BY SUSAN M. MATHEWS, PhD, RN, MSBE A July 2017 report published by the Population Research Bureau provides both good and bad news about our aging society and the prevalence of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementias. It is undeniable that the absolute number of Americans with dementia is increasing, however, the proportion of those with dementia […]
In some ways, the Jetson family gave us a look at what is becoming our technologically supported life. BY SUSAN M. MATHEWS, PhD, RN, MSBE In two short years, the American population of those 65 and older will number 65 million. It’s a staggering number that demands some out of the box thinking, especially when […]
Sorting Out Common Challenges Of Aging BY SUSAN M. MATHEWS, PhD, RN, MSBE It’s a hidden killer of the elderly and a serious public health challenge, as loneliness is causing widespread declines in physical and cognitive capacity. Loneliness plagues older women especially, because they are more likely to outlive their male loved ones. This state […]
BY SUSAN M. MATHEWS, PhD, RN, MSBE Autonomy, our right to make decisions for our own bodies, is the most powerful of all principles in medical ethics. Autonomy is what drives focus on advance care planning: considering, communicating and documenting end of life care preferences. Dying is draining, both physically and emotionally. A key stressor […]
My Aunt Rose, Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Conversation that Changed Our Relationship BY CRAIG KLUGMAN, Ph.D. When you are an ethics student writing your dissertation on end of life issues, you talk to a lot of people about what they hope for in their final days. In my immediate family, this was a fairly […]