Social isolation

The Challenge of Effectively Eliminating the Odor of Malodorous Wounds

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Social isolation, Caregiver, Patient, Embarrassment, Quality of life, Pain, Nausea, Business, Wound healing, Depression, Residential care

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wound malodors are a serious and common struggle for patients and caregivers. Unpleasant odors from chronic wounds are difficult to address, though. Cinesteam®'s odor-control dressing is a breakthrough medical device that offers a simple, elegant solution to the problem.

Key Points: 
  • FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wound malodors are a serious and common struggle for patients and caregivers.
  • Unpleasant odors from chronic wounds are difficult to address, though.
  • Cinesteam®'s odor-control dressing is a breakthrough medical device that offers a simple, elegant solution to the problem.
  • Cinesteam® goes on top of the primary dressing, where it adsorbs smells, and diffusing its own pleasant odor.

Chegg Announces 2nd Annual Global Student Mental Health Week Amid Growing Loneliness Epidemic

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Mental Health, Technology, Software, Internet, Continuing, Training, University, Health, Education, Artificial Intelligence, Social isolation, Collection, Anxiety, Mental health, Caregiver, Student, Multimedia, NAMI, Friends, Dream, The Jed Foundation, Sleep, Loneliness, JED, Digital, World Health Organization, Mental, Mental disorder, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, Ad Council, Instituto Ayrton Senna, Relaxation, City, History, Refugee, Organization, Happiness, Heart, CHGG, Varkey Foundation, Awkward, Meditation, Born This Way Foundation, Council, National Alliance, Active Minds, Partnership, Nursing

Chegg, Inc. (NYSE: CHGG), today announced that it has partnered with esteemed non-profits and organizations from around the world for Global Student Mental Health Week 2024, taking place from February 26 to March 3.

Key Points: 
  • Chegg, Inc. (NYSE: CHGG), today announced that it has partnered with esteemed non-profits and organizations from around the world for Global Student Mental Health Week 2024, taking place from February 26 to March 3.
  • In its second year, Student Mental Health Week will have a special focus on tackling student loneliness.
  • The World Health Organization has deemed social isolation an issue and a global health priority , and warned of the impact of loneliness on well-being.
  • Student Mental Health Week will encompass a variety of in-person and digital events, involving students to inform debate and help educate policymakers, educational institutions, and communities on the mental health challenges students face.

Accushield Launches #ProjectLoveMeter to Attack Senior Loneliness and Isolation

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Social isolation, Nursing, Friends, Hobby, Loneliness, Volunteering, University, Risk, Family, CSO, Social, Visitor management, Software, Tourism

ATLANTA, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Accushield, the leader in visitor management for senior living and skilled nursing, is excited to announce the official launch of #ProjectLoveMeter.

Key Points: 
  • ATLANTA, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Accushield, the leader in visitor management for senior living and skilled nursing, is excited to announce the official launch of #ProjectLoveMeter.
  • Unfortunately, loneliness is not a new phenomenon in senior living and skilled nursing communities.
  • Here's how Accushield's #ProjectLoveMeter flips the script on the response to senior loneliness and isolation.
  • Charles Mann, Founder and CSO at Accushield, sums it up as follows, "Our senior living and skilled nursing partners do an amazing job of caring for their residents.

Family caregivers face financial burdens, isolation and limited resources − a social worker explains how to improve quality of life for this growing population

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024
Social isolation, Disability, Woman, Caregiver, Research, Workplace, Spouse, Education, Friends, Senior, Ageing, Transport, Work, Quality of life, Family, Loneliness, Learning, Life, Safety, Health, COVID-19, Medicare, Dementia, Eating, Live, Knowledge, Public policy, Case management, Medicaid, Face, Residential care

Approximately 34.2 million people in the United States provide unpaid assistance to adults age 50 or above, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance.

Key Points: 
  • Approximately 34.2 million people in the United States provide unpaid assistance to adults age 50 or above, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance.
  • Among them, about 15.7 million adult family caregivers care for someone with dementia.
  • I am a licensed clinical social worker and an assistant professor of social work studying disparities in health and health care systems.

