Patient Education

The trend toward self-care and patient-focused healthcare continues unabated. To have patients engaged in the management of their own care requires informed patients. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) is committed to initiatives in public education so that older adults can act as their own advocates for quality healthcare, and to increase the awareness of the larger public about health issues in the aging population.
Resources are available to older adults, their families, and their caregiv

Older adults are more likely than younger people to have long-term health problems such as arthritis and heart disease and to take medications on a regular basis.
Because older adults often have more than one health problem, it isn’t unusual for them to take several different prescription drugs, in addition to over-the-counter (OTC) medications, vitamins and supplements.
As a result, older adults run a higher risk of overmedication and unwanted drug reactions. Older adults may end up taking too m

When the temperature drops, older adults run a high risk of health problems related to the cold—including hypothermia (dangerously low body temperature), frostbite, falls in ice and snow, and injuries. So it’s important that they, and those who care for them, take certain precautions this time of year. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself, or older loved ones, from: Hypothermia: Because older adults have slower metabolisms, they tend to produce less body heat than younger people. Thanks to the way our bodies change as we age, it’s also harder for older adul

As many as 44 million Americans care for older parents, in-laws, grandparents and other older loved ones.

Some older adults need only a little assistance from family caregivers; for example, help with shoveling snow, or rides to and from the grocery store. Others need a lot of help with daily activities like eating, bathing, dressing, taking medications and managing money. Over time, an older adult often needs increasing help from caregivers.

While caring for an older family member can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime, it can also be stressful and frust...

Most people have had a close call with another car, a person walking, or an object while driving.

Many people have also had car accidents. How do older adults and caregivers know when these situations are cause for concern?

Q. How old is too old to drive?
A. People can be great drivers or bad drivers at any age. Generally, young, new drivers tend to have the worst driving records. Experienced, middle-aged drivers are likely to have the best driving records. Overall, older drivers make appropriate adjustments for their abilities and limitations and are pretty safe too. ...

Walking is the most popular form of exercise among older adults and it’s a great choice.
Walking can strengthen muscles; help prevent weight gain; lower risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and osteoporosis; improve balance; and lower the likelihood of falling.

Before older adults plan their first walk, they should check with a health care provider.

Take these steps to walk safely:

Tell your health care provider if you have any pain or problems walking
It’s important to be as healthy as possible before you start to walk, but don’t let a health ...

As we get older, we tend to get wiser in many ways. Thanks to experience, we may be better at making decisions, have bigger vocabularies and be more expert in certain areas than we were when we were younger.

As our brains get older, however, it may be a bit harder for us to learn certain
information or remember things. It may be harder, for instance, to remember your neighbor’s phone number, or your grandson’s birthday.

The good news is that there are lots of things you can do to keep your brain sharp
and working well throughout your life. Researchers call th...

Smoking is the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the US. Smoking causes about 300,000 people over the age of 65 to die each year. Since smoking is so dangerous, Medicare will soon cover counseling to help people quit.

Q. I’ve been smoking for many years and am healthy, why should I quit?

A. Even if you think of yourself as being very healthy, after you’ve stopped smoking you will likely notice that you have more energy. You will also find that you are less prone to colds and the flu. You will save money. For example, if you smoke 1 pack every day, you ...

It’s a time of celebration, parties, and get-togethers, but sometimes, the holiday season can also be a source of the blues, especially for older people. Older adults may think about how quickly time has passed, or miss loved ones more during this time of year. Health conditions or concerns about money can also make it harder to enjoy the holidays. Fortunately, there are ways to help cope with the melancholy that may accompany the holidays and the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging offers the following tips:

If you feel blue, try to:
Get out and about: Ask family and friends...

The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging’s

It’s That Time of Year Again: Flu and Other Potentially Life-Saving Shots

As fall approaches, it’s time for seniors to make plans to get that all-important
flu shot. Studies show that older adults are more likely than younger adults to become seriously ill after contracting the flu or other infections. In fact, the flu alone kills more than 20,000 Americans, most of them 65 and older, each year.

According to American Geriatrics Society President Jane F. Potter, MD, healthcare providers and clinics often start offer...