HEALTH - It turns out gratitude is good for your health

Logically speaking, we should be in a perpetual state of gratitude. Most people who read this column, even if they aren’t fully aware, have a long list of blessings to count (most of the time, anyway). Whatever your challenges, there is much to embrace.

Family. Friends. Love. Health. Freedom from war and natural disaster. Imagination. Community. A roof over our heads. Common decency. Hope. Opportunity. Memories. Financial stability. Favorite places. Days off work. Good weather. The golden age of television. Books. Music. Ice cream. Weekends. A friendly exchange. Something good that happened today. Something bad that didn’t happen today. A good cup of coffee.

You may not have everything you want or even need, but that probably leaves buckets —nay, container ships — full of tangible and conceptual items for which to be grateful. Things can always be better, but they can always be worse. It often depends on how you look at that proverbial glass of water.

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YOUR MARRIAGE
Dear Abby: Obligations as caregivers put strain on marriage

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been taking care of my father-in-law for four years -- getting his groceries, going to the bank, picking up prescriptions and doing different tasks. He’s disabled and lives in an upstairs apartment with no access to getting downstairs. He can’t walk, bathe himself or get in and out of bed by himself. He has hired a nurse to get him in and out of bed every day. Because we live 30 minutes away and we both work, there is no way we can manage this.

My father passed away recently, so I’ve also been helping my mom. All of this has put a strain on our marriage -- I’m going one way, and my husband is going the other, plus my father-in-law has complained that I’m not coming over. I have tried explaining to him that I can’t be in two places at once.

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FINANCE AND INVESTING TIPS FOR THE SANDWICH GENERATION

The ‘sandwich generation’ is racking up an average of $7,155 in credit card debt as total balances spike to $1.13 trillion — here’s how to dig your way out of debt faster

Gen X racked up the most credit card debt in 2023, according to Experian, at an average of $7,155 per person.

As a part of the sandwich generation, these middle-aged adults are more likely to be caring for both their aging parents and their own children, while simultaneously – leaving them no choice but to put these extra expenses on their credit cards.

Total credit card debt has reached a record $1.13 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

As high inflation and interest rate hikes pervade, large credit card debts become increasingly harder to pay off. Fortunately there are strategies you can use to dig yourself out faster – no matter your age.

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YOUR KIDS

What to Know about Walking Pneumonia in Kids

Milder cases of pneumonia, dubbed “walking pneumonia,” are on the rise in young children this year

The temperature is dropping, and rates of a whole host of respiratory illnesses are doing the opposite. Among them is so-called walking pneumonia, a relatively mild form of pneumonia that has been unusually common in young children this year.

Pneumonia can be caused by dozens of different pathogens, but walking pneumonia is most commonly caused by a bacterium called Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Traditional pneumonia can require hospitalization. Walking pneumonia, however, can feel like a bad cold and is sometimes not even serious enough to force people to rest at home. This year experts are particularly concerned about the infection because it appears more prevalent than usual in young children
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CARING FOR PARENTS
The Sandwich Generation Is Stressed Out, Low on Money and Short on Time

As millennials start to hit middle age—and boomers near their 80s—the number of Americans caring for both older and younger generations is poised to surge

Just over a month into motherhood, she tends to her infant son and her live-in parents in the morning and afternoon, some days with the help of a rotating cast of paid companions at their Tucker, Ga., home. In the evenings, her husband, Tamrin, takes over while she colors hair.

They had already delayed starting a family when Kait’s father moved in a few years ago. Her mother moved in this year. “We chose to take this on,” she says. “We didn’t want to wait any longer.”

More Americans shoulder a double load of caring for their children and at least one adult , often a parent. The “sandwich generation” has grown to at least 11 million in the U.S., according to one estimate, and shifts in demographics, costs and work are making it a longer and tougher slog
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YOUR JOB
Career Coach: How to Boost Your Job Application by Networking

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