Patient Daily Living

Recent studies have proven that boredom and depression can have a very real effect on physical, emotional and mental health. This doesn't just apply to teens or thirty-somethings. Actually, for seniors, boredom and depression can be lethal. Caregivers are often advised on methods to alleviate their own depression after long periods of caregiving, but what about the elderly being taken care of? Are their needs being met?

Boredom is an important quality of life issue for many senior citizens. When it comes to elderly home care or assisted living facilities, family caregivers must ensure that the physical, mental and emotional needs of seniors are being met. Those taking care of parents at home must also strive to provide stimulating activities in order to prevent loved ones from sinking into a pit of depression that's hard to climb out of.

Call it what you will – pet therapy, pet-assisted therapy, or pets caring for elderly owners – the benefits of animal ownership for seniors have been documented and understood for decades. Pets help relieve stress, alleviate boredom and provide devotion and companionship for elders across the country.

Quality of life means living a well-rounded lifestyle. It means social interaction and physical activity that help maintain independence. Whether the parent lives in an assisted living facility or at home with the help of home health care workers, he or she needs enough mental, physical, and emotional stimulation to remain engaged in the process of living.

As people age, their bodies naturally begin to break down and need more nutrients than ever before. Find out what you can do about enhancing nutritional needs in seniors.

In our excerpt of Dr. Barry McCarthy's landmark book, Rekindling Desire, every couple can find ways to bring sexual and emotional intimacy back into their relationship.

Caring for a loved one’s landscape doesn’t have to mean aches and pains for you.

“Moderate drinking” over 65 is not the same as it is younger in life. Here’s how to find your tipping point. 

Baby boomers are losing their hearing at a more rapid pace than past generations, but fail to seek the help they need to alleviate the affects of hearing loss. 

Retirement communities now emphasize brain health to improve quality of life. At Front Porch, life isn’t spent in a rocking chair. 

The prospect of healthy aging is what we strive for as we get older. But we often think of it as a lottery—having to play the cards that we’ve been dealt.

An unfortunate reality is that unhealthy lifestyles lead to diseases like obesity, diabetes, and brain-related health problems, all of which increase the risk of stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s as well. The good news is that these conditions can be managed and even prevented by a healthy lifestyle.