During September’s National Food Safety Month, STOP Foodborne Illness (www.stopfoodborneillness.org), the leading national advocate for safe food, is urging older adults to follow a number of important food-safety practices to avoid getting sick. Older Adults have increased vulnerability to foodborne illness for several reasons: they typically have decreased stomach acid (the body’s natural defense from… Continue reading Food Safety Tips for Older Adults
Category: Family
9 Savings Tricks to Care for Your Dog
Proud pet parents across the country will agree that owning a dog is priceless. However, there are lots of expenses that come with caring for your favorite canine: The American Kennel Club (AKC) estimates dog owners dish out an average of $2,500 per year on food, veterinary expenses, grooming, pet sitting and more. Additionally,… Continue reading 9 Savings Tricks to Care for Your Dog
Dating in The Age of The Selfie
All the good ones are taken … I’m too old to feel THAT way again … I don’t look as good as I used to … I haven’t accomplished enough at my age … I don’t even know how to flirt anymore … For older singles hungry for partnership, these common worries can prevent taking… Continue reading Dating in The Age of The Selfie
Drivers Admit to Using Cellphones While Driving, Even with Kids in the Car
A study done at the University of California, San Diego and published in August 2015 in Journal of Transport & Health reveals that middle-aged drivers are at higher risk of crashes because they use their cellphone regularly while driving. The research reveals that most drivers admit to using their cellphones regularly while driving, even with… Continue reading Drivers Admit to Using Cellphones While Driving, Even with Kids in the Car
Spouses of Stroke Survivors Face Lingering Health Issues
Caregiver spouses of stroke survivors are at an increased risk of mental and physical health issues that may continue for years, according to research published in August 2015 in the American Heart Association journal Stroke. A release from the association notes that Swedish researchers evaluated 248 stroke survivors below age 70 (average mid-sixties), and their… Continue reading Spouses of Stroke Survivors Face Lingering Health Issues
Funding A Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle
For most people seeking freedom and mobility, financial struggles can make things harder when trying to fund an adaptive vehicle. The nonprofit National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) can help find a number of opportunities for those in need of economic assistance. OEM Rebate Programs Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can sometimes offer rebate assistance to… Continue reading Funding A Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle
Older Moms Need Help with Adult Children
Mothers who are caring for adult children with health problems don’t get enough help even when they have other adult children who are healthy, experts say. The new research will be presented at the American Sociological Association’s 2015 Annual Meeting. It’s a situation that can put older mothers in a vulnerable position, said Megan Gilligan,… Continue reading Older Moms Need Help with Adult Children
How to Heal a Broken Heart
The scars of a broken heart can leave us severely wounded. Who hasn’t experienced or witnessed this happen to a relative or close friend? But a recent study by the University of Arizona and Northwestern University shows there is an effective path to recovery. Researchers demonstrated that the trial group that spent time assessing their… Continue reading How to Heal a Broken Heart
Alzheimer’s Patients & Caregivers Prefer Support over Research for Cure
More than $100 million in federal funding was spent last year toward searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, if given the choice, most people with dementia and those caring for them would like to see the money go elsewhere, according to a recent study led by University at Buffalo researcher Davina Porock and… Continue reading Alzheimer’s Patients & Caregivers Prefer Support over Research for Cure
Dogs Can Recognize Faces
Dogs have a specialized region in their brains for processing faces, according to a new study. The finding, published in the journal PeerJ, provides the first ever evidence of a face-selective region in the temporal cortex of dogs, and it could explain dogs’ sensitivity to human social cues. “Our findings show that dogs have an… Continue reading Dogs Can Recognize Faces
Jet-Set Lifestyle Isn’t So Great
We might think of experienced travelers as happy people, but in fact, researchers found, there are a few drawbacks to traveling frequently: jet-lag, deep vein thrombosis and radiation exposure. Not to mention stress and loneliness. Researchers from the University of Surrey and Lund University (Sweden) also found that the real problems differed sharply from the… Continue reading Jet-Set Lifestyle Isn’t So Great
Seniors at High Risk for Readmission After Ambulatory Surgery
Patients 65 and older who have ambulatory surgery are much more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days than younger patients, regardless of their health before surgery according to a large national Northwestern Medicine study published in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. The likely cause,… Continue reading Seniors at High Risk for Readmission After Ambulatory Surgery
The Aftermath of Caregiving
About a decade ago, Melvin, a long-time family friend, died of cancer. Catherine, his wife of more than 50 years, had cared for her husband during his many treatments and declining health. After Melvin’s death, Catherine fell into a deep depression. When she was her husband’s caregiver, Catherine’s days were hectic, but after Melvin’s funeral… Continue reading The Aftermath of Caregiving
Long-Term Care: Are You a Denier?
The statistics are staggering. About 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 each day and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that more than 70 percent of people over 65 will require long-term care services at some point. But few people make preparations for this inevitable part of life that can drain a family… Continue reading Long-Term Care: Are You a Denier?
Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities
Disasters are frightening for everyone and are even more so for people with disabilities and access needs. Here, the experts at www.ready.gov tell you how you can prepare ahead for worst-case scenarios so you and your loved ones can be prepared. Collect and distribute information that is crucial during a disaster The experts recommend that… Continue reading Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities
5 Tips for an All-American Doggy Road Trip
DOGGY ROAD TRIP TIP #1: TAKE A JOY RIDE Was your pup’s last ‘road trip’ a trip to the vet? If so, chances are he¹s going to get nervous when he hears your keys jingling. Before your trip, take him on a short ride to the park to make the car a place where fun things happen, too. DOGGY ROAD TRIP… Continue reading 5 Tips for an All-American Doggy Road Trip
Get Smart About Elder Financial Abuse
Billions of dollars in life savings are lost each year due to the financial exploitation of older adults. Perpetrators include scammers, professional caregivers, unethical businesses and family members. No federal agency tracks elder exploitation cases on an ongoing basis, but in a survey compiled by the Investor Protection Trust, 20 percent of Americans age 65… Continue reading Get Smart About Elder Financial Abuse
Countering Pet Obesity by Rethinking Feeding Habits
190 million Americans share the luxuries of human life with their pets. Giving dogs and cats a place in human homes, beds and sometimes even their wills comes with the family member package. Among these shared human-pet comforts is the unique luxury to overeat. As a result, the most common form of malnutrition for Americans… Continue reading Countering Pet Obesity by Rethinking Feeding Habits