Speak with an Elder Care Expert Today
If you are one of the many people in need of an assisted living facility then you understand the stress and anxiety this search can cause in your life. Although this can be a little scary, using your faith to assist you in your search can make this endeavor much easier. Understanding that God is …
An Alzheimer’s Patient Caregiver – For a loved One A caregiver for an Alzheimer’s patient often does not realize the emotional and physical strain it will be on their own health in general. When someone first is told their loved one has this disease, it is quite a shock for them and the whole family. …
Presbyterian assisted living facilities provide peace of mind that you or your loved one will be very well taken care of. There is the additional reassurance when you start your search for faith-based assisted living homes of financial dependability exercised with one’s money. Additionally, you can look forward to reliability from those who present full …
With the downturn in the economy and home sales at a halt, many seniors are having trouble surviving on their fixed income. Applications for reverse mortgages are on the rise because they offer seniors options that traditional home equity loans and lines of credit do not offer. To help defray the costs of living, many …
Making the decision to put a loved one into nursing home care is one that is never taken lightly. Not just any facility will do when it comes to the comfort of a family member. Reports of nursing home abuse and neglect are everywhere, and the question of how one nursing home compares to another …
A difficult economy, growing unemployment and a volatile stock market have made the future even more uncertain for those who have retired or will retire soon. For those needing more money beyond pensions or other savings (especially seniors who may need to finance assisted living settings) life settlements can be an attractive option. Life settlements …
A Revocable Living Trust is an estate planning tool, intended to avoid the time and expense of probate, and to ensure the property transfer wishes of the grantor are carried out as easily as possible. The trust also allows another individual to handle the financial affairs of the grantor in the event of incapacity. The trust …
Sundowner syndrome, known as sundowning, or night-time dementia, is a condition that increases confusion and disorientation during sunset or sunrise. It is most common in elderly residents who have established dementia, Alzheimer disease, delirium, or those who have had surgeries. Not all people who have these ailments will experience sundowning, but as each person reacts …
The last thing anyone wants after years of saving for retirement is to see all that hard-earned money whittled away by medical costs for ongoing assistance, particular when personal help is required. Both nurses and medical assistant services are expensive, even if just part-time, and these costs can quickly eat away at bank accounts that …
December is officially upon us. The countdown has begun and the shops and malls are bustling. Most of us have finally recovered from the Turkey Coma and Black Friday madness. At Assisted Living Today are dedicated to bringing you some of the most up-to-day info in senior news, so check back often to see the …
Time quickly passes us by, doesn’t it? It probably seems like just yesterday when you first bought your home, became a parent, sent the children off to grade school, and then to college. Now you have entered your senior years, and it all seems to have gone by in a blink. Through these changes in …
Preventing dehydration in the elderly is challenging, especially since people lose their ability to detect thirst as they age. Creating a system that allows older people to track their water intake is ideal. With a good idea of how much water has been consumed, you don’t have to rely on guesswork to determine whether you …
In many parts of the county the unseasonably warm temperatures, much to everyone’s dismay, have finally been replaced with more typical December weather. Plow trucks are up and running in much of the north, while snow birds in the south continue to enjoy the mild temperatures. It’s the time of year to be weary of …
Water infections are associated with symptoms that bother both men and women, with women facing a higher risk. Water infections are also known as Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), which mostly affect the urethra and bladder. They may also affect different sections of the urinary track, with each type having a different name. Symptoms of Water …
When health begins to deteriorate in the elderly, it’s accompanied by a loss of control over certain aspects of their lives. For those who’ve lived with intermittent health problems all through life, the impact isn’t as great and it’s easier to make the necessary adjustments that may be required with senior assisted living. However, for …
This week’s senior care spotlight is The Boomington Post, which was nice enough to publish a guest post from Assisted Living Today recently. The Boomington Post, unsurprisingly, focuses on issues facing the baby boomer generation and about senior living in general. The site offers a mix of: Topical coverage of news items related to senior …
Have you been enjoying the festivities of the season? Many schools are performing their annual winter shows with resounding choruses of “Let it Snow” and instrumental versions of “Jingle Bells.” Proud parents and even prouder grandparents beam with pride as their little angels shine on stage. Or, perhaps you’re showing off your talents, joining the …
