In 2012, a group of medical organizations did something they’d never done before: give doctors a list of things they shouldn’t do for their patients. The goal of what the group called “Choosing Wisely”: to empower doctors and patients to start a conversation about avoiding unnecessary care. According to a release from the University of… Continue reading “Choosing Wisely” Campaign: Off to a Good start, but Change Needed for Continued Success
Author: Sondra Forsyth
Sondra Forsyth is Co-Editor-in-Chief of ThirdAge.com. She is a National Magazine Award winner with scores of major magazine bylines and twelve books to her credit. Her most recent book is “Candida Cleanse: The 21-Day Diet to Beat Yeast and Feel Your Best”. Sondra was Executive Editor at “Ladies’ Home Journal,” Features Editor at “Cosmopolitan,” and Articles Editor at “Bride’s”. A former ballerina, she founded Ballet Ambassadors, an arts-in-education company in New York City, and served as Artistic Director for 16 years.
How Relationships with Parents and Children Change as We Age
It’s a universal truth that we take things for granted, especially when we’re young. Even though we know that it’s not logical, a part of us believes our parents or mentors will always be there when we need them. And we can’t wrap our mind around the idea that one day our children may have… Continue reading How Relationships with Parents and Children Change as We Age
Joyce Hodges-Hite: At 80-Years-Young, Still Doing Marathons
In 1949, then 12-year-old Joyce Hodges-Hite, living in rural Millen, Georgia, 50 miles south of Augusta, discovered she was a “naturally fast runner.” The sixth grader felt she was “pitiful” at every team sport she’d tried. But Hodges-Hite discovered that not only did she love this solitary exercise, but that her legs practically flew as… Continue reading Joyce Hodges-Hite: At 80-Years-Young, Still Doing Marathons
Dried Cranberries May Have a Positive Effect on Gut Health
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin – Madison evaluated whether one simple addition to the diet – one handful-a-day of sweetened dried cranberries – could positively influence the gut microbiome. Given the emerging knowledge that many biological functions, including immunity and disease-fighting capabilities, depend on a healthy gut microbiome, the authors of the study published… Continue reading Dried Cranberries May Have a Positive Effect on Gut Health
Helping Aging Loved Ones Who Resist Care
National Family Caregivers Month, Novemeber, is an ideal time to reflect on both the responsibilities and rewards of being a caregiver. Being a caregiver is deeply challenging. Especially when those we’re caring for cling fiercely to their independence, resisting support and insisting on remaining independent even when this is no longer a safe option. I… Continue reading Helping Aging Loved Ones Who Resist Care
Daydreaming During Meetings Probably Means You’re Smart
A 2017 study from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta that was published in the journal Neuropsychologia suggests that daydreaming during meetings isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It might be a sign that you’re really smart and creative. A release from the institute quotes co-author Eric Schumacher, Georgia Tech associate psychology professor, as saying,… Continue reading Daydreaming During Meetings Probably Means You’re Smart
Leaving the Physical and Psychological Battle Scars of Acne Behind
Adolescence is a stressful time. Along with the excitement of having one’s body’s transform and one’s experience broaden comes the dismay of hormonal volatility and, for most of us, the scourge of acne. For the lucky ones, acne is limited to a few unsightly blemishes. For others though, acne storms across the face, chest and… Continue reading Leaving the Physical and Psychological Battle Scars of Acne Behind
Startling New Research Shows That Heart Stents for Chest Pain May Simply Have a Placebo Effect for Some Patients
Coronary artery stents are lifesaving for heart attack patients, but new research suggests that the placebo effect may be larger than previously thought. The findings come from the ORBITA trial, which stands for “Objective Randomised Blinded Investigation With Optimal Medical Therapy of Angioplasty in Stable Angina”. (Editor’s note: That is the British spelling of the… Continue reading Startling New Research Shows That Heart Stents for Chest Pain May Simply Have a Placebo Effect for Some Patients
End-of-life Decision-Making for People with Intellectual Disabilities
