These articles are intended for general information purposes only. The information is not intended to be medical advice. If you suspect that you have a physical, medical or psychological problem, you should always seek care from a qualified professional. Before taking any action that may impact you personally, consult with your own physician, attorney, investment counselor, or other professional advisor.
LIVING WELL
A Selection of the Best Articles, 1997-2005
With 35 Important New Articles Added Since Last Year!
© 2005 Partnership to Preserve Independent Living for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities. All rights reserved.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Articles originally published in the Meeting the Challenges Quarterly Journal
by the non-profit Partnership to Preserve Independent Living
A Dozen Daffodils (A true story about Alzheimer’s Placement) [Summer 2000]
A Little Extra Caution Can Help Avoid Traffic Accidents [Spring 2002]
A Sense of Community [Winter 2001]
Adapting Home Environments for People with Disabilities [Spring 2000]
Advance Health Care Directive - Do You Need One? [Summer 2004]
Advice for Persons with Disabilities Concerning Power Shortages and Blackouts [Spring 2001]
Always Acknowledge A Person’s Ability....Merit....and Dignity [Fall 1998]
Am I a Safe Driver? [Fall 2003]
AMPUTATION: Things You Might Want to Know and Do [Fall 1998]
Are You Caught in the Controversy of Pain? FIBROMYALGIA [Spring 2003]
Are You, or Do You Know, a Victim of Abuse or Neglect? [Fall 2004]
Are You Receiving Necessary Health Care? [Fall 2002]
Avoiding Auto Sales Deceit and Manipulation [Spring 2004]
Avoiding Falls - IMPROVING BALANCE [Winter 2000]
AVOIDING SPAM: And I'm Not Talking About Breakfast Food [Summer 2003]
Be Alert to Threats to a Senior's Financial Independence [Fall 2001]
Beware of Solicitation Contracts [Winter 2004]
Breathe - to relax and relieve stress [Summer 2005]
Can Frailty Be Treated? [Spring 2003]
Caregiver's Support Groups - What Do They Do? [Spring 2000]
CHAOS AND CLUTTER: When Hoarding Becomes a Community Concern [Winter 2002]
CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY: Intervening with Care and Compassion [Summer 2001]
Common scams that con artists use........ [Winter 2000]
Contagious Dependency Has Long-Term Effects [Summer 2003]
Crafts are much more than "something to do" [Spring 2002]
Diabetes IS GUILTY of Racial Discrimination [Fall 2001]
Digestive Enzymes May Help You to Feel Better [Summer 2000]
Doctor's Orders: For Your Own Good, Enjoy Yourself [Summer 1999]
Do You Have Restless Legs? [Spring 2001]
Do You Need a Lawyer to Write Your Will? [Fall 2001]
Do Your Feet Hurt? [Spring 2001]
Dreams: Can they be a meaningful experience? [Fall 2005]
Early Warning Signs of Gynecological Cancer [Fall 2005]
Eating Light for Summer [Summer 2005]
Emergency Planning for Family Caregivers [Spring 2005]
Estate Planning Can Prevent or Lead to Elder Abuse [Fall 2000]
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples [Spring 2001]
Eye Diseases and the Importance of Maintaining Social Relationships [Spring 2004]
Fear of Falling is a Health Risk [Summer 2004]
Fighting Back Against Abusive Sales Tactics! [Summer 2000]
(Forgetful?) Is Something Wrong? [Winter 2001]
Have a Problem with Your HMO? Here's How to Get Help.... [Summer 2002]
Have You Been the Victim of a Consumer Crime? [Spring 2002]
Health Care: The Legal Rights of Persons with Disabilities [Winter 2002]
Healthy Cooking Ideas [Summer 2004]
Help for Mobilehome Residents [Fall 1999]
