Issue Date: December 3, 2006
Pointers on aging pets
Older dogs need special care.
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We live in a nation filled with aging people -- and aging pets. There is no AARP for pets, but the American Animal Hospital Association has come up with the next best thing: senior care guidelines for dogs and cats.
Among the suggestions for its veterinarian members is to offer in-home euthanasia. Today, relatively few vets routinely provide this service. "It's a challenge to our profession, but I believe it's the right thing to do," says Daniel Aja, the immediate past president of AAHA. "Both the pet and the client would often rather be at home; it's probably a far more comfortable setting for them."
"I think an animal deserves to end his or her life in dignity," adds Mark Epstein, who chaired the task force that crafted the senior care guidelines, which also address pain relief, pet loss support and cognitive dysfunction (a dog or cat version of Alzheimer's-like symptoms). Today, most vets could administer the drugs for a gentle and painless death away from the clinic; it's a matter of juggling schedules and taking the time.
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Beat emotional eating
Ease your stress by journaling, not eating.
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Emotional eating can take a toll on your diet plan at any time of year, but the holidays can be extra tough.
"Emotional eating at the holidays can be a result of being overstressed from doing too much, or the opposite: feeling lonely and needing nurturing," says Linda Spangle, emotional eating specialist and author of "100 Days of Weight Loss" (SunQuest, $14.95). "It's important to recognize what you're experiencing and that an emotional need is the basis."
Spangle advises nurturing emotional needs so that you're prepared when the buffet line beckons. A couple of her favorite coping strategies:
Anchor yourself. Choose a phrase or mantra that helps you eliminate self-doubt and feel strong. Often, social or professional situations create feelings of inadequacy. Before heading into such encounters, repeat your mantra to yourself. It can be something like "I'm strong and capable" or "I'm a hottie." Choose whatever speaks to your need.
Invoke the power of rituals. Having something you do each day to check in with yourself, giving yourself a moment to pull together, can be very powerful. It can be taking time out for a cup of tea and a few minutes of journaling each afternoon or doing breathing exercises in the car on your way to work each morning. Set a time for your ritual, and be sure to stick to it every day.
Contact Jorge Cruise, author of "The 3-Hour Diet," at 3hourdiet.com.
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Kids flying solo, safely
Next weekend's new movie "Unaccompanied Minors" turns kids flying solo at Christmas into a comedy, but the reality is more like a drama. What travel experts suggest:
Check with the airline on how old children must be to fly alone, who requires a staff escort, and which flights kids can take. Young children must fly non-stop, and most can't take the last flight out.
Pay the unaccompanied minor, or "UM," fee ($40 to $100) for even an over-the-age-requirement child, advises Familytravelforum.com editor Kyle McCarthy, if you're worried about her coping skills or the itinerary includes tight connections or long layovers. But "any parent who thinks the airline is going to take the child door-to-door is in denial," warns Today show travel editor Peter Greenberg.
Make sure your child travels with a photo ID, a cellphone, extra cash and emergency phone numbers.
Use the guest gate passes you get with the UM fee; they let you access the gate with your child. After he boards, stay to see the plane takeoff.
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Snow-removal savvy
Michael Merrill of North Country Snow and Ice in Glens Falls, N.Y., offers these tips on hiring a snow removal service:
SEEK A SEASONED PRO. Hire someone with the manpower to handle heavy snowfalls. New plowers often mistakenly sign up more clients than they can help. Come a big storm, you may be waiting for hours to get cleared. The Snow & Ice Management Association (sima.org) has a directory of service providers.
DETERMINE PAYMENT. Most companies charge a seasonal rate ($300 to $500 in heavy snowfall areas) or a per-visit rate ($25 to $100). Seasonal plans usually are the best bet and, by paying upfront, you may get preferential treatment. If you go for a per-visit plan, ask about pricing options and whether more than one clearing per snowfall is included in the price.
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