XMWare

2024-05-23T10:01:01

(BPT) – As your mother ages, it’s natural to start thinking about where she’ll live out her golden years. Don’t be surprised if she decides to stay put instead of moving.

Over the last 20 years, more and more older adults are living in traditional housing. The trend is called “age in place.” A recent survey found that 92% of older adults prefer to live out their later years in their current home instead of a care facility or other assisted living housing.

Aging in place and living independently for as long as possible provides several benefits for older adults. According to the Cleveland Clinic, aging in place can preserve independence, reduce health care expenses, provide consistency (which lessens confusion for people with memory issues) and helps aging adults maintain their support networks. More importantly, Mom gets to stay in a place where she’s built a life and created beautiful memories, providing a sense of security and emotional well-being.

Of course, there are challenges to aging in place. Namely, the risk of falling.

A balancing act

As you begin a conversation about aging in place, you’ll have to balance protecting your mom with preserving her privacy. Both are important especially as risks, like falls, increase.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in four adults 65 and over fall each year in the U.S. While this can happen to anyone, women fall more often than men, accounting for three-quarters of all hip fractures.

Accidents happen, but some factors can increase your mother’s fall risk. For example, the National Council on Aging found that medications like antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs can affect a person’s balance, and antipsychotics can increase dizziness and confusion, which can lead to a fall.

When an older adult falls, it can cause more than just a bruise. According to the CDC, one in five falls cause broken bones, head injury or other serious injuries. Not only are these falls scary and potentially life-threatening, but falling once doubles a person’s chances of falling again.

Caregiving crisis

To safeguard your mother’s desire for independence, while prioritizing her safety, you’ll need to address her care. Even if your mother is currently diligent about keeping you up to date with her care needs that may not always be the case.

As they age, older adults tend to experience a soft decline. They may not notice a decrease in their physical and mental functions. As they age, their functional skills decline. You may not be able to count on your aging parent to self-report accurately, so you’ll want to keep a close eye.

However, not every caregiver lives near their aging parents. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, 5-7 million U.S. caregivers are long-distance, making regular check-ins virtually impossible.

If you live nearby, checking in on your mom is doable, but what about at night or during work hours? Caregiving for a parent can be exhausting, and many family caregivers experience burnout and fatigue.

Whether you live near or far, you could hire a professional caregiver … assuming you can afford or find one. Due to a combination of factors, including the pandemic, the U.S. is facing a growing nursing shortage, with about 9 nurses per 1,000 people in 2023 compared to almost 12 nurses per 1,000 people in 2021. The shortage will likely continue, considering that 610,388 registered nurses plan to leave the workforce by 2027 due to stress, burnout and retirement.

A new solution for safety, privacy and peace of mind

So, what are your options? Thankfully, new technology has made it possible for older adults to stay home safe and secure. Whether you live across the street, across town or across the state, these tools allow you to check on Mom and her daily activities remotely.

Advances in potential fall detection are making life easier for everyone. Early fall detection systems on the market were limited — only providing information when an event had occurred. These systems were unable to provide a broader view of daily activities that could be indicators of physical decline, including potential fall risks.

The latest systems combine simple movement and motion-sensing technology with the power and the portability of mobile apps. These systems greatly expand the ability to check on a loved one day or night before a fall or to alert of an actual fall.

What about cameras? For older adults who feel cameras are invasive, the choice could be between safety and a sense of privacy. But, technological advances can now capture and report the normal motion of daily activities without cameras.

Nomo Smart Care™ is an affordable, easy-to-install system designed around the idea of normal motion. What is normal motion? It’s a person’s simple daily routine, like getting out of bed and opening the refrigerator and the medicine cabinet. Changes in Mom’s expected normal motion could signal a decline in her health and well-being. Patterns have power. Disruption in normal patterns of behavior can provide early warning of potential problems and open the door to early intervention.

The Nomo Smart Care system is made of three basic components: the hub, satellites and tags. The hub and satellites detect motion. For example, a person moving through a room. The tags report activity in the room. Tags are applied to any surface, like doors and drawers, and report when they move. Because tags detect movement, they can also be set up and worn as a potential fall-detection pendant. All three components work together to create easy and intuitive reports and logs of Mom’s motion and movement, day or night, without using cameras.

