Millions at risk of cholera in Ethiopia, WHO warns

Refugees and children wait to go to a refugee camp in the Ethiopian town of Dolo Ado, about 1 km north of the border with Somalia, July 9, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Stringer

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA | Fri Jul 15, 2011 11:17am EDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Five million people are at risk of cholera in drought-hit Ethiopia, where acute watery diarrhea has broken out in crowded, unsanitary conditions, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Cholera, an acute intestinal infection, causes watery diarrhea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given, according to the United Nations agency.

"Overall, 8.8 million people are at risk of malaria and 5 million of cholera (in Ethiopia)," WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said in a note sent to journalists.

Ethiopian health officials have confirmed cases of acute watery diarrhea in the Somali, Afar and Oromiya regions of Ethiopia, he told Reuters. "It is not confined to the refugees."

WHO is delivering emergency health kits to Ethiopia and helping train health workers in treating malnutrition and in detecting disease outbreaks, he said.

Drought across the Horn of Africa, now affecting more than 11 million people in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia, has increased the risk of the spread of infectious diseases, especially polio, cholera and measles, the WHO says.

"So far WHO has not received any report of polio cases, it really important to help countries to keep their polio-free status," Jasarevic said.

Somalis fleeing severe drought and intensified fighting have been arriving at the rate of more than 1,700 a day in Ethiopia, where 4.5 million people now need assistance, nearly a 50 percent rise since April, he said.

MEASLES RISK

Two million children in Ethiopia are at risk of catching measles, a disease that can be deadly in children, he said.

Ethiopian officials reported 17,584 measles cases and 114 deaths during the first half of the year, UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado said. The majority of cases were in children.

Measles has also broken out in the sprawling Kenyan Dadaab camps, with 462 cases confirmed including 11 deaths, Jasarevic said.

Dadaab, an overcrowded complex of three camps, now holds some 440,000 refugees, the U.N. refugee agency said on Friday.

UNHCR plans to begin a massive airlift this weekend to bring tents and other aid supplies to the remote border region, spokesman Adrian Edwards told a news briefing.

A Boeing 747 flight carrying 100 tonnes of tents is expected to land in Nairobi on Sunday, he said. Six further flights were planned over the next two weeks.

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres welcomed an announcement by Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Thursday that Kenya is to open an extension to the camps to ease congestion at Dadaab, where 1,300 Somali refugees arrive daily.

"It will prevent congestion increasing further in the short term. Obviously larger needs relate to the need to undertake humanitarian efforts inside Somalia itself," Edwards said.

The United Nations carried out its first airlift of emergency supplies in two years to southern Somalia -- an area controlled by al Shabaab rebels -- on Wednesday, UNICEF said.

"Ten health kits, each sufficient to treat 10,000 people over 3 months are also en route via road," Mercado said.

Obama: Americans back me on debt deal

Updated 1:02 p.m. Eastern Time

President Obama on Friday pointed to polls to argue that his proposal of a "balanced approach" on a debt deal - one that includes revenue increases as well as spending cuts - is what the American people want.

"My Republican friends have said that they're not willing to do revenues, and they have repeated that on several occasions," he told reporters at a news conference at the White House. "My hope, though, is that they're listening not just to lobbyists or special interests here in Washington, but they're also listening to the American people. Because it turns out, poll after poll, many done by your organizations, show that it's not just Democrats who think we need to take a balanced approach, it's Republicans as well."

A Gallup poll released Wednesday found that only 20 percent of Americans support a deal that only includes spending cuts, something Republicans have insisted on. Another 30 percent wanted a deal that was "mostly" spending cuts, and 32 percent wanted a deal split equally between spending cuts and tax increases. Eleven percent favored a deal that was mostly or all tax increases.

"The clear majority of Republican voters think that any deficit reduction package should have a balanced approach and should include some revenues," Mr. Obama said. "That's not just Democrats. That's the majority of Republicans." (That Gallup poll found that only one in four Republicans favor a deal that is only spending cuts.)

President Obama makes an opening statement on the ongoing budget negotiations before his press conference.

(Credit: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The president reiterated his desire to see lawmakers "do something big," saying, "We have a chance to stabilize America's finances for a decade, for 15 years or 20 years, if we're willing to seize the moment." An agreement to do so requires "shared sacrifice," he said, including cuts to defense spending, dealing with entitlement spending (including Medicare), and revenue increases.

He said he is still pushing for "a big deal" -- he has set $4 trillion as a benchmark in the past -- but also seemed to acknowledge that a smaller (if still "ambitious") deal of around $2 trillion is now more likely. He said he has told congressional leaders that "If we can't do the biggest deal possible, then let's still be ambitious, let's still try to at least get a downpayment on deficit reduction."

He said he indicated that that is something "we can actually accomplish without huge changes in revenue or significant changes in entitlements, but we could still send a signal that we are serious about this problem."

The president said he wants congressional lawmakers to come back to him within 24-36 hours with a plan, saying that "if they show me a serious plan, I'm ready to move, even it requires some tough decisions on my part."

A plan that includes spending cuts in excess of $2 trillion but is "not asking anything from the wealthiest among us or from closing corporate loopholes -- that doesn't seem like a serious plan to me," he added.

Mr. Obama's comments follow an appearance Friday morning by House Speaker John Boehner, who says Republicans are leading where the president is not. House Republicans plan a vote next week would raise the debt ceiling in conjunction with passage of a balanced budget amendment, despite the fact that such an amendment has virtually no chance of passage. (Mr. Obama said Friday that "we don't need" a balanced budget amendment.)

Obama: We don't need a balanced budget amendment

Boehner said in response to Mr. Obama's comments that "President Obama has been talking tough about cutting spending, but his deeds aren't matching his words."

"While Republicans have focused on the big problems we face, this White House has focused on protecting the status quo," he said. "The same holds true for entitlement spending, where the White House has been talking in terms of nickels and dimes at a time when trillions of dollars in serious reforms are needed to preserve the programs and put them on a sustainable path."

At a closed-door meeting Thursday, Mr. Obama told lawmakers "it's decision time" for a deal, a Democratic official familiar with the talks said. That meeting, which came after a contentious session Wednesday, was described as "very cordial" - though a breakthrough remained elusive.

Boehner: Obama has no debt plan. Republicans do
Obama presses on debt deal: "It's decision time"
Boehner says too many people trying to make deal

The Obama administration and many economists, including Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke, have warned of economic catastrophe if the United States does not raise the amount it is legally allowed to borrow -- now $14.3 trillion -- by August 2. Yet lawmakers remain far apart on a deal.

Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, have said they will only vote to increase the debt limit in exchange for a deficit-reduction package larger than the amount of the increase. Democrats are in favor of such a package, but there is a major point of contention between the parties: Republicans want the deal to include only spending cuts, while Democrats say it must also include revenue increases as well.

If the debt ceiling is not increased by August 2, the administration says, the United States will no longer to be able to pay its obligations, potentially resulting in default to creditors, the suspension of Social Security checks and other benefits, an increase in interest rates and a host of other extremely serious and negative economic consequences. Administration officials have suggested a deal must be in place by roughly July 22 in order to get a deal through Congress in time.

"This is not some abstract issue," Mr. Obama said Friday. "These are obligations that the United States has taken on in the past. The Congress has run up the credit card, and we now have an obligation to pay our bills. If we do not, it could have a whole set of adverse consequences. We could end up with a situation, for example, where interest rates rise for everybody all throughout the country -- effectively, a tax increase on everybody -- because suddenly, whether you're using your credit card, you're trying to get a loan for a car or a student loan, businesses that are trying to make payroll, all of them could end up being impacted as a consequence of a default."

On Wednesday, ratings agency Moody's put the United States' Aaa bond rating under review for possible downgrade as the deadline approaches, and Standard and Poor's quickly followed suit with its own warning of a possible downgrade; on Thursday, Geithner said bluntly, "we're running out of time."

There has been growing momentum around Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's "back-up plan" to effectively hand responsibility for raising the debt ceiling over to Mr. Obama. That would allow Republicans not to have to vote to raise the debt ceiling, but it could also mean no spending cuts in conjunction with the debt ceiling increase. That prospect angers fiscal conservatives.

"This proposal is a dereliction of duty by Senator McConnell and everything that's wrong with Washington," Club for Growth President Chris Chocola said Friday of the plan. "It's nothing more than a legislative maneuver by so-called Republicans to avoid responsibility for America's spending problem."

Mr. Obama described the McConnell plan as "the least attractive option" Friday, saying that "if we take that approach, this issue is going to continue to plague us for months and years to come."

Asked for specifics about what he was considering as part of a debt deal, Mr. Obama said "we've said that we are willing to look at" raising the retirement age and means testing Social Security of Medicare. He said that while he sees those two programs "as the most important social safety nets that we have," by "making some modest modifications in those entitlements can save you trillions of dollars."

More coverage of the debt limit from CBS MoneyWatch.com:

Jobs: The elephant being ignored in deficit talks?
Did Republicans just force the Fed into QE3?

