An article from Axios reminds us that no one (not us, not governmental programs, not the healthcare workforce) is prepared for the tidal wave of seriously older dependent boomers who will need long-term care. Experts estimate that half to two-thirds of seniors will require long-term care. That is a huge number. Look at the person to your left …
Being independent or dependent
Controlling BP reduces the risk of dementia by 15%
Everyone shares the same goal: do whatever possible to reduce the risk of dementia including Alzheimer's. The Lancet contains an excellent study covering 30,000 dementia-free adults with an average age of 55. Over the 7 to 22 year follow-up, there were 3,700 cases of dementia. Roughly half of the group (15,000) had high blood pressure or were …
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Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Assessing a person's ability to perform activities of daily living(ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)provide an objective way to evaluate someone's ability to take care of themselves. These are often used when considering what kind and what level of assistance someone needs. IADLs and ADLs fit nicely into this post on the …
Five phases of aging
Just as understanding the developmental stages from baby to young adult, helps us navigate the terrible twos or sullen teen years, we need to understand the main phases of our own future so we navigate better. I recommend planning for the entire continuum of phases since an injury or hospitalization can easily jump you ahead two or three phases. …
Frailty definition and significance
Frailty is a dangerous stage of old age often leading to a major increase in health care, nursing home placement, and death. Here is an excellent study of frailty. Frailty happens when a person has decreasing functional capacity, increasing weakness, weight loss, and worsening motor performance leading to a spiraling risk of falling, …