Greg O’Brien and his family (source: onpluto.org) Fifty-nine year old Greg O’Brien lives a healthy and happy life. He exercises every day, makes a good living, and spends lots of quality time with his wife and three children. Five years ago, Greg started to notice changes in himself. He was forgetting things, and his judgment sometimes seemed impaired. Meanwhile, his own mother was dying of Alzheimer’s disease. Greg […]
Halloween Tips for When a Loved One has Dementia
Dear Commander Bun Bun, My mother has dementia and recently moved into our home. Before she was diagnosed, she loved Halloween, especially all the decorations, seeing the grandchildren dressed up in costumes, and eating the chocolate. This year, I am concerned about the stress that the doorbell ringing, the costumes, and the decorations may cause […]
Straying from Loved Ones
Q. This past summer, I went to Burke Lake Park with a friend, Mary, who has a child with autism. While purchasing a ticket for the carousel for another child, Mary’s son wandered off. After searching for a bit, and involving the park authorities and the police, he was found near the train tracks (and […]
Are they Senior Moments or is it Dementia?
Can you remember the great meal you had last weekend, but can’t remember the name of the restaurant? Have you ever frantically called your cell phone in an effort to find it, only to realize it was in your pocket the whole time, or looked for your glasses when they were sitting atop your head? […]
Secrets of Centenarians
Q. The other day, I was reading about Susannah Mushatt Jones, who turned 116 last month in New York. She was born in 1899 and retired in 1965. She never smoked or drank, and says lots of sleep is the secret to her longevity. I am in my 80’s and still have lots of energy […]
A “Guardian Angel” When One is Needed Most
Marjorie never felt alone at her nursing home. Although her husband died last year, and her children couldn’t be there a lot of the time to visit her, she seemed content. Her ability to speak clearly and her memory were diminishing and most people couldn’t understand what she wanted or needed, but somehow she always […]
Ask the Expert: Can Banks Refuse to Accept a Power of Attorney?
Q. My cousin’s parents executed a Power of Attorney naming her and her sister as co-agents. My aunt is now deceased. My uncle, who has dementia, is owner of an investment portfolio with monthly dividends being automatically reinvested. My cousins wish to have the dividends placed into my uncle’s checking account so that they may […]
When Loved Ones Aren’t Permitted to Visit
Peter Falk and his daughter, Catherine. (from dalje.com) Jane and Maria are sisters who haven’t spoken in ten years due to a disagreement over their mother’s care. Jane was a caregiver for her mother, Millie, and served as her guardian and had Power of Attorney until she passed away. Maria lived in another state and […]
Why Do Women Get Alzheimer’s More than Men?
Dear Angel, I read that women get Alzheimer’s more often than men. Do you know of any scientific reasons why this happens? Thanks in advance, Alice Heimersen-Wemmen —- Dear Alice, Among people who are 71 and older, an estimated 16 percent of women have Alzheimer’s and other dementias, compared with 11 percent of men, according […]
Highlights from the White House Conference on Aging
Photo from Whitehouse.gov This past Monday, on the cusp of the 50th anniversary of the creation of Medicare and Medicaid and the 80th anniversary of Social Security, the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging was held. During the conference, 200 advocates, health care workers, and government officials discussed caring for seniors, addressing topics such as […]
Celebrating July 4th With a Loved One Who Has Dementia
Dear Commander Bun Bun, Every year, our neighborhood has a big July 4th celebration, with a fireworks display and a picnic. This year, my mother moved into our home and she has dementia. Do you have any recommendations for celebrating the 4th with someone with dementia? Thanks! Indy Pendens-Daye — Dear Indy, The July 4th […]
Alzheimer’s Caregivers Need to See This
Alzheimer’s Disease is an illness that causes people to lose the ability to remember, think, and use good judgment. Over time, as the disease worsens, those affected will have trouble with self-care and will need caregiving assistance; for those aging in place, a family caregiver is often involved. Family caregivers typically experience mixed emotions. Sometimes, […]
How to Make Your Own Bucket List
Michael Ellenbogen skydiving (from YouTube) After more than a decade of having symptoms, Michael Ellenbogen was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 49. He is one of an estimated 1.4 million people worldwide who have been diagnosed before 65. After receiving the diagnosis, he decided not to let it get him down. Instead, he felt empowered […]
Want to lower your risk for Alzheimer’s? Babysit your grandkids!
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I take care of my 3 year old grandson, Jake, every day, and boy does he keep me moving. I read somewhere that spending time with grandchildren can help stave off Alzheimer’s. Have you heard anything about this? B.Z. Nanna —– Dear B.Z., Grandchildren keep seniors joyful and active. And you […]
Appliances That Speak to Each Other, and Other Incredible Aging-in-Place Technology
Robear Robot When Carol’s mother, Eleanor, had a stroke a few years back, she and her husband moved in with her. Eleanor was not very steady on her feet, and surfed the furniture to get around. Carol and her husband were always worried about her falling, especially in the bathroom. They became reluctant to leave her alone so, like Eleanor, they too became housebound. Carol and her […]
PBS Releases “Caring for Mom and Dad” Documentary
Graphic from pbs.org. Chris Olson was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and her husband, Brent, has prostate cancer. They lived alone, 300 miles away from their nearest daughter, and needed assistance. Their daughter, Breanna, who was beginning a promising political career, and her sister Shanna, a working mother of two, decided to put their careers on […]
Protecting My Mother from Scams
Dear Angel, I recently visited my 80-year old mother, who is in the early stages of dementia. I noticed boxes of items that were mailed to her, including tons of magazines about body building and deep sea fishing (both of which don’t interest her), and a pile of sweepstakes she entered. I would like to […]
Alzheimer’s Diagnosis is Rarely Disclosed to Patients
Q. My mother, Lorraine , is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. We think it began ten years ago when she started showing signs, but no one knows for sure. She went to a doctor for physicals every year, and seemed to be in good health, except she had what we thought were “senior moments.” When […]
Informal Home Care Could Result in Medicaid Ineligibility
Betty Jensen was an elderly woman with dementia, who resided in her home in Muskegon, Michigan. In May 2011, when she needed assistance, her concerned grandson, Jason, acted on her behalf and hired a non-relative, Teresa Alexander, to serve as her Caregiver. Hiring a Caregiver When hiring the Caregiver, Jason entered into an informal agreement […]
How Close Are We to a Cure for Alzheimer’s?
Q. I just found out that my favorite Aunt, Norma, is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. I was heartbroken at first, but am optimistic that with all the research being conducted, we could be close to a cure. Sure enough, this morning I was on Facebook and saw a post about a study where […]