PEDICURE
How to Stay Strong & Independent...
This is the second in a series of posts explaining my Healthy Aging Checklist. Remember, for the healthiest aging, we need to do the things that optimize health — and health care — so that the brain and body work at their best for now, and for the future. I’ve identified six broad actions to
5 Questions to Answer for Easy...
Since 2008, April 16th has been designated as “National Healthcare Decisions Day” (NHDD). It’s an initiative meant to “inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning.” In other words, National Healthcare Decisions Day is meant to get you to think about things like advance directives, living wills, powers
7 Commonly Neglected Problems to Address...
This is the third in a series of posts covering the Healthy Aging Checklist. Again, the Healthy Aging Checklist summarizes the six fundamental activities I recommend when asked what to do to maintain the best possible health while aging. They are: In this post, I’ll cover the third item: addressing commonly neglected aging health problems
How to Manage Chronic Conditions for...
This is the fourth in a series of posts covering the Healthy Aging Checklist. Again, the Healthy Aging Checklist summarizes the six fundamental activities I recommend when asked what to do to maintain the best possible health while aging. They are: In this post, I’ll cover the fourth item: learning to optimize the management of any
Power of Attorney & More for...
This is the sixth and final post covering the Healthy Aging Checklist, a set of six core activities that will help any older adult maintain the best possible health while aging. They are: In this post, I’ll address the last item on the list: advance planning for medical, legal, and financial issues. This includes power
Helping Older Parents Newsletter: Trusted Advice...
Get expert guidance from a board-certified geriatrician—delivered straight to your inbox each week. Caring for an aging parent or loved one can feel overwhelming. You’re doing your best, but it’s hard to know what’s normal, what’s worrisome, and what to do next. That’s where Helping Older Parents Newsletter comes in—a free newsletter from Dr. Leslie
When to Check Home Blood Pressure...
If I had to recommend one key piece of healthcare equipment that older adults & caregivers should have at home, it would be this: a good home blood pressure (BP) monitor. Why? Because BP measurements (and pulse measurements, which machines check at the same time) are an incredibly useful tool when it comes to assessing
How to Treat Insomnia & Other...
What should you do if an older person complains of insomnia, or is not sleeping well at night? Experts do believe that “normal aging” brings on some changes to sleep. (See this post for more on how sleep changes with aging.) Basically, older adults tend to get sleepy earlier in the evening, and tend to sleep less deeply than
10 Causes & What the Doctor...
Have you been worried about an older person’s memory or thinking abilities? Maybe your parent has seemed more confused recently. Or you may have noticed that your aging spouse is repeating herself, or struggling to do things that didn’t use to pose much of a problem. Or you may have noticed false accusations, or irrational
How to Choose & Use a...
In another article, I’ve explained the key reasons that I recommend older adults and their caregivers have a blood pressure (BP) monitor at home. To very briefly recap: Many of the problems of older adults (including falls) can be related to blood pressure. Home blood pressure measurements can help:
