This October, we celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month, an annual campaign to increase awareness about this devastating disease. One in eight women will face a breast cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, 1,000 Alaskan women will diethis year from breast cancer. Awareness months are about taking action. Please consider getting […]
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5847 declaring August 21 National Senior Citizens Day. The day is meant to recognize the achievements and leadership of seniors, and thank them for all they’ve done. It’s also a day meant to remind people to take care of seniors by providing them with the proper care and […]
Watching our parents age can be tough; for many years they were our caregivers and when the roles become reversed it can be a challenging time for everyone. Understanding the level of care they require can be complicated and if there are many opinions involved, deciding on a care plan can feel impossible. Talking to […]
What better time of year to celebrate Men’s Health Month than when the salmon are running and dad is out enjoying his favorite summer activities. Men’s Health Month is certainly about celebrating the men in our life but more importantly, it aims to keep them healthy by spreading awareness about the importance of preventative care […]
Now that Mom has sold her car, is no longer driving and it is harder for her to get around on her own, it has been decided that you and your siblings will divide up her care needs. Someone has to bring her to the beauty shop, supermarket and doctors’ appointments. One of you has […]
Campaigns against bullying are everywhere these days. We’re now a zero tolerance society when it comes to bullying, and a rough and tough ten-year-old can no longer get away with teasing and tormenting his classmates. But perhaps there’s some other, less apparent sort of bullying occurring - that of trying to play the parent to […]
If you have a loved one with heart disease, the risk for heart attack is increased. What if he or she were to have a heart attack? How would this change your lives? What information would you need to know? How can you help? The many questions of how your everyday lives will be changed […]
Pick a senior, any senior, and you’re likely to hear the same sentiments: the vast majority of older adults agree that they’d prefer to spend their elder years at home over moving to a nursing home facility. However, there are a number of misconceptions about who will pay for home health care. Medicare? Medicaid? Insurance? […]
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has reported that family members caring for a senior loved one are "routinely marginalized and ignored within the health care system." With about 18 million family members providing care for seniors, this report is alarming, as it points to the possibility that these seniors are at risk […]
Looking around at the home where you grew up, the home where your parents still live, can bring forth a flood of memories. The finished wood stairs you used to practice tap dance routines on, much to your father's dismay. The fireplace mantle where your parents proudly displayed a never-ending rotation of your crazy art […]