One of the significant health challenges in senior citizen care is related to the steady decline of cognitive processes and function. This is especially magnified in those suffering from dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. A particularly difficult ailment associated with this is Sundowner’s syndrome. Sundowner’s syndrome, also known as ‘sundowning,’ is a characterized by symptoms …
It has long been known that most people do not want to leave their homes, assuming they will be giving up their privacy and dignity by moving into an senior living setting. But, at The Remington Club in Rancho Bernardo, this is not the case. “Many of our resident’s say that it’s very welcoming. They …
Twin Towers Retirement Community has a world record holder among them. Russ Witte took home five gold medals this year, three of which earned him a place in the history books. And he did while competing in the 95 to 99 year old age group. Residents like Russ are not unusual at Twin Towers where …
The Holiday Season is in full swing. This week marked the beginning of the Hanukkah celebration with the first three candles having been lit and the fourth to be lit on Friday night. Christmas is just a few days away and last minute shoppers are still searching for that perfect gift. Regardless of your faith …
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are the second most common infection type, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Caused by bacteria in the urethra, UTIs occur more often in women due to the close proximity of the urethra to the anus, where bacteria proliferates. More than 50% of all women will suffer from at …
This week’s senior spotlight is on “The Other Side of 50,” which is a great online community and online forum for seniors for anyone on the “other side of 50.” TOS50.com offers baby boomers and others over 50 some fantastic resources as well, which include: A Financial Fitness Section with article on senior financial planning, …
If you have a loved one living in an elder care center, you will typically want to monitor their care to ensure the comfort and safety of the person. Neglect is a serious concern for those who have family members living in nursing homes or other care facilities for the elderly. While accidents can happen, …
For many older adults, a debilitating illness, a catastrophic fall or even a planned surgery like a hip replacement can take more rehabilitation than anticipated. Often, skilled nursing facilities provide the much needed therapy in order to get the patient back home. But in some instances, the skilled need of a nursing home is gone, but …
We recently interviewed Merilee Griffin, PHD, the founder and president of Memo Touch. Dr. Griffin developed Memo as an interactive device to help those with memory impairment maintain their independence as long as possible while helping to lessen the demands placed upon caregivers. She cared for her mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s and recognized that there was a need for a simplistic and …
This week’s senior spotlight is on “55+ Magazine,” South Florida’s preferred free bilingual senior magazine. 55 Plus Magazine offers a full directory of community resource organizations, hospital and hospices, rehabilitation centers, assisted living facilities, home care, adult day care and other services in Southeastern Florida. 55+ Magazine, which is published in print on a quarterly …
Welcome to the first annual Assisted Living Today Blog Awards, aka The ALTY Awards! The ALTY Awards is our annual blog awards event that will honor the best articles and blog posts from across the assisted living and senior care industry from the previous calendar year.The way the ALTYs work is our committee of writers …
Seniors in the U.S.A. qualify for the government senior health insurance programs once they turn 65-years-old. At this age, they must sign-up for either Medicare or Medicaid. Medicaid is the option for very low-income seniors with few financial assets. The benefits are different for each of these insurance programs and Medicaid is provided in partnership …
Working as a professional caregiver requires understanding how to maintain quality standards in delivering care while providing consistent behaviors. If you are exploring becoming a professional caregiver, you may apply for a part-time or full-time caregiving position on Caregiverlist.com (professional senior care companies subscribe to Caregiverlist’s hiring tools and hire new caregivers each week). Completing …
Caregivers of family members with dementia often notice a particular set of symptoms that may start around dusk and last well into the evening. It is called sundown dementia, sundowner’s, or simply sundowning. The person with dementia usually becomes more disoriented, more agitated, more anxious, more confused and more unsettled during this time. This can …
Alzheimer’s disease ranks sixth in the list of top mortality causes in the United States. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that there are 5.4 million people afflicted with the disease, and this number is expected to rise rapidly in the coming years as the baby boomer population ages. While we have yet to find a cure …
Elderly depression can often be difficult to treat due to the variety of factors that can contribute to depression in the elderly. Options for treatment of elderly depression seem more limited than those for younger individuals due to the higher likelihood of medical factors contributing to the disorder in senior citizens, dementia being particularly difficult …
