Expert Column
Arleen R. Stern, LCSW 
Arleen Stern has been working with the elderly and their families for over twenty...read more
Articles In This Column
- How to Help Seniors Cope with Pet Loss
- Advance Planning: Making Tough End of Life Decisions
- Choosing a Home Health Agency: A How-to Guide
- Homecare: 7 Surefire Ways to Create a Symbiotic Relationship
- Coping Strategies for Caregivers: 4 Ways to Make it Through
- Life and Loss: Coping Strategies for Caregivers
- Long Distance Caregiving: How a Geriatric Care Manager Can Help You
Geriatric Care Management
How to Help Seniors Cope with Pet Loss
It’s been three months since my dear cat Jimmy died and last week, in my kitchen, I found myself carefully standing clear of the space where his food and water bowls sat for the sixteen years of his life. I was reminded of my loss, this time with a lesser grief, but with great sadness nevertheless. The loss of a pet is cause for genuine grief. Companion animals provide a level of acceptance, love and presence throughout their lifetimes....Read entire article »
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Advance Planning: Making Tough End of Life Decisions
Several months ago, I received a copy of a very thought-provoking book, The Best Way to Say Goodbye: A Legal Peaceful Choice at the End of Life, by Stanley A. Terman, PhD, MD. It is an exhaustive resource on a method that can be used to end one’s life through the voluntary refusal of food and fluids. It is difficult for most people to discuss end of life. It only gets more difficult when you consider when and under...Read entire article »
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Choosing a Home Health Agency: A How-to Guide
During a hospital discharge, people who require additional skilled care in the home are usually referred to a home health agency by the hospital discharge planner. But many consumers are finding that they need to hire home health on their own. Finding the right agency to take care of a loved one can be daunting, and often comes at a crisis point. Take a deep breath—it is possible to find a good agency, and good people to help work...Read entire article »
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Homecare: 7 Surefire Ways to Create a Symbiotic Relationship
Last week I received a call from a family in a crisis. Their elderly aunt, who is 96 years old, had recently become more ill and physically frail. The family caregivers were fighting over the fact that more help was needed and hours had been juggled. Accusations were flying. The relatives were at sea as to how to resolve the friction. I was brought in to help, and quickly. This led me to thinking: what makes these situations work from...Read entire article »
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Coping Strategies for Caregivers: 4 Ways to Make it Through
Hi everyone, My last post addressed coping strategies for caregivers, a topic I believe can never be exhausted. So this post will continue the theme. This month I’m presenting several important strategies with a philosophical bent. To make the most of these strategies, take the time to think about what’s really important to you. 1. Open Your Hearts It is important to be “tuned in to” our loved ones when we are with them. This includes telephone conversations. During...Read entire article »
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