Senior Services Education and Support

Aging comes with health challenges, but seniors don’t have to face them on their own. There is a wealth of education and support resources available, including:

• Alzheimer’s disease – The Alzheimer’s Association offers support groups and online message boards for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.
• Arthritis – Arthritis is a group of diseases that primarily affects older adults. Learn more about arthritis.
• Blood pressure – High blood pressure can lead to many other health problems and is a common condition among seniors. Learn how seniors can lower their blood pressure.
• Cancer – The American Cancer Society offers programs and services for those living with cancer, cancer survivors and their loved ones.
• Dementia – Seniors may be at risk for loss of mental abilities as a result of head injuries, diseases or other factors. Learn more about dementia.
• Heart care – A healthy heart depends on a healthy lifestyle. Learn how to improve heart health at any age.
• Medication safety – Seniors often need to manage multiple medications. Learn more about how to safely take prescribed medications and develop strategies to make the process easier.
• Palliative care – This treatment strategy focuses on improving function and quality of life for seniors with serious illnesses. Learn about the benefits of palliative care.
• Preventing falls – Every year, millions of adults fall, leading to injuries and ER visits. Learn how seniors can prevent falls.
• Stroke – Talk and learn from people who have had strokes and their caregivers through stroke support groups.

Make health a priority. Ask the doctor if you have any concerns, no matter how minor they may seem.

Join AARP

AARP offers senior discounts and other benefits. Seniors can become AARP members after their fiftieth birthdays.

Consider an advance care directive

This is a binding legal document that specifies how seniors want to be cared for if they’re unable to make those decisions themselves. It’s a good idea to create an advance care directive – a living will – even for seniors in good health. Working through this directive as a family can help start important conversations about care preferences. Consider asking about advance care directives during a checkup.

Learn more about advance care planning.