Statistically, it turns out that the “average” or “typical” unpaid family caregiver is a 46-year old woman caring for her own mother or her mother-in-law. The average amount of time spent is 20 hours per week. Even when we look at the statistics for professional, paid caregivers of seniors, a staggering 90 percent are female.

Healthcare costs have been a hot news topic and a political point of interest for many years now. As I write this, the press will be gathering soon in Washington D.C. to witness the Supreme Court hear testimony to determine if Obamacare is constitutional. And on both sides of our presidential election, the debate rages on over costs and whether some parts of the new legislation are too coercive to religious institutions. But what does it all mean for seniors and for families?

Recently, in Southwest Florida, a 92 year old woman lost thousands of dollars in a phone money scam. She was told that she won a large prize from Publisher’s Clearing House and had to send in money for fees, etc.

When do you try different approaches to problems and when do you rely on a doctor only? Being fiercely independent, I always like to think that I can manage my own health without a doctor. I have, in the past, managed to try a large number of what are called “alternative” therapies. Some have worked, some have tasted just awful, and some have not worked at all.
 

People often have the idea that to change something, you have to feel like it first. But, unfortunately, the feeling may be the last thing to change. For instance, some people will think, “if I could only stop feeling so hungry all the time, I could lose some weight.”

So, 2012 offers a new chance to eat better foods, exercise, or quit a bad habit. But, these goals are often quite large - and many of us set out with all the best intentions and enthusiasm only to find ourselves in front of the TV with a bag of chips by January 5th. At that point, we may give up. And some of us hate the idea of failing so much, we don’t even bother to make any resolutions at all!