विज्ञान

Checking scans for cancer, telling surgeons when they can operate or reminding when tests need a follow-up: The use of AI in medical settings is transformative. But the fast-evolving tools are prompting philosophical questions, too, that make take more time to untangle. Dallas, Texas (tca/dpa)  – An extra set of eyes on radiology scans, double-checking for signs of prostate cancer. A green light telling surgeons when it’s safe to operate on trauma patients. A reminder system that finds and flags test results that need to be followed up on. Artificial intelligence has bounded into the mainstream, into personal lives, classroom assignments and work meetings — so it should be no surprise to find it in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms, too. Nationwide, according toa federal brief , hospitals’ use of AI tools is growing rapidly. In 2023, 66% of hospitals used predictive AI tools in their electronic record systems. A year later, that number was up to 71%. As AI saturates nearly every aspect of our modern world, some medical applications run directly parallel to the types of tools we’re already familiar with. Many doctors, for instance, are using AI tools to listen to, transcribe and summarize their patient visits. Medical offices are using automated scheduling tools to navigate patient appointments and cancellations. These administrative tools, while not the most exciting, are proving to be hugely important. By reducing medical providers’ workloads, these tools can helpcurb physician burnout, a problem that hasplagued the medical field for years. But in the field of medicine, there are also much more dynamic — and controversial — applications. Artificial intelligence tools can be used in clinical processes and decision-making, too, interfacing either directly with patients or with those patients’ care plans. The people who are working most closely with the development and implementation of these tools are excited. There are so many backstops that AI can provide, they say, to keep medical providers from making mistakes and to help understaffed emergency rooms respond more effectively to patient needs. Many of these tools are either in use or under development at North Texas hospitals, too. The people who are most excited about AI in health care describe the technology as “transformative.” As AI continues to evolve, day by day, the central question for health care leaders — including those in Texas — is no longer whether or not they’ll use the technology in their medical facilities. The question, now, is how they’ll make sure the technology is improving patient care instead of imperiling it. The caveats AI tools of all sorts come with caveats. ChatGPT, among the most popular consumer-facing AI tools, has a caveat written at the bottom of the webpage. “ChatGPT can make mistakes,” the message says. “Check important info.” Google’s AI tool contains a caveat, too, in a sidebar. “Generative AI is a work in progress and info quality may vary,” it says. AI mistakes orhallucinations may not have life-altering consequences when a user is looking for help rewriting emails or optimizing a to-do list. When AI tools are applied to medical diagnosis and decision-making, though, the stakes are significantly higher. That’s part of why doctors and other health leaders emphasize that AI tools, at this stage in their evolution, are meant to assist medical professionals — not replace them. Xiaoqian Jiang — a researcher and the director of the Center for Secure Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare at the University of Texas Health Houston — said that many of the existing tools perform well in straightforward medical cases. The same isn’t yet true, though, for complex cases. “I think we are on the edge, but many of the models we currently have are still not actually to the level of the expert,” Jiang said. “A lot of the time, sophisticated scenarios still need human judgment.” Even tools that do work well can still make mistakes or erroneous connections, which a human eye may be able to suss out before any damage is done. AI is evolving rapidly, though, and in many ways it’s developing outside the boundaries of existing rules and regulations. Dr. Ryan Choudhury , a hospice and geriatrics physician at University of North Texas Health Fort Worth , said he thinks AI has outpaced governmental and safety regulations. “It feels like the government is probably five years behind on where they need to be in terms of legislating and helping guide what this looks like,” Choudhury said. A number of health experts pointed to liability law as one protection mechanism. From a legal perspective, doctors remain responsible for the care they provide, no matter what outside tools they’re using. Angela Clark is the director of the Urology Research & Education Foundation . The organization was created by Dr. Pat Fulgham , a urologist who practiced at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas for 35 years. Clark and Fulgham said doctors’ legal liability is a built-in protection mechanism, preventing providers from leaning too heavily on AI tools. “The providers are still held accountable, liable, for whatever they diagnose,” Clark said. “Or fail to diagnose,” Fulgham