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Our monthly newsletter is filled with practical tips for families caring for an older relative.

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Ferretto Young Care Management Consulting is here to support you in the important work that you do!

2024

September/October 2024

  • Reducing and resolving chronic inflammation
  • Is assisted living a good fit?
  • Suicide and older adults

August/September 2024

  • How to choose a rollator
  • Hope: It's not what you think
  • Money tips for low vision

July/August 2024

  • Listening when a loved one is sad
  • "Going home tomorrow?!"
  • Signs of chronic inflammation

June/July 2024

  • Is it hearing loss or dementia?
  • Negotiating skills
  • "Tech support" scam

May/June 2024

  • Ride hailing for older adults
  • What is "vascular dementia"?
  • Sadness isn't all bad

April/May 2024

  • Home visits are in!
  • What is "inflammaging"?
  • Adaptive clothing

March/April 2024

  • Choosing a support group
  • Serving as a special needs trustee
  • Chronic kidney disease

February/March 2024

  • Tech support for your relative(s)
  • Maybe it's not Alzheimer's
  • Dealing with disgust

January/February 2024

  • Acting as a "human guide"
  • Early-onset dementia: Money issues
  • Making the most of regret

2023

December 2023/January 2024

  • Dementia: Navigating the airport
  • Choosing a "senior tablet"
  • Positive connections with staff

November/December 2023

  • Information and support
  • Financial/legal aspects of caregiving
  • Pacing yourself

October/November 2023

  • Physical therapy and pain relief
  • Curbing your perfectionism
  • Affordable funerals

September/October 2023

  • Caring as a stepfamily
  • Senior move managers
  • Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)

August/September 2023

  • How is your relative's "social health"?
  • Low-vision bathroom
  • Adjusting to memory care

July/August 2023

  • Bringing the hospital home
  • What is "healthy selfishness"?
  • Dementia: Packing for a trip

June/July 2023

  • Dementia: Is travel realistic?
  • Senior bullying and exclusion
  • Meaningful end of life conversations

May/June 2023

  • Cancer screenings covered by Medicare
  • Moving to memory care
  • Tinnitus: Ringing in the ears

April/May 2023

  • Do you strive for perfection?
  • Pillbox 2.0
  • The care plan and meeting

March/April 2023

  • Calling a family meeting
  • Early-onset Alzheimer's
  • Choosing a meal service

February/March 2023

  • Home modifications for vision loss
  • Is it time for memory care?
  • If you are not the primary caregiver

January/February 2023

  • Are you the primary caregiver?
  • The yearly "Wellness Visit"
  • Where are the paid caregivers?

2022

December 2022/January 2023

  • Healing torn relations
  • Dementia and small children
  • Dry eye syndrome

November/December 2022

  • Honoring family caregivers
  • Suppose they don't get better ...
  • Not taking meds as directed?

October/November 2022

  • October is National Crime Prevention Month
  • Putting anticipation to work for you
  • What is Lewy body dementia?

September/October 2022

  • Caring with a stepparent
  • Could medicines be the culprit?
  • Who is who in skilled nursing facilities?

August/September 2022

  • When grandpa has dementia: Teens and tweens
  • The doctor interview
  • Noncancer screening tests

July/August 2022

  • Senior centers: Worth a fresh look
  • Combatting dehydration
  • Dementia and finances

June/July 2022

  • Text message scamming: "Smishing"
  • Does brain training work?
  • Swollen legs and feet

May/June 2022

  • Living with cancer as a chronic condition
  • When you envy others
  • Primary care providers

April/May 2022

  • Cooking tips for the visually impaired
  • Organ donation
  • Poetry and dementia

March/April 2022

  • Psychological first aid
  • Caregiving apps
  • "Chemobrain"

February/March 2022

  • Signs of an online "sweetheart scam"
  • Protecting the house from Medicaid
  • Reducing the nausea of chemo

January/February 2022

  • Friends? Who has time?
  • Need a new doctor?
  • When your relative is actively dying

2021

December 2021/January 2022

  • Private pay services for care at home
  • Hearing the TV better
  • Writing the last chapter

November/December 2021

  • The special needs of Vietnam-era vets
  • Help at home: Community programs
  • Holidays without your loved one

October/November 2021

  • Is Medicare Advantage the best choice?
  • Depression after a scary diagnosis
  • Too many pills: When less is more

September/October 2021

  • Not all socks are created equal
  • Dealing with anxiety
  • Services at home: Medicare

August/September 2021

  • Learning to forgive yourself
  • What is a daily money manager?
  • The decision to stop dialysis

July/August 2021

  • What’s involved in giving care?
  • What is a Medicaid spend down?
  • Bladder issues

June/July 2021

  • Signs of financial abuse
  • Giving "awesome" new meaning
  • Medical management without dialysis

May/June 2021

  • Transitioning from curative care
  • Managing arthritis pain
  • How to get durable power of attorney

April/May 2021

  • Coping with vision loss
  • What is "cremation authorization"?
  • Time for smart monitoring?

