Health Guide

Having to hire home health care can be difficult for anyone. Whether you or your loved one is looking into hiring a home care agency, there are several things that you should determine up front before any decisions are made. If for no other reason than your peace of mind, you might want to put the following on the list of questions to ask your potential home care agency:

Do you provide background checks and employment references for your employees?

Doctors and nurses specializing in gastrointestinal (GI) problems agree that constipation is a leading hardship for older adults.

If I lose today, I can look forward to winning tomorrow, and if I win today, I can expect to lose tomorrow. A sure thing is no fun. Chico Marx

The summer sun beckons. Baby Boomers yearn to look healthy and vibrant, to slim down and tone up.

Overzealous at the gym, or on an adventure trip, many discover too late that they've overdone it, and have ended up injured.

Strokes come in all different sizes. Some are so minor they aren't even noticed, and are only evident via brain imaging technology. Others are so severe they cause complete physical and mental impairment, or are fatal. Recovery can take a long time and requires a tremendous amount of patience and care.

The majority of strokes are called ischemic strokes and occur when arteries in the brain become narrowed and/or clogged, which reduces blood flow to the brain.

Nearly two-thirds of the population over the age 70 experience some degree of hearing loss.

If you're beginning to feel like your parents aren't telling you the whole health story, or that they aren't able to keep up with everything the doctors say, it may be time for you to take a more active role in their regular doctor's visits.

While most doctors do their very best to provide excellent care for their patients, it's also true that patients who are willing to be their own advocates often get the most attention.

This is especially true for elderly patients.