Online Features
Senior Living
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Nursing home admissions avoided with simplified prescription packaging
(BPT) - Numerous factors impact a senior’s ability to live independently, such as health and memory problems, mobility issues, and care coordination concerns. Often overlooked is the fact that one quarter of all nursing home admissions are the result of poor medication adherence. Representing a loss of independence, be...
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Boomers and beyond: A 5-step action plan for keeping your heart healthy
(BPT) - More baby boomers and older adults are taking a proactive approach to heart health. Living a heart-healthy lifestyle in your golden years and dealing with any type of diagnosis head-on is the smart way to keep your heart pumping strong for many years to come. Following these five easy steps can help you take con...
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Chronic pain sufferers urged to seek safe relief from pain physicians
(BPT) - When a person is in pain, he or she will seek options to attempt to reduce or eliminate the pain. For minor pains like headaches, muscle aches and small wounds, often over-the-counter drugs can help reduce suffering. But people with chronic pain may have to search for other solutions. More than 100 million Amer...
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Untreated hearing loss can strain relationships with loved ones, but there is hope
(BPT) - Hearing loss is much more common than most people realize. In fact, it is such a prevalent condition that only arthritis and hypertension affect more people. If left untreated, the consequences of hearing loss can be severe and greatly impact the quality of life and personal relationships of those affected. Wors...
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Five steps to help improve financial - and physical - health
(BPT) - Plans to improve health and finances are among the most common resolutions Americans make each year. Both are worthy goals, but did you know that improving your financial health may boost your physical health as well? “Money problems are a well-known cause of stress, and the negative impact that stress has on o...
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New year, new vision: see clearly in 2013
(BPT) - The beginning of the year is the most popular time for eye exams and a great time to assess if your corrective lenses are the best fit for you. See 2013 clearly with healthy eyes by following these five simple tips from optometrist, Dr. Tamara Dunn.    1. Start with an eye exam Our eyes age and change just lik...
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Five things you may not know about hearing aids
(BPT) - Hearing aids – those two words alone may conjure up images of unattractive, beige devices that your father or grandmother once wore before finally throwing them in a drawer, never to be seen again. And who could blame them? In the past, hearing aids were big, bulky and fragile – incapable of getting wet or dirty...
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Advice for families coping with an older driver's changing abilities
(BPT) - As we age, and watch our loved ones grow older, it’s important to think about – and plan for – a time when we may no longer be able to drive. But how do we decide when it’s time to transition from driver to passenger? In our busy suburban communities driving is essential to an independent lifestyle, and the dec...
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This holiday season, share your financial and care inventory with those who need to know
(BPT) - Each year, thousands of Americans are thrust into the uncomfortable role of making long-term care decisions for their family members. These emotional decisions can create stressful situations for the entire family, in addition to being time-consuming and expensive. Fortunately, there is a way to help reduce the...
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Closing the financial planning gender gap
(BPT) - While it’s a bit of a stereotype to say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, when it comes to financial planning styles, the fact remains the sexes are worlds apart in their approach to saving and investing. Prudential Financial’s latest biennial study on the Financial Experience and Behaviors Among Wome...
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Retirement planning? Tips for getting the most out of Social Security
(BPT) - The majority of Americans support continuing the Social Security program, even if they are decades away from drawing benefits, a 2010 survey by AARP found. Nevertheless, with the program’s future financial viability an ongoing subject of political debate, many people may undervalue the role Social Security can...
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Caregiver 101: Creating a safe and happy environment for your loved ones
(BPT) - Nearly 66 million people, or 29 percent of the U.S. adult population, are providing care to someone who is ill, disabled or aged, according to the National Center for Caregiving. And, according to AARP, 61 percent of family caregivers who are 50-plus also work either full-time or part-time. How can busy caregive...
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national news
Boy Scouts of America votes to end century-old ban on gay scouts

Jennifer Tyrrell hugs Pascal Tessier after a resolution passed to allow openly gay scouts in the Boy Scouts in GrapevineBy Marice Richter GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to lift a century-old ban on openly gay scouts in a major victory for gay rights activists, but the decision means a sea of change for an organization that depends heavily on faith-based groups. More than 60 percent of the group's National Council, comprised of some 1,400 delegates, voted in favor of ending the ban, effective January 1, 2014, the group said in a statement. A prohibition on openly gay adult leaders remains in place. ...


Thu May 23 21:55:35 UTC 2013
Bridge collapses in Washington state, sending cars into river

I-5 Bridge Collapses On Skagit River In WashingtonBy Jonathan Kaminsky OLYMPIA, Washington (Reuters) - Part of a four-lane freeway bridge over a river in a rural area north of Seattle collapsed on Thursday, sending vehicles and people into the frigid water below, authorities said. The collapse on Interstate 5 over the Skagit River happened at about 7 p.m. local time between the towns of Mount Vernon and Burlington, 55 miles north of Seattle, Washington State Patrol spokesman Trooper Mark Francis said. "I've got reports of vehicles and people in the water," Francis said. He added that he did not know if anyone was injured. ...


Thu May 23 23:23:55 UTC 2013
Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes Northern California: U.S. Geological Survey
(Reuters) - A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck in Northern California on Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter of the quake was located 2 miles north-northeast of the town of Canyondam, the USGS said. An initial report said the quake was magnitude 5.9. A 5.7 magnitude quake is considered moderate, but has the potential to cause considerable damage. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. (Writing by the Americas Desk)
Thu May 23 23:15:10 UTC 2013
Boy Scouts vote to end ban on gay youth members
[Updated at 6:55 p.m. CT] DALLAS – The Boy Scouts of America, one of the country’s largest and oldest youth organizations, decided on Thursday to break 103 years of tradition by allowing openly gay members into its ranks. The controversial move was approved by more than 60 percent of the approximate 1,400 votes cast by [...]
Thu May 23 18:55:38 UTC 2013