Here, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, are some helpful resources if you or a loved one are trying to find out more about assisted living. Assisted living is for adults who need help with everyday tasks. They may need help with dressing, bathing, eating, or using the bathroom, but they don’t need full-time… Continue reading Expert Advice on Assisted Living
Tag: Assisted Living
Discussing Financial and Life Changes with Your Doctor
Planning for your care in the event of a long-term or serious illness can involve more than giving a loved one a health care directive, a living will or health care proxy, and a power of attorney. If you have questions about what choices you have, you can ask your doctor as well. One way… Continue reading Discussing Financial and Life Changes with Your Doctor
Comparing Hospice Care at Home, at Assisted Living Facilities, and at Nursing Homes
Use of hospice has exploded over the past decades with approximately half of those who die while enrolled in Medicare receiving hospice care. A February 2018 study from the Indiana University Center for Aging Research and the Regenstrief Institute compares the quality of hospice services provided for patients living at home, in assisted living facility,… Continue reading Comparing Hospice Care at Home, at Assisted Living Facilities, and at Nursing Homes
3 Ways to Help a Loved One Receive Proper Nursing Home Care
It’s an almost weekly occurrence across the country. Nursing homes face lawsuits over patients who develop severe bedsores that in some cases lead to death. One week it’s a now-closed nursing home in California dealing with its third such lawsuit. Another week it’s a New Jersey nursing home sued by the family of a woman… Continue reading 3 Ways to Help a Loved One Receive Proper Nursing Home Care
How to Beat the Bad-Guy Rap in Discussions with Aging Parents
As two gray-haired gentlemen set their trays on the table next to me at Panera Bread, one of them asked the other, “Have you seen Ted lately?” “Nah,” the other replied. “His kids made him sell the house and move to one of those places.” The instant lump in my throat made it hard to… Continue reading How to Beat the Bad-Guy Rap in Discussions with Aging Parents
How Do You Know if an Assisted Living Community is Great, Good, or Bad?
You’ve probably heard the wise advice to make two visits each assisted living facility you’re considering – one scheduled visit and one unannounced drop-in. But what should you do on these visits to decide which assisted living communities are good and which are not so good? A smart idea from Colorado’s Health Facilities and Emergency… Continue reading How Do You Know if an Assisted Living Community is Great, Good, or Bad?
Tips to Deal with a Controlling Aging Loved One
As people age, it’s not uncommon for their personalities to change and for them to become more controlling. It’s usually the result of medication, pain, the frustrations of having difficulty doing things that were once easy, and changing family dynamics. While it can be frustrating and even unpleasant at times to deal with, there are things you… Continue reading Tips to Deal with a Controlling Aging Loved One
Four Things to Know About Memory Care
It’s more than just assisted living. Memory care is more than just a room. Memory care is a program, a way of life. In a memory care program, staff members are trained to care for residents with cognitive issues and to help them with daily living tasks. The activities are aimed at enhancing their physical,… Continue reading Four Things to Know About Memory Care
Assisted-Living Facilities Wary of Seniors’ Sex Lives
Although assisted-living facilities emphasize independence and autonomy, a study from researchers at the Gerontology Institute of Georgia State University researchers found that there is an “environment of surveillance” that limits residents’ sexual freedom. The findings were published in the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, indicate conflict between autonomy and the protection of residents in regard… Continue reading Assisted-Living Facilities Wary of Seniors’ Sex Lives
7 Things to Know about Long-Distance Caregiving
Caregiving is difficult and stressful, and caregiving from a distance adds another level of stress. You can reduce that stress, though, if you plan ahead and keep your focus on your priorities. Here, the National Institute on Aging shares some steps you can take: Know what you need to know. Experienced caregivers recommend that you… Continue reading 7 Things to Know about Long-Distance Caregiving
Old Age – Then and Now
A long time ago, when I was just a teen, a girlfriend who already volunteered at a local nursing home, invited me to volunteer. For six months or so, twice a week, Sue, dressed in a cute Candy Striper outfit, pushed around the hospitality cart. Her job, which cast her in an angelic light, was… Continue reading Old Age – Then and Now
Don’t Let Nursing Home Expenses Wipe Out Your Nest Egg
People pondering their retirement years often conjure images of spending more time on a favorite pastime or traveling around the country or the world. Health concerns can intrude on those idyllic scenes, though, not only affecting enjoyment of life but also punching a heavy dent in retirement savings. “As we age, usually our medical or… Continue reading Don’t Let Nursing Home Expenses Wipe Out Your Nest Egg