End-of-Life Care
Talking about death can help you live better at the end Gerry Mathy learned she had late-stage pancreatic cancer in 2009. The 75-year-old Wisconsin woman had witnessed her late husband’s grueling lung cancer treatment and didn’t want the same for herself. No chemo, no radiation, no thank you. At the urging of her sons, she […]
Guide to Medicare open enrollment for 2018
Ah, the rituals of fall: The leaves change color. The temperature drops. Sweaters and boots pop out of the closet. And Medicare opens the doors for beneficiaries to shop for Part D and Advantage plans. As you cozy up to the first fire of the season, now is the time to peruse your options to […]
Loss of balance could signal underlying medical condition
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My grandmother, who is 82, has no major health issues, but she’s become rather weak and frail over the past several years, and her balance isn’t very good. Several weeks ago, she fell in her bathroom. Although her injuries were minor, my family is worried. Is there something we can do to […]
Changing the Culture of Aging
Resident-centered care aims to meet the needs of individuals What would you like to do today? It seems like such an easy question, and often the reply is taken for granted. But as we age, deteriorating health can affect our ability to live the life we choose. If you are no longer able to live alone, and living […]
Care Quandary: Quality Rating Systems Can Help You Make the Best Decisions
When your aging parent or loved one starts forgetting to take medications, lets unopened bills pile up, becomes agitated or aggressive, has trouble driving and struggles getting up and down the stairs, they’re showing some of the telltale signs that it’s time to start looking for a health and rehabilitation community (HRC). For many of us, […]
New options for seniors to get care at home
As Americans age and the need for long-term care grows, the options for providing it continue to evolve. An increasingly available choice: “continuing care at home” programs for seniors who want to stay in their own homes. These programs typically charge an up-front fee and monthly fees to cover in-home assistance you need with dressing, […]
Childless seniors need to build a safety net
By Susan B. Garland, Kiplinger Retirement Report Childless and divorced, Linda Wiesman, 67, is apprehensive about her future. With two knee replacements, the retired accountant is having trouble negotiating the stairs in her three-story townhouse in Gaithersburg, Md. Wiesman says she and several friends who live in different cities have “seriously thought of communal living” […]
How to support a caregiver
By Jane Bennett Clark, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report It’s an act of love, a lesson in crisis management, a stress on finances and often a years-long slog. Over a recent 12-month period, more than 43 million adults provided care for a vulnerable family member or friend, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP […]
