My Elder Advocate

Settlement Changes New York Housing Policy for the Mentally Ill - NYTimes.com

The settlement resolved a case that was filed in Brooklyn federal court in 2006 and that accused the state of violating the spirit of its own longstanding rules for housing mentally ill people.

via www.nytimes.com

The Sick Looting of Home Health Care

All these candidates insisting they can clean up Albany should take a good look at the case of a truly stubborn taxpayer leech to see what they're up against: The culprit is a Brooklyn-based firm misnamed Excellent Home Care Services, and it has been happily pillaging state coffers for years without interference.

via www.villagevoice.com 

Elders' Refusals to Eat: What's a Caregiver to Do?

First, Do No Harm

One need not be a doctor to adhere to the ""first do no harm"" clause of the Hippocratic Oath. It would be negligent, irresponsible, and may have criminal implications, if a caregiver were to allow a family member to starve to death. Therefore, the short and simplest answer to the question often posed by caregivers is that there is a point where elders who refuse to eat need prompt medical intervention. Seek medical intervention long before the situation gets out of hand.

via www.eldercarelink.com

Daily Activity for Older Adults: A Guide for Caregivers

by Jae Gruenke, GCFP

While regular exercise sessions a couple of times a week play an important role in improving balance, strength, and quality of life for an older adult, the exercise that will make the biggest difference is the physical activity that’s a normal part of everyday life.

Safety For Older Consumers Home Safety Checklist

Each year, many older Americans are injured in and around their homes.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that in 1981, over 622,000 people over age 65 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with products they live with and use everyday.

Staying At Home

In the past, when an older person had difficulty living on
their own, it was a signal that it was time to move in with
family or go to a nursing home. But for most people this is no
longer the case. Today, you can to continue to live on your
own for many years, even as you grow older and begin to
need help with everyday tasks. This is often called “aging in
place.” More