Joan, an 81-year-old resident of the Chicago suburbs, recently fell into the “donut hole.” That’s the name for a Medicare coverage gap that requires people to pay more for their medications after the individual and their drug plan have spent a certain amount — $4,130 in 2021 — for covered drugs. While in the donut hole, individuals temporarily pay […]
Michael Grecco is currently at the end of his rope. Not only is he, along with the rest of the world, dealing with the continued uneasiness of the pandemic, but for more than 15 years, he has had the responsibility of taking care of his now-81-year-old mother. A proud woman at her core, Grecco’s mother […]Read More
In a purr-fect pairing, pets bring love and companionship to older adults When her Arlington Heights retirement community locked down due to the pandemic, 83-year-old Virginia Maas dearly missed visits with her family and chatting over meals with other residents. During those long months when she was isolated in her apartment, however, she cherished her bond […]Read More
Specialists help seniors address mental health issues and find treatment While many older adults experience depression, it is not a typical part of aging. Some seniors may battle feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, but that struggle shouldn’t be accepted as just something that happens as we get older. However, due to the stigma that surrounds […]Read More
As gardens grow, so do older adults and their communities Every year, without fail, new growth emerges from the soil. When sprouts rise from gardens in spring and blossom into full-out glory in summer, it’s nothing short of magical. Even in the concrete confines of the city or in the midst of suburban sprawl, individual […]Read More
When people think about dementia, they typically think of memory loss. Yet, people with dementia may also experience a decline in all senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. And despite a loss of touch, specific massage techniques can reach people with dementia in the most touching of ways. The decline in the sense of […]Read More
When Dennis Risen, 71, was in his early 30s, he noticed he was having difficulty following conversations with friends in group settings. “If the speaker changed from one (person) to the next, I was always behind because I was using a little lip reading to listen to them. It was affecting me socially, and I […]Read More
Taking care of an older adult can be exhausting for family caregivers, who learn as they go from one precarious situation to the next. If you’re not prepared for the challenge, every mishap can feel like a one-two punch. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you feel like you could benefit from […]Read More
On the day Bernadine Walsh turned 50 years old, the spitfire with the sassy sense of humor joined a dance troupe. For her 60th birthday, she bought herself a bike. At 70, she started taking piano lessons. When she turned 80, she threw herself a Roaring ’20s birthday party. Walsh ended up having so much […]Read More
Chicago Health is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. The opinions expressed in this op-ed article are the author’s own. My husband was diagnosed out of the blue with stage 4 lung cancer. We never saw it coming; he was a non-smoker and health nut. Plus, he had no alarming symptoms, just some back […]Read More
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