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Caregivers need to take care of themselves, too

CONCORD, N.H. — For Jessica Renda, the breaking point was a particularly chaotic Christmas season. Consumed by her eldest daughter’s mental and behavioral health struggles, she stopped exercising or doing anything else that brought her joy. Forget holiday magic, she was barely hanging on. “After that, I was like, ‘I really need to take care of myself,’” she said. “We always tell people that old cliché: It’s like the oxygen mask on a plane. But it’s really true. You can’t be a successful or good caregiver to somebody else if you’re not taking care of ...

Types of arthritis and what’s behind each

Arthritis affects people all over the world. Approximately 53.2 million adults in the United States have doctor-diagnosed arthritis, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But many more suffer in undiagnosed silence. Globally, nearly 300 million people may live with arthritis. Arthritis can range from mild to debilitating and stem from a variety of causes. Understanding what's behind arthritis can help people get the treatment they need. Here are the major types of arthritis and their causes. • Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, says ...

Group gift busts budget of family member

DEAR ANNIE: My siblings and I usually go in on gifts for my parents for birthdays and holidays. Since there are five of us, we can pool enough for something really nice, such as new golf clubs or a weekend away, rather than five smaller separate gifts. My dad’s birthday is coming up, and my sister sent around her usual text to coordinate. The problem is my finances are especially tight this year. My car needed a ton of work last month, my landlord just raised the rent, and I’m still paying off student loans. I don’t want my dad to think I care less, and I don’t want my ...

HINTS FROM HELOISE: Use sock to fix any scratches on glasses

DEAR HELOISE: If your magnifying glasses keep getting scratched, try putting the glass part (or plastic part) into a snug-fitting sock. It stays on well and does the trick. Also, for short pieces (up to approximately 5 inches, per se) of metal or plastic, small bars, dowel rods, small pipes, etc., I tie together several PVC pipes, which are usually 4 inches long. I use conduit strapping, which comes in a roll and has small and big holes in it already; I cut a piece of strapping to go along the front of the PVCs (making it longer than the PVCs I have lined up) and screw the strapping ...

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Irregular heartbeat often can be normal

DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently used the term “abnormal irregular heartbeat.” I’ve had an irregular heartbeat for decades without seemingly ill effects. My doctors haven’t put any restrictions on my vigorous cycling or any other activities that I do at 84 years old. Does this mean that I have normal irregular heartbeats? Is there an implied difference by your use of “abnormal”? — S.B. ANSWER: The answer is more complicated than it might seem. A perfectly regular heartbeat is, perhaps counterintuitively, not normal. The heart should respond to subtle changes in chest ...