Fuck Yeah Neil Patrick Harris

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Almost a quarter of men and women in England and over a third of adults in America are obese. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease and can significantly shorten a person’s life expectancy. New research published by BioMed Central’s open access journal International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity shows that improving body image can enhance the effectiveness of weight loss programs based on diet and exercise.

Researchers from the Technical University of Lisbon and Bangor University enrolled overweight and obese women on a year-long weight loss program. Half the women were given general health information about good nutrition, stress management, and the importance of looking after yourself. The other half attended 30 weekly group sessions (the intervention plan) where issues such as exercise, emotional eating, improving body image and the recognition of, and how to overcome, personal barriers to weight loss and lapses from the diet were discussed.

On the behavioral intervention plan women found that the way they thought about their body improved and that concerns about body shape and size were reduced. Compared to the control group they were better able to self-regulate their eating and they lost much more weight, losing on average 7% of their starting weight compared to less than 2% for the control group.

Dr Teixeira from Technical University of Lisbon, who led the research, said, “Body image problems are very common amongst overweight and obese people, often leading to comfort eating and more rigid eating patterns, and are obstacles to losing weight. Our results showed a strong correlation between improvements in body image, especially in reducing anxiety about other peoples’ opinions, and positive changes in eating behavior. From this we believe that learning to relate to your body in healthier ways is an important aspect of maintaining weight loss and should be addressed in every weight control program.”

More information: “Body image change and improved eating self-regulation in a weight management intervention in women,” International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Provided by BioMed Central (news : web)

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This undated file photo provided in May 2009 by The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office shows Jerri Gray, 49, of Travelers Rest, S.C. An article in a prominent medical journal being released Tuesday, July 12, 2011, says that parents of extremely obese children should lose custody for not controlling their kids’ weight in the most extreme cases. Two years ago, Gray lost custody of her 14-year-old son who weighed 555-pounds. She says government authorities don’t understand challenges families may face in trying to control their kids’ weight. Her sister has custody of the boy, who’s now 16. She has the money to help him with a special diet and exercise, and the boy has lost more than 200 pounds. (AP Photo/The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, File)

(AP) — Should parents of extremely obese children lose custody for not controlling their kids’ weight? A provocative commentary in one of the nation’s most distinguished medical journals argues yes, and its authors are joining a quiet chorus of advocates who say the government should be allowed to intervene in extreme cases.

It has happened a few times in the U.S., and the opinion piece in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association says putting children temporarily in foster care is in some cases more ethical than obesity surgery.

Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard-affiliated Children’s Hospital Boston, said the point isn’t to blame parents, but rather to act in children’s best interest and get them help that for whatever reason their parents can’t provide.

State intervention “ideally will support not just the child but the whole family, with the goal of reuniting child and family as soon as possible. That may require instruction on parenting,” said Ludwig, who wrote the article with Lindsey Murtagh, a lawyer and a researcher at Harvard’s School of Public Health.

“Despite the discomfort posed by state intervention, it may sometimes be necessary to protect a child,” Murtagh said.

But University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Art Caplan said he worries that the debate risks putting too much blame on parents. Obese children are victims of advertising, marketing, peer pressure and bullying – things a parent can’t control, he said.

“If you’re going to change a child’s weight, you’re going to have to change all of them,” Caplan said.

Roughly 2 million U.S. children are extremely obese. Most are not in imminent danger, Ludwig said. But some have obesity-related conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulties and liver problems that could kill them by age 30. It is these kids for whom state intervention, including education, parent training, and temporary protective custody in the most extreme cases, should be considered, Ludwig said.

While some doctors promote weight-loss surgery for severely obese teens, Ludwig said it hasn’t been used for very long in adolescents and can have serious, sometimes life-threatening complications.

“We don’t know the long-term safety and effectiveness of these procedures done at an early age,” he said.

Ludwig said he starting thinking about the issue after a 90-pound 3-year-old girl came to his obesity clinic several years ago. Her parents had physical disabilities, little money and difficulty controlling her weight. Last year, at age 12, she weighed 400 pounds and had developed diabetes, cholesterol problems, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

“Out of medical concern, the state placed this girl in foster care, where she simply received three balanced meals a day and a snack or two and moderate physical activity,” he said. After a year, she lost 130 pounds. Though she is still obese, her diabetes and apnea disappeared; she remains in foster care, he said.

In a commentary in the medical journal BMJ last year, London pediatrician Dr. Russell Viner and colleagues said obesity was a factor in several child protection cases in Britain. They argued that child protection services should be considered if parents are neglectful or actively reject efforts to control an extremely obese child’s weight.

A 2009 opinion article in Pediatrics made similar arguments. Its authors said temporary removal from the home would be warranted “when all reasonable alternative options have been exhausted.”

That piece discussed a 440-pound 16-year-old girl who developed breathing problems from excess weight and nearly died at a University of Wisconsin hospital. Doctors discussed whether to report her family for neglect. But they didn’t need to, because her medical crisis “was a wake-up call” for her family, and the girl ended up losing about 100 pounds, said co-author Dr. Norman Fost, a medical ethicist at the university’s Madison campus.

