Last week, in the Seattle area, we had snow, unusual for Western Washington. Fortunately, the power didn’t go out so we got by with little trouble. While I was dealing with weather issues, here’s what my blogger friends were writing about: Exercise that isn’t agonizing We know we need to exercise to stay healthy and […]
You may see some public notices from governments, nonprofit agencies and consumer organizations warning about increased scammer activity lately. There is a lot of focus on internet and phone scams — everything from fake threats to pay money or fake enticements to get a “deal” on something. People are shopping online and scammers are looking […]
The start line of the annual race in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, was crowded. A rain delay had participants just waiting. I looked over at a woman next to me, and said “hello”. She was friendly and we had a conversation. When the announcer asked who was celebrating a birthday, we both raised our […]
Until this week, I hadn’t heard about a potential safety problem with electric bicycles or “e-bikes.” An article in The Washington Post, “A Child’s Death Prompts Questions About Brake Safety on E-bikes,” caught my attention. A lawsuit filed against Rad Power Bikes by the parents of a 12-year-old girl who was killed in 2021 in […]
The best reason to set up a power of attorney for yourself or an elderly family member is to avoid a far more contentious and expensive alternative later: guardianship. Jonathan Williams A power of attorney becomes urgent if an elderly family member is showing early signs of dementia. “You want to run, not walk, to […]
As most people at retirement age are looking at a few chronic health conditions, it isn’t surprising that most are taking medications. According to astonishing 87-year-old Ann Kahl, a fitness guru in Florida, we’re using these drugs to do what we ought to be doing ourselves in many cases, just by being more active. Ms. […]
The law in any state allows a person with assets to do whatever they want with them in a will or trust. Many adult children, however, believe that they are entitled to inherit their aging parent’s wealth. This sense of entitlement can cause ugly fights after the elder passes, particularly when the family members who […]
People used to fear a diagnosis of cancer above all. That has been replaced by fear of a diagnosis of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Most people know someone who has it or did in the past. There is good reason to be afraid. It’s a difficult, expensive and sometimes very long journey with this disease. […]
This is shocking, but it actually happened. I describe a real case, with names changed. The man involved was what we call an “elder orphan”. These are the ones with no kids, never married, or widowed and they do not have anyone paying much attention to them as they age. They are vulnerable to predators. […]
As people age, sometimes they are more willing to overlook what needs fixing at home. Maybe it feels like too much to vet contractors, or get bids. One gentleman in his 80’s comments at AgingParents.com, “I’ll just let my kids take care of it. I’ll probably be gone in five years”. Is that fair? We […]
