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Category: Dementia
Millions of Aging Americans Are Facing Dementia by Themselves
In a health care system that assumes older adults have family caregivers to help them, those facing dementia by themselves often fall through the cracks.
Violent Dementia Patients Leave Nursing Home Staffers and Residents ‘Scared to Death’
Clashes between residents — verbal, physical, and sexual — can be spontaneous and too unpredictable to prevent. But the chance of an altercation increases when memory care homes admit and retain residents they can’t manage, according to a KFF Health News examination of inspection and court records and interviews with researchers.
New Help for Dealing With Aggression in People With Dementia
A sedative shouldn’t be the first thing tried to help people with dementia who exhibit distressing behaviors. A new website is a comprehensive, free resource that offers guidance to caregivers.
Nursing Homes Wield Pandemic Immunity Laws To Duck Wrongful Death Suits
More than 172,000 nursing home residents died of covid. In lawsuits, some families who lost loved ones say they were misled about safety measures or told that covid wasn’t a danger in their facilities.
Preparing to Hang Up the Car Keys as We Age
As cognitive skills erode with age, driving skills weaken, but an aging driver may not recognize that. Advance directives on driving are one way to handle this challenge.
Facing Financial Ruin as Costs Soar for Elder Care
The United States has no coherent system of long-term care, leading many to struggle to stay independent or rely on a patchwork of solutions.
Dementia Can Take a Toll on Financial Health, as Some Families Learn the Hard Way
People with dementia and their families often find themselves with few legal rights when dealing with financial scams or the mismanagement of their assets. Research reveals financial troubles can be both an early sign and a painful symptom of cognitive decline.
Dementia Care Programs Help, If Caregivers Can Find Them
Programs assisting people with dementia — and their caregivers — improve quality of life and care. But millions of unpaid family and friend caregivers may not know where or how to find help.
More Californians Are Dying at Home. Another Covid ‘New Normal’?
The proportion of Californians dying at home, rather than in a hospital or nursing home, accelerated during the pandemic, a trend that has outlasted the rigid lockdowns linked to the initial shift.
