by
Kathy Wetters on
June 26, 2011
An elderly couple invited some guests home for dinner, the man of the house grabbed his coat and left with them.
Alzheimer's disease, the curse for the elderly, affects an estimated 4.5 million Americans. As people live longer, the number is expected to soar to as many as 16 million people by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 26, 2011
Americans who work a full-time job and say they care for an elderly or disabled family member, relative, or friend, suffer from poorer emotional health than those who work a full-time job but do not have additional caregiving responsibilities. Caregivers, who represent 16% of the full-time American workforce, have an Emotional Health Index score of 78.0, which is significantly lower than the 81.9 found among non-caregivers.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 25, 2011
In the hospice setting, story-telling can help the dying patient feel empowered by giving the patient a chance to focus on positive life experiences. Encouraging patients to share their stories can also strengthen familial bonds.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 24, 2011
Many stresses which may cause elderly to be more susceptible to depression., They have more illnesses, experience more deaths of people they love, and experience loss of independence.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 23, 2011
Dear Annie: My mother is elderly but in good health. Her personal hygiene, however, is terrible. She neither shampoos, cuts, nor combs her hair. Her hands look like she's been digging in dirt, her clothing is wrinkled and stained, and her hair literally sticks up every which way.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 20, 2011
There's only so much that can be done to help an elderly person who's confused, delusional and set in his ways, but there is "the last resort." One last hope in getting self-neglected seniors help is to petition the courts for guardianship, but the risk of harm to self must be established for the legal system to step in.
There's also a delicate balance between providing needed assistance and preserving independence.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 17, 2011
If an aging mother or father is diagnosed with a terminal medical condition, it's important for family members to have a heart-to-heart conversation, according to Pernille Ostberg, MBA, RPh, Matrix president and CEO. "This is the time for children to ask their parents how they want to spend their remaining time," she says. "That discussion should include the parent's preferred options for care along with two or three living wishes.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 10, 2011
Some hospitals have been focusing more on care transition issues in anticipation of the advent of accountable care organizations (ACOs) or just because it's a way to improve both quality and efficiency in health care.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 10, 2011
Hospitals have addressed readmissions through a variety of strategies, including nursing follow-up and phone calls, referring patients to transitional primary care clinics, and having a hospitalist or nurse call community providers to make appointments for patients. But there is one more new strategy that some hospitals are trying: referring patients to a physician house call service.
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by
Kathy Wetters on
June 04, 2011
Determining whether elderly relatives need more support can be complicated. There's no set formula for weighing safety concerns against an individual's desire for independence.
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