Senior Safety & Well-Being Checklist

More than 7.6 million Americans suffering from acute illnesses or living with chronic health conditions receive in-home care, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This number is even greater when you consider the number of people receiving informal care from family members, which may occur in up to 20% of U.S. households. Many of those…

The man had not spoken in three or four years. An older man in the late stages of Alzheimer’s, he could no longer care for himself and required a high level of assistance in his daily activities of living. But on one particular day, Concetta Tomaino, DA, a certified music therapist, offered a different kind…

By Mary Park Byrne It doesn’t take a scientist to know that pets make humans feel good; anyone who’s ever stroked a dog’s fur or felt a cat’s thrumming purr knows this. Science can, however, tell us how and why pets can be therapeutic. Just 15 minutes bonding with an animal sets off a chemical…

“The heart is a very resilient muscle,” says Woody Allen in his film Hannah and Her Sisters. And indeed it is. Charged with pumping blood throughout the entire circulatory system, the heart is also a muscle that reflects the treatment by its host more than any other muscle in the human body. Treat the heart…

Everyone experiences an occasional restless night. But for those who toss and turn regularly, the inability to sleep can be a source of intense frustration and may even have serious consequences. Sleep is just as essential as air, water or food. We need continuous, uninterrupted sleep to restore energy, feel refreshed and maintain our health…

If your loved one has diminished capabilities and is unable to manage his or her affairs, it may be time to talk with a legal advisor about naming a guardian to make decisions for this person. In a guardianship proceeding, a court decides whether a person with diminished mental capacity should retain his rights to…