Muscle loss and aging typically go hand in hand. As people age, they naturally suffer a loss of physical muscle and mass. This often affects their gait and balance. Unfortunately, weakened muscles and diminished strength are frequently the cause of elderly falls and fractures. While some loss is normal, extreme loss can be caused by…
The Geriatric Care Manager shows up to check on her 78-year-old client. She notices the elderly man is gaunter and noticeably thinner than when she started the case. From week to week, the piles of mail seem to grow and the dishes seem to wait all week for the once per week cleaning woman to…
Did You Know there is a Disorder that Makes the Winter Difficult for Many? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) was formally described and named as a component of depression in 1984 by Norman Rosenthal, M.D. and his colleagues at the National Institute of Mental Health. It is estimated that as many as 9 percent of individuals living…
There seems to be a big gap with respect to caring for seniors in terms of reporting and screening for elderly falls. The elderly, their caregivers, and healthcare providers all share responsibility. They need to pay more attention to the warning signs that a senior is at risk of an elderly fall. Failure to Report…
The holidays are over. While there is a lot of information about holiday blues, there is also a similar issue with post-holiday depression. Everyone has returned home after many fun-filled days of presents and fabulous meals. With the family holiday visits a thing of the past, many elderly may come down with the post-holiday blues.…
Adapting your home, or elderproofing it, to make it easier for your loved one who may be suffering from Parkinson’s disease to move around and perform daily activities will go a long way toward improving their quality of life and reducing the risk of accidents along the way. We have isolated 4 keys ways for…
The winter months are a difficult time for the elderly. The usual stresses of making trips to the grocery and eating healthily, getting to appointments, visiting with friends and family, and avoiding slips and falls become intensified as the weather and road conditions worsen. Ensuring the health of your aging loved one during this time…
There are many studies on stroke victims and their recovery. However, it is important to keep in mind their primary caregivers – mainly their spouses. Being a caretaker of a stroke victim can be very stressful and require a large amount of time, energy and devotion. We must remember that the spouses of stroke victims…
They are quips we hear often enough—when you forget a well-known name or where you left your keys: “I’m having a senior moment,” or, “My Alzheimer’s is setting in!” As we age, the body changes, including the composition of the brain making the elderly more prone to mild forgetfulness. Sometimes these memory slips are nothing…
It’s not easy to be a parent. However, it is often difficult as well to be the child of parents who can no longer care for themselves. Most aging parents obviously want to live at home for as long as possible. This often means that they will need in-home elderly care to make that happen. The…