If you have an aging loved one in your life who has always struggled with learning or coping with the everyday demands of life, a learning disability may be the cause. Further, your loved one may not be aware he has a problem.

Many of our older friends and family attended school before special education programs existed. Unfortunately, many of them were misunderstood in school. Teachers may have seen them as lazy or incapable of learning. Many dropped out and went to work or joined the military. Far from incapable, many of these resilient individuals were often quite successful despite their learning disabilities. Learn more about aging with learning disabilities.

Fortunately, research is progressing in helping to prevent disabilities, provide education, and other supports for seniors. Early assessment and detection, for example, can help us develop helpful programs. Yale University researchers have developed a new assessment tool for health care practitioners that may help in their care of the elderly. The guided care protocol provides a standard approach for evaluating 13 clinical issues that have been shown to be common problems among the elderly, but that often go undiagnosed and untreated. Learn about the importance of early assessment and intervention in aging loved ones.

More on Seniors and Learning

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• Memory Loss May Predict Alzheimer's Disease
• Mental Health Through the Lifespan
• Keeping Children Safe in Grandparents' Care