By Pamela D Wilson, The Care Navigator, CSA, MS, BS/BA, CG
A geriatrician is a doctor for older adults, like a pediatrician is a doctor for children. People see geriatricians for two main reasons, the first is that they do not want to "get old", and the second is because they "got old". Geriatricians are physicians that specialize in the aging process. They complete training in internal or family medicine and then specialize in geriatrics for one to three years.
They are more likely to listen and to treat complaints that non-geriatricians might disregard as just old age. They are also more up to date on the most recent preventative therapies. They may be able to recommend strategies to delay memory problems or screen for bone density and make suggestions to treat osteoporosis before a fall or other injuries occur.
By Pamela D. Wilson, The Care Navigator, CSA, MS, BS/BA, CG
Lately I've been on a quest to find out how individuals living well into their nineties and hundreds have achieved this great feat. Most of you know I do a weekly radio program called The Caring Generation. In August I interviewed a woman, Garnet, who began hiking the Grand Canyon at 65 and made more than twenty trips. She's 103. There's a woman living in an independent living community in Denver who is 104 and still going. Another woman I just met told me that if one goes to the doctor enough "they'll eventually find something." If traditional medicine isn't going to extend our lives, what will?
Read more: Staying Healthy by Avoiding the Doctor - The Art of Living to 100
By Pamela D Wilson, The 
By Pamela D Wilson, The 
By Pamela D Wilson, The 
By Pamela D. Wilson, The 
By Pamela D. Wilson, CSA, MS, BS/BA, CG, The 
How many times have we heard the statement "no risk, no gain"? For thousands of individuals with life threatening diseases this statement has become a daily motto. These individuals, the "lab rats" of today, help promote advanced drug technologies. But at what cost and what benefit?
Ever imagine what your doctor would say to you if he/she could? I think you should find a new doctor. I feel dread each time I see you on my appointment list. You might be surprised to learn that "doctors consider 15 to 25% of their patient encounters difficult. Those with relatively high numbers of problematic patients were more likely to report that they had provided suboptimal care or they expected to make future errors in their practice." (1)
It often takes a critical event in our lives to bring feelings of grief. This event might be the death of a family member, the slow progression of a disease or the sudden shock of a health emergency like a fall resulting in broken bones, a stroke or a heart attack. Regardless of the situation there are options to support recovery.
Several months ago I met a married couple aged 97 and 95 and was amazed that they were still living at home and were fairly active. Most clients I meet who are this advanced in age have multiple chronic diseases and great difficulty with daily activities. This was not the case with Jim and Barbara. I met with them because they were beginning to wonder IF they should move from their home into a retirement community.
Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz clicking her red ruby slippers repeating, "There's no place like home" so she could be transported back to that little farm house in Kansas. What is it about remembering past times that gives us warm, happy feelings? How many of you experience nostalgic memories on a regular basis? The music - feeling of a place -- memories of good friends? What makes these memories better than the memory of the root canal you had last week?
Falls become a more common occurrence as we age. Studies indicate that falls in the elderly often serious consequences – limited physical activity, premature nursing home placement and premature death. With proper action and attention the likelihood of falls can be reduced or prevented.
Ever feel rushed or unimportant when you visit your physician or health care provider? Studies suggest that individuals receive fifteen to twenty minutes on average with their doctors mainly due to insurance regulations. Below are ten tips to make your next medical appointment a success.
Heart disease tops the list of chronic diseases as we age. It is one of the most under diagnosed diseases in women, more women dying from heart disease than breast cancer. By age forty, one in two individuals have high blood pressure which is among the other risks heart disease that include high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Chronic disease affects nearly every individual over age 65 and results in significant costs to the healthcare system.
Your feet are two of your most important body parts; they carry you wherever you want to go, yet many of us give them the least attention, especially when we become older. Only when they hurt or prevent us from walking easily do we give them proper attention. As we age our flexibility lessens and it's more physically difficult to bend and reach our feet. Our toenails become thicker and more difficult to trim – so we let them go. We walk barefoot, wear shoes that do not fit properly and bathe less. We grow calluses on our feet because of improperly fitting shoes.
How many times have you gone for your annual medical appointment and the doctor discussed your "measures"? How many times did you remember the numbers but not remember what they mean? I'm referring to the measures of blood pressure and cholesterol. These combined are a fairly good predictor of heart health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. representing 29% of the population and is the leading cause of disability.