Many parents face the prospect of an empty nest with a sense of dread while others are excited at the thought of regaining their independence. Others have mixed emotions. In this issue of Health-e Woman, we’ll try to help those of you who are facing the issue with some helpful information on the symptoms of empty nest syndrome and some strategies to help you through the rough spots. To lighten things up a bit, five Arizona women gathered recently to share their thoughts on the subject. For most, the transition was fairly easy and they all joked and laughed about it. There also is an article on what to do with your kid’s empty bedroom.

A positive perspective and some advance planning can help parents (and their kids, too) during the transition from a full house to an empty nest.
 
Robert Lauer remembers feeling an “incredible, gnawing emptiness” when his youngest son left the family nest. “Finding him a place to stay at school and leaving him there; returning, alone, to my hotel and then getting on the plane to fly home, I wore my sunglasses and cried,” he says.

The nation’s Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, are facing empty nests and are ready to become independent once again.
 
A national survey conducted by Del Webb, the nation’s leading builder of active adult communities, revealed that 58 percent of Baby Boomers are “emotionally prepared for the kids to leave the house,” and are “embracing the idea” of becoming empty nesters.

Some parents look forward to becoming “empty nesters” while others dread the day their children leave home. It can certainly have mixed blessings. Five Arizona women who have experienced the empty nest syndrome gathered recently to share their thoughts and experiences.

Eating disorders have typically been seen as a group of conditions affecting adolescent girls. After all, reportedly 90 percent of the estimated 5 to 10 million people in America with eating disorders are female adolescents. However, more and more, eating disorders are being detected among older women.

Try one of the following fun and festive recipes to serve at your holiday parties. And don’t forget to get the kids or grandkids involved!

For many people, stress, exhaustion and depression are as much a part of the holiday season as turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie.
 
“There are media images of attractive friends and family gathering for the holidays. They all look like they are having more fun than you,” says Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, research associate professor of psychology at University of New Hampshire. “This can breed a sense of discontent about your life. Is it any wonder that many people feel seriously depressed at this time of year?”

A new study shows that a person’s attitude may be the answer that researchers have been looking to find for years.

A vaccine is a medication given to produce antibodies against a certain infection to prevent that infection from occurring. The vaccination program in the US has dramatically reduced the prevalence of once-common diseases, including measles, mumps and polio. Today, many vaccines are administered during childhood and adolescence, but some are necessary in adulthood. Unfortunately, many adults are not aware that they still could benefit from new vaccinations and “booster” doses of previously administered vaccinations.

News . . .
Collaboration could lead to better understanding and earlier diagnosis of PD
Sun Health Research Institute and other members of the Arizona Parkinson’s Disease Consortium (APDC) have been awarded a $2.8-million, three-year collaborative initiative, announced the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

http://www.sunhealth.org/index.cfm?conte...
 
Located in the northwest Valley of Phoenix Arizona, Sun Health is a non-profit healthcare organization that exists to serve all ages with excellence in medical care, wellness programs, research and education. Sun Health Del E. Webb Hospital, Sun Health Boswell Hospital and a wide range of Sun Health clinics and other services have provided world-class healthcare to thousands of patients from Arizona and around the world. For more information please go to www.sunhealth.org.