For family caregivers looking after an aging parent or loved one, reaching out to a senior care organization like Seniors At Home can feel like a betrayal of trust. Their loved one’s physical and mental condition is an increasing worry, yet they may keep insisting, “I’m fine and I don’t need help!” When Jonah called […]
When An Aging Loved One Insists “I’m Fine and I don’t Need Help!” Read More »
Question: My mother has just received an early stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis at age 69. Right now it seems like she is coping better than I am. How can I find resources about clinical trials? Answer: A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is never easy. Know that you are not alone; there are many others struggling to get
Question/Answer: Early Stage Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Clinical Trials Read More »
May is Older Americans Month and this year’s theme is Get into the Act, highlighting how older Americans can take charge of their health and make a positive impact in the lives of others. Completing an advanced directive is one important way that older Americans can take charge, but millions of Americans (of all ages)
Creating an Advanced Directive: Starting a Conversation that Counts Read More »
Looking at Helen, you’d think 92 is the new 75. Spry, quick-witted, and intellectually curious, she believed, until recently, she could do it all. But when a pulled muscle in her leg turned out to be severe arthritis in her hip, she acknowledged, “Now I know that I can’t do everything on my own.” That’s
How Do You Maintain Independence as You Age? Read More »
Josef, an 89-year-old Holocaust survivor, never saw it coming. “I survived the Lodz Ghetto and three camp selections, but I didn’t see that a distant cousin who asked me to contribute to a special fund was stealing from me,” he said. Josef became so distraught that his Seniors At Home homecare attendant, Elvira, contacted his
Protecting Seniors’ Financial—and Physical—Well-Being Read More »
After Sylvia’s husband died, her friends tried to buoy her spirits by keeping her busy. Not a week went by when she wasn’t at the theater or symphony. But as time went on and invitations tapered off, Sylvia began feeling despondent. “I couldn’t shake this malaise,” she said. “My doctor said I was fine, but
Getting a Grip on Senior Depression: Sylvia’s Story Read More »
The Bay Area, as well as the country as a whole, is facing a crisis in dementia care. Estimates are that one of every two people 85 and older in the Bay Area has some form of dementia, and that by 2020, the region will experience a 49% increase in residents with Alzheimer’s disease, not
JFCS Announces New Center for Dementia Care Read More »
“While family and caregivers are usually quick to address physical issues that seniors may be experiencing, such as arthritis, heart disease, or osteoporosis, there are many times when their psychosocial well-being is overlooked,” says Traci Dobronravova, MSW, Associate Director of Seniors At Home. “Loneliness and depression are chief among the most serious conditions they face.”
Depression Is More Than a Downer: Jan and Miriam’s Story Read More »
In the quiet of the early morning, as she would sip her coffee and look out her kitchen window, Marsha P. would wax reflective: How do I want to live the rest of my life? What more do I want to accomplish? These were hypothetical questions, because Marsha, a longtime cancer survivor, was doing just
Palliative Care Improves Quality of Life Read More »
Laura and Marcia, next-door neighbors on a leafy suburban street for 50 years, were as close as sisters. Through the years, the women stood by each other during times of need—when they were widowed, when Laura’s son died unexpectedly, and when Marcia was recovering from breast cancer. When Marcia returned from a long trip and
