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senior looking outside a window

My Mom Has Become Mean. What Do I Do?

Dear Kimberly: My mother has always been so kind and considerate of everyone’s feelings. She was someone that everyone loved being around until the past year or so when we noticed some behavior changes. She’s become very difficult and, as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes, she is downright mean. There is just… Read more »

bedroom set

Rightsizing for Assisted Living

The current generation of seniors is known for staying in their homes for many decades. When it is time to move on to a new chapter in life, helping them downsize can be a real challenge for their adult children. In fact, seniors and their families often cite this as a reason for putting off… Read more »

senior sitting on porch in a rocking chair

24 Questions to Ask When Choosing an Assisted Living Community

When you’re touring an assisted living community (which we really do recommend), you’ll want to be sure to ask the right questions while you’re there. But what are the right questions? Often, whether we’re looking for ourselves or our loved one, we don’t know what questions to ask because we’ve never done this before. So,… Read more »

piggy bank and calculator

How Do I Pay for Assisted Living?

Dear Jaclyn, I’ve been considering moving to an assisted living community for some time now. However, I have some questions about how I will pay for it. What are my options? Does Medicare cover assisted living? James K. Columbus, OH Paying for Assisted Living Dear James, Many people have questions about how to pay for… Read more »

piggy bank and calculator

Is the Medicare Observation Stay Costing You Money?

Dear Jessica, My father was admitted to the hospital twice in one year for the same type of illness. The second bill was a little more than half the amount of the first one, but Medicare paid hardly any of it. And although his doctor recommended he go to a rehabilitation center after the second… Read more »

senior holding a tablet

Staying in Touch with a Loved One

Dear Sheila: My mother moved to an assisted living community right after Christmas. Now that she is unpacked and settled in I am trying to figure out how we can make her feel as if she is still connected to family and friends. I know she is worried that everyone will forget about her! Do… Read more »

medicine in original packaging

4 Ways to Manage Medication

Mistakes with medications send an estimated 700,000 older adults to the emergency department of a hospital each year, according to the Institute of Medicine. It is easy to understand why. 30% of seniors take five or more prescription medicines each day. 90% of adults over the age of 60 take at least one. Staying on track while… Read more »

close detailed view of half a older mans face

Aggression in Men with Alzheimer’s Disease

We know women outlive men for a variety of reasons. But if you visit a memory care program in an assisted living community, you will likely notice men make up what seems to be a disproportionate amount of the resident population. A new study on Alzheimer’s and men sheds light on why. Looking at three years of… Read more »

couple looking at each other smiling forehead to forehead

Can My Mom and Dad Stay Together?

Dear Sarah, My mom and dad have been together for more than 40 years. Last year, Mom had a stroke, and now, she has difficulty walking, bathing, dressing and even eating. Dad’s done a terrific job of taking care of her, but we can tell it’s becoming more and more difficult for him. He’s already told… Read more »