self-esteem, anxiety, depression and even admission to long-term care facilities.
Avoiding Dehydration & Heat Exhaustion
What most of us are not aware of, is that summer heat claims more than 1,000 lives each year in the United States; more than the icy winters or the severe storms.
The Skilled Nursing Facility Checklist
When the time comes to start considering moving a loved one or a family member into a skilled nursing facility, many questions and concerns come to mind. Is my loved one going to be well taken care of? Will they be happy? Are they still going to socialize with people their age?
Navigating Obsessing, Fear & Memory in Dementia
While my uncle was out of town recently, I agreed to stay with my grandmother and take care of her for a week so her routine wouldn’t be disrupted. I’ve only been around her for a couple days at a time over the last few years, so I wasn’t sure how to prepare myself for […]
Is It Time to Downsize?
Contemplating retirement is also the time to start contemplate downsizing your home.
Compensation for Family Caregiving
Caregiving for a family member or friend can be a very rewarding and loving experience. However, the time and energy spent can be draining emotionally and financially.
Looking for New Friendships
Typically, making friends is something that just happens. It has never been something that you had to give alot of thought. When you were in school it was who sat next to you in class
Spring Allergies
Spring is finally here. The only way Chicagoans can really tell is by the endless days of rain sprinkled with a warm sunny day here and there.
Sex — What’s Age Got to Do with It?
Sex — one of the most taboo topics in American society. I, however, would like to talk about why we should be talking more about sex, especially as we get older. There seems to be this misconception about age and sex, a ‘use it or lose it’ misconception as well as the thought process that […]
Vitamin D — Why it’s so Important
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which is created by sun exposure. If you wear sunscreen constantly, are homebound, wear a hijab or long robes for religious reasons, or live in northern latitudes such as Illinois, you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Besides being created in our bodies from the sun, […]
Spring Cleaning Can Actually Save Money?
Spring cleaning. Something about it sounds refreshing. Something about it also sounds exhausting. The idea of going through your entire home, cleaning and reorganizing it from top to bottom can be a long weekend project — maybe even two weekends worth of work. You may not want to commit to it considering the weather is clearing […]
Lifting Safety for Caregivers
We may not recognize the risk we are putting ourselves in the moment of leaning over someone for an extended period of time. We may not feel any different a few minutes after lifting up a person from bed or transferring a person from a chair to a wheel chair, but inevitably, it hits us the […]
Salt: Did You See It?
I’m referring to the salt you probably didn’t see or taste in your Cheerios this morning, but it was there — all 190 milligrams of it.
The End of Advanced Care Planning?
A year ago the heath care reform bill was signed into law by President Obama. During the debate leading to the passage of this sweeping legislation, there was much publicity about a provision that would allow physicians to obtain reimbursement for voluntarily having discussions with their Medicare eligible patients about advance care planning (ACP). Overnight, ACP became a political football and the focus of media frenzy.
Driving — Time to Stop?
The changes of normal aging can often interfere with the ability to drive. Driving is a complex function and it’s important to be alert for changes in yourself and others that might indicate it’s time to stop driving.
Top Jobs for Older Adults
If you are anything like most retirees or soon-to-be ones, you have probably taken a financial hit over the past two years. What was once the comfortable retirement lifestyle you had always imagined might be looking very different in this harsh economic climate. To make matters worse, prices are going up and your income is undoubtedly fixed. You might be asking yourself what you could possibly do without having to go back to work full-time. There are actually some great part-time positions perfect for the formerly retired.
Vacations – A Must For Caregivers
It’s March. We all feel it — the spring in our step when a 40 degree day hits followed by the dread the next day when it’s back down in the 20s and snowing. The daily pressures combined with the weather all starts to mound and we wish we could just get away for a week or maybe even a few days. It’s time for a vacation
Spruce Up For Spring!
To paraphrase the legendary Rock & Roll group The Beatles, “Little darling, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter… but here comes the Sun!” With the warmer weather just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start thinking about completing those home maintenance projects that have been on your mind all winter. Some […]
Feeling SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder
It’s about this time every year I start feeling a little sad for no good reason. A few years ago I thought it was the lull after the holidays of getting back to ‘normal’ life, but when it stretched a few months longer than I felt comfortable with I knew it was something else. After […]
Tips for Helping Family Members with Finances
A frequent challenge is how to help older family members with their finances without taking away their autonomy or getting into a tug-of-war over the issue. Concerns often arise when visiting loved ones and finding that bills have not been paid, papers are in disorder, or even that utilities have been cut off. It’s not […]
Paying for Prescriptions: The Basics
It is almost inevitable that as we age we might need some prescription drugs to assist with medical conditions that are out of our control, or to facilitate our quality of life. How to go about paying for these prescription drugs, however, can be complicated. Medicaid Part D is prescription drug coverage through Medicare, implemented […]
Working Past the Age of 65
It seems to be a growing trend in America. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of men and women over 65 who work has been rising since 1985 — reaching upwards of 20.5% in 2007. Why are so many older adults choosing to work instead of enjoying retirement? Economics could be […]
