New Hypertension Guidelines Only about six years overdue, new guidelines for treating hypertension have been released by the Joint National Committee on The Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. For drug treatment, the committee increased the threshold of hypertension from 140/80 to 150/90 in those aged 60 and older. With that, they re-categorized…
Dreaded Unexpected Elderly Falls How many times have you heard someone say my father or mother was fine before s/he fell? For many older adults, an unexpected fall can lead to a series of events that end in serious or fatal complications. As a result, many elderly are terribly afraid of falling. Elderly falls is…
A Typical Scenario: An 80-year-old man walks into a doctor’s office and says, “My bones creak and I feel pain when I just walk.” The doctor responds, “Well, Abe, you are getting on in years. Nothing works like it used to. You can’t expect to feel like you did 30 years ago.” Ageism! Doctors have…
Lovable Cranky Old Lady Sheila Klass was a self-professed old lady and blogging grandma who approached her advanced age and physical limitations with humor and grace. Though she passed away very recently, thankfully she left behind wonderful personal blog entries bringing insight into a natural treasure, our older generation. She was a lovable cranky old lady…
Medical Note Takers With families dispersed throughout the country and the world, a needs gap has developed. Having someone else accompany a senior and take notes during doctors’ visits is gaining popularity as an additional way to care for the elderly. This is especially important with children at work or living in faraway cities. These…