State intervention in obesity “doesn’t necessarily involve new legal requirements,” Ludwig said. Health care providers are required to report children who are at immediate risk, and that can be for a variety of reasons, including neglect, abuse and what doctors call “failure to thrive.” That’s when children are severely underweight.

Jerri Gray, a Greenville, S.C., single mother who lost custody of her 555-pound 14-year-old son two years ago, said authorities don’t understand the challenges families may face in trying to control their kids’ weight.

“I was always working two jobs so we wouldn’t end up living in ghettos,” Gray said. She said she often didn’t have time to cook, so she would buy her son fast food. She said she asked doctors for help for her son’s big appetite but was accused of neglect.

Her sister has custody of the boy, now 16. The sister has the money to help him with a special diet and exercise, and the boy has lost more than 200 pounds, Gray said.

“Even though good has come out of this as far as him losing weight, he told me just last week, `Mommy, I want to be back with you so bad.’ They’ve done damage by pulling us apart,” Gray said.

Stormy Bradley, an Atlanta mother whose overweight 14-year-old daughter is participating in a Georgia advocacy group’s “Stop Childhood Obesity” campaign, said she sympathizes with families facing legal action because of their kids’ weight.

Healthier food often costs more, and trying to monitor kids’ weight can be difficult, especially when they reach their teens and shun parental control, Bradley said. But taking youngsters away from their parents “definitely seems too extreme,” she said.

Dr. Lainie Ross, a medical ethicist at the University of Chicago, said: “There’s a stigma with state intervention. We just have to do it with caution and humility and make sure we really can say that our interventions are going to do more good than harm.”

More information:

JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org

Pediatrics: http://www.pediatrics.org

2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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When southern Italy’s Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it preserved the buildings, monuments and mosaics of Roman cities Pompeii and Herculaneum forever. But not everything in the lava’s path was quite so picturesque. Herculaneum’s pristine cobblestone streets concealed a relatively sophisticated sewer system, which led from resident’s homes to huge underground septic tanks. Their contents provide our solidest evidence of what typical Romans ate. For years, teams of archeologists have been sifting through literally tons of ancient excrement to try and find out the nitty-gritty details of the Roman diet.

They’ve exhumed quite the smorgasbord. Romans seem to have eaten a fairly typical “Mediterranean diet” of meat and vegetables, supplemented by delicacies like figs, dormice and sea urchin. The excretory remains support what scholars had already gathered from literary sources like Apicius’s cookbook, which includes six recipes for sea urchin—a whole chapter’s worth.

The cesspit investigation is a long ways from being done; archeologists expect to find much more by the time they finish poring through the 2000-year-old feces.

The debate between good fat versus bad fat continues, as a new evidence review finds that a modified fat diet — and not a low fat diet — might be the real key to reducing one’s risk of heart disease.

A low fat diet replaces saturated fat — such as or animal or dairy fat — with starchy foods, fruits and vegetables, while a modified fat diet replaces saturated fat with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, found in foods such as liquid vegetable oils, fish, nuts and seeds.

Lead review author Lee Hooper, M.D., said she and her colleagues were surprised there was such a clear difference between the effects of the diets.

Hooper, a senior lecturer in research synthesis and nutrition at Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia, in England, said the main theory has been that eating saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol, which raises our risk of cardiovascular disease and therefore should make the effects of a low fat diet and a modified fat diet very similar.

“However, the review shows clearly that modified fat diets appear to be more effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events than low fat diets,” she said. “This could be due to a low fat diet being harder to maintain, but this is not clear.”

The review appears in the July issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates research in all aspects of health care. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing trials on a topic.

The authors published an earlier version of this review in 2000, in which 27 randomized controlled studies were included. This current version analyzes 48 studies conducted between 1965 and 2009 and including 65,508 participants from around the globe. Participants were all adults who had heart disease, were at risk of heart disease or were from the general healthy population. All studies reduced or modified participants’ dietary fat or cholesterol for at least six months by at least 30 percent.

Hooper and her team found that reducing saturated fat in diets reduced the risk of having a cardiovascular event, such as heart attack, stroke and unplanned heart surgery, by 14 percent. Of the 65,508 participants, 7 percent had a cardiovascular event. Researchers noted benefits in individuals who followed a modified diet for at least two years.

Yet, is a 14 percent reduced risk enough to motivate people to change their diets?

“In my experience people are very individual as far as what motivates them to make dietary changes,” said Rachel Johnson, a professor of medicine at the University of Vermont. “Many counselors assess their clients’ stages of change to determine whether they are open to making lifestyle changes.”

Johnson said that among others, the stages of change include (1) pre-contemplation: not yet acknowledging there is a problem behavior that needs to be changed, (2) action/willpower: changing behavior and (3) maintenance: sustaining the behavior change.

“Information like this study provides may be helpful in motivating people who have moved past the pre-contemplation stage to make a change,” she added.

