Health Issues in Aging

Wandering Behavior in Nursing Homes

June 27, 2024 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

What is wandering?

Wandering is an aimless action that elderly people with dementia can sometimes engage in. Someone who is wandering is not specifically looking for an exit, but rather to move around. If they do exit a skilled nursing or assisted living facility, it is because they chanced upon an exit and walked out, or were aided by someone misinformed but with good intentions.

Wandering is common in nursing homes: “Thirty six percent of community dwellers and sixty five percent of nursing home residents wander” (Smith, M., Schultz, S., Great Escapes: The wandering dilemma. The University of Iowa Geriatric Education, Iowa city, IA, www.mediciantuiowa.edu/igec/). Wandering may eventually lead to elopement, so the wanderer should be treated as a risk for elopement unless there is evidence that this is not a risk.

Aging and Sleep Disturbances

November 23, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

As we begin to age our bodies react to the changing conditions and often sleep disturbances can begin to occur. The effects of aging can have an impact on the sleep cycles of the elderly. Sleep disturbances, common amongst seniors, bring about less meaningful REM sleep and shorter sleep periods in general. This puts them at risk of developing serious health conditions and increases the risk of injuries.

While the elderly need about 7-9 hours of sleep a night, many of them do not manage to sleep undisturbed for this long. About 50% of elders’ experience sleep insomnia and about 30% suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness. Both insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness can bring about muscle strength loss, impaired mobility and balance, slower gait speed and awareness, often leading to accidents that could injure a senior. Other conditions, such as increased inflammation or insulin resistance, can also develop from these sleep disturbances.
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A Healthy Diet and Regular Exercise Can Treat Obesity and Prevent Diabetes

August 24, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels and is the most common age-related disorder of the endocrine system. Diabetes is found in an estimated 10% of people between the ages of 56 and 64, 20% in those ages 65 to 74, and 40% in those over the age of 85. Approximately 24 million people in the US have this disorder.