Elderly Addiction It’s something that we never associate with the elderly, but it does exist: elderly substance abuse. According to the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), this “hidden national epidemic is diagnosed in only 37% of those ages 60+ suffering from addiction. As a result, many organizations have new guidelines…
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OR PRINT THIS ARTICLE. Being a caregiver for an elderly adult can be fraught with unforeseen and challenging situations. Understandably, many relatives are ill equipped to handle them. Managing all the details and logistics required can be daunting for a child or senior spouse. It is not easy to situate an…
Caregiver Mothers Mother’s Day approaching and May is Older Americans month. With this is mind, I started thinking about caregivers at the beginning and at the end of life, for those young and old. People most often associate caregiving with the harried young mother who has no time to shower or get dressed as she…
by: Anita Kamiel, RN, MPS With the hot summer bearing down on us, it’s good to remind ourselves of the dangers of heat exposure and dehydration. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extreme heat causes hundreds of deaths per year in the United States. No one is more at risk than…
Growing Need for Home Healthcare As people live longer, the need for home care likely increases. While some aging seniors can receive personal care from family members, others search for care from a qualified home health aide. Hiring a home health aide can allow your loved one to remain in the comfort of his or…
Diagnosis of Dementia A diagnosis of dementia mostly associated with cognitive impairment and memory loss can be such a terrifying prospect that many refuse to confront that reality at all. They prefer to say that confusion is just part of getting older or that everyone forgets things. They blame their forgetfulness on stress or mild…
We are happy to host this guest post from noted disability activist, author, consultant, and blogger Donna Thomson. A stranger asks, “What do you do?”. They really mean, ‘Do you WORK?’. When you reply that you care for a loved one, they look past your shoulder, scanning the room for an escape route. At the…
We talk a lot about the advantages of having seniors age in place, that is in the home they are comfortable and familiar with. But, sometimes there comes a point when that is not feasible and we must move an elderly loved one. This can often be dramatic for them. A move can be almost…
A Frightening Aspect of Aging What would happen to you if you reached a stage in life where you were no longer able to make decisions about yourself? Your healthcare? What would become of you? Even if you have loved ones, do you trust all of them to make the kinds of decisions you would…
Awkward Discussion We talk a lot about how important it is to have those serious end-of-life discussions with your elderly loved ones as they enter their golden years. It’s so important to hash out their preferences for care while they are still fully cognizant, before any decline in mental capacity. We also know that under…