Category Archives: Blog

Hooked On Books

Book

When I was a very young child, my granny sent me a leather bookmark through the mail. It had a rugged Native American chiseled into it and the words, “Books are Silent Friends.” She knew I loved to read and that love has lasted a lifetime. How long has it been since you or your […]

Hawaii Eldercare Law Could Set Future Precedent

Legislation, bills, mallet

Enacted in 2017, Hawaii’s Kapuna Caregivers Act may be a model for other states that want to help unpaid family caregivers. The Hawaiian word kapuna has multiple meanings but is commonly used to describe an elder or grandparent. In some contexts, the word also means “ancestor” or “source” and implies that members of earlier generations […]

Seniors Behaving Badly

Stop Bullying

When people think of bullying behavior, most flash back to a more distant time and place, and to visions of mean kids they recall from the playground. But bullying is also becoming a burgeoning problem among those we thought were old enough to know better: seniors, especially those living in group residences — from independent […]

Senior Prom: Revisited

Senior Prom

In many ways, it was like the prom you might remember fondly — or less than fondly — from your youth: an auditorium festooned with balloons and paper mache decorations, a huge bowl of punch, the coronation of a king and queen, and a band kicking out dance-friendly tunes while a roving photographer snapped the […]

Stopping the ‘End of Life Conveyor Belt’

ICU Room

Jessica Zitter, a palliative care physician and critical care specialist, well remembers the moment she knew she had to get off “the end of life conveyor belt”—which she describes as the automatic, unquestioning use of machines and procedures used to keep a patient functioning, despite the prognosis or the questionable quality of life it may […]

Take Care – It’s Hot Out There!

Hot day at the beach

The older we get the more susceptible we are to the heat of summer. We’re also more likely to get dehydrated and that can mean a trip to the hospital! Be aware of the symptoms of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration so you can stay healthy during the warm summer months. If you know […]

Evening Shadows and Sundowning

Moon rising in the sky

The hardest part of the day for many caregivers and for those they love can be late in the afternoon and in the evening. When the shadows appear and the day is coming to a close, one out of five people who suffer with dementia often experience Sundowning. According to an article on WebMD, sundowning […]