The New York Times ran a telling article last week about the tough choices involved in cancer treatment. Decisions about aggressive treatment versus hospice care. The report tells ... Read More

My 91 year old Grandma has congestive heart failure (CHF). She's dependent on oxygen, needs considerable assistance with her daily needs, and is very forgetful. She's also stubborn ... Read More

Caregiver stress and burnout are very real risks for the caregivers of ailing loved ones. Caregivers have higher rates of depression, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, and other illnesses ... Read More

I'm frequently asked for advice regarding the initiation of life support measures. Families want to know whether they should start artificial tube feedings for their loved one who ... Read More

Pallimed, a hospice and palliative medicine blog, posted a great piece about how medical information can be changed by family interpreters. The post referred to a paper published in ... Read More

It's summertime and despite the local swimming hole, ice cream cones, and lawn sprinklers, the heat can be downright uncomfortable - and even deadly. The elderly are at an ... Read More

If humans are afforded rights such as the "right to life"; "freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment"; "the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable ... Read More

Motivated by quality vs quantity of life, a national task force has recommended that doctors stop screening for prostate cancer in men over 75 years old. Because prostate cancer ... Read More

We all know that when an elderly or ill person falls, their risk of breaking a bone can be high. But other injuries can occur that may be even ... Read More

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized the 2009 wage index. They issued a press release detailing the cuts to the hospice reimbursement rate: Hospices serving Medicare ... Read More