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Your Care Advocate Publications

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Getting Started
We offer suggestions for people gathering health care information, and share the name, website address and telephone number of organizations we have found to offer credible and accurate information.

AGING SERIES

Part 1 - What's Normal, What's Not
We share what health care experts and older adults consider to be “normal” aging and encourage you to consider your personal goals for later years of life.

Part 2 - Physical Changes
We review common age-related changes that affect our bones, hair, height, muscles, skin, teeth and weight.

Part 3 - Aging and the Senses
We review the affects aging has on our five senses - hearing, smell, taste, touch, and vision.

Part 4 - Cognitive Function
We look at age-related changes in mental status including intelligence, memory and problem solving ability.

Part 5 - Sexuality & Intimacy
We comment on the importance of intimacy, review bodily changes affecting sexual relations, and mention factors affecting sexual activity.

Part 6 - Exercise: Collect Personal Information
We provide a form to help you organize information you and your family members are likely to need.

CAREGIVING SERIES

Part 1 - What's Normal, What's Not
We define what caregiving means, review the common tasks involved, the type of people who provide care, and share recommendations for caregivers.

Part 2 - Common Caregiver Roles
We look at the different roles of a caregiver and help you anticipate the ways you may be called upon to provide support.

Part 3 - Helpful Resources
We share information on the many government and community resources people often find to be helpful.

Part 4 - Paying for Care
We share the costs of popular long-term care options and review the different ways people pay for care.

Part 5 - Care and Living Arrangements
We review care and living options that may be able to help you either on a short-term or long-term basis.

Part 6 - From Out of Town
We share ways that family and friends who live more than an hour away can provide support, and review things they can do to be prepared.

DRIVING SERIES

Part 1 - What's Normal, What's Not
We share common age-related challenges and review factors that influence a person's decision to continue driving or stop driving.

Part 2 - Driver Profiles & Strategies
We look at the three most common ways older adults respond when safety becomes a concern.

Part 3 - Assessing Skills & Abilities
We suggest ways to determine if a person may be unsafe to drive and share information to assess and sharpen driving skills and abilities.

Part 4 - Cognitive & Physical Impairment
We explore changes that occur as part of the normal aging process that limit a person's ability to drive safely.

Part 5 - Laws & Liability
We review information on state laws specific to renewing a driver's license and how to file a complaint if you believe someone is unsafe.

Part 6 - Intervention & Cessation Strategies
We offer information and ideas on how to talk with someone who you believe may be unsafe to drive.

Part 7 - Transportation Alternatives
We share information on the various alternatives to driving and identify common concerns such as safety, convenience, cost and comfort.  

GRIEVING SERIES

Part 1 - What's Normal, What's Not
We define grieving and mourning, and review the common types of grief: Emotional, Physical, Mental, Spiritual and Social.

Part 2 - Concerns of the Dying
We share fears people have about dying, how grief affects daily living, and how to support loved ones nearing end-of-life.

Part 3 - Hope for Family Members
We review common coping measures and share differences in the grieving process based on gender, as well as cultural and spiritual differences.

Part 4 - Phases of the Process
We review the different phases of the grieving process people typically experience and share five unhealthy expressions of grieving.

Part 5 - End-of-Life Considerations
We review Hospice care, Living Wills, Power of Attorney for Health Care, resuscitation and organ and tissue donation.

Part 6 - Death Considerations
We review typical questions people consider when a death occurs. We also identify issues many people wish to consider in advance of a death.