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A neuropsychological evaluation can be an important tool in helping your parent’s doctor diagnose conditions that impact cognitive (mental) functioning. It can be used to help refine the diagnosis of memory problems by distinguishing between normal age-related memory loss and dementia. It also distinguishes between dementia and temporary memory problems caused or affected by emotional disturbance. Neuropsychological testing can also assist in differentiating between different types of...

As we age the frequency with which we will encounter physicians and other medical providers tends to increase. Along with increased frequency there are also special needs that arise that are related to the aging process. The following, from the American Geriatrics Society helps explain how the medical community is responding to the special needs of older adults. Geriatrics and the Role of the Geriatrician Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion and the prevention...

I recently read the chapter on weeds in Michael Pollan’s book Second Nature and it seemed to me that there are some parallels between weeds and hopelessness, especially for those who live in the country’s nursing homes. I have been counseling nursing home residents for the past 12 years and in that time I have worked with people who have had such a profound sense of hopelessness that it seemed almost tangible. When I first started working with people in this state I would often...

Who Takes Care of Mom? By Francine Russo Monday, Feb. 01, 2010 When my mother's health was failing, I was the "bad" sister who lived far away and wasn't involved. My sister helped my parents. She never asked me to do anything, and I didn't volunteer. I was widowed, raising kids and working, but that wasn't really why I kept to weekly calls and short, infrequent visits. I was stuck in my adolescent role as the aloof achiever, defending myself from my judgmental mother and other family...

Resources to Help Manage Care for Aging Parents By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPublished: February 4, 2010 The financial strain of caring for older relatives can be devastating without proper planning. Here are some online resources for those who want to put the proper safeguards in place and for caregivers who may be looking for assistance: www.medicare.gov -- Find out what Medicare does and doesn't cover, compare home health agencies and nursing homes in your area, plan for your long-term care needs...

OTTAWA — At 73 and living alone, Beverley Montgomery depends on friends and neighbours to look in on her from time to time to make sure she is fine. Like most seniors, Montgomery doesn’t want to live in a nursing or long-term care home, but as she ages, living alone becomes increasingly challenging. She could be in serious trouble and no one would notice for days. She has no children. Because of the growing number of Beverley Montgomerys out there as Ottawa gets older, health...

Care managers provide guidance and advocacy for the older adult as well as assistance in providing the patient with the most appropriate care possible, while focusing the individual’s disease-specific needs.  Care Management goals include the achievement of optimal health, access to care and appropriate utilization of resources, while fostering  self determination of the older person to the greatest extent possible in decisions that impact his/her life.   Case managers are...

RASHA MOURTADA From Friday's Globe and Mail Published on Friday, Feb. 19, 2010 12:00AM EST Looking for the next big business idea? Try glancing in the mirror. "Aging is the largest growing business in the world," says Jane Barratt, secretary-general of the Toronto-based International Federation on Ageing. "It's going to happen to all of us." More immediately, it's going to happen to a lot of us at once, as baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1965, start to turn 65, a...

In a role traditionally taken on by women, a growing number of men are becoming primary caregivers for their wives or elderly parents. According to a comprehensive study conducted for AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving in 2004, 39 percent of an estimated 44.4 million caregivers are males.  Whether an ill spouse or parent has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, cancer, stroke or hip fracture, male caregivers often find...

As we age the frequency with which we will encounter physicians and other medical providers tends to increase. Along with increased frequency there are also special needs that arise that are related to the aging process. The following, from the American Geriatrics Society helps explain how the medical community is responding to the special needs of older adults. Geriatrics and the Role of the Geriatrician Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion and the prevention...

I recently spoke at a conference for nursing home staff with Brent Pace and our topic was how to apply the principles of the Eden Alternative within nursing homes. I really like the idea of the Eden Alternative and the wisdom in the principles as they are outlined. However, anyone who has been in a nursing home knows that it is no easy task to apply these principles in a meaningful way. Many are underfunded and understaffed and even more resist the fundamental change that would be necessary to...

A neuropsychological evaluation can be an important tool in helping your parent’s doctor diagnose conditions that impact cognitive (mental) functioning. It can be used to help refine the diagnosis of memory problems by distinguishing between normal age-related memory loss and dementia. It also distinguishes between dementia and temporary memory problems caused or affected by emotional disturbance. Neuropsychological testing can also assist in differentiating between different types of...

When it comes to political, social or health causes, elder abuse has not had the star power of some other movements focusing on the rights of vulnerable people. Last month, actress Nicole Kidman headlined a congressional hearing on violence against women, and stars of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" appeared at a Capitol Hill rally for child-abuse victims. An event sponsored by a coalition of elder abuse groups, meanwhile, featured ordinary senior citizens, recounting in...

Resources to Help Manage Care for Aging Parents By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPublished: February 4, 2010 The financial strain of caring for older relatives can be devastating without proper planning. Here are some online resources for those who want to put the proper safeguards in place and for caregivers who may be looking for assistance: www.medicare.gov -- Find out what Medicare does and doesn't cover, compare home health agencies and nursing homes in your area, plan for your long-term care needs...

