What The Heck Is A Geriatric Care Manager?

As the number of elderly Americans soars over the next couple of decades, millions of baby boomers will wind up providing care for parents and relatives who have grown ill or require help with activities of daily living.

Contrary to the widespread belief that today's families are turning their backs on aging relatives, it's estimated that family members still provide more than 70 percent of all long-term care received by older Americans. According to one study from 2005, more than 13 million boomers already serve as caregivers for elderly parents.

But what happens when family members live out of town, or simply can't do it all? What can be done when the care needs of an ill or frail loved one exceed the capacity of family caregivers, or when adult children are overwhelmed by caregiving responsibilities while juggling the competing demands of their own families and careers? Click here to read full article

Advanced Directives Clarify End-Of-Life Medical Preferences, Ease Family Stress

What kind of medical care would you want if you became incapacitated due to injury or illness and were unable to express your wishes? One way you can maintain control in a situation like this is to record your preferences for medical care while you are still healthy and to share these decisions with your family and physician.

Advance directives are legal documents that describe the end-of-life medical care you want doctors and other healthcare professionals to provide in the event you become unable to make or to state decisions (if you are comatose or have a dementing illness, for example). In addition to communicating your medical preferences, advance directives can spare your loved ones the confusion and stress of making decisions about your care while you are sick. Click here to read full article

Transition Network Supports Women Facing Midlife Challenges

Like many women, Marilyn Abedin has faced a series of life-stage transitions as she entered midlife. Over the past decade, the Saratoga resident has divorced her first husband and married another man, watched her youngest child leave home for college and launched a new career as a mortgage broker, after 35 years of hospital-related work.

Abedin, now 62, has embraced these changes, which she describes as "mostly exciting and liberating." But, for many people, the transitions that often occur in their 50s and 60s - in areas such as work, family, romance, housing, health and finance - can prove daunting and stressful.

That's one reason The Transition Network (TTN) was formed. A national organization based in New York City, TTN provides support for the growing population of midlife women who are switching gears and looking for ways to take control of their lives as they navigate the next phase. Click here to read full article