ElderAuthority.com

“MAKE OUR GARDEN GROW”

GARDEN MEMORIES
Between the ages of four and seven I lived in Ripon, Wisconsin.  For some reason I hold that time in my mind as one of particular sweetness.  Even though snow covered the ground for a large part of the year, my strongest memories are of gardens and green things.  I remember picking wild asparagus by the side of the road, “jack in the pulpits” in the woods, and tall trees;  but the most intense memories are of two gardens.
Mrs. Miller lived in a big yellow… More

DANCING HOME HEALTHCARE PARTNERS

This is just a sweet video. This granny is blind, has macular degeneration, and is 90 years old.
Her grandson, Adam Fogie, put up “My 90 Year Old Grandma” as a Facebook page for her. I love it when he dances with her at the end.… More

SENIOR LIVING: LAUGHING AT OLD AGE

The only way to prevent getting older is to die.  Seriously!  If you don’t like that option, I recommend a lot of laughing.  It is good for almost everything.  If you can’t tell jokes, you may have to read them to summon a giggle.

I’m great at telling stories, and then telling the same story over, and over, and over…
I’m getting much more exercise these days, but it all involves going to the bathroom.
I found a half dissolved gel cap in my ear.  Now where do you… More

QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX–UNSCIENTIFIC, BUT ACCURATE

As a public service to our readers, a quality of life index might be helpful in assessing your advancing years:

The view from your window overlooks a swimming pool where cute college coeds (or buff college jocks) frequently sunbathe.  It is up to you to arrange for the best view for you.  QLI = 10
The view from your living room window is of the assisted living center kitchen’s grease trap and dumpsters.  QLI = 3
The view from your holding cell is into the adjacent cell of an inmate… More

QUALITY OF LIFE SCALE

WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF LIFE SCALE (QOLS)?
The Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) was created originally by American psychologist John Flanagan in the 1970′s.   It is used to measure Quality of Life (QOL) in chronic illness groups.  It is administered to individuals as a five-minute questionnaire in a clinic, in an interview, or by mail.
Quality of Life  is a broad range of human experiences related to one’s overall well-being.  It is understandable to most… More

QUALITY OF LIFE MEASURES FOR OLDER POPULATION

There is no consensus regarding the definition of Quality of Life (QoL) for the elderly. The measurement of Quality of Life in older people is different from the general population.  Measurements must address the range of aging  from successful aging, through usual aging, to aging with disability or dependency.
COMBINATION OF OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE MEASURES
Both objective and subjective dimensions are important for measuring Quality of Life.
Objective factors are… More

QUALITY OF LIFE RESEARCH AND AGING

GENERAL QUALITY OF LIFE DEFINITION
TheFreeDictionary.com defines quality of life as “your personal satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with the cultural or intellectual conditions under which you live (as distinct from the material comfort).”
In Wikipedia the definition of quality of life applies to evaluating the general well-being of individuals and societies.  Standard indicators of the quality of life include not only wealth and employment, but… More

WRITE YOUR OWN QUALITY OF LIFE DEFINITION

If you want a good quality of life as you age, your best plan is to figure out what that means to you personally.  Using myself as a guinea pig to test out this idea, I thought I would try to create my own definition of my ideal quality of life in old age.
FIGURE OUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN YOUR CONTROL
I wish for health for myself, my husband, my family, and others that I love.  I would like to keep doing new and wonderful things with my dear husband until we both keel over from old age at the same… More

QUALITY OF LIFE AND AGING (lecture)

This is an interesting hour-long lecture about the measurement of quality of life and aging as it relates to health.… More