added. Even with those caveats on AI, experts say there are myriad ways the tools can help doctors do their jobs better. And there are some things, AI proponents say, that these tools can do even better than a human doctor can. The applications Even just looking at clinical and patient care applications, there are more potential uses of AI tools than could be covered in any one article. But Dallas-Fort Worth doctors and health care leaders gave some examples of applications they’re focusing on, to give a sense of what role AI could increasingly play in the U.S. health care system. Fulgham said there are AI tools that double check radiology scans to identify risk factors that a human radiologist might have missed. That could help to ensure accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer, he said. “It’s not meant to replace the radiologist,” Fulgham said, “but it may point out something that was inobvious to them.” Similarly, there are tools that can look over a biopsy and assist a pathologist in determining how aggressive of a cancer a patient has. That information can then be used to inform a treatment plan. Dr. Brett Moran , the chief health officer at Parkland Health , which is Dallas County’s public hospital system, pointed to another soon-to-be implemented tool, which has its roots in a problem he’s seen firsthand. Years ago, Moran said, a patient came into the emergency room for chest pain. The medical staff sent the patient for a CT scan, primarily to look for blood clots. The scan turned up no blood clots, but there was a small nodule in the patient’s lung. Separately from the chest pain, the staff told the patient, he should follow up on that nodule. “In all the hoopla of the ER,” Moran said, “it didn’t sink in.” The patient didn’t go for follow-up scans. A year later, the patient was admitted to Moran’s care. The patient had cancer and, by then, it had spread through his body. “It’s a story that we’ve seen too often, and it really bothered me and it stuck with me,” Moran said. “This isn’t a single doctor that failed, this is a system failure.” Parkland now has a team that follows up manually with patients, based on flags that have been raised by radiologists and other medical providers. But when a provider is treating a specific problem, and trying to juggle a large number of patients, they may forget to go back through scans and flag unrelated issues. “What we needed was a more automated solution,” Moran said. Soon, Moran said, Parkland will switch on an AI tool built by the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation .The tool will look through the interpretations of medical scans and flag potential foll…

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Berlin (dpa) – Whether plain with little more than a splash of milk or stirred through with any and all of yoghurt, honey, berries and seeds, a bowl of porridge or oatmeal has been lauded as a source of warming goodness and body fuel long before would-be health influencers latched on to it in pursuit of clicks and likes. In a revival of a cereal-based treatment for diabetes that was used a century ago but has since been overlooked, researchers at the University of Bonn have found further proof that when it comes to healthy eating, porridge is probably close to peerless. The team found a 10% cholesterol reduction among 32 volunteers who spent two days eating mostly oatmeal, which they were permitted to flavour with fruit or vegetables. The same level of reduction was not observed in a “control group” of 36 which was put on a “calorie-reduced diet” that did not feature oats. The participants “suffered from a metabolic syndrome associated with an increased risk of diabetes,” the team says, listing characteristics such as excess weight, high blood sugar and blood pressure. “We were able to identify that the consumption of oatmeal increased the number of certain bacteria in the gut,” says the University of Bonn’s Linda Klümpen.  “Intestinal bacteria produce phenolic compounds by breaking down the oats,” Klümpen says, pointing out that one such compound, ferulic acid, has been already shown in animals to help against cholesterol. Porridge appears to help develop other gut bacteria that get rid of an amino acid that the body otherwise changes into a molecule that the university described as “suspected of promoting insulin resistance.” The researchers said that it appears a short burst of eating porridge, such as the two days’ trial, works better than a sustained but less intensive effort such as a bowl a day over a longer period such as six weeks. “A short-term oat-based diet at regular intervals could be a well-tolerated way to keep the cholesterol level within the normal range and prevent diabetes,” says Bonn’s Marie-Christine Simon, pointing out that the effects of the two days’ oatmeal-only diet were being felt by volunteers six weeks later. The following information is not intended for publication dpa spr arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

