Senior living and care Archive

Privacy rules described in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prevent disclosure of certain health information to unauthorized people without your permission. Here are the basics on what HIPAA does and doesn't allow –– including whether it's legal to ask and answer questions about COVID-19 vaccination status.

As another school year in the shadow of COVID-19 begins and the Delta variant surges, once again parents are concerned about how their children will be affected. National, state, and local guidelines continue to evolve, but the overarching goal is to return to full-time, in-person learning for students wherever possible.

Several companies promote at-home genetic testing to uncover a range of potential health problems (and, in some cases, ancestry traits). Just how useful is this and how do such tests differ from genetic testing a doctor may recommend for medical reasons?

Some air pollution levels have inched up in recent years, and accumulating evidence suggests that higher levels of particulates in the air are linked with increased levels of hospitalization for many serious health problems. But we can make choices to help both the environment and our health.

Though recently discovered, the endocannabinoid system regulates and controls many of our critical bodily functions. Researchers are investigating the ECS's role in learning and memory and in hunger, hoping that these avenues of research may lead to new drug discoveries.

Millions of people wear contact lenses, and with proper use and care they are very safe. However, sleeping with lenses in that are not specifically intended for extended wear can increase the risk of infection in the eye's cornea.

Strict vegan and paleo eating patterns seem to be at opposite ends of the diet spectrum. Both can offer health benefits, though it's wise to understand the nutritional gaps left by each approach due to excluded food groups and consider five principles that will make any eating plan you choose nutritionally sound.