Our monthly newsletter is filled with practical tips for families caring for an older relative.
Help yourself to this archive of our back issues. And tell a friend!
Optimal Aging Advisors is here to support you in the important work that you do!
View past issues of our newsletter
2024
- Simplifying the holidays
- What is "observation status"?
- Handy gadgets for arthritis
- Reducing and resolving chronic inflammation
- Is assisted living a good fit?
- Suicide and older adults
- How to choose a rollator
- Hope: It's not what you think
- Money tips for low vision
- Listening when a loved one is sad
- "Going home tomorrow?!"
- Signs of chronic inflammation
- Is it hearing loss or dementia?
- Negotiating skills
- "Tech support" scam
- Ride hailing for older adults
- What is "vascular dementia"?
- Sadness isn't all bad
- Home visits are in!
- What is "inflammaging"?
- Adaptive clothing
- Choosing a support group
- Serving as a special needs trustee
- Chronic kidney disease
- Tech support for your relative(s)
- Maybe it's not Alzheimer's
- Dealing with disgust
- Acting as a "human guide"
- Early-onset dementia: Money issues
- Making the most of regret
2023
- Information and support
- Financial/legal aspects of caregiving
- Pacing yourself
- Physical therapy and pain relief
- Curbing your perfectionism
- Affordable funerals
- Caring as a stepfamily
- Senior move managers
- Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)
- How is your relative's "social health"?
- Low-vision bathroom
- Adjusting to memory care
- Bringing the hospital home
- What is "healthy selfishness"?
- Dementia: Packing for a trip
- Dementia: Is travel realistic?
- Senior bullying and exclusion
- Meaningful end of life conversations
- Cancer screenings covered by Medicare
- Moving to memory care
- Tinnitus: Ringing in the ears
- Do you strive for perfection?
- Pillbox 2.0
- The care plan and meeting
- Calling a family meeting
- Early-onset Alzheimer's
- Choosing a meal service
- Home modifications for vision loss
- Is it time for memory care?
- If you are not the primary caregiver
- Are you the primary caregiver?
- The yearly "Wellness Visit"
- Where are the paid caregivers?
2022
- Healing torn relations
- Dementia and small children
- Dry eye syndrome
- Honoring family caregivers
- Suppose they don't get better ...
- Not taking meds as directed?
- October is National Crime Prevention Month
- Putting anticipation to work for you
- What is Lewy body dementia?
- Caring with a stepparent
- Could medicines be the culprit?
- Who is who in skilled nursing facilities?
- When grandpa has dementia: Teens and tweens
- The doctor interview
- Noncancer screening tests
- Senior centers: Worth a fresh look
- Combatting dehydration
- Dementia and finances
- Text message scamming: "Smishing"
- Does brain training work?
- Swollen legs and feet
- Living with cancer as a chronic condition
- When you envy others
- Primary care providers
- Cooking tips for the visually impaired
- Organ donation
- Poetry and dementia
- Psychological first aid
- Caregiving apps
- "Chemobrain"
- Signs of an online "sweetheart scam"
- Protecting the house from Medicaid
- Reducing the nausea of chemo
- Friends? Who has time?
- Need a new doctor?
- When your relative is actively dying
2021
- Private pay services for care at home
- Hearing the TV better
- Writing the last chapter
- The special needs of Vietnam-era vets
- Help at home: Community programs
- Holidays without your loved one
- Is Medicare Advantage the best choice?
- Depression after a scary diagnosis
- Too many pills: When less is more
- Not all socks are created equal
- Dealing with anxiety
- Services at home: Medicare
- Learning to forgive yourself
- What is a daily money manager?
- The decision to stop dialysis
- What’s involved in giving care?
- What is a Medicaid spend down?
- Bladder issues
- Signs of financial abuse
- Giving "awesome" new meaning
- Medical management without dialysis
- Transitioning from curative care
- Managing arthritis pain
- How to get durable power of attorney
- Coping with vision loss
- What is "cremation authorization"?
- Time for smart monitoring?
- Maximizing your resources
- When kidneys fail: Dialysis?
- How to read an Explanation of Benefits
- "For better or for worse …"
- Dementia communication: Speaking
- Age-related macular degeneration
- A robo-pet for companionship?
- Slowing the progression of glaucoma
- Problems with hygiene
2020
- "Should we delay that procedure?"
- Leaving a legacy with StoryCorps
- Montessori for people with dementia
- Dementia and communication: Listening
- Video chatting for the "tech challenged"
- "Should we bring Dad home?"