The Cochrane reviewers were unable to find proof that making long-term reductions to dietary fat intake had any effect on a person’s risk of death by cardiovascular causes, including heart attack, stroke and diabetes. The evidence also was not clear as to whether currently healthy people would benefit by reducing fat in their diets as much as those who are already at risk of heart disease.

“There is no clear difference in effect in people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and in the general population,” said Hooper. She added, though, that data suggest “we would all benefit to some extent.”

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends watching both your intake of trans fat and saturated fat. The association suggests people eat less than 7 percent of total calories from saturated fat and less than 1 percent of total calories from trans fat.

And while, according to the AHA website, Americans should reduce “bad” fats in our diet and replace them with the “better” fats — monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — the Cochrane reviewers found it was not clear which of these fats are more beneficial.

More information: Hooper L, et al. Reduced or modified dietary fat for preventing cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 7.

Provided by Health Behavior News Service (news : web)

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Today there are so many choices available for patio furniture including a variety of fine wood pieces. Teak patio furniture is some of the longest lasting outdoor furniture you will ever buy. Yes, teak patio furniture usually costs a bit more than other types, but if it lasts for decades you certainly get your moneys worth. Let's look at the positive attributes of teak patio furniture and care.

Real teak wood furniture is constructed of an extremely strong, durable wood. The key to buying teak patio furniture that may last a lifetime is quality craftsmanship. The wood is strong, but how it is assembled makes all the difference in how long teak garden chairs or benches will last.

After purchasing teak patio furniture, you can decide just how much care you want to give it. That is to say, whether you maintain the golden color of the wood or let is weather into a beautiful silver-gray. New teak garden furniture comes in a golden color with a polished appearance from the oils contained within the wood.

If no care is given to teak patio furniture, it will weather to a natural silver-gray color in about nine months. This occurs as a result of rain and sun exposure. As the wood ages, you may also see fine cracks, which is a natural result as wood expands. If you prefer the natural weathered look, the only maintenance required is to brush off dirt occasionally with a soft brush or a damp sponge.

When your teak patio furniture needs a thorough cleaning, you can mix up a bucket of one part bleach to four parts liquid dish soap and scrub the teak furniture piece with a soft bristled-brush. Rinse each piece of furniture thoroughly with the garden hose.

If you prefer to retain the golden color on your teak patio furniture, use a teak sealer. This might take you about 30 minutes or so to apply to one piece of furniture. However, the sealer will last for a year and that is all that is required. Not much work at all. Suppose you let your teak patio furniture weather and turn gray. Then you decide you don't care for the look. No problem, just apply teak cleaner and like magic the color of your teak furniture will be restored to the golden shade.

Incidentally, just because you let teak wood weather it only changes the color. The strength of each teak wood piece is just as strong as before and will last just as long. Teak patio furniture is resistant to decay and termites, which makes it ideal for your home patio needs.

Sources:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Teak-Buying-Guide_W0QQugidZ10000000001629492

http://goarticles.com/article/Teak-Garden-Furniture/4012159/

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An electronic cigarette, e-cigarette or personal vaporizer, is a battery-powered device that provides inhaled doses of nicotine or non-nicotine vaporized solution. It is an alternative to smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. In addition to purported nicotine delivery,[1] this vapor also provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, while no smoke or combustion is actually involved in its operation. Electronic cigarettes take the form of some manner of elongated tube, though many are designed to resemble the outward appearance of real smoking products, like cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. Another common design is the “pen-style”,so named for its visual resemblance to a ballpoint pen. Most electronic cigarettes are reusable devices with replaceable and refillable parts. A number of disposable electronic cigarettes have also been developed. (Wikipedia).

What are the benefits of electronic cigarettes (e Cigs?)

There is a bit of controversy over the benefits of electronic cigarettes (eCigs) over traditional tobacco cigarettes. One argument is whether eCigs are really beneficial because they both contain nicotine. Another is whether they break the habitual part of the addiction because it is a similar action. The fact of the matter is that you can choose to have electronic cigarettes without nicotine or with nicotine. If you think about this for a second, this makes a lot of sense … Some people use electronic cigarettes as a STOP SMOKING aid, therefore some people start with the nicotine based product and wean down to 0mg of nicotine (no nicotine). Some people consider themselves “habitual smokers”, therefore choose low or no nicotine electronic cigarettes because they are newer smokers and have grown more addicted to the habit of having their hands occupied (hand to mouth activity of smoking) opposed to the addictive nicotine driven response to tobacco products.

How can you tell whether your electronic cigarettes have nicotine or not?

Look for the Milligram (MG) amount indicated when you buy electronic cigarette cartridges or the e-Liquid that is in the cartridges / refillable e Cigarette cartridges. Major advantages to the smokers include that electronic cigarettes have NO TAR, SAVES MONEY and they can smoke anywhere because the eCig is a smoke free product. This permits heavy smokers to remain active in non-smoking business and social settings, as well as appeasing the occasional social smoker. The major benefits of electronic cigarettes FOR ALL is that it does not contain the thousands of chemicals, bad smell and harmful second hand smoke.

