When you are leaving a telephone message for a senior, remember to speak “slowly and distinctly” (those are actually words from my 88 year old mother’s answering machine). Those who have trouble hearing might need you to say your name and phone number slowly at the beginning of the message and then, after you have Read More
Applying for Medi-Cal or Medicaid Benefits for a Spouse or Aging Parents
It is true that couples don’t have to spend every last dollar in order to have the cost of skilled nursing covered by governmental benefits. Remember, Medicare does not cover the cost of custodial care in a skilled nursing facility. Medicare only covers short periods of time for rehab after surgery, an accident or other Read More
Children and Their Grandparents with Dementia
When a grandchild sees a grandparent losing the capacity to remember and they are less than 10 years of age, it is hard for them to understand what is happening to Grandma or Grandpa. Try to give the individual with dementia the pleasure of relationship with a younger family member – it just might be Read More
Attitude: Is Longevity Connected to How We Experience Life?
Those who live longer lives seem to have one thing in common – a great attitude and an acceptance to change and loss. Watching the ABC evening news one night recently, there was a lovely story of a Mrs. Matthews who was 100 years old and playing the piano. Yes, she was one of those Read More
Mother’s Day
What is Mother’s Day? Is it a day for Hallmark and the flower industry? Or perhaps it’s a single day we stop to say, “Hey Mom, I love you and appreciate what you have done for me.” A day when I acknowledge, “You were not perfect but you did the best you could, with the Read More
Parkinson’s Disease & Caregiving
Many individuals with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease do very well without much assistance and live full lives until the disease progresses. Others need help early after diagnosis and as the disease progresses they need 24/7 care, mostly given by family caregivers. There are other conditions that can look like Parkinson’s but are not – Read More