- Health risks of Korean War vets
- Supporting a person with arthritis
- When you can't hold a funeral
- What is "mindfulness," anyway?
- Nonverbal signs of pain
- BPH: Weighing surgical options
- Repetitive questions
- Caregiving as a team
- "But I wasn't there when she died"
- The importance of staying connected
- What's in an Alzheimer's test?
- Osteoporosis: What you can do
- Coronavirus scams
- Is twice a night too much?
- Cooling down to make a decision
- When broccoli is bad for you
- Avoiding regret
- Signs of osteoporosis
- Doctors and advance directives
- Return to a good night's sleep
- Hallucinations in later life
- Are generic drugs inferior?
- When Dad "saws logs" all night
- Are you pushing against reality?
- Early signs of heart failure
- The myth of self-reliance
- Dad can't brush his teeth
- Adding meaning to your life
- Immediately after a death
- What is a "CCRC?"
2019
- What is a speech therapist?
- Visiting in the digital age
- Overcoming sadness
- Too much gratitude?
- Diet and Parkinson's
- Talking about brain health
- Lessons from theater improv
- What is a physical therapist?
- Emotions following a stroke
- Medicare Open Enrollment Tips
- A doctor's visit after a fall
- When caregiving ends: Part 2
- Genetic testing for Alzheimer's
- When caregiving ends - Part 1
- How Parkinson's affects communication
- "Lie to my mom?"
- Bad news
- Personal emergency response systems
- Getting out of the mental spin cycle
- Communicating with aphasia
- Common elder scams
- When language falls apart
- What is an occupational therapist?
- Distraction techniques
- Keeping your marbles: reducing dementia risk
- Fighting Parkinson's with exercise
- "Spiritual" advance directive
- Smartwatches for seniors
- Dementia: safety and independence
- Managing chronic pain
- Addressing fatigue in heart failure
- Setting limits: saying "no" nicely
- Age-friendly kitchen
- 2019 Medicare improvements
- Preparing for a safe return
- Signature strength: calm
2018
- Gifts for older adults
- How to discourage wandering
- A new year reflection
- Late-life veterans' issues
- Savoring good experiences
- Exercise and COPD: an oxymoron?
- Preparing for Cold and Flu Season
- Signature Strength: Courage
- When your parent drinks too much
- Signature Strength: Wisdom
- Preparing for joint replacement
- Does Mom have a drinking problem?
- When you need an energy boost
- Safe traveling for older adults
- "I don't need help" – Part 3
- Before you quit your job
- "I don't need help" – Part 2
- Opioid addiction and serious illness
- "I don't need help”
- The habit of happiness
- Using long-term care insurance
- Mother's Day without Mom
- Is a new Medicare card in the mailbox?
- When your passenger has dementia
- Memory loss and advance care planning
- Phones for every disability
- Advocating for a good night's sleep
- Empathy: Can you have too much?
- When family is paid for care
- Is breathing difficult?
- Walking out of the hospital
- Write your cares away—carefully
- Wheelchairs and your car
- The role of humor in caregiving
- Drug misuse
- Signs of stroke or "TIA"
2017
- Take a break: Options for respite
- Cataract surgery very effective
- Is a reverse mortgage appropriate?
- Money: know the details
- A clear mind in the hospital
- Car gadgets and tips
- Make the most of visiting
- What is "A-Fib"?
- Fire prevention at home
- Caregiver loss: How well are you coping?
- The ability to make health care decisions
- Nail care
- The caregiver-friendly car
- Medicare's Triple Aim
- Is heartburn a problem?
- Curb your negative thinking
- Beware rogue pharmacies
- Is your bathroom "senior-friendly"?
- Talking to your parents about money
- Is it sepsis?
- If the unexpected happens
- Avoiding the "War of the Wardrobe"
- Preventing a second heart attack
- "Promise you won't …"
- Making medical decisions in a crisis
- Visits: more than just business
- Preventing aspiration pneumonia
- Medical deductions
- "Sometimes I feel furious!"
- Getting pneumonia while hospitalized
- Caregiving and your partner
- After a heart attack
- Mealtime and dementia
- Helping resolutions stick
- When the attorney shuts you out
- Probiotics: The “good” bacteria
2016
- Preparing for your siblings' visit
- Preventing and treating pneumonia
- Medical equipment at home
- Sing a song for COPD!
