Research done at Concordia University in Montreal and published in February 2015 in Health Psychology found that the onset of chronic illness often results in sufferers feeling lonelier — even those who have had a steady partner for 50 years or more. A release from the university reports that the researchers at the Personality, Aging,… Continue reading Illness Makes Even Long-Married People Feel Lonely
Category: Family
Sex May “Rebound” in 50-Year Marriages
People whose marriages last longer than 50 years often see a resurgence in sexual activity, according to new research. The study, from researchers at Louisiana State University, Florida State University and Baylor University, found that people who remain in their first marriage have more frequent sex than those who remarry. But though the frequency differs,… Continue reading Sex May “Rebound” in 50-Year Marriages
Solving the Problem of “Sundowning”: Tips for Caregivers
Editor’s note: Sundowning, the time of day when Alzheimer’s symptoms worsen, is often frustrating and debilitating for a caregiver as well as a patient. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, is a guide that offers strategies on how to cope: Late afternoon and early evening can be difficult for some people with Alzheimer’s disease.… Continue reading Solving the Problem of “Sundowning”: Tips for Caregivers
How to Ward Off Compassion Fatigue
A willingness to see the needs of others and lend a helping hand can boost a person’s everyday happiness and make life more satisfying. But sometimes the world’s problems can seem so overwhelming – and each person’s ability to solve them so limited – that “compassion fatigue” sets in. Compassion fatigue is a phenomenon commonly… Continue reading How to Ward Off Compassion Fatigue
Male/Female Differences: Not as Big as You Think
Although conventional wisdom says men and women are very different – men are stoic, women are emotional, for example – a new study indicates that the two genders are much more alike than commonly believed. Zlatan Krizan, an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University, and colleagues conducted a synthesis of more than 100… Continue reading Male/Female Differences: Not as Big as You Think
Needed: Better Communication with Older Parents
Better processes are needed to help improve communication between elderly parents and adult children, researchers say. Such communication is often prompted by parents insisting on what they want or resisting suggestions – in other words, by stubbornness. Steven Zarit, Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State, said the struggle for independence takes… Continue reading Needed: Better Communication with Older Parents
Bobbi Kristina and Her Family’s Ultimate Decision
By Monica Williams-Murphy, MD Just three short years after the world mourned the shocking death of Whitney Houston, her daughter’s life hangs in the balance. Bobbi Kristina, 21, the daughter of Houston and singer Bobbi Brown, has been in a coma since Jan. 31, when she was found face down in a bathtub in her… Continue reading Bobbi Kristina and Her Family’s Ultimate Decision
Medicines and Your Pet
Your 9-year-old German Shepherd is limping, and you think that arthritis may be setting in. A trip to the veterinarian proves that you’re right—it’s osteoarthritis, a degeneration of the cartilage and bone that affects joints. The veterinarian prescribes a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). NSAIDs are a class of drugs extensively used in both human and… Continue reading Medicines and Your Pet
The 8 Best Valentine’s Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny
Lots of us, particularly males, fret about what to do for Valentine’s Day. Chocolate and roses are nice, but not exactly creative or even heartfelt. Sexy lingerie or a romantic dinner may be fun, but is this what she really wants? I talk to many clients who express genuine anxiety about Valentine’s Day, and this… Continue reading The 8 Best Valentine’s Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny
Can Having a Lot of Friends Make You Healthier?
There are many benefits to being supported by a strong social network. But can having more friends actually make you healthier? Yes, according to research done at Concordia University in Monrtreal that shows that social relationships affect not only our mental but also our physical wellbeing. The study was published in January 2015 Annals of… Continue reading Can Having a Lot of Friends Make You Healthier?
Coma Patients Helped by Family Storytelling
Sometimes, it seems, love can do what medicine can’t: Researchers have found that loved ones who talk to a patient in a coma can help him or her recover faster. The study, from Northwestern Medicine and Hines VA Hospital, shows that telling the patient familiar stories stored in long-term memory can help awaken the unconscious… Continue reading Coma Patients Helped by Family Storytelling
Men and Women Really Do Process Emotions Differently
Women rate emotional images as more emotionally stimulating than men do and are more likely to remember them. However, there are no gender-related differences in emotional appraisal as far as neutral images are concerned. These were the findings of a large-scale study by a research team at the University of Basel in Switzerland that focused… Continue reading Men and Women Really Do Process Emotions Differently
Sexual vs. Emotional Infidelity: How Men & Women Differ
In the largest study to date on infidelity, Chapman University in Orange, California has learned that men and women are different when it comes to feeling jealous. A release from the university reports that with a survey of 63,894 participants ages 18 to 65 years provided the first large-scale examination of gender and sexual orientation… Continue reading Sexual vs. Emotional Infidelity: How Men & Women Differ
Taking the Right Precautions for a Family Member with Alzheimer’s
More than 15 million Americans – usually family members or friends – provide unpaid caregiving to people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, according to a 2014 report by the Alzheimer’s Association. Although it’s wonderful so many are willing to assume that responsibility, it’s also important they take steps to make sure the… Continue reading Taking the Right Precautions for a Family Member with Alzheimer’s
Time to Be Grateful – It’s Thank You Month!
Editor’s note: When it comes to giving thanks, most of us automatically think of the Thanksgiving holiday. But of course, that’s not the only time we should be grateful for the gifts we get from others, whether that’s a fabulous birthday gift or emotional support when we need it. Here, etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore shares… Continue reading Time to Be Grateful – It’s Thank You Month!
All Family Members of the Mentally Ill Need Help
Listening to older sisters of mentally ill siblings discuss their mothers’ difficult caregiving experiences made Case Western Reserve University co-investigator M. Jane Suresky wonder if something important about families was missed in a prior study that focused on women caregivers of mentally ill family members. A release from the university explains that to find out,… Continue reading All Family Members of the Mentally Ill Need Help
Want A Good Relationship? Don’t Turn Away
Of all the tactics used by couples when they’re in conflict, researchers now say, withdrawing “like a turtle into its shell” is the most damaging. And expecting your significant other to be a mind reader isn’t much help, either. Those attitudes are two of the most common kinds of “disengagement in relationships, and both can… Continue reading Want A Good Relationship? Don’t Turn Away
Hospitals Seldom Share Info on Quality of Home Care Providers
When patients are discharged from hospitals, case manager rarely share full information about home health agencies, even though state and federal quality reports are readily available. That’s the finding of a Brown University study published in January 2015 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. A release from the university written by David Orenstein quotes… Continue reading Hospitals Seldom Share Info on Quality of Home Care Providers