About 230,000 people with Alzheimer’s disease live in Illinois, and many will wander away at some point. But thanks to Silver Search, a collaborative statewide effort, not all who wander are lost. Some 400 people with dementia have gone missing in the state over the past five years, but 95% have been found through Silver […]
As our parents get older, it’s imperative we understand their end-of-life wishes. This involves some hard questions — and that’s okay. Just be sure to ask them in the right way. “Don’t expect them to just go along with what you are asking,” says Liz Birch, founder of Des Plaines-based Home Care Angels. “If you […]Read More
JoAnn King, a retired teacher and school librarian, couldn’t take ballet lessons as a child because her parents opposed them. Then, two years ago, the 82-year-old Evanston resident’s wish came true. She started taking a ballet class for older adults at the Levy Senior Center in Evanston (cityofevanston.org, 847-448-8250). Nichola Goss, 51, who has danced […]Read More
Next time you nap, you can rest easy. Because it turns out that if you snooze, you don’t lose. Taking a nap can positively affect cognitive function in older adults, according to a recent Chinese study in General Psychiatry of participants age 60 and up. Camelia Musleh, MD, a neurologist with NorthShore University HealthSystem, says […]Read More
Covid-19 vaccines have recently stolen the spotlight, but other vaccines are also important to keep older adults healthy. Consider these key immunizations, says June McKoy, MD, MPH, an internist and geriatrician at Northwestern Medicine. Influenza. This shot, refined annually, protects against the four flu strains expected to be most common each year and reduces the […]Read More
Urinary incontinence grows more common as we age, but finding the right incontinence supplies to keep older adults comfortable can involve plenty of trial and error. Northbrook resident Adam Greenberg watched his family members struggle to get the correct products, which inspired him to start his own incontinence supply company, NorthShore Care Supply. Greenberg recommends […]Read More
Some families live far from each other. Peter Zollo knew he was lucky to live 10 minutes from his late mother Lois’ care community in Northbrook. When Lois was alive, the Zollos visited daily and made sure she never ran out of toiletries or the Werther’s caramels and crossword puzzles she adored. Then the pandemic […]Read More
A new initiative at the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging aims to aid older adults and healthcare students through short films. Through the Schaalman Senior Voices Program, which launched last year, older adults share their personal journeys, perspectives on aging, and what’s essential to their care. The short films are showcased on Rush’s website […]Read More
Doctor’s appointments are short — typically about 15 minutes. Yet, there can be so much to discuss, especially for older adults. Preparation is key, says Jeffrey Linder, MD, MPH, a general internist and primary care clinician-investigator at Northwestern Medicine. Some tips to get the most out of your appointments: Write down your questions in advance. “It would be […]Read More
Nationally, more than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. As that number increases, so, too, does the number of people caring for them. A recent Alzheimer’s Association report paints a sobering picture of the disease’s toll A section of the report looked at race, ethnicity, and Alzheimer’s in America and found 36% of Black Americans, […]Read More