- Technology for coordinating care
- Choosing a hospital? Look to the stars
- Managing your relative's money
- It is flu season
- A new perspective on stress
- The importance of touch
- How to report symptoms to the doctor
- What is a bedsore?
- Working with doctors long-distance
- Complications of diabetes
- Funeral logistics
- Is your relative dehydrated?
- Whose idea was this, anyway?
- What Medicare does NOT cover
- Father's Day without Dad
- If the cancer returns
- Making the transition to rehab
- Considering a remodel?
- Easing the disruption of travel
- Changes in vision
- Addressing loneliness
- After cancer treatment
- When should you make an advance directive?
- Reducing the stress of procrastination
- The treatment phase of cancer
- What if you are paid to care for a relative?
- Communicating long distance
- Deciding about cancer treatment
- Review medications before leaving the hospital
- Coping with new situations
- How cancer affects relationships
- You're far away, and she's failing
2015
- Red flags for COPD
- Taking charge of medical records
- The benefits of massage
- Family caregivers of veterans
- Keeping a gratitude journal
- Preventing flare-ups of COPD
- Is your parent's behavior embarrassing?
- Technology for health and safety
- What does "prognosis" mean?
- Help prevent choking
- The emotional side of cancer
- Tracking needs from a distance
- Living with purpose
- Osteoarthritis and physical activity
- What to do after a death
- Understanding frailty
- The "Sandwich Generation"
- When Dad resists a walker
- Addressing your stressors
- The post-discharge appointment
- When there is a cancer diagnosis
- Denture care
- What is an Advanced Professional Care Manager?
- Living with uncertainty
- Does the advance directive need updating?
- Preventing dental disease
- Removing "junk stimulation"
- Cavities at this age?
- Moving sooner is better than later
- Tax breaks for family caregivers
- Burnout prevention
- More than a home
- Physical activity improves brain health
- Music eases dementia care
- Stress or burnout?
- Talking about funeral plans
2014
- "Dignity of risk"
- Seniors having fun online
- Start a safe walking routine
- Gifts for those with memory loss
- More than fatigue
- Who will care for Fido?
- Honoring the veterans in your life
- Medicare rules about physical therapy
- Unwanted odors
- Is Dad taking his meds "as directed?"
- Make lemonade. Really?
- What about your special needs sibling?
- Foot care for older adults
- Hiring help yourself
- When you feel more resentment than love
- Are financial documents up to date?
- Easy activities with guests
- Reducing the risk of falls
- Explaining your needs to others
- Should Dad move in?
- When Mom worries about falling
- Balance problems
- Cleaning out the medicine cabinet
- Take fifteen!
- Can you find Mom's advance directive?
- Helping the doctor help you
- Visiting assisted living facilities
- Insomnia in older adults
- Talking about assisted living
- Tax breaks for in-home care
- Family grief in the face of dementia
- Before you suggest assisted living
- Subtle signs of a heart attack
- Dementia Dogs
- Long-distance caregiving
- Researching health treatments online
2013
- Constructive criticism: when to speak up
- Gather important documents
- Keeping blood pressure in check
- Palliative care for seriously ill veterans
- Cultivating gratitude when the going gets tough
- When blood pressure goes untreated
- Becoming more resilient
- Repairing identity theft
- What is high blood pressure?
- Avoiding surgery on the wrong body part
- Choosing an elder law attorney
- When Mom is really mean
- "I can't get Dad to budge!"
- What to do with their stuff?
- When to use "urgent care"?
- Add a dose of laughter to your life
- Preparing for a heat wave
- Early detection of memory problems
- Tips for vacationing without Mom
- What is mild cognitive impairment?
- When your relative has money questions
- Is your relative at risk for a hip fracture?
- Look ahead when downsizing
- When the worrying won't stop
- Do you know their wishes?
- Preventing C. difficile: A very difficult germ
- Stress and overeating
- The power of sleep
- What to do if your loved one is depressed
- When several relatives cover expenses
- Getting paid to care for Mom or Dad
- What is a hospitalist?
- When depression goes untreated
- Family and Medical Leave
- Is your loved one depressed?
- What is palliative care?
2012
- Choosing a complementary medical practitioner
- Supporting those in grief during the holidays
- Tips for air travel
- Giving thanks: It's good for your health
- Solutions to hearing loss
- Tips for open enrollment
- Five signs your parents may need help
- Talking with Dad about his hearing loss
- What is hospice?
