According to the AARP, one of the top reasons older adults are admitted into hospitals is because of: Medication problems. Drug reactions of some sort led to 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008. Medications most commonly involved: corticosteroids, blood thinners, sedatives and sleep aids. The unpredictability of a senior’s response to drugs is worrisome: adverse…
Seniors and the generation before them practically invented outdoor activities. Mountain biking, mountaineering, skiing, you name it, when our seniors were young, they were out in the mountains, pioneering outdoor activities. Unfortunately, they are also the first to leave these great activities behind. Arthritis, back pain and old injuries can become debilitating, but it doesn’t…
As adults, we’ve grown a thick skin. When times are tough, so are we. But, that mentality has some serious drawbacks. As we age, that pride can become a barrier to good health. Instead of talking to people about what we’re experiencing and seeking help, we learn to live with the pain. If aging parents…
Recently, hoarding has received widespread media attention. People with compulsive hoarding disorder keep things that stir both awe and disgust. Laughter is a common response, but it’s hard not feeling sympathetic too. We’ve all experienced moments where we’ve hung onto an object that isn’t something we really need. For seniors, especially seniors who don’t have…
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia will gradually affect a person’s ability to communicate. To continue communicating, you have to understand subtle cues and change your approach. Cues and Approach Communication abilities will decline, but those undergoing dementia continue to have a social awareness that can cause depression, frustration and isolation. With this in…
Often when people are hospitalized, they look forward to going home, but going home isn’t always the relief they imagined. Living with one or multiple conditions after hospitalization may be complicated for many seniors depending on their circumstances. There are important factors to consider regarding transitioning from a hospital back into the home. Overlooked Considerations…
Physical, sexual and emotional abuse are a terrible reality for thousands of elders. Those responsible for their elder care are, in some circumstances, causing harm. The emotions and shame that follows abuse can be difficult to confront for both the victims and their relatives. According to the American Center on Elder Abuse: Signs of elder…
Gun safety, laws, and regulations are all huge topics across the country right now. We, as a nation, have talked about children and teenagers who have access to guns, but we haven’t gone to the other side of the spectrum to discuss and address senior citizens who have guns or access to a gun. We’d…
A recent study shows that hearing-impaired older adults are more likely to suffer from memory issues than those without hearing loss. The USA Today article, Listen Up: Dementia linked to hearing loss, summarizes lead author Frank Lin’s research, which was published online in the JAMA Internal Medicine. “Cognitive problems developed 30% to 40% faster when…
A new study may prove why the ability to remember newly learned information declines with age, with sleep being a surprising, but important, connecting factor, according to The New York Times’ article, Aging in Brain Found to Hurt Sleep Needed for Memory. The research, posted online by the journal Nature Neuroscience, suggests brain changes that…