I can’t tell you how many unfortunate situations I have seen that could have been avoided if someone had asked “could it be delirium?” I have seen people committed to psychiatric facilities where they were treated for psychosis and I have seen people assigned long-term guardians because of what was a temporary alteration in consciousness caused by an episode of delirium. If you have ever seen people during a delirium it is not hard to understand how this can happen –...

Mary M. Alward a freelance writer offered the following things to think about when an older adult is considering getting a pet. Advantages of Companion Pets Companionship Pets are great companions for elderly people who live alone and have little contact with family and friends. Pets give them a different outlook and bring laughter and love into their lives. They make seniors feel needed and keep them active seeing to the pet’s daily care. Acceptance Pets accept their elder owners as they...

Most of us who have aging parents go about our daily lives without much thought about what our parents might need if they suddenly became incapacitated or severely ill. Our parents are relatively healthy and self-sufficient, but as they continue to age the likelihood that a critical incident will create a sudden need for us to intervene increases. At HelpWithMyParents.com we think of a critical incident as any event that rapidly changes the circumstances of an older adult, or couple...

Care managers provide guidance and advocacy for the older adult as well as assistance in providing the patient with the most appropriate care possible, while focusing the individual’s disease-specific needs.  Care Management goals include the achievement of optimal health, access to care and appropriate utilization of resources, while fostering  self determination of the older person to the greatest extent possible in decisions that impact his/her life.   Case managers are...

When it comes to political, social or health causes, elder abuse has not had the star power of some other movements focusing on the rights of vulnerable people. Last month, actress Nicole Kidman headlined a congressional hearing on violence against women, and stars of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" appeared at a Capitol Hill rally for child-abuse victims. An event sponsored by a coalition of elder abuse groups, meanwhile, featured ordinary senior citizens, recounting in...

I recently spoke at a conference for nursing home staff with Brent Pace and our topic was how to apply the principles of the Eden Alternative within nursing homes. I really like the idea of the Eden Alternative and the wisdom in the principles as they are outlined. However, anyone who has been in a nursing home knows that it is no easy task to apply these principles in a meaningful way. Many are underfunded and understaffed and even more resist the fundamental change that would be necessary to...

Most of us who have aging parents go about our daily lives without much thought about what our parents might need if they suddenly became incapacitated or severely ill. Our parents are relatively healthy and self-sufficient, but as they continue to age the likelihood that a critical incident will create a sudden need for us to intervene increases. At HelpWithMyParents.com we think of a critical incident as any event that rapidly changes the circumstances of an older adult, or couple...

Happy New Year and congratulations! You will live longer, on average, than any human beings in history. Chances are a combination of healthy diet, exercise, medical advancements and a technological society will keep you alive well into your 80s, at least. But after years of striving to give people these additional years, some experts in the aging field are asking "from society's view, what is the purpose of aging and of retirement?" I talked this over with Ken Dychtwald, author of...

I can’t tell you how many unfortunate situations I have seen that could have been avoided if someone had asked “could it be delirium?” I have seen people committed to psychiatric facilities where they were treated for psychosis and I have seen people assigned long-term guardians because of what was a temporary alteration in consciousness caused by an episode of delirium. If you have ever seen people during a delirium it is not hard to understand how this can happen –...

Who Takes Care of Mom? By Francine Russo Monday, Feb. 01, 2010 When my mother's health was failing, I was the "bad" sister who lived far away and wasn't involved. My sister helped my parents. She never asked me to do anything, and I didn't volunteer. I was widowed, raising kids and working, but that wasn't really why I kept to weekly calls and short, infrequent visits. I was stuck in my adolescent role as the aloof achiever, defending myself from my judgmental mother and other family...

Happy New Year and congratulations! You will live longer, on average, than any human beings in history. Chances are a combination of healthy diet, exercise, medical advancements and a technological society will keep you alive well into your 80s, at least. But after years of striving to give people these additional years, some experts in the aging field are asking "from society's view, what is the purpose of aging and of retirement?" I talked this over with Ken Dychtwald, author of...

Have you noticed that your bank really wants you to go paperless? Nudging you to turn off paper statements every time you log into your account, reminding you every so often that it’s the earth-friendly thing to do, and even offering statement credits as an incentive, the banks are giving the hard sell on the paperless push. Industry analysts expect those efforts to intensify even further. “In 2010, we’ll see much more aggressive pitches to go paperless,” says Emmett...

Help is available for seniors who have trouble meeting their utility expenses. See the Resources section of  the utility assistance page in your area for more information. HEAT is a federally funded program that helps qualified income-eligible individuals pay their utility bills. The program runs November through March or until funds are exhausted. Customers may receive an application from any Department of Human Services or a designated energy office. REACH applications are available at...

I recently read the chapter on weeds in Michael Pollan’s book Second Nature and it seemed to me that there are some parallels between weeds and hopelessness, especially for those who live in the country’s nursing homes. I have been counseling nursing home residents for the past 12 years and in that time I have worked with people who have had such a profound sense of hopelessness that it seemed almost tangible. When I first started working with people in this state I would often...

In a role traditionally taken on by women, a growing number of men are becoming primary caregivers for their wives or elderly parents. According to a comprehensive study conducted for AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving in 2004, 39 percent of an estimated 44.4 million caregivers are males.  Whether an ill spouse or parent has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, cancer, stroke or hip fracture, male caregivers often find...