Sunday, June 28, 2020

Need a Grandparent Fix? Consider This First

PLUS: Pandemic Etiquette: Dos And Don'ts In The Grocery Aisle

Shots

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Live Gatherings And Safer Visits

For many people, FaceTime calls and window-only views of beloved grandparents and grandkids are wearing thin. NPR listeners have been clamoring for guidelines about how to visit loved ones safely this summer -- especially for families that live more than a day’s drive apart.

With coronavirus infections still flaring, there’s no eliminating the risk of face-to-face gatherings, doctors say, especially to people over age 65 and other vulnerable groups. But there are some steps you can take to reduce the hazard.

Read on for advice on vacation plans that include an older relative this summer.

BONUS: From Camping To Dining Out: Rating The Risk Of 14 Activities

 

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Malaka Gharib/ NPR

Pandemic Etiquette 101

Squeezing peaches in the market without buying them. Crowding the sidewalk. Coughing into the air instead of an elbow. What once seemed like thoughtless behavior by strangers in public places may now feel like a serious threat to your health and that of others.

If you really want to change the bad behavior, experts say, don't shame the offender. And pick your battles.

Read on for tips to speaking up that work and don’t involve climbing on a high horse.

BONUS: Masks And Outdoor Exercise: Advice For Runners, Hikers And Walkers
 

Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

For Stress Relief And Better Health: Write

True confession: I hate the word “journaling.” There’s something about turning some nouns into verbs that steals their power. 

But whatever you call the activity -- and whether it's just a few daily words or pages and pages -- research shows such writing is psychologically and physically potent in the way it can help us sift emotions, sort thoughts and communicate.

“Expressive writing is associated with improvements in physical health, improvements in markers of mental health, and improvements in immune function,” NPR reporter Andrew Limbong learned in discussions with James Pennebaker, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. “It's also been shown to improve working memory in college students.”

Read on to learn more about that evidence, and for tips on how to get started.
 

More of this week's health stories from NPR

What Contact Tracing Is Revealing About Parties, Protests And COVID-19

How An Eating Disorder Begins

First Sickle Cell Patient To Get Gene Therapy: ‘It’s The Change I’ve Been Waiting On My Whole Life’

Coronavirus Cases Climb: How's Your State Doing?
 
We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth.

Your Shots editor,
Deborah Franklin
 
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