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Family Caregiver Stress

  • Caregiver Resentment: Spouse Caregiver Burnout Why Spousal Caregiver Support is Important “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health until death do us part.” When these familiar vows are recited by two people and the promise of tomorrow is before them, ... Continue Reading

Family Caregiving

  • Why is My Elderly Parent so Negative? Who remembers the song by Jim Croce titled “Photographs and Memories?” That song came out in the early 1970’s, so if you remember it, chances are your parents are now elderly. Think about the family photographs and memories you have from your childhood and beyond when your ... Continue Reading
  • Family Matters: Which Sibling Should Take Care of Parents? Griswold has always placed family at the center of everything we do. With an aging population, it's more common than ever for families to be confronted with a tough decision: As parents age, which sibling should step up to oversee or manage their care? It's a sensitive ... Continue Reading
  • Working Full Time and Caring for Elderly Parent Caring for an elderly parent is a full-time job in itself, so being a caregiver and working full-time seems almost impossible. This is a scary thought considering by 2025, it is expected that over half of the American workforce will be caring for an elderly loved one in ... Continue Reading
  • Moving Elderly Parents to Another State As older adults require more health needs, they may want to consider moving closer to loved ones. But how do you move an elderly person to another state? In this post, we will review what you need to know about moving elderly parents to another state. Reasons for Moving an ... Continue Reading

Senior Health Issues

  • Excessive Sweating in the Elderly Excessive sweating as we age does not automatically mean we are out of shape. Sweating in the elderly is fairly common and tends to affect women more than men. Known as hyperhidrosis, sudden sweating iaffects many seniors. When the condition does not have an underlying ... Continue Reading
  • Mental Symptoms of UTI in Elderly Adults Hallucinations in elderly adults with urinary tract infection (UTI) can be quite common. But why do UTIs cause mental confusion? Can UTI cause paranoia in elderly? In this post, we explain what a UTI is and how it can impact seniors. Understanding the link between UTIs and ... Continue Reading
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Elderly Adults While typically associated with children, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is prevalent in the elderly. ADHD in seniors is often misdiagnosed or even overlooked as a possible condition for several reasons. In this post, we review what you need to know about ... Continue Reading
  • What Causes Glassy Eyes in the Elderly? Have you ever noticed that your senior loved one’s eyes appear to be glazed over? They could be staring blankly, seem as though they are distracted, or even have a literal glaze over their eyes. Generally known as glassy eyes, it can affect anyone at any age but is more ... Continue Reading

Sleep Issues

  • Excessive Sweating in the Elderly Excessive sweating as we age does not automatically mean we are out of shape. Sweating in the elderly is fairly common and tends to affect women more than men. Known as hyperhidrosis, sudden sweating iaffects many seniors. When the condition does not have an underlying ... Continue Reading

Ageism

  • Life Advice From the Elderly The world we live in is constantly evolving. Can you recall a time when electric cars, self-checkout at grocery stores, DoorDash, online shopping, online banking, streaming services, and artificial intelligence (AI) were not yet available? Time passes by quickly. The advice ... Continue Reading
  • Prejudice Against Elderly: Ageism Much like the other “-isms” you have heard of, ageism is a prejudice against the elderly. The term was first coined in 1969 and is specifically defined as stereotyping and/or discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age. Unfortunately, there are ... Continue Reading
  • How Seniors Can Avoid Insurance Scams My 90-year-old grandmother sits at her kitchen table surrounded by four large stacks of mail. The first stack is for solicitations from hunger relief organizations. The second, church fundraising drives. The third is for educating third-world children. And the fourth is for ... Continue Reading
  • Common Misconceptions About Aging & the Seniors Who Defy the Stereotypes At first glance, the plague of ageism might not seem like a serious problem, but it actually contributes to a number of false assumptions about seniors and the aging process that can end up causing serious harm. In fact, many of the notions we have about aging are prone to ... Continue Reading

Aging in Place

  • Recurrent Falls in Elderly Adults Falls by older adults can be concerning, especially when they happen on a recurring basis. But why do the elderly experience falls more often than other adults? What are the possible causes of falls? How do you help an elderly parent who keeps falling? In this post, we’ll ... Continue Reading

Aging in Place as a Family

  • When Elderly Parents Won't Listen Whether they refuse to move to a safer location or if they simply won’t accept the reality of their medical ailments, it can be frustrating dealing with an aging parent who doesn’t listen. However, there are steps you can take and things you can say to make the situation ... Continue Reading
  • Moving an Elderly Parent into your Home As our parents age, it's common for their role to change from a caregiver to someone who requires care. In situations where a parent is no longer able to live independently, it may be necessary for them to move in with their child. As the child in this scenario, this ... Continue Reading
  • Keeping Elderly Couples Together Have you ever heard the saying “Getting older is not for sissies?” That saying holds true for seniors facing the challenges that aging inevitably brings. Who is that person staring back at you when you look in the mirror? Silver strands have weaved their way into your ... Continue Reading
  • Filing Taxes for Elderly Parents If you are caring for an elderly parent, when April rolls around, you will probably have questions related to taxes. Bad enough that you have to stress about your own taxes, and now you are also left wondering, “when do seniors stop filing tax returns?” and hoping the answer ... Continue Reading

ALS

  • ALS Support: How to Care for Someone with ALS You likely remember hearing about ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) recently when the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral in 2014. With this challenge, participants filmed themselves dumping a bucket of ice water on their heads and nominated others to either do the same or ... Continue Reading
  • ALS and Stephen Hawking: Timeline, Quick Facts, and More If you’ve been watching the news, then you might have heard that Stephen Hawking recently passed away. While he is known for his scientific discoveries and theories, he is also known for living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS. As a celebration of his ... Continue Reading
  • Is There a Connection Between ALS & Lyme Disease? The symptoms of amyotrophic laterals sclerosis (ALS) look similar to the symptoms of nearly four dozen other diseases, including Lyme disease. That’s partly why some people believe there may be a connection between Lyme disease and ALS. And while there is no proven ... Continue Reading
  • Famous People with ALS: 3 Inspiring Stories Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS, has received a lot of media attention as of late. The Ice Bucket Challenge that swept the nation was designed to not only raise money for ALS research, but to raise awareness of the disease. The challenge itself echoed the ... Continue Reading

Alzheimer's Disease

  • Sudden Increased Appetite in Elderly Adults As we age, dementia is one of the most common issues older adults will experience. By now, most people are familiar with common side effects like memory loss and difficulty processing information or completing daily tasks. One of the often less reported side effects of ... Continue Reading
  • Parent Just Diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease: Now What? Caring for parents with dementia or Alzheimer’s is no easy task. At times it can feel overwhelming, frustrating, and even make you angry. Fortunately, there are steps to take when a parent has Alzheimer’s to make life easier for both them and you. How to Care for a Parent ... Continue Reading
  • Brain Exercises for Seniors and Older Adults There is no denying that our memory fades with age. It may be more difficult than it used to be to remember someone’s name, or you may find yourself struggling to come up with a word you know you use every day. While this is a natural part of aging, it is also extremely ... Continue Reading
  • How To Know When Your Loved One Is Sundowning Most people understand that people with dementia have their good days and their bad days. What’s less known is that the symptoms of dementia can also be affected by the time of day. Researchers named this phenomenon sundown syndrome, and it’s fairly common among people with ... Continue Reading

Animals

  • What is Pet Therapy for the Elderly? A furry friend to cuddle and play with can sometimes feel like the cure for any illness. A wagging tail greeting you when you walk through the door or the calming purrs of a contented cat on your lap can be just what you need after a long day. The loyalty and companionship ... Continue Reading
  • 4 Dog Breeds Who Make the Perfect Companion for Retirees Whilst dogs are generally adaptable to their lifestyle, if, as a senior, you are bringing a new pooch into your home, there are certain things to consider that will make life much easier. Firstly, consider if the dog’s energy levels will meet yours – if you love walking, ... Continue Reading
  • How You Can Help Seniors with Pets According to The Humane Society of the United States, it’s estimated that 65% of American households own a pet. There are approximately 163.6 million dogs and cats in American homes. It’s safe to say that Americans love their pets! How Seniors Benefit from Animal Companions ... Continue Reading

Aphasia

  • Sudden Stuttering in Elderly Adults For many seniors, a sudden onset of stuttering can be not just frustrating, but also concerning. It can be scary for them and startling for those around them. Sudden stuttering is usually the sign of a medical condition and working with a doctor to determine the underlying ... Continue Reading
  • Elderly Communication Barriers When spending time with your elderly loved one, do you ever feel like you are struggling to understand one another? Or maybe you find it difficult to engage them in conversation at all? There are many challenges when communicating with an elderly patient. Some elderly ... Continue Reading
  • Aphasia Communication Tools Aphasia is an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read and write. The National Aphasia Association explains that aphasia is always due to some sort of brain injury. The most common aphasia-causing brain injury is ... Continue Reading
  • Transient Aphasia: Causes of Temporary Aphasia It’s an unnerving experience to lose your ability to communicate, but it’s not that uncommon. Aphasia can occur anytime the speech center of your brain is obstructed in some way. Permanent aphasia is the result of brain damage, while transient aphasia can be caused by any ... Continue Reading

Arthritis

  • Knee Pain in Elderly Adults Most of us think that joint issues, and specifically knee pain, are an inevitable part of aging. While some aches and twinges may likely be age-related, knee pain is not a foregone conclusion for seniors. Diagnosing the cause of knee pain in elderly adults and properly ... Continue Reading
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis Life Expectancy When it comes to life expectancy, rheumatoid arthritis can be confusing. This is due to various other factors that can affect the condition. In this post, we will review what you need to know about rheumatoid arthritis life expectancy. Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Reduce Life ... Continue Reading
  • Treatment for Spinal Stenosis in Elderly Adults: Know Your Options What is Spinal Stenosis? Spinal Stenosis occurs when the spaces in the spine narrow or become compressed. Although anyone can get degenerative spinal stenosis, the condition usually occurs in people over the age of 50. Degenerative stenosis, or degenerative narrowing of the ... Continue Reading
  • Complications of Gout in Elderly Gout is a form of arthritis characterized by sudden and severe attacks of pain and swelling in the joints, especially the big toe. These attacks can occur randomly, often waking you up in the middle of the night with the sensation that your big toe is on fire. The affected ... Continue Reading

Arts

  • Movies About Caregiving and More These days when we think about movies we probably picture superhero movies or other action-packed adventures with attractive actors that look impressive on the big screen. But movies can also give us insight into areas of our lives we don’t know much about. This is ... Continue Reading
  • Physical Benefits of Arts and Crafts for Elderly Adults Our world has changed drastically in the past 6 months. Senior centers are closed, gyms and recreation facilities are either not opening at all or have limited hours and restrictions. Movies, concerts, summer festivals, and outdoor sporting events have been canceled or ... Continue Reading
  • Art Classes for Elderly Adults Communication is an integral part of being human. We communicate with our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors – basically every person we meet. It is an important part of self-expression. But as we age, communication becomes more difficult. Perhaps, as friends and ... Continue Reading
  • The Benefits of Drumming Circles for Seniors Murali Doraiswamy, co-author of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan, told the Washington Post in a 2013 interview that music has been shown to benefit Alzheimer’s patients. “It does tend to brighten them up, to make them more alert, more socially active, and I suspect for the ... Continue Reading

Assistive Devices

  • How to Put Tennis Balls on a Walker You may have seen a tennis ball on a walker here and there. It may look strange initially, but there is a practical reason why people attach these balls to their walking devices. Why do people put tennis balls on walkers? In this post, we will answer some of your questions ... Continue Reading
  • How to Use a Bedpan Toileting is a task we all want to be able to manage on our own, but what if we have an illness that prohibits us from doing so? Is your loved one confined to bed after surgery, an accident, or a fall? When someone is incapacitated and cannot get out of bed assistance with ... Continue Reading
  • What to do When an Elderly Parent Can't Walk Anymore Fears of your elderly parent falling can cause you a lot of distress, especially if they live alone. We know there are accessibility options such as wheelchair assistance for parents but what do you do when your loved one refuses to use them? And how can you make their home ... Continue Reading
  • Assistive Devices for Elderly Adults Daily activities become more difficult as we get older but luckily, there are hundreds of devices to help the elderly live rich, productive lives. These devices and gadgets can be used for everything from walking to ensuring home safety. In this post, we will review devices ... Continue Reading

