Elder care refers to services that meet the needs of the frail elderly, including services that help the elderly remain in their homes, such as meal preparation or delivery, personal care assistance, transportation, socialization, housekeeping and...
More than 50 million people care for elderly family members or friends each year, according to Shannon Martin, a geriatric care manager for Aging Wisely, a national eldercare consulting firm. The emotional stress of caring for an ailing or...
Caring for an elderly parent can be challenging enough, but add an angry parent into the mix and most caregivers will feel strain, frustratios and perhaps even resentment. Learning how to deal with an angry or difficult parent may help caregivers...
Placing your parent or parents in a nursing home may be one of the most difficult and traumatic events of your life. However, if you understand what is involved, the needs of your parent(s) and a number of other factors, it may help make the...
According to the AARP, 43.5 million adults take care of an elderly relative or friend. The most typical scenario is a woman in her 40s caring for her mother. As caretakers of elderly mothers, women often feel a mixture of emotions. Along with the...
A 2009 report released by the National Alliance for Caregiving, "Caregiving in the U.S.," estimates that 48.9 million Americans now serve as part-time or full-time unpaid caregivers to adult members of their families. If you are caring for an...
Providing home health care to aging parents or relatives is a growing trend in many American families, especially those striving to budget and deal with rising health care costs. Nursing home and long-term care facilities can be expensive, and...
Moving into assisted living is a highly emotional step for most seniors. Many perceive it as a failure and the first step toward irreversible decline. The reality, however, is that without the hassles of maintaining a home, your dad can experience...
Changing the adult, disposable diaper, which caregivers should instead call "briefs," can be done safely, easily and comfortably with two caregivers. An adult may need personal hygiene care in a number of care-giving scenarios. Caregivers should...
Learn to recognize the signs of elder abuse. Many older people are too embarrassed to report any problems they've encountered or don't know how to talk about the instances of abuse. Watch for heightened tension or arguments between the elderly...
For many families, elder care expenses can kick in at the exact same time that children's college tuition looms, and financing both can incur exorbitant expense. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, average tuition and...
Dealing with elderly parents is a balancing act: You want to assure their health and safety at the same time you respect their dignity and independence. The trick is to start early before a crisis occurs. Begin discussions with your parents about...
According to AARP, one in five caregivers of elderly parents reports experiencing stress. Caregivers may lack training to care for elderly parents or experience frustration dealing with social service and health-care agencies. Many caregivers have...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, is a group of respiratory disorders, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, in which blockage of airflow leads to decreased ability to fully exhale, resulting in impaired exchange of oxygen and...
As you age, your skin undergoes several changes. Reduced elasticity, for example, can make the skin appear saggy or wrinkled, according to the National Institute on Aging. It may become thinner and more easily bruised, and as your fat distribution...
Elder abuse is serious problem that affects older people at a time in their lives when they are becoming more dependent on others to meet their basic needs. Instead of receiving assistance, some elderly people are subjected to physical and...
The number of elderly Americans age 65 and older will quadruple in the next 30 years, according to the University of California. Family members perform about 82 percent of the care for elderly relatives. This can be very difficult physically,...
Siblings may not be willing to help take care of aging parents for a variety of reasons. They may live too far away or have too many personal and immediate family responsibilities. They might hold grudges against your parents and not be willing to...
Residents in an assisted living community require additional help with bathing, dining and other activities of daily living. Many residents can remain independent on many levels, but often need extra assistance, leading to feelings of...
With the elderly population growing and life expectancy increasing, many adults face the responsibility of providing care for an elderly parent. Many have questions and uncertainty about how to proceed in finding adequate care. In addition, most...
According to the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, persons with dementia may have loss of memory and difficulty solving problems and maintaining emotional control. They also may experience personality changes and behavioral...
With health care costs, as well the price of prescription drugs skyrocketing, some Americans are looking at Canadian pharmacies as an alternative for purchasing medication. In fact, a report prepared for Congressman Henry Waxman of California...
As of 2010, the Alzheimer's Association estimates that 5.3 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease, the most frequent cause of irreversible dementia. Although dementia is less common in early old age, the likelihood of a...
Alcoholic dementia is caused by excessive and long-term use of alcohol. Symptoms---as with other forms of dementia---include memory loss, poor judgment and confusion. In addition, people suffering from alcohol abuse often develop physical ailments...
Your diet plays a vital role in the way your digestive system functions. If you are having digestive difficulties, certain natural foods may help relieve this. High-fiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains can add bulk to your stool and encourage...
The state of Ohio inspects and regulates nursing homes per the Older Americans Act. Several state departments and offices oversee nursing homes in the state, including the Department of Health, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman's office and the...
There is no way to slow the hands of time, and as you age, there is no proven way to stop the metabolic decline. Your metabolism slows as you age, meaning you aren't burning calories as quickly or efficiently. Women over 50 who need to lose weight...
Sudden, unintentional weight loss in the elderly can signify a number of underlying medical concerns. In her article Evaluating and Treating Unintentional Weight Loss in the Elderly, medical doctor Grace Brooke Huffman warns that elderly patients...
Gait belts help protect patients and caregivers from unnecessary injuries and are most commonly used in health care settings. Made from a thick strip of nylon, leather or canvas, gait belts must be sturdy enough to support an adult's body....
