If the person you care for has generally good balance and needs just minimal support for getting around, a rollator (walker with wheels and brakes) might be preferable to a standard walker. Rollators enable a more normal, fluid stride. The features to consider start...

The ability to handle one's own financial affairs is critical to adult independence. Low vision challenges this freedom. Fortunately, most banks are prepared to assist clients, whether banking online or in person. Online, your loved one can adjust the bank's website...

Has your loved one ever flatly rejected your perfectly sensible solution to their problem? Though your idea may seem like the obvious route to take, it's not so simple when you're caring for an older adult. Your relative has had a lifetime of making decisions on their...

Don't you just somehow feel better when you laugh? It turns out, that's not just fantasy. Laughter has physical and emotional health benefits. Studies show that laughter can support the heart. If we're laughing, we're not stressing. The stress hormones make chronic...

When your loved one is hospitalized, getting word of discharge "soon" can be heartening: Yay! Improvement! And it also can be distressing. Many aspects of care may drop into your hands. Mobility, incontinence, wound care, oxygen…. And you may not have the needed help...

Chronic inflammation occurs when the immune system doesn't shut down properly. Instead, it attacks the body. This can last for months, even years. It's like a persistent internal war. It puts the body under tremendous stress. There is growing evidence that chronic...

When we are sad, often the best medicine is to talk with someone. If you are the person listening, you may find it challenging to witness your loved one's sadness as they struggle with the losses inherent to illness and aging. It's natural to want to "fix" their...

Is mom considering an herb-based remedy? If so, she joins 24% of American adults who report using herbal medicines, supplements, or teas. Fifteen percent turn to chiropractors, while 9% use acupuncture and 6% use homeopathy. You probably have heard individual success...

Imagine your mom has fallen for the third time this year. To you, it's obvious she needs more support, perhaps home care. Your sister thinks mom should come live with her in another state. Mom's finances are slim and she doesn't want to leave her home. Consider these...

Does the person you care for tend to forget things, such as appointments? Do they get easily confused? Are they withdrawing from social situations? These changes may be early signs of Alzheimer's or some other dementia. But it's equally possible that the problem is...

The multilayered "phantom hacker" or "tech support" scam is by far the most lucrative scam to date—$542 million was transferred to fraudsters between January and June 2023. Two-thirds of those victimized were persons over age sixty-five! Here is the typical scenario:...

If your loved one gets admitted into the hospital, they may be disappointed that their primary care doctor is not the physician taking care of them. Instead, their care will be coordinated by a "hospitalist." This is a doctor who specializes in caring for patients...