Help me remember this Y2K-era piece of technology!
Around 1999-2001 (maybe earlier or later) my grandfather ordered a "PC". It wasn't a computer in the traditional sense, but basically an Internet terminal. If my memory serves me right it had a monitor...
View ArticlePreventing elderly guests with poor vision from falling down stairs
My family has a summer house with a steep, poorly lit stairway to the basement. The top exits into the kitchen. There is a door that is normally kept closed at the top, and guests other than children...
View ArticleCell phone and computer for elderly, increasingly fuzzy relative
I'm travelling to help an elderly relative (in pain, sciatica, on pain meds) who is 83 and fuzzing mentally. She has been pretty good with computers for years, but is having trouble maintaining her PC....
View ArticleHow can I be a good houseguest to someone with mild dementia?
At the end of the week I'll be staying overnight at the home of someone who is clearly exhibiting some early dementia symptoms. I've been incredibly lucky that no one in my family has ever had to deal...
View ArticleSending videos to the old folks at home
What device or electronic setup would enable an elderly, non-tech-savvy person to straightforwardly view photos and videos with a minimum of fuss? Difficulty: no wifi, no 4G, no DVD player, no ongoing...
View ArticleHelp me find retirement therapists/counselors
An elderly relative of mine is retiring within the next few years. Help me find a therapist/counselor to help them through this transition. I'm looking up therapists/counselors/planners/life coaches on...
View ArticleWhat are the risks for the elderly of sitting in a wheelchair?
Unfortunately my grandmother (85) suffered a stroke which left her left arm and leg paralyzed and required that she be in a nursing home. Although she initially could still walk, she now spends most of...
View ArticleFinding Assisted Living for my parents. What do I need to know?
My parents are in their early 80's. The time has come for them to sell their house and move to an assisted living type environment. This needs to happen sooner than later. If you have gone through this...
View ArticleAround the Big Apple in 0.33 days (with a baby and 4 retirees)
My relatives are coming to visit the big apple and I would be chaperoning them around on a site-seeing tour. The problem is that they are elderly (are retired), from another culture & country...
View ArticleCell phone that doesn't act like cell phone (for dementia patient)
My 90-year-old aunt was just admitted to a nursing home, and they aren't set up to have landlines in individual rooms. For patients to have phones in their rooms, relatives need to provide cell phones....
View ArticleHow to best assist elderly mother to manage her life?
My 80-year-old mother has been declining mentally in recent months. Recently she's been making some very poor decisions for herself, both financially and medically. I am her only child, I live with...
View ArticleRelatives making bad financial decisions—can I wash my hands of them?
Some close, older relatives make terrible financial decisions, and are unwilling to stop. My wife and I are liable to wind up financially responsible for them when the money runs out in a few years....
View ArticleHow do you tell if an old dog is in pain?
I have an old dog. She does not appear to be in any obvious pain, but I wonder if I should keep her on a maintenance med just because of her age. My 65-pound Rhodi-ridgeback-mix rescue is about 15...
View ArticleDad (early 70s) is making weird sounds constantly. What could it be?
After some prolonged time with dear old dad in the car recently, I noticed he constantly makes weird little sounds and vocalizations when things are quiet. I don't think he has any idea he's doing...
View ArticleHow do I help my paranoid, elderly mom in rapid mental decline?
My elderly mom is experiencing a delusion that seems to be rapidly worsening. I am her only family and live 8 hours away. She will not see a doctor. What should I do? She has been in decline since my...
View ArticleElder care for an aunt with schizophrenia. Help me stay sane!
Elder care for an aunt with schizophrenia. Help me stay sane! My 75 year old aunt (let's call her Alice)who has had paranoid schizophrenia since she was 27, fell three weeks ago and broke her dominant...
View ArticleMy elderly mom is a hoarder. What should I do?
My elderly mom is a hoarder. What should I do? This is a long story, but I'll keep it as short as I can. My mom is in her mid-70s, retired, and a hoarder. I lived in a different state from her for many...
View ArticleFormerly abusive parents who are now elderly and wanting forgiveness
Growing up, my family was squarely middle class. But that didn’t make it easy. My father was an alcoholic with a vicious temper. He was incredibly emotionally abusive, and on occasion, he was...
View ArticleNursing home spend-down in the state of New York
What can a woman living in a nursing home in the state of New York do with her pension income so that she is not in a constant state of qualifying for financial aid / not qualifying for financial aid?...
View ArticleFriendships with the elderly
Are you friends with someone a lot older or younger than you? I did some volunteer work at a senior center and there is an elderly lady, 92, who I am starting to recognize is interested in being...
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