Family Health Blog
Recent health news, buzzworthy medical blogs, and personal wellness advice curated by our PinnacleCare team and our CEO, Dr. Miles Varn.
Category: Family Caregiving
Care tips for helping you deal with parents who have Alzheimer’s
If your parent has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, while the initial news may seem overwhelming, it is important to know that the disease is manageable, and there are resources that can help your ensure your parents gets the care and support he or she needs. These resources are becoming increasingly important as the prevalence... Read More
Are you a caregiver? How to lower your risk of injury and illness
Every year, about 42 million Americans provide unpaid caregiving services to ailing loved ones. Caregivers often neglect their own health and wellbeing and are at risk for developing chronic pain, heart disease and other serious health problems. But there are steps caregivers can take to protect their health so that they’re still able to help care for... Read More
Parents and dementia: Getting the right diagnosis and treatment
As adults age, it can become more common to forget simple things. When the memory loss is severe enough to interfere with daily living, however, this can be a sign of more progressive forms of dementia. To ensure that your parents get the care they need, it is important to have them see a physician... Read More
When is a ‘senior moment’ a sign of something more serious?
When people in your family age, they may become more forgetful, misplacing car keys or missing scheduled appointments. However, at some point, you and your loved ones may start to wonder: Are these “senior moments” a natural part of aging or a sign of something more serious? Read More
Female caregivers shouldn’t overlook their own heart health
If you’re a woman caring for an ailing loved one, you can count yourself among the 44 million American adults who play this role. Caring for an ailing loved one can be a difficult and time-consuming job, and include a wide range of tasks, from helping them dress, eat and use the bathroom, to taking... Read More
Tips for helping your parents manage doctor’s appointments and medications
As the average lifespan increases, so does the risk of chronic illnesses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 80 percent of adults ages 65 and older live with at least one of these chronic conditions. For 50 percent of these people, it is at least two. More complex health conditions... Read More
Food allergies and your child: What parents need to know
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted a worrisome trend in the U.S.: the prevalence of food allergies among children 17 years and younger increased from 3.4 percent in 1997 to 5.1 percent in 2011. This prompted Food Allergy Research & Education to call the condition a rising epidemic. It isn’t entirely clear... Read More
Make sure your aging relatives get the care they need
As your parents or relatives get older, it can be difficult to determine the best course of care. One key to developing a plan of action is to include your parents or relatives in the discussion about what type of support they need. Though many are open to this discussion, it’s not uncommon to face... Read More
How to care for your aging parents when you don’t live nearby
Making sure that your parents are getting the healthcare and support they need as they get older can be a tough job. But living at a distance from your parents makes that tough job even more complex. When you don’t see your parents regularly, it can be harder to tell if something is amiss. They... Read More
Health and wellness: How will you care for your parents as they age?
When we are young, we rely on our parents to provide most everything we need for a healthy life. As our parents grow older, that relationship begins to change. It becomes our job to make sure all’s well with the health and wellbeing of our parents. The foundation of healthy aging: a whole person perspective... Read More