Category: Brandpoint

2026-08-11T15:07:00

(BPT) – As families prepare for a new school year, they’re stocking up on everything from notebooks and backpacks to lunchboxes and new shoes. But beyond the traditional back-to-school checklist, many parents are looking for something even more valuable this time of year: small ways to make busy mornings a little less hectic.

Between packing lunches, getting kids dressed, finding missing homework and making it to school before the first bell rings, mornings can quickly become a race against the clock. Once the school day ends, the pace doesn’t slow down, with sports practices, after-school activities, errands and homework filling the evening.

Convenience has become one of the biggest trends shaping the products families choose, including their footwear.

That’s where Skechers enters the picture.

Known as The Comfort Technology Company^®, Skechers has continued to innovate with features designed to make everyday life a little easier. One of its most popular innovations, Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins^®, eliminates one of the smallest, but surprisingly time-consuming, parts of the daily routine: putting on your shoes.

The concept is simple. There’s no bending down, no tying laces and no adjusting the back of your shoe. You simply step in and go. Each pair is designed with Skechers’ unique Heel Pillow^® technology that helps hold the foot securely in place while delivering the comfort consumers have come to expect from the brand.

The beauty of Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins is that the technology isn’t limited to one style. It’s available across a wide variety of footwear for men, women and kids, making it easy for the entire family to enjoy the convenience of hands-free comfort.

For parents balancing work, school drop-offs and packed schedules, styles like Skechers Cozy Fit^® Slip-ins combine soft quilted materials with Contour Foam™ cushioning that adapts to your foot’s unique shape, perfect for tackling busy days without missing a step.

For children heading back to the classroom, Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins encourage independence by making it easy to put on their own shoes. That means one less thing for parents to help with during the morning rush — and one more confidence boost for kids learning to do things on their own.

Those looking for a sportier option can turn to Skechers Glide-Step^® Slip-ins, featuring a unique geometric midsole that promotes natural momentum with every step. Whether it’s walking across campus, heading to the gym, coaching after-school sports or cheering from the sidelines, these versatile sneakers are designed to keep pace with busy lifestyles.

The convenience doesn’t stop there. Skechers also offers Hands Free Slip-ins across its Work collection for teachers, healthcare professionals, restaurant employees and others who spend long days on their feet, as well as performance styles designed for running, golf, pickleball and walking.

With styles available across nearly every lifestyle category, Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins prove that sometimes the smallest innovations can have the biggest impact. During one of the busiest seasons of the year, saving a few moments each morning can help families spend less time rushing — and more time enjoying everything the school year has to offer.

Learn more about the latest Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins collection at skechers.com.

2026-08-11T11:01:00

(BPT) – Imagine being an older adult in rural West Virginia with chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Your conditions need regular monitoring, but the nearest clinic is 90 minutes away — on a good day. When new symptoms arise, along with elevated blood pressure, how do you manage traveling to access necessary medical care?

“The truth is, in many rural communities, it’s often easier and faster to have a pizza delivered than it is to access the healthcare people depend on,” said Darren Sabo, CEO of Primefocus Health, the first venture spinout from LG NOVA, LG Electronics’ North America Innovation Center.

For the 1 in 5 Americans living in rural areas, this is the reality. If you’re managing a chronic illness, the nearest specialist could be a two-hour drive away. If you don’t have reliable transportation, or can’t take a full day off work, you wait — and hope nothing gets worse.

A whopping 80% of rural America is medically underserved, leading to poorer health outcomes. Rural residents are more likely than urban residents to die early from causes like heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory disease or stroke. While other factors may contribute to this higher health risk, access to healthcare remains one of the biggest challenges.

Rural hospitals and health systems continue to face workforce shortages, hospital closures, financial pressures and infrastructure limitations that worsen the situation.

What it’s really like on the ground

For rural healthcare teams in 2026, the challenge isn’t awareness — it’s capacity. Nurses and care coordinators often manage caseloads that would be difficult anywhere, with limited resources and backup support far away. Adding new programs or technology tools to an already stretched team, without redesigning how that care gets delivered, tends to make things harder rather than easier.

