Humans (and certain whales) are unique among vertebrates in that we typically live long past our reproductive years, and most of us stay sharp well into old age. Now researchers at the University of California, San Diego have discovered the reason for this happy phenomenon. In a paper published November 30th 2015 in Proceedings of… Continue reading We Are Meant to Live Long and Lucid Lives!
Category: Caregiving
Caregiving and Cancer
Caregiving is more often than not an unexpected event. Many caregivers have a daily routine caring for a loved one. Some caregivers continue working; some stay at home to caregive. Most important is the caregiver’s ability for self-care including attending to healthcare and medical needs. Care-receiving is also an unexpected and unwelcome event; who wants… Continue reading Caregiving and Cancer
Alzheimer’s and The Genetic Factor
Scientists believe that many factors influence when Alzheimer’s disease begins and how it progresses. The more they study this devastating disease, the more they realize that genes play an important role. Research conducted and funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and others is advancing our understanding… Continue reading Alzheimer’s and The Genetic Factor
Choosing Residential Care for An Alzheimer’s Patient
Sometimes you can no longer care for the person with Alzheimer’s disease at home. The person may need around-the-clock care. Or, he or she may be incontinent, aggressive, or wander. When that happens, you may want to look for another place for the person to live. According to the National Institutes of Health, You may… Continue reading Choosing Residential Care for An Alzheimer’s Patient
More Men Are Becoming Caregivers
The face of today’s caregiver is gradually changing. While the majority of America’s 43 million unpaid caregivers are still female, an increasing number of men — at least 14.5 million — are contributing to the care of spouses, parents, children and other family members. Younger men are playing an even larger role. Research on male… Continue reading More Men Are Becoming Caregivers
More Men Are Becoming Caregivers
The face of today’s caregiver is gradually changing. While the majority of America’s 43 million unpaid caregivers are still female, an increasing number of men — at least 14.5 million — are contributing to the care of spouses, parents, children and other family members. Younger men are playing an even larger role. Research on male… Continue reading More Men Are Becoming Caregivers
How to Have “The Conversation” with Your Parents
One of the most heartfelt and uncomfortable conversations you will ever have in your life will be the senior living talk you may eventually have to have with your parent or parents. No one wants to have this conversation, but it’s often more detrimental to your parent’s well-being to avoid it. Here are some tips… Continue reading How to Have “The Conversation” with Your Parents
Dying at Home: Pros and Cons
Dying at home could be beneficial for terminally ill cancer patients and their relatives, according to research published in October 2015 in the open-access journal BMC Medicine. On the other hand, an article published the same week in the British Medical Journal (BMJ)contends that home is not always the best or preferred place to die.… Continue reading Dying at Home: Pros and Cons
Cancer Drug May Help with Alzheimer’s
New research shows that a cancer drug administered to rats improved their memory and made them more attuned to what they were hearing. And that could point the way to better treatment for Alzheimer’s. “Memory-making in neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease is often poor or absent altogether once a person is in the advanced stages… Continue reading Cancer Drug May Help with Alzheimer’s
Parental Relationships, Sibling Rivalry, and Fear of Asking for Help
The familiar saying “you can choose your friends but not your family” becomes a glaring reality when adult parents might benefit significantly from a little assistance. The situation may not only be that adult children are concerned about the demands of caring for parents but that adult siblings simply may not get along and refuse… Continue reading Parental Relationships, Sibling Rivalry, and Fear of Asking for Help
Lack of Vitamin D Shows A Strong Link to Dementia
Researchers have found a strong link between Vitamin D insufficiency and memory loss that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The effect of the insufficiency is “substantial,” according to the experts from the University of California Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Rutgers University. They discovered that people with low vitamin D levels declined at… Continue reading Lack of Vitamin D Shows A Strong Link to Dementia
5 Ways to Maintain Balanced Emotions While Caregiving
Have your feelings been bruised recently by someone for whom you’re providing care? You may be taking caregiving too personally. If you’re the caring type, you want to be helpful. But what happens when you become too helpful or become too controlling of the life of another person, especially IF this person IS family? Caregivers… Continue reading 5 Ways to Maintain Balanced Emotions While Caregiving
Seniors and Emergency Preparedness
Disaster comes in many forms: hurricanes, tornadoes, environmental crises and terrorist attacks. And they all come with little warning, if any. You and your family are likelier to do better, or even survive, depending on how much preparation you have made. Senior citizens especially need to be aware of what they should do before disaster… Continue reading Seniors and Emergency Preparedness
Spouses of Stroke Survivors Face Lingering Health Issues
Caregiver spouses of stroke survivors are at an increased risk of mental and physical health issues that may continue for years, according to research published in August 2015 in the American Heart Association journal Stroke. A release from the association notes that Swedish researchers evaluated 248 stroke survivors below age 70 (average mid-sixties), and their… Continue reading Spouses of Stroke Survivors Face Lingering Health Issues
Funding A Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle
For most people seeking freedom and mobility, financial struggles can make things harder when trying to fund an adaptive vehicle. The nonprofit National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) can help find a number of opportunities for those in need of economic assistance. OEM Rebate Programs Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can sometimes offer rebate assistance to… Continue reading Funding A Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle
Alzheimer’s Patients & Caregivers Prefer Support over Research for Cure
More than $100 million in federal funding was spent last year toward searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, if given the choice, most people with dementia and those caring for them would like to see the money go elsewhere, according to a recent study led by University at Buffalo researcher Davina Porock and… Continue reading Alzheimer’s Patients & Caregivers Prefer Support over Research for Cure
Seniors at High Risk for Readmission After Ambulatory Surgery
Patients 65 and older who have ambulatory surgery are much more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days than younger patients, regardless of their health before surgery according to a large national Northwestern Medicine study published in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. The likely cause,… Continue reading Seniors at High Risk for Readmission After Ambulatory Surgery
The Aftermath of Caregiving
About a decade ago, Melvin, a long-time family friend, died of cancer. Catherine, his wife of more than 50 years, had cared for her husband during his many treatments and declining health. After Melvin’s death, Catherine fell into a deep depression. When she was her husband’s caregiver, Catherine’s days were hectic, but after Melvin’s funeral… Continue reading The Aftermath of Caregiving