“Being mindful involves the nonjudgmental awareness of the sensations, thoughts and emotions of the present moment. It allows you to choose a more appropriate response to what is happening around you rather than acting automatically or without thinking.” (U.S. News)
Mindfulness can counteract stress and anxiety by keeping one’s attention on the present. This is in contrast to spending your time mulling over past mistakes or worrying about what might happen in the future.
Stuff has a way of accumulating, doesn’t it, in just about every room in your home?
No matter how hard you try, there is that drawer that always seems full of junk, that closet that has defied organization. The medicine cabinet? Forget about it! 
Fortunately, Parade.com offers general decluttering tips that can work in every room of the house, starting with keeping all flat surfaces clear. That, all by itself, can give your home a more clutter-free appearance. Throw what needs discarded into a recycling bin or in trash bags, and store what you can in drawers and cupboards — and hang what can be hung on hooks. Decide what storage solutions will work best, using areas that are under-utilized, such as putting seasonal clothes in soft garment bags under a bed.
If you’re confused about the progress of the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, there may be a good reason why. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are at least 124 different vaccines in development stages for COVID-19, with at least 10 in clinical trials. 
There are risks in accelerating vaccine development, a CBS News report shares, with researchers and developers needing to balance speed with safety.
Five of the vaccine developers have been designated as participants in Operation Warp Speed (OWS). They were selected by the Trump administration as part of a “national program to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.”
Topics: coronavirus
Log on to any social media platform and you’re likely to see them: News articles and graphics claiming things like the coronavirus vaccine will have implantable chips in it or that California will receive 13 extra seats in Congress because of 10 million illegal aliens in the 2020 census.
Misinformation like this is rampant on social media, and with the election coming up and COVID-19 updates and protests about social justice happening daily, it can be difficult to find the facts among the fiction. 
And while a study showed that a small percentage of people share fake articles, those over 65 are seven times more likely to post articles from fake news sites as those under age 29.
Study authors speculate that the reason people 65 and older are more prone to share false information is that they lack the digital literacy of younger generations. So how can you be sure that what you’re reading and sharing is factual? Here are some tips.
As more and more states begin slowly reopening, you may be ready to get back to some of the activities you enjoy. Or you may be feeling a little anxious about getting back out into the community. Whatever the case, it’s important to keep in mind that just because things are reopening, it doesn’t mean the risk from coronavirus has disappeared.
The CDC released new information for how to safely reopen establishments, however, because older adults are among those at high risk for complications, it’s still
recommended you practice social distancing, avoid large crowds and wash your hands after returning from public places.
If you do go out, be aware of these tips to remain safe and healthy:
As we continue to navigate through COVID-19, we’re reminded of how important family and friends are in times of need.
Have you thought about who will care for you as you age? Chances are, you’ll need
some kind of care as you age, and if you think your family or other loved ones can deliver that care, you might want to reconsider.
Today, 1 in 5 (53 million) Americans are caregivers, providing care to an adult or child. And new research from the AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) reveals that the job is tougher than it was in 2015.
“1 in 4 people ages 20 to 69 who reported that their hearing was good to excellent were found to have hearing damage.” (AARP)
Perhaps you hear perfectly well during quiet days at home but don’t when there’s loud noise — and so you don’t even consider that you might have a hearing problem. 
After all, it’s because of the background noise, not because of a problem you have, right? Well, maybe.
If you’ve been worried about going into a doctor’s office during the COVID-19 pandemic, here’s some good news: Medicare coverage has been expanded to include telehealth services, something you can benefit from in the safety and comfort of your own home.
The benefits of this technology include how people can safely practice social 
distancing, which can help to prevent the spread of the virus and protect patients, healthcare workers and family caregivers.
Topics: coronavirus
You’ve heard of your body’s immune system, but did you know that your brain has one too? This psychological immune system protects your emotional health just as your physiological immune system protects your physical health.
Emily Rosenzweig, a senior behavioral scientist at Ochsner Health, a healthcare 
system in Louisiana, says to think of the psychological immune system like this: “A range of mental processes triggered by a threat to our sense of self-esteem, self-worth and self-concept.”
Here's what you need to know about this emotional protector.
Whether you’re taking advantage of telehealth appointments because of the COVID-19 outbreak or for the convenience they offer, visiting your doctor virtually can take some getting used to. Here’s what you can do to get the most out of your telehealth appointments.