Atrial Fibrillation

  • Atrial Fibrillation Treatment in Elderly Adults Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots in the heart. The cause of afib in elderly people is a problem with the heart’s structure. Luckily, treating afib in elderly patients is possible, and there are many ... Continue Reading
  • A Complete Guide to Atrial Fibrillation Atrial Fibrillation (also called AFib) is a life-threatening heart condition that can happen to anyone, but many people who have AFib aren’t getting the treatment they need. In fact, they may not even know they have it. In honor of National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness ... Continue Reading
  • Atrial Fibrillation Life Expectancy: How Long Can You Live with Afib? Atrial fibrillation — more commonly known as Afib — is a rapid and irregular heartbeat. This condition can lead to heart failure, blood clots, and strokes. Currently, there are almost three million people in the United States living with Afib. The question is, just how long ... Continue Reading
  • Seniors & Afib: What Caregivers Should Know For most people, a heartbeat happens without much thought. In fact, on average, your heart beats about 100,000 times per day. When everything is working properly, these beats go unnoticed; however, when an elderly person has an irregular heartbeat, he or she should certainly ... Continue Reading

Autism

  • Undiagnosed Autism in Adults April is Autism Awareness month, and as such, we want to cover a facet of autism that doesn’t get as much attention as others. While the majority of autism awareness is focused around children, autism doesn’t go away once a person turns 18. In fact, though diagnosis of ... Continue Reading
  • Autism and the Elderly Many autistic seniors don’t know they live with autism, but that doesn’t stop it from affecting their lives. That’s because as a diagnosis, autism spectrum disorder is only a few decades old, which means very little is known about aging with autism. And while countless ... Continue Reading

Bone Cancer

  • Primary Bone Cancer In Elderly Adults Primary bone cancer is never an easy diagnosis to cope with, and bone cancer in elderly adults can be even more difficult. Seniors who are afflicted with cancer often have very different concerns and priorities than young adults or children. In many cases, their principal ... Continue Reading

Brain & Head Injuries

  • Brain Bleed After a Fall in the Elderly When bleeding occurs between the brain tissue and skull or within the brain tissue itself, it can cause life-threatening brain damage. If you or a loved one experiences a severe injury to the head after a fall, you should call 911 immediately. In this post, we will review ... Continue Reading
  • What Causes Brain Fog in the Elderly? Have you ever walked into the kitchen but couldn’t remember why? Do you find yourself forgetting how to complete familiar or mundane tasks? How about conversations? Can you follow what’s being said and remember it an hour later? Have you walked out to a parking lot and ... Continue Reading
  • Signs of Concussion in Elderly Adults Each year, about one-quarter of all seniors experience a fall. While many will get up relatively unscathed, others will suffer severe injuries, including traumatic brain injuries related to concussions. Because seniors often never mention they’ve taken a fall, certain ... Continue Reading
  • Hydrocephalus in Elderly Adults: "Water on the Brain" Similar to blood flowing through our veins, cerebrospinal fluid flows through the spinal column and brain. When everything is working, this fluid provides nutrients and removes waste. But when there’s a fluid buildup, the resulting pressure can cause a variety of severe ... Continue Reading

Breast Cancer

  • Breast Cancer in the Elderly As we age, our risk for certain health conditions, such as breast cancer, increases. This is especially true for older women, where more than one-third of female breast cancers are diagnosed in patients over the age of 70. Understanding the challenges and characteristics of ... Continue Reading
  • Early Stage Breast Cancer in Elderly Adults Breast cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the breast. It mainly affects women, though men can have breast cancer as well. Breast cancer is unfortunately a disease associated with aging. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, “The median age of breast ... Continue Reading
  • Breast Cancer in Men Over 50: What You Need to Know Regardless of your gender, every person is born with some breast tissue. While men develop less breast tissue than women, the fact men have any at all means they’re vulnerable to breast cancer. While nearly one in eight women will face breast cancer over the course of their ... Continue Reading
  • Seniors & Stage 4 Breast Cancer: What to Expect Any diagnosis of breast cancer can be overwhelming, but a diagnosis of Stage 4 breast cancer can be heartbreaking. However, with advances in modern medical technology and treatments, many women and men, are living with chronic breast cancer for longer periods of time. What ... Continue Reading

Cancer

  • Colorectal Cancer Screening: Colonoscopy & Alternatives for Elderly Adults Colonoscopy is definitely a dirty word when it comes to growing older. Most people quite literally dread them. Fortunately, there are now many alternatives to a colonoscopy available for those who can’t afford or simply don’t want to deal with the difficult and uncomfortable ... Continue Reading
  • Bladder Cancer Life Expectancy Bladder cancer begins in the cells of the bladder. Most of these cancers are diagnosed at an early stage and can be easily treated. However, they can often return. That is why it's important to have follow-up treatments years after treatment. But what is the life expectancy ... Continue Reading
  • Leukemia in Elderly Adults Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. It begins when cells in the bone marrow undergo leukemic changes or mutations that allow them to survive better than the normal cells in the blood. As the leukemic cells grow and reproduce, they eventually ... Continue Reading
  • Prostate Cancer Life Expectancy Prostate cancer and life expectancy can be scary to think about but there are treatments to prolong life, such as chemo, radiation, and hormone therapy. In this post, we will examine the information you will need for prostate cancer life expectancy. Life Expectancy After ... Continue Reading

Caregiver Ethics

  • Caregiver Ethics: How to Choose a Reputable In-Home Caregiver Thanks to the advances in modern medicine, the average 65-year-old American’s life expectancy has increased by approximately 20 years. However, as life expectancy continues to increase, so does the need for competent in-home care. Over 40 million senior citizens have a ... Continue Reading

Caregiver Resilience

  • Caregiver Role Strain: What’s Your Risk? When you are responsible for the care of a senior loved one, the stresses and strains of everyday life are amplified. Juggling work and family with elder care increases the risk for caregiver role strain. This is especially true regardless of whether the family member you ... Continue Reading
  • Building Family Caregiver Resilience: Social Strategies for Family Caregivers As we enter the holiday season, we’re reminded of how family and friends brighten our lives. Their love and presence amplifies our joy during happy times. Their support eases our burden when life is difficult. When I think of support I think of my sister, Wendy. Neither of ... Continue Reading
  • Building Caregiver Resilience: Nutritional Strategies for Caregivers Roger is so worn-out by caring for his wife who has dementia that hot dogs or canned soup are about all he can put on the table for dinner. Sandy stops by to make dinner for her disabled parents after work each night, but usually skips dinner when she gets home. Lois is so ... Continue Reading
  • Caregiver Resilience: What It Is and Why It Matters for Family Caregivers A young couple’s baby has Tay–Sachs disease that has no treatment or cure, and a life-expectancy of four years. A veteran’s wife struggles to cope with her wounded warrior’s traumatic brain injury and PTSD. A middle-aged woman tries to balance the needs of her aging parents ... Continue Reading

Caregiver Resource

  • The Jean Griswold Foundation Scholarship Program Has Launched! We are so excited to announce that The Jean Griswold Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications! The foundation will award five scholarships of up to $2,000 to caregivers looking to further their education in a care-related field. Caregivers have always been a ... Continue Reading
  • Caregiver Apps in 2020 Being in charge of the care and well-being of a senior can be a daunting responsibility. That’s true whether you are a family caregiver or a professional one. Tasks can be numerous and varied, and there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. When ... Continue Reading
  • Caregiver Competency: Checklist and FAQs Home care agencies, which offer the type of senior care that is considered more custodial than clinical, are vital for older adults and people with disabilities. The services they provide play an important role in keeping clients as independent as is safely possible. These ... Continue Reading
  • Caregiver Do’s and Don’ts Caring for a senior loved one can be both rewarding and challenging. As new health issues pop up, a family caregiver may need to learn how to manage complex medical issues. That can be stressful and frightening. Time management is another daily struggle—there just doesn’t ... Continue Reading

Caregiver Stress

  • Caregiver Resentment: Spouse Caregiver Burnout Why Spousal Caregiver Support is Important “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health until death do us part.” When these familiar vows are recited by two people and the promise of tomorrow is before them, ... Continue Reading
  • How to Prevent Compassion Fatigue If you are a caregiver for a loved one, you already know the challenges of that commitment. Taking care of an aging or disabled family member can be rewarding, satisfying, and necessary, but what about the word you hesitate to mention? Caregiving is exhausting ! Especially ... Continue Reading
  • What to Do When Your Elderly Parent is Mentally Incompetent Worried about a parent making bad decisions? Incompetence comes in many forms, which can make determining what to do when an elderly parent is mentally incompetent a complex topic. But understanding more about your options is a good first step towards making the right ... Continue Reading
  • Caring for Elderly Parents: Stress and Emotional Effects We all love to plan things. We plan our weddings, the arrival of a new baby, graduation celebrations, birthday parties and simple things like the dinner menu or a lunch date with a friend. Most of us live by the clock and the calendar. But what about the unplanned ... Continue Reading

Caregiver Wellness & Tips

  • Celebrating National Caregivers Day At Griswold Home Care, our dedicated caregivers serve those who require help at home with tasks like housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, and toileting. Established by Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies (PAHHA) in 2015, National Caregivers ... Continue Reading
  • Protecting Elderly Parents From Siblings A sibling taking advantage of an elderly parent is not only a heartache but it can cause family disputes over elderly parents to erupt. These disputes cause bitterness or even long-term estrangement between sisters and brothers. Elder care sibling tensions are very common, ... Continue Reading
  • Guided Meditation for Caregivers: Health Benefits Stress is a part of everyday life for family caregivers. It can be tough to juggle the needs of a senior loved one with your own family’s needs and a career. Finding healthy ways to manage caregiver stress is essential. One avenue to explore is guided meditation — a simple, ... Continue Reading
  • The Sandwich Generation: Stress and Other Issues The sandwich generation is typically defined as adults who are “sandwiched” between taking care of their aging parents and their younger children. There are three variations of this term: The Traditional Sandwich Generation: Adults in their 40s or early 50s, who care for ... Continue Reading

Cataracts

  • What Causes Glassy Eyes in the Elderly? Have you ever noticed that your senior loved one’s eyes appear to be glazed over? They could be staring blankly, seem as though they are distracted, or even have a literal glaze over their eyes. Generally known as glassy eyes, it can affect anyone at any age but is more ... Continue Reading
  • Cataract Surgery Complications in the Elderly Cataract is one of those old-age buzzwords. You hear it and think, “aw, they are old!” or worse, “ugh, I’m getting old.” Luckily, cataract surgery for seniors is common, exceptionally safe, and has a 99% success rate. Cataract Surgery for Elderly Adults - Common Questions ... Continue Reading
  • Complications of Untreated Cataracts What is happening to my vision? Are you experiencing poor vision in low lighting? Do you have to turn on overhead lights when a lamp used to be sufficient? How about the glare you’ve been seeing as a car approaches you while driving at night, or the halo that appears around ... Continue Reading
  • How Do I Know if I have Cataracts? For many, as they age, cataracts become a part of daily life. But because cataracts progress slowly, older adults may not even realize they have them or realize just how extensively the cataracts are compromising their vision. That said, there are some warning signs you ... Continue Reading

Cerebral Palsy

  • How Spastic Cerebral Palsy Affects Aging Adults As modern medical technology has enabled us to live longer lives, for the first time in history, those affected by cerebral palsy are commonly starting to live well into their golden years. However, the fact this is only a recent development means that the challenges of ... Continue Reading
  • Cerebral Palsy in Adults: Does Cerebral Palsy Get Worse with Age? Information about cerebral palsy usually focuses on children, and for good reason — cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that impair the brain and nervous system and usually surface within a child’s first two years. But cerebral palsy isn’t just a children’s condition. ... Continue Reading

COPD

  • COPD Life Expectancy: The 4 Stages Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that constricts airways and causes difficulty breathing. With this condition, one may be concerned with life expectancy. What is COPD life expectancy? What is the life expectancy for COPD ... Continue Reading
  • COPD in Elderly Adults Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is amazingly common among the elderly. In fact, it’s estimated around 10% of Americans 75-and-up are suffering from it. And surprisingly, even though it’s so common, it can also be challenging to diagnose older adults with COPD. ... Continue Reading
  • What Can I Expect With Emphysema? Emphysema is a progressive lung disease that is literally breathtaking. It’s the result of damage to the air sacs inside your lung tissue, which makes the gas exchange that’s supposed to occur in the lungs increasingly harder to do. There are over 3 million Americans who ... Continue Reading
  • Lung Cancer, COPD, or Emphysema? How to Tell Because many diseases share the same symptoms, one can often disguise another, making their diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Unraveling the tangled knot of symptoms that are shared between emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer can be ... Continue Reading

