Blog

In the Bay Area, summer can bring scorching heat or heavy blankets of fog—sometimes both in a single weekend. When we think about preparing for summer, we often focus on preventing heat-related concerns like dehydration or heat illness. But we also need to consider other summertime challenges like wildfires and…

Supporting Healthy Sleep Habits for People with Dementia What is sleep hygiene? Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe habits and practices that can lead to healthy sleep patterns—something that people with dementia often struggle with, as the changes in the brain that cause dementia can also affect a…

Palliative care—which treats serious illness with a team of professionals including physicians, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and mental health counselors—can be an effective way to help Parkinson’s patients and their families optimize their quality of life. A whole-person approach that emphasizes compassionate care, palliative care addresses the…

Your loved one is starting to show signs of memory loss or confusion. They’re having trouble concentrating and seem to get frustrated easily. It’s natural to wonder: Could they be in the early stages of dementia? With society’s increasing awareness around Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, the medical community has…

Since 1964, when President Lyndon B. Johnson first declared February American Heart Month to bring attention to heart disease in the United States, February has been a time to educate the public about heart health, a term that brings to mind the importance of diet and exercise for a healthy…

As COVID-19 drags into a third year, many of us are feeling overwhelmed by worry and uncertainty. Given the challenges of the pandemic, you may not be surprised to find that your senior loved one seems particularly down or less engaged than usual in their daily lives. The forced changes…

If 2020 was the year of Covid lockdowns, 2021 has been the year of reunions—albeit careful ones. Health and safety remain top of mind, but families are feeling ready to venture out and gather again. We’re meeting new babies, marveling at how much children have grown, and embracing our elders,…

Lorraine had always been active, and at age 76, there were no signs of her slowing down. She walked every day, frequently chased her grandson around the park, and had no additional help at home. When one day Lorraine tripped on an area rug and broke her leg, her independence…

Tips to Help Those Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss Older adults often take multiple medications, vitamins, and supplements, and while this can be beneficial in many ways, it also increases the risk of medication mix-ups. In rare but serious cases, these simple mistakes can become dangerous and…

Dawn was barely keeping her head above water a year ago. The COVID-19 lockdowns were well underway, she was juggling a considerable teaching load and research demands as a University professor, and she was caring for her mother, who has dementia. As a result, Dawn was living on overdrive, and…