Publications

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Medicines: Use Them Safely
When Jerry, age 71, came home from the drug store with his latest prescription, he placed all his pill bottles on the kitchen counter and counted them. “I take five different medications, and you take four,” he said to his wife. “We need a system. We need to know what medicines we have, what they’re for, and when we should take them.”
Spanish Version
Keywords: Medicines, Safety
Menopause
One cool fall day, Ellen and Sue were watching their teenagers play soccer when all of a sudden Ellen flushed and seemed to be sweating. Sue asked if Ellen was okay. "Oh, it's a hot flash," Ellen said. "This is happening to me several times a week now—even at night. At first, I didn't know what was going on, but my doctor told me these are symptoms of menopause." Sue laughed and said, "Yes, I remember hot flashes, but they're over now."
Spanish Version
Keywords: Estrogen, Hormones, Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Menopause
Mourning the Death of a Spouse
When your spouse dies, your world changes. You are in mourning—feeling grief and sorrow at the loss. You may feel numb, shocked, and fearful. You may feel guilty for being the one who is still alive. If your spouse died in a nursing home, you may wish that you had been able to care for him or her at home. At some point, you may even feel angry at your spouse for leaving you. All these feelings are normal. There are no rules about how you should feel. There is no right or wrong way to mourn.

Keywords: Emotional Health, Grief
Nursing Homes: Making the Right Choice
Lucille has lived in her home for 33 years. Even after her husband died 3 years ago, she was able to manage on her own. Recently, she broke her hip and now needs a walker to get around. At 85, she is no longer able to be on her own. Her children now are talking about how best to help their mom find the right care. Sometimes, decisions about where to care for a family member need to be made quickly, for example, when a sudden injury requires a new care plan. Other times, a family has a while to look for the best place to care for an elderly relative.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Long-Term Care, Nursing Homes
Older Drivers
At age 78, Sheila thinks she’s a good driver, and she would like to stay that way. But lately, she has been in minor accidents. Sheila wonders how she can stay safe behind the wheel. Will taking a class for older drivers help? You may have asked yourself this question, or maybe a family member or friend has asked about your driving. Getting older doesn’t make you a bad driver. But you should know there are changes that may affect driving skills over time.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Driving, Eyes and Vision, Safety, Sensory Impairment
Online Health Information: Can You Trust It?
A group of older adults are gathered for their weekly computer class. They are learning to use the Internet to find health information. Maria's husband, who is 75, had a stroke the month before so she's searching the web for some basic facts about stroke rehabilitation. Walter, who is 68, has questions about what causes Alzheimer's disease because he thinks that's what his mother had. Shirley and Howard, married for 48 years, are trying to find out if the cataract surgery their eye doctor suggests really is as safe as he says.

Keywords: Health Information, Internet, Web
Osteoporosis: The Bone Thief
Helen grew up on a farm in the Midwest. She drank lots of milk as a child. She also walked a lot. After graduating from high school, she got married and found a job. Family and work, she said, kept her too busy to exercise. Helen went through menopause at age 47. At 76, she was enjoying retirement—traveling and working in her garden. But then she slipped on a small rug in her kitchen and broke her hip. After Helen recovered, she needed a cane to walk, and gardening was a lot harder to enjoy.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Bones and Joints, Falls, Medicines, Nutrition, Osteoporosis, Women's Health
Pain: You Can Get Help
Phyllis loves playing with her grandchildren, working in the garden, and going to twice-weekly Bingo games. But, at age 76, the constant pain she feels in her knees from osteoarthritis (joint disease) is starting to take a toll. It is also starting to keep her awake at night, leaving her feeling groggy and tired the next day. Sometimes, the pain stops her from doing the things she likes. As time goes by, Phyllis feels more and more miserable and depressed, but doesn't know what she can do about it.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Medicines, Pain
Prostate Problems
Stan just found out that a friend has prostate cancer. A lot of men he knows have some kind of problem with their prostate. He’s worried that this might happen to him. It’s true that prostate problems are common after age 50. The good news is there are many things you can do.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Cancer, Men's Health, Prostate
Sexuality in Later Life
Many people want and need to be close to others as they grow older. This includes the desire to continue an active, satisfying sex life as they grow older. But, with aging, there may be changes that can cause problems.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Emotional Health, Men's Health, Sexuality, Women's Health