Posts tagged Elders
Transportation for elders can ease driving transition
Most of us with aging relatives will eventually face the “how do we stop them from driving” problem. To many people, driving a car equals independence. One reason for that is the lack of convenient public transportation in much of our country. Very large American cities such as New York, plus most of Europe’s large cities, generally have good public transportation, so people who don’t drive aren’t stranded. But across the country, accessible More >
Changes in intensive care practices could help lower delirium risk for elders
Throughout the years I’ve spent writing and answering questions on elder care, I’ve gotten many questions from readers about the condition of an elder after hospitalization. The notes tell sad stories about an elderly person going into the hospital for surgery only to return home with dementia. Sometimes the dementia would improve, but other times the downward spiral had started, and full-blown Alzheimer’s was the result.
Antidepressants may have adverse effect on elders when prescribed for the first time
More than half of older Americans who were prescribed antidepressants for the first time were already taking a medication that could adversely interact with the antidepressant, according to a new study from Thomson Reuters.
For one-fourth of the seniors in the study, these were potentially major drug interactions.
The research, published by the American Journal for Geriatric Psychiatry, illustrates the complexity and challenges More >
Preserving Dignity of Elders Should Be a Top Priority
When speaking to groups of caregivers, I often think of the phrase “parenting our parents” as having a negative connotation. While I completely understand the analogy between caring for a child and caring for an elder in decline, I feel the phrase itself is demeaning. Yet, I’ve had to use references like this, myself. Sometimes, it’s nearly unavoidable. But I do try.
In the article Why You Can’t Parent Your Parents ,I compare More >
Elders and Heat Waves: a Dangerous Combination
The heat wave we’ve been having in most parts of the country has made many people a bit crabby. Even those who like heat tend to wilt when there is no break. However, for many elders, extreme heat can be much more than uncomfortable. Extreme heat can kill.
One of the many clues that my mother-in-law was ready to move across the avenue from her condominium to a wonderful nursing home was her response one hot summer to an More >
July is Elder Abuse Awareness Month: Help Vulnerable Elders by Getting Educated and Involved
It’s elder abuse awareness month – not that we should need a month to be aware of this horror. However, an article titled, “Study Finds Nearly Half of Alzheimer’s Patients Abused” begins with this lead: “A recent study from the University of California, Irvine, examined the treatment of the elderly who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or similar disorders. Shockingly, the study found that nearly half of the elderly individuals had suffered More >
Vulnerable Elders: Scams and Fake Friends
As a newspaper columnist on elder care issues, I get quite a bit of mail and many e-mails asking questions. One that came last week prodded me to bring the problem to this site (names and details changed).
“Dear Carol: My aging grandmother has become hostile and irrational in recent years. Now her housekeeper is taking advantage of her money. Grandma is emotionally attached this woman. The rest of my family has deserted Grandma More >