- Managing pain with music
- Outpatient or inpatient? Why it's important to know
- Sage advice from elders
- Dressing your relative for incontinence
- What is a memory unit?
- When parents need financial help
- How to beat "decision fatigue"
- Safe disposal of "sharps"
- What is "assisted living"?
- Five keys to stress management
- Incontinence of the bowels
- When should you choose a skilled nursing facility?
- Engaging activities for persons with dementia
- Common misconceptions about hospice
- When you gotta go, you gotta go
- If you are selected to be "power of attorney for health care"
- Putting yourself in positive perspective
- What does "generic" really mean?
- 2011 tax breaks for family caregivers
- Dealing with criticism
- Frequent infections in persons with dementia
- If Dad wants to remarry
- Lessons from the seriously ill
- Skin care and aging
- Choosing healthy ways to cope
- Does Medicare pay for help at home?
- How to find a good doctor
2011
- Listening: The other half of the conversation
- Talking with children about serious illness
- Urinary tract infections: prevention tips
- Get help changing Medicare plans
- Is your home safe for older guests?
- Urinary tract infections
- Benefits available to veterans
- The importance of vaccines
- Would having a dog help? A fish?
- Seniors and crime
- Caught in a cycle of negativity?
- When should you take over Mom's checkbook?
- Making the best use of your time off
- Strategies to address urinary incontinence
- When your loved one is depressed, suggest exercise
- Accessing medical records
- Recognizing elder abuse
- Talking about urinary incontinence
- Interrupt the stress cycle with deep breathing
- Staying independent: the role of technology
- What is "elder abuse"?
- Cooking for caregivers
- Preparing for the hospital
- The value of nostalgia
- How to choose a health care decision maker
- Keeping your relative safe from fraud
- The journey of late life
- Coping with another person's pain
- Is your family member a hoarder?
- Tax breaks for family caregivers
- Dad lost weight!
- Family Caregiver Happiness Project
- What is hoarding?
- Sibling rivalry revisited
- Tired of being the taxi?
- What's new in Medicare
2010
- Coping with the holiday blues
- Alternatives to driving
- Making the transition from hospital to home
- Engage with Grace
- Help Mom be a safer driver
- Managing medications: Remembering to take medicines
- Why Mom doesn't take her pills
- Should Dad still be driving?
- The four stages of hope
- Are you prepared for a disaster?
- Get "Extra Help" with Medicare Rx Costs
- How is caregiving different for men?
- Brain fitness: What's the best way to improve thinking?
- Getting support from your spiritual beliefs
- If your loved one becomes seriously ill while traveling
- Could an adult day program be the answer?
- How nutrition affects breathing
- Travel tips when your loved one is disabled
- Accessible national parks
- Avoiding crises with COPD
- Making the home safer
- Flying with oxygen
- Review of the CareFinder Assessment Tool
- When is your loved one too isolated?
- Avoiding crises with congestive heart failure
- Aging and the self-fulfilling prophecy
- What is an advance directive?
- A clean home: Free services for women with cancer
- Tax tips for family caregivers
- Your changing role: Becoming a partner-in-care
- How to beat "cabin fever"
- Making treatment decisions
- Staying calm: Proven relaxation techniques
- Bathing and dementia
- Can Mom live safely on her own?
- Reducing salt in Dad's diet
2009
- Practicing forgiveness
- Making the most of family visits
- When your loved one gets tired easily
- Seeds of family resilience: Focus on rewards
- Managing emotional outbursts
- What is "power of attorney"?
- Getting the most from doctor appointments
- Cold weather safety tips for indoors
- Saving money on meds
- How do you know if your loved one is in pain?
- Is caregiving hazardous to your health?
- The healing power of music
- If you have to go to the Emergency Room
- Is it Alzheimer's disease?
- The value of support groups
- MyMedSchedule.com
- Safety tips for summer
- The healing power of volunteering
- Caregiving with kids
- Honoring Cancer Survivors Day: How to increase your odds of survival
- Understanding the rhythm of a disease
- Going on vacation with an elder
- The healing power of remembrance
- When Mom wants only you
- Balance exercises, an important step in preventing falls
- Have you completed an advance directive?
- Letting others pitch in
- Learning to accept help
- Uncle Sam may have a tax break for you
- When ice cream is better than salad
- The healing power of a life review
- Burn and fire safety
- Caring for your marriage, also
- Costs of caregiving: Sources of help
- Overcoming resistance to exercise
- The new year: A season of hope