Elder Care - Getting to the Bottom of the Memory Problem

When you approach your medical professional regarding memory issues, what should you expect during the diagnosis period? There are several things that you should expect to be included in a good medical workup when there is memory loss.
A complete physical with medical history - Did you know that only 30% of physicians will do a complete medical workup on patients with presenting dementia symptoms after the age of 75? This is inexcusable when so many easily treatable conditions can cause memory issues.
A neurological workup- This should include brain scans such as an MRI, PET Scan, or Cat Scan. Often the physician will refer the patient to a neurologist who specializes in geriatric patients.
A complete history from the family of what is going on-Do not expect the patient to be able to give a good picture. The patient is having memory issues. They will not be able to give a good picture of the symptoms.
A thorough medication review- Medication interactions are a common cause of dementia symptoms. Once corrected, the symptoms may disappear. Even many over the counter medications may cause memory problems.
Neuropsychological Testing-This may include things such as the MMSE, the Alz Self-Test, or other screens. The value of these tests is that we get a picture of where the person is now cognitively, as well as establishing a baseline for later exams.
Follow-up- You should expect good follow-up from the physician. There will be test results to review, medications to monitor, as well as support to offer.
Referrals as needed- Your physician may refer you to a clinic in your area that specializes in dementia care and treatment. He may also refer you to a Geriatric Care Manager who will offer guidance and expertise for your area resources, along this very difficult road. This is also the time to seek an Elder Care Attorney to make sure your documents are in order. Your Geriatric Care Manager will help you find a reputable Elder Care Attorney.

Do not let your doctor ignore your symptoms. If you feel that you are not getting the care you deserve, please take the time to look for another doctor. Ask your network of friends, or look for a community expert such as a in your area. Insisting on a thorough medical workup may mean a huge difference in the rest of your life.

Health Highlights: July 13, 2011

The Elderly and Delirium

Two of the things you will notice if your elderly parent is suffering from delirium are sudden changes in behavior and their mental state. They may be hyper-alert, startle more easily or be overly sensitive to their surroundings. They can also become quite agitated or may wish to sleep for longer periods of time. They may be unable to follow a conversation or stay focused. Or their conversation may become incoherent. They may also have a decreased appetite or become incontinent. Becoming lost in places they know well is not unusual in this situation. They can experience disturbances in perception such as not understanding what is happening around them. They may not recognize familiar people. There may at times be paranoia or unrealistic fears and possibly emotional outbursts.

My mother, in her last couple of years, had several episodes of delirium and hallucinations. This is very frightening for the person experiencing them and it was also frightening for her family members, especially before we understood the reasons for them. There were several times where she saw people that were not there and carried on conversations with them. She would be adamant that the person existed and became very angry and disoriented when we tried to explain to her what was happening.

Some of the causes of delirium and/or hallucinations are:

- side effects and possible interactions of some medications;
- pain;
- infections or severe illness (with my mother it always happened when she had a bladder infection which is extremely common with elderly women);
- low oxygen levels;
- lack of sleep;
- side effects from anesthetics;
- poor nutrition and/or lack of hydration.

If this should happen to your loved one, it is important that they receive medical treatment as soon as possible. These changes in the person are sudden and are not connected with dementia.

The following are some of the things you can do if your elderly parent is suffering from delirium:

- the person by name to get their response. Remind them of the day, time and where they are;
- keep sentences short and simple;
- let them know that they are being looked after and are safe;
- if the person wears glasses, make sure they are clean and being worn. This includes their hearing aides as well. These things help them to become orientated;
- try to control excessive noise and over-stimulation. This cannot always be the case, particularly if they are in a hospital environment;
- ensure that dentures are in and that they eat regularly and drink fluids frequently;
- ensure that treatment for the cause of delirium is being treated and followed up on.

Recovery time may vary from days to several weeks or longer depending on the cause of the delirium. Comfort measures are important for the patient as well as having the support of family and friends nearby.

Sylvia Behnish writes articles relating to family issues, motivational topics, entertaining, travel and brain injuries. For more information on any of these topics, go to her sites listed below. She has recently published her first non-fiction book entitled "Rollercoaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)" and her first fiction novel entitled "His Sins", a three generation family saga.

"Rollercoaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)" and "His Sins" can be ordered by e-mail at: http://www.sbehnish.blogspot.com/

Blog: http://www.progressofabraininjury.blogspot.com/

Delving Into the Mystery of Placebos

Millions of Americans Lack Access to Dental Care: Report

Advantages of a Caregiver Monitoring System

Dear fellow caregivers! Have you ever wished you had another pair of eyes and or ears to help you while caring for those you love? The advantages of a caregiver monitoring system are so numerous you might be surprised. A monitoring system can give you freedom to do other everyday tasks such as vacuuming, cooking and doing dishes. It can give you that little extra time YOU need to care for yourself like bathing, resting and enjoying the rest of the family. How? you may ask. I will give you a few suggestions and then you can decide for yourself if a monitoring system would be of help to you. There are many types of caregiver monitoring systems available with different options you may or may not need.

A monitoring system which allows the caregiver and the loved one the ability to easily communicate while not directly in the room is very essential. Some offer the caregiver the ability to listen to what is going on in the room, while other systems allow the loved one the ability to call for assistance and talk directly to the caregiver which often times will save the caregiver many unnecessary steps. The ease of communication can be priceless when considering the constant care often times needed.

Having the ability to use different types of alarms with the monitoring system can be very helpful and cost effective. One such alarm is used on the bed to alert the caregiver if the patient should attempt to get out of bed. This type of monitor is very important for those who are caring for the elderly who have a tendency to fall and need assistance but will not ask for assistance for whatever reason, such as the inability to ask for help, not realizing they need help or even that good old sense of pride we all have which can often times be the culprit which allows us to cause harm to ourselves. This type of alarm also comes in a size to fit in chairs and alerts the caregiver when the loved one is attempting to arise from the sitting position.

Another type of alarm available lies flat on the floor. It can be put by the bed or in the doorway. This type of alarm is especially nice for those who have a tendency to arise and wander around the room or home both day and night. This type of alarm is very useful for those who have dementia or are sleep walkers because it alerts the caregiver and lets them know the loved one is on the move.

There are many types of caregiver monitoring systems available. I suggest you take time to look them over. It is important to realize you might not be in need of a certain aspect offered by the company at this time but you may need it in the future.

If you would like information about a Caregiver Monitoring System please check out our site at http://www.diaperingneeds.com/safepresence-products/.

Jill Grant is a wife, mother and grandmother who dearly loves her family. She is a substitute teacher who loves and cares for each of the children who touch her life. She feels they teach her more about life each day she spends with them. Jill has been married to her husband 42 wonderful years and gives him credit for showing her the true meaning of love and respect. Jill has recently developed a web site dedicated to and providing products to home health caregivers and their loved ones.

Please visit her at http://www.diaperingneeds.com/.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy confirms pregnancy

By Joyce Lee Topics News ,Celebrity French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy at a luncheon for the wives attending the G8 Summit in Deauville, France, May 26, 2011.

(Credit: Getty)

(CBS) It's been talked about for a few months, and now French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has officially confirmed the news: She's pregnant.

While talking about her new album, the 43-year-old singer and former model described her impending arrival to the newspaper Nice-Matin (excerpted by the New York Post) as an "unexpected and unhoped for happiness."

Pictures: Celebrity baby bumps

"I made an album, but it is not quite finished because of this future unexpected and unhoped for happiness," she said.

When asked about the gender of her baby, Bruni-Sarkozy replied, "That, I don't even know myself."

The announcement comes just a few days after she was photographed flaunting her baby bump in a bikini while vacationing with husband, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in Fort de Bregancon.

She also showed off her distinct pregnancy curves in May while hosting a luncheon for the wives attending the?G8 Summit?in Deauville, France.

The baby will be the couple's first child together. Sarkozy, 56, has three sons from two previous marriages, while Bruni has a 10-year-old son with French philosopher Raphael Enthoven.

Read more here. ??

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Flip-Flops, Baseball Caps May Raise Risk of Skin Cancer

Suspect in NYC boy's murder "hears voices"

(AP)?

NEW YORK - A man accused of kidnapping, killing and dismembering an 8-year-old boy who asked him for directions was ordered Thursday to undergo a psychological evaluation after his lawyer told a judge that his client might be mentally ill.

"He has indicated to me that he hears voices and has had some hallucinations," said the attorney, Pierre Bazile.

Levi Aron, 35, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and kidnapping as prosecutors said he lured Leiby Kletzky to his home Monday after the little boy got lost while walking home from an Orthodox Jewish day camp.

Video cameras captured the fateful encounter between the two on a Brooklyn street, while Leiby's mother waited anxiously just a few blocks away. Detectives later found the boy's severed feet, wrapped in plastic, in the man's freezer, as well as a cutting board and three bloody carving knives.

NYC boy likely tied up, fought back before death
NYC boy spent hours with suspect before murder
Leiby Kletzky funeral draws thousands

At his arraignment Thursday afternoon, Aron appeared disheveled, confused and pale. He was held without bail, placed on suicide watch and protective custody after his lawyers said they feared he could do harm to himself.

Police and prosecutors said Aron, a clerk at a hardware supply store, has confessed to suffocating the boy with a bath towel, but they continued to work on verifying his horrific and bizarre explanation for the boy's death.

At the Kletzky household, his family also looked for answers, too.

"Why?" asked Shmuel Eckstein, a close family friend, as the boy's parents and five sisters sat and prayed. "We don't have that ... What we know is that through Leiby's death, God is sending us a huge signal — that we're doing something terribly wrong. And we're looking for what it is."

He added that the family was not looking for retribution.

"We're not into revenge," he said.

At a news conference, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Aron told investigators that after taking Leiby off the street Monday, he brought the boy to a wedding in the suburbs and spent several hours there.

Other wedding guests confirmed Aron was there but didn't see the boy, the commissioner added.

By the time the pair returned to the city, it was so late that Aron decided to take Leiby to his home to sleep and left him there Tuesday while he went to work, according to the police version of the confession. Kelly said the hardware supply store confirmed that Aron showed up as usual that day.

Aron told police he killed Leiby when he got home after being spooked by a massive search for the boy in Borough Park section of Brooklyn, home to one of the world's largest communities of Orthodox Jews outside of Israel.

