She is a little forgetful but…. “My mom repeats the same story over and over again, but she never forgets to go to Sunday services.” “Dad misplaces things all the time but is still walking a mile every day.” This is frequently how adult children express their concerns that their parent could have some type … Continued
As parents, it is hard to acknowledge and accept responsibility for how much influence we have over the development of each of our children. Through my work with older clients and their adult children on a daily basis, I am frequently reminded of this influential power over a life time. Typical Family Dynamics As a … Continued
Everyone deserves to have nice holidays, but it’s on us to accommodate those who are struggling with the effects of a neurological disorder such as Alzheimer’s, Frontal Temporal Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementia or any disorder that causes loss of memory and other mental abilities. Plan the holiday from the prospective of the person … Continued
Caregiving for mom or dad, whether you live an hour away or in a different state presents very real challenges. How can you be both a daughter/son and coordinate necessary tasks when you have the responsibility to manage your parent’s care from far away? The number of American’s providing or managing care for a relative … Continued
You need help caring for your parent. As you are researching, you see information about facilities, hospitalizations, states of decline, the benefits of a parent living at home, caregiver services, and more. With every new discovery, you are more overwhelmed about the situation. At some point, you come across the concept of Life Care Management. … Continued
Recommendations for communicating with older adults this Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a time when many of us get together with family near and far to feast and enjoy each-others company. The majority of these festivities involve our older parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Aging can have a profound effect on communication and can create barriers between … Continued
In 1999, I fulfilled my 2nd grade promise to take care of my Mom if she ever got sick. From personal experience, Supporting The Caregiver is as important as providing the personal care yourself. When I talk about that ‘time’ to anyone I generally say it was the worst but also the most precious … Continued
The question before you is: Should You Be Using Social Media To Advocate For Seniors? I just read the article: Advocating for Aging Services in a Digital World by Julie Sweetland, featured on the American Society for Aging website. She’s right. We need to change both attitudes and perspectives, and social media both … Continued
Author: Barbara (Bobbi) Kolonay RN, MS, CCM You should no longer hear the words “I’m sorry, but you are no longer continuing to make progress in Physical Therapy (Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy) so we need to discharge you from our service”, coming from your client’s therapist. This is what is referred to as: Plateau Therapy. The … Continued
Surrogate Decision Making Needed for HALF of Hospitalized Older Adults… is No Surprise to Options For Elder Care Wouldn’t you want that surrogate to be someone who knows your history, has clinical expertise, knowledge of the health care delivery system, that can interpret your diagnosis and treatment plan, has expertise in the older population, has … Continued