People with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia have different care requirements than those in conventional assisted living settings. Are you wondering whether memory care is the best option for your aging loved one? Read on to learn more about memory care, along with what family members can expect from this type of care facility.
Memory care therapy can relieve stress and stimulate memories.
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Between the record number of Americans in the healthcare system due to the Affordable Care Act and the aging baby boomer population, physicians are in critical demand, with the doctor shortage predicted to reach as high as 90,000 by the year 2025, according to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges. In an era during which healthcare practitioners face greater financial pressures than ever before, doctor visits are a dwindling precious commodity. Read on to learn how seniors and their caregivers can maximize visits to get the most of each appointment.
Planning ahead saves precious seconds.
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More than a quarter of people aged 65 and older -- approximately 11.8 million senior Americans -- have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. For the majority of them, insulin injections are a critical tool for treating the disease. If you're a caregiver for a senior with diabetes, do you understand what insulin is and how it works? Let's take a closer look.
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Prescription plus OTC meds can add up to a dangerous equation.
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Cardiologists. Neurologists. Gastroenterologists. Ophthalmologists. Urologists. As a caregiver of an older adult, you are probably struggling to juggle the long list of healthcare providers your loved one is seeing in addition to a primary care physician. But is it time to add one more to the list? Let's take a closer look at the role of geriatricians, and whether one might be a valuable addition to your aging loved one's healthcare team.
A geriatrician is trained to meet his/her specific needs.
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While many people assume that seniors stop having sex after a certain age, this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, 61 percent of men and 37 percent of women over the age of 60 are sexually active, according to a study by the National Institute on Aging. While the topic may seem awkward, caregivers can play an important role in ensuring that seniors are maintaining safe, healthy sexual relationships. Here's what you need to know.
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The risk of severe eye issues increases significantly after the age of 65, according to a special report on aging and vision loss from the American Foundation for the Blind. Glaucoma, along with age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy, earns a spot among the four leading eye diseases. Let's take a closer look at this common condition, along with what seniors and their caregivers can do to promote optimal vision and quality of life.
About Glaucoma and Aging Eyes
Glaucoma comprises a group of diseases that cause vision loss by damaging the eye's optic nerve. There's no single type of glaucoma, although many forms -- including the most common types, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) -- involve a problem with the eye's drainage system in which fluid drains too slowly leading to buildup, pressure, and eventual damage to the optic nerve and surrounding parts of the eye. If left untreated, loss of vision can occur.
More than half of Americans have had a cataract or cataract surgery by the age of 80, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). However, just because cataracts are common among the elderly doesn't mean seniors have to live with poor vision and declines in quality of life. Here's what seniors and caregivers of seniors need to know to manage cataracts and promote optimal eye health.
Blurred vision? Cataracts may be the cause.
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Up to 11 million people in this country have some form of age-related macular degeneration, and that number is expected to double by the year 2050, according to the BrightFocus Foundation. Because age is a major risk factor for this chronic disease, it's particularly important for elder caregivers to understand this leading cause of irreversible vision loss for people over the age of 60. Here's what you need to know.
What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
While most people anxiously await the arrival of warm summer days, the arrival of hot weather, burning sun, and other seasonal factors present numerous health challenges to seniors. Keep these eight important things in mind when helping your aging loved one beat the heat this summer.
1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Being proactive about keeping seniors hydrated is especially important -- particularly considering that a full third of seniors in long-term care facilities experience dehydration. Dehydration in the elderly can quickly become a serious issue. When older adults become dehydrated, they may experience muscle cramps, disorientation, confusion, and many other threatening healthcare conditions. If they are severely dehydrated, they may go into shock which can be life-threatening. If your loved one is non-verbal, he/she may be unable to communicate feelings of thirst. Not only that but the issue is compounded by the fact that feelings of thirst decline with age.
