“Illness and aging are dynamic and ever-changing – as are people.”
Nira Rittenberg, Occupational Therapist Baycrest Centre for Geriatrics
What a wonderful wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Michael Gordon, Geriatrician, Writer, and Ethicist. Not necessarily in that order. His terrific and highly readable book, Moments that Matter: Cases in Ethical Eldercare was the basis for us talking – but the good doctor rose to the occasion when I put forward my belief about decision-making: it’s […]
“I love it when I see a glimmer of recognition in her eyes,” says John of his 91-year old mother. She’s succumbing to dementia and rarely even recognizes John. He takes it in stride, and finds ways to connect – which has taken some experimenting: “I found that remembering childhood routines worked. I asked my […]
patients who disagree We’re supposed to be – and encouraged to be – enlightened, take-charge, take responsibility kind of people. This applies even more so when taking care of someone else (who presumably is more vulnerable, less able to take charge). But what about the reluctance to go against, to question, to outright disagree with […]
Almost 3 in 4 individuals aged 65 years and older have multiple chronic conditions Journal of American Medical Association My father-in law is one of them: he has ‘multiple chronic conditions’. High blood pressure, heart failure, high cholesterol, glaucoma – all of which are treated with prescription meds,. He also suffers (and I do mean […]
What does Retirement mean to you and your parents? For many of our parents, leading a disciplined productive life was an expectation, and was necessary to keep body and soul together. But now, with so many living so much longer, retirement can loom like a life sentence. The emptiness of days unfilled can be depressing […]
