I have decided to focus this latest blog post on the elderly and social media. Given this past year, families throughout the world can all testify to the advantages of connecting elderly loved ones with friends and relatives from the convenience and safety of their own homes. Moreover, I myself have become much more adept at many…
Ah.. to this there are no easy answers. There are situations where the need to move seniors from their comfortable home is not altogether apparent, nor is its benefits. There is a pervasive attitude that moving a senior brings on Relocation Stress Syndrome and Transfer Trauma. These describe the ill effects of moving on the…
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? For many older adults, an unexpected fall can touch off a series of events that end in serious or fatal complications. Furthermore, it can lead to extended hospital stays…
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OR PRINT THIS ARTICLE Being a caregiver for an elderly adult can be fraught with unforeseen and challenging situations. As a result, many relatives are ill equipped to handle the task. Managing all the details and logistics required for situating an elderly parent either in their home after a hospital stay…
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. While the…
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 the elderly and those with chronic…
We hear a lot about long term care these days. Exactly what is it? Who needs it? Who provides 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…
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…
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 to move seniors from their comfortable home is not altogether apparent, nor are its benefits. There is a pervasive attitude that moving a…
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. Elderly…
Summers often mean “Road Trip”, but getting seniors to give up the keys to their car is no small task and, 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…
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…
For many, summer means vacation and fun in the sun. Your elderly loved one need not be left home alone to wait for those “check-in” phone calls from the beach. With proper planning on your part, they can come along and spend precious bonding time with the family, making the getaway truly unforgettable. After doing…
With 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…
Elderly Depression During the Holidays Those of us that work with the elderly approach this time with trepidation. It is a period when they enjoy time with their loved ones, but may mourn all they have lost in terms of loved ones as well as physical capabilities. I have tried to put together some helpful…
Elderly Addiction It’s something that we never associate with the elderly, but it does exist: senior 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…
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. Understandably, the shift to life at home with less help can be cause for anxiety. While it is a relief to be going home, they…
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…
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…
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 consider a move which can often be dramatic for them. A move can be almost as stressful…
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…
Memory clubs are multi-pronged blessings. 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…
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…
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…
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…
What Is Aging-In-Place? Aging-in-place is defined by the Centers for Disease Control as “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.” The value of aging in place is recognized more now than ever before. There are psycho/social benefits of the elderly remaining…
