Memory loss is a scary thought for many, but I have found in my career that a lot of that fear comes from the unknown. So don’t be shy; I’m here to help! Since this is my first column, I’ll begin by answering one of the questions I have heard [...]
SHIIP, the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, for many years has built a reputation for providing reliable, unbiased information about Medicare. Housed in the North Carolina Department of Insurance, SHIIP provides free counseling to Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers by phone and in person in all 100 counties of the state. But no organization can do this kind of work [...]
By Amy Overman, professor of neuroscience and psychology at Elon University Amy Overman, professor of neuroscience and psychology at Elon University, is an expert in aging and memory including 15 years researching memory in older adults. I have noticed I am not feeling quite as sharp as I used to feel. Is this normal? The brain’s speed of processing and [...]
Terrence E. Holt MD PhD holds several titles in the UNC Hospital System and works in two medical departments and also the department of English and comparative literature. Mr. S. lies on a bed in the Emergency Room, thin, tremulous and confused. His daughter found him in his home that afternoon, lying on the floor beside an overturned chair. Every [...]
PBS kicked off coverage of long-term care in America in June with a segment that will be the first in a series of videos on this critical element of aging with dignity and independence. The following is information from that series. 1. You are not alone Today, there are nearly 67 million people in America providing assistance to a spouse, [...]
1. Frequent “close calls” (i.e. near accidents). 2. Dents, scrapes, on the car or on fences, mailboxes, garage doors, curbs etc. 3. Trouble judging gaps in traffic at intersections and on highway entrance/exit ramps. 4. Other drivers honking at you. 5. Getting lost. 6. Difficulty seeing the sides of the road when looking straight ahead. 7. Slower response time; trouble [...]
By Allen Johnson, Editorial Page Editor, in the News-Record Still thoroughly confounded about the state of health care reform in the United States? A good place to start for common-sense answers is T.R. Reid’s brisk and engaging best-seller, The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper and Fairer Health Care. First published in 2009, this book essentially is [...]
By Charlotte R. Williams, MIPPA & Wellness Coordinator, Piedmont Triad Regional Council of Governments – Area Agency on Aging While aging itself is not a disease, with age, the body becomes more vulnerable to diseases. Many of the diseases and chronic conditions that affect older adults are due to modifiable lifestyle factors such as physical activity, nutrition and tobacco use. [...]
Anyone, at any age, who experiences even a minor bump to the head from an accident or fall can suffer a concussion, a type of mild traumatic brain injury that is a serious medical condition that can effect the way the brain works. A person with a concussion needs to see a medical professional for evaluation and treatment. Concussion Signs [...]
Harry Dolan was Chief of Police in Grand Rapids, MI, before his appointment as Chief of Police in Raleigh in 2007. As people grow older, their chances of being victims of crime decrease dramatically. But a lifetime of experience, coupled with the physical problems associated with aging, often make older Americans fearful. Although they’re on the lookout constantly for physical attack [...]
