You love your grandchildren — their smiles, the way they look like their parents did when they were young, and their exuberance — but sometimes, they are very hard to hear. Children have a way of swallowing their words, or slurring them together, and typically have softer and higher pitched voices. That is, when they… Continue reading How To Talk To Your Grandchildren About Hearing Loss
Category: Family
Bisphenol A in Canned Dog Food May Increase BPA Concentrations in Pets and People
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used industrial chemical found in many household items, including resins used to line metal storage containers, such as food cans. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that short-term feeding of canned dog food resulted in a significant increase of BPA in dogs. Scientists believe that because… Continue reading Bisphenol A in Canned Dog Food May Increase BPA Concentrations in Pets and People
7 Tips for All Caregivers: Be Prepared.
Here, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are tips for caregivers: Keep a list of medicines for each person you care for. Include over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, vitamins and herbs. Keep this list with you at all times. Bring this list to doctor visits. Remember to ask any questions you may have. Give the… Continue reading 7 Tips for All Caregivers: Be Prepared.
Elderly Couples In Assisted Living Still Need Intimate and Social Relationships
Researchers have found that both intimate and social relationships are important for adults in assisted-living facilities. In a study conducted at Georgia State University, inivestigators found that the benefits of late-life couplehood include companionship, support and affection. But there were some detrimental factors as well, including feeling the burden of caregiving, feeling defined by one’s… Continue reading Elderly Couples In Assisted Living Still Need Intimate and Social Relationships
Keep Your Dogs and Cats Safe From Holiday Hazards
This holiday season, while you’re busy decorating, cooking, and wrapping gifts, remember to watch out for holiday temptations for your pets. FDA veterinarian Carmela Stamper tells how to keep your animals safe. Stocking Stuffers and Pet Treats If your dog received a stocking full of pet treats, make sure he doesn’t gobble them all up… Continue reading Keep Your Dogs and Cats Safe From Holiday Hazards
Program Helps Teens “Get the Message” About Distracted Driving
Parent and grandparent alert! A program to educate teens about distracted driving–including a tour of a hospital trauma center and testimony from a trauma survivor–can increase awareness of the dangers of texting, cell phone use, and other distractions while driving. The study, done by Ruth Adeola, RN, MS, and colleagues of R. Adams Cowley Shock… Continue reading Program Helps Teens “Get the Message” About Distracted Driving
Holiday Tips to Keep Seniors Safe
During the holiday season, many of us visit family members we see only infrequently throughout the year. And although visits may be short, it’s a perfect opportunity to make sure the seniors in our lives are healthy, vital and safe from abuse and exploitation. Here are some helpful tips to help keep seniors safe from a… Continue reading Holiday Tips to Keep Seniors Safe
How to Get Vital Records
It can seem overwhelming to deal with government agencies, especially when you’re requesting something as important as a vital record. Knowing in advance what to do can make the process much easier. Here, the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the federal Centers for Disease Control, shares the best ways to get the records… Continue reading How to Get Vital Records
November Is National Family Caregivers Month
Just in time for November, National Family Caregivers Month, here are tips to improve loved ones’ health and support caregivers: Get Organized: Some public websites offer free resources for caregivers, including calendars, task management tools and educational resources. Others feature online stores with products and local services for purchase, including home-safety products, home-delivered meals and… Continue reading November Is National Family Caregivers Month
Is Legal Insurance for You?
You probably don’t spend much time thinking about the legal system until some sort of problem arises. Then episodes of Law and Order or The Good Wife run through your mind, bringing worries and stress. Legal matters are not always bad news. Maybe you inherit some property or aren’t sure about a contract. Other times… Continue reading Is Legal Insurance for You?
ThanksLIVING: A Celebration of Compassion for All Life
For many people, Thanksgiving is synonymous with a festive spread that features roast turkey and all the trimmings. Yet for a growing number of Americans who celebrate what has come to be called “ThanksLIVING”, the menu includes only plant-based dishes out of respect and compassion for all life. Why not consider making this Thanksgiving for… Continue reading ThanksLIVING: A Celebration of Compassion for All Life
Elders and Intimacy: When Is It a Concern that Requires Attention?
We focus a lot on care for older individuals; Are they eating? Are they moving their bowels? Do they walk? Are they agitated? But what about intimacy? What about romance? When is there risk for an elderly person and when does a family member or caregiver need to butt in or butt out of an… Continue reading Elders and Intimacy: When Is It a Concern that Requires Attention?
The True Meaning of Thanksgiving: Freedom from Want
Thanksgiving in America has become synonymous with a bountiful feast for family and friends – yet what does the holiday really mean? Historically, it’s a harvest festival in the tradition of similar celebrations held for centuries around the world. As such, our American Thanksgiving echoes evocations of gratitude for abundance that were going on long… Continue reading The True Meaning of Thanksgiving: Freedom from Want
10 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Home Healthcare Agency
Maybe you need to hire a home healthcare worker to assist a loved one struggling with Alzheimer’s Disease. Perhaps you want a home healthcare worker to be there to help mom and dad as they age. Or maybe it’s to help a family member recovering from a serious injury. Whatever the case, in-home care plays… Continue reading 10 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Home Healthcare Agency
10 Financial Questions to Ask Your Parents
As the years go by and mom and dad age, life can become complicated. Certain things are practically impossible to prepare for, while others, like finances, can and should be organized and taken care of early on. What do you, as an adult child, need to know about your parents’ finances? Kurt Kazanowski, a hospice,… Continue reading 10 Financial Questions to Ask Your Parents
What Do You Do When a Loved One Becomes Chronically Ill?
Sooner or later, it happens to all of us. A beloved friend or family member develops a chronic illness, and their life changes dramatically with that diagnosis and new restrictions. Of course, we want to be there for our loved one – to say just the right thing and offer help – but the sad… Continue reading What Do You Do When a Loved One Becomes Chronically Ill?
How a Man’s Facial Hair Affects a Women’s Attraction to Him
Research done in October 2016 and published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology suggests that women tend to find beardedness attractive when judging long-term relationships, perhaps as a signal of formidability among males and the potential to provide direct benefits, such as enhanced fertility and survival, to females. A release from the publisher explains that… Continue reading How a Man’s Facial Hair Affects a Women’s Attraction to Him
Alzheimer’s Disease and Decision Making: Do I Know You?
The heartbreak associated with losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease is indescribable. One day, an adult child holds the hand of a parent; the parent asks, “Do I know you?” and the child’s heart (no matter what age) breaks into thousands of tiny pieces never to be repaired. A spouse experiencing the same response… Continue reading Alzheimer’s Disease and Decision Making: Do I Know You?