Medical Care for Seniors

Family caregivers, especially those with medical power of attorney (POA), should assemble a folder containing these 9 important medical details that can be easily handed off to nurses, doctors and first responders when seniors need emergency health care.

When a senior needs medical attention, consider the level of care they require and the immediacy of the need before deciding where to take them for treatment.

Use these 7 tips to become an active participant in your medical care and you'll have a better care experience with more successful outcomes.

For seniors in need of major surgery, such as a joint replacement or cardiac procedure, it is important to understand that the side effects of anesthesia in elderly patients can be significant over both the short and long term.

Seniors may mislead their doctors due to fear, denial or a phenomenon called “showtiming.” Fortunately, there are some tips that caregivers can use to ensure doctors are well-informed while their loved ones’ dignity remains intact.

When taking your elderly parent to the doctor, maximize your time on each visit by keeping a notebook with your questions, observations on mental or physical changes since the last visit, lists of medications, and recommendations for follow up care.

Having all information regarding a senior's health, diseases, doctors and medications in one place ensures everything is easily accessible when you need it most. Use this Medical Information Checklist to help you stay organized.

Once you've successfully taken the steps to get a dementia patient to go to the doctor, use the following tips to have an efficient, effective doctor's appointment.

If you have concerns about an elderly loved one’s health and are involved in their daily care, it is very important to understand the impact of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) on caregiving for seniors.

It can be difficult to distinguish scientifically proven options from hyped up “remedies” and expensive “cures.” Know what to look for in an alternative treatment and how to decide if it's worth trying.

Understanding what stage of heart failure a senior is in and learning how to help them manage their lifestyle to minimize symptoms can provide you both with added comfort and confidence.

Palliative care provides symptom relief for seniors living with a severe illness. Services may include personalized therapies, nutrition advice, and more.

Selecting a course of action at the end of life can be a complex task, but it must be done. Often a new diagnosis is the instigating factor in formally deciding on a plan.This can include a DNR, advance directive, living will, and/or VSED.

Antibiotics can be useful against many different infections, but their overuse contributes to making certain strains of bacteria into drug-resistant "super bugs." Learn how to correctly use these medications and prevent resistance.

Anyone who had chicken pox growing up may develop shingles later in life. Painful resurgence of the zoster virus is common in people older than 60, but it can be prevented with a single shot.

When a senior is hospitalized, it’s crucial to find out whether they’ve been admitted as an inpatient or registered as an outpatient under observation. This governs whether Medicare will cover their hospital bills and care in a skilled nursing facility.

Physicians are in increasingly short supply, so patients often spend more time with physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) during appointments. How do these health care providers compare to each other?

Fall prevention efforts tend to focus on minimizing environmental hazards and improving mobility, but another important contributing factor is often overlooked: prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Medical authorities now say blood pressure for seniors without cardiac issues can go safely up to 150/90. For that and other reasons, I'm quitting the pills. Here's why.

What is a geriatric psychiatrist and how can they help caregivers and seniors? Caring for older adults requires a special understanding of their physical, social, and mental health needs.