March/April 2021

  • Maximizing your resources
  • When kidneys fail: Dialysis?
  • How to read an Explanation of Benefits

February/March 2021

  • "For better or for worse …"
  • Dementia communication: Speaking
  • Age-related macular degeneration

January/February 2021

  • A robo-pet for companionship?
  • Slowing the progression of glaucoma
  • Problems with hygiene

2020

December 2020/January 2021

  • "Should we delay that procedure?"
  • Leaving a legacy with StoryCorps
  • Montessori for people with dementia

November/December 2020

  • Dementia and communication: Listening
  • Video chatting for the "tech challenged"
  • "Should we bring Dad home?"

October/November 2020

  • Health risks of Korean War vets
  • Supporting a person with arthritis
  • When you can't hold a funeral

September/October 2020

  • What is "mindfulness," anyway?
  • Nonverbal signs of pain
  • BPH: Weighing surgical options

August/September 2020

  • Repetitive questions
  • Caregiving as a team
  • "But I wasn't there when she died"

July/August 2020

  • The importance of staying connected
  • What's in an Alzheimer's test?
  • Osteoporosis: What you can do

June/July 2020

  • Coronavirus scams
  • Is twice a night too much?
  • Cooling down to make a decision

May/June 2020

  • When broccoli is bad for you
  • Avoiding regret
  • Signs of osteoporosis

April/May 2020

  • Doctors and advance directives
  • Return to a good night's sleep
  • Hallucinations in later life

March/April 2020

  • Are generic drugs inferior?
  • When Dad "saws logs" all night
  • Are you pushing against reality?

February/March 2020

  • Early signs of heart failure
  • The myth of self-reliance
  • Dad can't brush his teeth

January/February 2020

  • Adding meaning to your life
  • Immediately after a death
  • What is a "CCRC?"

2019

December 2019/January 2020

  • What is a speech therapist?
  • Visiting in the digital age
  • Overcoming sadness

November/December 2019

  • Too much gratitude?
  • Diet and Parkinson's
  • Talking about brain health

October/November 2019

  • Lessons from theater improv
  • What is a physical therapist?
  • Emotions following a stroke

September/October 2019

  • Medicare Open Enrollment Tips
  • A doctor's visit after a fall
  • When caregiving ends: Part 2

August/September 2019

  • Genetic testing for Alzheimer's
  • When caregiving ends - Part 1
  • How Parkinson's affects communication

July/August 2019

  • "Lie to my mom?"
  • Bad news
  • Personal emergency response systems

June/July 2019

  • Getting out of the mental spin cycle
  • Communicating with aphasia
  • Common elder scams

May/June 2019

  • When language falls apart
  • What is an occupational therapist?
  • Distraction techniques

April/May 2019

  • Keeping your marbles: reducing dementia risk
  • Fighting Parkinson's with exercise
  • "Spiritual" advance directive

March/April 2019

  • Smartwatches for seniors
  • Dementia: safety and independence
  • Managing chronic pain

February/March 2019

  • Addressing fatigue in heart failure
  • Setting limits: saying "no" nicely
  • Age-friendly kitchen

January/February 2019

  • 2019 Medicare improvements
  • Preparing for a safe return
  • Signature strength: calm

2018

December 2018/January 2019

  • Gifts for older adults
  • How to discourage wandering
  • A new year reflection

November/December 2018

  • Late-life veterans' issues
  • Savoring good experiences
  • Exercise and COPD: an oxymoron?

October/November 2018

  • Preparing for Cold and Flu Season
  • Signature Strength: Courage
  • When your parent drinks too much

September/October 2018

  • Signature Strength: Wisdom
  • Preparing for joint replacement
  • Does Mom have a drinking problem?

