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A Closer Look at Lessons From the Oldest Old

Key to Life

When John Leland bounced onto the stage recently at The Institute on Aging, the crowd of mostly older seniors seemed to greet him with skepticism. He was there to talk about his new book, Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons From a Year Among the Oldest Old. “One year? You can’t learn much in that […]

Alzheimer’s Advocates: Agitating for a Cure

cure, medical research

Spurred by speculation that one disease was supplanting all others as the country’s biggest and most intractable health crises, Congress passed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. The Act required: A concrete national plan for overcoming Alzheimer’s Coordinating research and services offered by federal agencies Accelerating development of treatments […]

Taking One Day at a Time

one day at a time, clock

Trouble. There’s always enough to go around. Borrowing it from tomorrow is not always a good idea. Yes, we should be aware of what could happen, but dwelling on it may rob us of the joys of today. There have been a lot of ups and downs lately with my parents. My daddy has been […]

Feeding Seniors: Tips for Caregivers and Families

veggies and fruits

While everyone needs nourishing and well-balanced daily meals, caregivers and families need to recognize this is especially true for seniors. Many seniors have medical conditions, such as diabetes, that require special dietary attention, compounded by lagging appetites. That means caregivers and families must also make sure that seniors get sufficient protein along with enough vegetables […]

Will I Recognize When It’s Time to Move?

Moving Day

There are several ways to preplan and consider when you might want to move from your home. How do you set the milestones and stay accountable … or do you need to be accountable to anyone? My parents bought into a Life Care Community (previously called Continuing Care Retirement Communities) in 1998. However, for more […]

Who’s Your Walking Buddy?

Walking Buddies

I have to confess. Right now I’m without a walking buddy. My walking is suffering! I love a lot of the stories on Facebook. Yesterday I read about a fairly young man who offers himself to seniors who need a walking buddy. The older man who they interviewed said having the company of his younger […]

The Truth About Alzheimer’s Drugs

Alzheimer's Drugs

Most people are now aware of at least some of the more daunting facts about Alzheimer’s disease: An estimated 6.9 million Americans have the disease — a tally estimated to double by the year 2050. Nearly one of five Medicare dollars is spent on people with dementia; that amount is expected to rise to one […]

The Comfort And Help of Family

Hands

My daddy’s been sick for quite a while now. It’s been about six months since he’s really been himself. My parents live on two acres and keep the place looking like a park, but it’s been hard since daddy’s been sick. Mama is wearing down and I’ve come down with a bad bug, but just […]

Is It Time to Call Hospice In for Daddy?

For the past four or five months my daddy has been going downhill. He’s still wrestling with a urinary tract infection (UTI) that has been going on for months. Mama is stressed and tired. Daddy refuses dialysis. He lost his bladder to cancer 16 years ago and his kidneys have been compromised ever since. He’s […]

Watch Your Mailbox: New Medicare Cards Are on the Way

Mailbox

Former President Harry S. Truman was reportedly the first person to be enrolled in Medicare and to receive the first Medicare card. It was issued to him in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had signed the hard-fought legislation authorizing Medicare into law in July of 1965. Applying for Medicare has since become somewhat of […]