New LifeStyles Senior Living & Care Blog

A stroke is caused by a disturbance to the blood supplying the brain. It damages an area of the brain and can trigger serious impairment, including speech, mobility and coordination. Within the United States 700,000 people a year suffer a stroke. They can be life threatening and require immediate medical attention and expert care if ongoing disabilities are to be minimized. Read more ...

Cathy Cress offers advice and information on many issues faced by geriatric care managers. Read more ...

You've just logged three, consecutive days of acute care in your hometown, rural hospital. Fortunately, ‘Medicare Part A’, will be picking up a good portion of that huge medical bill Still, you’re thinking about the next step: perhaps a short recoup time in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). The difficulty for you is that the only nursing home(s) is over a hundred miles from your home. But, then, you hear the hospital’s discharge planner say the ‘swing bed’ word, and you liked the part about not having to travel up river to the nursing home. HOW DOES IT WORK? Read more ...

People are living longer lives compared to one hundred years ago. According to demog.berkeley.edu, in 1913 life expectancy was 50.3 for males and 55 for females, while another study done by Impact Aging Journals states babies born after 1999 in countries with already long life spans have an extremely high chance of reaching their 100th birthday. Although people are generally living longer, this does not mean they are capable of living independently through out their lives. Many individuals need to rely on their adult children for assistance as they age. And for many of these cases, the people in charge of caring for their parents have an already full schedule to attend to. If you are between the ages of 45 and 65, taking care of yourself, your children and parent can be challenging to handle. Read more ...

Advances in modern medical technology are prolonging the lives of the elderly beyond the life spans of previous generations. Today, senior citizens are at greater risk than ever before of eventually facing serious incapacitating medical conditions, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Traditionally, attorneys have only helped clients plan their estates and decide who would make financial decisions for them if they were to become incapacitated. Now, attorneys must also help clients address healthcare issues that could arise in the future. Read more ...

Eighty-five year-old Charles is passing the time on a recent afternoon at Elderhaven Adult Day Center of Williamson County. "Yessir," he says good-naturedly with a chuckle. "That girl beats me every day...if I could beat her, I'd be set!" Chuck is referring, of course, to his daily Domino match opponent. Read more ...

All too often when one reaches a certain period in their lives Life Insurance may no longer be needed. In fact, all too many seniors let their policies lapse or surrender them back to the insurance companies. Why? Premiums have become too expensive or the policy is no longer needed or wanted. Read more ...

When people think about staying fit they generally think about their physical appearance. But our brain health plays a significant role in everything we do. More research is showing that there is a lot that can be done to maintain brain health and prevent cognitive decline. There is even some research that shows a lifestyle that supports a healthy brain can prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Why is this important? Read more ...

Accessibility of community in general: Is it easy and safe to get around? Do hallways intersect at odd angles? Are there large open spaces with few landmarks? Read more ...

Every day, we humans wake to face a day full of decisions and responsibilities. These can range from changing the burned out light bulb in the den to making decisions about the well-being of a parent of loved one. Read more ...