The holiday spirit is infectious, even for people suffering from dementia.
But family and friends might need to make some slight adjustments to help a dementia patient b...
Politics, especially the 2024 elections, can quickly turn the family Thanksgiving table into a battleground.
Steering clear of hot-button topics will not only help a big meal go down easier, it has health benefits as well.
Keeping the peace prevents a surge of fig...
Grandchildren are a true blessing for seniors, helping them avoid loneliness and keeping them on their toes, a new poll reports.
Overall, 72% of people with grandkids say they hardly ever feel isolated, compared with 62% of those without grandchildren, according to resul...
When grandparents can lend a hand with little ones, moms are less likely to battle depression.
And, in turn, they are less likely to take antidepressants, Finnish researchers report in the Feb. 15 issue of the journal Population Studies.
Based on a study t...
Being a class clown is something that humans likely inherited from their ape ancestors millions of years before the first banana-peel prank, a new study claims.
Everyone's seen kids tease one other, whether they're poking, pulling hair or engaging in the time-old ritual ...
While marriage can be hard work, a new survey suggests it can also be a powerful elixir for happiness.
Adults who are married report being more satisfied with their lives than those in any other type of relationship, the
When going on vacation, there's a lot to remember, but it's a good idea if you add one more item to the to-do list.
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston suggests creating a family travel medical checklist, to be sure that you and your loved ones stay healthy and safe wh...
Mother's Day can require some creative thinking when your mom has dementia.
"Mother's Day is a time to honor the special mother figures in your life, and if your loved one lives with dementia, it can continue to be special with a few adaptations,"said
There is little that is harder than watching a loved one struggle with depression. So what can you do?
More than you might think, experts say.
First, depression is a mood disorder that can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, socioeconomic status or gender. Symp...
Raiding the cookie jar or candy dish at grandma's house may be a treat, but it can also help ruin children's teeth.
And a new survey found more than two-thirds of mothers reporting that their kids' grandparents gave youngsters sugary foods and beverages, with no limits ...
Genes may have a strong influence over whether kids develop an eating disorder marked by extremely limited food choices, a new study finds.
The study focused on a condition ...
Continuing a decades-long trend, the percentage of American women who've ever had a child declined again in the latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"A lower percentage of women aged 15 to 44 in 2015--2019 had ever had a biological chi...
Many young U.S. adults are estranged from their parents, at least temporarily -- with the father/child bond being especially fragile.
Those are among the findings of a new national study that tracked thousands of parent-child relationships from the 1990s to recent years....
One might expect identical twins to have the same health outcomes.
But it's not just genetics that makes a notable difference in their weight and in how their genes behave, according to a new st...
Millions of Americans will enjoy a hot, nutritious Thanksgiving meal thanks to their local food pantry, often staffed by volunteers. Now, new research spotlights just how important these charities are.
Families who rely on pantries for food assistance come away with $6...
The whole family -- even the youngest members -- can take part in Thanksgiving's hours of food preparation by following some safety tips.
The nation's leading pediatrics organization offers some holiday advice for families with young children.
"There's a lot of exc...
Something -- or rather, someone -- may be standing between moms and a regular exercise routine: their children.
New research from the universities of Cambridge and Southampton in the United Kingdom suggests that fewer than half of mothers met recommended activity levels...
When there are suddenly creepy decorations and lots of knocks at the door from strangers, Halloween can be frightening for someone living with dementia.
It is possible to keep a loved...
When men become parents, a lot changes in their lives -- less sleep and more time devoted to taking care of their children come to mind -- but new research now suggests that distinct changes also unfold in a new father's brain.
Researchers scanned the brains of new fathe...
It can be hard to talk to your loved ones about moving into assisted living, so don't push them too hard and make sure they feel safe and comfortable with the idea, one ...
When the wildly popular TV show "This Is Us"wrapped up its final season this year, it did so with a storyline that showed one of the lead characters dealing with Alzheimer's disease as her...
Financial pressures may have made this a year when some families can't afford pricy extras, such as after-school activities or summer camp.
It's OK to explain this to your kids, said an expert from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who offered tips for the conversat...
If you have a family history of cancer and are considering genetic counseling to measure your risk for the disease, an expert offers some advice.
Genetic counseling can help you understand your family's cancer history and how it applies to you, said Tanya Eble, an associ...
Children raised by same-sex parents are just as well-adjusted as kids raised by different-sex parents, researchers say.
In the new study, the researchers compared 62 Dutch children (aged 6 to 16 years) whose parents were the same sex with 72 kids whose parents were diffe...