Here’s Why Exercise is Good For You! [Summer 2000]
High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol NOW Suspect in Alzheimer's [Fall 2001]
How Are We Affected by the New "Medical Privacy Law"? [Fall 2003]
How Much Do You Know About the Experience of Aging [Summer 1999]
How to Avoid Telephone Carrier Fraud [Winter 2005]
How to Encourage Butterflies to Come to Your Yard [Spring 2001]
How to Handle Loss [Fall 2003]
How to Hire a Caregiver [Fall 2004]
How to Live Longer and Better [Fall 2003]
How to Maintain Your Brain [Winter 2005]
How to Prepare for a Major Earthquake (or other disaster) [Spring 2001]
How to Protect Your Personal Safety [excerpt from 2002 video]
How to Provide Physical Assistance [Spring 2003]
How to Slow Cataract Development [Winter 2005]
How to Successfully Work with a Service Agency [Summer 2002]
How to Take Control of Your Home Electric Use [Summer 2001]
How to Talk to Your Doctor about Pain [Fall 2002]
Investment Scams Aimed at Seniors [Spring 2004]
If Stroke Strikes.......... [Spring 2000]
Is Your Loved One Receiving Proper Care? [Winter 2003]
Is Your Medication Making You Sick? [Winter 2004]
"Journaling" — For Self Understanding and Growth [Spring 1998]
Joy, Perseverance and Productivity for Successful Aging [Winter 1999]
Keeping Your Cool - Understanding Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke [Summer 2001]
Learning It’s Alzheimer’s …Where Can You Turn? [Spring 2002]
LIFE CAN BE "More Interesting Every Day"! [Fall 1998]
Living in a Nursing Facility [Winter 2005]
Living Well [Spring 1998]
Living with Bipolar Disorder [Winter 2004]
Living with Low Vision [Summer 2004]
Living with Post-Polio Syndrome….. [Winter 2003]
Long Distance Caregiving [Winter 2003]
Long Distance Caregiving Experiences [Winter 2003]
Lymphedema? Even Your Doctor May Not Know.......... [Winter 1999]
Making Your Home Safe to Care for an Alzheimer's Patient [Spring 2000]
Managing Difficult Behavior in Older Adults [Summer 2004]
Managing the Stress of Caregiving [Summer 2003]
Meal Planning for Diabetes Management [Fall 2000]
Medi-Cal Planning is Important [Summer 2005]
Medi-Cal Qualifying and Community Spouse Resource Limits [Summer 2002]
Nursing Home Residents Have Rights [Winter 1999]
Oral Agents for Diabetes - Are You A Candidate To Be Switched From Insulin? [Winter 1997]
Patient Safety - Its Up to You [Summer 2003]
Paying for Nursing Home Care [Summer 1998]
Paying for Nursing Home Care - 2 [Spring 2005]
Personal Response Systems (PERS) [Summer 2004]
Pets for Better Health [Fall 2002]
Planning to See Your Doctor [Fall 2000]
Planning To Protect Your Assets With A Personal Trust [Summer 1999]
Planning to Care for Your Parents [Winter 1999]
Practical Aids for Persons with Arthritis [Winter 2001]
Preparing for Driver's License Renewal [Spring 2004]
Probating Your Loved One's Estate [Winter 2001]
Protecting Pets and Animals from Heat Injury [Summer 2001]
Protecting Your Finances from Unscrupulous Relatives [Winter 2002]
Recognizing Symptoms of Illness [Spring 1998]
Retiring From Driving [Fall 2001]
Reward Yourself by Becoming Involved with a Senior Center [Summer 2000]
Selecting Gifts for the Visually Impaired or Blind [Winter 2005]
Selecting a Wheelchair - Part I [Winter 2000]
Selecting a Wheelchair - Part II [Summer 2000]
Should Your Elderly Mom or Dad Come to Live with You? [Fall 2004]
Social Isolation: The need to turn to one another [Fall 2005]
Some Things You Can Do to Help Yourself [Spring 1998]
Stroke and You [Summer 2005]
"Tai Chi gives you longevity and a healthy body to enjoy it" [Winter 1997]
