Robert L. Kane

Caring.com Expert

About

Robert L. Kane, physician and Minnesota Chair in Long Term Care and Aging at the Minnesota University School of Public Health

Recently Published on Caring.com

  1. Thursday September 20, 2007

    1. Will cutting down on liquids help my father's incontinence?

      Answer - Your father shouldn't drink any fluids for two hours before he goes to bed. Additionally, caffeine -- which is in cola, unless it's caffeine-free -- can make incontinence worse. Alcohol is also a diuretic (meaning it increases the production of urine), so drinking beer will make the problem worse.

    2. I don't think my 78-year-old mother has dementia, so why does she get sundown syndrome?

      Answer - While your mother could be suffering from an early form of dementia, she may -- like a lot of elderly people -- get disoriented for some other reason associated with that time of day. Either way, there are some practical things you can do.