Using the free-to-download app, an unlimited number of family members and caregivers can check on normal motion in real time. Mom didn’t open the medicine cabinet? No movement in the kitchen this morning? The user can also set triggers to be alerted when some activities occur or when expected activities don’t occur. If needed, the system can alert caregivers of an emergency and provide seamless connection to 9-1-1 services.

Keep your mom happy at home

Statistics point to the broader need for simple, effective solutions in the face of a groundswell of age-in-place parents. Technology can help. Cutting-edge systems like Nomo Smart Care are helping provide both independence and comfort for older family members who want to stay in their homes, and peace of mind for the caregivers who are supporting them. Visit NomoSmartCare.com to learn more.

2024-05-22T23:01:00

(BPT) – Summer break can be wonderful for kids, as they are able to explore new activities, visit with friends or just have more free time to play. But summer can also get hot — and long. If you’ve ever struggled to find more ways for your kids to have fun when the temperatures climb, or heard them complain about being bored, there’s a great solution: Urban Air Adventure Park, the largest indoor adventure park operator in the world and part of the world’s first Youth Enrichment franchise platform company Unleashed Brands, helping families get the most out of summer breaks.

Whether your kids are between summer camps and classes, it’s too hot or rainy to play outside, or you’re just looking for new ways to keep your kids more active and off their screens, Urban Air offers a wide variety of engaging activities — with a range of options that will turn any summer day into an exciting excursion.

While every location has unique offerings, all of them include something for everyone, for all ages and skill levels. Activities at most locations include options like Warrior Courses, Climbing Hills, Tubes Playgrounds, Battle Beams, wall-to-wall APEX trampolines and more. Some locations may also offer additional attractions like Bowling, Mini-Golf, Climbing Walls, Ropes Course, Go-Kart Tracks, Spin Zone Bumper Cars and Virtual Reality. Urban Air also provides a convenient cafe, with kid-friendly favorites like pizza and nachos (menus vary by location).

This year, Urban Air wants to help families get the most out of their summer breaks with new “All You Can Summer” offerings, available now. The Summersational Play Pass unlocks three months of adventure* and the All-In, All-Day Group Pass is perfect for the entire family, complete with fun and food. Urban Air is a top choice for memorable birthday parties, family get-togethers or just the best everyday reason to get out of the house and have a blast, all summer long.

Here’s what’s included in the passes:

Summersational Play Pass:

Adults can purchase the Play Pass online at UrbanAir.com/summer-pass for access to instant fun for unlimited visits during a 3-month period. While prices vary depending on each location, this pass starts as low as $44.99 and includes indoor play socks, with no blackout dates.

All-In, All-Day Group Pass: For less than the cost of a family night at the movies, the All-In, All-Day Group Pass includes top-tier passes to your local Urban Air Adventure Park for three children and two adults, with Urban Air socks, plus food and beverages including pizza, sodas and ICEEs — like the special Urbie’s Razzamatazzberry Blast flavor. Bundle prices vary by location and can be purchased online.

Check out the best way for families to beat the boredom and the heat by finding an Urban Air Adventure Park near you at UrbanAir.com/locations.

*The Summersational Play Pass is valid for 90 days once parks begin to accept visits for the play pass. The Summersational Play Pass is only valid on NEW purchases and cannot be combined with any other offers or promos. This is not a membership. Participating locations only. Attraction height and capacity restrictions may apply.

2024-05-22T10:59:00

(BPT) – By Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, executive vice president of Innovation for LG Electronics, head of LG NOVA

In business, meaningful growth can’t happen without innovation. It’s essential if your organization is to evolve and thrive, and if you’re serious about adding value to people’s daily lives.

With a thirst to drive innovation, and a wealth of knowledge in the area of IoT, I set out to establish and grow my own startup. I’m happy to say I succeeded in this endeavor. However, with the business model being rather narrow — a continuous cycle of making products and then selling them — there were limitations to what I could do.

After making the decision to sell my company, I went on to serve as the Presidential Innovation Fellow for Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), a program run by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. It was a valuable and enlightening experience. There, I had the chance to work with leading tech companies to further develop and execute plans for industrial IoT and global smart cities. During my seven years in the U.S. federal government, I realized that there are limits to what governments can do with regard to building smart ecosystems. In the end, private companies are the ones bringing the ideas and concepts of smart solutions and businesses to fruition.