Dementia Care

  • Sudden Increased Appetite in Elderly Adults As we age, dementia is one of the most common issues older adults will experience. By now, most people are familiar with common side effects like memory loss and difficulty processing information or completing daily tasks. One of the often less reported side effects of ... Continue Reading
  • Forgetful in Old Age: Elderly Forgetfulness Thanksgiving is over, and we have all returned to our busy lives in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season. Home for the holidays is the place most of us want to be. When you reflect on your time at home this Thanksgiving, are the following thoughts crossing your mind ... Continue Reading
  • Do Patients with Dementia Lose Weight? Dementia can cause various side effects but did you know that weight loss is one of them? This brings up a number of other questions. Do patients with dementia lose weight? Is weight loss a symptom of dementia? What are some ways to treat losing weight with dementia? In this ... Continue Reading
  • Anosognosia: Does Someone with Dementia Know They Have it? Are dementia patients aware of their condition? Many people struggle with a parent in denial about dementia or a spouse in denial of dementia. Dementia impaired judgment can cause distorted perceptions of reality. However, it’s important to note that being in denial about ... Continue Reading

Dental Health

  • Oral Hygiene for Elderly with No Teeth Get up in the morning, brush your teeth. Eat a meal, brush your teeth. Have a little snack, especially if it’s sticky, brush your teeth. You’re in your jammies making that last trip to the bathroom, and before hitting the sack, you brush your teeth. Oral hygiene is something ... Continue Reading
  • Loss of Taste in Elderly Adults As we age, our taste buds start to diminish and we find that we cannot enjoy the same foods as much as we used to. In this post, we will explore why we experience this loss of taste buds with age, potential risk factors, and what you can do to solve this issue. Do Taste Buds ... Continue Reading
  • Low-Cost Dentures for Seniors There’s no doubt that good oral health is essential, but many seniors require dentures to live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, if you’ve begun looking into the costs of dentures, you’ve likely noticed something: Finding affordable dentures for senior citizens can be ... Continue Reading

Depression & Mental Health

  • Mental Symptoms of UTI in Elderly Adults Hallucinations in elderly adults with urinary tract infection (UTI) can be quite common. But why do UTIs cause mental confusion? Can UTI cause paranoia in elderly? In this post, we explain what a UTI is and how it can impact seniors. Understanding the link between UTIs and ... Continue Reading
  • Personality Changes in the Elderly As people age, it can cause a change in personality. It may be concerning to see a sudden shift in a loved one, but sometimes, the cause of the shift can be pinpointed to specific physical or mental health problems. That is why it is imperative to get these underlying ... Continue Reading
  • Behavioral Changes in Old Age: Why Do Some Old People Get Mean? Sometimes it feels like elderly people are always angry, and not just because they can’t figure out the TV remote. If we’re being honest, TV remotes these days are far too complicated, even for the young and “tech-savvy.” But there’s a reason you smiled at that image as well ... Continue Reading
  • Schizophrenia in Elderly Adults: Rising Trend Schizophrenia is a serious mental condition in which people interpret reality abnormally. The disorder can cause hallucinations, extremely disordered thinking, delusions, and an overall detachment from the real world. Schizophrenia in elderly people, especially those who ... Continue Reading

Diabetes

  • Diabetes Life Expectancy A diabetes diagnosis can be scary and can lead to many questions. What type of diabetes do I have? What are the differences between the types? What is the life expectancy for diabetes? How will it change my day to day life? The good news is that diabetes is manageable and ... Continue Reading
  • Can Diabetics Use Heating Pads and Blankets? Diabetes is a challenging disease that requires attentiveness and cares to manage. One of the symptoms of diabetes is nerve damage called neuropathy. Neuropathy is particularly common in the toes and feet, often leading to feet feeling particularly cold. Unfortunately, it is ... Continue Reading
  • Managing Diabetes in the Elderly Diabetes affects people of all age groups but the senior population experiences it the most. In this post, we will discuss the symptoms of diabetes in elderly adults, managing diabetes in the elderly, and other pieces of useful information about diabetes and the elderly. ... Continue Reading
  • Can You Get Rid of Diabetes with Diet and Exercise? Ask any diabetic and they’ll tell you managing diabetes can feel like a full-time job. Keeping tabs on your blood sugar levels, taking medications at regular intervals, and watching what you eat is the bare minimum that a diabetic needs to do to avoid facing life-threatening ... Continue Reading

Elder Abuse & Scams

  • Elderly Being Manipulated: What to Do As our parents and elderly loved ones age, their well-being becomes even more paramount to us. It becomes even more challenging when we consider the potential risks they face, such as financial scams, emotional pressures, or those misusing their authority. With this blog, ... Continue Reading
  • Elder Abuse Statistics and Facts Abuse can happen to anyone, including senior citizens. If you witness any type of elder abuse, be sure to call 9-1-1 or contact Adult Protective Services. But what exactly is elder abuse? In this post, we will answer this question along with many others, including: What is ... Continue Reading
  • Laws Against Taking Advantage of the Elderly Do you feel you have been challenged to the limit since the beginning of 2020? When we turn on our TV’s, we are overwhelmed with news about everything from politics to economics to continuous coverage of COVID-19 and all the controversies these news stories provoke. Yes, we ... Continue Reading
  • How to Report Unsafe Living Conditions of Elderly Adults Senior care providers may want to provide a safe environment for your loved one on paper but unfortunately, there are individuals out there who will take advantage of them as well. Older adults with poor cognitive function, increased physical dependency, and economic and ... Continue Reading

Elderly Care

  • Causes of GI Bleeding in Elderly Adults Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding can be dangerous if not properly treated. This is a symptom of a disorder in your digestive tract, resulting in blood appearing in the stool or vomit. In this post, we’ll take a look at what causes GI bleeding in elderly and some other ... Continue Reading
  • Protecting Elderly Parents' Assets People become more trusting in old age. Between the natural cognitive decline of aging and issues like dementia, we also become more vulnerable to abuse and fraud. Learning how to protect your parents' assets is mostly about taking sensible preventive measures, and most of ... Continue Reading

Elderly Isolation

  • Safety Issues for the Elderly Living Alone Many elderly parents choose to live alone for various reasons, including maintaining their independence and privacy. However, living independently as an older adult comes with its set of risks. It is essential for their children and caregivers to understand these risks and ... Continue Reading
  • Why Might the Elderly Become Self Centered? As our loved ones age, we often find ourselves stepping into the role of caregiver. It's natural to want to help, but it can also be emotionally taxing, especially if you notice that your elderly parent seems more focused on their own needs. It's important to understand the ... Continue Reading
  • How to Encourage the Elderly to Participate in Activities The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has linked loneliness and social isolation to serious health conditions in the elderly. Social isolation was associated with about a 50% increase in dementia and other serious medical conditions. With those statistics, ... Continue Reading
  • When Aging Parents Can't Live Alone The baby boomer generation is growing older which is leaving many Millennials wondering, “Can I leave my elderly parent home alone?” Whether or not to leave an elderly parent alone is a difficult decision, especially because once you determine they cannot be alone, you need ... Continue Reading

Emphysema

  • What Can I Expect With Emphysema? Emphysema is a progressive lung disease that is literally breathtaking. It’s the result of damage to the air sacs inside your lung tissue, which makes the gas exchange that’s supposed to occur in the lungs increasingly harder to do. There are over 3 million Americans who ... Continue Reading

Estate Planning

  • End-of-Life Planning: Cremation or Burial End-of-life planning can be overwhelming when deciding on the specifics. Do you cremate or bury your deceased loved one? What is the difference between the two? And how do you decide which is better? In this post, we will answer some questions about cremation vs. burial. ... Continue Reading
  • Types of Trusts for Elderly Parents Setting up a living trust for elderly parents can ensure your loved one is protected from fraud or mismanagement as they age or become ill. It can also provide numerous perks for you. For example, putting elderly parents’ house in trust will save you from the hefty fees of ... Continue Reading
  • Estate Planning for Seniors: Common Questions Many people assume that estate planning is only for those who are extremely wealthy. But just about any adult can benefit from smart estate planning, and failing to plan can have some very unfortunate consequences. Though estate planning for seniors is often an uncomfortable ... Continue Reading

Exercise

  • Walking for the Elderly: Health Benefits Taking a walk each day has enormous health benefits for everyone and it is especially good for seniors. Walking for seniors is a great way to stay active without doing strenuous exercises. Benefits of Walking for Seniors So just how beneficial is walking for senior citizens? ... Continue Reading
  • Dancing Benefits for Seniors You probably already know how important it is for seniors to stay active - physically, mentally, and socially. Seniors who sit at home alone tend to feel isolated, become depressed, and can also suffer from physical ailments due to lack of movement. One way for seniors to ... Continue Reading
  • Walking Safety Tips for Seniors Walking Safety Tips for Seniors We all know we should be exercising more. The benefits of walking for older adults can help with weight control and contribute to overall fitness and good health. If you live in a community that caters to people ages 55 and over, elderly ... Continue Reading
  • Nordic Pole Walking for Seniors: Health Benefits You don’t need snow to go cross-country skiing. As a matter of fact, you can do it on trails or sidewalks in your own neighborhood by using walking poles. This exercise, known as Nordic pole walking, is a vigorous muscle workout for your arms, shoulders, core, and legs and ... Continue Reading

Facility Based Care

  • Leaving Against Medical Advice: Can You Walk Out? When you are sick enough to be in the emergency room or if you have been admitted to the hospital you are not looking for additional problems. But what happens if things aren’t going well? What if unforeseen circumstances arise that make you decide to leave the hospital ... Continue Reading
  • Elderly Parent Wants to Leave Nursing Home: What To Do What do you do when you get the call that your parent in the nursing home wants to go home? When a mother wants out of the nursing home adult children in the family have questions to consider that are challenging and often difficult to answer. Is leaving a nursing home the ... Continue Reading
  • Pros and Cons of Putting Elderly Parents in Nursing Homes Pros and Cons of Putting Elderly Parents in Nursing Homes Deciding to put your parents in a home is a big decision, which is why it’s worth carefully weighing circumstantially appropriate nursing home benefits against the kind of disadvantages you might want to avoid. But ... Continue Reading
  • What Is the Difference Between Assisted Living and Nursing Home? Imagine the last time you visited your loved one. Did you see that they weren’t taking care of themselves or their condition was getting worse? For many families, this happens sooner than they’d think. Their loved one might not be getting the nutrition they need, or have ... Continue Reading

Fall Prevention

  • Recurrent Falls in Elderly Adults Falls by older adults can be concerning, especially when they happen on a recurring basis. But why do the elderly experience falls more often than other adults? What are the possible causes of falls? How do you help an elderly parent who keeps falling? In this post, we’ll ... Continue Reading

Falls

  • Why do the Elderly Shuffle Their Feet? Sometimes, you may notice that elderly shuffle feet when they walk and it can be quite concerning. Sometimes, they may not even notice that they’re doing it. But why do elderly shuffle their feet? In this post, we will review some of these reasons as well as some ... Continue Reading
  • Why do Some Elderly Adults Die After a Fall? The risk of falls for elderly adults is a serious matter. Statistics show more than one out of four elderly adults fall each year. The consequences of falls in the elderly tend to be more severe and more concerned than those for a younger person. Sometimes a fall can even ... Continue Reading
  • Head Protection for Elderly Falls Head injuries can take their toll on seniors due to their debilitating effects. Luckily, older adults can use protective headgear and take other steps for safety. Let’s take a look at ways you can ensure head protection for seniors. Consequences of Head Injuries When the ... Continue Reading
  • Elderly Fall Prevention: Complete Action Plan Nearly 25,000 people over age 75 died from falls in 2016. Dealing with death after a fall in elderly people can be quite distressing but luckily there are ways you can prevent such drastic incidents. In this post, we will take a look at the factors behind falls in the ... Continue Reading

Family Caregivers

  • Why are the Elderly Abandoned by Family? The thought of abandoning an elderly individual without any assistance from family or caregivers is appalling to most, yet it is frequently a harsh reality. It's easy to jump to conclusions without fully understanding the situation, however, there could be many factors and ... Continue Reading
  • How to Deal with Narcissistic Parents Aging Narcissism is defined as a disorder in which a person has a conflated sense of self-importance. Those who struggle with narcissism generally display selfishness, a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and an inability to handle criticism. Based on this definition, you ... Continue Reading
  • Celebrating National Caregivers Day At Griswold Home Care, our dedicated caregivers serve those who require help at home with tasks like housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, and toileting. Established by Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies (PAHHA) in 2015, National Caregivers ... Continue Reading
  • Protecting Elderly Parents From Siblings A sibling taking advantage of an elderly parent is not only a heartache but it can cause family disputes over elderly parents to erupt. These disputes cause bitterness or even long-term estrangement between sisters and brothers. Elder care sibling tensions are very common, ... Continue Reading

