With the coronavirus pandemic raging, skilled nursing facilities were instructed back in March to restrict visitation access for the health and safety of staff and residents. Various governmental bodies have made it clear that given the increased risk of infection facing those 65 and older, it is essential that they be quarantined. At the same…
It has been well-documented that those with preexisting conditions are among the most vulnerable to coronavirus. Perhaps the most overlooked of those conditions is obesity. That has been illustrated most tragically in New Orleans. As of April 2, high levels of obesity and related issues had likely contributed to a per-capita death rate from COVID-19…
It is said so often that it has become something of a cliche: You need to have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. That is doubly true for seniors, most of whom have retired from the workforce and already sent their children out into the world. They now have time on…
The coronavirus pandemic is revealing critical flaws in a number of different sectors throughout the country. From government to business to healthcare, this pandemic ruthlessly deals punishing blows to any system that is not fully prepared for it. In early March, a cluster of coronavirus infections was reported at a nursing home near Seattle. Of…
Technology is all the rage nowadays, and can go a long way toward improving the lives of seniors. But the mission here is to point out low-tech (not to mention cost-effective) hacks that can accomplish much the same thing. This includes things like putting colored covers on one’s keys. That way, each of them can…
Betty Friedan, the late feminist, found that writing the 1993 book “The Fountain of Age” was “very liberating,” as she told an interviewer that year. At the beginning of the project she shared “the same dreary view” of the aging process that many others did. By the end Friedan — 72 herself at the time…
As with those of any age, seniors would do well to watch their mouths, because it can literally get them into trouble. Those aged 65 and over face a battery of oral-health challenges. There are higher incidences of dry mouth, gum disease, tooth loss and root decay. All those things can threaten seniors’ general health.…