It’s estimated nearly 44 million Americans are family caregivers, which means they provide unpaid care to a family member, friend or neighbor. That adds up to 37 billion hours of care each year. While caring for a loved one can be a meaningful and rewarding experience, it also can be an emotionally and physically demanding job. Keep Reading

For older adults who live alone or have lost their spouse, pets can be excellent companions. When my grandfather passed away, my grandmother adopted two blue baby parakeets named Heckle and Jeckle. Although they screeched incessantly, they gave her purpose, and she adored them. She would wake up early to feed them their seed, she would sing to them and every few weeks she would drive to the pet store to buy them more perches, bells, etc. She was overjoyed when she thought Heckle was going to lay eggs and rushed to get a nesting box (Heckle never laid the eggs because he was just a very chubby boy.) Keep Reading

Tax season is upon us and so are the con artists. In one of the more popular scams, a caller pretends to be an agent from the IRS, complete with a badge number. Even the phone number has a Washington D.C. area code. The phony IRS agent says you owe money and threatens arrest, court action, deportation or license revocation. They try to scare the person by reading off their address, Social Security number and other personal information. Keep Reading

National Caregivers Day is February 15 — a day to honor professional caregivers, as well as the estimated 40 million Americans who are doing the selfless work of serving as a caregiver for an aging relative or loved one. Keep Reading

When people think of “dementia,” it is natural to next think “memory loss.” What we may not be prepared for is how other behaviors can change and even become difficult to manage. In fact, it is these challenging behaviors that families report as more troublesome than memory loss. Keep Reading

February is not only the month of hearts, but the month of eyes, as well — National Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Low Vision Awareness Month. That’s quite a mouthful (or eyeful), so let’s explore these conditions. Keep Reading

Chances are someone in your life has been, or will be, affected by heart disease. It’s the number one cause of death in the U.S., taking more than 610,000 lives every year. Since February is Heart Month, take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the disease and actions you can take to help prevent it. Keep Reading

Valentine’s Day: People send cards, flowers and candies to special people in their lives, but some people tend to overlook themselves. This is especially true for family caregivers. Keep Reading

Franchise owner Cassandra Poland has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Homecare Association (PHA) Public Policy Committee for 2019. PHA is a state trade association representing nearly 700 homecare and hospice providers. Keep Reading

The Nigerian prince hoax is one of the most well-known scams in the U.S. The con runs like this: A royal family member in a faraway country asks the mark, through a letter or email, to transfer millions of dollars out of their country by depositing it for safekeeping in the victim’s bank account. The royal may even ask for money to pay a fee or taxes for the transfer. Either way the victim has money stolen from them. Keep Reading

Millennials seem to get a lot of negative press. Some may call them selfish, entitled, lazy and even industry killers. But, these are just poor stereotypes. Let’s put a face to the 71 million people that make up Gen Y: Mine, for instance. Keep Reading

A mindset of gratitude brings benefits throughout the year. Gratitude is the ability to notice, interpret and appreciate the positives aspects of life. Being grateful can increase contentment and also may enhance health. According to various studies, gratitude can help: Keep Reading

New Year’s Day is over, but New Year’s resolutions are just getting started. According to Statista, 93 percent of Millennials and 91 percent of Gen Xers they’ll keep the resolution they made for 2018. However, only 84 percent of Baby Boomers reported the same. While this number is low comparatively, don’t be discouraged. You just need to make it a good habit. Keep Reading

Hayley and Ryan Murray honored with prestigious award at ComForCare's annual franchise conference. Keep Reading

Whether it’s due to injury, illness or aging, sometimes older adults need a little extra help, especially at home. However, family members and friends can’t always be there 24/7 to assist aging loved ones. That’s where home care comes in. When it comes to choosing an in-home care provider, here are some of the ComForCare/At Your Side advantages: Keep Reading

Millions of older adults 65+ fall every year. In fact, more than one out of four older adults falls each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls can be dangerous and can lead to serious injuries – 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries each year. Keep Reading

That familiar holiday tune expresses a simple wish of a child – not for the expected list of toys – but for front teeth to grow in quickly enough to properly say “Merry Christmas.” Some older adults might have just as much trouble saying “Seasons Greetings” or “Happy Hanukah” as that wistful child, if not for the benefits of dentures, bridges and dental implants. However, if you asked most seniors to sing their holiday wish list, it might sound something like this: Keep Reading

You’ve heard about Santa’s list – the one with names of children, their behavior, where they live and what they want for Christmas. However, you might not be aware Santa has a list for himself of seven ways to age well and enjoy his best life possible. Here is a peek at his list: Keep Reading

Every day at 5 a.m., I hear you wake up across the hall, unraveling yourself from the bed covers. You walk quietly to the kitchen as not to disturb me, so I can continue to sleep. You brew the coffee for us, count out my pills for the morning and set everything on my breakfast tray. As you enter my room, you call my name sweetly, “Mom?” I open my eyes to see a fatigued but smiling woman. You help me sit up in bed, guide my hand so I can drink and place my medications on my tongue. You help me bathe and dress. You lift me into my wheelchair and comb my hair, parted the way you know I like. Then, you hustle to get yourself ready for the day: work deadlines, PTA meetings, etc. Keep Reading

When someone mentions the word “hospice,” people often cringe or change the subject, fearing that hospice care somehow means giving up on life. Others view hospice with a lack of respect, as if it isn’t real medical care. I know this firsthand. I used to be employed in hospice as a volunteer coordinator. Keep Reading