In Haines Alaska, there is a wonderful cozy, assisted living facility which provides nutritious meals and encourages community involvement. Visit their web site http://hainesassistedliving.org/hal/home. Learn how they built the facility with donations and grants and how their residents are faring.
Recently, the American Medical Association released the Physician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers. It includes screening tests, information about medical conditions and medications that may impact driving, and ways of talking to seniors about what can be an emotional issue. Learn how you can talk with your aging parent about signs and symptoms that indicate that their driving may not be good for their health.
Muscle wasting, also known as sarcopenia affects all of us as we age. As a matter of fact, it starts after the age of 40. However, there are ways that we can delay its progression. Historically we have placed an emphasis on bone health. However, sarcopenia also contributes to the risk of falling. Since it is easier to prevent muscle loss than to restore lost muscle, particularly in the elderly, we have an obligation to educate our seniors as to the measures that they can take to keep their muscles strong and healthy. Learn more about how to delay the progression of sarcopnenia.
A device called “digital family portrait” captures on screen an elder’s daily activities and transmits the information to an adult child or caregiver. It keeps tracks of how well the senior is sleeping, her eating habits, whether she was active during the day— or if her usual routine has changed and she is sleeping more. It also records weather conditions and indoor temperature.
