You visit Dad in the hospital, and he asks you why he’s in a flower garden. You’re trying to talk to Mom, but she can’t follow the flow of conversation. If your parent is over sixty-five, you may wonder if you’re seeing the onset of Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia. However, that’s unlikely. [Read More]
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is known as “the silent killer” for good reason. It has no symptoms, and is the leading cardiovascular cause of death worldwide. The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that nearly one-half of all adults in the US suffers from high blood pressure. This means more than 100 million [Read More]
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, implicated in one out of every four deaths annually. The main risk factors for heart disease are well-known: smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, and stress. But research has uncovered several other risk factors that might surprise you. Noise We [Read More]
Mom lives alone, 50 miles from you and your siblings. She’s close enough for you to get there whenever you need to, but far enough that none of you can keep tabs on her diabetes and arthritis as easily as you’d like. There’s good news for you — and all the other long-distance caregivers in [Read More]
A Johns Hopkins study suggests that dementia is an even greater problem than we realize. According to the researchers, a significant majority of seniors with dementia are undiagnosed — or are not aware that they have been diagnosed. The greatest risk factor for a senior being unaware of their diagnosis? Going to the doctor alone. [Read More]
If your hands tremble, you might immediately think of Parkinson’s disease, but there are many causes of shaking hands. In fact, most people have a tremor in their hands, though it may only be noticeable when they hold their arms straight out in front of them. Although tremors most commonly appear in hands, they also [Read More]
We all know that the flu is transmitted through contact with sneezes, coughs, and other germ-laden fluids. So the best way to avoid the flu (besides getting vaccinated) is to wash your hands regularly, especially after coming in contact with a sick person or anything they came in contact with. There’s just one problem. Recent [Read More]
More than 50% of people over the age of 65 in the United States have a disabling level of hearing loss, including approximately 25% of people between the ages of 65 and 74. Numerous studies have shown a direct link between hearing loss and increased risk of anxiety, depression, and dementia. Hearing loss has also [Read More]
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is the leading cause of hospitalization in seniors. Although CHF is a serious condition, its name makes it sound even worse than it is. In CHF, which is sometimes called Chronic Heart Failure, the heart has not failed completely, but it is weakened and cannot pump blood effectively. CHF is not [Read More]
It seems as though every day you read something new about the health properties of a specific food. The problem is that every day the advice changes. Caffeine: is it good for your heart or bad for your heart? What about dairy products? Another day, another opinion. In an effort to make sense of all [Read More]