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 is critical to have an eldercare planning conversation with them even if they are resistant. It’s so important to hash out their preferences for care while…
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…
The holidays are over and the new year has begun. 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…
November is National Family Caregivers Month & Thanksgiving No Coincidence! In the month where we celebrate our family caregivers, we give thanks for so many things in our lives on Thanksgiving. We are thankful for having our loved ones near, young and old, and for the family members that love and care for them so…
Breast cancer remains the most common type of cancer affecting women in the United States, with a sizable portion of diagnoses occurring in older women. According to a study published in the Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP), approximately 60% of new breast cancer diagnoses occur in women aged 65 and over. Let’s shed some light…
On this Falls Prevention Day, I wanted to pass along a few tools to make sure our precious elderly are safe. Both valuable checklists are available below: A general checklist presented here with a more detailed version available on our blog. A comprehensive Elderproofing checklist to ensure the home environment of your elderly loved one…
!I could not resist marking this day celebrated every year on July 23 – GORGEOUS GRANDMA DAY!! The origin stems from Alice Solomon who graduated from Wellesley College at the age of 50-years-old in 1984. She felt that society viewed women of her age and older as irrelevant and less than useful. She decided it…
June is Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Awareness Month. Alzheimer’s disease is a tragic scourge that affects more than 6 million Americans and is the more common form of dementia. Each year we see more and more cases where family members lovingly care for their relative with Alzheimer’s as best they can. However, as the disease…
Memorial Day has become such a fixture in our national holidays that many people both take it for granted or don’t know there is a rich history connected to it. Here are some trivia facts that will enrich your commemoration of the day where we honor those who have fallen in service of this country.…
May has been designated Older Americans Month by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a government agency dedicated to enabling all people regardless of their age or disability to live independently and in their own communities. ALIGNED CORE BELIEFS That mission is completely consonant with our agency’s values which has always included these core beliefs:…
Geriatric Social Workers: Top 10 Concerns With so many bases that need to be covered by social workers for the elderly, there can be no dispute that being a geriatric care manager is a formidable job. Taking on the total care of another individual, let alone an elderly individual with complex problems, can be daunting.…
Unfortunately, aging comes with a great deal of loss and that includes hearing loss. In fact, one-third of all older Americans suffer from this condition. On World Hearing Day it is a good idea to look at the issue of hearing loss in Brooklyn seniors including testing, treatments, and prevention. Fast Facts Did you know…
While each February we celebrate hearts and valentines, it is also a time to reflect on something much more serious. Though other illnesses have come center stage lately, heart disease remains a common concern as we age. According to the National Council on Aging, it is one of the top 5 most common chronic illnesses…
Celebrating 40 Years in Business at David York Agency!
New York City’s Top-Rated In-Home Healthcare Agency for the last 40 years Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Nassau County Since 1984 Widely recognized as one of the best in-home care agencies in New York City, David York Home Healthcare has helped individuals and families live happier, healthier and safer lives. We…
Not many people know that January 17 is Annual Customer Service Day. This day is actually quite important to us at David York Agency since we run our agency totally guided by providing excellent customer service. Over our 40 years in business, we have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to respecting and supporting our clients as…
The holidays are over. They might have been great with all the family gathered and all the festivities and great food and company. Now we are back to real life. We start the year with a clean slate and many, many people decide that they are going to turn over a new leaf. More often…
The holidays is a wonderful and joyous time of year. We take time out to from our normal responsibilities to savor time with family and friends. When it comes to caring for our elderly loved ones, it is not really possible to take a break from caregiving. However, there are ways to make that caregiving…
It is that time of year again when we set aside to time to honor and appreciate family caregivers. They are the backbone of homecare in this country with more than half of the elderly and disabled depending on them for care. These caregivers are too often overlooked and taken for granted. We at David York…
Of the awareness months, October’s Depression Education and Awareness initiative is among the most important. Furthermore, this is especially true given all the upheavals the globe has suffered over the last couple of years. The effects of the covid measures are yet to be quantified, but the lingering anxiety is palpable to all. Keeping abreast…
“I’m not old, I’m just well-seasoned.” – Unknown In order to promote healthier lifestyles and preventive healthcare, the federal government established Healthy Aging Month in September of 1992. As the Baby Boomers turned 50, there was a great push to adopt a healthy way of living. The goal was to have people to remain vibrant…
I could not resist marking this day celebrated every year on July 23 – GORGEOUS GRANDMA DAY!! The origin stems from Alice Solomon who graduated from Wellesley College at the age of 50-years-old in 1984. She felt that society viewed women of her age and older as irrelevant and less than useful. She decided it…
Social Worker Month is March in the US and July in UK, but my philosophy on this is the same as for Mothers Day. Just as Mothers Day is EVERY DAY, appreciation month for healthcare professionals who care for us and our loved ones is EVERY MONTH! Just as parents arrange care for their children,…
National Men’s Health Week: June 12-18 Each year in June, the week before Fathers Day is set aside to honor men’s health culminating in the day set aside to honor the central male figure in most of our lives, our dads. It makes you wonder. What exactly are the issues around men’s health? The top 10…
