Laurie Udesky, Caring.com senior editor

Laurie Udesky , Senior Editor of the General Health channel, has covered health and medical issues for National Public Radio (NPR); produced features for "Crossroads," a cross-cultural program that aired on NPR; and served as a reporter or editor for medical trade journals such as TB Monitor and AIDS Alert. She wrote a chapter on drug interactions for The Self-Care Advisor , a Time Inc. health publication, and has written regularly on health and mental health issues affecting older people for Consumer Health Interactive , where she is a contributing editor. As a foreign correspondent in the Middle East, Laurie covered health, social welfare, and political issues for the Dallas Morning News , the St Petersburg Times , Salon.com, Macleans magazine , NPR, and Consumer Health Interactive . She has been recognized with an Award for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, a California Endowment Health Journalism Fellowship, an Exceptional Merit Media Ward (EMMA) from Radcliffe College, and other top awards in magazine writing. Laurie's B.A. is in English with honors from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

In the 1980s Laurie served on the board of an intergenerational organization. The experience of working with older people in the community helped shape her views and interest in reporting on issues affecting older people. She also was very close to her grandmother, who lived to be 95.

Recently Published on Caring.com

  • Quick summary As we age, the architecture of our sleep changes dramatically. The deep, delectable sleep in which we're oblivious to the outside world and its sounds, call...

  • How can I find a class an older adult will like? Barring a doctor's restrictions, an exercise class can be a great way to improve an older adult's health. A good exercis...

  • Sundown syndrome is a term that describes the onset of confusion and agitation that generally affects people with dementia or cognitive impairment and usually strikes aroun...

  • Between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, according to a report by the Institute of Medicine. About 50 percent of people over the age of 60 struggle...

  • Before you dive into the ever-expanding world of incontinence products and supplies, be sure that your parent sees her doctor to find out whether her incontinence is treata...

  • Enlisting physical therapy to treat incontinence Before even beginning to think about physical therapy, a patient should see a doctor, because incontinence can stem from a...

  • Before you dive into the ever-expanding world of incontinence products and supplies, be sure that your parent sees her doctor to find out whether her incontinence is treata...

  • Between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, according to a report by the Institute of Medicine. About 50 percent of people over the age of 60 struggle...

  • After a hip fracture, it's a good idea to leave the physical therapist's office armed with essential information. Here's what you'll need to ask to help your parent get bac...

  • Once your parent is back at home after suffering a hip fracture, her comfort, safety, and mobility become top priorities. She'll need changes in her environment so she can ...

  • After a hip fracture, it's a good idea to leave the physical therapist's office armed with essential information. Here's what you'll need to ask to help your parent get bac...

  • Ashley Lamar (not her real name) recalls how she and her sister first realized the scope of their mother's incontinence when they went to her apartment in Santa Monica. &qu...

  • Once your parent is back at home after suffering a hip fracture, her comfort, safety, and mobility become top priorities. She'll need changes in her environment so she can ...

  • How can I talk to my loved one about incontinence? Realize it's normal to feel uncomfortable. There are some discussions between close relatives, especially a parent and ch...

  • Each year one in three adults age 65 years or older falls, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the possibility of serious injury from falling i...

  • Don't be surprised if your parent is reluctant to talk about her falls (or suspected falls), fearing that the consequences could threaten her independence. Even so, it's im...

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