This was when I was first approached by LG Electronics. The company wanted to create a new organization dedicated to the discovery of future businesses. LG offered me this amazing opportunity to head up a team they were in the process of putting together.

I thought deeply about the prospect of joining LG. While the company is universally recognized as a strong player in the consumer electronics field, looking in from the outside, it seemed to lack what some might call, a certain ‘disruptive innovation.’ However, I was intrigued by its determination and desire to uncover future business and was confident that the company possessed the agility necessary to change and ‘disrupt.’

Personally, I believe that if there are ten great ideas on the table, seven or eight of them will fail to develop into successful businesses. While many people view this way of thinking about business creation as just plain crazy, LG CEO William Cho is, thankfully, not among them.

At LG NOVA, an initiative I am grateful to lead, our mission is to establish a community for nurturing, growing and creating new businesses in new market areas for LG. Early in the LG NOVA journey, we realized that entering new businesses — or new business areas — is difficult if you’re relying solely on your internal capabilities.

If LG wants to create new home appliances, it is in a good position to do this internally because it is already a global leader in consumer electronics, with all the necessary expertise and experience at its disposal. LG NOVA’s mandate is to explore entirely new and different concepts, not currently in LG’s wheelhouse. Although there are thousands of engineers and experts working in LG’s R&D centers, their expertise is in products and areas of business that LG is already in. This is why the LG executive team resolved to look outside of LG.

Our goal is to explore new business avenues that would, ultimately, help contribute to the advancement of LG Electronics. Startups, by the nature of their business model and ability to be at the ground-level of market needs, are leading the forefront of innovation. However, startups will not partner with just any firm that approaches them. This is why we needed to show that LG, as a company, has the commitment and capability to go far beyond home appliances and TVs. This is where LG NOVA comes in.

To establish ourselves in the market, we came up with the idea of hosting a grand challenge. In September 2021, we announced the launch of Mission for the Future, an annual, global competition for startups where we could identify innovative technologies and business ideas for a better tomorrow. The participating startups were tasked with developing and presenting technology-based solutions for improving daily life, our communities and the planet. The tech areas we asked them to focus on included clean tech, healthcare and future tech/AI.

To give you an idea of how it works, imagine there is a startup that creates sensors for use in healthcare devices. They might pitch a scenario or concept where their sensors are deployed in TVs to enable innovative new services. Our own business experts, or entrepreneurs in residence (EIRs), would then work with the startup to assess the feasibility of their idea. In many cases, EIRs would work closely with the startup to develop a relevant, but entirely different business idea that could be exciting to both parties. If the idea was deemed to be viable, and in alignment with LG NOVA’s goals and values, a partnership agreement might result and LG NOVA would launch a new business based on the collaboration. This is how a small, fledgling company can set its unique concept on the fast track to becoming a commercialized product.

Through this process, and by combining our capacity with the startup’s capacity, we can create a joint business where LG has as much ‘skin in the game’ as the startup. And at every step along the way, LG NOVA will be right there with them, from meeting with investors to introducing and marketing the ‘final product’ to customers. Through LG NOVA, we can create new products and services that can make a positive difference — and do it at a much larger scale than a startup could manage, if it were to go it alone.

I am proud to be a part of LG and to help guide LG NOVA into exciting new territories where boundless innovation awaits discovery. And I can say, without exaggeration, that I truly love this role. Ultimately, I’m striving for Innovation for Impact — which also happens to be the motto and the philosophy of LG NOVA. While there are many, many ways to make a profit, we have committed ourselves to achieving profitability in a meaningful way, and to leaving a lasting, positive impact on the world.

2024-05-22T12:01:01

(BPT) – If you’re experimenting with going vegan, you’ve got good timing. Even just a decade ago, it was difficult to find meat- and dairy-free options in restaurants and in the grocery store, let alone tasty vegan recipes to make at home. But now, it has never been easier to focus on plant-based eating. Grocery stores are filled with vegan products — plant-based yogurt, like Icelandic Provisions Oatmilk Skyr, and even meat substitutes like burgers and chicken. Many restaurants offer vegan menu items, denoted with a green V. Vegan cookbooks are on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Still, it seems like a huge dietary change to make. Do you have to overhaul everything?

The good news is, the answer to that is no. In fact, experts like those at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health say that, while a vegan diet can reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease, blood cholesterol and diabetes, it’s best not to go all in, all at once. It can feel overwhelming, difficult and restrictive, so much so that you might just abandon the effort.