What is e-Liquid?

e-Liquid (eLiquid or juice) is a major component for the use of electronic cigarettes. It is the fluid that makes the vapor in these “smokeless” cigarettes. This vapor is what makes a realistic smoking experience. The e-Liquid is a mixture of Propylene glycol and food grade flavorings with or without nicotine. It comes in numerous flavors and milligrams (MG) dosages. The most popular e-Liquid flavors being those that replace traditional tobacco cigarette products; Non-Menthol and Menthol, though there are hundreds of other flavors including cherry and chocolate eLiquid favorites that are also used as replacements for pipe, cigar and / or cigarette smokers.

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In honor of the popular and very worthwhile new year’s resolution to stop smoking, I’m posting some links from the American Cancer Society to help you get started:

* Visit http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_7_Committing_To_Quit.asp for some tips on planning your quit day.

* You know all the reasons why you you should quit: your health, the health of those around you, your appearance, and more. Here’s a tool to calculate how much smoking costs you financially – http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/ped_10_CigCostCalc.asp . I’m sure you can find a better way to spend that money.

* Need to ask a tobacco related question? Visit http://www.cancer.org/asp/contactUs/cus_global.asp?src=92 and receive a personalized response from a Quitline counselor by email. You can also call the hotline at 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345) 24 hours a day. You can call now.

85% of smokers want to quit, so make today the day you get the information you need to stop smoking. This is your year! You can stop smoking.

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The nation’s population of older Americans is increasing dramatically. Much of this is due to the “baby boom” generation that is soon to be entering into the elderly years. In fact, according to an article in Generations written by Elizabeth Larkin, “By 2030, about twenty percent of the nation’s population will be over the age of sixty-five” (Larkin 2). Contrary to the stereotype that countless Americans hold on aging, many baby-boomers are healthy and lead active lifestyles. Elizabeth Larkin states, “[m] ost of these adults are active and eager to remain vital members of their communities” (Larkin 2). Dale Layfield, author of “Intergenerational service learning: Bridging the gap between the two golden ages,” found statistical information from the Census Bureau, “the elderly population will more than double between now and the year 2050 to eighty million.” He goes on to say, “By that year [2050] as many as one in five Americans could be elderly.”

At the same time that seniors continue to be the fastest growing portion of our population, other changes in family structure and stability are occurring. This fact coupled with increasing rates of child poverty, teen pregnancy, and juvenile crimes have placed many of our nation’s children and families at risk (Bovin 1). It is becoming well known that many mothers today are now employed outside the home, and there is also an increase in single-parent families. In 1997, “…seventy-five percent of all unmarried mothers were working” (Larkin1). It is no wonder than that rising numbers of children are spending more time in childcare and after-school programs. Larkin states, “…thirteen million of our nation’s children are placed in early care and education centers or family childcare settings before they reach school age” (Larkin 1).

It is evident by now that two important issues challenging society today are the rising number of the elderly and the increasing need for optimal childcare. “Responding to these demographic trends poises major intergenerational challenges and opportunities for our government as we struggle to meet the needs of the young and old with increasingly limited public resources” (Bovin 1). Thankfully, there is an obvious answer to this generational dilemma. If it takes a village to raise a child, that village should be composed of many generations. Intergenerational programs are attempting to do just that by increasing the interactions between our nation’s young and our nation’s old. One may ask, what are intergenerational programs? Many people could decipher the terms and come up with an answer fairly close to its meaning. Intergenerational simply means between generations, and intergenerational programs therefore are various methods in which to bring the young and the old together in a mutually beneficial relationship.

It used to be that families were naturally connected. It was common for extended family to live together in the same home or at least in the same city. This close proximity, “…allowed children to gain economic, educational and cultural independence through an exchange of family, religious, and cultural traditions” (Layfield 1). With the busy, fast-paced lifestyle that millions of Americans are now accustomed to comes increasing segregation of age groups. It is commonly accepted that children go to schools or community centers while seniors go to senior centers, nursing homes, etc. Intergenerational is not a new concept, but is receiving more media attention recently as people are beginning to realize the need to decrease the isolation of our society’s generations. Until this is realized, “[s]ocial cohesion, the sense of human roots spanning generations and communities, is fractured” (Burlingame 1). Achieving Goals of Intergenerational Programs

Intergenerational programs are services that combine care for young children and older people in the same care facility (Public relations). A common goal shared by many intergenerational programs is “…to develop bonds and relationships between the two generations.” “For the older person, it might be an opportunity to reminisce or to feel like a contributing member of society. For the child, it might be a reason to think beyond his or her small world” (Lewis 1). In an article appropriately titled, Opposites Attract, printed in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin an experiment was done at Kapolei where “…twenty-five seniors and two-hundred and twenty kids mix it up daily” (Burlingame 3). The executive director, Chuck Larson stated, “[w] e knew it would benefit the seniors. What was surprising was the effect that it has on the kids. They’re much better behaved, even those who used to do inappropriate things. They treat the seniors with respect” (Burlingame 3). Another heart-felt example is a four year old girl who upon being a member of the Kapolei was noted to “not [be] scared by older folks, and she interacts with adults more easily. She will actually have conversations with grown-ups. And wheelchairs and walkers don’t faze her” (Burlingame 3).Appropriate Activities

