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Symptoms
Symptoms are noticeable changes that usually indicate something about how a person's body is functioning. We tend to use the word as a negative, although one could say that a smile might be a "symptom" that someone is feeling better.
While this is not a medical publication, and we do not give medical advice, this department is devoted to the symptoms that many people inquire about and that everyone should recognize.
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Diabetes and Dehydration
Especially in the warmer months when heat increases the need for fluid, it is very easy for a diabetic to become dehydrated and experience a rise in the amount of sugar in the blood. Older diabetics can be even more susceptible to dangerous dehydration than younger people with diabetes . . . keep reading
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Uncontrollable Laughing or Crying
Derek cries all the time. When entertainers visit his nursing home, Derek weeps while other residents are laughing and clapping. Offer Derek a delicious dessert and he will cry. Congratulate him on the success of his grandchild, who he dearly loves, and Derek will burst into tears. Others don't know how to respond to Derek, so they tend to avoid him whenever possible . . . keep reading
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NPH: Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Johnnie Walker has made great strides since he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease four years ago. Two years ago he was also diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Johnnie's wife was never satisfied. For four years she pushed for more information as Johnnie's condition deteriorated. Finally, her "pushiness" paid off. Johnnie's problems actually stemmed primarily from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, or NPH, not Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. . . . keep reading
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Watch For Cellulitis: It's More Than Just a Rash
Cellulitis, a potentially very serious skin infection that frequently plagues older individuals, is something that we all need to watch for. Because the bacteria that cause it are everywhere, and it can spread rapidly into the bloodstream if not vigorously treated, cellulitis can even be life-threatening if not caught and treated promptly . . . keep reading
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Cold or Flu: When to Call The Doctor
Because it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between a cold and the flu, here are some warning signs to watch for, courtesy of the Centers For Disease Control (CDC). If someone with bad cold or flu-like symptoms develops any of these signs, it's time to get medical advice right away . . . keep reading
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Chemo, Nausea and Nutrition
Weight and fluid loss are our enemies when we care for someone with cancer. Our impulse is to focus much of our energy on food: preparing nutritious meals, offering food frequently, and bulking up our menus with rich and tempting offerings. Often this will backfire for someone experiencing nausea . . . keep reading
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Constipation, A Big Problem For Some Seniors
You can't watch television for more than 5 minutes these days without hearing a commercial for something to cure your "irregularity." No wonder our elderlies are fixated on the issue. As a group they watch more television than anyone. As a group the ones we care for also have more time to think about their aches and pains, too, which doesn't help . . . keep reading
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Combative Dementia
What can you do when someone with dementia becomes dangerously aggressive and combative? Home workers aren't trained to manage aggression, and care facilities will refuse to expose their other residents and their caregivers to potential danger . . . keep reading
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Words Can Be a Dementia Warning
Contrary to what you may have heard, the first signs of early dementia may not be leaving the car keys in the refrigerator or getting lost on the way to the hairdresser. Some people show much more subtle early signs in their speech and language . . . keep reading
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Joint Pain and the Weather: Real or Old Wive's Tale?
"There's a storm coming, I can feel it in my left knee." We've heard the older folks say it time and again, but is this just another hypochondriac's way to get attention, or is it true that your joints can sometimes predict a change in the weather? . . . keep reading
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The Thermostat Wars
Even in February Celia Broderick's caregiver works at Celia's home in a t-shirt and shorts. Soaked with perspiration when she finishes her shift, she says she would quit if she didn't care so much for Celia. Celia, on the other hand, complains constantly that she is cold. Why are so many of our seniors always cold, and why do they prefer to live in a sauna? . . . keep reading
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TIA: Should You Avoid The Doctor's Office?
A TIA (transcient ischemic attack) is in essence a "mini stroke" that briefly interrupts the blood flow to the brain. Symptoms usually happen suddenly and they often disappear within an hour, although some TIA symptoms can last 24 hours or longer. Because TIAs are by definition "come and go," should you make an appointment to see your doctor? . . . keep reading
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The Puzzle of Disturbing Behavior Changes
Your elder is acting strangely. He's hoarding the strangest things, or he's verbally aggressive, accusing, forgetful, making unreasonable demands constantly, or has developed a hygiene problem. Disturbing behavior changes in an older adult usually mean something is very wrong. Here's what to do first . . . keep reading
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Essential Tremor: It Isn't Parkinson's
It's called "Essential Tremor," but when it first starts many with the disorder, and their loved ones, immediately worry about Parkinson's Disease. Your long-term care planning will depend in many ways on whether your elder's tremor is really Parkinson's, whether it's the more common disorder known as essential tremor, or whether it's something else entirely . . . keep reading
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Is It Selective Memory?
Your parent has dementia, so you would naturally expect her to be forgetful. Yet there are certain things that she seems never to forget. Is she really forgetting as much as she seems to be, or is she choosing to use "selective memory" for her own incomprehensible and crazy-making reasons? . . . keep reading
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Worried Seniors: The Stress of Elderly Anxiety
Aunt Audrey was always a worried woman. As she aged, her anxiety completely overtook her. She was famous in the family for her exclamation, in the midst of a huge family reunion, "I'm so worried! Things have been going so well...I just know something awful is going to happen!" At least she was there. As her anxiety worsened, she never attended another . . . keep reading
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Alzheimers Disease
