Silver Planet™ Help Your Parents Age in Place.

As expected, this year’s 2011 Consumer Electronic Show was complete replete with pounding stereos and flashing TV screens.

 Attendees were treated to a particularly awe-inspiring multi-screen, stop-you-in-your-tracks LG display; the white light room with nothing but Audis in it; and that deep-plush Microsoft area -- hard to call it a booth -- with so many Kinect game-playing glassed compartments.

Perhaps you saw the recent article on The New York Times’ “New Old Age” blog about one family's encounter with the ballooning costs of assisted living.

The article pointed out that nationwide year-over-year costs for assisted living have risen 5.2 percent. It profiled one 72-year-old gentleman who needed a higher level of care than he had previously received, increasing his annual housing costs by 18 percent (an additional $12,000).

Warning: rant on!

The first boomers are about to turn senior: I thought that the excitement of the first boomers turning 65 in January would have waited a few weeks closer to January, but silly me. So one boomer will turn 65 every eight seconds starting in January.

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. You may want to consider the following options:

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.

Many older people have a long-term distrust of banks and often hide their valuables in the strangest places. If your parents are European immigrants, they have an even greater tendency to do this, and if either parent has dementia or Alzheimer’s, they likely have hidden things and forgotten about them.

Many seniors hide money and valuables that often go unnoticed in the liquidation of their estates. Here are the most common places where these valuables may be found:

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.

Falling among older adults—it's a problem. You would think that with all of the available information and technology, there would simply be fewer falls among older adults each year. But you would be an optimist. According to the CDC, each year 40% of seniors fall (up from 30% ten years ago). I was thinking about this during a few visits to assisted living communities this past week when the tour guide mentioned the personal, carefully designed "chair exercise" program.

A couple of weeks ago I talked a little bit about how to keep elders safe while inside the home. However, keeping them safe while away from the home is equally important. Whether they’re out running errands or shopping, either alone or with a companion, there are good guidelines that should be incorporated into their routine. These are also useful while traveling.