elderly care
Ask the Doctors answer a few questions in their monthly letters column
Assessing and decreasing your fall risk
Dear Doctors: Why do the elderly lose ground mentally when they go to the hospital? Our grandmother had emergency gall bladder surgery, and afterward she got so confused that she thought our grandfather, who passed away, was in the next room. It lasted for a few days, and it was [...]
Dear Doctors: Our grandmother, who is 91, fell and broke her left hip. She wound up needing a partial hip replacement. I’ve read that hip fractures are dangerous for older adults. Can you explain why? Is she still at risk, even though the surgery went well?
Dear Reader: A hip fracture [...]
Dear Doctors: Our dad is 82 years old and may need to get a pacemaker. My brother and I recently read that surgery is hard on older people, both physically and mentally. Is getting a pacemaker going to be risky? He’s physically pretty weak, and we’re worried the surgery will [...]
Dear Doctors: My wife and I are lending my parents a hand during the lockdown. They’re in their 80s, and one thing we’ve noticed is how many meds they are taking. They’re from a bunch of different doctors, and some may even be duplicates. How do we get things organized?
Dear [...]
Dear Doctor: Would you please write about the risks of falls for the elderly, which can be fatal? The colonial houses in my area are dangerous and lead to many serious injuries and deaths. Now that so many of us are home alone more than ever, calling attention to this [...]
Learn more about why older adults, specifically those over the age of 60, are at an increased risk for complications from COVID-19. Plus, we offer strategies to keep seniors safe.
