It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of innovation through technology. I, like many of my friends and some family members, use a smart phone for dozens of functions: communication, navigation, research via news apps/twitter links, games, music, personal health record, notebook, photography, phone book, gratitude journal, meditation and guided imagery apps, device to record and log stories, medical and nursing reference, etc. The list goes on. But most, not all, of those applications are self-serving. They help me organize MY life.

How can a smart phone be…

The facts:

Heart Disease, Cancer, and unintentional injuries are the leading causes of death among men in the U.S. according to the CDC website.

19% of men under the age of 65 do not have medical insurance.

33% of men 20 years of age and older are considered obese.

31% of men 20 years of age and older have hypertension.

12% of men 18 years of age and over are in fair or poor health.

(Data retrieved from CDC Website.)

It makes sense to talk about healthy activities that inspire change in some of these trends during Men’s Health Month.

I asked some…

Just a short post to express my gratitude to all the wonderful nurses I work with at VNSNY, and go to school with and learn from in my Masters of Nursing studies. A special thanks also, to the smart, caring nurses on Twitter, who constantly spread relevant health information to the masses. I learn from you every day.

It’s an exciting time to be a nurse because we are strengthening our collegiality in order to improve health care. We have so much to give. We are innovators. We are the glue.

I encourage all…

(photo by Marcus Bernales)

Humor heals. Research shows that laughter may boost the immune system and circulatory system, improve oxygenation, relax muscles, and stimulate the release of endorphins in the body which may help to relieve pain. (Source: Laughter Therapy Article)

1. Watch a You Tube clip of The Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin, The Three Stooges, “I Love Lucy” or any clip with physical comedy. Click on this link for my favorite clip.

2. Read your loved one a funny story. Try reading it in a silly voice.

3. Put on some music and host…

A recent comment on my last blog got me thinking a little further about “The Talk“. It’s true. The discussion with my mom about advanced directives went quite smoothly. I’ll be seeing her again in a few weeks with copies of forms for to fill out with her, but had been my father been on the other end of that conversation, I’m not sure if ”the talk” would have gone quite so well.

I know this because throughout our relationship, I frequently tried encouraging my father to initiate some healthy behaviors that he didn’t think were necessary in that…

I blogged about the Joan and Melissa Rivers Campaign on Aging last December. It got me thinking about how I could initiate the discussion with my own mother about aging and advanced directives for health care. She becomes Medicare-eligible this month. My fellow nurse colleague, Paula Wilson, explains advanced directives in her blog.

I feel it’s crucial to have advanced directives, including a living will and a durable power of attorney or health care proxy in place, should my mother require hospitalization. It will take me some time to travel to her in such…

(photo by q thomas bower)

Did you know today is International Women’s Day?

According to the International Women’s Day website: “It’s a day to celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements of women from the past, present, and future.” This event is celebrated globally with many activities in major cities across the world. I wasn’t even aware that it’s considered a national holiday in other countries like China, Russia and Bulgaria.

Although there is no one theme under which everyone celebrates International Women’s Day, the United Nations has chosen the following:

Equal Access To Education,…

I’ve been reading the stories submitted for the “Celebrate Caregivers” Contest and I’m finding it impossible to vote for just one entry. All of the caregivers demonstrate characteristics of winners.

There are many recurring themes in all of those stories. Each depict caregivers as selfless, compassionate, hard-working, resilient individuals who are truly inspiring to their friends and family around them.

Many have given up their weekend free time or even their jobs to care for someone. One husband gave up his dental practice to care for his wife. Another mother stood by her young…

I listed ten smart phone applications for caregiving use in Ten iPhone Apps for Creative Caregivers.  Here are five more apps that may be helpful for caregivers with iPhones.

1. Cleveland Clinic Stress Meditations (Cost: $1.99) You can choose from eight different meditations including a Body Scan Relaxation, a Mindfulness Meditation and a Calm Mind Meditation. Play the tracks for yourself to ease stress, or for your loved one, to promote comfort and healing.

2. Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Recipe Finder (Cost: FREE ) In A Caregiver’s Cookbook, I recommended using a slow cooker to create tasty meals with minimal…

(photo by Adam Jenkins)

A generational issue exists between me and my mom. She’s sixty-four years old (about to turn sixty-five in April) and I’m…well, I’m a member of Generation X. She says she’s too “old school” for computers.  Her concerns about buying a personal computer are not only cost, but also the overwhelming feeling that comes with having to learn something new. It seems very complicated to her at this time in her life. She told me that she doesn’t understand how people can spend so much time online. “Isn’t it…