Ask Joan: Cleaning out parents’ home can be very challenging physically, emotionally
Q. My parents made the decision to move into an assisted living community, and my two brothers and I are in charge of preparing their house for sale. We’d love to have it ready for the spring market, but cleaning out all the stuff they left behind will be a challenge. My parents didn’t save…
Ask Joan: Don’t ignore weight loss in older adults
Q. My mother-in-law has been losing weight in the last year or so. She has always been very slim, but lately it seems she is hardly eating anything. Her doctor plans to do some tests and mentioned to her that it could be something called anorexia of aging. I thought that was only for teenagers….
Ask Joan: Honoring the ‘lost art’ of letter writing
Q. I’ve been trying to do some organizing in my home and I recently found a bunch of letters that I saved from my junior high school pen pal. I remember being so excited when I would find a letter from her in the mailbox! I loved reminiscing, but it’s made me sad that I never…
Coordinated care in action
When it came time for 70-year-old Leon* to move from his home in Dracut to an independent living community in Brookline, the stakes were high. Leon is legally blind, an insulin-dependent diabetic, and had no family to help him with the move. One missed detail on move-in day could derail the entire transition. He was…
Ask Joan: Meals on Wheels feed the spirit of those who volunteer
I often hear from readers about how important the Meals on Wheels program is to their families. These daily, home-delivered meals make a real difference for loved ones living on fixed incomes. They give caregivers a break from having to cook. Visits from our volunteer drivers are a check-in that gives adult children who live…
Ask Joan: Symptoms of heart problems for women, men can differ
Q. My 72-year-old sister suffered a heart attack this past fall. She is recovering, thank goodness, but we are all still in shock that it happened. When her symptoms started, she thought she had the flu. Is it true that the signs of a heart attack are different for women and men? A. I’m so…
Ask Joan: Dating again? How to let loved ones know
Q. My wife of 56 years died in 2024 after a long illness. I loved her very much and still think about her and miss her every day. I have been trying to keep busy and lately I’ve been spending more time with a female friend. How do I tell my two adult daughters that…
Ask Joan: Tips can help reduce health impacts of microplastics
Q. Did I see something from AgeSpan on social media about microplastics? I’d love to learn more about this issue. I want to do more to reduce the problem in my home – especially when my grandchildren are visiting. What’s your advice? A. Yes, you did see this issue on our social media. Our nutrition…
Ask Joan: Breaks in routine can be unsettling for some
Q. My wife was diagnosed with dementia about a year ago and an incident over the holidays has me worried. We were both looking forward to having my daughter and her family visit, but while they were here, my wife tried to get in the car and leave. She gave up driving long ago, so…
Add a new podcast to your list of new year’s resolutions
Looking to try something new in 2026? Why not check out a new podcast? Like a radio show that you can listen to whenever you want, podcasts are a great way to learn something new, find inspiration, or simply enjoy being entertained. If you’ve never listened to a podcast before, this might be the year…
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