Caring for someone who has dementia is a uniquely stressful experience. The person may be forgetful, engage in bizarre behavior, have trouble speaking, become incontinent, fall, and have trouble eating, dressing, or bathing. He or she may even forget who you are — which can be particularly distressing for family members. Caregivers and family members […]
Seniors live alone for a number of different reasons. For many, lone living begins after a spouse or partner dies or moves into a facility because of illness or diminished capacity. Life and circumstances don’t always allow the option of moving in with family members or friends. And some seniors simply prefer to live by […]
Are you having trouble getting your senior loved one to eat well? So many issues affect a senior’s appetite, including certain drugs and the decline of their taste buds, according to Medline Plus. Not only do we lose some of our taste buds as we age, but the ones we have left often shrink losing […]
As studies of brain health and aging focus and evolve, the term “Mild Cognitive Impairment,” or MCI, is frequently bandied about by doctors and other care providers—and often without much explanation. MCI, also referred to as “Major Neurocognitive Disorder is basically a transitional state straddling the area between normal aging and dementia. Many conditions can […]
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 […]
Many people tend to have a relationship with food and eating characterized by a familiar problem: overconsumption. This is particularly true in the United States. Weight gain caused by overeating can lead to a whole host of preventable diseases that can haunt people in later life—including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. (See The Looming Long Term […]
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 […]
Updated August 2025 A frail, elderly woman in her mid-80s sits on the edge of her bed, her drooping body weighed down by eight-plus decades of life, the recurring health issues that have engulfed her in recent years, and the omnipresent fear of what is to come. Then a tune by Vaughn Monroe, a prominent […]