Gardening

  • Yard Work Help for Seniors With the spring approaching, seniors will want to enjoy the great outdoors. A clean and beautiful yard will do wonders to boost mood and ensure they will want to get some exercise in the privacy of their own property. However, making sure one’s yard is up to desired ... Continue Reading
  • Sensory Gardens for the Elderly Springtime has arrived! The sweet smell of freshly mown grass is in the air. The splash of gentle rain on leaves and windowpanes gives us a sense of hope and tranquility. Flowers will soon be in full bloom, and trees that stood cold and bare all winter have come alive with ... Continue Reading
  • Summer Gardening Projects for Seniors: Smart Irrigation Gardening is a unique hobby because it cultivates a strong bond and appreciation for Mother Nature while also being highly beneficial for seniors in a number of ways. Whether gardening entails a small collection of (organic) herbs in the windowsill or a small plot of land ... Continue Reading
  • 10 Tips for Safe & Affordable Gardening for Seniors As we move into our twilight years, it is natural to want to be able to continue to take part in the activities that we enjoy; and for many seniors, gardening is a lifelong love. As much as many people love gardening, being able to continue gardening can be a problem.There ... Continue Reading

Glaucoma

  • What Causes Glassy Eyes in the Elderly? Have you ever noticed that your senior loved one’s eyes appear to be glazed over? They could be staring blankly, seem as though they are distracted, or even have a literal glaze over their eyes. Generally known as glassy eyes, it can affect anyone at any age but is more ... Continue Reading
  • Celebrities and Famous People with Glaucoma Glaucoma can be quite debilitating, but it does not mean it’s a detriment to success. If one is suffering from glaucoma, celebrities can make that person feel inspired, represented, and less lonely. In this post, we will celebrate celebrities and famous people with glaucoma. ... Continue Reading
  • What Does Glaucoma Feel Like? Before you notice anything is wrong, glaucoma can steal nearly half of your vision. Most of the time, there are no symptoms to alert you as permanent losses slowly accumulate. It’s estimated that over 3 million Americans have glaucoma, and only about half of them know it. ... Continue Reading
  • Early Signs of Glaucoma That May Surprise You One of the most difficult and worrisome issues for an older adult can be losing one’s eye sight. With the loss of sight, especially at an older age, comes less independence, as well as a sense of isolation. That’s why it is important to understand the early warning signs of ... Continue Reading

Grief

  • Elderly Grief: Loss of a Spouse Grieving the loss of a spouse is a profound and personal journey, especially in later years. This blog explores the emotional landscape of elderly grief following the loss of a spouse and offers guidance on navigating through this challenging time. Understanding the Grief of ... Continue Reading
  • How to Help the Elderly Cope with Grief Grief is a challenging emotion with which to cope at any age. The sense of loss and feelings of loneliness that often accompany grief can be overwhelming. While grief is often associated with death and loss of a loved one, it is an emotion that can follow any major life ... Continue Reading
  • Professional Caregiver Grief: Dealing Effectively With Sorrow Dear Allegra: As a professional caregiver, I am fortunate to develop close relationships with many of my patients and their families. Depending on the situation, I often care for many of my patients for several years. I get to know them and their families very well. ... Continue Reading
  • Dreaming of the Dead: The Elderly Talking to Dead Relatives During Sleep The elderly talking to dead relatives in dreams is not an unusual occurrence. Dreams of dead loved ones can have psychological or spiritual connotations, depending on the situation. Does Dreaming of the Dead Mean the Dreamer’s Time Has Come? Hospice nurses Maggie Callanan ... Continue Reading

Health & Wellness

  • Electrolyte Imbalance in the Elderly Electrolytes are important for keeping your body functioning normally. Staying properly hydrated, regulating chemical reactions, and maintaining proper muscle function all require the right balance of electrolytes. Under normal circumstances, electrolytes for elderly adults ... Continue Reading
  • Mental Symptoms of UTI in Elderly Adults Hallucinations in elderly adults with urinary tract infection (UTI) can be quite common. But why do UTIs cause mental confusion? Can UTI cause paranoia in elderly? In this post, we explain what a UTI is and how it can impact seniors. Understanding the link between UTIs and ... Continue Reading
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Elderly Adults While typically associated with children, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is prevalent in the elderly. ADHD in seniors is often misdiagnosed or even overlooked as a possible condition for several reasons. In this post, we review what you need to know about ... Continue Reading
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) for Seniors Body mass index, or BMI, refers to the measurement of body fat based on height and weight. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight by the square of the body height, and is expressed through kilograms. In this post, we will review what you need to know about body mass ... Continue Reading

Healthcare Law & Advocacy

  • What Age is Considered Elderly? The word “elderly” may have a variety of connotations associated with it. But how old is elderly? What age is considered elderly medically? In this post, we will take a look at what is considered elderly. What is Considered Elderly Age? At what age is a person considered ... Continue Reading
  • Helping the Elderly: New Year’s Resolution It’s here! We can finally say “Goodbye 2022 and Welcome 2023!” Each time we ring in a new year, we have the opportunity to make it a better year than the one before. Many of us are reflecting on the past and making plans to burst toward tomorrow with renewed optimism and ... Continue Reading
  • Hospital Readmissions: Causes, Factors, and Other Facts A hospital readmission is when one is admitted back to a hospital within 30, 60, or 90 days after discharge. According to Healthcare.gov, “the number of hospital readmissions is often used in part to measure the quality of hospital care, since it can mean that your follow-up ... Continue Reading
  • Letter of Competency: What is It and Why Is It Needed? If you are a caregiver for an elderly family member, you may wonder if you should obtain a letter of competency from the doctor. A physician’s statement of mental competency involves important decisions that are life-altering. It should not be entered into without completely ... Continue Reading

Hearing Loss

  • Hearing Loss in Elderly Adults: Home Care Guide Growing older is not easy. After sixty years or so on Earth, our bodies can begin to struggle. One challenge common to the elderly is hearing loss. Hearing loss can be scary since we take in so much of the world with our ears. Having a conversation and listening to another ... Continue Reading

Heart Disease

  • Heart Valve Disease in the Elderly Have you ever heard the phrase “getting old is not for sissies?” We all look forward to the “golden years” with great anticipation, but sometimes we’re faced with unexpected medical conditions that change the way we’ve planned to spend the advanced years of our lives. Heart ... Continue Reading
  • Normal Heart Rate for Elderly Adults A normal heart rate for seniors is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, the resting heart rate for seniors can differ from their heart rate with regular exercise. To determine the target elderly heart rate, you will want to take the maximum heart rate for seniors ... Continue Reading
  • Healthy and Happy Heart Diets: The Heart Diet That’s Right for You Healthy and Happy Heart Diet Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, accounting for 610,000 deaths annually. The best way to protect yourself is with a heart-healthy diet. The leading risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high ... Continue Reading
  • Silent but Deadly: What is a Silent Heart Attack? When you think of a heart attack, you may think of chest pains, shortness of breath, and pain in the left arm. What if your loved one didn’t have any of these symptoms? If so, they may have experienced what is known as a silent heart attack. What is a Silent Heart Attack In ... Continue Reading

Heart Health

  • Risks of Angioplasty for Elderly Patients Is Angioplasty Dangerous? Angioplasty, also known as balloon angioplasty, is a procedure used to widen arteries or veins of the heart that have become obstructed. The surgery restores blood flow to the heart and is minimally invasive. Though it is one of the most common ... Continue Reading
  • Chemical Stress Test for Elderly Hearts A chemical stress test is used to determine whether or not the heart is getting enough blood flow during exercise. Regular stress tests are generally done on a treadmill. The patient walks on the treadmill and the speed and incline is slowly increased to see how the heart ... Continue Reading
  • Aortic Stenosis Treatment in Elderly Adults: Heart Health Have you ever felt tightness in your chest? Do you feel extreme exhaustion after minor physical activity? It may be worth getting checked for aortic valve stenosis. In this post, we will review some questions and answers for aortic stenosis in the elderly. What is Aortic ... Continue Reading
  • Blood Pressure Over 200 in Elderly Adult: Hypertensive Crisis It seems most doctors take our blood pressure at every appointment but don’t always mention what those numbers mean until they become a problem. So what do elderly people need to know about blood pressure? Does blood pressure increase with age? When should we become ... Continue Reading

Holiday

  • Holiday and Christmas Ideas for Elderly Parents As the festive season approaches, it's important to include elderly adults in our holiday celebrations. In this blog, we'll explore a variety of fun and festive holiday activities and thoughtful gift ideas specifically tailored for elderly adults. Whether it’s creating ... Continue Reading
  • Unwrapping the Truth: Is your Senior Loved One in Need of Care? The holiday season is a magical time filled with joy, warmth, and family gatherings. Often, we visit our older relatives that we don’t see throughout the year. This provides an opportunity to observe our aging loved ones in their homes and social settings, and if we pay ... Continue Reading
  • Post-Holiday Reflections: Does My Senior Loved One Need In-Home Care? Although the holidays are an ideal time to become reacquainted with senior loved ones, you may find yourself noticing cognitive and physical changes in them after reflecting on the moments you just spent together. They may have shared the same story twice, left the pie in to ... Continue Reading
  • Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year from Griswold As we wake up to frosted windows and fall asleep to the colors of stringed lights, the holiday season encourages gathering with the people we love while embracing old traditions and creating new memories. Some families love to attend holiday concerts and festive activities, ... Continue Reading

Home Care

  • 24 Hour Care for the Elderly In Their Own Home As individuals age, the familiarity and comfort of their own homes often become paramount in their lives. The idea of aging gracefully in the surroundings they've known for years, surrounded by cherished memories and familiar routines, is an aspiration many seniors hold ... Continue Reading
  • How to Help an Elderly Person with Toileting Caring for an elderly individual, be it a parent, grandparent, or client, often involves addressing some personal tasks that both parties might initially find uncomfortable. Among these tasks, assisting with toileting stands out due to its deeply personal nature. We ... Continue Reading
  • Home Care vs. Home Health Care: What’s the Difference? When an aging loved one needs care, researching options can be overwhelming. Do they need home health? Do they need home care? What is the difference between the two? Home care offers a range of services so older adults can live at home for as long as possible. Meanwhile, ... Continue Reading
  • Blood Donation Questions: Common FAQ’s People have a lot of questions when it comes to donating blood. Understandably, people want to know about their own safety. And after learning about their opportunity to save lives, people want to know even more. Below we’ll look at some of the most common blood donation ... Continue Reading

Home Health Care

  • Home Care vs. Home Health Care: What’s the Difference? When an aging loved one needs care, researching options can be overwhelming. Do they need home health? Do they need home care? What is the difference between the two? Home care offers a range of services so older adults can live at home for as long as possible. Meanwhile, ... Continue Reading

Home Safety

  • Recurrent Falls in Elderly Adults Falls by older adults can be concerning, especially when they happen on a recurring basis. But why do the elderly experience falls more often than other adults? What are the possible causes of falls? How do you help an elderly parent who keeps falling? In this post, we’ll ... Continue Reading
  • Safety Hazards in the Home for the Elderly We know that our elderly loved ones want to maintain their independence and continue living in their own homes for as long as possible. Here at Griswold, we believe every senior deserves to live in an environment where they feel safe and secure. A few simple adjustments can ... Continue Reading
  • How to Keep Elderly Warm: Feeling Cold in Hot Weather It may seem peculiar to see the elderly feeling cold in hot weather but it’s that unusual. But why are elderly always cold? In this post, we will take a look at why the elderly are cold all the time and ways to keep them warm. Why Are Older People Always Cold? Why do old ... Continue Reading
  • Cooking Safety Tips for Seniors You have almost certainly heard the phrase “the kitchen is the heart of the home.” It is where the family gathers, where you often share meals, and where you spend a significant amount of time making three meals daily. As we grow older, though, the kitchen can become a ... Continue Reading

Hospice & End of Life

  • Coping With Watching a Loved One Die How does watching someone die affect you? The trauma of watching someone die can be quite debilitating for one’s mental health. Most people are familiar with Elisabeth Kubler Ross and David Kessler’s five stages of grief : denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and ... Continue Reading
  • Gurgling at End of Life: What Does the "Death Rattle" Sound Like? Preparing for the end of life can involve a range of emotions but it can also involve unusual ailments. This includes gurgling at the end of life. This sound is commonly referred to as the “death rattle.” But what does the death rattle sound like? Is it the death rattle or ... Continue Reading
  • What is a Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR)? Resuscitating a loved one from death may seem like an easy decision on paper but when they are chronically ill, it could pose more harm than good. That’s when getting a DNR is a more viable option. But why sign a DNR? When can you sign a DNR? What is do not resuscitate ... Continue Reading
  • Signs of the Elderly Giving Up on Life Watching an elderly loved one let go of life is one of the most difficult things we ever have to do. Whether it is a beloved parent, grandparent, relative, or friend, no one is ready to face the emotions that emerge when a loved one is dying. What can we do to help our loved ... Continue Reading

