Lutein is a naturally occurring molecule found in dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens.

If you suffer from this age related sight disorder and have trouble seeing the keys on your computer keyboard, you may be interested in our enlarged computer keyboards in our Leisure Products department and our telephones with enlarged (even Braille) keys in our Phones and Pagers department.

2.) Words From A Wise Woman......

Wisdom just flows from this inspiring story from a very wise lady. Even though probably fictional, this lady is a true heroine:

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, the attendant provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.

"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight- year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it!

It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice: I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or I can get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in.

So, her advice to us would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories.

3.) Household Dangers Are The Leading Cause of Burns In The Elderly.

(Courtesy of Advances for Nurses at http://www.advancefornurses.com.)

A study of elderly burn victims in the Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation observed that 70 percent of the burn victims surveyed were burned in their homes ("A Survey of Risk Factors for Burns in the Elderly and Prevention Strategies," 2002).

The U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Incident Reporting System observed that the leading causes of fire injury in the elderly were cooking, smoking and heating-related. The leading causes of death were the same, though in different order: smoking, heating and cooking-related.

Physical and cognitive deficits that frequently accompany the aging process increase the risk for fire injury. Motor or balance problems, for example, can slow a person's escape from a fire. Vision and hearing deficits reduce an person's ability to detect common signs of fire or hear smoke detectors.

Reduced touch sensation and slow response time can diminish an older adult's ability to sense a burn when it happens. Older adults often sustain scald burns from tap water due to prolonged exposure to water that is too hot. An elderly person with cognitive deficits may forget to turn off the stove or heating appliance, may leave food cooking and wander away, and is often less aware of safety hazards that can increase burn risk.

Another factor contributing to the severity of the injury and its ability to heal is the long waiting period before many older adults with burn injuries seek treatment.

Treatment Problems:

Often, factors related to aging can complicate the rehabilitation process. Skin degradation, for example, can slow healing and limit achievable range of motion. Their skin often can't take the tension of stretching.

Another major concern during treatment is whether the patient has any memory and recognition problems. Cognitive issues can make treating elderly burn patients more difficult. "Elderly patients may have more issues with memory, maybe early onset of dementia, or a lesser awareness of safety, which may have contributed to their burns."

Memory problems also can be an obstacle to follow-through on prescribed exercises. It is important that patients are able to follow the program and can repeat instructions. Often, experts say a burn patient may have shown signs of cognitive decline, but the family doesn't address it until it results in a dropped cigarette or a burner left on.

Other problems such as congestive heart failure may limit health care workers' ability to administer fluid to the patient. Overall, it often takes roughly two to three weeks longer to return an elderly patient to recovery.

Prevention:

Because a significant percentage of burns among the elderly population happen in the home, modifying the home environment to reduce burn risk is a major concern.

Many hosptials perform a safety check with each patient prior to discharge. This includes working in the hospital's kitchen to talk about hazards and try out modifications. They prefer to do the safety check just prior to discharge because the emotional and physical trauma of the burn have subsided. The patient can be more receptive to suggestions and precautions, and the information will be fresh in his mind when he returns home.

Unfortunately, older adults can be reluctant to make changes in the way they do things. Most older adults have a routine in their own environment, and they don't want to change that.

Prevention is the key. Make an escape plan. Check smoke alarms. Keep a fire extinguisher in the house. If you love your family, you'll do this for them.

4.) Another Danger of E-mail

If you don't get a chuckle out of this, then you need immediate medical treatment!

A couple from Minneapolis decided to go to Florida for a long weekend to thaw out during one particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the very same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years ago.

Because both had jobs, they found it difficult coordinating their travel schedules. It was decided that the husband would fly to Florida on Thursday, and his wife would follow him the next day.

Upon arriving, as planned, the husband checked into the hotel. In his room, there was a computer, so he decided to send his wife an e-mail, back in Minneapolis. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address, and sent the e-mail, without realizing his error.

In Houston, a widow had just returned from her husband's funeral. The dearly departed was a minister of many years, who had been called home to glory, following a heart attack. The widow checked her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends. Upon reading the first message, she fainted.

The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen, which read:

To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I've Arrived.

I know you are surprised to hear from me.
They have computers here now,
and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones.
I've just arrived and have been checked in.
I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow.
Looking forward to seeing you then!
Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

P.S. Sure is hot down here!