Naturally, the vast majority of seniors are thrilled to be able to age-in-place. However, we must ensure that their environment is as safe as possible. Given their physical limitations, we need to be mindful of various scenarios that are potentially dangerous and put in place safeguards so that a potential catastrophe is avoided. Therefore, home…
Give Thanks to All the Mothers in Your Life by Giving Them the Gift of Health Mothers Day kicks off National Women’s Health Week. The top health concern pertaining to women may surprise you. While we naturally associate women’s health with systems and organs unique to women, it may surprise you that dreaded diseases such…
May is Older Americans Month You must make sure you have a plan in place. In honor of National Older Americans Month, we have decided to dedicate this newsletter to the issue of long term care insurance. We often don’t like to face it, but we are all getting older. With age comes the possibility of…
April is National Parkinson’s Awareness Month. It might surprise you that about 1 million people in the U.S. and 10 million people worlwide are currently living with Parkinson’s disease. While most are diagnosed after age 50, about 10% are diagnosed younger with early Onset (or Young Onset) Parkinson’s disease. This all means that someone you…
For many, February evokes the image as the month of the heart due to its association with Valentine’s Day. On that day, we focus on the emotional aspects of our hearts. However, it is also American Heart Month where we take stock of our physical heart health. David York Agency has written extensively on heart health relating…
Frankly, I am quite sympathetic to the seniors. They have enjoyed a lifetime of independence. They have every right in the world to keep that independence for as long as humanly possible. We must support senior independence in every way we can! It is so important to avoid the common pitfall of infantilizing them in…
November is National Family Caregivers Month. It is the time we set aside to salute them and appreciate all they do. Furthermore, it is time for caregivers to take stock of what they do and what they could do better to ensure a more fulfilling life for themselves. Caregivers for the elderly and disabled are…
Each year, the third week of October is set aside to celebrate National Healthcare Quality Week. David York Agency salutes the high quality healthcare workers across the country, especially the wonderful home health aides in our employ. All our policies are aimed at providing the highest quality and safest care for our clients. Additionally, we…
Many people confuse sudden cardiac arrest (SAC) with a heart attack, but it is not. I wrote an informative piece on our blog about this, SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST VS. HEART ATTACK: THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. Feel free to check it out. The main thing is to be: proactive regarding preventive measures, vigilant regarding any early warning signs, and …
A difficult and heart wrenching issue: Mental Illness. We often feel helpless when confronted with this reality. How do we even begin to tackle this? First, let’s start with understanding what this is. Then we can examine mental illness in the elderly. The Mayo Clinic defines mental illness as: “Mental illness, also called…
Elderly falls is serious business. Professionals dealing with the geriatric population are well aware of this. I have written newsletters about this in the past, but during this year’s Falls Prevention Awareness Week, I feel it is worthwhile to present the data and review the recommendations for falls prevention again. That is the subject of…
Traveling with your elderly relative is often nixed out of hand. Sure, we may have to make some adjustments since as we age we are less likely to get around as easily as when younger. However, elderly loved ones are still able to visit, to reminisce, and to enjoy family and travel destinations. In fact,…
An Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis can be devastating …. and put a lot of stress on a family. For the Alzheimer’s and dementia patient, s/he often can feel their capabilities diminishing and their cognition slip away. For the families, their hearts break as they see the loved one they knew slowly recede. Situations arise among…
National Stroke Awareness Month – Assess Your Risk! U.S. Statistics for Stroke Awareness (CDC) Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. Every 3.5 minutes, someone dies of stroke. Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes. About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which…
Diabetes Risk Assessment Diabetes is a group of diseases that deal with how your body utilizes blood sugar, also known as glucose. Glucose provides energy to our cells; without it, we cannot function. There is Type I and Type II diabetes and it is important to know the significant difference between the two. According to the CDC,…
We Are Excited About Our Brand New DYA Publication: If you follow David York Agency, you are well aware of our culture of exceeding customer expectations. Our Quality Standards and Resources Pages which include a Home Care Blog and Free Downloads all attest to our commitment to excellence. Our mission is providing premier care, cutting edge information, and tangible supports to our clients…
March is National Nutrition Month and a great time to talk about that most important topic. The quality of the fuel that goes into the machinery has everything to do with the health of the machinery. So too with our most precious machinery — OUR BODIES! Good nutrition in the elderly is essential to keeping…
FEBRUARY: AMERICAN HEART MONTH For many, February may meet the month of the heart because of Valentine’s Day where we focus on the emotional side of our hearts. However, it it also American Heart Month which is a good time to reflect on heart health, in the physical sense. To that end, we have gathered…
HEALTHY WEIGHT AWARENESS WEEK January 17-21, 2022 BMI CALCULATOR These days when people think of healthy weight, they think in terms of shedding pounds. Due to our heretofore readily available food supply, overeating has been more of an American issue than the malnutrition that is due to food scarcity. As such we are naturally focused on obesity which leaves you…
More Energy This Year! As caregivers, we get so caught up in other people that we often find it strange and difficult to make time for ourselves. A number of years ago, I resolved to not let that happen. With my empty nest, there was no reason why I could not embark on that exercise…
