Senior Advocate

I recently attended a seminar held at Senior Concerns that posed an important question: Is it aging, or is it the medication? Andrea Simon, a hospital pharmacist, presented and  shared some of the medication-related issues she has encountered in her work over the years. Older adults visit the emergency room for medication-related problems more [...]

For my birthday last year, I was gifted a rechargeable battery-backup light bulb. This seemed like an unusual gift, but it is a lifesaver in a power outage. My friend who gave it to me shared that she has started giving gifts of useful and practical items she has found. She said this not [...]

Q: I turn 90 this year, and I am not sure how to approach my future anymore. I feel lost at sea. I am happy with everything I have done, and now I do not know what I should be doing with the time I have left. A: Celebrating a 90th birthday is a [...]

Recently, I was reminded of the power of art and creativity for our mental health. In the Senior Concerns Adult Day Program, we had an art therapist come to provide an activity. This activity found a way to connect our feelings with colors and shapes. It was such a beautiful way to see how [...]

My friend recently shared a frightening experience of something that happened while she was out for dinner. It served as an important reminder that while medical emergencies can happen to anyone, when you are caring for a loved one with chronic conditions, they are almost inevitable. Taking time to think through how you would [...]

Q: I have become overwhelmed by managing all the household expenses. How can I make this easier? A: I can remember my parents sitting at the kitchen table with a pile of receipts and arguing over money. It was a ritual they did every month. They would save every paper receipt and then cross-reference [...]

Q: My mother recently fainted, and we learned it was due to dehydration. How can we encourage her to drink more water? A: Older adults are at higher risk for dehydration because of several reasons. Yet with the summer heat, it is more important than ever to ensure we are all staying hydrated and [...]

I often find inspirational messages in unexpected places. If you are willing to pay attention, moments of wisdom have a way of finding us when we least expect them. Recently, I was watching a show called How I Met Your Mother when one of these messages jumped out at me.  One of the characters, [...]

Q:  My wife has dementia, and people keep telling me I should lie to her. That doesn't feel right. We've always been honest with each other, and I don't want to betray that now. Is it ever okay to tell a "little lie" to someone with dementia? A:  Many dementia care experts recommend using [...]

Q:  What is the Older Americans Act? A:  The Older Americans Act (OAA) is celebrating its 61st anniversary this month. It was signed into law in July of 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, thus becoming the first system in the United States to provide home and community-based services to older adults. Here in [...]