Growing old carries with it the fear of declining health and neurological diseases, and the one that tends to come up the most is Alzheimer’s disease. This is due partly to an increasing aging demography. Alzheimer’s is a difficult foe to discern. Its causes are still to be fully determined, though we have advanced in…
Specialized Care Management would like to let those know who may be interested that AARP Nevada and the Center for Healthy Aging will be celebrating Older American’s Month by offering guided nature hikes in May! If you are interested you must register for each hike. Details for each hike are listed below. Davis Creek Regional…
Historically, families in the United States cared for aging loved ones in their own homes until death took them. Individual families and neighbors also cared for family members with disabilities no matter the age. Towards the end of the 1800’s, increasing patterns of urbanization, 6-day work weeks, and long working hours for all family members…
Caregivers of aging family members often must deal with increasingly unusual, unruly, and embarrassing behavior from an aging family member or care recipient. These behaviors can range from the mild, like refusing to bathe, to personality changes, temper tantrums, and hallucinations. Sometimes, the acting out is an extension of the way the person has always…
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document created to grant another individual the authority to act on behalf of the person granting the POA. This authority may extend to legal, financial or medical decision-making. Any decisions made under a POA are binding. POA’s vary widely in scope. They may grant authority over certain…
Research shows that 68 percent of people age 65 and over are disabled, cognitively impaired, or frail enough to require eldercare. This includes not only medical care, comfort care, and supervision, but also assistance with such day-to-day activities as preparing meals, cleaning, shopping, transportation, paying bills, scheduling and getting to doctor appointments, and even answering…
Typically, parents of children with disabilities are forced to be extremely meticulous in regard to medical planning for their children. Between meeting with several different doctors, and any medication that has been prescribed, parents have to be on top of things, knowing exactly what their child needs in any situation. However, a new study has…
People in the autumn or winter years of their lives are often advised to put together an “Advance Directive” (AD) with the help of their doctors and attorneys. This documentation relates to specifics of their medical care, wishes, and acceptable interventions, should they become incapacitated. As people become more aware of the possible consequences of…
In the New York Times article, “This Was Not the Good Death We Were Promised,” Karen Brown talks about how she cared for her father who was dying from pancreatic cancer. While she was sad that there were things she could not promise him, she felt that she could as least promise him a painless…
Even the heartiest among us can feel a little beaten down by ferocious winter weather events. Frigid weather can come on quickly, with little warning, and can surprise us with unexpected severity or duration. For the more vulnerable of us, such as the elderly or disabled, this is particularly complicated. Not only can driving or…