Other vaccines elders should consider
Q: As I plan to get my vaccination for COVID, several of my friends have been chatting on Zoom about other vaccinations we should be getting. We have seen commercials on television and are a little confused about what is recommended for those of us in the 70-plus age group. Can you help clarify this…
Finding short-term care solutions
Q: My elderly mother has been living with me for several years. This has been a satisfactory arrangement for both of us. I am scheduled for a surgical procedure soon and will be in the hospital for a couple of days. I also may need to go to a rehabilitation facility for a short stay. My…
Hiring Home Help for a Parent
Q: My mother is currently in a skilled rehabilitation facility, recovering from a fall. She will be ready to be discharged in a week and will need assistance when she returns home. I received a list of agencies that provide homemaker services. My mother is over income for any subsidized care. How do I decide…
Crossing the generational digital divide
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many of us into necessary contact with new forms of technology. Many adults work from home, using video conferencing such as Zoom, Teams or Skype, while much of education has moved online. All of us are using these applications to “visit” friends and family now that in-person contact is being…
Visiting after the COVID-19 vaccine
Q: My 95-year-old grandmother resides in a long-term care facility that is scheduled to get the first round of COVID vaccinations in the next two weeks. My parents, both in their middle 70s, live at home and aren’t sure when they will get vaccinated. Does this mean I will be able to visit my grandmother…
Helping a parent through the grieving process
Q: My father passed away this past winter after a long illness. I miss him every day. My mother seems to be stuck in the grieving process and withdraws from other family members and friends. Is this normal? What can we do to help? A: The experience of grief differs from one person to the next. The…
Looking after parents from a distance
Q: I plan to make a trip back to the area after the holidays to visit my elderly parents. I realize traveling is not recommended now, but I feel a need to check on them. My mother hasn’t sounded like herself during our calls, and my father doesn’t always want to be on phone. When we…
A Caregiver’s Journey: Roland’s Story
For Roland G. of Andover, the respite care he receives enhances his life immeasurably. His wife Diane, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015, recently lost the ability to walk. “I was ready to ask for help,” he recalls. He’d been experiencing bouts of anxiety, the result of a self-imposed “do it all” mentality that can…
Holiday activities can agitate those with dementia
Q: My widowed sister moved in with our mother a year ago. Mom has Alzheimer’s disease, and it became evident she could no longer safely live alone. Things were going very well until right after Thanksgiving. My sister started decorating for Christmas, and my mother became agitated and uncooperative. We have no idea what is causing…
Gratitude needed in challenging times
Q: My mother moved in with us a few years ago when my father passed away. My two adult children have returned home having both lost their jobs due to the pandemic. My daughter and son are not dealing well with all the changes in their lives, and my elderly mom is frustrated with their attitude…
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