Thousands of volunteers from the Hasidic community had assembled Monday evening to comb the streets, and the entire neighborhood was in a frenzy Tuesday over the lost child. Aron is Orthodox but not Hasidic. The Hasidim are ultra-Orthodox Jews.

"When I saw the fliers, I panicked and was afraid," Aron said, according to police.

Investigators have said Leiby may have been tied up and tried to fight off his captor before he was killed.

Kelly said Aron had scratches on his arms, wrists and elsewhere — a sign "there was some kind of struggle." There also were marks on the boy's remains that could have been caused by restraints, the commissioner added.

A preliminary medical examination indicates Leiby was "smothered or suffocated," but it remained unclear when that happened, Kelly said. The medical examiner's office said further study was required.

The commissioner also confirmed reports that Aron had given a written confession in Leiby's gruesome slaying that ended with, "I'm sorry for the hurt that I caused."

Beyond that, "he hasn't expressed any remorse," Kelly said.

In his confession, Aron recounted how he dismembered the boy, put some of the body parts in a freezer and took a shower, police said. He then put some remains in a suitcase and drove around with it for 20 minutes before putting the suitcase in a trash bin.

Aron has denied molesting the boy, but Kelly said police still consider that a possibility.

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes said investigators were looking at whether Aron might have had any improper contact with children in the past. Detectives were also examining three computers seized from his home, and searched the backyard.

Officials said the killing stands out because there's no clear motive.

"It defies all logic and I think that's what's been so terribly disturbing about this case," Commissioner Kelly said. "There's absolutely no reason. There's nothing more innocent than an 8-year-old child and to be killed in this matter is just heart breaking."

Zahava Farbman, a social worker with the nonprofit Chai Lifeline, said Leiby's five sisters "do not know the details of how he was murdered — just that a man killed him, but not how. It's too much, too soon."

"They're devastated," Farbman said. "They'll eventually be told exactly what happened, but not now."

The father, Nachman, works for a messenger company. The mother, Esti, is a homemaker.

Health Tip: Why the Frequent Nosebleeds?

Flu vaccine production to double by 2015, WHO says

Vaccines are placed on a tray inside the Taipei City Hospital October 1, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Nicky Loh

GENEVA | Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:19pm EDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Global production of seasonal flu vaccine is expected to double to 1.7 billion doses by 2015, with 11 new manufacturers coming onstream in developing countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

If a new influenza pandemic erupts, the world's projected 37 vaccine makers could potentially triple their annual production of trivalent seasonal vaccine to make 5.4 billion doses of pandemic vaccine, the United Nations agency said.

But the actual amount would depend on the yield of the virus grown in the egg -- disappointingly low for H1N1 -- and how much adjuvant -- which stretches the active ingredient -- is used in pandemic vaccine, experts said.

"The estimate is by 2015, if all projects that are currently going on get to successful implementation, we would have something around 1.7 billion doses of seasonal vaccine," WHO assistant director-general Marie-Paule Kieny told a briefing after experts held three-day talks.

"In making pandemic vaccine you have a multiplication by a factor of three."

The WHO came under fire during the H1N1 pandemic in 2009-2010, the world's first pandemic in 40 years, for slow distribution of vaccines in poor countries and allegations of drug industry influence on its decision-making.

"What we are continuing to do is to make sure that not only will there be more pandemic vaccine if need be, but also that the sites where these vaccines will be produced will be more diverse geographically and more populations of the world will have earlier access to pandemic vaccine," Kieny said.

An independent review panel which issued a report earlier this year on WHO's handling of the emergency said that the world remained ill-prepared for a major pandemic.

"We do not currently have the capacity to produce in a timely way sufficient vaccine to protect the world's population in the face of a global, severe influenza pandemic," Dr. Harvey Fineberg, an American heading that panel, said on Thursday.

GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi are among major producers of influenza vaccines.

"We have to take influenza vaccine as a tool to combat influenza pandemic, not just a tool to maximize profit," said Dr. Pathom Sawanpanyalert, Thailand's chair of the WHO's Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines, the experts group that met.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay)

Are narrow blood vessels to blame in MS?

By Genevra Pittman

NEW YORK | Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:13pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite a few well-publicized studies and many hopeful patients waiting for treatment, there is no good evidence that multiple sclerosis, or MS, is caused by a blood vessel condition, a fresh look at the medical literature finds.

That means patients with MS shouldn't have surgery to open veins that connect the brain and spinal cord to the heart, researchers say.

"It's so appealing, the idea of a quick fix, of a surgical amelioration," Dr. Bridget Bagert, whose findings are published in the Archives of Neurology, told Reuters Health.

But, she added, "It's really not the right thing to do if the problem isn't established as being real."

MS occurs when the protective coating around nerve fibers begins to break down, slowing the brain's communication to the rest of the body. It's typically thought of as a disorder of the immune system and has no cure.

In 2009, however, Italian researchers led by Dr. Paolo Zamboni linked MS to a blood vessel condition called chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI. The theory is that veins bringing blood from the brain and spine back to the heart become too narrow, causing some of that blood to leak back into the brain tissue.

Zamboni and his colleagues figured that might trigger inflammation, eventually leading to the balance and muscle problems seen in MS. Indeed, the Italian team's initial studies suggested that CCSVI is very common in MS patients and scarce in people without the disease.

But three independent studies published since then haven't found a clear link, according to the new report.

"That really casts a lot of doubt on to whether CCSVI exists at all, let alone whether or not it's the cause of MS," Bagert, from the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, told Reuters Health.

After Zamboni's initial findings were published, hopeful MS patients started requesting blood-vessel opening procedures, and a few doctors became well known in the MS community for being willing to perform them.

To determine if a person has CCSVI, a picture of the veins is taken using ultrasound or another type of scan. If the blood vessels look too narrow, doctors may open them up by inflating a small balloon in the veins.

Those procedures are typically used in people at risk of a heart attack, and they come with a risk of complications, including bleeding and infection.

But researchers said it's hard for doctors to even know what they're looking for on blood vessel scans, and whether anything that looks strange could be playing a part in MS symptoms.

"There's still considerable information and understanding that we don't have about this observation" on the role of CCSVI in MS, said Timothy Coetzee, chief research officer at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in New York.

"There's no question that there has been considerable ambiguity and questions about some of the studies that were 100 percent (in favor of the link) and some that showed nothing," he told Reuters Health.

Bagert said there is also controversy over the methods used in the original Italian studies, which could have let potential investigator bias creep into the findings.

Because of the inconsistency in past reports, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has spent more than $2 million funding research on how often blood vessel abnormalities show up in people with MS.

"Resolving this issue matters to a lot of people," said Coetzee, who was not involved in the new study.

He added that speculation about possible causes of MS -- which has included theories about infections and vitamin D -- is nothing new.

And as long as people with MS are well informed about the pros and cons of getting the procedure to open their blood vessels, he's not opposed to patients going ahead with the treatments for now.

But Dr. Ellen Marder of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, another author on the new paper, said the data doesn't support that idea.

"We don't think (CCSVI) is the cause of multiple sclerosis," she told Reuters Health. "We would not advise our patients to be tested for this or act on any recommendations based on this sort of testing."

SOURCE: bit.ly/nwrGWI Archives of Neurology, online July 11, 2011.

Generic, Brand-Name Heart Drugs Seem to Have Same Effect on Thyroid

Panel backs stricter blood cancer drug label

By Anna Yukhananov

SILVER SPRING, Maryland | Thu Jul 14, 2011 6:12pm EDT

SILVER SPRING, Maryland (Reuters) - A U.S. advisory panel backed an experimental drug from Seattle Genetics Inc for treating two rare types of blood cancer, but recommended stricter labeling than the company sought.

The move could restrain Seattle Genetics' plans to expand use of the medicine, which is currently proposed for two types of blood cancer -- Hodgkin's lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) -- that affect just over 10,000 Americans a year.

The Food and Drug Administration advisory panel unanimously recommended on Thursday that the drug, Adcetris, get accelerated, or conditional, approval until the company conducts more studies to confirm safety.

Seattle Genetics shares, which were halted during the panel meeting, were down 6.6 percent to $18.99 on Nasdaq in after-hours trading.

"It's an excellent drug, but we need more experience with it overall," said panel member Dr. William Kelly, professor of medical oncology and urology at Thomas Jefferson University.

The company originally asked for full approval for Adcetris in patients who had already been treated for ALCL. About 2,000 new cases of ALCL were diagnosed in 2010, the company said.

The panel also recommended the drug for patients who have already tried a stem cell transplant to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma, another relatively rare blood cancer.

About 9,000 Americans are diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma each year, but restricting it to patients who have already tried a stem cell transplant could also limit sales.

FDA staff reviewers suggested narrowing the approved patient group for Hodgkin's treatment in documents released on Tuesday, sending Seattle Genetics shares down 3.6 percent.

The FDA usually follows the recommendations of its advisory panels and is due to make a final decision on the drug by August 30. If approved, Adcetris will become the first FDA-backed drug for Hodgkin's since 1977.

Howard Liang, an analyst at Leerink Swann, sees U.S. sales at more than $400 million for both types of cancer in 2015.

But the CEO of Seattle Genetics, Clay Siegall, told Reuters in May sales could be well over $1 billion if the drug wins approval as a first treatment option for ALCL and Hodgkin's, not just for previously treated patients. The company is currently conducting studies for that, he said.

SMALL TRIAL SIZE

The FDA granted priority review status for the drug, known chemically as brentuximab vedotin, meaning the agency believes the medicine is a potentially significant advance over existing therapies.

