"But is the onset of something as complex as Alzheimer’s disease likely to come down to a simple numbers game, in which one too many stressful events mean it’s game over?" August 9, 2017 | Author: Claire J. Hanley, PhD, Swansea University Stress is bad for our physical and [...]
Following a 2014 study on this topic, I began to see a number of articles about the effect of the hospital gown on one's dignity and self-esteem. The authors state: "Although research on this topic is scant, the limited findings so far suggest that the hospital gown is undignified and [...]
This article was originally published March 28, 2020. It's republished here for a retrospective look at the challenges in planning for future outbreaks. The authors state: "To prevent more deaths in nursing homes, the nursing home industry must begin to aggressively advocate for their patients through increased reimbursement and resource [...]
At a Glance: An analysis found that almost 14% of older adults with dementia had long-term prescriptions for three or more medications that affect the nervous system. Such drug combinations can raise the risk of dangerous side effects, and in some cases hasten cognitive decline. Author: Sharon Reynolds, NIH’s National [...]
"Without clear ethical standards for long-term care, this won’t be the last tragedy or crisis... Health care, including long-term care, is a human right and a public good. Likewise, people have the right to participate in the decisions that affect them. It is deeply troubling to see the rights of [...]
Beautiful Voice editor's note: This article was originally published one year ago - May 28, 2020 - prior to the availability of vaccines. The author, Barbara Pesut, PhD, is a nursing professor in British Columbia, Canada. A retrospective review of the article provides the reader with insights about dying alone [...]
"The study investigated what role oxytocin had in memory." - Author: Eleftheria Kodosaki, PhD, Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom July 27, 2020 Oxytocin is often called “the love hormone” because of its role in social bonding, reproduction and childbirth. This hormone may also affect our memory – though in [...]
This article, originally published in 2016 just after the election, reflects the deep sense of loss experienced by many at that time. The grief was not about "just another political loss." Nor was it accurate to surmise the grief was coming from a "poor loser." To treat it like a [...]
"The COVID-19 emergency has given us a chance to look again at the way Americans view and treat older people. ... Indeed, the World Health Organization acknowledges ageism as the last socially-accepted form of prejudice. And this impacts the kind of care they receive and the health care outcomes they [...]
Health is the proper relationship between microcosm, which is man, and the macrocosm, which is the universe. Disease is a disruption of this relationship. - Dr. Yeshe Donden, Physician to the Dalai Lama Now, more than ever, each and every one of us needs to learn how to take control [...]