Prepare for a Medical Emergency

Crisis Care

Just about everyone with an aging parent anticipates the possibility of a medical emergency. The circumstance you are likely most concerned about is that moment when you learn your mother or father has suffered a significant event and aggressive intervention is necessary. That moment changes your parent's life and yours.

New Concepts in Elder Housing: The Eden Alternative and Green Homes

Crisis Care

Green Houses and the Eden Alternative are elder housing approaches developed by Dr. William Thomas in the early 1990s. They are an innovative and bold step toward the radical overhaul of the system of housing and nursing care for the elderly. The Eden Alternative nursing homes and Green House project offer elders a warm, homey environment that minimizes the sterile, institutional atmosphere of most traditional nursing homes.

Is it Time for a Nursing Home?

Crisis Care

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging reports, "of the almost 6 million adults age 65 and over with long-term care needs, only 20% receive care services in a nursing home or other institutional setting, with the remaining 80% receiving assistance at home and in the community." So how do you know when it’s time to make that move from home care to an nursing facility?

Elder Mediation: The New Crisis Counseling (Part 2)

Crisis Care

The mechanics of elder mediation are not much different than other types of mediation, except that both “sides” in these disputes are members of the same family. Parentgiving.com got an inside perspective from elder mediator William Van Twisk of Brunswick, Maine.

Elder Mediation: The New Crisis Counseling (Part 1)

Crisis Care

As baby boomers approach their own retirement age, very few thought they would become caregivers to parents well into their 80s and 90s. Their parents probably never wanted this for them to either; they’d much rather remain independent. Disputes can arise from these situations.

Plan Ahead for an Emergency Room Visit

Crisis Care

In a study conducted by George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., researchers found that nationally visits to emergency rooms by the elderly have increased more than 34% in the last decade.  Although it is unclear exactly why visits by the elderly have increased, the study surmises that the increase may be due to “older people surviving with chronic medical issues, as well as problems the elderly are experiencing accessing primary care doctors.”

Helpful Healing: Senior Rehab and the Healing Process

Crisis Care

Seniors face many challenges as they age and may need more intensive rehabilitation care, especially after suffering injuries from a fall, a stroke or a cardiovascular event. The length of time spent in a senior rehab program can greatly improve the senior's health, and allow him or her to maintain  independence and get back to the normal routine much quicker following an event.

The Right Move: Working with a Senior Move Manager

Crisis Care

A Senior Move Manager is a professional who specializes in assisting older adults and their families with the emotional and physical aspects of relocation and/or aging in place. Senior move managers provide a multi-faceted approach to the move process: from space planning in the beginning to post-move support and advocacy.

Making Smart Housing Decisions: ADLs and IADLs

Crisis Care

One of the most important factors when considering what type of long-term housing is appropriate for a senior is to carefully examine what are known as the ADLs and the IADLs.

Critical Conditions: The 8 Rules Every Caregiver Must Follow When a Loved One is Hospitalized

Crisis Care

Patients need an advocate at the hospital around the clock, a job none of us gets training for…until now.

10 Ways To Help Parents With Diabetes

Crisis Care

Diabetes is a challenging disease, but it can be managed by faithfully following lifestyle guidelines. People with diabetes do have a lot to balance; as they get older, following through on these guidelines may require assistance from a caregiver. Here’s what you need to know.

12 Tips To Ease A Parent's Hospital Discharge

Crisis Care

Discharge planning from a hospital starts upon admission of the patient. This means that as your parent's advocate, you will learn what he or she needs during the hospital stay.