Brentuximab vedotin links a tumor-targeting antibody to a cancer-killing chemotherapy drug with the goal of limiting side effects. It is designed to home in on an antigen, or foreign substance, in Hodgkin's lymphoma, several types of T-cell lymphoma and other hematologic malignancies.

But the agency said the company needs more studies confirming safety and efficacy before the drug can get full approval.

"No one is debating the level of activity of this drug," said panel chairman Dr. Wyndham Wilson, chief of the lymphoma therapeutics section at the National Cancer Institute.

"This to me seems the perfect example of a drug that should be approved under accelerated approval."

In mid-stage trials, three-quarters of patients had some tumor shrinkage after taking Adcetris for Hodgkin's and about a third had complete remission, or disappearance, of the disease. For ALCL, 86 percent had a response and over half had complete remission.

However, the mid-stage trials only included 58 patients for ALCL and 102 patients for Hodgkin's and did not compare Adcetris to another drug. The FDA said these factors made it difficult to pinpoint the drug's safety and called on the company to develop follow-up studies by August 30, or risk having approval revoked.

"If we do not come to an agreement on an appropriate program, with the company by August 30, you will be seeing us again at this committee," said Dr. Richard Pazdur, head of the FDA's Office of Oncology Drugs.

The company said it was confident of coming to an agreement with the agency before that date.

"We're looking forward to working with the FDA to define our development plan," CEO Siegall told reporters. "This is our highest priority of the company."

(Editing by Tim Dobbyn and Andre Grenon)

Judge recuses himself from Anthony civil case

By Camille Mann Topics Daily Blotter Casey Anthony before her sentencing, Thursday, July 7, 2011

(Credit: AP Photo)

(CBS/WKMG) For unknown reasons, the judge in the civil lawsuit against Casey Anthony recused himself from the case on Friday.

Pictures: Casey and Caylee Anthony

Judge Jose Rodriguez made the announcement shortly after the 8 a.m. hearing began, reports?CBS affiliate WKMG.

Zenaida Gonzalez, who shares the same name as a fictitious babysitter whom Casey Anthony claimed kidnapped her daughter Caylee in 2008, is suing Anthony for defamation.

The move came after Anthony's attorney called for a sidebar, where attorneys from both sides talked with the judge for about 15 minutes.

Gonzalez's attorney,?John Morgan,?said he did not request the recusal,?WKMG reports.

Morgan?was expected to argue Friday that Anthony should be deposed before she is released from jail Sunday.?He filed the motion Wednesday requiring Anthony to attend a deposition either on July 19 or before Sunday's scheduled release from the Orange County Jail.

Morgan is concerned that Anthony will not show up for a scheduled deposition next Tuesday and he wants a judge to force her to appear, reports the station.

A timetable for a decision is not known.

Neither Gonzalez nor Anthony attended the hearing.

Last week Anthony, 25, was acquitted of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter in Caylee's death.

She was sentenced to a total of four years in jail on four counts of providing false information to law enforcement, as well as a fine of $4,000, plus court costs. However, due to credit for time served and good behavior, Anthony is scheduled to be released this Sunday.

If Anthony is compelled by a judge to give a deposition under oath, it could be the first time she speaks publicly after her acquittal.

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What Is In Home Elder Care Companionship?

Elder care is recommended to those individuals who prefer to stay in their homes but need a constant care which their family members cannot easily provide. With elder care, seniors can live on their own as long as possible, receiving as much help as possible from the outside. The services given to seniors depend mostly on every individual's condition. Elder care may either involve giving limited health care services to seniors with minimal health concerns or more complete health care services to a recuperating, disabled, or terminal ill senior. Ordinarily, these adults are placed in a nursing home environment and not in a hospital setting. In particular, family members of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other similar diseases feel it is much better for them to remain in their home environment through the help of a home elder caregiver.

Elder care services may be acquired either through an in home care agency or by hiring a caregiver directly. Direct hires are more common for companionship services and for home health services when seniors' conditions are likely to remain the same for an extended period. Senior caregivers may provide their services on a live-in basis or they may live out. In general, those who provide companionship services are stay-in workers while home health aides come and go on a pre-determined timetable.

Elder care companionship services are mainly provided to elderly adults who are physically healthy but need some help in their Activities of Daily Living or ADLs. Its main thrust is to allow them to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. The assistance given is usually non-medical. In general, an elder care companion does not provide the more detailed aspects of senior care.

Although a companion has similarities with a home health aide, such as having an experience with patient care and absent training, a companion has a less physically demanding job than a health aide. The reason for this is that with this job the senior client is normally more mobile and physically fit. Towards him, a companion is more of a friend and a confidant than a health worker. His duties are more on providing satisfaction to an adult who is living in solitude and assure concerned family members of the senior's over-all well-being.

An elder care companion is able to transform regular care giving duties into great opportunities for enjoyable conversations and activities that can enhance the senior's lives. Companionship services may include strolling around the neighborhood, discussing current news or personal interests, talking about the past while viewing old pictures, and working on puzzles, playing scrabbles, going to church and attending senior center activities. Through these different kinds of activities seniors are given the emotional support that they badly need and some kind of assistance that can keep them mentally alert. These activities also ensure that they remain physically active.

For their services to be highly effective, elder companions tailor them according to the personality, interests, and skills of every senior client. Research studies prove that these elder companion practices can help seniors live longer and have a healthier and more meaningful life.

Senior Helpers in home care Philadelphia are designed with the individual needs of your family in mind. Our services include Dementia and Alzheimer's Care as well as companionship services

OBL reportedly targeted Obama for 9/11/11 attack

World Watch By Alex Sundby Topics In The News ,Al Qaeda ,Osama bin Laden The Marine One helicopter carrying President Obama takes off from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington July 1, 2011, for Camp David, Md.

(Credit: AP Photo)

Before Osama bin Laden died at the hands of U.S. Navy SEALs in May, his terror wish list reportedly included attacking the United States on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and shooting down President Obama's helicopter or plane while the president was in the air.

A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News correspondent Bob Orr Friday that intelligence gathered during the May 2 raid on bin Laden's compound in Pakistan revealed that the al Qaeda head discussed with his operations planners a wide array of potential attacks against the U.S. and senior American officials.

Special Section: The Killing of Osama Bin Laden
Panetta: U.S. "within reach" of defeating al Qaeda
U.S.: Terrorists may surgically implant bombs

All of the discussions were determined by the U.S. government to be "aspirational," and there is no evidence to indicate that any ideas ever developed into an actual plot, Orr reports. The U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that discussions among bin Laden and his deputies about the opaque 9/11 anniversary attack included which of al Qaeda's operatives should be involved.

ABC News reported Friday that those discussions included targeting Mr. Obama aboard Air Force One or Marine One and executing a similar airborne attack against Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan who was recently confirmed as the next director of the CIA.

Petraeus unanimously confirmed as CIA chief

The revelations from the obtained intelligence emphasize that bin Laden remained fixated, years after al Qaeda hijacked American airliners to use as weapons, on aviation as a potential target or weapon, Orr reports. The U.S. official noted that the intelligence also shows that, despite bin Laden's isolation in his Abbottabad compound, he was still involved in planning operations and directing those plans.

Alex Sundby Alex Sundby is an associate news editor for CBSNews.com

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Most in U.S. want ban on smoking in public: poll

A woman smokes a cigarette at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, May 7, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/John Sommers II

NEW YORK | Fri Jul 15, 2011 1:11pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Most Americans want smoking banned in all public places but only 19 percent believe that cigarette smoking should be illegal in the United States, a Gallup poll published on Friday said.

The Princeton, New Jersey-based pollster found in its July 7-10 telephone survey that for the first time since it initially asked the question in 2001, a majority of Americans, 59 percent, support a public ban on smoking.

Ten years ago, 39 percent were in favor, a percentage that was about the same when Gallup did a similar poll on the subject in 2007, according to the survey published on the website www.gallup.com.

The 19 percent of respondents who want a law against smoking is close to the 14 percent who told Gallup in 1990 they wanted smoking to be illegal.

"A majority of Americans now support the concept of a full smoking ban in all public places, marking a significant change from four years ago, when Gallup last measured this attitude," the pollster said.

"Relatively few Americans support the idea of making all smoking illegal across the country, perhaps partly in recognition of the practical difficulties involved in enforcing such a ban."

Anti-smoking sentiment has risen in the United States in recent years.

New York, the country's most populous city of 8 million, bans smoking cigarettes in almost all public places, including outdoor plazas and beaches. The District of Columbia and 27 states have passed smoke-free laws.

Gallup said its July poll also questioned Americans about their cigarette smoking habits.

"Twenty-two percent of adult Americans reported having smoked cigarettes within the last week, a percentage that is essentially unchanged over the last five years," Gallup said.

The results of the poll are based on a random sample of 1,016 people aged 18 and older living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Gallup said the maximum margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

(Reporting by Grant McCool; Editing by Eric Beech)

'Virtual Reality' May Help in Parkinson's Therapy

Final "Potter" sets midnight box office record

Topics News ,Movies A scene from "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2."

(Credit: Warner Bros.)

(CBS/AP) It's not exactly a surprise but it is a big deal. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" blew the doors of the previous midnight record holder in midnight screenings Friday.

Review: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
Pictures: The New York premiere
Special section: "Harry Potter" through the years

The final film in the successful Warner Bros. boy wizard franchise conjured up $43.5 million from midnight shows Friday, according to studio estimates.

The previous record was set by "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse," which earned around $30 million for its midnight screenings.

With the addition of 3-D, "Part 2" could end the franchise's spellbinding 10-year story with a total weekend debut approaching $150 million. That would surpass the $125 million opening last November of the first "Deathly Hallows" installment.

The current debut weekend record is $158 million set by "The Dark Knight" in 2008.