When the decision is made to provide a senior citizen with assisted care, there are a number of questions that should be kept in mind when talking to the various available home care agencies. Here are five questions to ask home care agencies in order to help you find the best match for your situation: …
This article is a reprint courtesy of our friends over at Asbestos.com and was authored by Rachel Gilner, Outreach Coordinator. Mesothelioma is most commonly found in seniors, with the average age of diagnosis at 62 years old. Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20-50 years, so an older demographic who may have been exposed in …
We’ve got some big news! Winners for The 2012 ALTY Blog Awards have been decided. You the voters have spoken and you’ve chosen this year’s best senior care and senior living blogs from across eight different awards categories. And you spoke loudly, with more than 12,000 votes being cast over the course of a month. …
MRSA is the abbreviation for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive coccal bacterium. Prior to the development of penicillin, MRSA was the cause of death for many people. Usually death was caused by pneumonia, an infection of the lungs that was called ‘the old person’s friend’, meaning that a frail, sick, elderly person would be taken …
Dementia is a progressive disorder which can lead to the loss of short term memory and a diminished ability to reason, communicate or process information. The frustration these symptoms bring the patient can result in bouts of depression and behavior problems. The burden of dealing with the breadth of these symptoms has led doctors and …
Caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia can be a confusing, emotionally taxing and overwhelming experience for caregivers and family members. Often, it’s tough to know where to turn to get the best, most informative answers to your questions about Alzheimer’s care. With that in mind, we reached out to 20 memory care …
This week’s spotlight is on Jacqueline Marcell who is an author, radio host, caregiver advocate, and Alzheimer’s speaker. Her personal story as caregiver to a challenging elderly father and sweet ailing mother, both with Alzheimer’s which went undiagnosed—and Jacqueline’s subsequent challenges as a breast cancer survivor, makes her a remarkable figure to watch and admire …
Dementia is a syndrome that affects the elderly more than any other group. It can cause a greater degree of memory loss than is common with normal aging, even causing elderly people to become moody or hostile. Dementia causes a host of problems for both the sufferer and the friends and family, and because of …
As we get older, small annoyances in our daily life start to get more difficult. It can be harder to grip things, and vision and hearing may deteriorate. Fortunately, there are plenty of products and inventions that can be conveniently used as daily living aids, that can help make your life much easier. Reachers With …
As adults age, an important consideration to take into account for optimal health is the amount of nutritional value that is in the things we consume. A logical solution to ensuring that one is consistently consuming enough nutrients is by taking a nutritional supplement. However, given the range of choices available and health risks inherent …
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease that is characterized by body tremors, stiffness and difficulty moving. This disease is often difficult to diagnose in the elderly; thus, caregivers and family members should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of this disease. Body Tremors and Stiffness Body tremors and stiffness are two of the most common symptoms …
The Eatsmart Precision Plus Digital Bathroom Scale is a revolutionary scale that is meant to be one of the most accurate digital scales for home use, and it is especially useful for aging adults to keep track of their overall health. The clean design and ease-of-use are only a couple of the popular features of …
As elderly relatives grow older, caretakers and relatives need to keep an eye on warning signs of problems. The signals come in many forms, and one common symptom the elderly experience is weight loss. Weight loss in the elderly, however, is not always a sign of a problem, which can make it particularly difficult to …
The Fitbit Wireless Activity/Sleep Tracker is a multipurpose health monitoring unit that has all of the functionality of a normal pedometer, but also features several additional features that are surprisingly useful for overall sleep health. Like a pedometer it can track your walking activity, and in addition also can monitor the quality of your sleep …
If you are a loved one or caretaker of an elder with long-term illness, a convalescent home may be something that you have considered looking in to. Convalescent homes are generally considered housing for elderly or ill patients to recover from long term illnesses. They offer specific and immediate medical care and support to post-surgical …
Assisted living facilities provide a lot of peace of mind for people who have elderly family members or friends who can no longer care for themselves on their own, but even with medical specialists checking in on them, it’s still helpful to keep in touch personally. Regular visits aren’t always possible, particularly for those who …
The average cost of senior living can range from $500 to $1500 a month, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Seniors residing in assisted living facilities have a monthly average cost ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 a month. The average cost of senior living varies by state and region, but expenses are …