Fear of Falling: New Frontiers in Senior Fall Prevention Falling and its many consequences are hardly new to the senior age group.  There are a host of reasons seniors fall, some of which can be mitigated, and there are several new technologies that may help make this phenomenon less damaging. Medicare and Medicaid certainly have...Read More

An Elephant in the Room: Seniors and Alcohol Consumption Happy Hour at an assisted living community tends to be lively, well-attended and a very welcome diversion from the day-to-day routine. In a building filled with adults who have less responsibility than they once did, and who rarely drive or leave the property, having a glass...Read More

The Only Child of an Only Child Nancy calls about once each year. She struggles to care for herself and her adult disabled son. John is 6’2 and weighs 220 pounds. Nancy is about 5’2” and in her 70s. The physical task of tending to his needs is very nearly beyond her capabilities. Nancy acknowledges...Read More

Used and Abused: The Many Faces of Financial Exploitation As Baby Boomers retire at a rate of 10,000 people per day and the proportion of seniors in the American populace grows at an incredible rate, there is concern that financial exploitation will increase, as well. Financial exploiters, after all, seem to find seniors an incredibly...Read More

The Senior Experience: What We Think It Is, What It Really Is and How We Can Make It Better Think of advanced age as a foreign country. If we’re lucky, we will all eventually live there.  Many of our clients and loved ones have moved there and had remarkably mixed experiences.  And yet we tend...Read More

Very Old and Very Healthy: The Characteristics and Habits that Seem to Drive Longevity People are living quite a bit longer than they used to, and both scientists and laypeople have taken an interest in identifying the key factors driving this trend.  Above and beyond improvements in medical treatment, it is widely believed that certain...Read More

Helping Seniors Accept In-Home Care What can you do when seniors refuse to accept the care they need? These tips empower you to understand their fears and help them take action to avoid resistance. Your elderly client has been caring for her husband with Alzheimer’s round the clock. She’s physically exhausted and emotionally drained. Yet...Read More

It’s a Sign: How Your Clients are Showing You They Need More Help Many of us have the good fortune of serving clients over a span of years.  We live through various life events with them and, in many cases, we ride the long wave of decline with them as they age, endure setbacks, stage...Read More

Informal Caregiving: The Real Costs, Risks and Considerations The role of “caregiver” can sneak up on us.  It’s not necessarily something we plan to do. But when a parent grows old and needful, a spouse has a sudden health setback, or a friend/neighbor is visibly struggling, it’s both easy and natural to offer support.  It...Read More

Looking For Friends In All The Wrong Places: The Fine Line Between Incompetence And Poor Judgment Eleanor proudly told us she lived alone, but that wasn’t entirely true. In the night, people came and went through the door she left unlocked. During the day, people also came and went, most of whom were on the...Read More