Health Expert Suzanne Mintz shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/99/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/99/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/99/index http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/2681/its-month Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:36:00 -0500 Suzanne Mintz November is a time to recognize and support family caregivers, build awareness about our situation, and speak up for our rights. Each November since the mid-nineties, the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) has organized a national celebration and time of awareness in support of family caregivers. This year is no different. The NFC Month theme this year is:Believe Protect Reach OutBelieve in Yourself. Protect Your Health. Reach Out for... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/2681/its-month http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/44850/talk-doctors-listen Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:26:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz ‘I’m sorry, we need answers here now.’ And I don’t go away until we get them, whether it’s a phone conversation or I’m standing in the doctor’s office.      Would you like to learn to have the gumption to say this? You can by attending the National Family Caregivers Association’s FREE TeleClass series entitled Communicating Effectively with Healthcare... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/44850/talk-doctors-listen http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/40510/campaign-caregivers Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:33:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz The conventions are over and the campaign is going into its final days. This is a big election for family caregivers because healthcare reform is going to be a major issue for the next president, regardless of who he is.   But family caregiving is not an issue that is at the top of the list of either presidential candidate or members of Congress. Our problems and solutions for them are not discussed on the campaign trail, so how do we get... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/40510/campaign-caregivers http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/36881/calling-suggestions Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:25:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz Whimsy isn't a word I associate with caregiving, and I doubt if anyone else does either; yet I did something very whimsical the other day, and I'm really glad I did. It made me feel great.   I had a design painted on my big toes. I usually get a pedicure every six weeks or so, but this is different. I now have flowers on my toes, bright yellow ones, with a dab of white and black for emphasis. They sit on a muted dark rosy background. They... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/36881/calling-suggestions http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/34426/neighbors Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:02:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz "It's what neighbors do," says Debra every time I thank her for helping us out. The point is not that most neighbors are as willing to help as Debra helps us. The issue is that you'll never know unless you ask and not all family caregivers and care recipients are willing to reach out or except help if it is offered.   Sure you need time to get over your pride, we all do, but once you've managed that hurdle there is no real excuse not to... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/34426/neighbors http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/30180/caregiving-specific Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:19:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz Family caregiving is most often thought of as an experience that comes with our parents aging, and that of course is true, but caregiving isn't age specific. It can happen at any time. My husband was diagnosed with MS when he was 31. Children are born with Downs Syndrome and teenagers are in car accidents.   There is a growing subpopulation of family caregivers who need our attention now -- the parents, partners, spouses, children,... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/30180/caregiving-specific http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/27447/healthcare-literacy Fri, 09 May 2008 16:05:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz Everyone knows that one of the keys to success is education and that holds true for family caregivers as well.  In our case, the terminology is called "health literacy."  What exactly do I mean by health literacy?    It is generally defined as our capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and the health services we need in order to make appropriate health decisions for ourselves and our loved... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/27447/healthcare-literacy http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/24095/things-people Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:51:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz With the presidential election looming there is a great deal of buzz about what a new administration will bring. Among those of us who are wrapped up in the issues of healthcare reform, there is a palpable level of energy in the air. You hear around town: "This is our time. We have a window that will stay open only for a few years. We must be ready to propose solutions right after the election." I am hopeful that true healthcare... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/24095/things-people http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/21831/hospitals-kill Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:49:00 -0400 Suzanne Mintz I am on a plane as I write this, returning from a meeting about patient safety. I'm involved with a number of organizations that deal with this topic. Sometimes the meetings are a bit esoteric and include discussions that are somewhat too clinical for my non-medical brain to follow. But at other times we discuss issues that shouldn't be issues at all - for example the fact that medical personnel don't always wash their hands before... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/21831/hospitals-kill http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/20325/healthcare-myths Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:47:00 -0500 Suzanne Mintz While listening to one of the Republican debates prior to the South Carolina primary I was horrified to hear all of the candidates say that America had the best healthcare system in the world. The reality is we don't. By virtually every statistical measure we fall behind many other countries. Ours is for sure the most expensive healthcare in the world, but not the best. America doesn't have the highest life expectancy in the world.... http://www.healthcentral.com/caregiver/c/99/20325/healthcare-myths