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Maintaining Good Health May Reduce Dementia Risk

Mild Cognitive Impairment in Seniors

Although it is not dementia, seniors with MCI have a higher risk, of approximately 10 - 15% per year, for converting to Alzheimer's disease or another dementia compared with seniors who do not have it. It is normal for the speed of mental processing and memory of names, etc. to decline with aging. But these normal changes do not affect a person's ability to function.

MCI is diagnosed when there is memory impairment but general cognitive and functional abilities are intact, does not have impaired judgment or reasoning and there are indications that there is an absence of dementia. Treatments are under investigation. In a trial test of 168 people, it was discovered that the three B vitamins, folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 were found to cut the rate of brain shrinkage by up to 50%.

Starting interventions early can slow the decline. The following are things a person with MCI can do to lower their risk for developing a dementia:

- control your blood pressure. You may require blood pressure medication to keep it under control;
- maintain your cholesterol level. Medication may be required to do this also;
- control blood sugar levels. If you have been discovered to have diabetes, it is particularly important to monitor your blood sugar levels regularly;
- maintain your weight at a normal level and exercise regularly. Walking is an excellent form of exercise;
- limit alcohol intake to 5 drinks a week with never more than one drink in a day;
- be conscious of your diet being sure to include plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish in your regular diet;
- get a sufficient amount of sleep;
- limit the use of sleeping pills and over the counter medications for things such as cold symptoms;
- try to keep stress to a minimum by avoiding stressful situations and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation;
- do not smoke;
- protect your head, especially from repeated concussions. This can increase the risk factors for development of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia's as well as cognitive impairment.

Other ideas that will assist in being able to cope with MCI is to keep a daytimer with you at all times and write down important things such as phone numbers, addresses and appointments. It can even help when you are parking your car. When you get out, make a note in your daytimer of where your car is parked so you will be able to find it again with no trouble, And if you are always losing your keys, make sure to keep them in the same place each day.

Mild memory problems are typical of aging but MCI is a little more serious. If you suspect that you may be suffering from mild cognitive impairment, it is a good idea to see your doctor to get a diagnosis.

Sylvia Behnish writes articles relating to family issues, motivational topics, entertaining, travel and brain injuries. For more information on any of these topics, go to her sites listed below. She has recently published her first non-fiction book entitled "Rollercoaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)" and her first fiction novel entitled "His Sins", a three generation family saga.

"Rollercoaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)" and "His Sins" can be ordered by e-mail at: http://www.sbehnish.blogspot.com/

Blog: http://www.progressofabraininjury.blogspot.com/

Combination Therapy May Treat Prostate Cancer

Black men survive longer in prison than out: study

By Genevra Pittman

NEW YORK | Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:42pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Black men are half as likely to die at any given time if they're in prison than if they aren't, suggests a new study of North Carolina inmates.

The black prisoners seemed to be especially protected against alcohol- and drug-related deaths, as well as lethal accidents and certain chronic diseases.

But that pattern didn't hold for white men, who on the whole were slightly more likely to die in prison than outside, according to findings published in Annals of Epidemiology.

Researchers say it's not the first time a study has found lower death rates among certain groups of inmates -- particularly disadvantaged people, who might get protection against violent injuries and murder.

"Ironically, prisons are often the only provider of medical care accessible by these underserved and vulnerable Americans," said Hung-En Sung of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.

"Typically, prison-based care is more comprehensive than what inmates have received prior to their admission," Sung, who wasn't involved in the new study, told Reuters Health by email.

The new study involved about 100,000 men between age 20 and 79 who were held in North Carolina prisons at some point between 1995 and 2005. Sixty percent of those men were black.

Researchers linked prison and state health records to determine which of the inmates died, and of what causes, during their prison stay. Then they compared those figures with expected deaths in men of the same age and race in the general population.

Less than one percent of men died during incarceration, and there was no difference between black and white inmates. But outside prison walls, blacks have a higher rate of death at any given age than whites.

"What's very sad about this is that if we are able to all of a sudden equalize or diminish these health inequalities that you see by race inside a place like prison, it should also be that in places like a poor neighborhood we should be able to diminish these sort of inequities," said Evelyn Patterson, who studies correctional facilities at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

"If it can be done (in prison), then certainly it can happen outside of prison," Patterson, who wasn't linked to the new work, told Reuters Health.

As in the general population, cancer and heart and blood vessel diseases were the most common cause of death among inmates -- accounting for more than half of deaths.

White prisoners died of cardiovascular diseases as often as expected and died of cancer slightly more often than non-prisoners.

Black inmates, by contrast, were between 30 and 40 percent less likely to die of those causes than those who weren't incarcerated. They were also less likely to die of diabetes, alcohol- and drug-related causes, airway diseases, accidents, suicide and murder than black men not in prison.

All told, their risk of death at any age was only half that of men living in the community.

For white men, the overall death rate was slightly higher -- by about 12 percent -- than in the general population, with some of that attributed to higher rates of death from infection, including HIV and hepatitis. When the researchers broke prisoners up by age, death rates were only higher for white prisoners age 50 and older.

"For some populations, being in prison likely provides benefits in regards to access to healthcare and life expectancy," said study author Dr. David Rosen, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

But, he added in an email, "it's important to remember that there are many possible negative consequences of imprisonment -- for example, broken relationships, loss of employment opportunities, and greater entrenchment in criminal activity -- that are not reflected in our study findings but nevertheless have an important influence on prisoners' lives and their overall health."

For Rosen, one of the main messages from the study is the need to make the world outside of prison walls safer, and to make sure people living there have adequate access to healthcare.

SOURCE: bit.ly/o7a7st Annals of Epidemiology, online July 7, 2011.

Ultrasound May Determine Heart Attack Risk in HIV Patients

Vitamin C from food tied to lower cataract risk

1 of 2. Tomatoes are on display at an organic fruit and vegetable stall at a market in Montalivet, southwestern France, August 13, 2009.

Credit: Reuters/Regis Duvignau

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK | Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:41pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who get very little vitamin C in their diets may have an increased risk of developing cataracts, a study in India finds.

Cataracts are a clouding of the eye's lens that commonly cause vision problems in older people. Some studies, but not all, have found that people with higher intakes of antioxidants, including vitamin C, may have a lower risk of developing the condition.

But those studies have been done in Western countries -- and not in lower-income countries like India, where people's vitamin C levels tend to be very low and rates of cataract are particularly high.

For the new study, researchers evaluated more than 5,600 Indian adults age 60 and up for cataracts. They also interviewed them about their diets and lifestyle habits, and measured their blood levels of vitamin C.

Overall, nearly 73 percent of the study participants were found to have cataracts. But that risk dipped as vitamin C blood levels and vitamin C intake rose.

In the roughly one-quarter of older adults with the highest vitamin C levels, the risk of cataract was 39 percent lower than in people with the lowest levels of the nutrient. That was with factors like income, smoking habits, high blood pressure and diabetes taken into account.

But vitamin C levels were generally very low. More than half of the study participants were deficient, and the bottom 30 percent of the group had vitamin C concentrations below the level of detection (2 micromoles per liter).

Anything below 11 micromoles per liter is considered a vitamin C deficiency.

Even in the group with the highest vitamin C levels, the typical amount was just 38 micromoles per liter. By comparison, in cataract studies in Europe and the U.S., the "high-C" groups have had levels of 70 micromoles or higher.

The findings, reported in the journal Ophthalmology, do not prove that adequate vitamin C protects against cataracts.

But it's biologically plausible, said senior researcher Astrid E. Fletcher, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means it helps protect body cells from damage caused by so-called oxidative stress.

"Laboratory and animal studies show vitamin C plays a very important part in defending the lens of the eye against oxidative stress," Fletcher explained in an email.

"The eye is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress as the 'seeing' organ of the body," she added. "Light is essential for vision but light is also very damaging. The lens absorbs ultraviolet radiation, a major source of oxidative stress."

But that biological plausibility does not mean that older adults should load up on vitamin C supplements to ward off cataracts.

Fletcher said the current findings have relevance primarily for India, where people's vitamin C levels are generally low. They might also have implications for other lower-income countries, she added, but those studies have not been done yet.

In Western countries, studies have come to conflicting conclusions as to whether people with high vitamin C intakes have a lower cataract risk.

What's more, clinical trials that have tested high doses of vitamin C and other antioxidants for preventing cataracts have failed to show a benefit.

One reason, Fletcher noted, may be that well-nourished people in high-income countries already have fairly high vitamin C levels, and an extra dose from a pill has little benefit to offer. Vitamin C is water-soluble, and excess amounts are quickly excreted from the body.

Another possibility, according to Fletcher, is that taking a few nutrients in pill form simply does not mimic the effects of a good diet.

Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit, green and red peppers, kiwifruit, strawberries, broccoli and tomatoes. In the U.S., the official recommendation is for men to get 90 milligrams of vitamin C per day, while women should get 75 milligrams.

In this study, most older Indian adults were getting well below that.

If extra vitamin C was shown to lower cataract risk in India, the benefits could be substantial.

"India has the highest burden of blindness in the world," Fletcher said, "and the main cause is cataract."

SOURCE: bit.ly/pdR2l1 Ophthalmology, online June 27, 2011.

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Final "Potter" film soars to perfection

By Karina Mitchell Topics Movies Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2."

(Credit: Warner Bros.)

(CBS) And so the epic ends.

Ten years after we were first introduced on the big screen to the boyish charm and acute quick-wit of an undeniably special lad named Harry Potter, the final chapter of a movie series that has morphed into the most prodigious film franchise in history leaves viewers soaring, taking them on one final magical adventure, before coming quietly to rest. The ending to a saga fraught with themes of morality and atonement could not have been more befitting - emotional and epic, yet quiet and subdued.

