Our nation is experiencing a crisis that is shockingly — a dirty little secret few of us seem to want to know about. Officials report that 90 percent of elder abuse actually is occurring in homes, not in institutions. And, unlike accidents, and lack of know-how, elder abuse is intentional, taking the form of… Continue reading Helping Families Combat Elder Abuse
Category: Family
Hospitals Overestimate Ability to Deliver Fast Stroke Care
Hospitals often overestimate their performance in providing fast delivery of anti-clotting medication to stroke patients, according to new findings published in July 2015 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. According to a release from the association, researchers surveyed staff in 141 hospitals who treated 48,201 stroke patients in 2009 and 2010. They found… Continue reading Hospitals Overestimate Ability to Deliver Fast Stroke Care
Caregiving Strategies for Traveling with Alzheimer’s Patients
Taking a person with Alzheimer’s disease on an overnight trip is a challenge. Traveling can make the person more worried and confused, so it’s important to think ahead. Here are some tips from the experts at the National Institute on Aging: Getting Started Talk with the person’s doctor about medicines to calm someone who gets… Continue reading Caregiving Strategies for Traveling with Alzheimer’s Patients
Coping Strategies for Breaking Up
Neil Sedaka crooned about the end of relationships in 1962 with his hit, “Breaking Up is Hard to Do.” Google almost any word that deals with terminating a relationship and over three-hundred million responses are returned in .64 seconds. Breaking up is something that happens to everyone sooner or later. Even the best of relationships… Continue reading Coping Strategies for Breaking Up
Better Communication Needed on End-of-Life Directives
Increasing numbers of people have advanced care planning, but a survey found that almost 40 percent of them didn’t discuss their preferences with the people they designated as their representatives. A study led by Johns Hopkins researchers reviewed nearly 2,000 surveys with people whose loved ones died of cancer. They found a 40 percent increase… Continue reading Better Communication Needed on End-of-Life Directives
Diarrhea in Cats
Barbara Hinney and her colleagues from the Institute for Parasitology at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, screened 298 fecal samples taken from cats across Austria for single-cell intestinal parasites, so called enteric protozoa. A release from the university explains that the samples came from private households, catteries (cat boarding kennels), and animal shelters. Of… Continue reading Diarrhea in Cats
Safety Tips to Protect Your Family and Pets from The Heat
Heat and humidity can be silent killers for those who don’t take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones. Serious health concerns caused by extreme temperatures are heat exhaustion, heat stroke or even death. “Children, the elderly, and pets are at the highest risk of overexposure to the heat,” says Keli Wilson,… Continue reading Safety Tips to Protect Your Family and Pets from The Heat
Moving On
It was just about a year ago when I said to my husband, “I don’t want our next move to be into assisted living.” He laughed. I was serious. For some time I felt we had entered a period of stagnation. I was painfully aware of my husband’s unhappiness in his job; after 15 years… Continue reading Moving On
3 Ways to Overcome the Hurt of Cheating
Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., and Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., have been married (and are still in love) after 35 years. As founders of the Hendricks Institute, in Ojai, California, and authors of the new book Conscious Loving Ever After, they have developed research-backed strategies for recovering from the hurt and bitterness caused by infidelity and for deepening… Continue reading 3 Ways to Overcome the Hurt of Cheating
Tips for Cell Phone Courtesy Month, July 2015
The cell phone is one of the greatest inventions of our time, but as the cell phone has evolved into the smartphone, it’s also one of the greatest distractions. July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month, an event founded by author and etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore in 2002 with the intent of making cell phone… Continue reading Tips for Cell Phone Courtesy Month, July 2015
Some Surprising Truths About Caregivers
Although the “sandwich generation” is usually believed to include many caregivers, in fact they make up a very small part of the caregiving population, according to a new study. The research, published in Population and Development Review, is believed to be the first to break down unpaid caregiving in the United States by age and… Continue reading Some Surprising Truths About Caregivers
Why Family Feuds Erupt After the Will Is Read
The recently deceased don’t always ingratiate themselves with their survivors when it comes time to read the will. “People want to control things from the grave, not just throw a bunch of money in a beneficiary’s lap,” says family wealth guru John Pankauski, author of the new book, “Pankauski’s Trustee’s Guide: 10 Steps to Family… Continue reading Why Family Feuds Erupt After the Will Is Read
How to Have A Safe (and Healthy) Road Trip
Road tripping for the summer? Road trips can be a fun and cost-effective way to spend time with family and friends while traveling to your summer vacation destination. But if you don’t know what car maintenance you should complete before you leave, or the best ways to save money while on the road, the adventure… Continue reading How to Have A Safe (and Healthy) Road Trip
What Drives Us to Help Others?
Most people would not hesitate to help an older or disabled person cross the street. The term for this type of action is “prosocial behavior”, which is different from altruism. The latter involves a sacrifice or a cost to the helper. Dr. Cristina Márquez conducted a study led by Dr. Marta Moita from the Behavioral… Continue reading What Drives Us to Help Others?
Habits of Highly Effective Pet Owners
Being a good pet owners starts from the moment you are thinking about getting a pet all the way through your furry family member’s life. To ensure you enrich your pet’s life as much as he or she does for you, below are key habits to ensure you an effective pet owner. They do their… Continue reading Habits of Highly Effective Pet Owners
Protecting Loved Ones from Financial Predators
One can only wonder how many people deal with financial predators in America. Terrie and Jon Hull have a scary story to tell. Married for 35 years, they were very close to Terrie’s mother, Jean. But after Jean suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her physically vulnerable and in need of care, her boyfriend… Continue reading Protecting Loved Ones from Financial Predators
Older Couples and Quality of Life
Older adults’ quality of life is linked with the health and cognitive functioning of their spouse, according to new research. The conclusion came from University of Arizona researchers who looked at data from more than 8,000 married couples, with an average age in the early 60s. The investigators said that the findings have implications… Continue reading Older Couples and Quality of Life
Why Communication Is The Oxygen That Keeps Relationships Alive
Married couples should have plenty to say to each other, but research says communication is one of the issues they struggle with most. Part of the problem may be that communication is a two-way street, requiring both partners to do it well. And some subjects are more ticklish than others to bring up. “Healthy couple… Continue reading Why Communication Is The Oxygen That Keeps Relationships Alive