In order for an intergenerational program to be successful for elderly clients and younger clients “…activities need to be developmentally appropriate for the children and cognitively appropriate for the adults’…” Preschool group activities involving arts and crafts, playing, and story time are examples of appropriate intergenerational activities. Since at this age children do not get upset if someone does not remember their name nor has a disability, people with dementia can have a great time playing with this age group. At the elementary school age relationships are formed when children work one-on-one with elderly participants. This age group also works well with dementia patients since dementia patient’s long-term memory is still intact and they are able to enjoy reminiscing about their past. Middle school interactions are more intellectual, for example an oral history project in which students interview the seniors. Teenagers can become “friendly visitors” and meet independently with seniors. Teenagers and the elderly alike enjoy conversation about current affairs and life events. (Lewis 4) In general, activities that have been proven successful for both clients consist of music, arts and crafts, reading, and oral history (Lewis 1). Older adults feel the need to nurture, teach, communicate positive values, and leave a legacy. On the other hand, children feel the need to be nurtured, taught, have positive role models, and be connected to the preceding generations. The needs of both generations are reciprocal and can be satisfied by these types of activities (Hatton-Yea 58).How Intergenerational Programs workThe set-up of intergenerational daycares can differ. In some, older adults serve the young. They work with younger children in day childcare, preschool, or head start. Other services could consist of helping immigrant children learn English, mentors to children with special needs, helping college or high school student prepare for the workplace, and helping families with children who are psychologically or emotional at-risk (Hatton-Yea, 59).

Other forms could consist of youth serving the elderly. Children may come and visit institutionalized older adults and share activities such as music and crafts. Children may also serve older adults as friendly visitors, tutors, and companions. These actions make older adults regain the feeling of self worth as well as being needed (Hatton-Yea 59).Successful Intergenerational Programs

Already hundreds of intergenerational programs are in use across the nation. Not all of these programs, however, provide the intended desirable outcomes. One program that has been successful and effective is the Foster Grandparents program. The Foster Grandparents program or FGP, “…provide[s] older Americans the opportunity to put their life experiences to work for local communities” (Senior Corp 1). It allows seniors to interact with children and youth while providing valuable services such as mentoring, tutoring, and care giving. The types of children receiving the service are those in abusive or neglected situations, troubled teenagers, young mothers, premature infants, and children with physical disabilities.

In order for an elder person to participate in the Foster Grandparents program, they must meet certain criteria. This screening is done to ensure the safety of the children. Background checks and telephone interviews are done to eliminate any possible risks, such as abuse or other harm to the children. Training is provided prior to and during care, to make sure the older person benefits their needy child effectively as possible. The children get the opportunity to spend time in a loving relationship. It helps them to realize there are adults who care, and provides children with a positive role model. The older adult receives the benefits of feeling needed and useful to society again and is often able to maintain a loving relationship with their “Foster Grandchild.” In addition, “Foster Grandparents receive $2.65 an hour (tax free), reimbursement for transportation, meals during service, annual physical examinations, and accident and liability insurance while on duty” (Senior Corp 1,2). . This program is an example of an intergenerational program in while both the elderly adults and the child benefit.

Another example of a rewarding Intergenerational program is that provided by Intergenerational Innovations. This non-profit organization, “…develop[s] and implement[s] creative programs and activities that connect children, youth, and elders in volunteer service to each other and to [the] community” (Intergenerational 1). Intergenerational Innovations incorporates programs and services that allow elders to help children, children to help the elders, and also allows their combined efforts to benefit the community, as well as to change to overall views each generation has about one another.

Programs that are included in Intergenerational programs consist of Kinder Korps and Computer Pals. Kinder Korps is a program that places elders in a position to tutor and mentor children. Computer Pals is a program that allows middle school and high school students to teach the elderly about the use of computers. “Once computer-savvy, the seniors engage in an interactive email relationship and occasional social gatherings with younger children” (Intergenerational 1). Other programs include Caring Community (youth and seniors engage in community services), Intergenerational Impact Training (uses experiential and inquiry-based instruction to break down stereotypes) and The Intergenerational Resource Center (provides curriculum and guidance in the establishment of intergenerational programs).Elderly Benefits

The most common psychiatric disorder in the elderly is depression. According to our text, ten to fifteen percent of noninstitutionalized people age sixty-five and older and as many as fifty to seventy-five percent of long-term care residents suffer from mild to moderate depression. Depression in the elderly has been shown to shorten life expectancy and increase the likely hood of suicide and suicidal tendencies (Stanley, 274-275).

