PetsDogs and Our Health: The Benefits of our Furry Friends By Jane Farrell articleFor thousands of years, dogs have been domesticated and bred to have qualities humans deemed suitable–a literal transformation from wild … Read More→
_ DatingMake Your Dating Life Healthy Again! By Jane Farrell articleYou’ve made the big decision to start dating again. You’ve heard about all the health benefits of good relationships: reducing … Read More→
CaregivingHidden Population: Tween and Teen Caregivers By Jane Farrell articleWhile the typical preteen or adolescent can be found playing sports or video games after school, more than 1.3 million … Read More→
_ WidowhoodA New Therapy to Help with "Complicated Grief" By Jane Farrell articleTargeted therapy may help millions of older women afflicted with a kind of grief that could lead to suicide. “Complicated … Read More→
_ PetsThe Neurobiological Basis of Human-Pet Relationships By Jane Farrell articlePeople who have pets often refer to themselves as “pet parents,” but how closely does the relationship between people and … Read More→
_ MarriageA Happy Wife Really Does Mean a Happy Life By Jane Farrell articleWhen it comes to the success of long-term marriages, a wife’s happiness is more important than her husband’s, according to … Read More→
_ PetsWhen Your Pet Has Cancer By articleAny pet owner who has been told their animal has cancer knows the two emotions: anxiety for the beloved pet’s … Read More→
_ WidowhoodAge Alters Immune Response to Grief By articleYoung people have a more robust immune response to the loss of a loved one, according to new research from … Read More→
_ MarriageThe 4 Signs of A Controlling Spouse By articleMarriage – in fact, any love relationship – is a two-way street. Partners need to be equal if it’s to … Read More→
_ Relationships & LoveMeaningful Relationships Help Us Thrive By Sondra Forsyth articleDeep and meaningful relationships play a vital role in overall well-being. Past research has shown that individuals with supportive and rewarding relationships have better mental health, higher levels of subjective well-being and lower rates of morbidity and mortality. A paper published in August 2014 in Personality and Social Psychology Review provides an important perspective on thriving through relationships, emphasizes two types of support that relationships provide, and illuminates aspects where further study is necessary.What is “thriving”?
_ Friendship Mind & Body WellnessGratitude Can Win You New Friends By Sondra Forsyth articleParents have long told their children to remember to say thank you. Now the evidence is in on why it matters.A study led by the University of New South Wales, Australia has shown for the first time that thanking a new acquaintance for help makes the person more likely to seek an ongoing social relationship with you.
_ CaregivingMindfulness Training for Caregivers & Loved Ones By Sondra Forsyth articleMindfulness training for people with early-stage dementia and their caregivers together in the same class turned out to be beneficial … Read More→
_ Caregiving5 Questions About Long-Distance Caregiving By Sondra Forsyth articleWhat is long-distance caregiving? It can be helping Aunt Lilly sort through her medical bills or thinking about how to make the most of a weekend visit with Mom. It can include checking the references of an aide who’s been hired to help your grandfather or trying to take the pressure off your sister who lives in the same town as both your aging parents and her aging in-laws.Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are the answers to five key questions about long-distance caregiving:
_ CaregivingDaughters, Not Sons, Are the Caregivers By Sondra Forsyth articleResearchers at Princeton University found women appear to provide as much elderly parent care as they can, while men contribute as little as possible. The study was presented in August 2014 at at the 109th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco.
_ Relationships & LoveConnection is the Key to Positive Personal Relationships By Sondra Forsyth articleBy Lynne D’Amico, PhD You can improve communication without improving a relationship, but you can’t create connection without improving a relationship.Communication has been hailed as a “holy grail” to interpersonal relationships, and is routinely promoted as the way to improve relationships between spouses, children, parents, and work colleagues. As years of research show, communication is definitely an important dimension of any relationship. But communication isn’t the key to fixing relationship problems. Connection is.
_ CaregivingManaging Dementia Related Personality Changes By Sondra Forsyth articleAlzheimer’s disease causes brain cells to die, so the brain works less well over time. This changes how a person acts. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are suggestions that may help you understand and cope with changes in personality and behavior in a person with Alzheimer’s disease.Common personality and behavior changes you may see include:• Getting upset, worried, and angry more easily• Acting depressed or not interested in things• Hiding things or believing other people are hiding things
_ Pets Vitamins + SupplementsShould Your Pet Take Supplements? By Sondra Forsyth articleOur pets are like our family, right? Even pet food manufacturers now refer to “pet owners” as “pet parents” in their marketing! This humanization trend has been fueled by us Baby Boomers who are refocusing our discretionary spending on our pets rather than spending it on feathering our now empty nests. So it’s no wonder we “pet parents” are now pondering the question of vitamins and other supplementation for Fido and Fluffy. But what’s the real scoop of pet supplements? Good idea or bad?
_ DatingDating with Cancer: When Do You Share Your Diagnosis? By Sondra Forsyth articleBy Tracy Maxwell This article, which originally appeared on DemosHealth.com, is adapted from Being Single, With Cancer."At what point in a new relationship is it appropriate to reveal your status as a cancer survivor?"If you have ever wondered what the right answer to this question is, you're not alone. Many survivors ask the same thing when dating after cancer or during treatment.