PART OF THE VITALITY ARTS SPECIAL REPORT When Ronald Braunstein takes center stage to conduct his orchestra, there’s no sign of his bipolar disorder. He’s self-assured and happy. It wasn’t always that way for the 63-year-old. After graduating from Jull… Continue reading
The practice of prescribing social activities as an alternative or complement to medication for a variety of ailments has become more common in countries such as Canada and the U.K., and it appears some people are finding it beneficial in the United St… Continue reading
When you’re responsible for the care of a loved one, thoughts of escaping to a white sand beach, a fun, bustling city or even just a nearby charming little town may seem out of the realm of possibility. But caregiving experts agree that planning for le… Continue reading
(This article appeared previously in Kaiser Health News.) For years, Dr. Linda Fried offered older patients who complained of being lonely what seemed to be sensible guidance. “Go out and find something that matters to you,” she would say. But her well… Continue reading
You get cancer. You get it fixed. After treatment ends, you get something new: a black cloud that can follow you around for decades. Is this normal? “There is no ‘normal’ end date for fears after a brush with cancer,” says Dr. Lidia Schapira, medical d… Continue reading
(Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) Millions of Americans aged 65+ are struggling with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or dementia, and the prevalence of depression in older adults is expected… Continue reading
Bereavement is an old-fashioned term, harking back to an era when family members who lost a loved one dressed in black, literally wearing their grief for all to see. Today, mourning a death has few rules, traditions or identifiers. But research indicat… Continue reading
Have you taken a few minutes lately to stop what you’re doing, unplug from your electronic devices and just focus on your breathing? If you’re a woman who is going through menopause or will be in the near future, this basic, beginning practice of mindf… Continue reading
(Editor’s Note: It’s sad that we now have to add two more incidents of mass shootings to a list that has become disturbingly long. The shooters in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, on Aug. 4 and 5, 2019, killed 31 people and wounded at least another 50… Continue reading
When you look in the mirror and expect to see a younger version of yourself but, instead, someone with worry lines and crow’s feet stares back, it can be disheartening. Because our culture values youth and beauty over age and experience, you may have u… Continue reading