A 2017 study by researchers at the University at Buffalo and published in the Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities provides a groundbreaking look at how advance care planning medical orders inform emergency medical service (EMS) providers’ experiences involving people with intellectual disabilities. A release from the university explains that most states in the… Continue reading End-of-life Decision-Making for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Keep Calm and Parent On: Teachable Moments at Sporting Events
Sports offer a fun and rewarding way for kids to learn some key life lessons. From the importance of following rules and directions to the value of practice and commitment, sporting events introduce children to some of the workings of the world—often without them even knowing it. As with any enrichment activity, they’re a key… Continue reading Keep Calm and Parent On: Teachable Moments at Sporting Events
Perioperative Surgical Home Reduces ER Visits and Death in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients
Elderly patients who had emergency repair of a fractured hip were much less likely to die or make a return visit to the emergency room (ER) after discharge if they received care under the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) model of care, suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2017 annual meeting in October in San Francisco.… Continue reading Perioperative Surgical Home Reduces ER Visits and Death in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients
4 Ways Women Can Assure Work-Life Balance Support
Women’s roles in society have changed dramatically in the last 40 years. Once considered to be mainly “homemakers,” women are now significant contributors to the workforce. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that in 1975, 47.4 percent of mothers with children under the age of 18 were in the workforce and as of… Continue reading 4 Ways Women Can Assure Work-Life Balance Support
Rare Y-Shaped Protein Discovered That Is Associated with Glaucoma
So unheard of was what researchers discovered in a protein associated with glaucoma that for over two years they ran it through a gauntlet of lab tests and published a new research paper on it. The tests validated what they initially saw. It was a Y-shape. That made it an extreme oddity significant to science,… Continue reading Rare Y-Shaped Protein Discovered That Is Associated with Glaucoma
Teenager Goes Partially Blind After Using Halloween Contact Lenses
Rebecca Seawright, Chair of the New York State Assembly’s Consumer Fraud Protection Committee, and health officials, held a press conference on Friday, October 29th 2017 to warn of the hazards and the strong possibility of permanent eye damage – including blindness – from wearing over-the-counter colored contact lenses that are increasingly popular among children and teens who want to dress… Continue reading Teenager Goes Partially Blind After Using Halloween Contact Lenses
3 Saving Tips to Help Prepare You for Unexpected Expenses
It happens to everybody: The dreaded, unexpected big expense – major car repairs, a broken air conditioner, a plumbing problem, a sick pet, a computer crash, a dental emergency. Often these misfortunes come without warning, and they can throw you for a financial tailspin if you’re not prepared with ample savings. Thus, it’s prudent to… Continue reading 3 Saving Tips to Help Prepare You for Unexpected Expenses
Safety Tips Snowbirds Should Know When Traveling
In the next few months thousands of people will head to warm locations like Florida, Arizona and Texas for a few months to escape the winter weather where they are from. It’s important for snowbirds to be aware of their surroundings while traveling to and from their destination, especially if they are taking a road… Continue reading Safety Tips Snowbirds Should Know When Traveling
Feel Fuller Longer with Mushrooms
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then mushrooms may be one of the most imperative ingredients. A study on satiety (feeling full after eating) published in the October 2017 issue of the journal Appetite indicates that eating a mushroom-rich breakfast may result in less hunger and a greater feeling of fullness… Continue reading Feel Fuller Longer with Mushrooms
Resistance Training Prevents Age-Related Tendon Damage
A study published online in October 2017 in The FASEB Journal suggests that resistance training may prevent age-related tendon problems, such as ruptures and tendinopathies. In the report, scientists used different groups of sedentary and resistance-trained rats to reveal that the tendons of trained rats showed fewer signs of age-related damage than their sedentary counterparts.… Continue reading Resistance Training Prevents Age-Related Tendon Damage