Lengthen your life and brighten a day

If you’re happy about your decision to retire, but finding yourself doing a few two many Sudoku or crossword puzzles or feeling restless in spite of a daily exercise …

The speck that won’t go away

Not long after arriving at work one day, I noticed a small black speck in my eye. I always wore makeup to the office, so I hurried to the women’s …

Assisted living may be a safer and happier option.

Neighbors alerted our family when my grandmother, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, started letting her dog go out to urinate over and over again, seemingly forgetting …

What to do with what can’t be downsized

As parents and loved ones age, they may require more care that can be better provided by an assisted living or nursing home. If you’ve been on …

When it’s no longer safe for a senior to drive

At a certain point, an elderly parent must face the fact that it’s no longer safe to drive. Physical, mental or health limitations make it …

Simple techniques for finding joy in new connections

It probably comes as no surprise that people with friendships live longer than those without them. In fact, a 10-year Australian study showed that older people with a …

The importance of advance care planning

Radio personality Casey Kasem’s recent end-of-life drama has some people reaching for more than the stars—they’re also reaching for doctors and families to help them with advance care planning.

Tough discussions are easier when you’re prepared

One evening when I was volunteering as a caregiver at a hospice home, it was clear that an elderly man would not survive the night.

His wife, daughter …

Women face unique challenges in caring for a loved one with dementia

There were no authorities to be alerted when Patricia Negri disappeared, because her leaving was so gradual. During the first stage of Alzheimer’s disease, …