Time Out: How Isolation Can be a Health Risk for Seniors

Of all the woes that beset seniors, social isolation and loneliness are rapidly climbing the charts as growing concerns. Consider this: Elders who are mostly isolated from human interaction have a 26 percent higher death risk than their more social peers.

It’s not surprising, then, that social isolation is gaining recognition as a real health issue for seniors. One quarter of all American households are comprised of people who live alone, and the number of Americans who said they have no ...

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When Seniors Are Stubborn: How to Help Family Members Who Won’t Help Themselves

Whether the scenario involves persuading someone to stick to their medication routine, get off the couch and plug back into the world, or just change a well-worn shirt, motivating a senior can sometimes require tact and finesse.

In many ways, trying to help an aging parent or loved one isn’t unlike trying to motivate a high-school senior. Both are at the end of one stage of life, and neither knows what the next stage will bring, so they often simply go ...

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Case of “The Blues” or Clinical Depression?

It’s not easy getting older. Even folks who remain relatively free from major health issues find that their bodies start to slow down and it can be a fairly slippery slope in regards to functionality as compared to just a few years prior.

Changing feelings and emotions are also often in play for the elderly, and depression can have a hand in those changes. But if recognized, depression is treatable and doesn’t necessarily have to negatively affect any other medical conditions.

The ...

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