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 That has been replaced by fear of a diagnosis of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.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 […]
It seems that there is no end to what unscrupulous financial advisors will do to line their own pockets at others’ expense. One does not need to be elderly and frail to get taken advantage of by someone you trust for financial advice. This debacle happened to a working widow in her 60s with limited […]
For those in what we call “midlife”, somewhere between 45 and 65 years of age, there is a hidden crisis many face. It’s not suddenly wanting to re-make your life nor taking an abrupt turn in your relationship with your significant other. Rather, it’s the pressure of feeling obligated to take care of both aging […]
Healthy aging stories always inspire me, especially about older athletes. This one was a jaw-dropper, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s not new but stays in mind when I think about our ageist society and what stereotypes we have of elders. As reported by CNN and New York affiliate WHAM, a man broke into the […]
Nursing homes are regulated by the Federal government and in most instances, these regulations make sense in terms of safety. However, things go wrong in nursing homes on a regular basis and sometimes they go horribly wrong. For decades, nursing homes were allowed to handle claims against them for allegations of wrongdoing in complete secrecy from […]
Roger, 90 and Mark, 85 have been off and on friends for 50 years. Mark has no family of his own. Roger’s adult kids call him “Uncle Mark”, as he’s shown up for family events for decades. He once had plenty of money, or so it seemed. There was the apartment in Paris, the home […]
If you have a single aging parent who is lonely and wants companionship, should you encourage your parent to try online dating? It depends. Technology in nearly every aspect of life promises to make things better. Internet dating sites abound, with several targeted particularly to seniors, those “over 50” or “over 65”. But are they any […]
