When nursing home residents are not properly supervised, falls can happen quickly, often resulting in grim outcomes.  Falls are one of the most common occurrences in nursing homes.  Even in what might appear to be a minor fall, frail nursing…

Choosing to admit a loved-one to a nursing home is a difficult enough decision.  Once that decision has been made, the job becomes even more overwhelming.  How do you choose the best nursing home, and where do you start? According…

A recent study, released by the New England Journal of Medicine, warns that the cost of caring for elderly patients with dementia could more than double, as the baby boomer generation grows older.  The study, led by the RAND Corporation…

Don’t be misled by advertisements anymore; there is no such thing as a safe, portable bed rail. These rails, sometimes called ‘assist bars’ are advocated by physicians and families who think they will make the bed safer, when in reality…

Meet some of Detroit’s fast growing population, the “New Elderly”, people who are 50-59 years old but more like 60-74 in terms of their health. Based on a 3-year study of illness and death rates in Detroit and surrounding communities by the…

On Monday, April 16, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced the creation of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) which combines the Administration on Aging, Office on Disability and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities into a single agency that advocates community support and in home care for specialized groups of people, such as seniors with dementia or children with disabilities.

Hand Washing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent the spread of illness, infection and food-borne illness! Although there are different procedures for proper hand washing, there are distinct steps that must not be ignored when…

Have you heard of the Elder Justice Act? The Elder Justice Act was passed in an effort to combat the growing problem of elder abuse and neglect in this country. Current statistics show that one of every 10 elderly persons…

Everyone has heard the saying “Laughter is the best medicine,” but researchers are finding that this expression holds more truth than we have ever thought possible. The benefits of laughter are being continuously uncovered, and the elderly may benefit the…

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease usually becomes a full-time, stressful job, but often is most rewarding. After a new survey recently released by the National Family Care givers Association (NFCA) and Forest Laboratories, Inc. was conducted, the…