While Medicare does not pay for long-term care, it will cover up to 100 days of care in a skilled nursing facility (SNF). There are, however, some fairly stringent and somewhat confusing qualifications patients must meet before Medicare will extend this benefit. Unfortunately, because there is some nuance to the…
The Older Americans Act (OAA) originally passed in 1965, the same year Medicare and Medicaid were added to the Social Security Act. It was a banner year for older Americans, establishing funding for needed medical care and social services. The OAA has evolved over its 50-year history, and each successive…
Can you hear me now? It’s an unkind stereotype—the aging person who is constantly saying, “Eh?” because they can’t hear what someone else is saying. While it might make for a funny bit on a TV show or in a movie, in real life, hearing loss is no joking matter.…
Many a well-intentioned family member has taken on the responsibility of caring for an aging parent only to realize that they’ve committed to more than they can handle on their own. And many more people will need to step into a caregiver role in the coming years. The U.S. Census…
Some people joke about hoarders, but those people haven’t lived with the pain, frustration, and very real physical dangers caused by this mental illness. While hoarding usually presents when a person is still a child, it is a disorder that—like dementia—becomes more prevalent and severe with age. It is an…
There is a compassionate and hard-working army of heroes working in our midst, and they are not being fairly compensated for the critical work that they do. We’re talking about home care workers. These people—mainly women, many of whom are immigrants—fill a vital role in helping care for our aging…
Aging isn’t easy, but we all have to do it. Contrary to the myth our culture tries to sell us, there is no escaping the march of time and the changes it brings to our bodies, minds, and lives. And these days, understanding how to age well is increasingly important…
All across the country, the pandemic numbers are trending steeply in the wrong direction. Epidemiologists have long warned of a difficult winter season, and we certainly seem to have arrived on the threshold of that prediction. Sadly, this rise in cases coincides with the winter holidays, traditionally a time for…
By Esther Corcoran Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of growing older, as many people seem to think. It is a disease that impairs memory and intellectual abilities to the point where their daily life is being affected. When people notice things in their daily life changing, there are 10…
“Downsizing” is one of those words that seems simple, but can be wrought with overwhelming and emotional baggage. While it’s easy to embrace the concept – a smaller space, fewer possessions – actually getting rid of stuff is often harder than expected. This shouldn’t really come as a surprise since…