Posts by Miles Hurley
Resolutions for a Great New Year
Balance work with leisure time; you will find more satisfaction on the job. Embrace green therapy. Go outside, stand in the sun, let the wind mess up your hair and breathe deeply. You will feel restored and have an improved mental performance. Take a time out. Don’t rush in the morning while showering, for a…
Read MoreChristmas Events
Top off your holidays with a special Atlanta Event. Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker, Fox Theater thru Dec. 24th A Christmas Carol, Alliance Theatre, thru Dec. 24th Fantasy in Lights, Callaway Gardens, thru Jan. 7th Festival of the Season, Georgia Aquarium, thru Jan. 1st Garden Nights, Holiday Lights, Atlanta Botanical Garden, thru Jan. 7th Gift of Lights,…
Read MoreGift Suggestions for a Senior
Everyone has a bucket list and older adults are no exception. Holiday time is a great opportunity to provide a senior gift, possibly providing something on their bucket list. A few gift suggestions are: adopting a pet, learning to paint, starting a scrapbook, learning a new musical instrument or a foreign language – lessons might…
Read MoreWhen Dementia Causes Meanness
When the Jekyll and Hyde transformation of a sweet and gentle person to an angry and offensive bully occurs, it causes emotional pain and most often is directed at the caretaker who is providing the most care. This change in temperament can be devastating; it is important not to take it personally. That is the…
Read MoreStereotype of Being Old
Being old in today’s society is a negative stereotype that reinforces itself as we grow older. What then? It can become a self-stereotype with dangerous consequences. Studies by Becca Levy, Yale professor of epidemiology and psychology, says we don’t fight back or build up defenses and these negative beliefs can diminish our will to live…
Read MoreWorldwide Advances on Dementia
Preventing dementia is a worldwide concern as rates of mental decline are climbing. While lifestyle changes can somewhat curb the risk of developing dementia, it is still a challenge to detect the most vulnerable population segments. A new risk index tool can predict dementia risk in older adults. Researchers from Finland and Sweden use a…
Read MoreCreative Aging
Creative aging programs can lower the rates of loneliness and depression, producing higher morale and improved hand dexterity. The benefits are clear as participants find new social roles that lead to improved mood and confidence, better family relationships and maybe even increased income. In the United States there is a clear chasm between low-income and…
Read MoreOutpatient Observation Status
Explanation: It is a hospital billing classification that can make Medicare patients pay for the cost of their hospital stay, or hospital prescriptions, or nursing home care. Patients must be classified as patients for three days in the hospital in order for Medicare to pay for subsequent nursing home care. Observation status may be called…
Read MoreEvidence on the Value of Exercise
Several studies have finally confirmed the value of exercise to help ward off depression. More than a million men and women have been involved in studies and when computed, the research strongly suggests that regular exercise alters our bodies and brains in ways that make us resistant to despair. The “why” it works has long…
Read MoreBehavioral Disturbances
Symptoms of behavioral disturbances in Alzheimer’s disease include agitation, depression, apathy, hallucinations, delusions, anxiety, disinhibition, irritability, wandering, pacing, appetite changes and nighttime behavioral alterations. Some, such as apathy and depression, begin early in the disease and become progressively more common with time. In the end, up to 80 percent of individuals with Alzheimer’s exhibit agitation,…
Read More