The traditional treatment of depression in the elderly (antidepressants) could be changed to the use of primary preventative measures such as intergenerational programs. From a financial view, this could potentially reduce cost of expensive pharmaceuticals. Intergenerational programs “…reduce isolation, boost self-esteem, and reinforce that they are needed by the community, stimulate mental capacity, promote life-long learning, reconnect them with their community, introduce them to new experiences with children from different back grounds, and rekindle the joy of living” (Intergenerational 1). It is not uncommon for residents of nursing homes to have relatively few visitors on a regular basis. It is no surprise than that one benefit of intergenerational programs is that it provides visitors to those who may not otherwise have any. Furthermore, these programs provide older adults with the opportunity to touch, listen, laugh, and to learn about children in today’s society. Children’s benefit

From a social and medical viewpoint, the use of intergenerational programs is beneficial for older Americans. These programs are, however, perhaps equally beneficial to children. As noted earlier a large portion of today’s youth is enrolled in a childcare setting. In fact, “…80 percent of children spend up to fifty hours per week in poor or mediocre childcare settings. In addition, thirty-five to forty percent of the settings … are so poor that they can actually jeopardize children’s health and safety” (Larkin 33). Intergenerational programs provide an environment for optimal child growth. Programs that are striving to bring back social cohesion believe that a possible benefit is the acceleration of life skills. This can be done “…through their interaction with older adults who are skillful helpers in dealing with personal, social, intellectual and occupational knowledge (Hatton-Yeo 14). In essence these programs are putting the sense of family back into America. Intergenerational programs improve understanding of elders, improve self-esteem, encourage activity participation, develop social skills, and develop a positive attitude towards the process of aging (Intergenerational 1). They also “…help children improve their school performance, boost self-esteem, connect with their community, engage with positive role models, and learn new cultural and historical perspectives” (Intergenerational 1).

Out of all the information and studies presented, information concerning the long-term effects related to intergenerational programs was missing. More research should be conducted to determine the possible long-term health risks or benefits to the children. Other information that was scarce among the sources was short-term risks to the elderly and the children. Without this information, proper analysis of the risks and benefits is unobtainable.

. A decrease in depression among the elderly without the use of medications is only the start of the numerous benefits of these programs. It is only reasonable that with this decrease in depression also comes the decrease of suicide and suicide attempts. In addition, increases in activity and active learning have also been seen for the young and old alike. The use of intergenerational programs helps to “straighten out” corrupted youth by putting them in a positive learning environment. Children are taught at a young age to respect their elders, and for this reason many children, adolescents, and even teenagers are likely to listen to the advice of the elderly even more so then from their parents. Intergenerational programs also decrease the “gap” between the two generations allowing them to understand each other better. Since there is a decrease in the segregation of the generations, there is an accompany decrease in the old fearing the young and the young not understanding the old.

Most of the articles agreed that intergenerational programs are beneficial and improve the overall quality of life of elder patients as well as of children. One article was contradictory and stated a potential negative impact of these programs. Research from The University of Utah Department of Family and Consumer Studies Assistant Professor Sonia Salari suggests that this type of care causes infantilization of elderly clients. This claim is evident by observations from Salari and her research team. “Elderly persons were addressed in language usually reserved for very young children, including reprimands such as ‘BEHAVE!’ and ‘Do you need to go to time out?’ Privacy violations include announcements such as ‘We are going to the potty.’” Clients interviewed felt that they had no options in activities and that they disliked being treated like children (Public relations). This finding, however was specific to this particular research study, and by no means indicates factuality of all intergenerational programs. The research article did not give information pertaining to the education of those running this facility, so there is no evidence suggesting that educated professionals were providing this disrespectful care.

Upon researching the benefits of intergenerational programs and disputing the fears related to negative consequences of such programs, it is easy to conclude that intergenerational programs are a concrete solution to a large societal dilemma. Knowing this, society needs to continue working together in order to increase research, public knowledge, and funding for Intergenerational Programs. Since the government is concerned with financial matters, those who are knowledgeable about the financial benefits of these programs need to be advocates for the larger society. One way to increase funding for these programs is to increase the number and quality of solid theories, as well as of data research and applied research.

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Today’s parents have good reason to think about what questions to ask when select ing a pediatrician.  Fifty years ago few parents worried about what questions to ask when selecting a pediatrician , they just gathered up the kids and took them to the family doctor, the same one who took care of them.  In today’s world knowing what questions to ask when choosing a pediatrician is a task parents need to take seriously.  Before the birth of your first child, when moving to a new area or after determining to retain a different pediatrician, you will want to narrow the field of choices and then make an appointment to interview two or three candidates.  Pediatricians  will entertain this type of introductory visit but the amount of time they can spend is limited.  Deciding in advance what questions to ask when selecting a pediatrician will help you  all to make the best use of your brief time together.  Perhaps you will benefit from using some of the questions that follow.

Qualifications       To many parents the most important set of questions that they can ask when selecting a pediatrician have to do with his or her qualifications.  You can save  some valuable question time with your potential pediatrician by simply being observant.  As you sit in his office waiting for him to come out of a meeting or exam room take a few moments to look at the walls.  In most cases they will be decorated with diplomas and certificates.  These wall decorations will answer some of your questions by telling  you where your doctor attended medical school, where he served out his residency and what boards have certified him.  Reflecting on these certificates or in some cases the lack of certificates may either answer some questions or generate others in your search to determine the true qualifications of this doctor.  