Injuries

  • Knee Pain in Elderly Adults Most of us think that joint issues, and specifically knee pain, are an inevitable part of aging. While some aches and twinges may likely be age-related, knee pain is not a foregone conclusion for seniors. Diagnosing the cause of knee pain in elderly adults and properly ... Continue Reading
  • Hernias in the Elderly: Are Hernias Life Threatening? Hernias are when part of the intestine bulges out as a result of a tear or some congenital weakness in a muscle — usually the abdominal wall. These tend to get bigger or more noticeable with age. Due to this, elderly adults with hernias may have numerous questions. Are ... Continue Reading
  • Aphasia Home Care for Seniors Many of us take our basic motor skills for granted. The ability to speak, write, read, and comprehend information is taken as a given. The vast majority of people are born with this “universal” set of actions, so it is only natural to assume they will never go away. Think ... Continue Reading
  • Stroke in Elderly Adults: Signs, Symptoms, Prognosis This is the first in the series and presents an overview of several types of strokes, their effects and prognosis for stroke victims. Later entries will delve into such topics as stroke survival, recovery, rehabilitation, general tips for caring for older stroke patients, ... Continue Reading

Injury Prevention

  • Recurrent Falls in Elderly Adults Falls by older adults can be concerning, especially when they happen on a recurring basis. But why do the elderly experience falls more often than other adults? What are the possible causes of falls? How do you help an elderly parent who keeps falling? In this post, we’ll ... Continue Reading
  • Why Would an Elderly Person Start Leaning to One Side? As you spend time with your elderly loved ones - especially if you are their primary caregiver - you will likely become hyper aware of every change in their bodies. One of the things you may begin to notice as you observe your loved ones is that the elderly may begin leaning ... Continue Reading
  • How to Get an Elderly Person Up the Stairs The stairs can be a dangerous place for an elderly person. As a caregiver, it is your responsibility to ensure that your loved one is safe while ascending or descending the stairs. While this may seem daunting, proactive safety measures and careful planning can help prevent ... Continue Reading
  • How to Help an Elderly Person Up From a Chair As people age, joints become weaker, and it can be difficult to stand up on one’s own. In this post, we will take a look at how to help an elderly person up from a chair and examine why older adults have difficulty standing up from sitting position. What Causes Difficulty ... Continue Reading

Joint Health

  • Knee Pain in Elderly Adults Most of us think that joint issues, and specifically knee pain, are an inevitable part of aging. While some aches and twinges may likely be age-related, knee pain is not a foregone conclusion for seniors. Diagnosing the cause of knee pain in elderly adults and properly ... Continue Reading

Kidneys

  • Mental Symptoms of UTI in Elderly Adults Hallucinations in elderly adults with urinary tract infection (UTI) can be quite common. But why do UTIs cause mental confusion? Can UTI cause paranoia in elderly? In this post, we explain what a UTI is and how it can impact seniors. Understanding the link between UTIs and ... Continue Reading
  • Kidney Cancer in Elderly Adults Kidney cancer begins when healthy cells in one or both kidneys grow out of control and form a tumor. With the National Kidney Foundation reporting about 62,000 cases each year in the U.S., this blog post focuses on what elderly patients need to know about this prevalent ... Continue Reading
  • Questions to ask a Kidney Doctor If you suffer from recurrent kidney infections, persistent low back pain, diabetes, high blood pressure, or if you are elderly and have a family history of kidney disease, your primary care physician may refer you to a nephrologist, commonly known as a kidney doctor. Your ... Continue Reading
  • Pros and Cons of Dialysis in Elderly Adults When adults experience kidney failure, they may have to undergo dialysis treatment. Dialysis, otherwise known as renal replacement therapy, is the removal of excess waste from the blood. A kidney failure prognosis without dialysis for the elderly is impossible to determine ... Continue Reading

Life Expectancy

  • Diabetes Life Expectancy A diabetes diagnosis can be scary and can lead to many questions. What type of diabetes do I have? What are the differences between the types? What is the life expectancy for diabetes? How will it change my day to day life? The good news is that diabetes is manageable and ... Continue Reading
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis Life Expectancy When it comes to life expectancy, rheumatoid arthritis can be confusing. This is due to various other factors that can affect the condition. In this post, we will review what you need to know about rheumatoid arthritis life expectancy. Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Reduce Life ... Continue Reading
  • Leading Causes of Death in Elderly Adults What is the leading cause of death in elderly? There are several causes of death for elderly adults but fortunately, it is possible to keep one’s health in check to make sure things do not go this far. In this post, we will review the leading causes of death in elderly. ... Continue Reading
  • Elderly Bedridden Life Expectancy A bedridden patient’s life expectancy cannot be determined based on statistics. Each person is different, and each case has unpredictable circumstances leading up to the time the person will let go of life. If your loved one has become bedridden, you have probably wondered ... Continue Reading

Liver Disease

  • Living with Cirrhosis of the Liver: Life Expectancy, Risk Factors, Diet Cirrhosis describes a liver that’s scarred, shrunken, or hardened. After years of damage, cirrhosis marks a point at which the liver can no longer repair itself. It gradually fails, at first leading to unpleasant complications and then death. Depending on when cirrhosis of ... Continue Reading
  • How to Clean a Fatty Liver It sounds like a bad recipe for dinner, but having a fatty liver is no laughing matter. If you have been diagnosed with this condition, you’ll want to do everything you can to reverse it. The following remedies for fatty liver will help you do just that. What Is a Fatty ... Continue Reading
  • Fatty Liver Diet: Menu, Plan, Recipes Eating the wrong foods can damage your liver as much as alcohol. When your body stores too much liver fat, the result is inflammation, scarring, and permanent damage. Even if things don’t go as far as liver failure, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) places you at much ... Continue Reading

Lung Cancer

  • Lung Biopsy Risks: Elderly Concerns Doctors perform lung biopsies to remove samples of lung tissue and to determine if lung disease or lung cancer is present. However, there are a few lung biopsy risks. Elderly patients may wonder what the risks of lung biopsy in the elderly are. In this post, we will review ... Continue Reading
  • Lung Cancer, COPD, or Emphysema? How to Tell Because many diseases share the same symptoms, one can often disguise another, making their diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Unraveling the tangled knot of symptoms that are shared between emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer can be ... Continue Reading

Macular Degeneration

  • What Causes Glassy Eyes in the Elderly? Have you ever noticed that your senior loved one’s eyes appear to be glazed over? They could be staring blankly, seem as though they are distracted, or even have a literal glaze over their eyes. Generally known as glassy eyes, it can affect anyone at any age but is more ... Continue Reading
  • Is Macular Degeneration Hereditary? Macular degeneration affects about 200,000 new people each year, and while there are treatments that can help, it can’t be cured. If you have a family member who suffers from this condition, you may be wondering if it is hereditary and if you’re at risk for developing the ... Continue Reading
  • Most Common Vision Problems in the Elderly Most Common Vision Problems in the Elderly After over 40 years at the iron works, my father retired. He and Mom looked forward to relaxing, spending time with family and traveling. Within weeks of retirement, Dad was diagnosed with macular degeneration and was told he could ... Continue Reading
  • Macular Degeneration in the Elderly Macular Degeneration in the Elderly There is nothing quite as frightening as the prospect of losing one’s vision. For many, with the loss of vision comes the loss of independence and the ability to easily interact with others, especially for older adults. As a person ages, ... Continue Reading

Meals and Nutrition

  • Sudden Increased Appetite in Elderly Adults As we age, dementia is one of the most common issues older adults will experience. By now, most people are familiar with common side effects like memory loss and difficulty processing information or completing daily tasks. One of the often less reported side effects of ... Continue Reading

Medicare

  • Medicare Forms, Claims, and Appeals Future and current beneficiaries with Medicare health insurance should be familiar with the many Medicare forms. Enrolling in Part A and understanding how to make appeals and file claims is something all beneficiaries should know. Once you find the form, filling it out is ... Continue Reading
  • A Complete Guide to Medicare in 2020 Everyone knows change is constant with Medicare. It comes as no surprise that the year 2020 is bringing new policy changes that impact all current and future Medicare beneficiaries. It’s important to keep members in the loop when Medicare makes changes. The new year and new ... Continue Reading
  • Hearing Aids & Medicare: What Seniors Should Know Does medicare cover hearing aids? It is a question older adults and family caregivers frequently ask. We know the risk for hearing problems increases with aging. As many as one in three people over the age of 65 and half of those over the age of 75 live with some type of ... Continue Reading

Medication

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Elderly Adults While typically associated with children, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is prevalent in the elderly. ADHD in seniors is often misdiagnosed or even overlooked as a possible condition for several reasons. In this post, we review what you need to know about ... Continue Reading
  • When the Elderly Stop Taking Medication: What To Do Dealing with a senior loved one who stopped taking their medication can be a difficult situation. However, it is essential to understand that seniors may have valid reasons for refusing medical care. In this post, we’ll review what to do when an elderly parent or loved one ... Continue Reading
  • Can Antibiotics Make You Tired? Antibiotics are prescribed to treat infections. They kill harmful bacteria that cause issues like urinary tract infections, sinus infections, skin infections, and pneumonia, among others. Like all medications, antibiotics may cause some side effects of which you should be ... Continue Reading
  • Side Effects of Blood Thinners in Elderly Adults Blood thinners, or anticoagulants, are helpful in prolonging the amount of time it takes for your body to form a blood clot. However, they also come with side effects, such as bleeding. That is why it is important to keep it under control. One may wonder, “How do I stop ... Continue Reading

Memory

  • Benefits of Jigsaw Puzzles for Elderly Adults Are you looking for a fun activity that also has numerous benefits for your mental health? Look no further than puzzles! As it turns out, cognitive puzzles are not only enjoyable, but they can also provide a host of unexpected advantages, especially for seniors. In this ... Continue Reading
  • What Causes Sudden Confusion in Elderly Adults? Sudden confusion in the elderly, often referred to as delirium, is alarming for both the elderly person and those who love them. Intermittent confusion in elderly people may indicate the beginning stage of dementia, but there are other reasons for a sudden episode of ... Continue Reading
  • Benefits of Reminiscing for Seniors “God gave us memories so that we might have roses in December.” J.M. Barrie We all have them. The memories we create through the years become priceless treasures when we reach the winter of our lives. Our view of life is shaped by things that happened to us in the past. ... Continue Reading
  • Short Term Memory Loss in Elderly Adults While there are many wonderful things about aging - you get discounts at the grocery store, you don’t have to wake up to an alarm clock, no one judges you when you can’t work a printer - there are some downsides. Short term memory loss is one of those downsides. Short term ... Continue Reading

Men's Health

  • Senior Men’s Health Issues It’s fairly common knowledge that seniors are at greater risk for a variety of health conditions, but it’s not as commonly known that the symptoms of those conditions can be distinct among elderly men. They can also be more difficult to identify due to age, but learning a ... Continue Reading
  • Tips for Dealing with an Enlarged Prostate Nearly all men will develop an enlarged prostate, but about half of them won’t feel any symptoms. For the half who do, many will find that those symptoms significantly impair their quality of life. Although an enlarged prostate isn’t life-threatening, being forced to take ... Continue Reading

Motor Vehicle Safety

  • Signs an Elderly Parent Should Not Drive One of the most difficult things an adult child of an aging parent must do is convince their mom or dad that it’s time to give up the car keys. It can be difficult to talk to a loved one about their driving abilities. Saying something like, "I've noticed some signs that it ... Continue Reading
  • Pros and Cons of Retesting Elderly Drivers All of us have had some sort of experience with an elderly driver on the road. Whether they are driving too slowly, making dangerous decisions at intersections, or weaving around the road, we have all wondered at some point: should old people be driving? Or should elderly ... Continue Reading
  • The Average Age Seniors Stop Driving As you get older, driving can become more and more dangerous. Seniors giving up driving or limiting driving may be the safest options to move forward. But how would you know the right time to do so? We’ll take a look at some general statistics about seniors driving and ... Continue Reading
  • Responsibility for Elderly Parent Driving: Car Accidents & Liability “I’m constantly worrying about my elderly parent driving. What if they get into an accident? But also, would it be MY fault if they got into an accident and hurt someone else? I take care of everything my parent does, and I’m worried negative attention will be put on me.”You ... Continue Reading

