PEDICURE
4 Approaches to Ask the Doctor...
Worried about falls in an older parent or relative? If so, do you know if their doctor has considered the most useful fall prevention approaches? Fall risk can be reduced, but it generally takes some thought and effort. That’s in part because most older adults have multiple factors making them vulnerable to falls. In a
Clinical Depression in Aging: Symptoms, Testing...
Most of us can relate to feeling sad or blue, sometimes for days at a time. It may be in response to a major life event like losing a job, a break-up, or as part of grief. These sad feelings can lead us to feel less interested in enjoyable activities, make us lose our appetite
How to Avoid a Missed Pelvic...
Once upon a time, the ER missed a pelvic fracture in one of my older patients. Actually, this kind of thing has happened more than once, and perhaps it’s happened to your family too. As much as we’d like to believe that our older loved ones will get the right care when they are sick
Mental Incompetence & Losing Decision Capacity...
Have you ever been concerned about an older relative who seems to be making bad decisions? Perhaps your elderly father insists he has no difficulties driving, even though he’s gotten into some fender benders and you find yourself a bit uncomfortable when you ride in the car with him. Or you’ve worried about your aging
4 Things to Try When Your...
Dear Dr. K, Any ideas on how I can relieve my mother’s anxiety about her thinking an animal got in the house? I can’t find anything and have moved the couches but she is convinced and scared. She’s always been a worrier, plus her thinking has been deteriorating and her vision is impaired a bit.
4 Brain-Slowing Medications to Avoid if...
Image Credit: BigStock. A few years ago, while I was at a family celebration, several people mentioned memory concerns to me. Some were older adults concerned about the memory of their spouses. Some were adult children concerned about the short-term memory of their parents. And a few were older adults who have noticed some slowing down
How to Know When Your Aging...
Have you been getting worried about your aging parent, or wondering if they are ok continuing to live as they are? Maybe they’ve been mostly okay but now you’re spotting some 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
Top 10 Checklist for Better Health...
Do you find yourself taking stock and setting goals around the time of New Year’s? It is indeed an excellent time to reflect on the past year. And although one can set goals at any time of year, the start of the calendar year is a time that seems to inspire many people to think
Sexuality in Later Life
In the intricate tapestry of life, sexuality weaves a thread that is both delicate and enduring, a thread that is woven from the fabric of our gender identity, our physical selves, and our emotional needs. Intimacy blossoms and unfolds in their own time, taking root in the soil of our personal and social experiences. Despite
RSV in Adults & the RSV...
It used to be that influenza was the main respiratory virus that got a lot of attention during the wintertime. But now there’s another one that’s become known for its potential to cause serious illness in older adults: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Unlike COVID-19, which only appeared in the U.S. in 2020, RSV has actually