We all experience embarrassing moments from time to time – but is there a good way to limit the cringe? Experts offer tips on how to regulate your own feelings of shame and overcome them with confidence. Berlin (dpa) – Your stomach starts growling loudly in an important meeting. You break wind on your first date. You call someone's new wife by the name of his ex-wife. You realize you had lipstick on your teeth while talking to a neighbour. You stumble and fall in a crowded restaurant. There are countless situations so embarrassing that you may wish the ground would open up and swallow you whole. "We all want to be self-assured and on top of things," says Monika Scheddin, a business coach, motivational speaker and author based in Munich. "But what we all have in common are little slip-ups." Embarrassment is actually a positive thing, as it shows that the matter is important to us, we're social beings and aware of societal norms. People who know no shame, such as narcissists, are the ones with a problem. But as with many feelings, not to mention things in general, embarrassment is beneficial only so long as it's not excessive. Otherwise it can cause you suffering. What can you do to keep embarrassing situations from unduly bothering you, perhaps even to the point of interfering with your life? Well, there are strategies to make them quickly lose their bite, and sometimes even turned in your favour. First of all, they can be divided into two categories, says Ilja Grzeskowitz, who describes himself as a "keynote speaker on change, leadership and a future mindset." There are those of interest only to the person involved, and gaffes that ruffle others' feathers. The first category includes everyday embarrassments that only you see as significant but are quickly forgotten by those around you, if they're registered at all, such as a flippant, off-the-cuff remark, a stain on your blouse or an open fly. "It rattles around in your mind for a long time, since you regard it as super embarrassing – a classic case of overthinking," Grzeskowitz says. Depending on the circumstances, there are two ways you can react: either elegantly overlook it by, say, continuing to speak or zipping up your fly without comment, or by saying, "Whoops!" and laughing. You might even come up with a witty comment, reacting to a stain on your blouse by quipping, for instance, "I think it looks good on me!" Or saying, "I was just trying to be funny," after a remark that didn't go over well. This usually dissipates the embarrassing situation. Speaking of humour: "By laughing at a problem, you're already cosying up to the solution," says Scheddin. You also appear confident and take pressure off others involved, who can laugh with you. If, however, a sense of shame still gnaws at you long after the incident that precipitated it, you should do some self-reflection. "A lot of people have a deep-seated belief from their childhood that they don't measure up," says Grzeskowitz. "They're constantly seeking validation from others." Feelings of shame evoke their latent insecurity. Self-esteem in adulthood doesn't generate itself – it must be developed. "You can't acquire it from books. It's a matter of decisions you make and challenges you tackle," Scheddin says. She advises forgiving yourself after embarrassing situations, mentally giving yourself a hug and asking yourself what you'd say, and advice you'd give, to your best friend if the situation had happened to them. It can also be helpful to ask yourself whether the incident will still bother you in three months or three years. If the answer is no, then why not simply forget about it now? The second, more serious category of embarrassing situations is those in which your behaviour has hurt or angered others. "I once expressly insisted on a certain time for an appointment with a business partner, and then forgot about it," recalls Grzeskowitz. But even faux pas like this can be quickly rectified, namely with an apology. It's often difficult to say, "I was at fault and I'm sorry," though, perhaps for fear of negative consequences from admitting a mistake. A frequently used strategy in such cases is to look for excuses, to blame circumstances or someone else. But this helps no one. The offended person usually sees the excuse for what it is, and the offender as dishonest. As a result, mutual trust and respect can be damaged, or not develop in the first place. So "an apology is the only viable solution," Grzeskowitz says. As a first, "internal" step, Scheddin advises accepting the embarrassing situation as such. Then state the obvious and apologize. An example: Talking with a colleague, you make disparaging remarks about another colleague, who happens to be standing behind you and hears everything. To get out of the situation halfway unscathed, you should say something like, "Forgive me, that was wrong of me and not how I normally am. I wish I could vanish into thin air now." The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn mrr yyzz a3 bzl lue nhr ob

