Thursday, April 29, 2010

Overcoming Depression for Caregivers of the Elderly from Troy, MO

Research from Yale University shows that nearly one-third of people caring for terminally ill loved ones suffer from depression, according to.

Caregivers often overlook their own needs while taking care of their loved one making them vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

12 Depression Busters for Caregivers gives the caregiver 12 tips to help protect them from anxiety and depression as they care for a loved one.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Preventing Heat Related Illness from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

Summer is almost here and every year we hear about older adults dying from heat related illnesses, these deaths can often be prevented. The elderly are often more prone to heat stroke and heat exhaustion than younger people. They often don't seem to feel the heat as we do, complaining of being cold when it's over 80 degrees. Medications and the inability to adapt to temperature changes can contribute to the problem. Many times they will turn the AC off or down thinking they are saving money at what could be a great risk to their health. this page from the CDC explains the risk and how to prevent it.

Heat Stress in the Elderly

Friday, April 23, 2010

In Case of Emergency from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Do you know what medications your mom takes? Or what the name of your dad's cardiologist is? It's a good idea to find these things out now before you need to know if there is an emergency. This article from the Mayo Clinic lists the things you may need to know.

Aging parents: During emergency, details count

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Drug Advertising and the Elders in Our Care in Troy, MO

Every time we turn on the TV we are inundated by advertising for different medications that are gong to cure all our ills and make our lives better. The elderly, already concerned about their health, are not immune.

The advertisements push the new (and expensive) drugs, using healthy, attractive looking people in their ads. They overlook the facts that for many of these medical conditions they are claiming to fix, there are are older tried and true (and less expensive) alternatives.

These adverisements are designed to manipulate the veiwer, that's what advertising does, they are after all just sales pitches.

It should be up to your loved ones doctor to decide what is best, not an overly-slick unrealistic commercial. Talk to your loved ones doctor about any concerns or problems with their current medications. If there are no problems, maybe it doesn't need fixing.

Friday, April 16, 2010

When Parents Misbehave from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

Caring for our parents is hard enough without them complicating it with bad behavior. Sometimes it's a continuation of behavior patterns they have always had. Sometimes it's a brand new behavior. Either way, the following article provides some insight and advice on why it happens and what to do about it.

How to handle an elderly parent's bad behavior