A great way to start small is to swap out some ingredients in your favorite meals to make them vegan, without the fuss.

Here are some easy swaps to make some of your favorite dishes vegan.

Oatmilk skyr for regular yogurt. Not familiar with skyr? It’s like yogurt, but creamier, thicker, higher in protein and usually lower in sugar. It’s a staple for many Nordic peoples, but because it’s traditionally made from milk, vegans haven’t had that option. Icelandic Provisions solves that dilemma, by using thousand-year-old heirloom Icelandic cultures adapted to perform in a vegan environment to create Icelandic Provisions Oatmilk Skyr. Take a single-serve cup on the go or use it just like you would milk-based skyr or yogurt — a bowl with berries and granola starts the day off right.

Chickpeas for tuna or chicken in salad sandwiches for wraps. This clever trick will transform your lunches, and it’s so easy to do. Start with a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and lightly mash so they’re still chunky. Then dress it up the same way you would a tuna or chicken salad sandwich — diced celery and onion, a dash of parsley or dill, and vegan mayo or plain oatmilk skyr for the base. Spread it on bread and add lettuce, tomato, avocado or whatever your taste buds fancy!

Lentils for beef or pork in spaghetti sauces. Many people find they can’t even tell the difference when they sub lentils for ground meat in sauces. Here’s the trick: Cook the lentils bolognese-style, with a vegan twist. Start by sauteing onion and garlic. Add your lentils, and then pour enough oat or soy milk to just cover the lentils and let that boil down. Then, add white wine, and boil that down, too. While the wine is reducing, add Italian spices. Last, add your tomato sauce and paste and simmer. Bonus tip: You can twist this recipe for tacos, too, by using Mexican spices. Top with plain oatmilk skyr, a great replacement for sour cream, and cilantro.

Oatmilk skyr, bananas or applesauce for eggs in baking. You can get all the moisture with none of the dairy by subbing oatmilk skyr, bananas or applesauce for eggs in your favorite baking recipes. Here’s what you need to know: One-fourth cup of oatmilk skyr or applesauce equals one egg. For bananas, one-half cup of mashed banana equals one egg. Give it a try! You’ll be surprised how delicious it is.

Going vegan, a little at a time, is an easy way to lighten up your diet. By swapping vegan ingredients for meat or dairy in your favorite dishes, you won’t miss a thing!

2024-05-22T14:01:00

(BPT) – Summer is a great time of year — full of new activities, outings, road trips and all kinds of adventures. As your family gears up for a season full of fun, one of the top items on your must-have list is portable snacks to fuel them all day long. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for wholesome, tasty and easy-to-pack snacks the entire family will love — and great tools to help you keep those snacks safe and secure, wherever you and your kids are headed next.

Here are some snack ideas to help you keep everyone happy and full of energy through this busy, sun-filled season.

Choose food bags designed for busy families

Whether you’re packing hearty sandwiches, cut-up fruits and veggies or a variety of other foods your kids need to get them through their busy day, choose easy-to-use, durable food bags that not only seal reliably, but are large and strong enough to contain generous portions of food — and keep summer essentials like travel-sized containers of sunscreen, bug spray, wipes and napkins organized.

For example, Hefty Press to Close Food Bags have a unique double zipper that seals with a single press and slide across the closure. They are available in a variety of sizes, including a convenient XL Sandwich size that can easily fit fruit salads, sub sandwiches or watermelon slices. Hefty Press to Close Food Bags also have an expandable bottom that makes them easier to fill. Best yet, they’re budget-friendly, as they cost less than the leading brand.

Recruit the kids

Help ensure that your kids will enjoy their snacks by involving them in making and/or packing them. You can set up a build-your-own trail mix station in the kitchen, providing options including a variety of nuts and seeds, raisins and other dried fruits, chocolate chips, granola or their favorite cereals, etc. Provide scoops and let kids fill their own Hefty Press to Close food bags with customized trail mix they can bring along with them, wherever they’re headed. Your kids can write their names on their trail mix bags using the convenient write-on label area of the bag.

Keep everybody hydrated and stay cool

You can also provide extra hydration through foods with high water content, like fresh fruits and veggies. The best options for on-the-go snacking include cut-up pieces of celery, carrots, cucumber, apples and melons. Even easier are items that don’t need cutting up, like cherry tomatoes, snow peas and mandarin oranges. Include a container of dipping sauce, hummus, cream cheese, dressing or nut butter to make these snacks extra tasty.

