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 […]
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
In a pandemic plus, older adults pivoted to virtual fitness classes to stay in shape The pandemic hit older Americans hard, but it also prodded many to jump on the technology bandwagon — including virtual fitness classes. Tech use among older adults has soared over the past two years, across a wide variety of devices […]Read More
Why we shrink as we age, and how to preserve height In our youth, our height gradually increases, reaching our maximum peak around age 20. Afterward, our body’s bone density reduces over time, and we may begin to shrink. Men’s height shrinks by about an inch between the ages of 30 to 70, while women’s […]Read More
9 tips to keep your loved one eating well with dementia When you think about side effects of dementia, eating probably isn’t one of the first issues to come to mind. But for a disease that impacts every area of a person’s life, mealtime definitely takes a hit. Over time, dementia may cause changes in […]Read More
Older adults navigate pandemic restrictions, balancing safety with socialization When Illinois officials lifted pandemic mask mandates in February, Linda Balla, who is fully vaccinated, gave considerable thought as to whether to wear a mask. At 72, she is in a high-risk age group for complications from Covid-19. Ever since Covid-19 restrictions loosened — and now […]Read More
In January, actor and comedian Bob Saget, 65, died from accidental blunt head trauma, according to the final report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. He likely hit his head on a surface in his hotel room and passed away in his sleep, according to a statement from his family. Saget’s tragic death grabbed headlines. […]Read More
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