Communication-based healthcare apps stand to improve complex care coordination, which is especially important for older adults Consider all of the care providers involved in the typical person’s medical care: primary care physician, therapist, gynecologist or urologist, dentist, dermatologist….the list tends to increase with age. And the more people involved, the more easily things — appointments, […]
Finding connections through the fog of dementia It’s hard to watch a loved one deteriorate with dementia. It’s hard to watch them lose memories, lose their ability to communicate, lose functioning. But deep in their soul, they are still the same person they always were. It’s important to recognize those glimmers and make the best […]Read More
Enhancing quality of life for people with dementia Chicagoan Kris McCabe’s Instagram and TikTok accounts are peppered with sweet moments with her grandmother, Mary Padovani. Videos show the two singing a Patsy Cline song and sharing a hug as they swap, “I love yous.” In others, Padovani brushes McCabe’s hair, as she’s done for years. […]Read More
Tips to prevent a loved one from leaving home and losing their way Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease means always being vigilant. About 60% of people with the disease will wander at least once during their diagnosis, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Wandering is dangerous for people with Alzheimer’s disease because they may leave […]Read More
Transitioning to a memory care community may be challenging. Here’s how to make it easier Abigail Havens remembers the troubling updates from her mother’s friends. One afternoon, her mother had gotten lost driving to a restaurant where she’d eaten lunch regularly. On another day, her mother sounded confused when she called a local theater, where […]Read More
Keep these tips in mind to bring out their best 1. Remember who they are When working with families, Aishling Dalton Kelly, CEO of Aishling Care Academy and Aishling Companion Home Care, first finds out what the person’s lifelong preferences have been. What’s their favorite color, music, and food? Do they love to help around the […]Read More
Caring for my father shows the true importance of love As told to Lisa Fields Joliet resident Jennie Herrmann, 45, shares her experience taking care of her father, who had dementia. Here are her words, as told to Caregiving writer Lisa Fields. Herrmann’s father, Art Kries, passed away in April 2022, shortly after this interview, at […]Read More
Making music engages the brain and improves mood Nine residents at The Selfhelp Home, a senior living community in Edgewater, gathered in a circle one spring morning, holding frame drums. “I feel like singing,” said Doris, a Selfhelp resident, hitting her drum with a mallet. That was the group’s goal: for residents with dementia to […]Read More
Older adults are at risk when a caregiver fails to understand or meet their needs Colleen Morley trusted that her mom’s new husband was up for the task of caregiving. Not that Patty, who was in her early 70s, seemed in need of a caregiver. Patty had retired in 2011 and moved from the Chicago area […]Read More
When my grandmother, Mae, was 99 years old, I temporarily moved in with her. She was at the end of her life, and I was 62 years younger than her. I remember that time in colors, shapes, smells, tastes, sounds, and in the photographic frames of my dreams. Grandma Mae reinforced indelible lessons: Don’t throw […]Read More
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