|
|
By Bill May 3rd, 2012
Victims?
Herewith some caregiving issues that bug me. They aren’t in any order; I put them down as they come to me. Not enough sleep this week, so it is time to complain.
Taking seniors from their homes. Caregivers often become concerned, even afraid about their elderly parent living alone. The aging parent may have health problems, some memory problems, and just do not seem to cope as well as they used to. Their children decide to move their loved one to assisted living, a nursing home, or in with one of them. This may or may not come after consulting with the elder. Well, of course they aren’t living like they used to; they’re old. The wish of the aging parent has to be paramount. We are talking about people who have …
Continue reading this post here
By Carol May 1st, 2012
We’ve been hearing a lot about the recent research showing that elders are happier than twenty-somethings. In fact, it looks like they are happier than anyone—even at the very end of life.
Many are skeptical of this research. From an adult standpoint, an elder’s decline, frailty, pain and illness are quite depressing. How can my aging and ill parents be happy? We sure wouldn’t be in their shoes. The research must be flawed.
Our Ted-talk-tracking friend recently sent us a link to a talk by Laura Carstensen who explores the research in depth and is convinced that the research conclusions are correct. So when Dad told me “I’m fine” the day before he died, he very well might have meant it.
Here is Dr. Carstensen’s talk:
Social Bookmarking
Technorati Tags: aging, …
Continue reading this post here
By Bill April 19th, 2012
Physicians
I am 69 years old. With an interesting life, now and in the past, I have some health issues. I have a knee replacement, a missing tooth, a missing finger, chronic eczema, Barrett’s esophagus, high blood pressure (HPB), ADD with occasional irritability, occasional insomnia, some osteoarthritis, high cholesterol, and, oh, did I say that I am bald?
To deal with all this, I take Ritalin for the ADD, three blood pressure meds to deal with the HPB caused in part by the Ritalin, Lovastatin, generic Zyrtec, Benadryl, Omeprazole, and several supplements. I know lots of people take many more meds than I because I am always looking for a weekly pill container that won’t come open in my luggage. Some of those containers are huge.
What this means is that a lot …
Continue reading this post here
By Bill April 13th, 2012
Dying
I am up in the morning of June 28, 2010. It is my day off from work. I am tired and feeling anxious. Carol and I eat our separate breakfasts, hers dairy free, mine gluten free. We act like things are normal, but we are on edge because this is visit Frank day. We talk about the visit, complaining about his doctor whose English isn’t too good, and wondering what is really going on with Frank. We can’t seem to get any straight answers.
I get busy; mowing the lawn, go to the store, the day off routine, the tension becoming a haze in my mind. I hate these days.
2:30 PM, Carol and I arrive at Frank’s assisted living room. He hasn’t been doing so well lately. He is weaker, slower. …
Continue reading this post here
By Bill April 5th, 2012
Young and Old
Most readers of this blog, like Carol, Judi, and I, are or have been caregivers of aging parents. That means we have seen firsthand the aging process and its result. Our loved ones experienced decline that tended to progress over an extended period. Long life almost always means diminished quality of life due to this physical and mental aging process.
The decline I describe is more common now than in previous human history. In earlier times, a disease of the elderly like pneumonia took one’s life rather quickly. Now, with hospital intervention and antibiotics, an elder may suffer several bouts of the disease, each taking its toll, before death interrupts the process. The elder person has a greater longevity, but at what cost in overall quality of life in one’s last …
Continue reading this post here
|
|
