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Orig Post www.agingcare.com | RePost CareProdx 2/17/2016Maybe you've noticed that dad's unopened mail is piling up. Or mom, once meticulous about her appearance, is wearing wrinkled clothes and not doing her hair. Perhaps there are bruises on your aging parent's arms. When you bring up the subject, you hear, "Everything is fine. There's no need to worry."Admitting they need help would mean they can't take care of themselves anymore, and no one wants to lose their independence. "Denial is th …

If you have taken on the role of a caregiver in the last few years, you have joined on of the biggest and most important working groups in America today.  According to the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), an estimated 44 million Americans have taken on this vital job. Caregivers fix meals, make doctor's appointments, do the laundry, and generally make sure their frail or sick relatives or friends can live as well as possible for as long as possible.  The actual list of things a caregiv …

Althought their health and eyesight were failing, Clark and Altave Vandenberg enjoyed living by themselves in their El Sobrante, California, home. Both were adamantly opposed to moving to a nursing home.But when Altave fell and broke her hip, her injury shattered the fragile accommodations the couple had made to continue living independently. Clark's ill health left him unable to care for his ailing wife. When she left the hospital after her fall, Altave stayed with a friend who could care …

Too much sitting has been linked to increased risk for health problems such as heart failure and earlier death. Now, a new study finds older adults who sit too much are more likely to be disabled -- regardless of their exercise habits."Sedentary behavior is its own separate risk factor [for disability]," said study researcher Dorothy Dunlop, a professor of medicine at the Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. She evaluated the exercise habits of more than 2,000 men and women, ag …

Opportunities and obstacles of CaregivingYou also need to take a close look at your own situation. The National Family Caregivers Alliance recommends examining your strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and threats. Call it a SWOT inventory (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Your strengths might include your work ethic or your generosity. A list of weaknesses might include a lack of knowledge about healthcare. (If it does, don't worry. You'll get up to speed.) Oppo …