Multiple Myeloma

  • Multiple Myeloma: What Is It? What Can I Expect? and More Multiple myeloma was once considered a death sentence, but over the past 30 years, things have changed. Although multiple myeloma is still a very serious type of cancer, our ability to treat it is rapidly improving. There are still many things we don’t know about multiple ... Continue Reading

Multiple Sclerosis

  • The Epstein Barr Virus and Multiple Sclerosis Connection Science has long believed there to be a connection between the Epstein Barr Virus and Multiple Sclerosis, but it has been difficult to determine that exact connection. While you are probably at least familiar with MS, you may not know much about Epstein Barr, or EBV, so ... Continue Reading
  • Multiple Sclerosis Awareness: Is Multiple Sclerosis Considered a Disability? With March being Multiple Sclerosis awareness month, it’s a good time to discover more about the disease in general and to answer the question, “Is Multiple sclerosis considered a disability?” Currently, over 400,000 individuals in the United States have Multiple Sclerosis ... Continue Reading
  • Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms: 10 Early Warning Signs of MS Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that most people have heard of at one time or another. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, it is estimated that over 2.3 million people around the world have MS. Several celebrities, such as comedian Richard Pryor and actress ... Continue Reading
  • Multiple Sclerosis Education Spring is in the air, but we can’t embrace April’s showers or May’s flowers without providing some “Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Education” — which the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF) has attributed to the month of March. So this week, Griswold’s blog posts are dedicated to ... Continue Reading

Neuromuscular Diseases

  • ALS and Stephen Hawking: Timeline, Quick Facts, and More If you’ve been watching the news, then you might have heard that Stephen Hawking recently passed away. While he is known for his scientific discoveries and theories, he is also known for living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS. As a celebration of his ... Continue Reading
  • Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease Regular exercise is a critical component of healthy living, and for people with Parkinson’s disease, it takes on an even greater level of importance. Parkinson’s disease causes problems with flexibility and balance, which can make activities of daily living more difficult. ... Continue Reading
  • Multiple Sclerosis Awareness: Is Multiple Sclerosis Considered a Disability? With March being Multiple Sclerosis awareness month, it’s a good time to discover more about the disease in general and to answer the question, “Is Multiple sclerosis considered a disability?” Currently, over 400,000 individuals in the United States have Multiple Sclerosis ... Continue Reading
  • Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease Michael J. Fox is one of the more famous individuals with Parkinson’s Disease that affects nearly 1 million adults living in the United States. Perhaps the worst part of the disease is that, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF), it is classified as both ... Continue Reading

Nutrition & Diet

  • Electrolyte Imbalance in the Elderly Electrolytes are important for keeping your body functioning normally. Staying properly hydrated, regulating chemical reactions, and maintaining proper muscle function all require the right balance of electrolytes. Under normal circumstances, electrolytes for elderly adults ... Continue Reading
  • Sudden Increased Appetite in Elderly Adults As we age, dementia is one of the most common issues older adults will experience. By now, most people are familiar with common side effects like memory loss and difficulty processing information or completing daily tasks. One of the often less reported side effects of ... Continue Reading
  • Is Raw Honey Safe for Elderly? Raw honey is known for its numerous health benefits, but is it safe for our aging loved ones to eat? In this blog, we will explore ways honey can assist seniors in achieving and maintaining their overall health. Is Raw Honey Safe for Elderly Adults? Yes, raw honey is safe ... Continue Reading
  • Elderly Adult Eating Only Sweets Have you noticed your elderly loved one seems to be eating only sweets? Don’t worry, they are not just making up for their moms not allowing them to eat too much Halloween candy when they were younger. There is actually some interesting science behind your elderly loved ones ... Continue Reading

Occupational Therapy

  • Geriatric Occupational Therapy for Older Adults: Treatment Ideas Serious injuries and diseases can have a major effect on one’s muscle strength and coordination. In some instances, this may require that the person learn how to walk on their own. As the name suggests, occupational therapy (OT) is also designed to assist individuals with ... Continue Reading
  • 5 Ways Occupational Therapy & Home Care Can Help Your Loved One Contrary to popular belief, home health care and occupational therapy is not just for the elderly. It can be extraordinarily beneficial for people of all ages, and encompasses a comprehensive approach intended to help an individual improve their physical and psychosocial ... Continue Reading
  • Should Your Loved One Have an Occupational Therapist? Your loved one wants to remain living at home for as long as she can. But lately, you’ve become worried about her ability to take care of day-to-day activities like cooking and grooming herself. Is it time to send her to an assisted care facility? For some older adults, ... Continue Reading

Osteoporosis & Bone Health

  • Knee Pain in Elderly Adults Most of us think that joint issues, and specifically knee pain, are an inevitable part of aging. While some aches and twinges may likely be age-related, knee pain is not a foregone conclusion for seniors. Diagnosing the cause of knee pain in elderly adults and properly ... Continue Reading
  • Bone Marrow Failure in the Elderly: Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) What are Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)? Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) are a group of bone marrow failures in the elderly that occur when bone marrow is not producing enough red blood cells in the elderly patient. MDS in elderly patients are often unrecognized and ... Continue Reading
  • Pilates for Osteoporosis People often take their bones for granted. But our bones are not entirely unlike our muscles, both become stronger when they have to resist force. That’s why astronauts who return to Earth from prolonged periods in orbit end up with all kinds of bone density problems, not ... Continue Reading
  • Why Stress is Harmful to Bone Health You probably know that physical stress (falls, chronic strenuous exercise, and inflammatory foods) can cause bone loss. But did you know that mental stress can have a similar effect? Yes, a person’s state of mind can wear down their bones too. In fact, recent research shows ... Continue Reading

Our Griswoldness

  • Client and Caregiver Safety Remains Our Top Priority As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the health and wellness of our clients and caregivers remains our top priority. Griswold Home Care offices are continuing to take every precaution to keep clients, caregivers, and staff safe and healthy. In a previous blog post, we ... Continue Reading
  • Celebrating National Caregivers Day At Griswold Home Care, our dedicated caregivers serve those who require help at home with tasks like housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, and toileting. Established by Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies (PAHHA) in 2015, National Caregivers ... Continue Reading
  • Announcing the 2018 Griswold Annual Scholarship Winner! Griswold Home Care offers a $1,000 annual scholarship to a qualified student pursuing a bachelor’s, associate’s, graduate, or professional degree at an accredited college or university. Winners will usually have at least a 3.75 GPA, and have experience in caregiving. We ... Continue Reading
  • Spring 2018 Scholarship Winner: Christopher Thompson In 2005, Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the city affectionately known as “The Big Easy”. New Orleans, Louisiana, the home of a vibrant nightlife, decadent food, and soulful music was overcome by the deadly storm. Amidst its destruction lies the story of a New Orleans ... Continue Reading

Outdoor Safety

  • Lyme Disease in the Elderly Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks. Cases of Lyme disease have been increasing in the United States, particularly in the midwest, as the tick population has grown and expanded. Lyme Disease can be particularly dangerous for the elderly as they tend to ... Continue Reading

Pain Management

  • Knee Pain in Elderly Adults Most of us think that joint issues, and specifically knee pain, are an inevitable part of aging. While some aches and twinges may likely be age-related, knee pain is not a foregone conclusion for seniors. Diagnosing the cause of knee pain in elderly adults and properly ... Continue Reading
  • Lower Back Pain in Elderly Adults: A Common Pain Lower back pain is a common struggle for many elderly adults. Experiencing back pain as you age isn't unusual. But that doesn't mean you have to grin and bear it. This article will cover some of the causes of lower back pain in elderly adults and different methods and ... Continue Reading
  • What Causes Bad Headaches in Elderly Adults? Headaches are one of the most common medical complaints among people of all ages, both in the United States and globally. Although the causes of headaches vary, they seem to peak between the ages of 18 and 44. You might be surprised to learn that the prevalence of headaches ... Continue Reading
  • How to Ease Hip Pain in Elderly Adults About 50% of seniors say they have hip or knee pain, which can be quite debilitating. Luckily, there are ways to properly treat this pain. In this post, we will review how to ease hip pain in the elderly, including exercises for hip pain for seniors. Causes of Hip Pain in ... Continue Reading

Parkinson's Disease

  • Parkinson's Disease Life Expectancy Parkinson’s disease is a disorder in the brain that causes shaking, stiffness, and other uncontrollable movements, as well as difficulties with balance and coordination. As the disease progresses, people may have trouble walking and talking and may even experience ... Continue Reading
  • How Does Parkinson's Disease Affect Daily Life? Parkinson’s sounds like a very scary disease. Many people may hear about it and wonder what it is like living with Parkinson’s disease. Luckily, since it is a gradual disease, it is possible to live a fairly normal life with Parkinson’s for many years after a diagnosis. How ... Continue Reading
  • Home Care Plan for Parkinson’s Disease April is Parkinson’s disease Awareness Month. Amid the events happening all around us, it is important to stay focused on our health and well-being. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement, speech, and finally the ability to care ... Continue Reading
  • Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease Regular exercise is a critical component of healthy living, and for people with Parkinson’s disease, it takes on an even greater level of importance. Parkinson’s disease causes problems with flexibility and balance, which can make activities of daily living more difficult. ... Continue Reading

Paying for Care

  • Can the Elderly Stop Paying Credit Cards & Debts? Seniors' credit card debt accounts for 43% of older households, according to a survey from The Senior Citizens League. Can the elderly stop paying credit card debt? In this post, we will review what you need to know about elderly credit card debt, including steps in debt ... Continue Reading
  • What to do When an Elderly Parent Runs Out of Money For almost anyone with aging parents, it’s natural to have concerns over their financial future. And it can be stressful to figure out how to handle these kinds of situations, especially if you have to determine what to do when an elderly parent runs out of money. But taking ... Continue Reading
  • Medicare Forms, Claims, and Appeals Future and current beneficiaries with Medicare health insurance should be familiar with the many Medicare forms. Enrolling in Part A and understanding how to make appeals and file claims is something all beneficiaries should know. Once you find the form, filling it out is ... Continue Reading
  • A Complete Guide to Medicare in 2020 Everyone knows change is constant with Medicare. It comes as no surprise that the year 2020 is bringing new policy changes that impact all current and future Medicare beneficiaries. It’s important to keep members in the loop when Medicare makes changes. The new year and new ... Continue Reading

Personal Hygiene

  • Excessive Sweating in the Elderly Excessive sweating as we age does not automatically mean we are out of shape. Sweating in the elderly is fairly common and tends to affect women more than men. Known as hyperhidrosis, sudden sweating iaffects many seniors. When the condition does not have an underlying ... Continue Reading
  • Personal Hygiene Checklist for Elderly Adults As our loved ones age, it becomes more difficult for them to complete tasks on their own. Often, the elderly’s personal hygiene declining is one of the first signs that your loved one needs assistance with their day-to-day lives. Personal hygiene for the elderly is important ... Continue Reading

Pneumonia

  • Elderly Pneumonia Survival Rate Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, fungi or a virus. It causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill up with fluid, leading to coughing, a fever, chills, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia is particularly dangerous for the elderly, and is frequently cited ... Continue Reading
  • Treating Pneumonia in Elderly Adults Treating Pneumonia in Elderly Adults Pneumonia is a lung inflammation caused by either a viral or bacterial infection. The infection causes the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs to fill with fluid and pus, which makes it increasingly difficult for the patient to breathe. The ... Continue Reading
  • Stages of Pneumonia in Elderly Adults Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other germs. It occurs when air sacs in one or both of the lungs fill with bacteria or pus. Pneumonia can manifest differently and in varying levels of severity depending on the person and can ... Continue Reading
  • Pneumonia in Elderly Adults: What You Should Know Pneumonia and the complications of the disease can be serious or even life threatening at any age, but people over the age of 65 are considered a particularly high-risk group. Pneumonia symptoms in elderly people can be difficult to detect and are often not identified until ... Continue Reading

Process of Aging

  • Signs of Decline in Elderly As your loved one ages, it is natural for them to experience physical and cognitive changes. However, these changes can also be a sign of more serious issues. In these cases, you may want to monitor your loved one’s health to ensure they receive the care they need. In this ... Continue Reading
  • Uterine Cancer in Elderly Adults As we age, the risk of uterine cancer increases, making it a crucial health concern for senior adults and their families. In this blog, we'll discuss the typical signs and symptoms, as well as the current treatments available. What is Uterine Cancer? Uterine cancer, also ... Continue Reading
  • Signs of Choking in Elderly Adults According to Injury Facts, choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury death, with death rates increasing rapidly starting around age 71. This statistic naturally leads us to ask: Why do we choke more as we age? Understanding this risk is vital for those ... Continue Reading
  • Asthma in the Elderly: Does Asthma Get Worse With Age? When we think of asthma, we often associate it with children or athletes. However, we seldom discuss how it affects the elderly population Is asthma in the elderly a different disease compared to asthma in children? In this blog, we’ll explore the relationship between aging ... Continue Reading