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Berlin (dpa) – People born during the few years either side of 2000 are seemingly more vulnerable to conditions such as schizophrenia than those who grew up earlier, going by findings released by the Canadian Medical Association. As they pored over health data from around 12.2 million people born in Ontario between 1960 and 2009, the researchers found an increase in reported and recorded “psychotic disorders” among “more recent birth cohorts.” “Between 1997 and 2023, the annual incidence of psychotic disorders increased by 60% among people aged 14 to 20 years,” according to Canada-based ICES, formerly known as the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Science. People born between the turn of the millennium and 2004 were estimated as having a “70% greater rate of new diagnoses of psychotic disorders compared with those born in 1975 to 1979,” the team says. Those born between 1990 and 1994 were 37.5% more likely to be diagnosed as such compared to those born in the late 1970s. “Although some of the findings may reflect improved access to assessment and treatment, further research is needed to examine potential contributors,” ICES says. “The observed trends raise important questions about possible causes and consequences of increasing numbers of psychotic disorder diagnoses,” says Daniel Myran, a scientist at ICES and the Bruyère Health Research Institute, who carried out the research with colleagues from North York General and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. People diagnosed with psychosis were “more likely to be male” and to “live in low-income neighbourhoods,” the team reveals. Other recent research has pointed to a link between psychosis and cannabis, the use of which for medicinal and recreational purposes has been liberalized in recent years in many jurisdictions – Canada included. And still other investigations have found people in the “Generation Z” age group, now mostly in their twenties, to be more anxious and easily offended than older generations. The following information is not intended for publication dpa spr arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Cases of this eye condition are expected to increase around the world to 22 million by the year 2040. The key to holding onto your vision is getting diagnosis and treatment early. London (PA Media/dpa) – Researchers have predicted that cases of glaucoma, a common eye condition that can lead to blindness if not treated, are expected to increase around the world in the coming years. In the year 2010, some 8.4 million individuals worldwide were assumed to be blinded by this condition. By the year 2040, it's estimated that some 22 million people worldwide will be blind from glaucoma. Recent research in the UK has confirmed the rise, forecasting that the number of people affected will rise from 1.1 million to 1.6 million by 2060. These figures highlight the critical importance of regular eye examinations and early detection of glaucoma. To better understand this condition we spoke with Denise Voon, clinical adviser at The College of Optometrists, to find out about what causes it and the key signs to look out for. What is glaucoma? “Glaucoma is a group of diseases in which the optic nerve is damaged by pressure of the fluid inside the eye,” explains Voon. “It can affect one or both of your eyes and can lead to sight loss if not treated.” There are lots different types of glaucoma, but the two most common types are chronic glaucoma and acute glaucoma. “Chronic glaucoma develops slowly and is the most common form in the UK, whilst acute glaucoma (also referred to as acute angle-closure glaucoma) is caused by a rapid increase in the pressure,” says Voon. Who is more at risk? “Anyone can develop chronic glaucoma, but the risks increase if you’re over 40, are very short-sighted, are of African or Caribbean origin, or have a close relative (first degree relative, a brother, sister, parent) of someone with chronic glaucoma, if you’re known to have raised pressure in your eyes, if you’re diabetic, and if you have high blood pressure,” explains Voon. “However, with acute glaucoma, women tend to be more susceptible and you’re also more at risk if you’re over 40, if you’re East Asian or South Asian, if you’ve got a family history of close-angle glaucoma, or if you’re long-sighted because your eyes are a little bit smaller.” How serious is it? “Both types of glaucoma can lead to irreversible sight loss if they are not treated,” warns Voon. “In the very late stages of untreated glaucoma, you’ll notice tunnel vision. So, your peripheral vision will slowly decrease more and more until you get to a point where you only retain that central part of your vision.” What are some common symptoms to look out for? “With acute glaucoma, the symptoms are usually quite obvious and include pain/aching/discomfort in the eye and blurred vision, perhaps with halos around lights,” says Voon. “You might also notice that your pupils get bigger if you go into the dark.” The NHS website also lists a red eye, tenderness around the eye, seeing rainbow-coloured circles around bright light, feeling sick (nausea) and being sick and/or a headache as other key signs to look out for. “However, with chronic glaucoma, there aren’t any symptoms in the early stages and the only real way to pick it up is to go and see your optometrist regularly,” says Voon. How is glaucoma diagnosed? “There are various tests that optometrists can do and the one that they do a lot is the intraocular pressure test [often called a tonometry] to check the pressure inside your eyes,” explains Voon. “We look for pressure that is