August/September 2018

  • When you need an energy boost
  • Safe traveling for older adults
  • "I don't need help" – Part 3

July/August 2018

  • Before you quit your job
  • "I don't need help" – Part 2
  • Opioid addiction and serious illness

June/July 2018

  • "I don't need help" – Part 1
  • The habit of happiness
  • Using long-term care insurance

May/June 2018

  • Mother's Day without Mom
  • Is a new Medicare card in the mailbox?
  • When your passenger has dementia

April/May 2018

  • Memory loss and advance care planning
  • Phones for every disability
  • Advocating for a good night's sleep

March/April 2018

  • Empathy: Can you have too much?
  • When family is paid for care
  • Is breathing difficult?

February/March 2018

  • Walking out of the hospital
  • Write your cares away—carefully
  • Wheelchairs and your car

January/February 2018

  • The role of humor in caregiving
  • Drug misuse
  • Signs of stroke or "TIA"

2017

December 2017/January 2018

  • Take a break: Options for respite
  • Cataract surgery very effective
  • Is a reverse mortgage appropriate?

November/December 2017

  • Money: know the details
  • A clear mind in the hospital
  • Car gadgets and tips

October/November 2017

  • Make the most of visiting
  • What is "A-Fib"?
  • Fire prevention at home

September/October 2017

  • Caregiver loss: How well are you coping?
  • The ability to make health care decisions
  • Nail care

August/September 2017

  • The caregiver-friendly car
  • Medicare's Triple Aim
  • Is heartburn a problem?

July/August 2017

  • Curb your negative thinking
  • Beware rogue pharmacies
  • Is your bathroom "senior-friendly"?

June/July 2017

  • Talking to your parents about money
  • Is it sepsis?
  • If the unexpected happens

May/June 2017

  • Avoiding the "War of the Wardrobe"
  • Preventing a second heart attack
  • "Promise you won't …"

April/May 2017

  • Making medical decisions in a crisis
  • Visits: more than just business
  • Preventing aspiration pneumonia

March/April 2017

  • Medical deductions
  • "Sometimes I feel furious!"
  • Getting pneumonia while hospitalized

February/March 2017

  • Caregiving and your partner
  • After a heart attack
  • Mealtime and dementia

January/February 2017

  • Helping resolutions stick
  • When the attorney shuts you out
  • Probiotics: The “good” bacteria

2016

December 2016/January 2017

  • Preparing for your siblings' visit
  • Preventing and treating pneumonia
  • Medical equipment at home

November/December 2016

  • Sing a song for COPD!
  • Technology for coordinating care
  • Choosing a hospital? Look to the stars

October/November 2016

  • Managing your relative's money
  • It is flu season
  • A new perspective on stress

September/October 2016

  • The importance of touch
  • How to report symptoms to the doctor
  • What is a bedsore?

August/September 2016

  • Working with doctors long-distance
  • Complications of diabetes
  • Funeral logistics

July/August 2016

  • Is your relative dehydrated?
  • Whose idea was this, anyway?
  • What Medicare does NOT cover

June/July 2016

  • Father's Day without Dad
  • If the cancer returns
  • Making the transition to rehab

May/June 2016

  • Considering a remodel?
  • Easing the disruption of travel
  • Changes in vision

April/May 2016

  • Addressing loneliness
  • After cancer treatment
  • When should you make an advance directive?

March/April 2016

  • Reducing the stress of procrastination
  • The treatment phase of cancer
  • What if you are paid to care for a relative?

February/March 2016

  • Communicating long distance
  • Deciding about cancer treatment
  • Review medications before leaving the hospital

January/February 2016

  • Coping with new situations
  • How cancer affects relationships
  • You're far away, and she's failing

2015

December 2015/January 2016

  • Red flags for COPD
  • Taking charge of medical records
  • The benefits of massage

November/December 2015

  • Family caregivers of veterans
  • Keeping a gratitude journal
  • Preventing flare-ups of COPD

October/November 2015

  • Is your parent's behavior embarrassing?
  • Technology for health and safety
  • What does "prognosis" mean?

September/October 2015

  • Help prevent choking
  • The emotional side of cancer
  • Tracking needs from a distance

August/September 2015

  • Living with purpose
  • Osteoarthritis and physical activity
  • What to do after a death

July/August 2015

  • Is your parent frail?
  • The "Sandwich Generation"
  • When Dad resists a walker

June/July 2015

  • Addressing your stressors
  • The post-discharge appointment
  • When there is a cancer diagnosis

May/June 2015

  • Denture care
  • What is an Aging Life Care™ Manager?
  • Living with uncertainty

April/May 2015

  • Does the advance directive need updating?
  • Preventing dental disease
  • Removing "junk stimulation"

March/April 2015

  • Cavities at this age?
  • Moving sooner is better than later
  • Tax breaks for family caregivers

February/March 2015

  • Burnout prevention
  • More than a home
  • Physical activity improves brain health

January/February 2015

  • Music eases dementia care
  • Stress or burnout?
  • Talking about funeral plans

2014

December 2014/January 2015

  • "Dignity of risk"
  • Seniors having fun online
  • Start a safe walking routine

November/December 2014

  • Gifts for those with memory loss
  • More than fatigue
  • Who will care for Fido?

