Health

Undoubtedly everyone is aware of the turmoil currently surrounding efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and to alter other aspects of our health care system.  Seniors and those approaching the Medicare sign-up age may feel they are protected from most of this maelstrom. In fact, Speaker Paul…

If you think you’ve heard more about Alzheimer’s Disease in recent years, it’s not only because you’re getting older: in fact, the incidence of Alzheimer’s is increasing and the data surrounding this increase are troubling and even frightening. Currently, over 5 million seniors 65 and older have been diagnosed, and…

Approaching age 65 is an important and perhaps ambivalent milestone: it certainly represents a new stage of life, at least when it comes to health care. For 65 is the usual age at which most people become eligible for Medicare. For those of you or your loved ones approaching 65,…

We’re constantly bombarded with imagery and information about food- what to eat, what not to eat, etc. It can all be overwhelming, especially if you try to be knowledgable but not obsessed about your food choices. Perhaps it’s time to get down to basics- and understand what’s essential and what’s…

Dementia can be a devastating diagnosis. It often leaves patients and families grasping for whatever ideas they can find to lessen or forestall the difficult symptoms. Without knowing the scientific validity, it’s not uncommon for families to reach for such alternative therapies as dietary supplements or herbal remedies for the…

If you’ve ever gone through labor and delivery, or knows someone who has, you’ve probably heard of a “birth doula,” a person trained to be a calming and comforting presence at the bedside as a woman goes through childbirth. Similarly, at the end of life, the presence of a calm…