Pictures: The final "Harry Potter" film
Pictures: "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" premiere
Video: "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" review
Video: The end for "Harry Potter"
Special section: "Harry Potter" through the years

Exhilarating and completely satisfying, yet not overwhelming, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" is symbolic of all the hallmarks of a story that throughout its narrative has both peaked and ebbed, deftly maneuvering between grand, overarching themes, before always coming back to being the tale of a young boy, who has lost his parents, trying to find his way in the world.

"Deathly Hallows: Part 2" picks up exactly where its precursor left off and continues for the first part in a slower paced, somber vein. We see Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) seated at the tombstone of his dear friend Dobby the elf, saying goodbye, before resuming on his quest to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes and Voldemort, with the help of his stalwart friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint).

The quest before them remains daunting and with time running out, as Voldemort becomes increasingly desperate to enable darkness to conquer the boy wizard, Ron and Hermione find themselves on a path that takes them to the underbelly of Gringotts Bank before bringing them back to Hogwarts and into the company of many of the faces fans have come to love (and hate) over the course of seven previous films, including Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith), Sybill Trelawney (Emma Thompson), Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) and Aberforth (Ciaran Hinds), Albus Dumbledore's sour brother. Their search for the Horcruxes serves as the perfect vehicle to conjure up events and images that have previously been so intricately sewn into the fabric of their fantastical tale.

Director David Yates does not put a foot wrong in bringing this excellent adventure to a satisfying conclusion. He takes great strides to make sure every loose end is wrapped up, with no question left unanswered for legions of fans who have followed the masterful tale of wizards and warlocks for a decade. He, together with screenwriter Steve Kloves, couldn't have got it more right. For the many who have quite literally grown up with an angst-ridden Harry and his friends and felt a comparable sense of turmoil in their own world, there will, no doubt, along with the sense of fulfillment and closure Deathly Hallows brings, also come a sense of a certain coming of age.

Radcliffe, Watson and Grint have grown before our eyes into young adults and first rate actors. Their measured performances in this final installment comes from their ability to connect with the characters they play that have become a part of who they have been for the last 10 years of their lives.

The decision by the filmmakers and Warner Brothers to air this final installment in both 2D and 3D is interesting. Having watched this and all the others the old-fashioned way, I'm not sure how much more a 3D version will add. The film is enhanced by the use of strong imagery and special effects, but is never overwhelmed by them. This is a film that holds its own with no superfluous gimmicks necessary.

The overall emotional intensity and sheer brilliance of the simplicity of the performances is what makes this film a winner and one that is movie history in the making. It is monumental cinema and though the franchise may be ending, for Muggles everywhere "Deathly Hallows" will ensure the magic of Harry Potter lives on forever.

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Low 'Empathy' Response in Brain Might Point to Autism Gene

Kind and gentle, 90-year-old woman is a favorite with volunteers.

Just signed up a new client. ?She is 90 years old, a retired teacher who lives on her own in a mobile home in Fremont. ? Because she has a speech impediment I went to her home to do the initial interview/assessment.? Her name is Myrtle and she learned about VIP Rides from a friend that lives in the same mobile home who had used VIP Rides and was pleased with the service.? Myrtle greeted me at the door with a hug and she led me into her kitchen where she had milk and cookies ready for me.

After explaining the program to her she was eager to set up her first appointment.? She had a doctor’s appointment later in the week and was concerned that she might not have a ride.? I assured her that a volunteer would be available for the appointment. ?After her first ride, Myrtle was delighted with the service and set up two more appointments.? So far, every volunteer that has helped Myrtle would like to do so again.? Her kind and gentle ways are a gift.

Lori Vogel
VIP Rides Coordinator
510-574-2096

Could be worse but Resentful Anyway!

by Mary
(santa rosa ca)

Having had my own medical issues for the last 16 months it has been extra hard to push through work and then do stuff for mom. Now that I am just starting to be able to eat more foods without so many problems. I am finding that I feel more angry and resentful each day about all the doctor appointments and everything.
Thankfully, my brother took the helm at the beginning of all this caregiving (he is also resentful and angry to have be the "chosen one").

At first doing mom's stuff didn't seem so bad but now sometimes it feels so intrusive to my own life ( I know I'm selfish and that's the way it is right now). We have other siblings that like to tell us we're doing things "wrong" and like to not be part of a "team" just going rogue and doing things for mom that are not helpful or doing nothing at all and one lives the same distance away.

Even though I feel that acceptance is the answer to my resentments I feel and watch myself struggling against accepting that this is my new life. My new life of "caregiving" is like leading two separate lives...her appointments and her dinner..her needs, my needs, my husband's needs.

It's all pretty overwhelming and yet when I see what other people are going through my situation outta feel like a "walk in the park". My brother and I are both self employed and some days I just have to accept that I will make no money for myself that day (brother goes through this too...) because mom has doctor appointments and other needs. I started logging my time today and what I do. I have heard that counties pay people to give care to their parents and would like to look into that, perhaps being paid for this second "job" will help ease my loss in pay.

I am now only helping mom shower once a week (we hired a wonderful caregiver for the other six days) but I was doing dinner and a shower and a game 3 days a week (not counting other days of appointments, etc. and days when went there 3 times in one day) and trying to work all while being sick myself. When stool incontinence started I just couldn't keep doing so much health care, I never intended to be a nurse...once a first aid teacher said I'm "more like the fast runner who should go call 911" than a nurse.

Thanks for listening/reading I just needed to get this stuff off my chest. I go to a caregiver support group once a month and am considering going to one on one counseling (wish my mom would pay for that!)I realize mom would rather not need our help but even knowing that doesn't help at the moment.

Assisted Living Facilities in Plano Texas

Posted in Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities at 3:23 pm by admin

In Plano Texas there are several assisted living facilities to choose from
but each one may fall under a different class.

There are different class facilities of elder care that are equiped to handle certain types of residents in Plano.

The class of facilities start at A and go up to D. Knowing the class of facility is not important at the outset of searching for an elder care facility in Plano TX but it is good information to have on hand.

Some assisted living facilities will attempt to sign a lease for your parent even while knowing they need placed in a licenced alzheimers care facility. These type of Plano TX assisted living facilities skirt the rules and regulations as the ease of comvincing and moving someone in does not take much and the profits can ve huge.

A typical Plano elderly care facility will make around $3,000 per month on the room, board, care, and daily meals per resident. The managers at these places get a significant portion of their income from bonuses based on staying under budget.

These large bonuses force Plano TX assisted living communities to hire less desirable care workers who make minimum wage or very close to it. It is common for these employees to only do the bare minimum while your elderly loved one sits soiled in their clothes over night.

When shopping for Plano elder care facilities take time to go into the facility at night and during the day. Meet the care workers as they are the ones who will take care of your loved one daily.

Also keep in mind that an older facility near a loved one who can more easily visit is better than a nicer newer facility farther a way from relatives who could normally drop by for a visit.

In summary we recommend a Plano TX assisted living community nearby that has a good care staff with the right ratio of workers to residents. Be sure to go in at night and monitor how the care workers do their job if you are suspicious of lack of care which often happens during the evening and sleeping hours.

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The Lifetime Risk for Osteoporotic Fracture is 50% for Women Over Fifty

At the March 4, Osteoporosis Update at Washington Hospital, I learned a few important things about how to protect my bones.? The first presenter, Dr. Barry Shibuya, clarified the difference for me between osteoporosis and joint pain.?? Osteoporosis is painless, (unless you have a fracture), while osteoarthritis hurts.? Also, osteoporosis medication does not relieve joint pain; it only helps protect the body against future bone loss.

Dr. Shibuya alerted the audience to the harmful effect of steroid medication such as Prednisone on bone loss, saying, “If you take 5 mg of Prednisone for three months or longer, you will lose 25% of your bone density within one year.”? To protect against osteoporosis he recommended exercise to build bones (bones are like muscles, they become stronger through resistive exercises), increasing your intake of calcium and Vitamin D, ending bad habits such as smoking and enrolling in a Fall Prevention program.

Maureen Parent, Coordinator of LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program, spoke after Dr. Shibuya and reiterated the importance of exercise in preventing falls.? She pointed out that falls are the number one reason why seniors lose their independence.? After a fall, the fear of falling again restricts a person’s willingness to engage in normal activities.? And, the more sedentary and homebound they become, the more likely they are to fall again.? People who have completed the 12-week, in-home, Fall Prevention class have reported a significant decrease (up to 70%) in their fear of falling again.

The major risk factors for falls are balance impairments, weak muscles, impaired vision, medications, and home environmental hazards such as inadequate lighting, clutter, throw rugs, as well as the incorrect use of assisted devices such as canes and walkers.? The Fall Prevention program at LIFE ElderCare addresses all of the risk factors through a personalized exercise program, assistance with medication management and assistance with reducing hazards in the home.? Enrollment is continuous so if you are age 60 and older, and are predominately homebound, this is a great way to keep you free from falls.

Rachael Vander Martin, Communications Specialist

See links for more information:

LIFE ElderCare Fall Prevention
Assess your Future Fracture Risk
Dr. Barry Shibuya

Karen's a Mess

by Karen
(Franklin, WI.)

My mom lives with me but talks on the phone to my siblings everyday about me. She is 86 years old and needs a lot of patience. My dad just died and he was a saint. She just ordered him around and he jumped.

I am 60 years old and I can't do it 24 hours a day. I work part time and take care of a 3 year old grandchild almost everyday. I am just like my mom with my negativity. But she is driving me crazy. She treats me like a kid and asked if I locked the doors at night. Tells me how to cook and what to cook, and gets jealous if I go out with friends. She acts like my child but demands I take her to bingo 2 times a week and play puzzles with her. Not that I don't like those things but I have no time for my husband and family. What can I do?

