Caregiving + Original Articles

Helping Out in Health Emergencies: What You Need to Know About 4 Chronic Conditions

What to do--and what not to do--in these urgent situations. Health emergencies are often unexpected, and you never know when you'll be called upon to help. If a friend or a loved one has a chronic condition, it's important to be prepared should he or she suffer a disabling episode. Here's what to do—and what not to do—during emergencies for people dealing with one of these four conditions… Epilepsy When the brain experiences abnormal electrical impulses, a seizure can result.

Save Your Pet s Life With CPR

Heart failure in pets is not the same as cardiac arrest in humans, but CPR can get your furry friend s heart pumping again. Here s what to do in an emergency. When your pet is in distress, every second counts. That’s why it’s important to be prepared in the event that your animal goes into cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, can get the heart going again, whether the victim is human or not.

Long Distance Caregiving: How to Help a Distant Loved One Who s Had a Heart Attack

Yes, you can help a loved one who s had a heart attack even if you don t live near by. When someone has a heart attack, rapid treatment can mean the difference between surviving or succumbing. If you’re not on the spot, it can be particularly challenging to care for an ailing relative or friend. But if you’re prepared, you can ensure that help is immediately available when a loved one needs it.

Caring for a Loved One After a Heart Attack

Caring for a heart attack patient can be tough. Here s how to handle it. If a loved one has a heart attack, you may find yourself in the position of primary caregiver. And in that role, you may wear many hats: housekeeper, coach, companion, care coordinator, troubleshooter, and financial manager, to name just a few. Here’s how to juggle these new responsibilities.

On the Horizon: Advances in the Field of Parkinson's

New findings show promise in helping to slow the progression of the disease as well as stop symptoms from developing in the first place. The tremors, slowed movements, rigidity, and other symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) can be modified to some degree with medication, therapy, and surgeries, such as deep brain stimulation. At this time, there is no cure for PD and most people notice progression over time.

Someone's Gained Weight: What to Say (and Not Say)

If someone near to you has recently gained weight, you may feel it's your duty to say something, but consider this expert insight first. Someone you care about has gained a noticeable amount of weight and you're wondering if you should say something about it. The answer is "no," according to Claire Mysko of the National Eating Disorders Association. She says that your words can end up making the situation worse.

How Happiness Evolves

Has your idea of happiness changed over time? Find out more about this phenomenon of life. Most everyone experiences happiness—but did you know that exactly what happiness means to you will likely change over time? Looking for Answers "It's something many of us feel is intuitively true—we experience happiness differently as we age.

Why You Need a Support Network to Face Depression

What benefits come from a strong support network, and where can you find one of your own? Are you one of the 14.8 million adults today suffering from clinical depression? This is the formal name for sadness that's persistent enough to interfere with your regular activities. Coping With Clinical Depression People with clinical depression often require the expertise of a mental health professional and a comprehensive treatment regime, according to Maren Conway, MA, of Alliant International University.

Why Cancer Insurance May Not Pay Off

If you were diagnosed tomorrow, would you be prepared financially? If the answer is "no," you may be tempted to invest in cancer insurance. But read this first. Cancer insurance is a type of supplemental insurance policy you can buy to help cover the out-of-pocket costs for specific treatments and related expenses and to replace some of your lost income. But is this really a good investment? Cancer Insurance: Buyer Beware "You have to be very careful of any type of insurance that's specialized in nature," says David Randall, CFP with LPL Financial.

Top 5 Diet Mistakes

Have you changed your eating habits to shed some pounds but find the numbers on the scale are going up? See if you're guilty of any of the following behaviors, and learn how to easily correct them: Mistake 1: You go too long without eating. Perhaps you wake up and you aren't hungry, so you skip breakfast and go straight to lunch. What happens is that your metabolism slows down to compensate for the lack of fuel (food) put into your body.
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