Remember when Lucy got licked by Snoopy and yelled “ugh, dog germs!”? We all have germs, including us and our senior loved ones. The spread of these germs can make our vulnerable seniors ill to the point of needing emergency treatment. Human touch is one way we spread germs. We as family caregivers need to wash … Read more
Seniors, as they age, often have many physical complaints. Some of those are related to specific medical conditions, others seemingly come out of nowhere. Anemia can cause many common health complaints, including fatigue, loss of energy, pale skin, cold hands and feet, shortness of breath, irregular heart beat and dizziness. Our seniors are at risk from … Read more
Family caregivers of senior adults can find themselves tackling situations that are foreign to them on a daily basis. One caregiving task that might be unique for you as a caregiver of an elder family member is caring for their dentures. Yes, someone else’s teeth! “No way,” you say? Dentures require special care to keep them clean, … Read more
There are many myths of aging — beliefs that, while widely held, are not true. Many people have preconceived notions about how we should or shouldn’t be aging and how our bodies should reflect our aging. Multiple media messages that tell us to do this activity to avoid aging or take this pill to stop the signs … Read more
“To sleep, perchance to dream” is a Shakespeare quote of which I remind myself when I am really tired. The unfortunate truth is, when I am most tired, the dreams become weird imaginings that tend to wake me from a sound sleep, putting me right back in a sleep deprived state. Does that happen to … Read more
The recent outbreak of measles has sparked debate about immunizations for children, leaving family caregivers to wonder how it will affect their senior loved ones (and themselves). Did you know that older adults got the measles at Disneyland? As of this writing, 121 people were affected in that outbreak, including people up to age 70. Most of … Read more
Dental care – can it really be all that important to seniors and their family caregivers? Family caregivers have so much responsibility every day just getting all the jobs done. We often don’t get all the daily tasks completed as the sun begins to set. We merely add the unfinished tasks to the next day’s list in … Read more
Are you really “as young as you feel”? What does it mean to feel young — or old? As we wrap up another celebration of Older Americans and a great generation’s contributions to the nation, we stop to consider our own aging. Do you feel like you are aging? Do you feel “old”? What does … Read more
Water is essential to our lives. Our bodies need to not only be refueled but also need to be hydrated. Getting older does not change the need we have for fluids to remain healthy. Unfortunately, getting older for many means drinking less fluid than our bodies need. Elders tend not to want to drink much … Read more