Challenges for family caregivers

  • In my research focusing on East Asian family caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementia, I discovered that Chinese American and Korean American caregivers often encounter challenging situations.
  • However, researchers are also finding that family caregivers feel more capable of managing these challenges when they can tap into formal services that offer practical guidance and insights for their situations, as well as assistance with some unique challenges involved with family caregiving.

The demographics of informal caregivers

  • More than 6 in 10 family caregivers are women.
  • While nearly half of care recipients live in their own homes, 1 in 3 live with their caregivers.
  • These caregivers are typically older, retired or unemployed and have lower income than caregivers who live separately.

Juggling caregiving with everyday life

  • Often, community-based organizations such as nonprofits that serve older adults offer a variety of in-home services and educational programs.
  • These can help family caregivers manage or reduce the physical and emotional strains of their responsibilities.
  • Research shows that those who are new to family caregiving often take care of their loved ones without any formal support initially.

Support for family caregivers

  • There are numerous programs and services available for family caregivers and their loved ones, whether they reside at home or in a residential facility.
  • For family caregivers of people with dementia, formal support services are particularly crucial to their ability to cope and navigate the challenges they face.

The role of Medicaid

  • Medicaid, which targets low-income Americans, seniors, people with disabilities and a few select other groups, has certain income requirements.
  • Determine the eligibility requirements first to find out whether your loved one qualifies for Medicaid.
  • If so, contact your state’s Medicaid office to get more information about self-directed services and whether you can become a paid family caregiver.

Medicare might help

  • Medicare may help pay for certain home health services if an older adult needs skilled services part time and is considered homebound.
  • Family caregivers who join support groups tend to manage their stress more effectively and experience an overall better quality of life.


Kathy Lee has received funding from the Alzheimer's Association - New to the Field (AARG-NTF-20-678171).

50 years on, Dungeons & Dragons is still a gaming staple. What’s behind its monumental success?

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 9, 2024
Woman, Bullying, British, Social media, Anxiety, Growth, Family, Heart, Social isolation, Character, Lord, Hostility, Imagination, Creativity, D&D, Video, Friends, COVID, Male, Vin Diesel, Escapism, Dungeons & Dragons, Critical Role, Video game

Half a century on from its creation, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) continues to attract millions of players across demographics. The tabletop role-playing game truly has cemented its position in an increasingly competitive market, valued at more than US$15 billion (A$23 billion) in 2022. How is a fantasy game from 1974 still capturing the imagination of so many people? How to playThey are a collaborative form of storytelling where players collectively control the narrative and “play” their characters through their words and actions.

Key Points: 


Half a century on from its creation, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) continues to attract millions of players across demographics. The tabletop role-playing game truly has cemented its position in an increasingly competitive market, valued at more than US$15 billion (A$23 billion) in 2022. How is a fantasy game from 1974 still capturing the imagination of so many people?

How to play

  • They are a collaborative form of storytelling where players collectively control the narrative and “play” their characters through their words and actions.
  • In D&D, each player creates a character (such as a human, elf or dwarf, to name a few examples) with unique qualities.
  • Guided by a dungeon master, your party narrates a quest-filled campaign filled with sticky situations and perilous encounters.
  • But, at its heart, D&D is simply a collective effort to tell a great story.

A global success

  • D&D’s increased popularity, over the past decade in particular, has been driven by the success of the game’s current version (the fifth edition, released in 2014), the growth in online gaming culture, as well as increased social acceptance of what have historically been considered “nerdy” or “geeky” interests.
  • Franchises such as Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings have also helped bring fantasy narratives into the mainstream.
  • Following its 2014 release, celebrities such as Vin Diesel and Joe Mangianello made online appearances playing D&D.
  • D&D continues to evolve through the rich contributions of its fan base, for whom it has become an important outlet for creativity and self-expression.

