_ Longhand Trumps Typing for Remembering Your Notes By article The next time you need to take notes, maybe during a meeting at work or when you’re on the phone with a customer service representative, you’ll be more likely to retain the information if you write by hand rather than typing on a digital device. That’s the finding of a study done at Princeton University and published in April 2014 in the journal Psychological Science.
A Better Approach to Colorectal Surgery By Jane Farrell article Hospital stays for colorectal-surgery patients can be cut by two days via a practice known as “enhanced recovery,” according to researchers from Duke University Hospital. The practice also reduced readmission rates.
_ Special Ambulances for Stroke Victims By article Using an ambulance that included a computed tomography (CT) scanner, point-of-care laboratory, telemedicine connection and a specialized prehospital stroke team resulted in decreased time to treatment for ischemic stroke, according to a study in the published in the April 23/30 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, a neurology theme issue.
_ Support Group Weight Loss Helps Diabetics By article Weight loss and control of blood sugar can reduce the risk of complications in patients with diabetes but paring off the pounds is difficult for many people. Now a randomized controlled trial of obese adults with type 2 diabetes done at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis suggests that participants enrolled in a community-based structured weight loss program are able to shed more of their excess avoir dupois, improve blood sugar control, and reduce or even eliminate insulin use.
_ Dealing With Your Digital Legacy By Jane Farrell article Editor’s Note: The overwhelming growth of internet use and social media has made it clear how we need to think about conventional matters in new ways. One of these subjects is making your will. While traditional wills left physical objects to loved ones, or specified what should be done with those objects, digital wills deal with the text, photos, videos and music we have put on the Internet. They can be just as important a part of our legacy as more conventional possessions, and should be treated as such.
_ Dementia Drugs Not Always Necessary By Jane Farrell article Experts say a team-based approach to handling undesirable behaviors in dementia patients could lead to a reduction in the use of psychiatric drugs. The approach is known as DICE – Describe, Investigate, Evaluate and Create. The researchers said they hope that using the DICE approach will create better teamwork among people who care for dementia patients at home, in hospitals and clinics and in residential facilities. The panel of experts published their analysis in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
_ Can God Cure Your Break-Up Blues? By article Researcher Kristin Laurin of the Stanford Graduate School of Business has explored how faith in God helps people cope with the threat of romantic rejection. A release from the university notes that “God stands in for other relationships in our lives when times are tough”. The study was published on April 17th in Social Psychological and Personality Science,
Spirituality, Health Care And Not Feeling Alone By blog “You’re a what?” The patient raises an eyebrow and looks at me suspiciously. “I’m a chaplain. I’m part of the hospital team, to focus on your spiritual and emotional needs.” “But I’m not religious.” “That’s ok. Neither am I!” My retort brings relaxed laughter and then conversation flows.
_ The Screen-Time Diet By Jane Farrell article To help manage your body weight, you need to reduce the amount of time you spend being sedentary. For many of us, that includes time (lots of it) spent in front of a screen, whether you’re watching TV, playing video games or using the computer. A sedentary lifestyle can easily lead to excess weight and even obesity, with its myriad health risks.
Pain Management Alternative Healing for Chronic Pain and Fatigue By article By Janet Komanchuk The numbers involved in America’s problem with chronic pain are staggering and probably larger than most realize. More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, costing nearly $600 billion annually in medical treatments and lost productivity, according to the Institute of Medicine, which adds that the total surpasses that of all people affected by heart disease, diabetes, and cancer combined.
_ Heart Health Irrational Health Beliefs & Skipped Cardiac Rehab By article Heart patients with beliefs about health that aren’t based on medical evidence are more likely to skip sessions of cardiac rehabilitation, according to a study done at Ohio State Univeristy and available online in April 2014 in the journal Health Psychology and slated to be published in a future print edition. Among the irrational beliefs assessed were the following: *Doubting the preventive power of the flu vaccine
_ Our New Secretary of HSS By Sondra Forsyth article In the wake of the error-plagued healthcare rollout that left millions of Americans struggling to log on to HealthCare.gov in order to get insurance, Kathleen Sibelius has resigned from the position of United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. On April 11th 2014, President Obama nominated Sylvia Matthews Burwell to be Sibelius’ successor. Burwell, who will turn 49 in June, served as Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget beginning in April 2013 after a stint as president of the Walmart Foundation starting in January 2012.
No News May Be Good News: Mindful Living By Jane Farrell blog Did you read the headlines today? Did you hear the “top stories”? Were they uplifting or did your mind go to worry, fear, concern? For many years, much to the chagrin of many, I never watched TV, never read a paper, and never listened to the news on radio. I was teaching mindfulness and meditation to those challenged with panic and anxiety disorders. News was, for me, disturbing. It still is. Good news doesn’t sell newspapers or get TV viewers. I always thought, if it’s something that will impact me now, today at this very minute, someone will tell me.
_ Avoid Portion Distortion By Jane Farrell article Want to try eating smaller? These tips from choosemyplate.gov can get you off to a great start: We’ve all been guilty of “portion distortion” – of believing that we’re eating a lot less than we actually are. Avoid that trap by figuring out how big your portions really are:
Telephone Care Helps Some Medicare Patients By Jane Farrell article Medicare Patients And Low-risk Medicare patients who are getting home health care appear to benefit from medication management therapy conducted via phone, but that procedure doesn’t work for higher-risk patients, a new study shows. The study, conducted by researchers from Purdue University, aimed to see which patients benefit the most from medication management via telephone.
_ Google Glass Helps Parkinson's Patients By article Experts at Newcastle University in the UK are investigating Google Glass, the next generation of wearable computing, as an assistive aid to help people with Parkinson's retain their independence for longer. The device has been likened to the kind of technology fictionalized in the Hollywood Blockbuster “Minority Report”. At first glance, Google Glass appears to be no more than a pair of designer glasses. But the system works like a hands-free smartphone, displaying information on the lens. The technology is voice-operated and linked to the Internet.
_ Cancer Patients and Post-Surgery Problems By Jane Farrell article Editor’s Note: For patients, cancer is frightening in a lot of ways. Beyond the physical risk to a patient’s health, there are mental effects as well. After surgery, people often find they suffer from memory and nervous systems problems as well as chronic pain. The changes, which can be caused by side effects of treatment, can be overwhelming if a patient doesn’t understand why they’re happening. Here, from the experts at NIHSeniorHealth, is an explanation: Memory