AgingCare.com has put up a new survey asking for your views on the upcoming election and health care. Take survey here.

I promised you the results of the AgingCare.com Survey I wrote about earlier. I am the forum moderator for Agingcare.com, as well as a contributing writer for this fine site. Take a look at the findings of this survey. It's an eye-opener. AgingCare Survey Results here:

When we caregivers must get help with caregiving and our loved ones enter assisted living or nursing homes, we worry. How will they be without our constant oversight? The change for me wasn't dramatic, when my first elder went into a nursing home, as it was my uncle and my parents were still in fairly good health. Between my parents and me, my uncle had many visitors daily and the home was nearby and known to be good, so we didn't worry too much. Read full article:

I've come across a book that has absolutely nothing to do with caregiving. However, the first chapter made me weep. The little girl the author describes was me, the caregiver to be. Written by Annette Colby, Ph.D., Your Highest Potential is a book about living your dreams, no matter how many detours you encounter in life. I truly believe my caregiving years were meant to be. I spent two decades caring for seven elders. It was just there to do and I did it. I also have a son with health issues, and that has meant ongoing caregiving. Read full article:

Another supper post from my friend, Leah, who has vascular dementia - and diabetes. "I made a mistake with my insulin, a mistake not caused by my dementia.  It was evening and I was getting ready to go to bed.  At night, I use 75 units of long acting insulin which helps to hold my blood sugar level for 24 hours.  Instead, I took 75 units of Humalog, the fast acting insulin I normally take with meals." Read full post:

In a story titled, "Fish May Boost Memory, Prevent Stroke: Diet Rich In Baked Or Broiled Fish May Protect Brain From Damage That Can Lead to Dementia, Stroke," CBSnews.com reported on a new study that gave omega-3 fatty acids another high mark. Read full Post:

I've frequently written about adult day care. It's a wonderful resource for many who have elders who can't be left home alone during the day. The family must work or be gone from time to time. They may just need respite and/or the person with Alzheimer's may need some stimulating activity. Adult day care - or day services, as I prefer to call it - is a quickly growing field. However, a story on nydailynews.com gave me a real "aha moment." Titled "Elderly with dementia get help with ElderServ at Night program in Riverdale," the story tells of a night program for elders with dementia. Yes, nights. Read full post:

The authors of a neat little organizer titled, "Putting Things in Order: A Journal to Organize Your Life for the Next Generation," sent me their top ten list of things to do so you can be organized with the paperwork you want your heirs to have. Before I tell you about their book, here's the list as written by authors Ellen Baumritter and David Finkle: Read full article:

I received an email last week from a woman who was worried that her mother was being over-medicated. She had a point. We discussed the fact that the mother should get all of her prescriptions in the same place. This is smart for anyone, as when all of your medications are in one computer system at one pharmacy, the system should catch any interactions. Read full article:

While it's well known that the drugs available now for people with  Alzheimer's disease, namely donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), galantamine (Razadyne), and memantine (Namenda), don't cure the disease, they do help slow the decline and even put off behavioral changes, for many people. Now, a study published on medpagetoday.com titled Read full post:

Minding Our Elders is honored to be named Cool Site of the Day for August 17th. If you enjoy Minding Our Elders Blog, please click the icon above vote!   Thanks,  Carol You see an older couple walking hand in hand down the street, staring into each others eyes and grinning. Their hands are clasped.” Ah, cute,” you think. Then they giggle and – kiss. Yikes! Aren’t they kind of old for that? Our society has marginalized people over fifty when it comes to love and sex. Read full post:

A blog titled "Inside Assisted Living" is looking for participants for a survey. If you have an interest in assisted living, please take a few minutes and go here  to add your thoughts to the survey. Take a look around the site, while you are there.

"Here you go, Hon. Anything else?" Though cringing inwardly, I smile outwardly and say, "No thanks."  The waitress, perhaps in her early thirties, is just trying to be nice to me. I understand that. I happen to be a small person, rather short, tiny bones - the kind of person where, when the prairie winds invade our metro area and tall buildings create wind tunnels, I could use a few rocks in my pockets to hold me down. However, that, plus the fact that I'm old enough to be this woman's mother, doesn't give her a right to talk down to me. She, of course, doesn't realize she is talking down to me. She's just being nice and thinks I'm "sweet." But would she call a twenty-something woman "Hon?" I doubt it. Read full post:

The Department of Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has come forth with a new kit called "Own Your Future: Planning for long-term care." I received my pamphlet because the state where I live is one that has hopped on board and is including a state-specific insert. They are actively mailing pamphlets with an attached post card you can send in to get a free kit. Read full article: