Elderly

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Understanding What It Means to Be Old

  Mary Pipher's book, Another Country, helps the reader understand the experience of growing old in America.

• Blog Post - Wanted: Companionship for a Dad with Diabetes

  How to find senior companionship for your aging and ailing parent.

• Blog Post - Too Much and Too Little Shut-Eye May Be Bad for Health

  Too little and too much sleep can be a health hazard. Find tips on helping your parents get just the right amount of rest.

• Blog Post - Solutions for Seniors Who Struggle to Get Enough Zzzs

  Sleep problems are common among the elderly; find ways to help your parents get a good night's rest.

• Blog Post - Personal To-Do Lists That Help You With Caregiving Challenges

  Caring.com launches new To-Do lists to help you navigate caregiver challenges.

• Blog Post - Aging Parents and Dental Care: A Life-and-Death Issue

  Regular dental care for your parents can be a matter of life and death.

• Blog Post - Over-The-Counter Driving Hazards

  Even simple cold medications can undermine the driving abilities of elderly people.

• Blog Post - The Case For Geriatric Care

  How -- and why -- to choose a geriatrician for your aging parents' care.

• Blog Post - Aging Artfully, Part 1

  How you can age artfully by pursuing your passions

• Blog Post - My mother is gambling away every last penny -- and her financial independence. What should I do?

  Since my father's death two years ago, my 75-year-old...

• Blog Post - Downward Dog May Keep Elderly Upright

  Recent research reveals Iyengar yoga improves stability and balance in older women, which could lower their risk of falling.

• Blog Post - Bathing Blocks: When an Elder Refuses to Bathe

  When your parents refuse to bathe, there are ways you can help them stay clean.

• Blog Post - Reverse Mortgages: Looking for Trouble?

  Reverse mortgages--a loan for people ages 62 and older...

• Blog Post - A "Sandwiched" Daughter Says Enough is Enough

  A "sandwich generation" caregiver describes how asking for help saved her sanity — and her family.

• Blog Post - Use of Restraints in Nursing Homes: Down But Not Out

  The law limits how and when nursing homes can use restraints. What to do if your parent is confined by belts or bed rails.

• Blog Post - Is It Time For Your Parents To Give Up The Car Keys?

  Tips for how to know when it's time for your elderly parent to stop driving -- and what to do about it.

• Blog Post - My father is in failing health and financial ruin, living with a woman who is bipolar, and refuses my help. What can I do?

  My father is 69 years old and in failing health...

• Blog Post - Five Tips for Keeping the Sandwich Together

  Five tips to help sandwich generation members ease the stress of caring for aging parents in their homes.

• Blog Post - Aging Artfully - Part II

  Research shows a powerful link between creativity and healthier, happier aging.

• Blog Post - For Older Gals: Bring on the Meat. And the Fish, Tofu, and Eggs.

  Older women need to end plenty of protein to maintain muscle, which helps prevent falls.

• Blog Post - Quick Quiz: Should Your Parents Stay at Home or Move?

  Quiz to help adult children figure out whether aging parents can stay at home or should move to retirement communities.

• Blog Post - Diabetes Doughnut Hole Dilemma

  The so-called doughnut hole in prescription drug coverage hits seniors with diabetes -- and what to do to help a loved one keep paying for diabetes drugs.

• Blog Post - It Takes a Neighborhood (Pt. 1)

  Neighbors pitch in to help an isolated elderly neighbor so he can stay in his own home.

• Blog Post - To Protect Seniors in Natural Disasters, Talk About It Beforehand

  Communication is key in protecting seniors in natural disasters.

• Blog Post - Sex for Life

  New research shows that many people are sexually active well into old age.

• Blog Post - Wii Senior Sports Craze May Get Your Parents Moving

  The Wii video game is a hit among seniors; a fun and gentle way to get them moving.

• Blog Post - Desperately Seeking Senior Care Specialists

  A shortage of senior care doctors concerns baby boomers and their aging parents; find tips on how to locate a geriatric specialist.

• Blog Post - Diabetes Studies: Good News? Bad News? Who Knows?

  How to make sense of drug study findings for people caring for parents with type 2 diabetes.

• Blog Post - Seniors May Need Less Sleep

  Seniors may not need as much sleep as previously thought.

• Blog Post - Caregiving Isn't for Sissies

  Caregiving requires courage, compassion, resourcefulness, and an open heart -- qualities that most of us would use to describe a hero.

• Blog Post - Behind-the-Wheel Safety for Older Drivers

  Car makers and others are gearing up for an increase in the number of older drivers over the next decade.

• Blog Post - It Takes a Neighborhood (Part II)

  Taking care of an elderly neighbor can enrich the lives of everyone involved.

• Blog Post - National Grandparents Day September 7: A Day to Reach Out to All Elderly

  National Grandparents Day on September 7 was conceived as a day to remember lonely nursing home residents, but now honors all the elderly.

• Blog Post - Parents' Driving Worries Baby Boomers, But No One Wants to Talk About It

  Survey finds widespread concern among Baby Boomers about their parents' driving -- and reluctance to talk about it

• Blog Post - A Promising New Lung Cancer Vaccine

  This week brought welcome news for people with non-small cell lung cancer: Long-term results from a clinical trial showed that a new immune-boosting treatment worked as well or better than chemotherapy at reducing relapse.

• Blog Post - When You Can't Check in With Your Parents, Cops (Often) Can

  Numerous services will check in on your parent when you can't. Find them by searching "senior check-in" and your parents' town.

• Blog Post - How much say do I have in determining who is guardian over me and my affairs?

  Do I have any rights in determining my care and who...

• Blog Post - Fighting for Breath: A Mother's Last Weeks of Life

  Laura Juel had to advocate for her mother during her final days to help her get pain relief.