We all need connection

  • One recent Australian study, of community members playing the game over an eight-week period, found playing D&D decreased players’ depression, stress and anxiety, and increased self-esteem.
  • The authors suggest the game could be used as a wellbeing intervention tool or to prevent mental health issues from arising.
  • Role-playing games in particular offer psychological support to people of all ages, helping to combat anxiety and build confidence.

The campaign continues

  • Public libraries have included spaces for gaming since the 1850s, starting with billiard tables and puzzles, and now including video games.
  • New social media communities, such as the Latrobe Valley Boardgamers Facebook Group, are frequently popping up for people with shared gaming interests.
  • Lisa M. Given is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.
  • She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Australian Library and Information Association.

Organizations Unite to Improve Brain Health

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024
Well, Health, Workplace, Knowledge, Eli Lilly, Policy, Scorecard, Sleep deprivation, Hypertension, Life, Social isolation, Deficit spending, Organization, Dementia, Diabetes, Hearing loss, AARP, Shell, Senior, Risk, American Heart Association, Novo Nordisk, Longevity, Milken Institute, Obesity

This initiative brings together leaders from some of the biggest organizations in America to create environments that promote brain health for employees, communities, and consumers as brain health conditions rise, including Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Key Points: 
  • This initiative brings together leaders from some of the biggest organizations in America to create environments that promote brain health for employees, communities, and consumers as brain health conditions rise, including Alzheimer’s and dementia.
  • Among other action items, the Collaborative is working with HERO Health and Mercer to develop a Brain Health Best Practices Scorecard.
  • “We are excited to be working alongside so many innovative organizations in the Collaborative to advance practices and programs in the workplace and throughout communities at large to help optimize brain health,” said Sarah Lenz Lock, Senior Vice President for Policy and Brain Health and Executive Director of the Global Council on Brain Health.
  • For more information about the Business Collaborative for Brain Health and the Brain Health Best Practices Scorecard, click here .

Breaking Barriers in Cancer Care: The American Cancer Society and Pfizer Announce a $15 Million, Three-Year Initiative to Bridge the Gap in Cancer Care Disparities

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024
Men, General Health, Professional Services, Pharmaceutical, Philanthropy, Oncology, Consumer, DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), Clinical Trials, Women, Other Philanthropy, Health, Mortality, Survival, Breast, Prostate cancer, Breast cancer, Research, American Cancer Society, Patient, Ix, Disease, White, Cancer, ACS, PFE, NYE, Social isolation, Woman, Birth control

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Pfizer Inc. (NYE: PFE) today announced the launch of “Change the Odds™: Uniting to Improve Cancer Outcomes,” a three-year initiative to bridge the gap in cancer care disparities.

Key Points: 
  • The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Pfizer Inc. (NYE: PFE) today announced the launch of “Change the Odds™: Uniting to Improve Cancer Outcomes,” a three-year initiative to bridge the gap in cancer care disparities.
  • “Change the Odds” will initially focus on breast and prostate cancer in medically underserved communities, with the potential to expand to additional cancer types.
  • “Cancer doesn’t discriminate – and neither should cancer care,” said Chris Boshoff, Chief Oncology Officer and Executive Vice President, Pfizer.
  • “Everyone should have the same opportunity to access the latest advances in care, regardless of their background or where they live.

KPMG in Canada reinforces employee and community commitment to People with Disabilities

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
PTSD, Multiple sclerosis, Disability, Research, Fear, Person, Statistics Canada, Friends, Caregiver, Spectrum, Canada Act 1982, CPA, Ageing, Rheumatoid arthritis, Diversity, KPMG, Action plan, Employment, Crohn's disease, Paralysis, Epilepsy, Accessible Canada Act, Bleeding, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Intraparenchymal hemorrhage, Culture, Workplace, Disease, CFA, Social isolation, Organization, Residential care

"The reality is, People with Disabilities still face physical, cultural, and attitudinal barriers in the Canadian workplace," says Rob Davis, Chief Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Officer, at KPMG in Canada.