While you can judge a pediatrician’s training and experience in part by the certificates on the wall, you will also want to ask some more direct questions in selecting your pediatrician  to help reveal the depth and variety of his medical experience.  For example ” How long have you been a practicing pediatrician?  How long have you been in this particular practice or town?  Of what medical experience are you most proud?  Have you had any other medical experiences outside of a pediatric office -  spent time in some medical branch of the service, done some teaching or writing, worked in a clinic, non-profit or international medical unit?  ”

Knowing the answers to these questions  can help you to select a pediatrician who has  the kind and amount of medical experience that will allow you to feel comfortable when you put your child in his or her care. 

The Practice       Many pediatricians are in multiple person practices today where they share responsibilities with other pediatricians or nurse practitioners .   The positive effect your potential pediatrician creates by sharing a well stocked resume can either be amplified or decimated by what your questions reveal about his practice. 

You can probably discover what you want to know about the viability of this practice by asking questions like  ”How long has this practice existed with its current makeup of doctors?  Are there any plans in the offing for changes in personnel, if so who and why?  What are the long range plans for this practice?”  While these questions may sound a bit invasive or overly inquisitive remember, you are interested in asking questions that will allow you to select  a pediatrician for the foreseeable future. You don’t want to be asking these same questions all over again in two or three years time. 

Your child may want the stability of knowing that in most cases he or she will see his or her own personal pediatrician and not just anyone who happens to be available.  If that is important to you don’t hesitate to ask.  “Will you be the doctor who regularly sees my child or will he be likely to rotate among doctors in this practice?”

Practice policies need to be investigated when selecting a pediatrician.   You may want to ask, “  What methods of payment are accepted and when must payment be provided? When is the office open, are there Saturday or evening appointment hours available?  What kind of weekend  coverage does this practice provide.”  Certainly some of these questions are very basic and the facts could be obtained just as easily from the secretarial staff but by asking these questions directly of the pediatrician you give yourself the opportunity to listen to his or her responses and get a window on how he feels about practice policies.  Sometimes there is more to the answers than just the facts, these kinds of questions can also reveal important things about this pediatrician’s personal  attitude and priorities that can be helpful in forming your overall impression.  

 Additional Services    As much as you may not want to think about it, you know that eventually the time will come when your children will need a blood or urine test, a throat culture or an x-ray.  There may come a time when your child will need to visit an emergency room or be admitted to a hospital.  Knowing that all of these things are quite possible and in some cases likely  should  encourage you to ask questions of your potential pediatrician about how his practice will assist you in getting all the full medical services you need.  It will certainly add to your positive opinion of any pediatrician if he or she can answer your questions in a way that acknowledges the importance of your question and gives assurance that your needs will be met.   And so you should feel comfortable asking questions like:  “  Are there lab facilities in your office building or is all testing done off site?  With which hospital are you affiliated and is that where my child would be hospitalized if you found it necessary to recommend hospitalization?  Where should my child seek emergency  assistance?  Do you occasionally refer patients to any nearby pediatric or children’s hospital?”

Personal Questions    Some of the questions to ask when selecting a pediatrician are difficult to ask because they are more about the person than about the pediatrician you are selecting. These more personal questions are handled best by adroitly tucking them  in among the more profession based inquiries. For example talking about the diplomas on the wall can also lead to a subtle question about the family picture on the desk.  Talking about your own kids or your own anticipation may open to a conversation about his or her own family experiences.  Without being too aggressive you can find ways to ask questions like “so has this town been pretty good to you and your practice” or , ” I can’t imagine having to deal with sick children all day, what convinced you to become a pediatrician.”  These more personal questions that you ask when selecting a pediatrician are as significant as the questions you ask about the doctor and his profession.  You not only want to know your pediatrician as a doctor but also as a human being because your child will view him or her as both.

It is unlikely that you will have adequate time to ask every question you may want to ask when selecting a pediatrician at one simple interview.  That’s why it is very important  to talk to your child’s other parent  before your meeting  to prioritize your questions so that you can be sure to ask the three or four questions that are the most important to the two of you.  Not every set of parents will care about the same aspects of a pediatrician’s resume or personality and there are no right or wrong questions to ask or answers to give.   Choosing a pediatrician for your child is important but it also is very personal.  When you have interviewed the possible choices perhaps the one question you will need to ask yourselves when selecting a pediatrician is which doctor  works for us.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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Thank-you to repair shower leaks Los Angeles for bringing the following blog post

A parent is facing death in the near future. It is dangerous for a sick child to live in his current home because the germs might worsen his disease. Those two, and many other situations that may cause people to need a new home, and quick, are the kind dealt with every episode on ABC’s popular television show, Extreme Home Makeover: Home Edition. How do those responsible for the show choose who should receive a new house, and what could you do to get ABC’s attention, if you knew someone who really needed a new home built?