• Blog Post - Watermelons for Healthy Living -- and Loving

  Watermelons can improve everything from your circulation to your love life.

• Blog Post - Are Your Parents Driving Their Caregivers to Quit?

  It's a more common problem than you might think. Here's why it happens--and what to do.

Questions & Answers

• Question - Why do elderly women contract numerous urinary tract infections?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I handle my elderly mother who doesn't want me to travel at all?

  An elderly parent may worry or get upset when you travel; she may even claim she'll die while you're away. Should you give up travel to ease her mind?

• Question - Will a gait belt help my elderly mother walk?

  Will a gait belt help my elderly parent walk and move better? Get expert advice on using a gait belt to assist elderly parents to balance and walk.

• Question - What are the medical reasons an elderly person needs to bathe once or twice a week?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Are there programs in Texas to help the elderly with the electric bills?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Why is my elderly father having trouble driving at night?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my elderly father use a bedpan?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I get a reverse mortgage or a bank loan for my elderly folks?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What will the doctor do for broken hips in elderly people?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can we protect our elderly mother from being taken advantage of?

  If you're sure that it's money and not love that is prompting an alleged suitor to call on your mother, act quickly to avoid financial scamming.

• Question - Should we bring my 100 year-old grandmother to a family reunion?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How do you declare an elderly parent incompetent?

  While you may need to provide the evidence, the decision of incompetency usually comes from a doctor’s pen.

• Question - How do I talk to my elderly father about dying?

  To get guidance about how to talk with a parent about dying, pay attention to what you learned about his or her comfort level during past conversations.

• Question - My elderly parents want to take a road trip - how can I stop them?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How do I help my elderly mother deal with the loss of her pets?

  When someone moves into assisted living, does he have to give up his pets? If so, what should you do with his pets once he moves into assisted living?

• Question - Is it wise to put an elderly parent's home in trust?

  Should I put my elderly parent's home in a trust? Putting a house in a trust is a good way to avoid probate, although it may not be necessary.

• Question - Now that my mom is in a nursing home, how can I make the most of my one-hour visits with her?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can someone become a caregiver?

  How can someone become a caregiver?

• Question - How can I convince my dying mother to write a "goodbye" letter to her grandchildren?

  How can I convince my dying mother to write a goodbye letter to her grandchildren? A goodbye letter would create sustaining memories for the children.

• Question - How do I contact meals on wheels?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - Should I get a personal emergency response system (PERS) for my mom, who has early-stage Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How can we convince my uncle to enter a nursing home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I take cigarettes away from my mother, who has Alzheimer's, for fear she'll start a fire?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I encourage my listless mom to bathe?

  Elderly people sometimes refuse to bathe out of modesty or fear of falling. What can you do to help when when a parent refuses to bathe or shower?

• Question - With both my parents in the hospital, how can I pay their bills?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - What could be wrong with my mother-in-law who makes irrational decisions and wets herself, yet the hospital says she's competent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My dad eats lots of sweets and doesn't like to drink water--could he have diabetes?

  Find out if a sweet tooth or a lack of thirst are symptoms for type 2 diabetes.

• Question - Why does my mother talk about health issues -- in excruciating detail?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can a parent revise or revoke a durable power of attorney for healthcare or finances?

  Can my parent revise or revoke his durable power of attorney for healthcare? He can revise his durable power of attorney if he's of sound mind.

• Question - Should I bring my four-year-old to my father's funeral?

  Is it OK to bring a child to a funeral or memorial? It depends on the child's temperament -- some kids do better at funeral services than others.

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

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Am I responsible for my parent's debt?

  Am I responsible for my parent's debt? I recently discovered that my father has several thousand of dollars of debt. Are parent debts transferable?

• Question - Financial Aid for Caregivers?

  I am caring for my parents and need to be home with them day to day. Is there any financial aid that I can get since I will have lost my income?

• Question - How do I make sure my mother's personal information travels with her?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why are my father's heart palpitations getting more frequent?

  What causes frequent heart palpitations in the elderly? Frequent heart palpitations can have various causes, from anxiety to atrial fibrillation.

Tips & Reflections

• Reflection - What I Wish I'd Known About Being Old: Psychologist/Sociologist Lillian Rubin

  Lillian Rubin -- renowned sociologist, psychotherapist, octogenarian, and author of 60 on Up -- reflects on what no one tells you about getting old.

• Tip - Tip for Loved One To Remember Your Name

  Wear a name tag. Many of our elderly loved ones with...

• Tip - parent with dementia

  After caring for two elderly parents for several...

News

• News - Initial Colonoscopy Key to Cancer Detection

  TUESDAY, Oct. 16 (HealthDay News) -- A first-time colonoscopy...

• News - Most Elderly Don't Get Good Medical Care: Study

  MONDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The quality of...

• News - Lack of Strong Thirst Signals Leads Elderly to Drink Too Little

  TUESDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults don...

• News - Combo Treatment Best for Elderly Lymphoma Patients

  TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment that...

• News - Geriatrician Care Guards Against Risk of Inappropriate Meds

  FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Elderly Americans...

• News - Elderly Can Benefit From High Blood Pressure Treatment

  MONDAY, March 31 (HealthDay News) -- Despite some doctors...

• News - Yoga Program May Help Prevent Falls in Elderly

  FRIDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- A specific type...

• News - Painkillers Boost Muscle Mass Among Weight-Training Elderly

  SUNDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- A daily dose of...

• News - Detecting, Diagnosing Breast Cancers

  MONDAY, April 14 (HealthDay News) -- New studies into...

• News - Antipsychotic Drugs Linked to Pneumonia in Elderly

  TUESDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Nursing home...