It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Maybe. It's busier than usual. It’s demanding, more so than usual. There are beautiful decorations everywhere. There are parties, concerts, and lovely opportunities, but sometimes too many. Sadly, it can feel stressful and tiring. Perhaps not as much for our elder loved ones, as for [...]
Winter: Greys, Whites, and BLUES. We’ve been spoiled. It's January, and the weather is in the high 40’s, birds are singing, and there are no snow bankings. Can it last? Sadly, no. If our friendly Meteorologists are right, flakes may fly before this article goes to print. It’s not just the snow and [...]
Elders: Easy Targets Elder Abuse As attention grows in print and on news outlets, communities gather to get the message out about this horrendous epidemic. Elder Abuse is categorized into seven different subsets: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, confinement, passive neglect, willful deprivation, and financial exploitation. According to the National Council [...]
"Mom, how do I say this... You need a shower." Hygiene A painfully awkward subject for all parties involved, and the worst role reversal situation you could imagine for your family. The children find themselves trying to find a "nice" way to direct their parents to bathe, brush their teeth, change out [...]
"Dad, this milk expired a month ago." Yikes! Proper Nutrition and Hydration Are KEY Have you ever looked deeply in the fridge and found items that should have been discarded long ago? You are not alone. In a recent blog post, we talked about the importance of taking the correct medications. In [...]
I'm Handling Mom's Medications... HELP! A Recipe for Success. After two trips to the Emergency Room for dizziness and some disorientation, it was determined that Nicole’s mom was confusing her medications. She was seriously dehydrated, which brought her blood pressure down, as she had been taking four of her diuretic medications each [...]
What's the Plan? The plan, or the "nuts and bolts" of intervention, depends on the challenges that our elder loved ones are facing. As we all know, many elders are experts at hiding their areas of need and vulnerability. Many times, putting their best foot forward, causing the onlooker to think that “everything [...]
"Thanks, but I don’t need any help." The old saying goes, that it’s hard to sell underarm deodorant to someone who doesn’t think they smell… Similarly, much of the barrier in getting help for elders, who very much need it, is difference of opinion. Memory, visual, and other sensory losses can mask problems [...]
Essentials for Elder Wellness and Safety How do we begin? When it comes to elder wellness and safety, the list of areas needing attention is long. Let’s start with “being prepared.” The first step is knowing where the risks are. Once we determine your areas of vulnerability, we can identify what to [...]
What Do Mom and Dad Want? In the college application process, you don’t apply for admission and pack the car the week before classes start. It just doesn’t work that way. The same strategy holds true in the planning process for elder care needs. Every family has unique needs and wants. Some elders [...]