She still yells at people on the phone when she can't figure something out about her bills. I want to take over her money but she doesn't want me to. Help.....

How to Preserve the Dignity for Those Spoon-Fed Elderly

Eating is a vital thing to do to survive. From being a child, we are fed through our parents specifically our mothers. As we grow old, we are the one who made it in order to survive.? For most of us, eating is not just for survival, having tasted the delicious meal and satisfied is a great pleasure of being a human. Satisfaction is the primary motive of being alive. And as part of being satisfied we have the capability of feeding ourselves physically. Then how about when the time comes when we need some one to feed us? Being a weak old elderly, it is a humiliating thing that could happen to our lives. Being spoon-fed like a baby can result to low self-esteem, distress and self-pity. The act of eating is sometimes steep with memories when our elderly remembers their vigorous days. That is why feeding our elderly old people should be in utmost care, skill, respect and dignity.

Caring for Spoon-fed Elderly

Always use positive comments to describe about the food that is being served.? Being courteous promotes self-esteem and self-assurance.Build up routinely activities before meal like hand washing and praying.See to it that his devices are into its places such glasses, dentures and make sure that his/her hearing aids are turned on.Position them in their comfort. Support their head, neck, back and sides with foam or small pillow. Try to position them at 90 degree angle even if they are eating in their bed.Remove things that can hinder even simple moves. You may clear the table sides with tissues, remote control and mails. Employ tables that can allow wheel chair arm section slide below.Don’t forget to ask your elderly how they like the temperature of their food. Check food’s temperature by putting small amount on you wrist. Always warn that the food maybe hot, cold or spicy.Wait until the heat subside and please do not blow on it. We do not what germs are wandering on your mouth. Probably your anti bodies can fight them but how about our delicate elders.Keep the food segregated until your elder ask to mix them. Knowing the fact that older people’s digestive tracts are slowing down, you can moisten those barely hard foods with soup.

Taking good care with our elderly is such a big challenge especially for those elderly caregivers who are assigned for those oldsters with elderly stroke. There are parts of their body that are paralyzed or totally paralyzed.? So it’s hard for them to be fed. Thanks to our senior caregivers who takes care with our elderly old people. They deserve the greatest award anyone could give.

Tags: caring for Spoon-fed Elderly, delicate elders, elderly caregivers, elderly old people, elderly stroke, older people, senior caregivers, Taking good care with our elderly, who takes care with our elderly

Teenage Mom to Mom

by Ceria
(Texas)

I am sixteen years old and my mommy who is 50 years old has just recovered from Meningitis (The bacterial). By recovered I mean that she can talk but that is where the positives stop.

Mom is bed ridden and can only sometimes sit on a chair for a short period of time. At first when mom returned from the hospital, things were as good as they could be with the sole parent, bread winner and caregiver of my household being sick.

We had a great caretaker and although there was some tension in the family, I paid no attention. Mom was on the mend and I was sure that in a few months she would be back to herself. Fast forward a few months, this is not the case. Mom is still bedridden and although she looks like the woman I call 'mom', she is not. She cries and cries and cries and has no qualms about yelling mine and my brother's names over and over to tend to sometimes silly needs. She has a slight mental problem where she sometimes mistakes me for her sister and her coworker.

Her voice has gone up in pitch and she has taken to verbally abusing the new caretaker since the previous one had to quit because of family requirements. Our new caretaker is not as good as the previous one. She comes late, leaves early and brings her children who are quite rambunctious to work with her.

On some days she fails to even show up and I have to take care of mom sometimes for 5 days in a row by myself. My aunt who used to frequent the house is mostly M.I.A because she has been put on bed rest because of pregnancy. The rest of my family members seem not to care. There is also a problem with finances where a family member who I previously used to admire is hellbent on controlling my mother's money. I have no access to my mom's account because of his manipulative ways even though I am essentially the head of the household.

I am so frustrated and sad sometimes. I feel completely lonely. I miss my friends who I barely see because of my duties to mom and some of whom I feel I lost my connection with because of my situation. I feel angry at my family members who visit far and few in between. I miss having a life even though I was never a social butterfly.

Sometimes I am even mean to my mom even though I don't want to be. I even wish her dead or even myself just to end this pit of helplessness and hopelessness I have fallen into. I was hoping to get a job this Summer but that seems less and less likely since the caretaker is showing up less and less frequently. I miss my mom and I miss normalcy.

I once broached the subject of a home to my mom and she freaked out. I love her but I am so sick and tired of everything.
Am I wrong to feel this way? Am I selfish? These questions often fill my mind but I am beginning not to care...

I am only sixteen years old and I don't deserve this. Neither does my mom who has worked her ass off since sixteen to provide for herself and at the time new-born baby. My mom was the unluckiest of her family members and it seems that me as her only daughter seems to be continuing the cycle. My brother who is here has a new baby and is not a strong help in taking care of mommy though he pays the house bills etc. and my other brother is away in England...

Anyway whoever decides to give this a read, thanks for taking the time.

When Yes and No Are the Only Words That Work

This is another story about learning about words that work as they relate to taking care of the elderly who are cognitively impaired, which in my case is my mom. Mom lived at home with 24/7 care (word using ever so cautiously) from home health aides for 4 years (2006-2010) before moving to assisted living. I managed the human resources functions and was the liaison with the aides.

Throughout, I applied the practices and principles I use in my work doing business coaching and life coaching, especially as I learned to adapt communication skills to mom's memory loss. Adapting in the moment or blink of an eye was essential, and I'm blessed that I had the opportunity to learn this in such a profound way.

As part of creating a sense of safety, early on mom and I co-created a ritual in which we engage in during daily conversations. After our ritual greeting, mom says, "Don't ask me any questions about what I did today because I don't remember." I comply, and we talk about what I did.

After 2.5 years we switched care models, moving from the person mom hired (and her team) to using an agency. The agency identified candidates and conducted the initial screenings, after which I interviewed prospects by telephone and if possible in person. The turnover rate of the aides was high-15 in as many months.

At the beginning of 2010, we needed to hire another new person. I interviewed two candidates by phone and then in person. Both my brothers were able to participate in the in person interviews. Satisfied with our selection, the new person began work a few days later.

After our ritual greeting on the third day with the new aide, mom said, "Ask me some questions."

What a dramatic departure. So, I went with a standard, "What did you have for dinner?" She answered with, "I don't remember. Ask me more questions." I continued. "How many symphonies did Mozart (her favorite composer) write?" She gave the correct number.

By then I was sensing she wanted to communicate something important, I asked, "Do you want me to ask you questions to which you can answer yes or no?"
"Yes," she said. I asked, "Is this about the new aide."

Again she said, "Yes."

"Is she treating you kindly?" I asked.

"No," was mom's response.

The next day from the staff at the day program mom attends I learned about the aide's abusive treatment of my mom. With her cognitive impairment and memory loss mom quickly and creatively established a communication system in which the only words that worked were yes and no.

Isn't it time to be heard? To get what you want? To connect? To get in tune with your own voice? To have lasting business and personal relationships? To move from struggling to living the big easy?

Get your FREE copy of "Simple Secrets to Reset Your Mindset" and learn more about Renee Barnow, Mindset Reset Expert, also known as the Agent of Calm ~ http://www.right-line.com/.

Anthony jurors speak, but some carry price tag

(CBS News)?

Some of the jurors who acquitted Casey Anthony of murdering her 2-year-old daughter have started discussing how emotionally draining the verdict was. Others are saying nothing at all. And still others are holding out for a big payday before offering up any jury room revelations.

According to published reports, a publicist for an unnamed juror contacted broadcast news networks demanding a five-figure payment in exchange for his story.

"Our client -- a married, college-educated, 33-year-old white male with two young children -- is willing to consider granting one or more media interviews so long as the opportunities are paid," North Carolina-based publicist Rick French wrote in a note to the networks, according to TMZ.

Casey Anthony to be released Wednesday
Video analysis: Anthony "hit for the maximum"
Video: Casey Anthony sentencing

The New York Times reports that one network executive said the proposed fee was $50,000.

French admitted to TMZ that paid interviews are "always a sticky subject" but insisted his client would not "entertain any offers that don't include compensation for a myriad of reasons."

The first named juror to break her silence was Jennifer Ford, who granted an interview to ABC News.

Complete trial coverage from Crimesider

The 32-year-old nursing student said the jury members were "sick to our stomach to get that verdict" but said there just wasn't enough evidence to convict Anthony.

"In our country ... we have to prove it. You can't just be like, 'Yeah that really looks bad. Smells bad. Looks bad.' I get that. It does:smells bad, looks bad. I get that. But it's someone else's life, and if I'm wrong, and I kill someone else? I can't live with that," she said, referring to the possible death sentence that could have been handed down.

While Ford didn't receive direct compensation from the network for the interview, the Times reported that she and four others were treated to a trip to Disney World. Disney owns ABC.

Casey Anthony jurors explain their thinking
Anthony juror wanted to know how Caylee died
Casey Anthony lawyers slam "media assassination"

Only one other juror who participated in the deliberations has been in contact with the media. The unnamed "Juror No. 2" told the St. Petersburg Times that he wished "we had more evidence to put her away. ... I truly do."

There's no indication he was paid for that interview.

