Medication

Indoor image shows a white wall in eh background. An older man sits on the left. he's bald with gray wire-rimmed glasses, and wears an army green shirt. He's gazing at hi arm where is sleeve is roooled up and a woman is giving him a shot. The woman has short brown hair and is wearing a white medical coat.

Medicare Open Enrollment Starts October 15: Watch for Changes in Prescription Plans

Dear Readers: Get ready for the phone calls. I’m not referring to annoying political calls, but the Medicare Open Enrollment calls, mostly...

An indoor image shows a white-tiled kitchen in the background. The foreground, an older woman with chin-length salt and pepper hair and a pink sleeveless shirt, stirring something at the stove. She is wearing gray wire-rimmed glasses.

Caregiver Questions Reason for Lab Work When Mother Doesn’t Want Treatment

Dear Carol: I’ve been helping my 84-year-old mom with her medications and doctor appointments. She’s made it plain that she doesn’t want...

The image shows a mix of pills such as a red capsule, a larger gray capsule in the foreground, and a blurred orange pill bottle in the left corner

Could a New Medication Be the Cause of Mom’s Increased Falls?

Dear Carol: My mom’s had a lot of health problems in her life, so her prescription list is long. Yet, sure enough,...

A picture of Dr. Leslie Kernisan. Dr. Kernisan has curly dark hair and is wearing a black suit with a purple bead necklace and small drop earrings. She's smiling in a professional portrait.

Geriatrician Opens Support Group to New Members Year-Around

This is a unique caregiver opportunity that includes bi-monthly live phone sessions with a geriatrician where you can discuss your caregiving concerns,...

Older woman in a wheelchair wears a gray sweater. She has short, salt and pepper hair and has a appears happy. A younder woman, presumably her caregiver, is bending down to listen to the older woman. The caregiver has long brown hair, white skin, and has her hand on the wheelchair push handles.

How Involved Should Families Be When Elders Live in a Senior Living Facility?

Over the course of 15 years, five of my elderly loved ones lived, for various spans of time, in a nearby nursing...

Hospital room with a bed covered by a green light-weight blanket. A gray chair sits in one corner

Should Your Parent Risk an Anesthesia Disaster or Forego Surgery?

Note: This is an older article so the types of anesthesia have (in some cases) changed. That said, it’s clear that undergoing...

Shower with white subway tile and chrome and black fixtures. Two bottles of shampoo or conditioner are on built in shelf

What to Do When Older Adults Refuse to Bathe and Change Their Clothes

When it comes to caring for the elderly, hygiene issues are surprisingly common. Determining why their bathing habits have changed is the...

An orange prescription bottle tipped over on a black surface with light orange pills spilling out

Grandfather with Dementia Refuses His Medications

Dear Carol: My mom’s having a terrible time with my grandpa who has Alzheimer’s disease. He’s supposed to take a pill to...

How to Support a Friend Who Has a Chronic Illness

Living with a chronic illness, such as cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes or an immune disorder, can be...

Caring For Those in Chronic Pain: How Caregivers Cope

Traditional marriage vows generally contain the words “through sickness and in health.” For some couples, chronic sickness in the form of a...