A little over a year after it was first proposed, a new federal regulation will soon go into effect to allow residents and their families to sue nursing home operators in cases of neglect, abuse and criminal behavior. The regulation, which affects any nursing home that receives federal funds, does away with a common industry…
Since 2008, consumers searching for the best quality nursing care facilities have relied on a 5-star rating system on the “Nursing Home Compare” website maintained by the U.S. Government (that website is located here – it allows you to search and review nursing care facilities by zip code or locale). The site includes a rating…
One of those adages that tend to be true is that men will typically refuse to stop and ask for directions. (Someone once explained that that’s the reason why the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness!) Generally, it seems, men would rather meander aimlessly down the wrong road than to pull into a…
October is here and that means the marketing effort for flu shots is well underway. No doubt you’ve seen the signs in your favorite drugstore, or been asked about your annual flu shot at your doctor’s office. Maybe you’ve already gone ahead and had your flu shot, figuring that earlier is always better. It turns…
What’s the ideal retirement age? For many of us growing up the answer used to be 65. That’s when many of our dads finally hung up their briefcases or tool belts and decided it was time to start enjoying that well-earned pension. These days for most Baby Boomers the answer is 66 (and those pensions…
The idea supposedly started with a Methodist minister in Virginia. After visiting a parishioner distraught over being forced into a nursing home, he decided America could do a better job helping seniors find alternative housing solutions. He consulted with a research center at Virginia Tech, and voila: the MEDCottage, also called the Granny Pod, was…
Since retirement planning is our specialty here at AgingOptions, we’re always intrigued by articles with titles like “5 Things to Do Now to Get Ready for Retirement.” Often these articles offer advice that smacks of “too little, too late.” But this article from a recent issue of the Washington Post with that very same title…
In past generations it was generally considered unthinkable to question one’s doctor. Physicians possessed unchallenged authority, and their words carried nearly divine weight. Ironically, even in today’s skeptical age, some patients – especially older ones – still feel reluctant to challenge their doctor about anything he or she says. (If you want to read more…
Age discrimination in the job market may be illegal, but it remains prevalent. That’s the unsettling conclusion found in this recent article from the Reuters news service analyzing the plight of older workers in today’s slow-growth economy. The article by Reuters columnist Mark Miller has a stark title: “Older and jobless – the US recovery’s…
A recent two-part series of articles in USA Today provided a very honest treatment of a very difficult question: if aging parents need financial help, how should their adult children respond? The answer can affect the relationship between parents and children for the rest of Mom and Dad’s life – not to mention the impact…
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