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...

Many aspects of aging involve sadness and loss: Loss of independence, a serious diagnosis, death of a partner, spouse, or friend. You as a family member may experience sadness as you witness your loved one's struggles. But also, for your own caregiving-related losses,...

Where do you go? Your relative has distressing symptoms. The primary care doctor's office is closed, or they don't have an opening anytime soon. The Emergency Room is open 24/7 but will involve long waits and a lot of stress. An urgent care center is a great middle...

Transportation problems create unhealthy social isolation for many older adults. Rides from family and friends are the first thought, but they aren't always available, limiting your loved one's opportunities. And older adults often feel uncomfortable being beholden to...

About 10% to 20% of cognitive impairments are a result of vascular dementia, also called "stroke dementia." Vascular dementia arises when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted by a blood clot or from bleeding in the brain (for instance, after hitting one's head...

Hearing loss affects 50% of people over age eighty-five, most commonly men. Poor hearing diminishes quality of life. It may bring on frustration in daily interactions with others. It can even be at the root of withdrawal from social activities, depression, anxiety,...

If the person you care for needs therapy or other medical services but has trouble getting out, house calls are a great solution. Historically, Medicare has had strict rules for home-based services and how "homebound" a patient must be for the services to be covered....

If you have dressed a relative with dementia or assisted a family member with Parkinson's, you know there are challenges involved. Dressing requires physical coordination, fine-motor skills, flexible joints, and range of motion. Not being able to dress oneself is both...

Chronic inflammation is like the body (your "house") catching fire. We have all dealt with acute inflammation. It comes with injury, such as a sprained ankle. Or infection, such as staph, bronchitis, etc. Inflammation is a sign that the body's defenses are rushing in....