Caregiving

As the year winds down and you prepare for your usual year-end activities- gift purchases, charity donations, holiday gatherings- make sure you watch out for another holiday tradition: scamming unsuspecting buyers and donors who may be caught off guard as they’re caught up in the holiday spirit. From packages that…

Imagine living in a home where most of your daily chores have been automated or web-connected, so that you or a loved one can remain independent in the community while simultaneously being connected to help and assistance at the press of a button. Well, no need to imagine- the opportunity to…

No one likes to contemplate what might happen if your cognition, or that of a loved one, begins to deteriorate and dementia is on the horizon. But some of us are planners, and for those who like to map out the road ahead, there are tools and strategies available for the…

For too long, physicians have been hesitant to speak with patients about a poor prognosis or approaching end of life. Often out of fear of harming their relationships with patients, or dimming whatever hopes remain, doctors have been reluctant to engage in these difficult conversations. Now, in a new study…

Those of you caring for aging loved ones need no reminder- but for the rest of us, it’s important to acknowledge the reality that family caregiving is a very tough job, and family caregivers need help and support. In recognition, November has been declared National Family Caregiver Month, and the “theme”…

It’s all too frequent that older people who become confused, disoriented or have a fluctuating mental state are assumed to just be experiencing symptoms of “aging.” But these symptoms could actually indicate delirium, a serious and often undiagnosed affliction that seniors can experience after surgery or more generally during hospitalization….