October/November 2014

  • Honoring the veterans in your life
  • Medicare rules about physical therapy
  • Unwanted odors

September/October 2014

  • Is Dad taking his meds "as directed?"
  • Make lemonade. Really?
  • What about your special needs sibling?

August/September 2014

  • Foot care for older adults
  • Hiring help yourself
  • When you feel more resentment than love

July/August 2014

  • Are financial documents up to date?
  • Easy activities with guests
  • Reducing the risk of falls

June/July 2014

  • Explaining your needs to others
  • Should Dad move in?
  • When Mom worries about falling

May/June 2014

  • Balance problems
  • Cleaning out the medicine cabinet
  • Take fifteen!

April/May 2014

  • Can you find Mom's advance directive?
  • Helping the doctor help you
  • Visiting assisted living facilities

March/April 2014

  • Insomnia in older adults
  • Talking about assisted living
  • Tax breaks for in-home care

February/March 2014

  • Family grief in the face of dementia
  • Before you suggest assisted living
  • Subtle signs of a heart attack

January/February 2014

  • Dementia Dogs
  • Long-distance caregiving
  • Researching health treatments online

2013

December 2013/January 2014

  • Constructive criticism: when to speak up
  • Gather important documents
  • Keeping blood pressure in check

November/December 2013

  • Palliative care for seriously ill veterans
  • Cultivating gratitude when the going gets tough
  • When blood pressure goes untreated

October/November 2013

  • Becoming more resilient
  • Repairing identity theft
  • What is high blood pressure?

September/October 2013

  • Avoiding surgery on the wrong body part
  • Choosing an elder law attorney
  • When Mom is really mean

August/September 2013

  • "I can't get Dad to budge!"
  • What to do with their stuff?
  • When to use "urgent care"?

July/August 2013

  • Add a dose of laughter to your life
  • Preparing for a heat wave
  • Early detection of memory problems

June/July 2013

  • Tips for vacationing without Mom
  • What is mild cognitive impairment?
  • When your relative has money questions

May/June 2013

  • Is your relative at risk for a hip fracture?
  • Look ahead when downsizing
  • When the worrying won't stop

April/May 2013

  • Do you know their wishes?
  • Preventing C. difficile: A very difficult germ
  • Stress and overeating

March/April 2013

  • The power of sleep
  • What to do if your loved one is depressed
  • When several relatives cover expenses

February/March 2013

  • Getting paid to care for Mom or Dad
  • What is a hospitalist?
  • When depression goes untreated

January/February 2013

  • Family and Medical Leave
  • Is your loved one depressed?
  • What is palliative care?

2012

December 2012/January 2013

  • Choosing a complementary medical practitioner
  • Supporting those in grief during the holidays
  • Tips for air travel

November/December 2012

  • Giving thanks: It's good for your health
  • Solutions to hearing loss
  • Tips for open enrollment

October/November 2012

  • Five signs your parents may need help
  • Talking with Dad about his hearing loss
  • What is hospice?

September/October 2012

  • Managing pain with music
  • Outpatient or inpatient? Why it's important to know
  • Sage advice from elders

August/September 2012

  • Dressing your relative for incontinence
  • What is a memory unit?
  • When parents need financial help

July/August 2012

  • How to beat "decision fatigue"
  • Safe disposal of "sharps"
  • What is "assisted living"?

June/July 2012

  • Five keys to stress management
  • Incontinence of the bowels
  • When should you choose a skilled nursing facility?

May/June 2012

  • Engaging activities for persons with dementia
  • Common misconceptions about hospice
  • When you gotta go, you gotta go

April/May 2012

  • If you are selected to be "power of attorney for health care"
  • Putting yourself in positive perspective
  • What does "generic" really mean?

