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Boosting Mental Health During the COVID-19 Holidays
Uplifting ways to offset pandemic-related holiday blues for both yourself and othersThe holiday season is meant to be joyful. Yet even at the best of times, people’s mental health can suffer during Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and other holiday celebrations as they experience sadness, isolation and grief. And following 10 months of isolation and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many more will be struggling with…
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“Square by Square”
Kate sings about her mom’s labor of love before dying: organizing the family photosKate Schutt was with her mom, Katharine, when the doctor said the word cancer and everything changed forever. CT scan, de-bulking surgery, biopsy: Katharine’s ovarian cancer was a carcinosarcoma, deadlier than the carcinoma her sister had survived. The last chapter was written; they knew how the story would end. So mother and daughter talked. “I…
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“Erythra Thalassa”
A mother recounts her emotional response to her adult son’s debilitating stroke“Erythra Thalassa” is the title poem from Annette Libeskind Berkovits‘ recent book, which chronicles her adult son’s debilitating stroke through poetry. Berkovits, who spent three decades working for the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York as senior vice president, has published a wide array of literary work, including two memoirs, a historical novel, and numerous…
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Nursing Home Staff Find Creative Ways to Make Holidays Fun for Residents on Lockdown
From reindeer games to scavenger hunts, keeping nursing home residents engaged during the holidays can reduce loneliness and isolationContinental Manor, a nursing home in Blanchester, Ohio, recently made big waves in the social media world when it shared on Facebook a video of staff members engaged in a lively activity with residents during the holidays — a move that has been widely praised at a time when care facilities find themselves at the…
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“Dick Johnson is Dead”
A documentary filmmaker explores her relationship with her father’s mortalityIn the Netflix film “Dick Johnson is Dead,” documentary filmmaker Kirsten Johnson explores the process of coming to terms with her father’s looming death. When Dick Johnson begins double-booking clients at his psychiatry practice and forgetting everyday details, Kirsten and her family realize he can no longer live independently. She moves him into her one-bedroom…
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Managing Pain Through Mindfulness and Why It Works (Interview)
Pain psychologist and mindfulness expert Leslie Aria, Ph.D., explains how people with life-limiting illnesses and other forms of chronic pain can find reliefMindfulness has become a hot topic in recent years. From apps and podcasts to K–12 mindfulness schools and accredited mindfulness teaching programs, it’s clear that the benefits of mindfulness have a strong appeal in today’s world. This is especially true for those dealing with life-limiting illnesses and the elderly, who often suffer from significant pain.…
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Christmas Lights Bring Hope and Cheer Amid Pandemic
U.S. cities, states and individuals are creating unique light displays and memorials to boost spirits and promote safetyAs the holidays draw near and COVID-19 cases spike across the country, many cities are transitioning from Christmas tree-lighting ceremonies and other pedestrian activities to drive-through displays. Others are taking the opportunity to create light memorials that honor the more than 279,000 Americans who’ve died from the virus. Meanwhile, some individuals are erecting their own…
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Do Robot Pets for Older Adults with Dementia Help Ease Loneliness?
Should you buy a robot pet for your older family member who’s living with dementia? As with so many questions, the answer is complicatedThis holiday season, we can buy more robot toys than ever before — robots for the whole family, from kids to young-at-heart adults. Robot pets, from robotic cats that vibrate while purring to a whole pack of tail-wagging electronic dogs, have become a popular way to entertain ourselves and make life with a “pet” feel…
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