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Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Old Meets New: High-Tech Toys Help Seniors Deal With Diabetes

  A handy list of high-tech gadgets that can help take the hassle out of dealing with diabetes for seniors and their caregivers.

• Blog Post - Would You Rather Your Parent Had Dementia or Alzheimer's or Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration?

  Is "dementia" an outdated word, like "mongoloid" or "cripple"?

• Blog Post - My mother's caregiver is too controlling and won't take direction from us.

  My mother has Alzheimer's and has had a live-in caregiver...

• Blog Post - Know Thy Father: A Guide to Dad's Day

  Knowing your dad well is a good guide to celebrating Father's Day.

• Blog Post - My mother says she's lonely, and it's heartbreaking for me to hear her crying at night. What can I do to help her?

  My father died seven years ago, and for quite some...

• Blog Post - Over-The-Counter Driving Hazards

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

• 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 - A Grandchild Steps In to Help Her Family

  A young woman with both a big heart and streak of cynicism steps in to help her aging grandparents

• 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.

Questions & Answers

• Question - my husband doesnt understand severe fibromyalgia and how my...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Since my parents own property in several states, how will their estate be administered?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can Taxol cause severe ankle, leg, knee and hip pain?

  Is it normal to have joint or bone pain with taxol? I have pain in my hip, knee, ankle, and other joints using the chemo drug taxol.

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

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• 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 - What's the best way to handle criticism about the Alzheimer's care I'm giving my mom?

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

• Question - What's an assisted-living community fee and how much is it?

  What is an assisted living community fee? Is it usual for assisted living communities to charge community fees upon move-in?

• Question - Can my mom try out an assisted-living home before she commits to it?

  Is it possible to try out assisted living before committing to it? Yes, some assisted living homes allow people to live there for a short time first.

• Question - Is it safe to leave a parent with Alzheimer's home alone?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is a Medicaid annuity a scam?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I continue to encourage my mom to be social, even as her Alzheimer's worsens?

  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 - Why are my father's abilities improving and then regressing since his stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• 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 does "end stage" congestive heart failure mean for my mother?

  End stage congestive heart failure doesn't mean someone is dying. End stage congestive heart failure is serious, but some patients live for years.

• Question - How can I tell if my mother's having an angina episode or a heart attack?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - My father-in-law is depressed and has no daily activities to occupy him.

  This question has been answered by three Community Members

• Question - What is the best way to gauge how much exercise is too much?...

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

• Question - Do we tell my grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimers, about a death in the family?

  Should I tell my relative with Alzheimer's about a death in the family? Or will the news about a death only upset an Alzheimer's patient?

• Question - Can Alzheimer's disease cause mild-mannered people to swear?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Why are my mother's hand and arm swollen after her stroke?

  My mom had a mild stroke. She's been complaining of pain and I noticed that her hand and forearm are swollen. Are swollen hands and arms normal?

• Question - How can I encourage my father to use his left side after his stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I handle my mother's erratic behavior in the hospital after her surgical procedure?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can we prevent bruising due to low platelets?

  Bruising from low platelets is a common side effect in chemotherapy patients. Find out what you can do to reduce low platelet bruising.

• Question - Can low hemoglobin be causing my father's fatigue, and, if so, what can I do to help him feel better?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my parent figure out when her blood sugar is too high?

  Blood sugar needs to be monitored often when someone has type 2 diabetes. How do you help a person with diabetes keep track of glucose levels?

• Question - Can my mother help pay for her grandchildren's education and still qualify for Medicaid?

  Will a parent risk Medicaid benefits by helping with grandchildren's education? It's essential to consider whether Medicaid will be lost this way.

• Question - Who are the best long term care providers and reverse mortgage companies?

  Who provides the best long term care and the best reverse mortgage? Finding the best long term care and reverse mortgage for you takes some research.

• Question - Do I tell my mother her memory trouble is Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can I give my father a diuretic to help with the swelling in his feet caused by liver cancer?

  When swollen feet are caused by liver cancer, will a diuretic help relieve the swelling? Or is the cause of the swelling more complicated than that?

• Question - Why doesn't my mother's doctor want to perform a red blood cell transfusion, just because she's never had one before?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Where do I get financial help for my 88 year old mother?

  A senior with low income and assets can qualify for SSI benefits of $600 to $800 per month, Medicaid and a very low-cost prescription drug plan.

• Question - How do I enroll a terminal cancer patient in hospice?

  Finding hospice services and learning their requirements is easy. Getting the best fit might take a little more work.

• Question - My father died I want to know if he is still watching over...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How do I treat a chemical burn associated with chemo?

  If you get a chemical burn from chemo, how do you treat it? A chemical burn from chemo is rare, and you should make the oncologist aware of it.

• Question - Can my dad get help to pay for shots after chemo?

  Medicare pays little of outpatient hospital charges. A hospital that accepts Medicare amounts, or care in the doctor's office, saves a bundle.

• Question - Can the new drug Symlin help my overweight dad with diabetes?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I put my mom in a nursing home as her care has gotten too much for me?

  Should I put my mom in a nursing home? Putting your parent in a nursing home could be the best thing for her, physically and mentally.

• Question - Why would my brother-in-law take chemotherapy pills for a skin rash?

  Are skin rashes ever treated with chemotherapy pills? Or are skin rashes a side effect of chemo pills instead?

• Question - Are online estate planning documents legal?

  When looking for an online product to help product your estate planning documents, shop carefully.

• Question - Can my grandmother pay me directly with her Medicaid "spend down" for services I provide?

  Can my grandmother pay me for some of her caregiving costs to spend down for Medicaid? Yes, some caregiving costs apply to Medicaid spend down.

• Question - What can I do with my diet to increase my red blood count?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What are my legal options if they refuse to cooperate with my suggestions for Mom's care?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How do we deal with my deceased father's estate without a will?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How long does a person with dementia usually live?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

Tips & Reflections

• Tip - React FAST to a Possible Stroke

  If you think your parent may have had a stroke, act F...

• Tip - parent with dementia

  After caring for two elderly parents for several...

News

• News - Antibiotic Shows Promise as Stroke Treatment

  MONDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- An antibiotic used...

• News - Familial MS May Be More Destructive

  FRIDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Multiple sclerosis...

• News - Drug-Resistant Staph Infections Reaching Epidemic Levels in Some Parts of U.S.

  FRIDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Infections with...

• News - Hysterectomy May Boost Incontinence Risk

  THURSDAY, Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Women who undergo...

• News - Precancerous Lesions Raise Cervical Cancer Risk

  FRIDAY, Oct. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have...

• News - Experts Release New Asthma Care Guidelines

  MONDAY, Nov. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Asthma control...

• News - Defensive Protein Linked to Asthma

  WEDNESDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- A protein that...

• News - Diet Drug Rimonabant Tied to Depression, Anxiety

  THURSDAY, Nov. 15 (HealthDay News) -- People who take...

• News - Prostate Cancer Treatments Often Compound Existing Health Problems

  MONDAY, Nov. 26 (HealthDay News) -- More than a third...

• News - Severe Psoriasis Linked to Higher Death Risk

  MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Severe psoriasis...