Taking Nutrition Seriously: Health Eating for One (or two) [Spring 2004]
Taking Your Friends Along! (moving with pets) [Spring 2001]
Telemarketing/Sweepstakes Fraud [Winter 2001]
The Doctor is NOT Always Right [Summer 1998]
The Miracle of Cochlear Implant [Spring 2003]
The Thing to Do – If You Feel Lonely [Summer 2000]
The Warning Signs of Dementia [Spring 2005]
Time to BEE More Careful! [Spring 2001]
Transfats - What are they? Why are they bad? Where are they found? [Fall 2004]
Transporting Wheelchairs and Scooters [Spring 2003]
Traveling with the Aging and Physically Challenged [Spring 2001]
Treatment of Pension Plans in Medi-Cal Qualifying [Spring 2002]
Treatments for Eye Disorders [Spring 2004]
Understanding Unusual Behavior [Fall 2001]
Untreated Vitamin B12 Deficiency Can Lead To Many Serious Health Problems [Summer 1998]
Walking is Easy and Effective Exercise [Spring 2001]
Wandering Behavior and SAFE RETURN... [Fall 2001]
Warning Signs of Physical Abuse [Summer 2005]
Watch Out for that Next Step! [Fall 1999]
Ways to Get a Better Night's Sleep [Spring 2005]
Ways to Preserve or Rebuild Your "Social Support Network" [Spring 2005]
What Are Illegal Care Facilities? [Summer 2002]
What are the State-Mandated Rights for Persons in Care? [Winter 2002]
What Are the Transportation Needs of Seniors and Persons with Disabilities? [Winter 2002]
What Are Your Transportation Options? [Fall 2005]
What Does "Funding a Trust" Mean? [Fall 2004]
What does the term "Long Term Care" mean to you? [Summer 2002]
What Do You Know About the SNEAKY Disease? [Fall 2003]
What IF…...Accentuate the Positive: HOW TO BE HAPPY [Fall 1999]
What If Someone Asks for Your Social Security Number? [Fall 2003]
What is.........A L T E R N A T I V E M E D I C I N E? [Winter 1997]
What is Assistive Technology? [Spring 2000]
What is Elder Abuse? [Summer 1999]
What is Hearing Loss? [Winter 2002]
What is "HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE"? [Winter 2003]
What Can I Claim on My Auto Insurance WITHOUT My Rates Going Up? [Winter 2000]
What Makes the Golden Years Golden? [Fall 1998]
What to Do if Your Wallet or Purse is Lost or Stolen? [Summer 2001]
What to Do When Doctor Tells Me I Am Legally Blind [Winter 2004]
What to Do...When You Are Blue [Summer 1999]
When to Place a Loved One? [Winter 2000]
Who’s in charge of your health? [Summer 1999]
Wills and Trusts - Can You Live Without Them? [Winter 2000]
Would Your Kitchen Measure Up? [Fall 2003]
You Could Be a Target of Unscrupulous Lenders - Beware [Spring 2004]
You See Floaters or Flashes of Light: Is It Serious? [Winter 1997]
Your Personal Health Record [Summer 2005]
BONUS ARTICLES - VITAL CONNECTIONS’ EXCLUSIVES:
Vital Connections is a website of the non-profit Partnership to Preserve Independent Living - on the Internet at
http://www.vitalco.netARTICLES ABOUT VARIOUS SCAMS
Calls to Support Local Police and Firemen
Disaster Victims Are Often Scam Targets Too
Discover Card Imposters on the Internet
Home Care Fraud
Home Repair Fraud
Insurance Scam
Investment Scams
Living Trust Mills, Annuity and Promissory Note Scams
Paying for Help that is Free
Telemarketing Fraud
Understanding the Role of Your Utility Companies
Articles From the "I Am Hard Of Hearing" On-line Magazine
Buying a Hearing Aid
Cleaning In-the-Ear Hearing Aids
Communicating with Hard of Hearing People
Dealing with Hearing Loss
Hearing Aid Types and Styles
Humor and Hearing Loss
Impact of Hearing Loss on Individuals and Families
Self-Administered Hearing Test
The ROLE of BRAIN in HEARING LOSS