Your senior loved one’s sudden outbursts of anger may leave you reeling from stress. As a family caregiver, you may sometimes feel as though you didn’t sign up for yelling or physical aggression. Anger may be especially troubling when your loved one was never like this before receiving a dementia diagnosis. Seniors with dementia do sometimes exhibit outbursts of anger…
Having a support network is critical for preventing caregiver stress, but what happens when you and the other members of your aging parent’s caregiving team are experiencing conflict regarding his or her care? As frustrating as it can be to experience additional stress, it’s important to know that many common conflicts are easy to manage with some careful planning. Scheduling…
Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been battling hospital readmissions by penalizing hospitals with high rates while reporting their data to the public. While these efforts have shown some success, the high rates of hospital readmissions after surgery still continue. As medical teams work to properly assess patients and develop effective discharge instructions, there are many things…
Families need all the support they can get when they work together to help their senior loved ones age in place. In addition to neighbors and friends, families also rely on respite care to help them meet their loved ones’ needs. These five benefits of adding respite care to your family’s support network can make caring for your loved one…
Even if your home seems relatively safe, you might need to make a few changes if you’re going to have a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s living with you. As this disorder progresses, certain products and items can become very dangerous, and you need to be absolutely sure there are no threats in your home. Here’s a look at five…
While strokes can occur at any age, seniors are at increased risk for lasting side effects of stroke. If you’re a family caregiver, one way you can ensure your senior loved one has the best chance of an efficient recovery in the case of a stroke is to seek immediate medical attention. To ensure you’re able to recognize a stroke…
Since Parkinson’s is primarily thought of as a condition that affects motor skills, less visible symptoms are frequently overlooked. If you have an elderly loved one with Parkinson’s disease (PD), he or she may be experiencing some of the invisible Parkinson’s symptoms, including difficulty sleeping. To ensure you’re able to recognize when Parkinson’s is affecting your loved one’s sleep, here…
Having a sense of purpose can help your elderly loved one age gracefully and enjoy a better quality of life. Here are some of the reasons it’s important for aging adults to maintain a sense of purpose. Boost Metabolism Seniors who pursue their goals can experience significant bursts of energy that keep them going. They often wake up every day…
A total hip replacement is a major surgical procedure that often becomes necessary to help a person manage arthritis. Some seniors might also need this type of surgery if they experience major injuries that cannot heal on their own. Learning as much as you can about the procedure helps you show your senior loved one how to prepare, both physically…
Heart disease is one of the most common health conditions among seniors. The damaged blood vessels and blood clots associated with heart disease can cause a variety of dangerous conditions, so it’s important for seniors to do everything possible to lower their heart disease risk. If older adults want to promote their heart health, meditation is an effective method. Here's…