Men and women both face obstacles and challenges in planning for retirement, but women often travel a thornier path. In most cases, women have earned less than men over the years. They also often have stepped out of the workforce for several years for caregiving roles, whether to raise children or care for aging parents.… Continue reading Why Retired Women Are More Prone To Financial Crisis
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.
10,000 Medicare Patients Die in the Seven Days after Discharge from the ED
Nearly one in five Americans will visit an emergency department (ED) each year, meaning that physicians make the decision to admit or discharge a patient from the ED hundreds of thousands of times daily, but little is known about how patients fare after they are sent home from the ED. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s… Continue reading 10,000 Medicare Patients Die in the Seven Days after Discharge from the ED
8 Steps That Can Lead You to a More Fulfilling Life
There’s a reason people love the start of a New Year – or the first day of spring, or maybe the first day of school. The idea of a clean slate – of making changes or starting over fresh – can be exhilarating. It isn’t necessarily that you don’t like the life you live. It’s… Continue reading 8 Steps That Can Lead You to a More Fulfilling Life
3 Ways To Talk With Aging Parents About Finances
One benefit of the increasing life expectancies for Americans is that more people have bonus years for enjoying the company of their aging parents. But all is not rosy. Those extended years also boost the odds that parents could go broke or suffer from dementia and be unable to make financial decisions for themselves. That… Continue reading 3 Ways To Talk With Aging Parents About Finances
Soccer Ball Heading May Cause Concussion Symptoms
Frequent soccer ball heading is a common and under recognized cause of concussion symptoms, according to a study of amateur players led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY, and published online February 1st 2017 in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. A release from the… Continue reading Soccer Ball Heading May Cause Concussion Symptoms
Caring for Elders with Dementia: Tips for Family Members
Someone in the United States develops dementia every 66 seconds, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2016 “Facts and Figures”. The diagnosis is devastating for those who have the disease and also imposes a crushing burden on their families. The decision regarding the best way to care for a loved one with dementia is dependent on… Continue reading Caring for Elders with Dementia: Tips for Family Members
Harmful Chemicals in Fast Food Packaging Can Leach into Food
Here is yet another reason to resist the temptation to indulge in fast food. The greaseproof packaging holding your burger and fries may contain potentially harmful fluorinated chemicals that can leach into food. That is the finding of a study done at the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, MA and published February 1st 2017 in… Continue reading Harmful Chemicals in Fast Food Packaging Can Leach into Food
Is Your Road To Retirement Poorly Mapped Out?
Can you imagine going on an extended vacation without making any plans? No websites or tour guides consulted. No hotel reservations made. No itinerary mapped out. Of course not. If you wanted your vacation to be a success, you’d budget enough money to cover your costs. You’d know when you were going, how long you… Continue reading Is Your Road To Retirement Poorly Mapped Out?
Older Adults Who Take Many Medications Have a Higher Risk for Becoming Frail
According to a February 2017 release from The Health in Aging Foundation, taking more than five medications is linked to frailty. A release from the foundation notes that this may be because the medications interact to affect our ability to function well as we age. Frailty is a problem associated with aging. Someone who is… Continue reading Older Adults Who Take Many Medications Have a Higher Risk for Becoming Frail
Do You Need A Therapist? These 5 Signs Point to Yes
You lose a loved one, a job, a relationship, a pet or get into an accident, have an injury, gain weight, have a baby, return from war or experience something else that just rattles you to your core. You know something isn’t right, you feel a bit off, but continue living your life thinking you’ll… Continue reading Do You Need A Therapist? These 5 Signs Point to Yes
Better Sleep During and After Menopause Can Lead to Better Sex
Sleep disturbance is common for many women during menopause, which can lower the odds of sexual satisfaction. That is the finding of a study published February 1st 2017 in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). A release from NAMS explains that according to data analyzed for 93,668 women aged 50 to… Continue reading Better Sleep During and After Menopause Can Lead to Better Sex
What Patients Say Compared to What Doctors Document
Compare a patient’s self-reported eye symptoms to their electronic medical record, and clear discrepancies can be seen. That is the finding of a study from the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center published January 26th 2017 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The research revealed wide disparities in the content of pre-appointment patient questionnaires and what a clinician… Continue reading What Patients Say Compared to What Doctors Document
E-Cigarettes Are Expanding Tobacco Product Use Among Youth
Parent and grandparent alert! E-cigarettes, thought by some to be responsible for a decline in youth cigarette smoking, are actually attracting a new population of adolescents who might not otherwise have smoked tobacco products. That is the finding of a University of Californina, San Francisco study published online January 23, 2017 in Pediatrics as well… Continue reading E-Cigarettes Are Expanding Tobacco Product Use Among Youth
Telephone Wellness Coaching Helps People Lose Weight
Members of Kaiser Permanente, an integrated managed care consortium in Oakland, California, lost an average of 10 pounds each when they voluntarily participated in individual wellness coaching by telephone for weight management and changed their weight trajectories from upward to downward. That was the finding of a study published January 26th 2017 in the journal… Continue reading Telephone Wellness Coaching Helps People Lose Weight
Anti-Clotting Drugs May Be Unnecessary for Most Surgery Patients
As many as three out of four surgery patients could be receiving anti-clotting medications that they do not need, according to a study led by investigators at the University of Utah School of Medicine and published on January 23rd 2017 in Annals of Surgery. A release from the university notes that the research challenges standard… Continue reading Anti-Clotting Drugs May Be Unnecessary for Most Surgery Patients
Five Foods to Boost Your Immune System
Eat colorful fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals. Reach for red and pink grapefruits, oranges, kiwis, and berries. Choose cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. These fruits and veggies are not only loaded with essential vitamins and phytonutrients, but they are also rich in antioxidants which give your immune system a boot and help build… Continue reading Five Foods to Boost Your Immune System
Lessons from the Zebrafish about Maintaining Balance
What can a zebrafish teach us about maintaining good balance and avoiding falls? Plenty, according learn to a study led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and published online January 19ht 2017 in Current Biology. The fish darts forward when it feel wobbly, a principle that may also apply to humans. A release from… Continue reading Lessons from the Zebrafish about Maintaining Balance
Don’t Speak: The “Censorship” of Grief
“Don’t speak I know what you’re saying So please stop explaining Don’t tell me cause it hurts” “Don’t Speak”, song and lyrics by Eric Stefani and Gwen Stefani When advising the bereaved (be it in-person or in writing), one of my most oft-repeated teachings is encouraging them to talk about their loss – their feelings,… Continue reading Don’t Speak: The “Censorship” of Grief