You’ve heard the adage “use it or lose it”. It’s particularly apt in describing what happens as we age. Typically we move less, lose muscle strength, and suffer the consequences of losing independence, have greater fall risk and other undesirable things. At the beginning of each year, people commonly make New Year’s resolutions to lose […]
Have you ever heard the term “undue influence”? Most people don’t really understand what it means. Is it just some weird legal thing? Or should you understand it? When it comes to seniors and financial abuse, the term becomes very important, because undue influence often leads to financial abuse. The legal concept of undue influence […]
We live in a time where myths take the place of facts. We read that senior moments are momentary, related to age, undifferentiated, humorous, not a part of our identity, and can be prevented by motivation to change. Guess what? None of it is true. In this article, you’ll learn the seven most toxic myths about senior moments–ones […]
Wendy – Hey, Boomer Who are your Aging Role Models? When I think about my grandparents, they always seemed old to me. They were certainly not “cool.” They dressed modestly, which is a nice way of saying, they dressed old. They were kind to me. We did spend quite a bit of time with my […]
We mistakenly believe there is a grief hierarchy, with the intensity of loss more legitimate for some events than others. The criteria are usually based on social norms. In this article, I explain that the intensity and duration of grief are related to the importance the lost person, pet, ability, or object had in our lives. Even more important, […]
Physicians routinely prescribe Donepezil (Aricept), Galantamine (Razadyne), and Rivastigmine (Exelon) for patients who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. But they often ignore the clout of activities such as walking, knitting, woodworking, and puzzles. In this article, I explain why many common activities have the potential of holding in check the ravages of Alzheimer’s […]
For years neurologists told us that once brain cells die, they can not be replaced. But guess what? They were wrong. In this article, I discuss the phenomenal implications of the latest findings on the brain’s ability to grow new neurons and establish new connections. You will also find 12 suggestions to guide you in […]
Sometimes our understanding of a topic is hindered by the myths told to us and those we tell ourselves. I found that to be the case with senior moments. In this article originally published in Babyboomers.com, I bust the eight myths about senior moments that have prevented their study then explain how information processing errors […]
American families are often scattered across the country. Kids grow up, find opportunities they like in other places and move away from home. The parents may stay put, happy to remain where they’ve lived most of their lives. Then aging happens. And with it, risks no one really thought about. At AgingParents.com, where we advise […]
Few things symbolize our independence like driving a car when and where we want to. For aging parents, there is nearly always an end to that independence at some point. But when do they reach that point? Often, aging parents’ gradual decline in ability can be hard to spot when adult children don’t live with […]
