Understanding the help you need as a caregiver
By Micha Shalev
About 44 million people, roughly 19 percent of the U.S. adult population, provide unpaid care to someone who is age 50 or...
Become a volunteer advocate for AARP Massachusetts
By Mike Festa, State Director, AARP Massachusetts
Attend one of our caregiving and retirement security events
AARP Massachusetts is working to ensure you have the health...
The grace of forgetting
By Marianne Delorey
“Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.” Friedrich Nietzsche
“To be able to forget means sanity.” Jack London
People who...
‘Rementia’ versus ‘Dementia’
By Micha Shalev
Dementia is conventionally defined in terms of neurological changes in the brain and an inevitable and progressive decline in the individual's cognitive...
The safety of the person with Alzheimer’s disease
Caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's can be rewarding - and stressful. Home safety is important for everyone - but it carries added significance for caregivers. This is especially true if you're caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's disease in your home. A throw rug or a stray toy on the steps could easily put your loved one at risk of a fall or injury.
Protect your elderly parents from scammers
By Micha Shalev
Adult children and caregivers play an important role in helping older people avoid scams. Unfortunately, scammers often prey on lonely seniors looking...
Productive aging
Our staff likes to tease. The easiest group to pick on is the activities staff. We accuse them of having a cushy job, saying they get paid to play games all day, to listen to music, have snacks, knit, play puzzles on the computer, or go on trips. We roll our eyes when they complain about a hard day. But the truth is these jobs are hard. They are also important, undervalued, and have a real impact on our residents.
The second empty nest takes some getting used to
By Marianne Delorey ©
John Andrew Holmes once wrote, “A child enters your home and makes so much noise for 20 years that you can...
Helping people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in case of emergency
People with dementia are especially vulnerable to chaos and emotional trauma. They have a limited ability to understand what is happening, and they may forget what they have been told about a particular disaster. First responders, neighbors and family members assisting with an evacuation should be alert to potential reactions of someone with dementia in disaster situations.
Affordable housing lingo can be confusing
By Marianne Delorey
Q: Oh, so you’re in affordable housing? Do you have LIHTC?
A: No, I have 236 with S8 overlay.
Q: Are you at 30...