abnormally high, or see if there’s been a change in the pressure in your eyes. “We also look at the optic disc, which is the head of the nerve that joins the eye to the brain, to look for any subtle changes in the structure of the disc which might have been damaged from glaucoma. We can also do visual fields tests, so look at your peripheral vision and your field of vision to see if there has been any changes in that.” How is it treated? The treatment you’ll have depends on how your sight is affected and the type of glaucoma you have. “Generally, glaucoma is treated with eye drops,” says Voon. “But there are also different types of surgery and laser treatments that can help reduce the pressure and help that fluid drain away a little bit more.” Can you do anything to prevent it? “There’s nothing we know of currently that you can do to prevent glaucoma,” says Voon. “The best thing to do if you are worried about glaucoma is to get your eyes tested regularly. That way, if you develop it, we can find it early then it can be treated early so it won’t get worse and lead to sight loss.” The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

London (PA Media/dpa) – People who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB+) have a lower life expectancy than those who identify as straight or heterosexual, new figures suggest. A 20-year-old LGB+ man in England and Wales can expect to live on average another 59.4 years, while a man of the same age identifying as heterosexual is likely to live for an additional 60.7 years – more than 12 months longer. There is a similar gap for females, though slightly smaller, with a 20-year-old LGB+ woman living on average a further 63.0 years, compared with 64.0 years for a heterosexual woman. It is the first time life expectancy by sexual orientation has been estimated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data uses responses collected during the 2021 census, which included a voluntary question on sexual orientation for people aged 16 and over. These responses have been linked with death registrations in England and Wales to produce the new figures. As only people aged 16 and above were asked the sexual orientation question in the census, life expectancy has been estimated from age 20. The ONS said its findings are based on large samples with consistent patterns across age groups and previous research, but added it could not say from the analysis if sexual orientation is a “contributing risk factor” for shorter life expectancy. The data also suggests that life expectancy for 20-year-olds identifying as gay or lesbian is an additional 59.3 years for men and 62.8 years for women, lower than the equivalent figures for heterosexuals (60.7 and 64.0 years respectively). For those identifying as bisexual, the estimates are an additional 59.6 years for men and 62.9 years for women – again, lower than the figures for people identifying as straight. Greg Ceely, ONS head of population life events, said: “For the first time, we have looked at how life expectancy can differ by sexual orientation. “It shows people who identified as gay or lesbian had a slightly lower life expectancy than those identifying as straight or heterosexual. “Life expectancy can be impacted by a range of factors, so we can’t tell from this analysis whether sexual orientation is the driver of the difference seen.” The following information is not intended for publication dpa pa arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Being proactive and following these tips could help keep your bones strong well into your golden years. Don't underestimate the power of sleep, healthy food and plenty of exercise. London (PA Media/dpa) – As we move into midlife, issues such as joint pain, osteoporosis and stress fractures become increasingly common, making this a crucial time to take a more proactive approach to bone health. Hormonal changes during menopause, along with a natural decline in activity levels, can all contribute – but the good news is that simple lifestyle changes can help counteract these effects. We spoke to Surrey-based physiotherapist Lucy Macdonald from Restart Physio to find out how to keep your bones strong and healthy in midlife and beyond, and to discover why prioritising bone health at this stage in life really matters. What bone issues become more prevalent in midlife and beyond? “Osteopenia, which is often a precursor to osteoporosis, is more prevalent in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women due to the drop in their oestrogen levels [a hormone that is essential for healthy bones] that happens during menopause,” says Macdonald. Osteoporosis causes bones to become weaker and more fragile, according to the NHS website. The physiotherapist adds that stress fractures are also more common in older adults. “If you are young and suddenly go for a long run, you’re less likely to get a stress fracture compared to someone who is older who goes for a long run, because their bones just won’t be as resilient to the load unless they have been regularly running or doing strength training,” says Macdonald. “Stress fractures can be hugely rehabilitating and can stop people from being able to enjoy their day-to-day activities due to the pain and