5.) A PAWSitive Look at Pets and The Aging - Science Supports the Human-Animal Bond

An article from PAWSitive InterAction, the public-private community partnership committed to promoting and celebrating the human-animal bond, invites people to "Think PAWSitively" about aging. Titled, "Pets and The Aging, Science Supports the Human-Animal Bond," the article highlights medical research that underscores the health benefits of pets as we grow older.

"Pets and The Aging" discusses findings that were presented in 2003 at an educational summit -- "Think PAWSitive! 2003" -- where medical experts discussed the important role pets play in helping people combat the rigors of aging. Presented by PAWSitive InterAction, a non-profit alliance of Atlanta-based animal-loving organizations, the summit was hosted at Emory University in collaboration with the Emory Center for Health in Aging. The summit brought together medical experts and thought leaders from a variety of disciplines including oncology, gerontology, psychiatry, veterinary medicine and senior living to discuss the positive health impact from pets as we grow older.

"Seniors with pets have 21 percent fewer physician visits, lower blood pressure and better coping skills," said Mayo Clinic cancer specialist Dr. Edward Creagan. As a featured summit speaker, Dr. Creagan cited studies about how pet ownership can help lower blood pressure, decrease loneliness and help increase one's survival rate from a heart attack. "The pet you rescue will really rescue you," said Dr. Creagan, who prescribes "getting a pet" as one of his seven strategies for healthy living.

At the summit, Dr. Rebecca Johnson, associate director for research, Center of Excellence on Aging, University of Missouri-Columbia, presented research that shows so-called "happiness" hormones -- such as serotonin -- increase after quiet interaction with a dog. Building on this research, Dr. Johnson is exploring the possibility of linking these findings with ways to combat depression using animal-assisted therapy. "Would it be possible to decrease the use of antidepressants by improving the patients' serotonin levels with pets? It's a compelling question."

According to Dr. Sandra Barker, director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University, "These findings are especially relevant to seniors, who are most likely to experience loneliness and depression." Dr. Barker led a summit panel discussion about the importance of pets as social support for the elderly, punctuated by a necdotal stories that brought the research to life.

According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), a baby boomer turns 50 every 7.5 seconds -- and by the year 2050, one in five people worldwide will be over 60. Many will live in an eldercare facility, where, in the past, animals were generally prohibited. Today, some eldercare facilities have made strides in the important decision to allow residents to keep pets. Other facilities arrange for visits by therapy dogs and cats or expose residents to the human-animal bond through wild bird feeders and field trips to zoos or nature centers.

"As people increasingly seek healthy lifestyles and ways to age well, PAWSitive InterAction is dedicated to promoting awareness about the significant role animals can play in our lives at any age," said Sharon Gruber, President, PAWSitive InterAction. "'Pets and The Aging, Science Supports the Human-Animal Bond' is part of a growing body of scientific evidence confirming what many pet owners instinctively understand-animals can do more than lift your spirit, boost your energy and increase your activity level. They can significantly enhance your physical and mental health."

Each member organization of PAWSitive InterAction fosters opportunities for people to experience the human-animal bond. Founding members include Zoo Atlanta, Pets Are Loving Support (PALS), Happy Tails Pet Therapy, Atlanta Humane Society, and Merial, makers of FRONTLINE(R) and HEARTGARD(R). For more information, visit http://www.pawsitiveinteraction.org.

6.) Philosophical Ponderings........

1. Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.

2. Marriage changes passion. Suddenly you're in bed with a relative.

3. I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it. So I said "Implants?" She hit me.

4. I don't do drugs. I get the same effect just standing up fast.

5. Sign in a Chinese Pet Store: "Buy one dog, get one flea ..."

6. I live in my own little world. But it's okay. They know me here.

7. I got a sweater for Christmas. I really wanted a screamer or a moaner.

8. If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

9. I don't approve of political jokes. I've seen too many of them get elected.

10. There are two sides to every divorce: Yours and Ain't No Way's.

11. I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.

12. I am a nobody and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

13. Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive.

14. How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

15. Isn't having a smoking section in a restaurant like having a peeing section in a swimming pool?

16. Why is it that most nudists are people you don't want to see naked?

17. Snowmen fall from Heaven unassembled.

18. Every time I walk into a singles bar, I can hear Mom's wise words: "Don't pick that up, you don't know where it's been!"

19. A good friend will come and bail you out of jail, but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "D___ ... that was fun!"

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