Depression in the elderly leads to poorer health, slower recovery and increased death rates from other illnesses, increased suicides, more physical pain, higher health care costs and lower quality of life. Convincing an elder to seek treatment for depression can be tricky but it can improve their quality of life. Suicide Rates in the Elderly …
When a family member falls ill, the caregiver (whether it is the well spouse, adult child, or parent) goes into crisis mode. Here’s how to recognize it: constantly suppressing or distracting oneself from negative feelings in order to cope with caregiving, or panicking and becoming non-functional, leaving the work to someone else; automatically and continually …
Talking with a terminally ill loved one about death can prevent feelings of regret that arise when important things get left unsaid. Hospice worker Margaret Bromberg, LCSW, recently offered tips to people caring for a chronically ill family members in Long Island, New York, about how to talk about death with the dying. How to …
In my work with people who have terminally ill family members, I have listened to many stories about the last moments of life. In addition, hospice workers have come and shared with my clients and me information about the end of life that most of us our sheltered from. All this has helped me become …
The philosophy of hospice is that dying is “an integral part of the life cycle.” Hospice workers allow the process of death to take its course without hastening or prolonging it. They focus on “promoting a peaceful and comfortable death. through pain relief, comfort and enhanced quality of life.” National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Where …
If you are caring for a chronically ill family member at home you might feel like you need more help but then hesitate to call a home care agency because of a mistaken belief that you have to know exactly what you need before calling. However, part of the service these agencies provide is to …
What to Expect When You Call a Home Health Care Agency Read More »
When patients are cared for at home, changes in their condition and their need for increasing degrees of care over time will sometimes lead to the need for a nursing home. Whether or not a family caregiver can manage the patient at home is often determined by the patient’s ability to carry out the regular …
Dementia is an acquired and often progressive cognitive decline. According to a 2008 talk by New York neurologist, Dr. Norman Pflaster, at least three areas of functioning are affected including memory, language, visual/spacial skills, ability to perform previously learned acts, right-left discrimination, judgment abstraction, and thought content. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s …
Sometimes a family member/caregiver does not know what to expect from day-to-day or minute to minute when managing a loved one with dementia. Here are some tips for handling delusions and the dementia patient from a recent talk by New York neurologist Dr. Norman Pflaster. What are Delusions? People with dementia may suffer from delusions, …
Tips for Handling Delusions and Dementia: Advice from Neurologist Dr. Norman Pflaster Read More »
