Blog Entries

Can Anti-Depressant Medications help chronic pain in Aging Parents

drmikol@comcast.net — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Many professional geriatric journals note that SSRI medications may be effective in assisting elders to manage their chronic pain. Please respond to my blog with your own experience of anti-depressant medications and pain reduction in elders. Thank you, Dr. Mikol Davis, Elder Family conflict Specialist.

Giving Up the Checkbook-Harder for Dad or for Mom?

nurselawyer@comcast.net — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

When It's Time to Give Up the Checkbook, Is It More Challenging for Men or for Women?

With the spreading prevalence of dementia in our aging population, there may come a time when the elder's adult children must persuade him or her to hand over the financial decisions to someone else. Although families often recognize the signs warning them that Mom or Dad is no longe [...]

Grief, Helping Aging Parents Cope with Loss

drmikol@comcast.net — Thu, 28 May 2009 05:38:26 +0100

It is very important to help people better understand normal grief. I deal with many Boomers who are coping with the recent death of their parents. This is often their first experience with loosing a parent. These mourners have no context to understand how grief affects a persons basic decision making ability. They begin to feel a real loss of capacity to cope with daily life's stresses. Antidepressants are most effective in helping people begin to regain confidence in coping with their lives. I [...]

Mom Got her first Ipod at age 86

drmikol@comcast.net — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Mom asked for an ipod for mothers day. At 86 years young I never thought my mom would ever be interested in new technology. However she has seen me during my travels use an ipod with audio books I listen too. Mom is an avid reader and loves a good mystery so I guess its my fault for her new technology interest. So on mothers day my wife and i flew down to southern California and took mom to the local Apple Store to purchase her first Pink Ipod.

Mothers Day is coming soon, Is Mom starting to loose it?

drmikol@comcast.net — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We will you be seeing Mom for Mother's Day? If you get to spend time with Mom, and she is still driving a car, please ask her to take you on an errand so you can check out her capacity. Us the check list we have included in Handling a Dangerous Older Driver.

There you will find a great checklist that will help you give Mom some very objective feedback on her driving.

Where do we go when we Cross Over?

drmikol@comcast.net — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

I wasnt looking forward to this trip to visit the cemetary where my father was burried July 5, 2008. This whole experience brought up the basic question of what happened to my fathers spirit. Does his spirit exist in the box where his bones lay? My belief is that my fathers spirit lives in my memories. They are alive and well. Although my father has now crossed over he still lives on in me, in each member of my family. I often feel emtionally overwhelmed with my desire to honor my father while d [...]

Dating For Seniors

drmikol@comcast.net — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Dating For Seniors

Here is my recent life story. I lost my father July 5, 2008 to pancreatic cancer. My mother lost her life partner after 62 years. Mom at age 22 years old went from living with her mother to living with dad for the last 62 years. Now adjusting to being alone without her life partner mom is lonely and wants male companionship. Well I ca [...]

Caring for Aging Parents can be Overwheming or Not!

drmikol@comcast.net — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The emotional demands of caring for our aging parents is often overwhelming. As our parents become elderly and less competent to care for themselves, the responsibility of assisting there needs becomes our responsibility. If we are not only children then we are then able to potentially "share" this burden with our siblings. Coordinating this responsibility with our siblings can either lessen the caring burden or at worse dramaticly increases the burden of caring for our aging [...]

Excited about the Vote for Elders Rights

drmikol@comcast.net — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Now glued to my television watching the election results. It seems clear that the American voters have finally got it right on our newest President. We will finally have a President that truly understands the importance of advocating and protecting the rights of our elders.