Prostate Cancer

  • Prostate Cancer Life Expectancy Prostate cancer and life expectancy can be scary to think about but there are treatments to prolong life, such as chemo, radiation, and hormone therapy. In this post, we will examine the information you will need for prostate cancer life expectancy. Life Expectancy After ... Continue Reading
  • Prostate Cancer Symptoms: Fatigue & Finding the Energy to Live, Work and Play “I am a 47 year old, stage 2 prostate cancer survivor …and have bouts of fatigue. Doctors cannot figure it out and it is driving my wife crazy because I am tired most of the time. I try to exercise as much as possible and try to watch my diet, but I am still very tired.” – ... Continue Reading

Quality of Life

  • What to Donate to the Elderly Senior citizens, often on fixed incomes, can sometimes have difficulty purchasing all the items they need to stay safe and healthy in their homes. Even seniors living in care facilities may find themselves in need of items like new blankets, towels, or toiletry items. Keep ... Continue Reading
  • Myasthenia Gravis in the Elderly Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by weakness of skeletal muscles. The disorder occurs when antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscles. With this condition, many older adults may have questions. What is myasthenia gravis ... Continue Reading
  • Involuntary Chewing Motion in Elderly Adults As a caregiver for an elderly adult, especially for one with cognitive or neurological changes, you might observe them constantly chewing even if there's nothing in their mouth. This unintentional chewing motion in older adults is known as phantom chewing or geriatric ... Continue Reading
  • CPR on Elderly: Long-term Side Effects of Resuscitation You often see Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, also known as CPR, on TV and in movies. It’s almost impossible to watch an episode of a medical drama without seeing at least one instance of a patient receiving CPR. In these scenes, the patient is given CPR, possibly shocks from ... Continue Reading

Reducing Stress

  • Sudden Stuttering in Elderly Adults For many seniors, a sudden onset of stuttering can be not just frustrating, but also concerning. It can be scary for them and startling for those around them. Sudden stuttering is usually the sign of a medical condition and working with a doctor to determine the underlying ... Continue Reading

Romance

  • Touch and Intimacy in the Elderly: Spending A Year Apart Touch and Intimacy in the Elderly Despite what many people think, touch and intimacy in the elderly are as important to them as it is to people who are decades younger. Intimacy and aging are two words that can make grandkids say “ewww” and offspring squirm, but senior ... Continue Reading
  • Patient Falling in Love With Caregiver: What To Do The caregiver-patient relationship is often a close one. When a senior or a person with a disability must rely on someone else for daily assistance, it’s easy to understand how strong bonds can develop. But what happens when a patient’s feelings for their caregiver go beyond ... Continue Reading
  • Tinder for Seniors? Tinder for Seniors? Yes. Seniors date. Whether they’re widowed, divorced, or a lifelong bachelor or bachelorette. Whereas their younger counterparts have been relying on online dating apps like Tinder, many seniors have now gotten in on the act and there is a new app that ... Continue Reading
  • The Importance of Sexual Health for Seniors The Importance of Sexual Health for Seniors With the many advances in health care, people are living longer, healthier and more active lives. While such positive trends are definitely good news, they also contribute to additional health concerns for older individuals — ... Continue Reading

Sandwich Generation

  • Elderly Parents Making Poor Decisions We would all like to think the relationship we share with our parents will always be the same, but as parents age, that relationship often changes. One of the most difficult transitions in life occurs when we realize our elderly parents are making poor decisions and they ... Continue Reading
  • Support Groups for Children of Aging Parents Support Groups for Children of Aging Parents People struggling with their own problems aren’t in a good position to help others. It’s common for aging parents in need of help to not ask for it, frequently with bad effect. It can be just as common for those providing care to ... Continue Reading
  • Caring for Elderly Parents: Stress and Emotional Effects We all love to plan things. We plan our weddings, the arrival of a new baby, graduation celebrations, birthday parties and simple things like the dinner menu or a lunch date with a friend. Most of us live by the clock and the calendar. But what about the unplanned ... Continue Reading
  • What to do When Elderly Parents Refuse to Move When our parents start showing signs of cognitive decline or start suffering from significant physical limitations, living alone can become unsafe. But people grow used to their independence, which makes it tough to face reality when start needing a little help. Countless ... Continue Reading

Scholarship

  • Announcing the 2018 Griswold Annual Scholarship Winner! Griswold Home Care offers a $1,000 annual scholarship to a qualified student pursuing a bachelor’s, associate’s, graduate, or professional degree at an accredited college or university. Winners will usually have at least a 3.75 GPA, and have experience in caregiving. We ... Continue Reading
  • Spring 2018 Scholarship Winner: Christopher Thompson In 2005, Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the city affectionately known as “The Big Easy”. New Orleans, Louisiana, the home of a vibrant nightlife, decadent food, and soulful music was overcome by the deadly storm. Amidst its destruction lies the story of a New Orleans ... Continue Reading

Senior Care Advice

  • The Benefits of Working with Elderly People Embracing a career in elderly care is more than just a profession—it's a purpose. The elderly have paved the way for the world we know today, and being part of their life journey offers a profound sense of fulfillment. When you work with the elderly, every day brings a new ... Continue Reading
  • How to Stop the Elderly From Calling 911 for Non-Essential Care We know that as our parents get older, their health becomes a top priority, and it's natural for them to reach out for help when they feel vulnerable. While it's important to respond quickly in emergency situations, unnecessary calls can clog up the system and make it harder ... Continue Reading
  • CNA vs LPN vs RN: What's the Difference? The medical field is full of acronyms - you practically need a degree just to keep track of all of them. Some of the acronyms you will encounter most often, especially as you or a loved one move into assisted living - are CNA, LPN and RN. So what is the difference between an ... Continue Reading
  • How to Clean Fingernails: Senior Care *Griswold Home Care does not offer nail cutting services, please consult your healthcare provider before starting a new treatment and discuss what options are available to you Cleaning under fingernails can be a surprisingly tricky task for seniors. Like nearly every other ... Continue Reading

Senior Care Support

  • What to Donate to the Elderly Senior citizens, often on fixed incomes, can sometimes have difficulty purchasing all the items they need to stay safe and healthy in their homes. Even seniors living in care facilities may find themselves in need of items like new blankets, towels, or toiletry items. Keep ... Continue Reading

Senior Health

  • Body Mass Index (BMI) for Seniors Body mass index, or BMI, refers to the measurement of body fat based on height and weight. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight by the square of the body height, and is expressed through kilograms. In this post, we will review what you need to know about body mass ... Continue Reading

Seniors and Health Issues

  • Sudden Stuttering in Elderly Adults For many seniors, a sudden onset of stuttering can be not just frustrating, but also concerning. It can be scary for them and startling for those around them. Sudden stuttering is usually the sign of a medical condition and working with a doctor to determine the underlying ... Continue Reading

Skin & UV Safety

  • Acne in the Elderly Acne is a word usually associated with teenagers and puberty. But unfortunately elderly acne is becoming more common and can be frustrating to see when you look in the mirror. Acne in the Elderly Acne in elderly adults can be caused by a number of things, including: Changes ... Continue Reading
  • Psoriasis at Home Care Psoriasis in elderly people is not only a medical problem, but elderly onset psoriasis can be a constant source of discomfort and anxiety for seniors. If you have psoriasis, at-home care will be easier if you know what you’re dealing with after being diagnosed with the ... Continue Reading
  • What Causes Itchy Skin in the Elderly? Itchy skin, also known as pruritus, can be quite annoying and debilitating. This is common in older adults because skin becomes drier, and therefore itchier, with age. However, this problem can be helped by determining the causes and performing some management techniques. In ... Continue Reading
  • Common Rashes in Elderly Adults Common Rashes in Elderly Adults Changes to the skin are among the most obvious transformation that the body undergoes with age. But in addition to visible differences, like wrinkles or age spots, there are also less obvious changes. Skin becomes thinner, less elastic, boasts ... Continue Reading

Sleep

  • The Elderly Falling Asleep While Sitting: Cause For Concern? Falling asleep while sitting down is a common occurrence. In today’s busy world, we’ve all experienced the embarrassment that comes with falling asleep sitting in the weekly staff meeting. Our hectic schedules can lead to falling asleep when sitting at our computer, or when ... Continue Reading
  • Sudden Excessive Sleepiness in Elderly Adults Excessive sleep in the elderly is quite common due to numerous conditions. Luckily, there are several ways to treat excessive sleepiness, whether through medications or by practicing good sleep hygiene. In this post, we will review what you need to know about sudden ... Continue Reading
  • Elderly Bed Wetting Solutions Bedwetting in older adults is more common than you may think. There are a myriad of causes and luckily a variety of elderly bedwetting solutions as well. Causes of Bedwetting in Seniors Although bedwetting at night, or nocturnal enuresis, is commonly associated with young ... Continue Reading
  • Frequent Urination at Night: What Causes Nocturia in Elderly Adults? Are you up and down all night traipsing to the bathroom? Do you wonder if elderly peeing all night is a normal thing? Are you feeling fatigued during the day because of lack of sleep? If these questions sound familiar, this post is for you. Let’s answer the one question ... Continue Reading

Social Workers

  • Homelessness Among the Elderly According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, there is a troubling statistic among people between the ages of 50-64. There is an upward trend in the proportion of homelessness among the elderly. Unfortunately, people between the ages of 50 and 64 can fall through the ... Continue Reading
  • Senior Social Services for Elderly Adults Living Alone Life expectancy has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few decades. With an aging population, there’s an enormous need for senior care services. And in general, that means there’s more support for seniors and elderly adults living at home than ever before. However, ... Continue Reading
  • Elderly Gambling Addiction: Signs of Gambling Addiction in Seniors Bingo! It’s a common cry that echoes through senior communities. It’s also a seemingly harmless hobby that can lead to trouble if a gambling addiction is involved. With a gambling industry intent on preying on the vulnerabilities seniors face, it’s no wonder some experts ... Continue Reading
  • What ELSE Do Senior Social Workers Do? The demographic makeup of our country is changing. In fact, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to more than double by the year 2060. The United States will then be home to over 98 million accounting for 24% of our population. And age isn’t the only factor ... Continue Reading

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

  • Spinal Muscular Atrophy Life Expectancy: What to Know About SMA Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a genetic disorder that affects the central nervous system. The Muscular Dystrophy Association provides a clear and concise definition: Most of the nerve cells that control muscles are located in the spinal cord, which accounts for the word spinal ... Continue Reading
  • Living with Adult Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Type 4 Like many kinds of chronic disease, living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is easier with proactive management. And while exercise is important for all seniors, it can be particularly important for older adults with SMA. But what is adult spinal muscular atrophy, and how ... Continue Reading
  • The Facts About Spinal Muscular Atrophy in Seniors For many, spinal muscular atrophy begins in early childhood or even at birth; however, there are forms of the disease that begin in early to middle adulthood. The age of onset can play an important role when it comes to the severity of the disease, but regardless of when an ... Continue Reading

Staying Hydrated

  • Electrolyte Imbalance in the Elderly Electrolytes are important for keeping your body functioning normally. Staying properly hydrated, regulating chemical reactions, and maintaining proper muscle function all require the right balance of electrolytes. Under normal circumstances, electrolytes for elderly adults ... Continue Reading

Stroke

  • Life Expectancy After Mini Stroke: Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) A mini stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a brief interruption of blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or retina which may cause temporary stroke-like symptoms but does not damage brain cells or cause permanent disability. Mini strokes are often an early ... Continue Reading
  • Bell's Palsy vs Stroke: What's the Difference? While both a stroke and bell’s palsy can begin in the brain, the two conditions are actually quite different. This can result in confusion among patients. Is bell's palsy a stroke? Can bell's palsy lead to a stroke? In this post, we will discuss what you need to know about ... Continue Reading
  • Different Strokes: Specific Warning Signs of Stroke for Men & Women No two strokes are ever the same, but there are warning signs to watch for that signal that a person may have a stroke. While there are some common signs to watch for, please keep in mind that women and men have different risk factors and both also have stroke symptoms that ... Continue Reading
  • Measuring Stroke Severity & Recovery Time It happens suddenly, but can take months or years to recover. A stroke can be scary for the patient and for their loved ones. However, after the event, it is important for medical professionals to measure the severity of the stroke which will help determine the recovery time ... Continue Reading

