Health

Why Does My Elderly Loved One Sleep All Day?

As people age, they tend to sleep more lightly than when they were younger. Waking up during the night due to achy joints or...

This indoor image shows an open door in the background with a large plant barely in view. In the foreground is a young mane with dark hair and a beard and wearing a white short-sleeved shirt standing over an older man feeling his forehead. The older man is Black. He has gray hair and is lying in bed. We see his pajama-clad arm laying on top of the white sheet.

Breaking the News That a Loved One is Going on Hospice Care

When the paperwork was finally signed to get hospice care for my dad, I was grateful. There would now be a routine of care...

This indoor image shows a Native American woman in a gray turtleneck sweater. She faces us with an exasperated expression, hands held in front with open palms facing upward. Her hair is salt and pepper with tails of hair pulled over each shoulder.

How to Survive Caring for Multiple Elders at the Same Time

When Caregivers Are Pulled in Too Many Directions: Every caregiver is familiar with the constant nagging feeling that something or someone in their life...

Why Would Mom Choose to Smell Rather Than Use Incontinence Products?

Dear Carol: My mom is only 79 but she has a lot of health problems including lung disease requiring oxygen. She receives good health care through her...

This ndoor image shows a white door with a window blurred in the background. In the foreground, two women site together looking at a smart phone. The older woman has short graying hair, and is wearing a pink wrap around her neck over a blue shirt and jeans. she's holding her glasses in one hand as she points to something on the phone scree that is being held in front of her by a younger woman. The younger woman is on ghe right. She has long grown hair and is wearing a white summery sweater.

New to Caregiving: How Do I Keep from Going Under?

Dear Carol: My parents are in their 70s and had been mostly healthy. I don’t have to worry about financial and health legal documents because...

This images shows an older man sitting in a beige recliner type chair with a lamp on a table slightly behind. He has white hair and is wearing dark-rimmed glasses, a navy blue striped short-sleeved shirt and white pants. A brown spaniel sits on his lap as he holds the dogs head up toward the camera. the man has his head down as if kissing the top of the dog's head.

The Stigma of Incontinence Can Keep Older Adults Secluded Adding to Potential for Decline

Dear Carol: I’m worried about my husband. We’re both in our 70s and in relatively good health but he’s had surgery for prostate cancer...

This indoor images shows a younger woman on the left. She has long, light brown hair and iw wearing a pink sweater. She's pointing to something on a smartphone that's held by an older woman with white hair. The older woman wears alight blue top with white trim. Both woman have slight smiles and are communicating about what they see with pleasure.

An Older Adult Skips Bathing? Maybe there’s a Good Reason

A common complaint about older people, especially those who have health challenges, is that they “smell” or have other signs that they don’t shower...