Toolkit for Diagnosis of Dementia

Primary-care doctors have a free online toolkit to aid them in detection and diagnosis of cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Developed by the Gerontological Society of America, the toolkit model is named KAER, a four-step method. Step one is KICKSTART, an introduction about memory loss to patients and families. Step two is ASSESS, in…

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Superagers have Joie de Vivre 

  Why are some people superagers? One common factor is that they engage in demanding mental exercise, continually challenging themselves to learn new things outside of their comfort zone. They try new things that they wouldn’t have dared to do when younger, fearing failure.  In addition, older adults generally are happy. Retirement likely is improving…

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Locating Critical Information

A parent’s unexpected health event could precipitate an immediate need to get your hands on key information and secure valuables. Before something happens, it is a good time to talk to aging parents about what you may need to provide someday. Some parents are hesitant to discuss personal matters, even with their children. For insight…

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Operation Southern Shield

Operation Southern Shield begins today, July 17th, in a weeklong speed prevention and enforcement initiative on interstates, major highways and local roads in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. The campaign aims to reduce summertime wrecks and traffic deaths by reducing drivers who are speeding, impaired, distracted or not wearing seat belts. Harris Blackwood,…

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Be Discreet with Elders

Unintended barbs cut to the quick and can’t be taken back. Try to work with an elder’s loss of short-term memory or declining cognition when speaking with them. Here are some options when speaking to elders: Hold your tongue; you are frustrated but think about them and repress your emotions. They forget. As reminders, say…

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More about the QIT

The eligibility rules for Medicaid can be confusing, and this is especially true if you think you need a Qualified Income Trust (or QIT). In today’s blog, we want to address how the QIT (the Qualified Income Trust, or Miller Trust) is used. A QIT is needed when a nursing home resident’s income exceeds the…

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Grant to Fight Elder Exploitation/Abuse

The Georgia Department of Human Services has been awarded a $10,000 AARP BankSafe Initiative Grant to help fight the loss of retirement savings among its aging population. One in five older adults fall victim to financial exploitation, each losing an average of $120,000, as reported by AARP. Nationwide, seniors lose $3 billion to financial abuse…

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