PEDICURE
How to Make Hospitalization Better &...
As you may know, hospitalization is actually somewhat risky for older adults. This is sometimes surprising to older adults and families. After all, hospitals are supposed to be places where people who are ill or injured can get the medical supervision and services that they need, to recover and be restored to health. Well, it’s
5 Easy Ways to Connect with...
When is the last time you had a really meaningful conversation with someone from a different generation? And who was it with? Was it with a grandchild? A niece? Your own parent? A neighbor? Or maybe even the person standing next to you in line at the store? While these types of connections happen every day
How to Know How Well It...
As everyone knows, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health — and societal — crisis of epic proportions. The impact has been especially severe on older adults, who are more likely to be severely affected by COVID, and who represent a distressingly high proportion of the U.S.’s COVID deaths. But, in an amazing feat
6 Steps to Take When Aging...
Have you noticed worrisome changes in your aging parent? Maybe they’ve been mostly okay but now you’re seeing problems with memory, such as forgetfulness or asking the same questions repeatedly. Or maybe you’ve noticed trouble with driving, keeping up the house, managing stairs, or paying bills. Some aging parents simply begin to seem more withdrawn.
What to Know & Do
You probably already know that many older adults develop problems managing finances as they age. Now how would you answer the questions below: Has your aging parent planned for a decline in financial abilities? Are you prepared to detect signs of a financial decline? Do you know what to do if you do notice problems with
A 5-Step Approach to Navigating Difficult...
Q: My mother is 76 and has Alzheimer’s disease. She had a couple of unavoidable stays last year in the hospital (due to falls). This accelerated her decline due to delirium, which was treated as if she was just being an unruly and difficult patient. Once my sister and I understood what was going on
Sex When Caregiving: Navigating Your Changing...
(This article is part 2 of a special guest series by geriatrician Dr. Nicole Didyk, founder of the blog and YouTube channel The Wrinkle. Like me, Dr. Didyk has a particular interest in informing and empowering older adults and families. So I’ve been very glad to have her contributing to the site these past few
What to Know & What to...
Image Credit: DepositPhotos. Have you noticed that an older relative seems to be having trouble hearing you at times? Or perhaps you’ve realized that sometimes YOU are the one saying “What?” These situations are extremely common. Sometimes the issue is that one is trying to communicate in a noisy place and there is no need
How to Diagnose Dementia: the Practical...
“Doctor, do you diagnose dementia? Because I need someone who can diagnose dementia.” A man asked me this question recently. He explained that his 86 year-old father, who lived in the Bay Area, had recently been widowed. Since then the father had sold his long-time home rather quickly, and was hardly returning his son’s calls.
Avoiding Aging Incapacity Problems: Durable Powers...
One of the most common concerns I hear from people is “My older parent’s behavior is concerning me and I’m worried about her mental abilities.” As I explained in a related article: it’s not always dementia but often it is. And unless an older person has done a good job planning ahead, it can be very hard