“We get about a thousand applications a week,” show producer Tom Forman said on the website, www.abc.go.com. “We’re looking for people who can really benefit from what we do. It’s just a home renovation. To the extent we can, we look for people who deserve it. It’s tough to judge.”

There is no doubt the people involved with the show do build new houses, in only seven days for very deserving people: a bachelor turned father to his niece and nephew after the death of his sister; a sick child who must have a house that is as germ free as possible; deaf parents who have trouble keeping track of a son who likes to let himself out of the house at night; a family whose two-year-old had died from choking and who then faced living with their children in a home that contained raw sewage.

If you’ve never seen the show, a design team of ten men and women, featuring host Ty Pennington, travel the country to visit people whose houses have been chosen to be demolished and rebuilt. The makers of the show have been told of the special needs of each family, and the design team, and other helpers, including carpenters, electricians, and others rebuild the house in seven days, to meet each special need. Sears donates furniture and appliances for the houses. While the houses are being built, the families are on a one week vacation, paid for by the show. They are also contacted while on the vacation and sometimes see their old houses demolished by video clip. Except during longer special episodes, one house a week is rebuilt on each episode.

If you want to nominate your family, or another family, the first step is to go to the official website, http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/casting.html, print the 18-page application, and complete it. It could be several months before you are contacted, if your house is chosen. You will be asked your names, about your family, and your family income. You will be asked if anyone in your family has ever been on television and if anyone in your family has been involved in charitable activity. You will be asked about your cars, debt other than your mortgage, and military experience. 

If you are nominating another family than your own, you will be asked your relationship to the family in question. You will be asked about your family situation and why you need a makeover. You will also need to shoot a video of the house in question. 
You will be asked about your neighborhood. You will be given a list of eligibility requirements, contents, and releases. You will agree to the rebuilding of your home being shown on television.

Judging by others who have been on the show, you might have a better chance of your house being chosen, if your need is great, either because of the illness of someone in your family, or a house in poor condition, such as the one that had raw sewage. Many of the people whose houses have been chosen have also had family members who have gone to great lengths to make sacrifices to provide for their family or needy children or others in the community. Regardless what your situation is, or that of another family you know of, if you think the situation might meet the show’s qualifications, apply.

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A fast roar out to smoketip for bringing this Associated Content Post!

An electronic cigarette, e-cigarette or personal vaporizer, is a battery-powered device that provides inhaled doses of nicotine or non-nicotine vaporized solution. It is an alternative to smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. In addition to purported nicotine delivery,[1] this vapor also provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, while no smoke or combustion is actually involved in its operation. Electronic cigarettes take the form of some manner of elongated tube, though many are designed to resemble the outward appearance of real smoking products, like cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. Another common design is the “pen-style”,so named for its visual resemblance to a ballpoint pen. Most electronic cigarettes are reusable devices with replaceable and refillable parts. A number of disposable electronic cigarettes have also been developed. (Wikipedia).

What are the benefits of electronic cigarettes (e Cigs?)

There is a bit of controversy over the benefits of electronic cigarettes (eCigs) over traditional tobacco cigarettes. One argument is whether eCigs are really beneficial because they both contain nicotine. Another is whether they break the habitual part of the addiction because it is a similar action. The fact of the matter is that you can choose to have electronic cigarettes without nicotine or with nicotine. If you think about this for a second, this makes a lot of sense … Some people use electronic cigarettes as a STOP SMOKING aid, therefore some people start with the nicotine based product and wean down to 0mg of nicotine (no nicotine). Some people consider themselves “habitual smokers”, therefore choose low or no nicotine electronic cigarettes because they are newer smokers and have grown more addicted to the habit of having their hands occupied (hand to mouth activity of smoking) opposed to the addictive nicotine driven response to tobacco products.

How can you tell whether your electronic cigarettes have nicotine or not?

Look for the Milligram (MG) amount indicated when you buy electronic cigarette cartridges or the e-Liquid that is in the cartridges / refillable e Cigarette cartridges. Major advantages to the smokers include that electronic cigarettes have NO TAR, SAVES MONEY and they can smoke anywhere because the eCig is a smoke free product. This permits heavy smokers to remain active in non-smoking business and social settings, as well as appeasing the occasional social smoker. The major benefits of electronic cigarettes FOR ALL is that it does not contain the thousands of chemicals, bad smell and harmful second hand smoke.

What is e-Liquid?

e-Liquid (eLiquid or juice) is a major component for the use of electronic cigarettes. It is the fluid that makes the vapor in these “smokeless” cigarettes. This vapor is what makes a realistic smoking experience. The e-Liquid is a mixture of Propylene glycol and food grade flavorings with or without nicotine. It comes in numerous flavors and milligrams (MG) dosages. The most popular e-Liquid flavors being those that replace traditional tobacco cigarette products; Non-Menthol and Menthol, though there are hundreds of other flavors including cherry and chocolate eLiquid favorites that are also used as replacements for pipe, cigar and / or cigarette smokers.

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