Easter’s almost here and many families will be having a senior relative join them for the family dinner. Lots of people, noise, rambunctious children, and an abundance of food can combine to create problems for the senior and their caregivers.  But just a little planning in advance can ensure that everyone has a good time. [...]

Sooner or later, life gets complicated for most families by having an older parent who is showing signs that they need some assistance at home.  Maybe you’re concerned that they’re not eating properly, or you’ve noticed their home isn’t as clean as it used to be? or they’ve recently fallen?  You have a family and [...]

Just read an article on a 12 minute routine that cuts Caregiver Stress and wanted to share it with you! The complete article is at  Caring.com .  It discusses the results of a UCLA study showing that this 12 minute  meditative yoga practice done  each day, called Kirtan Kriya, can lower levels of depression – [...]

The following is from the book “Rethinking Aging – Growing Old and Living Well in an Over treated Society” by Hadler Norton.  This book is on my “to read” list and I wanted to share it with you. On my initial perusal of the book, the author gives insights for making informed medical decisions as [...]

Caregiving is stressful.  Here’s one easy thing you can do for yourself – anytime – anywhere. The simple act of pausing in your hectic day, taking a deep breath and looking at something beautiful can improve your outlook and make you feel better. Take a moment to look outside at the trees and birds. Put [...]

According to the newly released  Alzheimer’s Association®2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, the following are some of the sobering statistics which captures the rapidly escalating impact of the Alzheimer’s epidemic. 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. One in eight older Americans has Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death [...]

Today is the start of Brain Awareness Week! This is a global campaign, organized by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives (www.dana.org) , to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. The Dana website has a variety of material, including the Staying Sharp Puzzle Pak for interesting and informative puzzles to [...]

The following is an excerpt from Understanding Memory Loss from the National Institute on Aging: Serious memory problems make it hard to do everyday things.  For example, you may find it hard to drive, shop, or even talk with a friend.  Signs of serious memory problems may include: asking the same questions over and over [...]

Most older drivers will alter their driving habits accordingly when they detect a problem with their driving.  They may avoid highways, not drive at night, only drive close to home, etc.  However, what if they don’t alter their driving and you’re worried about them and the other drivers on the road? Here’s some information I’d [...]

Excerpt from National Paliative Care: (click for entire article) Palliative care  is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. It is focused on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. [...]