Medical records can be powerful tools in helping to manage healthcare. But people seeking out medical information about themselves or friends and family members often run into a roadblock with a formidable-sounding name: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA. Originally intended to protect the privacy of patients’ personal and medical […]

When I worked in a memory care community, it gave me a unique perspective to see the issues those with dementia face on a daily basis. When a senior first moves into a new environment, it’s probably the most stress they’ve encountered in a long, long while. Getting used to a new room where they […]

My mama always told me, “You never leave someone in the hospital without being there.” That advice rang true when I heard from a friend how her husband was treated after surgery. It’s not the only time I’ve heard horror stories about what was done while the family was away. Forcing Hospitals to Be Accountable […]

For over thirty years, my parents have been the proud owners of a two-acre homestead. They bought it in their 50s when they were still able to tackle almost anything. Now in their 80s the story is quite different. Are your parents getting to an age where taking care of their home has become too […]

A five-month study by the Associated Press National Investigative team found quantities of drugs — including antibiotics, sex hormones, and anti-seizure compounds — in the drinking water supplied to more than 40 million residents in 24 major U.S. metropolitan areas. In Philadelphia, for example, investigators found the drinking water contained 565 drugs or byproducts — including […]

Consumers have become less willing to blindly follow the advice of “experts” over the years. We’re more active and activist — taking the initiative to delve into researching everything from the best refrigerators to buy to the best options in big life decisions. And for many people, that includes checking out several different nursing homes […]

Though it happens far too infrequently, it’s a pleasure to behold when seniors are polled and honored for the sagacity they possess. And such is the delight of the recently-released film Lives Well Lived: Celebrating the Secrets, Wit and Wisdom of Age. Promotional materials boast that it’s derived from 40 people, ages 72 to 103 […]

When your front yard is nothing but weeds as high as your head and you have two riding mowers that won’t run, and your arthritis is killing you, what do you do? I know my neighbors must really love me at this point! It’s rotten to have the worst looking yard on a country block, […]

Music is something we carry with us, whether or not we’re actually hearing it at that moment. I think the songs of our youth are the ones that last throughout our lifetimes. They are for me, especially if you sing, “There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea.” My daddy can’t actually carry a […]

For an entire week, the San Francisco Bay area was recently abuzz with planners and participants attending an innovative program challenging them to rethink their views on living, aging, and dying. Titled “Reimagine,” it featured a series of events drawing on the arts, spirituality, healthcare, and design intended to “break down taboos and bring diverse communities […]