When you continue to meet with old college friends, you can see how some things have changed as the years have passed.
For Sally Schierer, baking is no different than sewing a purse, by hand, from scrap material, growing a lemon tree from seed or stroking paint on a canvas. "I'm a creative person. I like to take something and make something else out of it," she says. "I do it all through the house, the garden and the yard."
At least Judy Groteler still has her pets — four dogs, six birds and a cat, to be exact. The 69-year-old widow says she needs them more than ever after someone disguised as a caregiver allegedly stole thousands of dollars from her while she was recovering from a broken neck. Bob Blancato, national coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition, expects more stories like this as the elderly population grows amid a bad economy.
An estimated one in 10 adults older than 60 are abused every year, according to the National Institute of Justice. The grim truth is most of the perpetrators are family or friends of the victim.
Q: My mother has Alzheimer's disease. She trusted everyone and now she is suspicious of the family by accusing us of stealing her belongings. She refuses to shower, is wearing the same clothes two days in a row, and does not believe that she is in her own home. My mother told me she is looking for her home. What can I do to help my mother?
John A. Merrill, 104, Shawnee, with 90 years in scouting to his credit, is believed to be the oldest continuously registered Boy Scouts of America volunteer in the nation.
Old age is not the time to take it easy, said Dr. Sherwin B. Nuland, a best-selling author on the subject of the effect of aging on the mind and body. Instead of decreasing physical activity in older age, “we should increase it, if at all possible,” said Nuland, a clinical professor of surgery at the Yale School of Medicine who was in Rockford on Monday as a featured speaker in SwedishAmerican Health System’s 15th annual Cardiology Millennium Conference.
In 2007, Dr. David Dosa wrote an essay for The New England Journal of Medicine about a cat at the Steere House nursing home in Providence, R.I., who apparently had the ability to sense when a patient was going to die. The media picked up the story and almost overnight, Oscar the cat became an international phenomenon.
Can you explain the role of a geriatric care manager and when I need to hire one? My mother is 90 years old and she is forgetful but managing at home. What services can a geriatric care manager provide to me?
This year, “2010,” is the year of the engaged older adult. The idea is to celebrate the contributions of older adults and expand civic engagement of all ages. As the baby boomer demographic becomes “older adults,” we have many people to learn from and many people to “engage” in community life.
Conrad Johnson got a lot of attention from the ladies Sunday. Then again, a birthday party for someone who's turning 106 doesn't happen every day. And his birthday isn’t until Tuesday, so he’s looking forward to some more.
Eating healthy can be difficult for people of every age, but it can be especially hard for seniors.
As we age, we need fewer calories in our diet but more nutrients, said Nancy Moran, a clinical dietician with Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill.
Supplements can help, but some vitamins can be toxic at certain levels, so checking with a doctor about proper dosage is always recommended.
Families gather for the holidays and sometimes find they see an elderly parent or grandparent in a new light. Time changes things and Mom or Dad may look more frail. Is there a nursing home in their future? How do you select one?
As you search within yourself for a New Year’s resolution this week, keep in mind that the secret to looking good and living a long and happy life may lie in surrounding yourself with loving relationships, pets and, perhaps, lathering on copious amounts of Oil of Olay.
My uncle does not want anyone to know about his finances and will not complete a health care proxy.
There’s something magical about revisiting a beloved childhood vacation spot.
“We like to say that Orlando is a ‘kid at heart’ destination,” says Susan Greer, associate vice president of publicity at the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Take a new look at Orlando and its must-experience baby boomer attractions.
“Listening Is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project”
By Dave Isay, $16.47
This compilation of stories marks the 10,000th interview by the StoryCorps Project, which documents and archives America’s oral history. Whether it’s a senior citizen remembering the good old days, a woman telling her story of surviving an airline crash in Iowa or a child reuniting with his birth mother, Isay has compiled touching tales.
"Boomeritis" -- aching joints, strained tendons and other maladies from overdoing sports or exercise -- is the No. 2 reason baby boomers will visit their doctor, according to a National Ambulatory Medical Care survey.
Dr. Wade McAlister, a Houston-based orthopedic surgeon and spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and Julie Ann McCarthy, a sports medicine physical therapist in San Francisco, offer advice on how to avoid injuries.
Stand out from the crowd this Christmas by creating your own holiday greeting cards — a better alternative to same-old, store-bought cards or the dreaded annual newsletter, and much more fun. Whether you want to go high-tech or classic, time-intensive or quick and easy, here are five ideas to get you started:
Create these holiday goodies and then share with others in celebration of the season.
