Pay Close Attention to Symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral Artery Disease, or "PAD", is a condition that often goes undiagnosed by healthcare professionals and can lead to a heart attack or stroke, or an amputation. With peripheral artery disease, the peripheral arteries (blood vessels outside the heart) may...

Continue reading →

How to Prevent Dehydration

What steps can be taken to prevent dehydration? Obviously, fluid intake is the key. Elders need visual and verbal reminders to drink fluids such as water, juice, or sodas. Families and caregivers need to be cognizant about risks...

Continue reading →

Dehydration and Health Issues for Seniors

My elderly mother seems to rarely consume water or liquids. She keeps her home at what I consider a very warm temperature. She constantly awakes in the morning with her bed clothing soaked in perspiration. Doesn't this...

Continue reading →

Elders Prone to Dehydration

Dehydration increases with age -- which is a simple way of noting that our elders are more prone to dehydration than other age groups. During the hot summer months, our community elders and family loved ones need a little extra...

Continue reading →

Memory Performance and Aging

Let’s face it – as we get older, our memory does not seem quite as sharp as in years past. While we may not remember where the car keys are, or the name of the actor in the 1974...

Continue reading →

Preventative Screening for Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer usually starts with polyps in the colon or rectum, abnormal but benign growths that if left untreated can turn into cancer. A painless test called a colonoscopy, performed under sedation, can help find and remove the polyps....

Continue reading →

Screenings are Best Way to Prevent Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum) is the second leading cancer killer among men and women in the U.S. (after lung cancer). More than 140,000 new cases of colon and rectal cancer were diagnosed in 2010...

Continue reading →

Care Staff Helps “Follow Doctor’s Orders”

"Following the doctor's orders" -- can greatly reduce total healthcare use and costs. But I know my parents are not good about this. When in consultation with their primary care physician, they acknowledge understanding the conversation. They...

Continue reading →

Caregivers are Crucial for Aging Seniors

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2030, nearly 20% of the U.S. population will be age 65 or older -- based on 10,000-plus baby boomers now turning 65 every day. The Institute of Medicine reports that more than...

Continue reading →

Nursing Home Care Cited as Deficient

In today's news, I came across an article discussing a recent study of the nation's nursing homes. This was a state-by-state study. Although we must allow for differences in survey protocol and data collection, there were some...

Continue reading →