The decision on whether to take an antibiotic medication has never been more important, especially for older adults. In fact, by being a careful health care consumer regarding antibiotics, you are not only helping yourself, but your community, country … Continue reading
Years ago, when Terry Fulmer was a nurse working in a hospital, she often had the same thought as she discharged an elderly patient: “I wished I could call a public health representative and say ‘I’m sending this person home – they will not do well. Ca… Continue reading
Everyone will die, some sooner than others. It is a natural, normal and universal part of life. Yet, most people have little experience with the dying process or know what to expect when a person is dying. During this period, it can feel like you are w… Continue reading
Eating nuts provides an easy — and tasty — way to add more protein, fiber and healthy fat to your diet. And nut consumption is associated with a number of health benefits as long as you eat them in a healthy way. “Nuts are an important part of diets f… Continue reading
(This article appeared previously in Kaiser Health News.) A widely anticipated study has concluded that neither vitamin D nor fish oil supplements prevent cancer or serious heart-related problems in healthy older people, according to research presented… Continue reading
If you think cataracts are an eye ailment only afflicting people 70 or older, think again. More younger patients are getting cataracts and having cataract surgery than ever, according to Dr. Ming Wang, an ophthalmologist in Nashville. Linda Bowman, 54,… Continue reading
When a friend or family member is knee-deep in caring for a loved one, a common gesture is to drop off a casserole, or remind him or her to “let me know what you need.” But as genuine as your intentions may be, they may not be the best ways to ease the… Continue reading
About a year and a half ago, my wife, Jules, called me at work to say she needed me to take her to an urgent care clinic. She was recovering from a cold and some minor sinus congestion and was feeling off-balance when she walked. We wondered if that co… Continue reading
The older I get, the more I realize I’m turning into my mother. She’s 75 to my 52, but we have more and more in common. We talk the same. We laugh the same. We tend to like the same books and the same movies. And of late, we have one more thing in comm… Continue reading
(This article appeared previously in Kaiser Health News.) CHICO, Calif. — After barely getting out of Paradise alive before the Camp Fire turned her town to ash, Patty Saunders, 89, now spends her days and nights in a reclining chair inside the shelter… Continue reading