I recently heard Dr Dr Alicia Arbaje from the John Hopkins School of Medicine discuss 10 new years resolutions for older adults. These resolutions are appropriate and timely regardless of the New Year and may include some things you can help an aging parent with. I think of them as “prevention resolutions” because most of… Read more »
Over the holidays I had the opportunity to visit with some high school friends that I hadn’t talked to in years. The topic of conversation wasn’t focused on our kids, jobs, or travels but rather our aging parents. The theme was the same: memory loss, concern about driving, unwillingness to move to a senior community… Read more »
April 16th is more than just the day after the deadline for filing your taxes It is also National Healthcare Decisions Day. What does that mean? If you have ever gone to a hospital, the admission representative probably asked you if you had a Living Will or Advance Directive. National Healthcare Decision day is… Read more »
Don’t let those drug companies manipulate you Heartburn? Allergies? Atrial Fibrilation? Insomnia? These days there seems to be a drug to deal with any health challenge you face, and pharmaceutical companies are spending millions to entice you to buy their brands. TV, newspapers, magazines, web sites…. Prescription drug advertising is everywhere. How simple it would… Read more »
With 2014 just getting started it’s not too late for a few resolutions to start the year right. Resolution #1: Develop partnerships with your providers No matter what medical problems confront you, you’ll have a better chance of weathering them if you work in partnership with your doctors and other providers. Good physician communication involves… Read more »
You’ve broken an arm, or you’re running a fever, or you’ve developed a rash. A visit to your doctor results in an order for a drug, a bandage or cast, surgery, or another treatment plan to help you heal or become healthy again. Or maybe you have a chronic condition or disease, and you’re consistently… Read more »
So you’ve been given the bad news. Those strange symptoms and test results have resulted in a name – a diagnosis – and it’s something you’re going to have to deal with. The odds are in your favor that your diagnosis is correct. After all, the 500,000 medical errors or misdiagnoses made each year are… Read more »
Last week I attended a conference focused on patient literacy, empowerment, and education. Among the conference attendees were doctors, researchers, educators, and advocates. The overriding theme was that most doctors aren’t doing enough to help us patients understand our medical conditions, nor are they helping us make the right decisions for ourselves. The results are… Read more »
My friend Rachael has a large lump behind her knee. Her orthopedist diagnosed it as a benign tumor, but told her they need to keep an eye on it. She should return in three months, then six months, then nine months and so forth. They will image it each time to see if it… Read more »
In the “old” days, we could phone for a primary care doctor’s appointment in the morning, be seen right away, spend enough time with the doctor, leave with a treatment plan, and usually feel better within a day or two. But no longer! Today it’s difficult to get an appointment, even within a few… Read more »
Helping your aging parents before a crisisI recently heard Dr Dr Alicia Arbaje from the John Hopkins School of
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Long Distance CaregivingOver the holidays I had the opportunity to visit with some high school
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Denial is common when it comes to aging parentsAs Patient Advocates we know everyone has a story. Most stories we hear
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Start the Conversation with your loved ones and your advocateApril 16th is more than just the day after the deadline for filing your
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