In this episode of Aging Untold, the team explains what a medical power of attorney is, how to choose someone you trust to speak for you, and why it is important to have the document available when needed.
The episode also looks at the causes of chronic dry mouth and offers simple ways to help protect oral health.
It also explores the physical and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors, including how even a brief daily dose of nature can reduce anxiety and support overall well-being.
If you are unable to make health care decisions for yourself, who would step in?
Sam Cradduck, a gerontologist, said the person named as your medical power of attorney can make a broad range of decisions.
“They can decide whether or not you’re going to go into a skilled facility in a rehab after a surgery. They can decide if you’re going to go into an assisted living. They can decide if you’re going to be at home, who your caregivers are going to be,” Cradduck said.
She added that this person must “advocate for your wishes, not for their heart’s desire.”
According to the American Dental Association, dry mouth affects 40% of adults 80 and older and 30% of adults 65 and older. It can also come with soreness, bad breath and problems wearing dentures.
Board-certified physician Dr. Rhea Rogers said there are several possible causes of dry mouth, and identifying the reason is the first step.
Possible causes include dehydration, nerve damage, cancer, autoimmune disorders and medications, Rogers said.
She added that dry mouth can sometimes be an early sign in someone who otherwise appears healthy.
Dr. Nathaniel Mann, a Prisma Health emergency doctor, spent two years traveling the world and practicing medicine in remote settings.
Over the course of his medical career, he has found that time outdoors can be one of the most powerful forms of therapy.
Mann, who also practices wilderness medicine, said people should be prescribed time outside in the same way they are prescribed medicine.
“I absolutely think we should,” he said.
Centuries of ironwork shape New Orleans architecture, from balconies to fences and gates.
Darryl Reeves is one of the few blacksmiths who, like his grandfather before him, continues that tradition.
“That’s what gives me joy,” Reeves said. “How many people get to beat on metal, especially if you’re frustrated with something and get it out? How many people do that?”
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