Elder Care Cafe

When I realized I was getting close to my 300th post on this site, I started thinking about words such as milestone and landmark. First I thought this post was a milestone, but, according to the dictionary milestones mark a distance between two points. Writing this many entries might be considered a milestone, but then I [...]

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Recent studies performed in the United Kingdom reveal elderly people require less sleep than do younger generations. How long a person sleeps at night is okay as long as he or she does not feel sleep deprived during the day.  The study also found that sleeping various (length) hours was okay as long as the person was not napping during the [...]

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There are many issues before us as we move into what the authors call the best half of our life. There are wills to write, plans to make as we consider what we will want or need if we become incapacitated, choices to consider as we age and possibly need to move into nursing homes [...]

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There are a number of considerations to take into account when looking for a nursing home. The best time to look for a nursing home is before you need it. Some people suggest adults over the age of twenty-one should be aware of the available options in their area in case of an emergency, such [...]

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When families are looking for a nursing home for a loved one, their choices are quite often limited and they do not always know the quality of care their loved one will receive until it is too late. Now, there is a rating system that has been developed to assist families during this difficult emotional time.

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As our parents age, many of us find ourselves having to cope with our parents declining health. Not only do we need to help them deal with a growing number of health issues, but also make such decisions as whether they should stay in their own home, move in with a family  member, or relocate to an assisted [...]

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God has given me a precious gift since we moved into our new home – the gift of Peace. Both Dad and I are feeling it, and are very much aware that we are living in a space filled with peace. As the new year descends upon us, I am preparing to write my goals [...]

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Every year since the early 1990s I have written down my goals for the coming year. Some years I have had great success by diligently following my goals, while other years life seemed to take its own course and the goals fell by the wayside. Unfortunately, that was the case in 2009. In one of [...]

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Readers of Elder Care Cafe will undoubtedly realize I haven’t posted in quite a while. It has been a long  almost six weeks mainly due to a crashing computer that has since died. I just got my laptop back from my daughter who used it while at school. Today is a new beginning for Elder [...]

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An advance directive is a document that allows a person to make his or her wishes for treatment known in advance. Many people choose to have a written document on file stating what medical intervention, if any, they would like in case of emergency or if they become incapacitated.

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Many people don’t yet realize what having an advance directive means to them or why it is important to make sure one is in place prior to giving consent for medical treatment. Patients have the right to make decisions about the medical care they are about to receive. They also have the right to be [...]

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As with most any new trend, there are savvy entrepreneurs who will take advantage of a growing movement to offer their goods and services. Currently, that is the case with aging in place, the new buzz word for those families who are choosing to keep their parents and grandparents in their own homes as long [...]

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We are now in November and the holiday season is moving into full swing. Many people are already Christmas shopping, while others are preparing for a full house on Thanksgiving Day. For caregivers who are already stressed due to their daily duties and responsibilities, the holidays can look like a mountain they must somehow get over [...]

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Dementia patients often suffer unnecessary medical interventions because health care workers and family members do not realize they are close to the end of their life. What most people do not understand is that dementia is fatal.

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The last three years as caregiver to my now 87-year-old father has been quite a learning experience. After he landed in the intensive care unit (ICU) of an out-of-town hospital last August due to a fall down a flight of stairs, he was sent to a rehab center to continue his treatment. He spent three [...]

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