Pets and animal assisted therapy in the elderly Nearly half of elderly individuals in the United States own pets, usually cats and dogs but other pets as well such as birds and fish.  Studies have shown that individuals with pets feel more companionship, less...

Care for caregivers Are you helping a loved one through a long term illness?  Then you are a caregiver.   This can be a difficult thing.  It can rob you of your autonomy.  You may feel a tremendous responsibility for your loved one.  This can bring stress, anxiety and...

What to do when your loved one needs a hip fracture repaired.  So you have an elderly loved one who does not want anything extraordinary done at the end of their life.  They have chosen not to be resuscitated.   However, they accidentally fall and unfortunately break...

Insomnia Insomnia is a common condition in all age groups.  There is no medication that is effective in reproducing natural sleep with its 5 stages including REM sleep.   Insomnia occurs when there is a hyperarousal of the sympathetic nervous system.  This does not...

GERD  GERD is short for gastroesophageal reflux disease or heartburn.  This affects approximately 8% of the American population and sometimes it can be severe, affecting the ability to sleep or do daily life without pain.   The common over the counter medications can...

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande was eye opening.  He summarizes the options available for where aging people can live.  He gives the advantages and disadvantages of each option.  He reviews quality of life and does an excellent job showing that this is different for...

Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive disease that affects a person’s memory and ability to do tasks.  Communication and language is difficult at all stages of Alzheimer’s Disease.  People with Alzheimer’s may find it difficult to remember words but they also have...

As we age our ability to respond to changes in our environment decreases. For example, we do not always respond to infections with fever, instead we may present with confusion or decreased mental ability. So it is sometimes difficult to know what is normal aging and...