The month of July is traditionally a time in Central Ohio when family plans involve picnics and parties in the great outdoors. If your summer fun includes a senior loved one, planning heart smart menus is important. Many picnic and party foods are high in fat, salt, and sodium. All three are known to contribute… Read more »
We hear it a lot—“what’s the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?” The confusion is natural. If you don’t have any experience with either program, it’s easy to get the two mixed up. To help clear things up, let’s go over the basics of Medicare and Medicaid, who’s eligible for each program, examples of what each… Read more »
Dear Kimberly: My mother has always been so kind and considerate of everyone’s feelings. She was someone that everyone loved being around until the past year or so. She’s become very difficult and, as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes, she is downright mean. There is just no reasoning with her when she… Read more »
Dear John: My parents have both had fairly serious health problems the last few months. Until then both of them were active and independent. To be honest, we never really discussed how we would handle legal decisions and what their wishes for the future might be. My brother and I thought, since our parents were… Read more »
If a central Ohio senior you love has Alzheimer’s disease, helping to provide care and support for them can present more than a few unique challenges. Because of the physical damage the disease causes to the brain, everything from judgment to speech can be impacted. For adult children and caregivers, figuring out how to manage… Read more »
Dear Joe: I will be visiting my mom who lives in Columbus later this month. One of my goals for the trip is to help her with spring cleaning and de-cluttering. Since my father passed away a few years ago, Mom has become something of a hoarder. She just won’t get rid of anything! My… Read more »
Dear Regina: I went home to visit my mother in the Columbus area over the holidays. It was my first in-person visit with her since last spring. Besides losing weight, she seemed a little disorganized and nervous during my stay. I’m not sure if this is just normal aging or signs that she needs help… Read more »
A person who has dementia may have difficulty finding the right words; they may repeat certain sounds, words, and phrases, seem confused, and be unable to adequately express themselves. This frustrating condition causes people to feel helpless, anxious, irritable, and depressed – a very difficult state to witness, especially when it attacks a person who… Read more »
Dear Tracy: It looks like my grandfather will soon need skilled nursing. Our family has tried to help my grandmother keep him safe at home for as long as we can, but it’s becoming too dangerous for her to manage. He falls a lot and she is simply not able to help him get back… Read more »
Dear Tess, My sister, who lives in the Columbus area, usually helps out Mom and Dad, because my husband and I live out of state. Although we try to visit during holidays, my sister is the one who takes care of my parents on a regular basis. When we visited at Thanksgiving, I was appalled… Read more »