Patient advocacy is an area of specialization in health care concerned with advocacy for patients, survivors and caregivers. The patient advocate may be an individual or an organization. The terms patient advocate and patient advocacy can refer both to individual advocates providing services, and to organizations whose functions extend to individual patients. Some patient advocates […]
Updated January 2026 Let’s talk about sunshine and the incredible role that it plays in our well-being. Older adults, particularly nursing home residents, tend to get less of it than younger adults, but everyone needs it and many of us don’t get enough of it. While sun exposure has its risks, such as skin cancer, […]
If you are a friend, relative or neighbor of a caregiver, you are in an ideal position to provide this person with much-needed help, assistance, and gestures of appreciation. You can provide care for the caregiver in large and small ways, either occasionally or regularly. Whatever you do can make a huge difference in the […]
Updated October 2025 Diabetes is on the rise in our society, affecting 38.4 million Americans, or about 11.6% of the population. More than a million Americans are newly diagnosed with diabetes every year. About 2 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, while type 2 diabetes accounts for almost 95% of all cases. Nearly 30% of […]
Updated August 2025 The number of people at risk from pressure ulcers is increasing due to an aging population and a growing prevalence of long-term chronic conditions. Older adults who have functional limitations and immobility issues are especially at risk for developing bed sores. Bed sores, also called pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers, can result […]
Updated December 2025 Do you suffer with stiff and painful joints? Researchers have found that arthritis is the most prevalent cause of disability in the US, affecting one in five adults. Some forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, are particularly common in older adults. One in three people age 65 and older suffer […]
Each year hundreds of thousands of older persons are abused, neglected, and exploited (The National Council on Aging states that one in 10 Americans over the age of 60 have experienced abuse. Some estimates suggest that as many as 5 million seniors experience abuse each year.) . Many victims are people who are older, frail, and […]
Drug misuse among seniors has become an “invisible epidemic,” or so the government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration believes. No one really knows how serious this epidemic has become, despite all the surveys and studies conducted by various government agencies and research organizations, and with good reason. Seniors use lots of drugs, probably […]
No one really knows how many people are caregivers. The CDC estimates 53 million in 2020. Everyone does agree, though, that caregivers need support and a mini-industry seems to be growing in response to this need. That support starts the old-fashioned way with books and publications. The “Caregiver’s Handbook” published as a special report by […]
Updated September 2025 Do you worry that your aging mother may fall and hurt herself with no one is there to help her? Or maybe that your elderly father will wander off and no one knows where he went? Worry no longer. Technology has come to the rescue. With today’s technology, falls can be detected […]