Category: Symptoms

Thanksgiving Is A senior Cyber Weekend

11/28/2018

When families gathered on Thanksgiving day, some realized that their senior was not the same as last year. Families often respond by doing internet research. The internet is a good first step. However, some sites make outlandish claims. I saw one that offered a treatment that “cured Alzheimer’s”. There is no cure and some of these sites can offer dangerous suggestions.

Here are a few reputable sites that offer reliable information:

Alzheimer's Association. This site also has a page devoted to explaining the different types of dementia. It also lists other physical conditions or environmental conditions that can look like dementia.

American Society on Aging. It can feel encyclopedic in size. The society has done decades of research and offers reliable information. It’s a good second step.

AARP offers many programs and information for families as well as seniors. Each state has a chapter with offices in each area. Look up your state to find help in your area.

And Senior Sidekicks offers a course; Preparing to Parent Your Parent, to prepare families for the practical issues they will face as they become caregivers. Contact us about teaching this course in your church or at your job. Call (217) 787-5866 or email us for more information.

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I Forgot To Tell The Doctor

9/24/2018

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One of my patients recently complained. I asked her what her doctor said. She told me she had forgotten to tell her doctor. She told me that she had become used to the problem and “accepted” it. Many senior-related articles advise writing down symptoms and questions before visiting the doctor. Good advice; as far as it goes. It’s the stuff that falls off the radar that could be the most important. The doctor needs information from the patient or the patient’s advocate. That information is the basis to decide which questions/tests to pursue.

What kind of information doesn’t get to the doctor?

Things to which the senior has become accustomed.
Things that seem unimportant to the senior.
Things that the senior believes can’t be helped anyway.

When a senior has a low back pain every morning that goes away, it’s no longer an issue. That has many causes and not something to ignore. When the senior dismisses a symptom they will probably not report. Earlier this year, one of my patients dismissed his repeated shortness of breath. I insisted that he report it or I would call his doctor and report it myself! Only such a drastic remark “motivated” him to tell his doctor. He only did so after his physical. His doctor called him back and ran a test. He was sent to the hospital immediately. A month later, he underwent open heart surgery! Then, there are the symptoms seniors believe can’t be helped. When seniors were younger, perhaps certain conditions did not have effective treatments. With such a world view, getting the full picture may take some work on your part. I find my biggest challenge is to help the senior accept that new options are truly available. Then, I gather information to form a symptom picture. By the way, gathering data is one of the topics we cover in Senior Sidekicks’ course, Preparing to Parent Your Parent. We’ve designed this with caregiver convenience in mind.

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Thanksgiving Is A senior Cyber Weekend

I Forgot To Tell The Doctor

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