Key Points: 
  • "The reality is, People with Disabilities still face physical, cultural, and attitudinal barriers in the Canadian workplace," says Rob Davis, Chief Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Officer, at KPMG in Canada.
  • As outlined in the plan, KPMG will create a Disability Inclusion Action Plan Steering Group to oversee the implementation of 40-plus actions and provide ongoing feedback.
  • People with Disabilities are an untapped pool of talent that could help Canada close the labour skills gap.
  • "Many with non-apparent disabilities hide them for fear of being stigmatized or hurting their chances of employment or promotion.

Spending too much time online? Try these helpful tips to improve your digital wellness

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Student, Artificial intelligence, Social isolation, Privacy, Social media, Mindfulness, Overload, Radio, School, Friends, Relaxation, Government, Rest, Sleep hygiene, Digital, Environment, Quality of life, Digital divide, Nature, News, Yoga, Smartphone

The adverse impacts of digital use have grown since the pandemic, as social isolation has increased dependence on these technologies.

Key Points: 
  • The adverse impacts of digital use have grown since the pandemic, as social isolation has increased dependence on these technologies.
  • Recognizing and managing digital problems can improve our digital wellbeing.
  • For some, digital autonomy refers to being in charge of personal data or having the right to withdraw consent from digital platforms.
  • For others, it may be the ability to turn away from digital use and access non-digital options.

Digital independence

  • Schools sometimes provide devices to students, and although this bridges the digital divide, it raises the question of whether students should be constantly available on digital devices?
  • How can we create an environment with varied choices while providing non-digital alternatives to accommodate individuals prone to digital addiction?
  • Conversely, how might individuals averse to digital platforms or those lacking digital accessibility avail non-digital opportunities?

Achieving balance

  • Digital risks and digital overload can have detrimental effects on different areas of life including interpersonal relationships, productivity, sleep patterns and the quality of life.
  • Wellbeing in the digital space largely depends on how we navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by technology.
  • Focusing on balanced and ethical use of technology while addressing the potential negative consequences can help deflect negative impacts.

Tools for digital wellbeing

  • Engaging with technology without becoming dependent on it can contribute to physical, psychological, social and financial wellbeing.
  • Incorporating some daily practices, creating new digital habits, and striking a healthy balance between digital use and non-use can support wellbeing.
  • Creating a digital curfew
    Setting up a specific cut-off time for digital devices some hours before bedtime can improve sleep hygiene.
  • Forming offline social connections
    Staying away from digital devices while meeting friends in person can curb digital usage and bolster social connections.
  • Being wary of digital red flags
    Learning how to identify a scam and validating websites before making online payments helps to avoid financial scams.


Mary Lynn Young receives funding from SSHRC. Bindiya Dutt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Brain Mechanism Teaches Mice to Avoid Bullies

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Dai, Psychiatry, Social isolation, Hypothalamus, Neurochemistry, Oxytocin, Research, Animal, Sleep, Parenting, Social skills, Face, Hunger, Hormone, Social anxiety, Mouse, Freezing, Behavior, Physiology, Social, Disorder, Cell, NYU, Human, Pain, NYU Langone Health, Nature, Doctor of Philosophy, Spectrum, National Institutes of Health, Social defeat, Smell, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, Brain

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Like humans, mice live in complex social groups, fight over territory and mates, and learn when it is safer to avoid certain opponents. After losing even a brief fight, the defeated animals will flee from the mice that hurt them for weeks afterward, a new study shows.

Key Points: 
  • After losing even a brief fight, the defeated animals will flee from the mice that hurt them for weeks afterward, a new study shows.
  • The team had previously found that this special region, called the anterior ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (aVMHvl), helps rodents defend themselves against bullies' attacks.
  • The study showed that when rival mice first meet, scent information about opponents is not strong enough to activate aVMHvl cells to prompt a retreat.
  • In addition, the findings revealed that pain prompted the immediate activation of oxytocin-releasing brain cells located right next to the aVMHvl.