Keep Them Active

Make sure those you care for are moving and connecting with others.

Wheelchair Safety

A little common sense will help protect your elder

A few years ago, I had a fresh-faced batch of geriatric care management students in my program. For their first training mission they had to spend an entire day in a wheelchair and try to get around town as if it were a regular day. They had to get to my class, make a phone call from a pay phone, get in and out of an elevator, use a public restroom, drink from a water fountain, eat at a restaurant, shop in a convenience store, and so forth. Boy did that mission awaken them to the realities of a wheelchair-bound life. I suggest that if you are working with an elder in a wheelchair, you try to do the same so you have a real understanding of what your elder endures.

Tips for Traveling with the Elderly

Planning is the key to a great trip

Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner. Millions of people will be traveling to share this special time with loved ones. Travel can still be an exciting experience for elders, but it takes a great deal of organization. Complications you would never think of can arise. Something as simple as jet lag could pose a major problem since it takes many elderly people twice as long to recover from it.

Work Options for Caregivers

Six ways to be both a caregiver and a valued employee

Today's business world is full of working singles, working couples, working parents, and now, working caregivers. These working caregivers are often dealing with a dramatic change in personal circumstances, as senior relatives who were once independent now need attention. Caregiving takes time and energy, so it’s important to be flexible so you can meet all of your commitments while you remain employed.

Preparing Your Elder for Rain or Shine

Take protective measures before going outside

Your Parents Need Protection!

Stand between your parents and con artists

Occasional news stories sadden and disturb me, as elderly, well-meaning people continue to fall victim to clever scams and schemes. About a year ago, I gave my blog readers the following suggestions about protecting our parents and other elderly relatives. Please review these suggestions, and pass this information along to others, so together we can protect our elderly family and friends.

Understanding Hospice Care

Hospice also supports family members

Clients often ask me to explain what hospice care is, as well as when it can be implemented. Hospice is a specialized program of palliative care for patients and/or residents who have less than six months to live. This period can vary from state to state.

Hiring a Geriatric Care Manager

Figure out what you can do and what you can delegate to others

When faced with caregiving, many of you will decide that you just can’t manage this process alone. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to—you just have to do all you can in the time allotted. It’s easy to become overwhelmed, but your elder’s final days depend on your focused attention and energy.

Bathroom Safety

Put yourself in your elder’s shoes

Preventing falls in the home is a major area of concern for the elderly. The room where falls are most likely to occur is the bathroom. This is mostly due to the potentially dangerous combination of water and smooth surfaces. Luckily, with a few changes, you can help make the bathroom in your elder’s home a safer place.

Universal Design

Building awareness

With life expectancy on the rise, the need to make homes and facilities safer and more accessible for the aging population is a more crucial issue than ever before. One cutting-edge movement—universal design—is poised to alter the landscape of community interior and exterior architecture as we know it and will set us on a track to soften the impact of the geriatric tsunami headed our way.