December 5-11: Handwashing Awareness Week Handwashing Awareness Week might seem trivial. However, at this point, we can all see how critical this issue really is.Some fun facts: 400 BCE The ancient Greek historian Thucydides is the first to suggest that disease can spread from one person to another. 1546 Italian scholar and poet Girolamo Fracastoro suggests that epidemics…
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month Unfortunately, we all seem to be touched by the dreaded Alzheimer’s disease. Virtually everyone knows someone who has either suffered from this disease or a caregiver of someone suffering from it. Sadly, we often feel so overwhelmed and powerless when we think about the whole thing. Alzheimer’s disease…
October is Healthy Lung Month October is Healthy Lung Month. As such, I thought it was worthwhile to review how that essential organ can impact the elderly if it is not functioning properly. The most common elderly diseases associated with the lungs are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cystic fibrosis. Of note, asthma…
August is Summer Sun Safety Month After being cooped up for so many months, most of us are ever eager to get outside and enjoy life again. Our senior loved ones have especially borne the brunt of this. The simple joy of getting out in the warm summer air has never been more appreciated. There is nothing…
July is Healthy Vision Month It’s not uncommon for seniors to experience vision loss. Sadly, these changes can cause both physical and emotional hardships. They may feel a loss of independence, an inability to do the things they love and a disconnect from the world around them. Beyond these discomforts, with the loss of vision,…
Geriatrician — Another Specialist As specialists go, we have all heard of cardiologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, but how many of us really consider or have even heard of geriatric specialists or geriatricians when we think about care for someone 60 and older? As we age, the health challenges we face become more complex and the…
Summers often mean “Road Trip”! However, getting seniors to give up the keys to their car is no small task. Frankly, I am quite sympathetic to the seniors. After a lifetime of independence, it is yet another degradation they must endure as they age and their faculties wane. Only with this one, it can feel…
They used to not be this way. How many times have you heard someone say their father or mother was fine before he or she fell? In essence, for many older adults, an unexpected fall can touch off a series of events that end in serious or fatal complications. Unfortunately, it can lead to extended…
Many might think that social media is the exclusive domain of the younger generation. However, many of our older adults have enthusiastically adopted it to keep up with the times as well as their old acquaintances and younger family members. Grandparents are becoming proficient in alien things like Skype and Facebook and liking it. It…
Some Statistics “About 70 percent of people over age 65 need some type of long-term care during their lifetime. More than 40 percent need care in a nursing home for some period of time,” says the National Institute of Health (NIH). According to the NIH, what is termed long term care (LTC) can actually last…
Traveling with your elderly relative is often nixed out of hand. Sure, we may have to make some adjustments since as we age we are less likely to get around as easily as when younger. However, they are still able to visit, to reminisce, and to enjoy family and travel destinations. In fact, socializing with…
My granddaughter wrote a wonderful piece for The Huffington Post where she is the Family & Relationships writer (why not brag) that was so poignant that I thought I would share it with you. It’s about sisterhood – something deeply important to me. In fact, David York Agency is founded on sisterhood. You see, I started this agency with…
The website Minding Our Elders liked one of Anita’s articles so much that they posted it for their followers. “Ah.. to this there are no easy answers. There are situations where the need for moving a senior from their comfortable home is not altogether apparent, nor are its benefits. There is a pervasive attitude that moving…
How many times have you heard someone say their father or mother was fine before he or she fell? For many, an unexpected elderly fall can touch off a series of events that end in serious or fatal complications. Significantly, it can lead to extended hospital stays and disabling conditions that make living independently more…
Discharge Planning Returning home from the hospital can be stressful for the older adult for many reasons. In most cases, the patient has been 100 percent dependent on hospital staff and the shift to life at home with less help can be cause for anxiety. While it is a relief to be going home, they…
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OR PRINT THIS ARTICLE We’ve heard a lot about eldercare plans, but what are they exactly? Various professionals use the term eldercare plan interchangeably based on what their view of the world is and the services they have to offer. Elder law attorneys view them in terms of legal documents such as…
Mother’s Day approaching and May being Older Americans month, I started thinking about caregivers at the beginning and at the end of life, for those young and old. Understandably, people most often associate caregiving with the harried young mother who has no time to shower or get dressed as she feeds, bathes and runs after…
Definition Polypharmacy is on the rise. It is a term for taking five or more drugs concurrently. While this is a cause for alarm in the young, polypharmacy in the elderly is much more alarming. They usually take a panoply of medications prescribed to them by their stable of specialists along with their internist or…
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…
As most of you are already aware, Ruth Strand, my sister and a founding partner of David York Agency, passed away 3 months ago. I wanted to collect my thoughts before making a formal announcement. We started this as a family run agency. Rest assured, since Ruth retired two years ago, her passing has no…
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 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…
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…
In a prior column, I wrote about the advantages of aging in place and how that sometimes requires the help of a home health aide to care for the elderly loved one. So how do you hire one? The first question is whether to use an agency or find an aide on your own? While…