Opioid Addictions and The Elderly

A person with Alzheimer’s can easily lose hope. As the illness progresses, they lose their ability to make decisions for themselves. This opens up the need to both give up control and put a lot of trust in others. While there is no questioning the daunting nature of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, there are steps that Read More

Difficult conversations lie ahead when you or a loved one are faced with a terminal or life-threatening illness. Having conversations about your final wishes, how you want to manage any continued treatment and where you want to spend the time you have left can feel like “giving up”. However, sharing your thoughts and feelings with Read More

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. It impacts a person’s movement, balance, flexibility and ability to live independently. The disease progresses over time. While in and of itself, experts do not consider the disease to be deadly, as people progress through it, their risk of experiencing symptoms including falls or aspiration increases. This often leads Read More

A recently published study in the medical journal Neurology suggests that the changes noted in the blood vessels in our eyes at age 60 are indicative of future memory loss. This study is important for a couple of reasons. It helps us to understand the importance of regular eye exams for senior citizens. It also Read More

Many people view the senior years of life as a time when it is too late to make improvements in physical or mental health. This is far from true. In fact, the brain retains a certain level of “plasticity” at every age. Cognitive growth and learning new skills are always possibilities. The way to accomplish Read More

According to the AARP, a study conducted by the National Institute on Aging indicated that an estimated 17-percent of adults over the age of 65 live alone. This means millions of people are at risk of social isolation. The statistic is especially true for males in larger cities like Los Angeles. In addition to the Read More

Shingles is a very common skin disease especially for adults over the age of 50. It impacts both men and women and is caused by the varicella zoster virus. The varicella virus remains dormant in the body of anyone who has had chickenpox and many people who have had the chickenpox vaccination. When it becomes Read More

We all experience some memory slips from time to time. Forgetting a name, address or friend’s favorite dish is normal, but when these memory slips impact day-to-day life, they pose a concern. Forgetfulness that is increasingly common or comes on quickly is a reason to see a doctor. The cause might be some form of Read More

Fueling the body at least every four to five hours is a great way to regulate blood sugar, keep energy levels up and better manage diabetes. Doing this relying on only three meals a day simply is not possible. That is where snacking comes in. Healthy snacking means making wise choices. Examples include minimizing sugary Read More

Alzheimer’s disease impacted nearly 5.4 million seniors in 2016. This disease not only takes a toll on their mental and physical health, but it is often responsible for lost independence. Families are also impacted when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Many family caregivers are forced to leave their jobs, reduce their income or Read More

Most caregivers are not able to detect the early warnings of dehydration in senior people. This is because the elderly people don’t get thirsty as often as other adults, and thirst is an early sign of mild dehydration. The water levels in the body decrease as a person ages. Professionals have discovered that the water Read More

The needs of seniors are different than when they were younger. Many seniors don’t drive for a number of reasons. They must get to where they need to go by walking or by using some form of public transportation. Most seniors also have friends and family willing to help them get around. It’s possible many Read More