Warning Signs and Treatment Options for Parkinson’s Disease

Nearly one million people in the U.S. suffer from Parkinson’s disease, a chronic and progressive movement disorder. Symptoms can vary from person to person. However, in general, people with Parkinson’s disease lose control over their range of motion which gets worse over time. The good news is that Parkinson’s can be managed and many people…

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Danger of Polypharmacy in the Elderly by Anita Kamiel, R.N., M.P.S.

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…

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A Toolkit for Promoting Positive Behavior in Dementia Patients

High Risk of Institutionalization About 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s Disease and 90% of those are abusive.  This is important because this situation puts these patients at higher risk for institutionalization, greater functional decline, and domestic abuse.  Up to this point, prescribing medication has been the preferred method for managing and controlling the Behavioral and…

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Caring for the Family Caregiver by Kathy Birkett

We are happy to host this guest post from noted eldercare activist, caregiver consultant, and Senior Care Corner blogger Kathy Birkett. Family Caregivers As more of our population ages, the need for caregiving continues to skyrocket. Family members have been called to take the lead in caring for family members across the country whether they live nearby…

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Senior Substance Abuse: An Explosion On The Horizon by: Anita Kamiel, R.N., M.P.S.

  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…

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Exercise & Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention

The New York Times just reported on a fascinating study published in the May edition of Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience in an article entitled, “Can Exercise Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk?” by Gretchen Reynolds. They examined people aged 65-89 who possess a gene related to Alzheimer’s development. The APOE epsilon4 allele (e4 gene for short), the hypothesis…

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