Importance of Health Care Directives
Q: Every year when I have my annual check-up or have a scheduled medical procedure I’m always asked if I have an advance directive. I must admit I don’t. I know this is important but I keep procrastinating. Are other people as reluctant as I am to execute this document? A: It is estimated two…
Advocating for a loved one with dementia
Q: My 93 year old mother just had surgery after falling and breaking the top of her femur. It was discovered the next day that she had a urinary tract infection and also required a blood transfusion. She has dementia but with all she has gone through the confusion has increased. The physical therapist who…
Post-traumatic stress isn’t limited to veterans
Q: I live in an area which was evacuated during the gas explosions. One of my neighbors supposedly has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I always thought this only happens to soldiers who have been in war related incidents. All of my neighbors were impacted but the rest of us have been able…
Fall Prevention Program can help one learn to avoid falls
Q: I have had one total knee replacement surgery and in the future will require the other knee to be replaced and possibly one hip surgery as well. I’ve had a few falls but fortunately was not injured other than bruises. I have made suggested changes within my house to reduce as many hazards as…
Involve elders in decision to clean out old stuff
Q: My 93-year-old mother is still living in her own home. The basement is filled with things that have been stored for years. I am concerned that if she continues to deteriorate both physically and cognitively she will require placement in a long-term care facility. If this happens at some point the home will need…
Who cares for caregivers when they get sick?
Caregivers are not immune to common illness, e.g., a cold, flu, stomach virus. In fact, the stresses of caregiving often increase their risk of getting sick and may compromise their recovery. Physicians and other healthcare providers should recognize that their patients may be juggling caregiving responsibilities as well as caring for themselves when sick. Here…
Losing ability to drive may lead to depression
Q: A few years ago my father decided my mother should no longer be driving due to her increasing confusion and a minor fender-bender. When this first occurred he was always willing to take her wherever she wanted to go. When his health started to deteriorate last year he didn’t feel well enough to continue…
Daughter’s grief distances her from family
Q: I am worried about my friend of more than 55 years and her daughter. The daughter’s husband passed away in the early fall. This was not a happy marriage for the last 20 years but they remained together for their children’s sake and for financial reasons. Although he was not a good husband, he…
Dental care is important at any age
Q: Several of my neighbors in the elder housing where I live disagree on whether or not it is still important for us to have regular dental check-ups. Some of us don’t have dental insurance so we have let this go the last couple of years. Can you settle this and tell us if this…
Disabilities law was among Bush’s great achievements
Q: I spent hours watching television of the coverage of the memorial service for the late President George H.W. Bush. As a caregiver of a disabled spouse would you remind people of the role the late president had in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act? A: There are past U.S. presidents who will be…
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