Extreme cold and heat put seniors’ lives at risk. Know which thermostat settings are safe for older adults — and why. Temperature regulation is a serious health concern for older adults, especially when the facilities they live in don’t enable them to control their own thermostats. This proved lethal for three individuals in May 2022 […]Read More
Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition gives caregivers a voice, connects them with resources Balancing a career with caregiving put Amy Brennan in a precarious position. In 2016, the Chicago resident took five months off work with partial pay, through the Family Medical Leave Act. Her mother was in the final stages of cancer, and Brennan needed […]Read More
What did our readers want to read about in 2022? It was a mixed bag! Our top 10 stories range from powerful supplements to cultural care, aging’s anxieties to head injuries. People had a lot of questions about aging and caregiving — and we were here for them. Thank you to all of the caregivers, […]Read More
Keep your loved ones with dementia safe through this holiday’s winter storms. While the snow, wind, and colder temps coming this week are a major inconvenience for most of us, for individuals with dementia, they can be life-threatening. The fact that the winter storm’s arrival coincides with the holidays is creating a quandary for families […]Read More
More than 550,000 veterans live in Illinois, according to the most recent numbers from the U.S. Census. That’s a lot of people who could benefit from programs specifically for veterans. Yet, many are unaware of the available benefits, says Jay Latona, chief of the Specially Adapted Housing program for the Veterans Benefits Administration. The Department of […]Read More
Reconnecting with self and others through art The C wing of Westminster Place, an assisted living community in Evanston, used to be a sleepy corridor with dull, mass-produced artwork. Framed prints of stale subjects broke up the walls’ neutral tones — but barely. The scene changed eight years ago, when Gordon Guth, 88, a retired industrial […]Read More
While degrees add a level of formality to studies, not all students have the time or desire to pursue a degree in their later years. Some want to experience a variety of classes at their leisure. Huntley resident Patricia Sukel, 77, took organ lessons from age 11 to 17. Four decades later, she started lessons […]Read More
Many LGBTQIA+ seniors face challenges with healthcare, housing, and other necessities Before she moved, Carolyn Davis, 65, remembers thinking about nursing homes, knowing she wouldn’t want to live in one. She feared she wouldn’t be able to exist there as her true self. “If I had to go to a nursing home, I would have to go […]Read More
Finding humor in tough times eases the pain The old maxim “laughter is the best medicine” may not be far off track. Research shows that giggles and guffaws come with physical benefits. In fact, specialized therapies designed to induce laughter can reduce stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to one large-scale review of […]Read More
Older adults navigate travel with mobility issues Call her a globetrotter extraordinaire. Sarah Campbell, an 84-year-old Chicago resident, has been on 100 international trips and counting. And despite her newest travel companion — a cane, which she started using last year due to back problems — Campbell isn’t slowing down. “I’m having to pick and […]Read More
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