Is there any hope that she will see heart surgery as a wakeup call?
My spouse's mother, a senior citizen, just learned this year that she has heart failure. She survived multiple heart surgeries recently, a harrowing process during which she said she never wants to go...
View ArticleMother's Little Helper
YANMMD -- you are not my mother's doctor. But you probably can do a better job than her current one. Please help. My 87-year-old mother recently moved back to her hometown, a place we'll refer to as...
View ArticleAging in literature and film
As I approach my fifties and confront the reality that parts of my body are wearing out and will never be young and resilient again, I turn to the arts for deeper philosophical understanding of this...
View ArticleHelp me track my mother's computer usage
My mother is 90-years-old and lives alone. We worry when she doesn't pick up for the phone or we haven't heard from her for a couple of days. She is actively-opposed to any sort of regular check-ins by...
View ArticleNon-word search puzzles for ESL grandmother.
I want to buy a few non-word-search puzzle games or books for a friend's grandmother, who is ESL and has age-related difficulties (needs large print, easy-level puzzles). I want to buy something and...
View ArticleMake an Android tablet elder-friendly for my grandma
Family members have gotten an Android tablet for my 97-year-old grandmother. Please suggest some ways to make the tablet as friendly and easy to use as possible for someone who has computer experience,...
View ArticleDiscourage clients who don't get a flu shot to protect my elderly Mother
My 87 year old Mother likes to help in my office. She is healthy, but frail. Should I mention to clients that I don't want them coming in to see me when they are sick and that I would prefer they have...
View ArticleBest standing shoes for elderly mom?
My mom (she's 71) continues to work a couple of part time jobs, both out of financial need and a determination to keep working. One of them has her standing on a concrete floor for fairly long periods...
View ArticleFeeding a sick elderly dog
What to do for an elderly, sick, underweight dog who won't eat his prescription food? Asking for a friend. His terrier is 16 and has chronic pancreatitis as well as liver and kidney disease, which he's...
View ArticleShould I avoid supporting my aging father?
My father is aging, with heart problems and developing dementia. I am generally a conscientious person, but I'm staring down the necessity of supporting him like the barrel of a gun. Special snowflake...
View ArticlePro tips for setting up iPad for elderly mom
This question - how to set up an iPad for an elderly relative - has been asked frequently before. I'll summarize what I learned from those threads and ask a few new questions related to new iOS 8...
View ArticleWhat books should a dying person read?
My father and step-father (both in their seventies) are nearing the end of their lives, and I want to give them books to read in the time they have left. I'm not looking for anything that's necessarily...
View ArticleiPad games for a 90 year old grandma
We are getting an iPad for my 90 year old grandma. What are some good games or other apps? She particularly likes card games like bridge and other games she plays on Hoyle Card Games on her old Windows...
View ArticleWhere to live next?
65, need to find home. Where to live next? After 7 years in Asheville, one in London, and not yet one in the Berkshires, I need to find a home. Single, male, 68 yrs, living on SS and a small pension,...
View ArticleMy mentally ill aunt is trying to manipulate my 95-year-old grandmother
My aunt, Anne, is being emotionally abusive to my 95-year old grandmother. Anne is also verbally abusive towards the nursing home staff. She has snuck an attorney into the nursing home in an attempt to...
View ArticleHow do we take care of dad after mom's unexpected death?
My mother died unexpectedly last week at the age of 64, more than likely of a heart attack, and the whole family has been in shock and upset. She had some serious health issues that she neglected (both...
View ArticleSource for prescription kitteh food?
Kitteh is 17 and going strong, except that he's lost three pounds in the past several months. His vet has prescribed special food. I bought samples of two brands from the vet to see if he'd eat them...
View ArticleTopics for Elderly Reminiscence Group
I am leading a reminiscence group at the skilled nursing facility where I work and am looking for topics for the residents to discuss. Participants in the group are generally pretty cognitively intact...
View ArticleFence dispute -- did we do the right thing?
Our elderly neighbors were planning on fencing in 1300 square feet of common ground that adjoins our lot. They also wanted to put their fence about 4 feet over into our side yard. We gently tried...
View Articlesimplest possible interface for sharing photos with an elderly parent?
I'm looking to set up a way for my siblings and I to share photos with my elderly parents. My first thought was a shared flickr account - but I found that the interface had too many tiny clickable...
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