Caring for an Aging America Act (S. 1095) Critical to Address Workforce Shortage to Care for Older Adults

May 27, 2011

Eldercare Workforce Alliance Praises Leadership of Senators Boxer (D-CA), Collins (R-ME), Kohl (D-WI) and Sanders (I-VT)

Washington, D.C. — The Eldercare Workforce Alliance praises Sens. Boxer (D-CA), Collins (R-ME) and Kohl (D-WI), and Sanders (I-VT) for introducing the Caring for an Aging America Act (S. 1095). If enacted, the bill, which is endorsed by the Alliance, recognizes the importance of ensuring that the healthcare workforce is prepared to meet the needs of the nation’s growing population of older adults.

This year the first baby boomers turned 65 years old and by 2029 this group will total an estimated 70 million people, far outpacing our current health care system’s capacity to care for them. The Caring for an Aging America Act will attract health professionals to the field of geriatrics and gerontology by providing them with loan repayment opportunities in exchange for agreeing to work in underserved areas.

"This bill codifies loan forgiveness for health professionals who pursue geriatrics and gerontology training into law. This is critical to recruiting the next generation of health professionals with specialized training in care of older adults. It will help us to ensure that America's frailest elders receive high quality, well-coordinated, interdisciplinary team care," said Nancy Lundebjerg, C.O.O. of the American Geriatrics Society and co-convener of the Alliance. “We commend Senators Boxer, Collins, and Kohl for their leadership on this bill and foresight to invest in a well-trained health care workforce with the skills to care for older adults.”

This bipartisan bill expands the Health Resources and Services Administration’s National Health Service Corps Program to include primary health care professionals with training in geriatrics and gerontology.

"Supporting health professionals who go into geriatrics and gerontology is also supporting family caregivers, who increasingly rely upon the specialized expertise and training of these eldercare professionals," Kathy Kelly, Executive Director of the Family Caregiver Alliance, headquartered in San Francisco.

“By introducing this bill, Sen. Boxer, Kohl, Sanders, and Collins are alerting their fellow members of Congress that there is a critical need to address the elder care workforce shortage by emphasizing the importance of having training in geriatrics and gerontology. I am hopeful that this bill will lead to future congressional action and creation of additional incentives to encourage people to enter into the geriatrics field in order to improve older adults’ access to trained providers," said geriatrician Dr. Jabbar Fazeli from Falmouth, Maine.

The positions of the Eldercare Workforce Alliance reflect a consensus of 75 percent or more of its members. These endorsements reflect the consensus of the Alliance and do not necessarily represent the position of individual Alliance member organizations.

PDF of release

Satisfaction With Life Seems Good for the Heart

Finding Senior Tax Help in Texas

Posted in Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Elder Care, Elderly Care at 2:48 pm by admin

As we mentioned in a previous article, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has been providing free tax help to seniors for decades now. And in recent years their Tax Aide service, provided by volunteer tax preparers all around the country, including all around Texas. Who can take advantage of this valuable service? Most seniors, actually, can apply for this type of elderly care. Those who are either low or middle income seniors who need basic tax help can come by. Those who are high income, or who have complicated returns are advised to seek professional tax help (let’s not trouble the volunteers with something that will take up too much of their time and effort, after all. Better to take those returns to H & R Block or some other professional firm.)

So where can you find help with your taxes? The AARP has set up centers where seniors can come by and get help all around the state, in every major metropolitan area. Pay close attention to the hours listed, and the specific addresses. We will not list every location here by any means, but we will list one or two from each major city.

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FOREST GREEN LIBRARY
Address: 9015 FOREST LN
DALLAS, TX 75243-4114
Telephone: (214) 670-1335
Hours: Thursday only at 12:00PM-4:00PM
Walk-ins are welcome

METRO CREST SOCIAL SERVICES CENTER
Address: 1002 S BROADWAY ST
CARROLLTON, TX 75006-7214
Telephone: (972) 446-2100
Hours: Wed 12:00PM-5:00PM
Sat 9:00AM-12:00PM
Please call for an appointment

MONTROSE LIBRARY
Address: 4100 MONTROSE BLVD
HOUSTON, TX 77006-4936
Telephone: (832) 393-1800
Site Schedule: Mon 2:00PM-6:00PM
Thu 2:00PM-6:00PM
Walk-ins are Welcome

HEIGHTS LIBRARY
Address: 1302 HEIGHTS BLVD
HOUSTON, TX 77008-4209
Telephone: (832) 393-1810
Site Schedule: Tue 12:00PM-4:00PM
Wed 12:30PM-4:30PM
Walk-ins are Welcome

WONDERLAND MALL
Address: IH-410 AT FREDERICKSBURG RD
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78201-6530
Telephone: (210) 385-9833
Site Schedule: Wed 9:00AM-4:00PM
Walk-ins Welcome

BOB ROSS SENIOR CENTER
Address: 2219 BABCOCK RD
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78229-4412
Telephone: (210) 207-5300
Site Schedule: Tue 9:00AM-1:00PM
Thu 9:00AM-1:00PM
Fri 9:00AM-1:00PM
Appointment Required

SOUTH AUSTIN MULTI PURPOSE CTR
Address: 2508 DURWOOD ST
AUSTIN, TX 78704-5444
Telephone: (512) 972-6840
Site Schedule: Wed 12:00PM-4:00PM
Walk-ins Welcome

RUIZ LIBRARY
Address: 1600 GROVE BLVD
AUSTIN, TX 78741-3402
Telephone: (512) 974-7500
Site Schedule: Mon 12:00PM-4:00PM
Wed 12:00PM-4:00PM
Walk-ins Welcome

FORT WORTH CENTRAL LIBRARY
Address: 500 W 3RD ST
FORT WORTH, TX 76102-7305
Telephone: (817) 871-1133
Site Schedule: Wed 10:00AM-2:00PM
Sat 10:00AM-2:00PM
Appointment: Appointment Required

Shamblee Branch Library
Address: 1062 EVANS AVE
FORT WORTH, TX 76104-5135
Telephone: (817) 392-5580
Site Schedule: Mon 3:30PM-7:30PM
Appointment Required

HILOS DE PLATA SENIOR CENTER
Address: 4451 DELTA DR
EL PASO, TX 79905-4316
(915) 533-3207
Site Schedule: Tue 10:00AM-3:00PM
Walk-ins Welcome

Center Name: El Paso Memorial Park Senior Center
Address: 1800 BYRON ST
EL PASO, TX 79930-5104
Telephone: (915) 562-4260
Site Schedule: Mon 10:00AM-3:00PM
Wed 10:00AM-3:00PM
Walk-ins Welcome

Tyler First Presbyterian Church
Address: 230 W RUSK ST
TYLER, TX 75701-165
(903) 581-1809
Site Schedule: Tue 8:30AM-4:30PM
Wed 8:30AM-12:30PM
Thu 8:30AM-4:30PM
Fri 8:30AM-12:30PM
Sat 10:30AM-2:30PM

University Christian Church
Address: 3500 OLD OMEN RD
TYLER, TX 75707-2110
(903) 581-1809
Wed 9:30AM-1:30PM
Walk-ins Welcome

Odessa Northside Senior Center
Address: 1225 ADAMS AVE
ODESSA, TX 79761-4116
(432) 337-5281
Thu 9:00AM-2:00PM
Appointment Required

LUBBOCK SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER
Address: 2001 19TH ST
LUBBOCK, TX 79401-4605
(806) 687-6327
Site Schedule: Wed 9:00AM-3:00PM
Thu 9:00AM-3:00PM
Walk-ins welcome

If you need further help finding TX Assisted Living or other type of senior housing, enter the desired city and care level in the square at the very top of this page.

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I have more Resentment and Anger...

by MHD
(Syracuse, NY)

My mom had a stroke the day after Thanksgiving 2010. I was out of town at the time and rushed home. On the plane ride home, all these thoughts entered and I felt guilty for not spending more time with her or paying more attention to her, etc. I prayed and prayed and promised that if she made it that I would cherish her more and more.

Fast forward to 3 months later and she finally came home after a month in the hospital and 2 months in in-patient rehab. She had paralysis on her right side (her dominant side) and was wheelchair bound. I dropped everything, work and my life, in order to stay home with her to take care of her. I couldn't ask my dad to do that because he was the bread maker of the family.

The first month was rough having to do everything for her. Taking care of her every need. Little by little she was able to slowly walk again, with the assistance of a hemi-walker but her much weakness. It's a start, right?

Once she started walking again, she lost all motivation and hope of even trying to get better. All she would do is lay on the couch all day, not eat, not take her medications and just not want anything to do with life. Signs of depression, I felt and of course insurance only paid for a limited amount of home care therapy and that was done by March.

This past April,she ended up in the hospital again after her 2 day in out-patient therapy because her blood pressure kept increasing and was dangerously high. She stayed in the hospital for a day and we thought that maybe this "scare" was enough to get her motivated to get up and exercise again. In the hospital she promised us she would try, promised this and that...in the end...once she was discharged and came home...she was back to her old self.

Now it's mid-June and I've felt anger and resentment towards her for the past 3 months now. I cringe at the thought of coming home or even being home. I can't stand to talk to her or be anywhere near her. I get irritated when she is 100% capable of doing things yet, she tells her elderly husband that he must do this and that for her. He, feeling guilty himself that she's sick, will do things for her when he knows she can do it and she has to practice doing it in order to get better.

I'm irritated at home all the time and it seems like the more I tell my dad that she can do it, the more he doesn't listen to me. The more I tell her she needs to exercise or go outside and walk around, the more she ignores me as well.

I'm under 30 and everyone tells me I still have my future to worry about. I went back to school for the Spring semester and am hoping to study in the Medical field, like I wanted to before but had to quit school in order to start working and help support the family. None of my siblings are around and everyone around me thinks it's a piece of cake taking care of her. I don't know what else to do and I feel now I am being taken for granted.

What do I do?