Kay Paggi

Edlercare Consultant
As a licensed professional counselor, certified gerontological counselor and certified geriatric care manager, Kay...read more

How to Choose a Senior Care Facility

As a geriatric care manager, I frequently visit long-term care facilities. Because each facility offers a distinct setting and array of services, it is difficult to know which one is the best choice for your family member. Most families recognize that choosing a facility based on cost alone is not the wisest decision. Choosing a facility based on its proximity to the primary caregiver is often not the best choice either, even though it should be close enough for...Read entire article »

Just When You Thought There Was No One to Help…Part 1 of 2

I first met Hank* 4 months after his heart attack. He was in his mid-seventies, living in a horrible nursing home: the kind with a foul smell, where two beds crowd one small room, and there are patients crying for help. Hank was on oxygen, tied to his bed, and had a permanent indwelling catheter. He was unshaven and dressed in a hospital gown. Hank was largely ignored by the staff because he was angry, combative, and had been...Read entire article »

Just When You Thought There Was No One to Help…Part 2 of 2

Recently, I wrote about a client of mine whose health was in decline. Read Just When You Thought There Was No One to Help...Part 1 of 2. Hank moved into a permanent room on the nursing floor. The nurses there noticed that the wound on his arm was not healing and recommended that he go to a wound care clinic. In turn, the wound clinic sent him to a surgeon. The surgeon recognized that this was on the site...Read entire article »

Go Ahead, Laugh it Up

Last month I wrote about the physical and psychological benefits of laughter. What makes you laugh? Who makes you laugh? Whoever the people and whatever the activities, make sure they’re a constant presence in your life. Keeping your sense of humor will help you get through even the most stressful situations—and with the holidays just around the corner, I wanted to share a few ideas for keeping humor in your life. Read on for my recommendations. Books to Bust a...Read entire article »

Is Laughter the Best Medicine?

“If you don’t learn how to laugh at troubles, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you grow old.” –Edward W. Howe Everyone loves to laugh. In fact, we love laughing so much that there are entire industries built around it. Slapstick movies, sitcoms and comedians are all designed to provoke laughter. It’s no secret: laughing simply feels good. But does laughter have any lasting effects on our health? In a word, yes. The value of humor in...Read entire article »