If you are providing care for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease or a related condition, the title of this article will not surprise you. But many people are unaware of the challenges faced by families when a loved one develops memory loss. They should become aware, say experts, who point out that our aging population means more families…
It’s human nature to avoid thinking about the end of our own life—and yet, if we don’t, it’s much less likely that our final days will be spent in the way we would want to spend them. In addition, putting off these considerations until the last minute might mean that our families are left with agonizing decisions, and potential conflict…
She meant to go to sleep an hour ago … but when she finally turns off her tablet computer, chances are she’ll still feel wide awake. Sometimes when we’re busy and it seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day, we wonder about those eight or so hours that we’re sleeping. What a waste of time, we might…
March 12 – 18, 2018 Is World Salt Awareness Week The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently noted that only half of the 75 million adults in America who have hypertension (high blood pressure) have it under control. One reason, says the expert team, is that people with hypertension often fail to take the medications that could help…
Recent research from the University of Sydney in Australia found that lower back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is the second most common reason people visit their family doctor. It is a leading cause of early retirement and lower income among seniors. It can have a very negative effect on a person’s quality of life—and can…
Sticking close to home can actually harm the health and shorten the life of older adults. When you were a kid, if you holed up in your room all day, or parked in front of the TV for hours, Mom was likely to say, “Get off the couch and go outside for some fresh air!” Now that you’re a grown-up,…
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that five million people in America today are living with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. Many experts now believe that the percentage of people who will develop dementia is actually dipping slightly. However, because the population is aging, there will still be…
October is Depression Awareness Month. For last year’s event, the Hand in Hand e-newsletter took a look at ways to help older adults avoid depression, which can have a negative effect on their quality of life and even length of life. This year, in honor of both Depression Awareness Month and November’s National Family Caregiver Month, we take a look…
We all want to make a difference in the world, and to feel that our lives have meaning. Yet as we grow older, life changes can make us feel adrift, without goals or purpose. We retire from our jobs. Our children are grown, maybe moved away. Disabilities might reduce our ability to take part in meaningful activities. And it doesn’t…
Gout was once known as “the disease of kings.” The iconic sufferer was the gluttonous Henry VIII, often pictured holding an entire turkey leg in one hand and a tankard of wine in the other. Some people speculate that Old King Hal’s increasingly irascible temper was caused in part by gout, a form of arthritis long associated with overindulgence, which…
