Tips
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Caring for a parent with heart disease can be a full-time job. To help save you time, the American Heart Association (AHA) now offers a tool that simplifies shopping for heart-healthy groceries. With their online grocery list tool, you can create a personalized shopping list by choosing from more th...
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Do you need more information about taking care of your parent after a stroke? Or do you just need to talk to someone who understands what you're going through? The American Stroke Association's "Warmline" is an invaluable resource for stroke survivors and their families. The Warmline's team is intim...
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If you, or your parent's spouse, leaves the house for a short time (for eg. to run an errand), leave a written note since people with alzheimers will often forget what you told them about where you are going.
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Stubborn lip splits are often the result of a yeast infection at the site. Cortisone creams thin the skin and make it more likely to split. Using a vaginal yeast treatment such as Monistat 7 usually solves the problem. I figured if you could put it "there" you could put it on a split lip. If t...
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My grandparents kept a box with all their end-of-life documents (living will, DNR, estate information, funeral arrangements, etc.) It also had a some photos and writings that they definitely wanted their posterity to have. They kept it in an easy-to-find place in their home for many years before th...
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When family or friends offer help in caring for your loved one, accept it. But do your best to make sure that helpers do not take up your time in the process.
Kindly let people know that you will not be able to visit with them when they provide assistance because you can use some extra time to do s...
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I found that due to Mother's forgetfulness, she was always missing a comb, tissues, and sunglasses -major necessities for her. So I purchased plenty of each and "stored" them everywhere imaginable...my car, her walker, her coat pockets, her bathrobe pockets, her purse, my purse, my house, etc. The...
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A quirk in Medicare payment rules means that a hospital can bill patients for much more in outpatient charges than a doctor or independent lab can. Under Medicare Part B, doctors can charge no more than 15 percent above what Medicare pays them. But no such limit applies to hospital outpatient clinic...
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Until 2004, Medicare didn't recognize obesity as an illness, so Medicare Part B didn't cover treatments for it. Now Medicare acknowledges that obesity is a medical condition, and Part B covers a variety of weight-loss therapies and treatments. These include diet and exercise programs, blood sugar mo...
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Medicare Part A covers a patient's stay in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility during recovery from an illness or injury -- but coverage kicks in only if he's first had a hospital stay of at least three days, not counting the day of discharge. It's quite common for older patients to move in...
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It's easy to get lost in the maze of public and nonprofit services that help, or try to help, people find in-home assistance for older adults. A good starting point is the Eldercare Locator, a service of the U.S. Administration on Aging. Through its website or toll-free telephone number (800-677-111...
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When you're hiring an in-home healthcare worker, professional work experience with the elderly is highly desirable. But other backgrounds and experience can also make for a great helper, especially if you're looking for a companion or personal assistant instead of someone with medical training. Some...
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Healthcare advocates say that the biggest roadblock in hospice care is often a misunderstanding about what hospice means. Many people assume that entering hospice care means giving up on life -- sometimes even medical professionals approach it that way. According to the Hospice Patients Alliance, ho...
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Many people think the decision to have hospice care is irreversible. In fact, a person who has started hospice care can leave a hospice program if his or her condition improves or the disease goes into remission. Hospice care can resume again later if some type of constant daily care is needed.
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When your parent suffers from leg cramps and spends a lot of time in bed, even the weight of the covers can be uncomfortable and lead to cramping. A bed cradle, also called a foot cradle, is a support at the foot of the bed designed to raise sheets and blankets above the feet. Bed cradles can be fou...