reduction in function.” To prevent this, here are Macdonald’s top tips on how to keep your bones strong and healthy in midlife and beyond… Do regular impact exercises “Impact activity is really important for bones because when you jump about on your bones, they bones regenerate,” says Macdonald. “You can even start with doing some sit-to-stand exercises in bed as a warm up and then a few little bunny hops on the spot every morning.” Start strength training “Strength training is also really good for bone density because whenever you contract a muscle with force, that muscle, via a tendon, will pull on the bone, and that pulling on the bone is good for bone regeneration,” says Macdonald. “So, it’s good to do a combination of impact exercise and strength training. “If you’ve done no exercise in the last few years, then I would recommend starting with the strength and conditioning first, with a nice resistance training programme, and then moving onto more impact stuff as and when you’re strong enough to do so.” Remember to incorporate recovery days into your training plan “You can make good progress with strength training if you do it a couple of times a week, but make sure you are also giving yourself some days to recover,” advises Macdonald. “Rest is a really important part of the process of becoming stronger, especially if you’re training the muscles heavy enough that you’re getting muscle soreness.” Find an exercise that you enjoy “Find something that you enjoy,” encourages Macdonald. “If you’re not necessarily into running, then something like a Zumba or dance class can be really good for jumping around to music. “If you commit to doing it with a friend or a group of people, you’re much more likely to stick to it.” Incorporate progressive overload to avoid injury “Start slowly and build up your training and exercises in small increments, so that your bones gradually get stronger and stronger over time,” recommends Macdonald. “If you go from nothing to suddenly doing a lot of impact exercise, that can increase your risk of a stress fracture.” Quit smoking “Smoking is really bad for your bone health,” says Macdonald. “Reduced bone density is one of the established negative effects of smoking.” Prioritise sleep “Sleep is when our bones and muscles recover,” explains Macdonald. “If you’re not getting a decent night’s sleep, then your recovery will not be as good and your cell regeneration won’t be as good. “The vast majority of us need eight hours sleep, so try to prioritise things that help you get as much sleep as possible.” Eat a balanced diet “Make sure you are eating a decent diet with enough protein and are having minimal processed food, as sugar and processed food are not good for muscle or bone recovery,” says Macdonald. “Don’t underestimate the importance of all the nutrients that come with vegetables, fruits, dairy, whole foods and good fats.” Seek professional help “Having the guidance of someone who fully understands the physiology of your body and can pitch the exercise at exactly the right level for you can be very helpful and reassuring,” says Macdonald. The following information is not intended for publication dpa pa arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Cologne (dpa) – Lying in bed trying to sleep can be bad enough but it is worse with toothache, which can often hurt and throb more than during the day. Don't worry, it is not "just your imagination," says dentist Jochen Schmidt from Carree Dental in Cologne. He says there are several reasons why toothache often feels worse at night. That sense of increased pain compared to during the day may be "because we are not distracted by anything and concentrate more on it," says Schmidt. And when we are cosy and warm in bed, the inflamed tissue expands, which can also make the discomfort worse. Lying down also puts more pressure on the network of nerves and blood vessels around your mouth, which can make toothache worse. Furthermore, our bodies produce less cortisol, a hormone that has a pain-relieving effect, in the evening. How to reduce the night pain So what should you do when a tooth is acting up and robbing you of your sleep? The first thing to do the next morning is to make an appointment with your dentist, if you haven't already done so. After all, toothache is a sign that something is wrong in your mouth – possibly tooth decay, root inflammation or periodontitis. Meanwhile to bridge the gap until your appointment, cold can be soothing. Take an ice cube to suck on or a cold pack wrapped in a cloth and placed on your cheek. Painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol also relieve the discomfort but medics say these should only be used for a maximum of three days because they can have side effects. Some say chewing on a clove can help. Cloves contain an essential oil – eugenol – seen as analgesic and anti-inflammatory. But Schmidt advises against this home remedy. He and his colleagues have had to remove clove residue from between teeth "several times" which tended to make the discomfort worse, he says. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn rid neb xxde arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

