by Julie Ann Anderson on December 14, 2011
Start Up Stretching Regular stretching reduces pain, improves flexibility and quality of life Flexibility, or the lack thereof, is probably the single most important factor affecting our quality of life as we age. Don’t assume that with aging you will automatically lose your flexibility. You can counterbalance the effects of aging so that your physiology [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on December 7, 2011
Depression is not a normal part of aging, but when older adults do have depression, it may be overlooked, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Seniors may show different, less obvious symptoms and may be less inclined to experience or acknowledge feelings of sadness or grief. The winter months can be especially challenging [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on November 30, 2011
Fight the flu “A flu shot is your best protection against catching the flu,” says Randy Bergen, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Kaiser Permanente. The flu virus changes often. The protection given by the flu vaccine only lasts for about a year, so you need to get a flu shot every year, preferably in [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on November 28, 2011
November is National Family Caregivers Month Every day, more than 65 million family caregivers in the United States fulfill a vital role on the care team. November is National Family Caregivers Month, a great time to honor the family caregivers who devote their lives to caring for senior loved ones. Family caregivers need [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on November 23, 2011
ScienceDaily (Dec. 26, 2007) — Elderly nursing home residents receive relatively few cancer care services, including screening, surgical treatment, or hospice care, according to a study published online December 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Few studies have examined cancer treatment and care among elderly patients residing in nursing homes. [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on November 16, 2011
ScienceDaily (Jan. 10, 2011) — A large proportion of Medicare expenditures for nursing home residents with advanced dementia, a terminal illness, is spent on aggressive treatments that may be avoidable and of limited clinical benefit, according to a new study by the Institute for Aging Research, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, published in the [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on November 14, 2011
Dementia Patients Face Burdensome Transitions in Last 90 Days ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2011) — A new study in the Sept. 29, 2011, edition of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that nearly one in five nursing home residents with advanced dementia experiences burdensome transitions in the last 90 days of life, such [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on October 24, 2011
Help family caregivers through holidays Give family caregivers a gift this holiday season by inviting them to participate in one of the upcoming “Home for the Holidays” webinars. This hour-long informational session provides family caregivers with information on how to help their senior loved ones manage holiday travel, family gatherings, seasonal depression and other [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on September 30, 2011
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in American women behind skin cancer. Seniors are at an increased risk to develop breast cancer, so take time during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October to learn more about this deadly disease. Here are a few facts regarding [...]
by Julie Ann Anderson on September 28, 2011
Join the effort to detect Alzheimer’s early The Home Instead Senior Care® network has joined the Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA) in a nationwide effort to educate people about the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease and the importance of early detection. The AEDA is a group of corporations, nonprofits and government entities under the leadership [...]