Medical Care for Seniors

Is your senior parent a surgical candidate? Here are some tips for caregivers when a doctor says their elderly parents need surgery.

Aging is scary for a multitude of reasons and that fear often manifests as a refusal to participate in doctor’s appointments and medical treatments. What can a caregiver do if an aging parent refuses to go to the doctor?

Caregivers: Get information on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and how to use it as part of your elderly loved one's treatment.

Preparing for doctor's visits will help keep a senior healthier while in your care. Ask these questions to better understand treatment decisions and new medications.

Get the most out of an office visit with your aging parent by being prepared. Use these tips and guidelines to yield the best possible outcome for their medical care.

The premise behind homeopathy is that it can stimulate the body's own self-healing responses. Thousands of people swear by it, but there are some things you should consider before opting for these treatments. Use this guide to decide if homeopathic medicine is right for you or your loved one.

Learn the differences between delirium and dementia, including how quickly symptoms appear and their effects on attention and memory.

Most seniors (and their family caregivers) share a common goal: avoiding nursing home placement. But when an elder’s needs increase, it’s important to recognize when it’s time for a higher level of care.

Upon discharge from the hospital, seniors often refuse to participate in vital rehabilitation programs. Use these tips to help them stick to their prescribed recovery plan.

I used to take lots of medications and supplements but have whittled the list down to only four. Here are a few I took for years, under the impression that they were making me healthier, and my reasons for discontinuing them.

It is crucial for seniors and their family members to fully utilize all resources available to them. Social workers are an excellent source of support and guidance for those dealing with medical issues, caregiving and the end of life.

Each caregiver knows that not all long-term care facilities are created equal. However, seeking placement becomes even more challenging for a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia. Ensuring the staff is properly trained is key.

Many people are more comfortable with taking a naturally derived medicine compared to a pharmaceutical that is synthesized in a laboratory. However, just because a medication is made from natural ingredients does not guarantee its safety or effectiveness.

As dementia progresses and concurrent medical problems become more difficult to manage, tough questions can arise. This framework will help you navigate complicated healthcare decisions for a loved who is cognitively impaired.

Once my father got sick, I quickly learned when to accept physicians’ suggestions and when to stand up for what I felt was best for him. The pressure to make medical decisions can be intense, but in the end, nobody knows your loved one better than you do.

Not all VA hospitals are created equal, but we are fortunate enough to live within 15 minutes of a top-notch facility.

Johnson and Johnson faces a multi-billion dollar financial penalty for making misleading claims about one of its most popular drugs.

Identity theft can do more than drain a senior's bank account—it may also impede their ability to access important medical care, says a new government report. Well over a quarter of a million Medicare beneficiaries have had their identities stolen over the past two years.

The day that you call hospice is not the day that you give up on your loved one. A former hospice nurse dispels common misconceptions surrounding end-of-life care.

Doctors may not always be honest with their patients. Some doctors refuse to tell their patients the whole truth and may even lie to a patient.