The line between being a supportive grandparent to being a hovering, overly involved grandparent can be blurry. London (PA Media/dpa) – You’ve probably heard of the term helicopter parenting – but what about a helicopter grandparent? “A helicopter grandparent is someone who’s really involved and might struggle to step back in terms of parenting duties,” says psychotherapist Amy Bojanowski-Bubb, BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) member. “They might offer frequent advice and override their children’s parenting decisions. “In terms of the helicopter analogy, it’s that hovering behaviour of always being there and not stepping back.” Although this behaviour is usually unintentional and comes from a place of love, it may not always feel helpful or supportive to parents. Bojanowski-Bubb has highlighted six common signs of helicopter grandparenting and has offered some advice about how to navigate this dynamic. 1. Step into parenting mode too quickly “One example of being a helicopter grandparent could be that they’ve reached to pick up or soothe their grandchild before the parent has even had a chance to respond to a situation,” says the psychotherapist. 2. Criticising parenting choices in front of the grandchild “They might correct a parent’s choice in front of the grandchild and might say something like, ‘Oh mummy doesn’t know what she’s doing, granny will do it properly‘,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “This could be perceived as undermining.” 3. Constantly offering unsolicited opinions “They might give a running commentary on the routine of the grandchild and constantly offer their opinion of what they think is best,” notes Bojanowski-Bubb. “For example, they might say, ‘He’s tired or she needs a jumper, or I wouldn’t feed them that’.” 4. Ignoring or bending house rules “Another really common sign, which I think a lot of grandparents do because they want to spoil their grandchildren, is constant ignoring or the bending of the house rules in terms of things like treats and sweets, screen time and even bedtimes,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. 5. Being defensive “Sometimes, if parents are trying to set those boundaries and a grandparent then gets really visibly hurt or defensive and says things like, ‘Oh, I was only trying to help’, I think that’s a really clear sign, too,” says the psychotherapist. 6. Constantly wanting updates “Constant asking for updates, photos or video calls and wanting that reassurance when they’re not present can be another sign,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. What often drives this type of behaviour? “I think there’s often lots of emotional drivers to this kind of behaviour,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “Firstly, it could be driven by an anxiety about safety or the wellbeing of their grandchildren. I think this can be especially true if the grandparents raised their children in a more risk-averse era. “Also, some grandparents may struggle with this new sense of autonomy in their adult child as they become a parent themselves. “I also think there is also this prevalent fear for grandparents about becoming irrelevant and replaced and a fear of being forgotten about in a new big family system. That can be especially true if a grandparent’s sense of purpose is tied strongly to caregiving.” She adds that sometimes these behaviours can come from a place of unresolved guilt. “They might have an unresolved guilt about their own parenting years,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “For example, they might think, ‘Oh I didn’t get it right back then, but I can get it right now and can do better now’ and then push extra hard to heal that unresolved guilt.” Tensions can also arise around generational clashes. “In terms of emotions, discipline and independence around parenting, all of these things have changed over the years and this can cause generational clashes,” highlights Bojanowski-Bubb. What impact can helicopter behaviours have on family dynamics? “For the parents, they can can feel undermined by their own parents and this can really erode their confidence as parents,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “Having a helicopter grandparent can also create tension between partners and lead to building resentment. “Meanwhile, from a grandparent’s perspective, they might feel rejected and hurt when boundaries are set because they have invested so much emotionally.” The grandchildren may also be impacted. “In these situations grandchildren can actually get really confused about who’s in charge because all these authority figures are saying different things and then can struggle to know what the real boundaries are,” says the psychotherapist. What advice would you give grandparents on how to navigate this situation? Ask questions “Asking explicitly, would you like my help or would you like me to listen, can sometimes be really helpful because often parents just want to feel heard,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. Take a pause “Just taking a pause before stepping in can be good,” says the psychotherapist. “Stop and ask yourself, am I being supported here, or am I actually just taking over?” Support parenting decisions publicly “Even if you disagree privately about your