March 27, 2024 by
Have you ever said the wrong thing? Perhaps your intention was to compliment a friend on her new haircut, but you came across sounding like you were criticizing her previous hairstyle. Choosing our words carefully is always important, but even more so when speaking with someone with dementia. The words we say and the way we say them can significantly impact the person’s emotional well-being and quality of life. (more…)
January 16, 2024 by
When we reach our senior years, we have spent decades investing in relationships with family and friends. These bonds are crucial to our quality of life, and when they are severed, it inevitably leads to feelings of deep loss. (more…)
July 5, 2023 by
Contrary to popular belief, PTSD doesn’t just occur after experiencing life-threatening danger. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can arise after any traumatic event or experience. It may surprise you to learn that providing care for a family member is one of the main causes of PTSD: a condition known as caregiver PTSD. However, it’s common for the condition to go unnoticed and untreated. This is because the person receiving care is usually the primary focus of both healthcare providers and the family at large. (more…)
May 29, 2023 by
Losing a loved one is heart wrenching, and the last thing you want to do is complete a list of to-dos. The pain and loss alone are overwhelming enough. Taking the time to work through your grief is extremely important. Yet there are, unfortunately, a number of tasks that have to be taken care of at different intervals following the person’s passing.
January 4, 2023 by
Following the indulgence associated with the holiday season, many people choose to scale back on their calorie consumption. But when seniors refuse to eat altogether, or perhaps make unhealthy or unbalanced dietary choices, it is important to determine the cause associated with this behavior, and to recognize how to help them get on track with more nutritious eating. (more…)
July 13, 2022 by
In his documentary about grief, George Shelley uses an analogy of glitter. Toss a handful of glitter into the air, and it is going to settle into most of the crevices and cracks of the room, making it impossible to fully sweep up and remove. Anyone who has lost a loved one can relate. Yet, in certain instances, grief could be so overwhelming that it can lead to a serious and aptly-named condition: broken heart syndrome. (more…)
February 8, 2021 by
The fear and isolation as a result of COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the wellbeing of older adults, with nearly half of seniors surveyed in a Kaiser Family Foundation poll stating that their amount of stress and worry was adversely affecting their own health. Even though it still may be hazardous to visit in person with senior loved ones, it’s important to stay in regular and frequent contact, and also to look for any signs or changes that may signify a mental health concern, such as elderly depression.
December 17, 2020 by
In spite of its reputation for being a season of joy, for some seniors, the holidays are a time of profound sadness. Longing for holidays past, grief over the loss of loved ones, and aging-related changes to health can intensify during the holiday season, and it’s important to take steps to prevent the downward spiral into depression in older adults. (more…)