Another effective hack is to pack along a few fruits that are frozen ahead of time, like grapes, bananas or melon slices, plus some yogurt tubes.

Best on-the-road snacks

For road trips — or trips back and forth from summer activities — you may want to bring along several snacks that aren’t too messy for kids to eat in the car. For example, you could fill your Hefty Press to Close Food Bags with options like string cheese, whole grain crackers and pretzels.

Stocking up on plenty of easy-to-pack snacks and food bags ahead of time will help you feel ready for everything summer has to offer, from impromptu trips to the beach and picnics, to playdates and soccer games — and any other adventures that come your way.

Be sure to check out Hefty Press to Close Food Bags at your nearest Walmart and at Walmart.com.

2024-05-22T15:39:00

(BPT) – With warmer days come picnics at the park and backyard barbecues — and that means it’s potato salad season! Here are 10 ways to make the best potato salad of your life.

1. Start with the right type of potato.

While any potato can be used for potato salad, russets and yellows are the best options because they can absorb the dressing and flavors the most. Fingerlings and petites can also be good choices, and as a bonus, you don’t have to cut them.

2. Cut and soak potatoes before cooking.

Cut your potatoes into 1.5-2-inch chunks, as consistently as possible. If your chunks are too small, you’ll end up with mashed potatoes. Keep the peel on for extra flavor and nutrients. Soaking your potatoes in cold water before cooking will help prevent oxidation and remove excess starch. Don’t soak them for long — just a minute or two will do the job.

3. Simmer – don’t boil!

Boiling your potatoes will cause them to break apart. Simmer them until they’re fork-tender. However, when in doubt, overcooked is preferable to undercooked.

4. Season the water for added flavor.

Add flavor to the potatoes as they cook. A few recommendations:

• Generously salt your water.
• Use vegetable stock.
• Add lemon juice, garlic and other seasonings to the water.

5. Drain well, but don’t cool completely.

When the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them well and let the steam escape. Get rid of as much excess moisture as you can. But don’t cool completely! While the potatoes are still warm, put them on a baking sheet, and sprinkle on some acid like apple cider, rice wine or red wine vinegars. Pickle juice is another great acid choice! Adding the acid when the potatoes are warm maximizes the flavor.

Avoid white vinegar, which is too strong, or balsamic vinegar, which will add a weird color. Afterward, sprinkle salt over the potatoes, unless you used pickle juice, which is already salty.

6. Make the dressing separately.

No matter what dressing base you choose (e.g., mayo, oil, etc.), don’t combine all the dressing ingredients with the potatoes. Make the dressing in advance and then mix with your potatoes once seasoned. If you’re using a dairy-based dressing, let the potatoes cool before mixing.

A classic potato salad dressing has mayonnaise, mustard and some type of acid (like vinegar or citrus juice) and relish. You want the dressing to have a more liquid consistency before adding it to the dish. The starch in the potatoes will thicken the dressing and make it creamier. Add seasonings like paprika, salt, pepper, parsley and dill to amp up the flavor.

Bonus tip: make a little extra dressing to give new life to leftover potato salad the next day.

7. Choose onions wisely.

Onions are great but avoid harsh yellow and white onions. Green onions tend to work well, and red onions are okay, too – just make sure to dice and rinse them in cold water first!

8. Give it some texture.

For a classic, all-American potato salad, add hard-boiled eggs to get a great mix of textures. Celery is another option to give you some crunch.

9. Serve at room temperature.

Avoid serving cold potato salad in general, but it’s particularly important to bring potato salad with oil-based dressing to room temperature, because oil can harden when chilled.

10. Play with variations on your salad.

Don’t be afraid to play with your food! Try using different flavor profiles and ingredients to spice things up. A current fan favorite is a potato salad inspired by Mexican street corn with cotija cheese, charred corn, lime juice and the perfect amount of heat.

In addition to being delicious, potato salad is a showcase for America’s favorite vegetable. You’ll be happy to know that a medium (5.3 oz), skin-on potato has more potassium than a banana, 3 grams of plant-based protein and almost one-third of the vitamin C we need daily — so enjoy!

To check out more great potato salad recipes, visit PotatoGoodness.com.