child’s parenting decision, I think it’s a good idea to support your adult child’s decisions at least publicly in front of other family members and grandchildren,” recommends Bojanowski-Bubb. Respect boundaries and accept a degree of discomfort “It can be a really tricky situation, but sometimes it can be helpful to respect the boundaries and accept the discomfort of what stepping back might look like,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Maintaining gym consistency after the New Year hype fades requires strategies that transform motivation into a lasting habit. London (PA Media/dpa) – At the start of January, many of us are fuelled by New Year’s resolutions and hit the gym with enthusiasm and energy. However, as the months roll on, it’s completely natural for that initial surge of motivation to fade. The reasons why this happens is multifactorial says Dr Robin Chatterjee, consultant in musculoskeletal, sports and exercise medicine at the Chelsea Outpatient Centre, part of HCA Healthcare UK. “First of all, the idea of completely changing your lifestyle from doing no exercise and eating a lot to suddenly going to the gym regularly might sound good, but the reality is that it requires commitment, time and money,” reflects Chatterjee. “Secondly, we are still in winter and the weather is dark, cold and miserable, so the motivation to get out of the house and go to the gym might not be there. “Also, once people break one resolution, they tend to break all of them.” To help you bounce back from this, here are some useful tips on how to stay consistent, safe and motivated in your gym workouts for the rest of 2026. Seek professional advice Don’t be afraid to seek support. Professionals such as personal trainers are there to help you work towards those long-term goals and can help you stay on track. “Instead of going to the gym and just randomly using the machines without knowing what you are doing, I would recommend seeking advice from a medical professional or a personal trainer who can make sure that you are doing the exercises in a safe manner,” recommends Chatterjee. “They can also help you set up a plan of goal-directed exercises and support you through that.” Slowly implement progressive overload “Doing too much too soon can have consequences,” warns Chatterjee. “This is an extreme example, but if you want to run a marathon and start from doing absolutely nothing and then run your heart out, you’re likely to get some sort of strain or tear because your body isn’t used to doing that amount of exercise.” Instead, he recommends implementing progressive overload gradually. “Start off with a low weight that you’re comfortable with and increase the number of sets and reps with that and then you should start notice incremental increases in your strength,” advises Chatterjee. Focus on your technique “If you don’t use weights or the machines in the right way, then you’re likely to get an injury, so I would recommend seeking advice and sticking to one routine and perfecting your technique and then slowly building up what you’re doing from there,” advises Chatterjee. Focus on the mental benefits instead of fixating on the aesthetics “Don’t expect to get big muscles very quickly, because going to the gym is all about the long game,” says Chatterjee. “You won’t physically feel any different for a long period of time, but you should start to feel mentally and emotionally better straight away as a result of the endorphin rush that you get from exercising.” Make your training varied and social “When we do things in groups or in pairs, we tend to be more successful in our outcomes and than if we’re doing it individually, so I would recommend going to a class or getting your friends or family involved,” suggests Chatterjee. “Having somebody to keep track of what you’re doing and to cheer you on can be really helpful.” Remember to have rest days “A rest period is really important,” says Chatterjee. “If you do too much too soon, you’re going to end up with an injury. Whereas if you do it in a tailored, structured manner with appropriate rest periods, while still maintaining a regular amount of strength training, that’s going to be your best chance of success.” Try to go to the gym at out-of-peak hours “To avoid the busy crowds, consider maybe going to the gym early in the morning or late at night or during school time if you can when there will be less people there,” suggests Chatterjee. “Or maybe change the particular gym that you go to, to one that’s less heavily populated.” Focus on the health benefits “Apart from building strength, going to the gym is great for our overall health,” says Chatterjee. “Think about the energy you’re burning, and the positive impacts it’s having on your blood pressure, cholesterol and your mental health.” Remember that the gym is for everyone “There’s often this assumption that the gym is full of beefy guys and gym bunnies, but the reality is that lots of different people go to the gym,” says Chatterjee. “Lots of elderly people, women, kids and people who that aren’t particularly in shape go to the gym because we all need to be exercising. Gyms are designed for people from any walks of life.” The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)