Substance Abuse

  • Alcoholism in the Elderly It may surprise you to learn that alcoholism in the elderly population has been increasing over the past several years, particularly during the Covid pandemic. In fact, over the last two decades, elderly alcohol abuse has increased by almost 100%. It is important to be aware ... Continue Reading
  • Cognitive Consequences of Substance Abuse in Elderly Adults The relationship between the elderly and substance abuse can be quite dangerous, especially because it is hard to diagnose a substance abuse problem in an older adult. Alcohol and prescription opioids can have severe consequences for elderly adults. These can range from ... Continue Reading
  • Caregivers, Alcohol & Substance Abuse Caregiving is a physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding job. Whether you are a professional caregiver or a non-paid family caregiver, the toll it takes on your own well-being can be significant. In fact, caregivers often develop health problems of their own. One of ... Continue Reading
  • Alcohol Induced Dementia: Can Alcohol Cause Dementia? When most people think about dementia, Alzheimer’s usually comes to mind, but there are other causes of the disease that you should be aware of. One such cause is called alcohol induced dementia. What Is Alcoholic Dementia? Unlike other types of dementia, alcoholic dementia ... Continue Reading

Sundowner's Syndrome

  • Sundowners in Elderly Adults Being a caregiver for an elderly person is an admirable and fulfilling task, but it is not an easy task. The elderly struggle with many challenges to their physical and mental well-being. These struggles could include anything from Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s. One ... Continue Reading
  • How To Know When Your Loved One Is Sundowning Most people understand that people with dementia have their good days and their bad days. What’s less known is that the symptoms of dementia can also be affected by the time of day. Researchers named this phenomenon sundown syndrome, and it’s fairly common among people with ... Continue Reading
  • Confusion and Anxiety in the Elderly at Night When the sun goes down, the feeling of unease can creep into anyone’s mind, but the evening hours can cause both confusion and anxiety in the elderly for a number of reasons, so for caregivers, it’s important to understand why this happens and what can be done to help. What ... Continue Reading

Surgery

  • Most Common Surgeries for Elderly Adults As adults age, they may require more complex needs, including surgery. Any surgery comes with risks, but what are they? What are the riskiest surgeries for seniors? In this post, we will review the most common surgeries for elderly adults and answer other questions you may ... Continue Reading
  • Discharging Elderly Patients From Hospital: What to Know It is an unavoidable fact that many elderly adults will require a hospital stay at some point during their senior years. When the time comes for your elderly parent or relative to be discharged from the hospital, here are some things you'll need to know. Discharging Elderly ... Continue Reading
  • What to Pack for a Hospital Stay Packing for a hospital stay isn’t as exciting as packing for a beach trip, but if you know, the necessary things to bring to the hospital for surgery, your stay will be more comfortable. Hospitals are more in tune with patient comfort than they used to be. The days of trying ... Continue Reading
  • Rehab for Elderly Patients After Hospital Stay: What To Know Rehab for Elderly Patients After Hospital Stay: What To Know After a stay in the hospital, it’s understandable to have many questions about a parent’s prognosis. In many cases, the answer to those questions will depend on the kind of rehabilitation services involved with ... Continue Reading

Technology & Aging

  • Home Automation for the Elderly and Disabled Home automation has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. It offers a wide range of benefits for people of all ages and abilities, but it can be particularly helpful for seniors and those with disabilities. In this blog post, we'll explore some of ... Continue Reading
  • Cyber Security Tips for Seniors Older people are scammed out of more than $3 billion each year and this population is typically a top target for con artists, especially online. In this post, we will review some scams to look out for regarding computer security for seniors as well as ways to enhance ... Continue Reading
  • Helping Seniors with Technology: How To “Old people” and “technology” may seem like two terms that can’t coexist but that’s often due to harmful stereotypes. There has also been a significant increase in seniors using technology as a result of the pandemic. As a matter of fact, internet use among people aged 65-74 ... Continue Reading
  • Podcasts for Seniors: 2021 Recommendations Podcasts. You have probably heard your children or grandchildren talking about them, or maybe heard something on the news like, “true crime podcasts are all the rage these days.” But what is a podcast? The simplest explanation is: radio but on the internet. If you remember ... Continue Reading

Therapy

  • Sudden Stuttering in Elderly Adults For many seniors, a sudden onset of stuttering can be not just frustrating, but also concerning. It can be scary for them and startling for those around them. Sudden stuttering is usually the sign of a medical condition and working with a doctor to determine the underlying ... Continue Reading
  • The Benefits of Weighted Blankets for Elderly Adults Weighted blankets have become increasingly popular for their comforting and therapeutic qualities. But did you know that they offer special benefits for elderly adults? From promoting better sleep to easing feelings of anxiety, these blankets are more than just a cozy ... Continue Reading
  • How to Improve Fine Motor Skills in Adults Fine motor skills are essential to everyday living, and these skills may start to deteriorate as one ages. That’s why keeping them in check through regular activity is important. In this post, we will review how to strengthen fine motor skills and some fun fine motor ... Continue Reading
  • Speech Problems in the Elderly When you imagine what an elderly person’s voice sounds like, you probably think of something quiet and wispy, maybe even a little hoarse. Just like other body parts that change with age - like eyesight and hearing - speech and the ability to communicate can also be affected ... Continue Reading

Transportation

  • Transportation Services for Elderly Adults Ask almost anyone over the age of sixty and they will tell you growing older is almost no fun at all. With age comes wisdom, but also many physical and mental challenges. These physical challenges – such as diminished eyesight, poor night vision, hearing loss, and limited ... Continue Reading
  • Transportation for Seniors to Medical Appointments When loved ones are no longer able to drive, transportation problems can become potentially crippling. It’s estimated about half of Americans over 65 do not have access to public transit. This is especially common among rural areas. But access to personal transportation for ... Continue Reading
  • Long Distance Elderly Transportation Long-distance traveling can be difficult for elderly people due to mobility issues and health complications. In this post, we will explore transportation methods, travel tips, and services. How Does Aging Affect Traveling Ability? Driving is one of the most straightforward ... Continue Reading
  • How Uber and Lyft Can Help Seniors When Uber first rolled out in Richmond, I was among one of the early adopters. For me, Uber was cheaper and faster than taking a taxi, which made going out for drinks almost too easy. Little did I know, the technology that carted me to and from bars could be used for a much ... Continue Reading

Travel

  • Vacation Care for Elderly Let's face it, being the primary caretaker of elderly parents can make it difficult to take a break from your responsibilities. But don't let that discourage you. Everyone needs a vacation! This blog will provide you with tons of helpful information on how to make sure your ... Continue Reading
  • How to Travel with Elderly Parents Traveling with elderly parents can be a delightful experience for you and for your parents. A family meeting to plan the trip is a perfect way to make sure everyone has input and will be happy with the destination and details of the trip. Traveling with seniors, especially ... Continue Reading
  • 6 Travel Tips for Seniors as Covid-19 Restrictions Ease Whether it’s a bucket-list adventure or a staycation, we all want a happy, memorable trip! Now that travel restrictions are lifting, everyone is itching to get back out and travel again, especially older adults. According to AARP’s 2022 Travel Trends Report, 67% of people ... Continue Reading
  • Road Trips for Seniors: RV Travel Tips You just retired and now it’s time to pack your bags and see the world. Buying or renting an RV can be a great step for seniors wishing to be on the move. But how do you know which RV you should buy or rent? And how do you pay for all of the travel expenses? In this post, we ... Continue Reading

Vaccines

  • What Vaccines Do Older Adults Need? When it comes to vaccines, elderly people should make sure they get proper treatments to improve their health. As people get older, their immune systems start to weaken, which makes vaccines a necessity for adults over the age of 65. In this post, we will review what you ... Continue Reading
  • Pfizer Vaccine is Fully Approved: What That Means for Seniors There’s great news for anyone waiting for full FDA approval before getting a COVID-19 vaccine! Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has now been fully approved by the FDA for people 16 and older - making it the first of three COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. to be upgraded from ... Continue Reading
  • Vaccines: How They Work and Why They Save Seniors’ Lives One of the hot questions of the moment is, “how do vaccines work?” Let’s look at exactly what vaccines are, why they work, and how they save lives. What is a vaccine? A vaccine is a type of medical treatment that’s designed to prevent diseases, and it does this by teaching ... Continue Reading
  • Shingles in Elderly Adults: How Dangerous is Shingles in the Elderly? Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. They most often appear as a stripe of blisters that wraps around one side of your torso. The cause of shingles in the elderly is a virus called varicella-zoster. Chickenpox and shingles are both caused by this virus. ... Continue Reading

Veterans

  • 7 Ways to Thank Our Senior Veterans Veterans pledged their loyalty to our country by serving in the military and fighting for our freedom. Whether it's a family member, friend, or a stranger, senior veterans are especially in need of support as their health declines and their resources start to diminish. No ... Continue Reading
  • Caring for Veterans with PTSD Fireworks are almost everyone’s favorite part of Independence Day festivities, and many major cities have reported them going off throughout the entire month. While the jury is still out as to why, the general consensus is that people are bored and it’s a way to let off ... Continue Reading
  • Honoring Memorial Day with Seniors In the excitement of summer’s unofficial arrival, it is easy to overlook what Memorial Day really is. Beyond the barbecues and neighborhood gatherings lies the real meaning of this day: remembrance. The Memorial Day holiday is a time to reflect on those who served during ... Continue Reading

Vision & Eye Health

  • What Causes Glassy Eyes in the Elderly? Have you ever noticed that your senior loved one’s eyes appear to be glazed over? They could be staring blankly, seem as though they are distracted, or even have a literal glaze over their eyes. Generally known as glassy eyes, it can affect anyone at any age but is more ... Continue Reading
  • Spontaneous Black Eye in Elderly Adults Have you ever noticed or even personally experienced under-eye bruising for no reason? It can be quite concerning when this occurs seemingly out of nowhere, especially for older adults. However, knowing the underlying cause helps alleviate some unnecessary anguish. In this ... Continue Reading
  • Bleeding Behind the Eye in Elderly Adults The thought of bleeding behind the eye in elderly adults sounds very scary. While any injury to or problem with an eye can be serious, bleeding behind the eye is generally treatable and does not always result in loss of vision. Bleeding behind the eye, or a vitreous ... Continue Reading
  • Signs of Aging Eyes Beginning in their early to mid-40s, older adults start experiencing problems with vision. This is especially prevalent in people with systemic conditions — such as diabetes or high blood pressure — or who have a family history of eye diseases. When you have these vision ... Continue Reading

Volunteering

  • Volunteer Opportunities for Seniors Aging is a natural part of life, but it doesn't diminish one's capacity to make a positive impact on society. As individuals enter their senior years, they often find themselves with more free time, especially if they are retired. Here are potential volunteer opportunities ... Continue Reading

Weight Management

  • Sudden Increased Appetite in Elderly Adults As we age, dementia is one of the most common issues older adults will experience. By now, most people are familiar with common side effects like memory loss and difficulty processing information or completing daily tasks. One of the often less reported side effects of ... Continue Reading
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) for Seniors Body mass index, or BMI, refers to the measurement of body fat based on height and weight. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight by the square of the body height, and is expressed through kilograms. In this post, we will review what you need to know about body mass ... Continue Reading

Women's Health

  • What Causes Bleeding Years After a Hysterectomy? Women who have had a hysterectomy can sometimes experience bleeding years after the surgery was performed. Why would a woman bleed if she had a hysterectomy or why would she experience spotting years after a hysterectomy? There can be several reasons for bleeding after a ... Continue Reading
  • Senior Women's Health Issues Women of all ages want to feel vibrant and healthy. Maintaining our health as we age can be a challenge. Let’s talk about some common senior women’s health issues, their symptoms, and how to treat and manage them. Urinary Tract Infection in Elderly Woman Many women over the ... Continue Reading
  • Menopause: The Good, The Bad, and the Hot Flashes Menopause is something that all women go through, but not every woman has the same experience. Some suffer terribly while others breeze through menopause without giving it much thought. We’ll take a look at the two sides of the menopause coin, explore the good and the bad, ... Continue Reading

Yoga

  • Yoga for Seniors, the Elderly, and Older Adults: Stress Relief and More Yoga for Seniors, the Elderly, and Older Adults When the talk turns to yoga, many of us may automatically visualize younger adults in a variety of complicated poses. Even though the benefits of practicing this gentle form of exercise are well-documented, older adults may not ... Continue Reading
  • 8 Yoga Poses That Seniors Can Do Without Yoga Trainers As you age, you enter the “golden years” of your life, which bring along precious gifts like maturity, wisdom, experience, and more. However, you probably also find yourself battling physical ailments like osteoarthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes to name a few. ... Continue Reading