Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by Dr. Marcus Webb, M.D. Respiratory emergencies in older adults can escalate from distressing to life-threatening within minutes. Call 911 immediately if your parent cannot speak in full sentences, is using their neck and shoulder muscles to breathe, or has blue-tinged lips or fingertips. Knowing what to do
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by Dr. Marcus Webb, M.D. More than 1.5 million Americans use supplemental oxygen at home, according to the American Thoracic Society. Home oxygen therapy is prescribed when the lungs can no longer deliver enough oxygen to keep organs functioning safely. It does not fix the underlying lung
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by Dr. Marcus Webb, M.D. It is never too late to benefit from quitting smoking. According to the NIH, adults who quit smoking after age 65 still gain measurable improvements in lung function, circulation, and heart disease risk within weeks to months. The damage already done cannot be
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified pulmonologist Your parent has always had reliable lungs. But lately they are short of breath walking to the end of the driveway. Sitting down, they feel a heaviness in their chest, as if something is pressing from the inside. The doctor orders imaging and uses the
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified geriatrician Your parent says their knee hurts, or their back, or their neck, and when you ask about it they say the doctor told them there is not much to do. They have learned to live with it. They move more slowly. They stopped doing the
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified medical writer specializing in vestibular medicine and geriatric neurology Dizziness and balance problems affect roughly 30 percent of adults over 65 and are one of the top risk factors for falls, the leading cause of injury death in older adults. The causes range from treatable inner
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified podiatrist and geriatric care specialist Foot pain in older adults is one of the most overlooked drivers of decline. When feet hurt, your parent stops walking. When they stop walking, muscle loss, falls, isolation, and depression follow fast. Getting their feet checked and treated is one
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified endocrinologist and geriatric medicine specialist Osteoporosis thins bones silently over years, with no symptoms until a fracture happens. About 10 million Americans have it, and another 44 million have low bone density. The disease makes ordinary falls potentially catastrophic, but with screening, treatment, and fall prevention,
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified rheumatologist and geriatric care specialist Gout causes some of the most severe joint pain your parent will ever experience, and it becomes more common with age as kidney function declines. Flares can be treated quickly with the right medication, and long-term uric acid management prevents joint
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified physical therapist specializing in geriatric rehabilitation Physical therapy is one of the most effective interventions available for older adults recovering from injury, surgery, or chronic pain, and for preventing falls. Medicare Part B covers outpatient physical therapy when prescribed by a physician. The key variable is
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a board-certified medical writer specializing in geriatric orthopedics and rehabilitation medicine Bone fractures in older adults heal 50 to 100 percent slower than in younger people, and the complications during recovery, including blood clots, deconditioning, and infection, are often more dangerous than the break itself. This article explains
Understanding What They're Facing
Reviewed by a certified aging-in-place specialist and occupational therapist Home modifications are one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent falls and preserve independence in aging parents. The CDC reports that one in four adults over 65 falls each year, and the home is where most of these falls happen.