March/April 2012

  • 2011 tax breaks for family caregivers
  • Dealing with criticism
  • Frequent infections in persons with dementia

February/March 2012

  • If Dad wants to remarry
  • Lessons from the seriously ill
  • Skin care and aging

January/February 2012

  • Choosing healthy ways to cope
  • Does Medicare pay for help at home?
  • How to find a good doctor

2011

December 2011/January 2012

  • Listening: The other half of the conversation
  • Talking with children about serious illness
  • Urinary tract infections: prevention tips

November/December 2011

  • Get help changing Medicare plans
  • Is your home safe for older guests?
  • Urinary tract infections

October/November 2011

  • Benefits available to veterans
  • The importance of vaccines
  • Would having a dog help? A fish?

September/October 2011

  • Seniors and crime
  • Caught in a cycle of negativity?
  • When should you take over Mom's checkbook?

August/September 2011

  • Making the best use of your time off
  • Strategies to address urinary incontinence
  • When your loved one is depressed, suggest exercise

July/August 2011

  • Accessing medical records
  • Recognizing elder abuse
  • Talking about urinary incontinence

June/July 2011

  • Interrupt the stress cycle with deep breathing
  • Staying independent: the role of technology
  • What is "elder abuse"?

May/June 2011

  • Cooking for caregivers
  • Preparing for the hospital
  • The value of nostalgia

April/May 2011

  • How to choose a health care decision maker
  • Keeping your relative safe from fraud
  • The journey of late life

March/April 2011

  • Coping with another person's pain
  • Is your family member a hoarder?
  • Tax breaks for family caregivers

February/March 2011

  • Dad lost weight!
  • Family Caregiver Happiness Project
  • What is hoarding?

January/February 2011

  • Sibling rivalry revisited
  • Tired of being the taxi?
  • What's new in Medicare

2010

December 2010/January 2011

  • Coping with the holiday blues
  • Alternatives to driving
  • Making the transition from hospital to home

November/December 2010

  • Engage with Grace
  • Help Mom be a safer driver
  • Managing medications: Remembering to take medicines

October/November 2010

  • Why Mom doesn't take her pills
  • Should Dad still be driving?
  • The four stages of hope

September/October 2010

  • Are you prepared for a disaster?
  • Get "Extra Help" with Medicare Rx Costs
  • How is caregiving different for men?

August/September 2010

  • Brain fitness: What's the best way to improve thinking?
  • Getting support from your spiritual beliefs
  • If your loved one becomes seriously ill while traveling

July/August 2010

  • Could an adult day program be the answer?
  • How nutrition affects breathing
  • Travel tips when your loved one is disabled

June/July 2010

  • Accessible national parks
  • Avoiding crises with COPD
  • Making the home safer

May/June 2010

  • Flying with oxygen
  • Review of the CareFinder Assessment Tool
  • When is your loved one too isolated?

April/May 2010

  • Avoiding crises with congestive heart failure
  • Aging and the self-fulfilling prophecy
  • What is an advance directive?

March/April 2010

  • A clean home: Free services for women with cancer
  • Tax tips for family caregivers
  • Your changing role: Becoming a partner-in-care

February/March 2010

  • How to beat "cabin fever"
  • Making treatment decisions
  • Staying calm: Proven relaxation techniques

January/February 2010

  • Bathing and dementia
  • Can Mom live safely on her own?
  • Reducing salt in Dad's diet

2009

December 2009/January 2010

  • Practicing forgiveness
  • Making the most of family visits
  • When your loved one gets tired easily

November/December 2009

  • Seeds of family resilience: Focus on rewards
  • Managing emotional outbursts
  • What is "power of attorney"?

October/November 2009

  • Getting the most from doctor appointments
  • Cold weather safety tips for indoors
  • Saving money on meds

September/October 2009

  • How do you know if your loved one is in pain?
  • Is caregiving hazardous to your health?
  • The healing power of music

August/September 2009

  • If you have to go to the Emergency Room
  • Is it Alzheimer's disease?
  • The value of support groups

July/August 2009

  • MyMedSchedule.com
  • Safety tips for summer
  • The healing power of volunteering

June/July 2009

  • Caregiving with kids
  • Honoring Cancer Survivors Day: How to increase your odds of survival
  • Understanding the rhythm of a disease

May/June 2009

  • Going on vacation with an elder
  • The healing power of remembrance
  • When Mom wants only you

April/May 2009

  • Balance exercises, an important step in preventing falls
  • Have you completed an advance directive?
  • Letting others pitch in

March/April 2009

  • Learning to accept help
  • Uncle Sam may have a tax break for you
  • When ice cream is better than salad

February/March 2009

  • The healing power of a life review
  • Burn and fire safety
  • Caring for your marriage, also

January/February 2009

  • Costs of caregiving: Sources of help
  • Overcoming resistance to exercise
  • The new year: A season of hope