It remains one of the most painful images of the pandemic: Families who were not allowed to be by their loved ones' bedside as they waged a lonely battle against COVID in a hospital ICU, with some forced to say goodbye via a smartphone or tablet held by a compassionate nurse w...
Two in five adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder say their mental health is excellent, which is significantly lower than people without the disorder, but still an encouraging finding, according to the authors of a new study.
The structure of teens' families influences their risk of delinquent behaviors such as shoplifting, graffiti or robbery, new research suggests.
For the study, the researchers analyzed survey data gathered between 2016 and 2019 from more than 3,800 14- and 15-year-olds in...
Who hasn't had the urge to trace their roots by buying consumer genetic testing kits? But in a new report, researchers warn that you may come across some unexpected, and potentially troubling, information if you discover relatives this way.
"If you're going to participat...
It's a fate many older women fear: loneliness and isolation as they age. Now, new research suggests those feelings may also predispose them to heart disease.
The findings may be especially relevant now because of social distancing required by the pandemic.
"We are ...
Most gene variants that have been labeled "pathogenic" may make only a small difference in a person's risk of actually developing disease, a new study suggests.
Support from family and friends, along with exercise and sufficient sleep, have helped protect teens' mental health during the pandemic, new research shows.
The study also found that teen girls have been more likely than boys to suffer mental distress during the pandemic...
Sharing food and smooching are two ways babies can suss out whom they can depend on to take care for them, a new study suggests.
The tell-tale clue common to both is a surprising one: saliva.
It can happen so fast.
One moment, a family is eating dinner together like usual. Soon after, they go off to do other things before being brought back together by a child's scream.
That is what unfolded in the Beckman home in State College, Pa., one October ...
For several years, a leading U.S. pediatricians' group has called for middle and high schools to start later in the morning, to help these young people get the right amount of sleep.
Now, new research suggests that students aren't the only ones who benefit from later sta...
Give yourself and your loved ones the gifts of health and safety this holiday season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests.
The agency outlines 12 ways to do that, beginning with a reminder that washing your hands with soap and clean running water...
When a child has severe health problems, the suffering often extends to the entire family, new research finds.
Using data from a single health insurance provider, the study authors assessed nearly 7,000 children with life-threatening conditions and their families, and co...
Many parents want to make the holiday season magical for their kids, but for some the stress they feel trying to live up to that ideal may actually be doing the opposite.
A poll from Michigan ...
When it comes to helping others and your health, it might be better to give than to receive, a new study suggests.
Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 Americans between 34 and 84 about their social involvement and how much they thought they could rely on their family, f...
A return to a more normal holiday season may also mean higher stress levels, so an expert offers some coping tips.
Don't get too focused on buying the perfect presents, making the best dinner or planning the perfect party. Try to be mindful of pleasant things and moments...
A holiday visit with older relatives might be a good chance to help them remove fall risks in their home, an expert suggests.
Older adults' risk of falling may have increased during the pandemic due to declines in physical activity and mobility, along with increased isol...
As American families sit down to celebrate Thanksgiving, a majority of parents say they want to raise grateful kids but they don't think they're succeeding.
Four out of five respondents to a new nationwide poll said children aren't as thankful as they should be, and half...
Parents and children who were separated under the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy have shown lasting psychological trauma -- even after being reunited, a new study finds.
Between 2017 and 2018, more than 5,000 children were separated from their...
Grandmothers can have a strong bond with the little children in their families -- and the connection even shows up on brain scans, researchers say.
The investigators embarked on a unique study, looking at the brains of older women -- not for signs of dysfunction, as with...
For Emily Litvin, this Thanksgiving is going to look different from the last one and she couldn't be happier about it.
"I'm so excited to have some sort of normalcy, especially for my daughter and her cousins. It's nice for them to all get together and experience the tra...
Researchers have created a six-stage process to help families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) deal with the disorder.
"This framework is family-centered, focused on breaking down the barriers that families face from before diagnosis to pr...
Preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rarely receive the gold-standard treatment recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for their condition, a new study reports.
The AAP recommends a behavioral therapy technique called "paren...
Bullying by a brother or sister in childhood can have lasting effects, threatening mental health in the teen years, new British research suggests.
Researchers found that mental health was affected whether one was the bully or the victim.
"Of particular note was the...
Eating well and exercising regularly can be a challenge for anyone. But for those with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities, that challenge is exponentially greater.
Many young men and women with autism and intellectual disabilities face a significa...
Seeing a parent abuse a sibling can be as traumatizing as watching a parent hurt another parent, a new study finds.
And it can lead to depression, anxiety and anger, researchers say.
"When we hear about exposure to family violence, we usually think about someone be...