The federal government and a private laboratory have no duty under state law to protect the public from lethal materials, their lawyers told the Florida Supreme Court on Monday in a lawsuit over the anthrax death of a supermarket tabloid photo editor. ...more

May 6, 2008

Dear Lyn: My husband is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. His memory isn't good and he gets confused. Our only grandchild's wedding is in June. I'm looking forward to it and he's still social enough to enjoy the celebration. It's just that we have to fly and I'm worried about the stress of crowded airports and possibly losing him. Any suggestions you have that could help make traveling with him easier for both of us would be greatly appreciated. – Mildred ...more

February 15, 2008

University of Minnesota's Extension Service developed the course "Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate?" It's a guide for meaningfully passing on personal belongings. Becky Rousch teaches it locally to members of Lifetime Learners Institute at SFCC. All sorts of information on the subject can also be obtained at http://www.yellowpieplate.umn.edu. The Web site and the course improve the decision-making process of who gets what. Practical advice is given on how to begin communication with family members to help ascertain what "things" they may be interested in acquiring when an elder passes. Knowing which items are of interest to individual family members and why they mean something to them can help when distributing personal property, thus, making the transfer of ownership more meaningful for all concerned. ...more

February 15, 2008

Casting doubt on the benefit of low-calorie sweeteners, new research released Sunday reported that rats on diets containing saccharin gained more weight than rats given sugary food. ...more

February 10, 2008

Dear Lyn: I read your column on long-distance caregiving. My parents live across the country. Caregiving may be in my future someday, but the thought of reversing roles and caring for them seems unreal to me. Would things be easier if I ask them to move near me now? — Curious ...more

January 31, 2008

Somehow, we got talking about Santa impersonators we've known in our lifetime. Maybe that's part of aging – reminiscing. Or, maybe it's simply because we came across two old pictures. One is of Lyn at age three taken with someone posing as Santa at Marshall Field's department store in Chicago. That Santa impersonator was really classy and most likely his long white beard was natural. Lyn can even remember the wool coat and matching hat she wore. The photographer caught Santa and Lyn close-up. They were engaged in deep conversation. Well, Santa was talking to Lyn. She says she doesn't recall what he said – although, she apparently wasn't buying it. By the look on her face she was saying to herself, "I don't believe a word of this. Who is this guy anyway?" ...more

December 14, 2007

Hello Lyn: My father has 24/7 care in his home. He has dementia, yet is quite independent. His caregivers cook and otherwise just keep an eye on him as he continues to do his "chores." (In other words, he doesn't require any "hands-on" care.) My question is: What is considered an appropriate gift for these wonderful people? I want them to know how much I appreciate their help. I don't know if it's appropriate to give cash. Can I give different gifts to each person? Do I give gifts to the helpers who work for agencies? Is there a "formula" like one day's pay? ...more

December 7, 2007

Lyn's new column, The Caregiver's Caregiver, first appeared last July in 4You, Tampa Tribune's magazine for health, fitness, nutrition and appearance. Kim Franke-Folstad, editor of 4You, recognized the need for caregivers to take as good care of themselves as they do the loved ones in their care. The subject is one Lyn has been involved in since the 1980s when she began helping care for both her father and her grandmother. Her father suffered with Alzheimer's disease for 13 years. Her grandmother did not have dementia, but she grew increasingly frail and unable to care for herself. She lived to be 95. Lyn's many magazine articles on caring for caregivers and her book filled with practical caregiving tips earned her the nickname "the caregiver's caregiver." Therefore, naming the new column was easy. ...more

December 7, 2007

Nov. 15, 1997 was a special day our family will long remember. With the words, "I do," our youngest daughter and the love of her life became man and wife –– a brand new family of two ready to step out on their own. At the reception, the groom danced with his mother to the song she requested. It was "I'll Be Home for Christmas." His birthday is Dec. 24. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Photos of the day can still be found throughout our home nearly 10 years after the event. They now share space with photos of the two children who eventually made them a family of four. As our daughter and son-in-law prepare to celebrate their 10th Anniversary, we find ourselves naturally thinking back on their wedding day. We recall dancing together to "New York! New York!" and Bill dancing with Lyn's Mom to "Chicago, My Kind of Town." Ah, yes, all wonderful memories to treasure. And then, there's the memory of a somewhat unusual incident that's lasted in a most unique way. Minutes before our daughter was to toss her cascading bouquet of roses and ivy into the eager arms of one of her bridesmaids, Lyn retrieved a small scissors from her purse. She quietly proceeded to snip off many long strands of the green ivy. The bride, her grandmother, and father looked on in wonder. Lyn merely said, "Trust me." ...more

November 2, 2007

Dear Lyn: I'm a caregiver and I'm writing a journal. It's helping me in ways I can't explain, but I wanted to suggest journaling to fellow caregivers and ask you to address the advantages of keeping a journal. — Maggie ...more

October 26, 2007