A 2017 New York Times article identified 5 tips for finding a reliable nursing home. But there’s a sixth tip, and it may be the most important: Use all your senses. You must remember, too, that the term “nursing home” has become a catchall phrase that, these days, seems to include not just 24-hour hospital-type […]
“America’s commitment to its veterans are not just lines on a budget,” President Obama assured members at a recent Veterans of Foreign Wars convention. “They are bonds that are sacred — a sacred trust we’re honor bound to uphold.” That assurance is extremely important for aging veterans who face the same challenges that confront seniors […]
When 911 is called and the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrive, the first thing they do is quickly look for a DNR, or Do Not Resuscitate order. They will check for a bracelet or necklace that indicates the wearer has a DNR, or they will check the refrigerator door for a note that indicates a […]
It’s finally happening. After resisting suggestions about moving to a senior care community for years, your elderly father (or mother) has finally recognized that living alone in the family home is simply too much, and too expensive, for him to handle. Who knows why he changed his mind. Maybe it was the storm that knocked […]
Marilyn is a more than vigorous 80-plus. She teaches a history class for seniors, exercises regularly, takes writing courses and has a manuscript ready for submission, is an active member of a local women’s group and a new resident of a retirement community near her former home. She also has a dog, one that requires […]
Maybe it is denial. Maybe it is what has been called “anticipatory grief,” or a reluctance to think about losing a loved one. Or maybe it is something entirely different. But whatever the cause, the result is the same: Many families fail to deal with issues surrounding the end of life. In other words, neither […]
Higher hour caregivers — defined as those who provide at least 21 hours and up to 60 hours of care per week without pay — are likely to suffer emotional stress as well as physical and financial strain, according to the report Caregiving in the U.S. 2015. Jointly issued by the National Alliance for Caregiving […]
The Scenario Barbara is 78, in good health and a recent widow. For the last six years, her focus has been caring for her husband, who was seriously crippled by a combination of severe arthritis and stenosis, and then was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. After his death, her children worried that she could no […]
Many of America’s seniors may have an alcohol problem, but not the kind one would expect. It seems that many seniors may not be drinking enough to reap the research-backed benefits of moderate drinking. Those benefits include heart health, improved memory and cognition, better bone density, and reduced risks for some types of cancer and […]