For patients, the barriers are immediate. Long distances, unreliable transportation and limited primary care providers and specialists as well as limited broadband/internet access aren’t merely inconveniences — they’re why people delay care, skip follow-ups and end up in emergency rooms for conditions that could have been managed earlier.

“In parts of Appalachia, patients sometimes travel hours for appointments that take just minutes,” added Sabo. “The math doesn’t work, and most of the systems built to help them haven’t seriously reckoned with that.”

The pandemic introduced digital tools including telehealth, which has seen success in increased appointment completion in some rural areas. However, challenges to adopting new technology persist, including patient education and broadband access. West Virginia, for example, ranks 50th nationally in broadband access. And technology isn’t the complete answer: Personal relationships with healthcare providers remain crucial.

Finding solutions that put patient needs first

A rural healthcare transformation requires technology and a nourishing human connection. Digital health innovations are one piece of the puzzle, but technology alone won’t solve healthcare access challenges in underserved communities.

Solutions need to be designed for the people who need them. Programs producing real results share something in common: They start by asking what patients will actually use and care teams can sustain and build from there.

Primefocus Health is one such solution, reimagining how healthcare happens beyond the clinic by empowering providers and patients through a trusted and customizable digital health platform that bridges the gap between hospital and home. Primefocus Health is building a connected ecosystem where patients can access care, education and remote monitoring tools from home, and providers gain insights they need to guide recovery and improve health outcomes before they become an issue, instead of after.

Technology as a tool, not a substitute for human care

For rural healthcare organizations already operating with limited staffing and growing patient demand, technology adoption — from telehealth appointments and remote patient monitoring (RPM) to AI-powered medical scribes and more — only works when solutions fit naturally into clinical workflows and help providers work more efficiently.

AI and RPM tools must help care teams:

• identify high-risk patients faster
• streamline decision-making
• expand care capacity
• improve outcomes without increasing operational strain

“We’re not trying to replace the current healthcare infrastructure and healthcare workers,” said Sabo. “We’re trying to enhance their abilities.”

This operational-first approach is increasingly important as rural hospitals seek scalable healthcare innovation strategies that really work, despite resource limitations.

One model for a connected care program

In rural Appalachia, a connected care program from Primefocus Health in partnership with the Marshall Health Network is serving patients across West Virginia, southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky to put that idea to the test. Its goal is simple: make it easier for patients managing chronic conditions to stay connected with their care team without making travel the price of admission.

The results were tangible:

• Patients stayed engaged.
• Chronic conditions were better managed.
• People who had been driving hours for routine follow-ups were receiving consistent support closer to home.

What made it work wasn’t the technology alone. It worked because the program was designed with the health system from the start, built around what care teams could realistically sustain, and held to the standard of whether patients were actually doing better.

“Technologies like AI and RPM have enormous potential, but only when implemented thoughtfully, responsibly and with clinical realities in mind,” said Sabo. “The question worth asking is a simple one: Is it actually designed for the people who need it most?”

Rural healthcare is being reimagined right now — in policy, in funding and in technology being deployed across communities that have been underserved for decades.

Learn how Primefocus Health is supporting rural healthcare transformation at PrimefocusHealth.com.

2026-08-07T10:41:00

(BPT) – Do you already have a cat or two, but want to grow your feline family? You may be wondering the best ways to go about it. While it’s true that cats are more social than they’re given credit for, animal behaviorists still recommend a slow, strategic approach when introducing a new cat to your household.

Here are some tips to help your new cat get along more smoothly with cats you already have in your home.

1. Choose your new cat with care

First ensure your new cat is healthy, up-to-date on vaccinations and already spayed or neutered. Reputable animal shelters will be able to provide documentation on each cat’s vaccinations and health screenings. Then you may also want to take them to your regular vet for a checkup.

Contrary to popular opinion, it may be best to consider a mature cat that has a history of living successfully with other felines. Younger cats do not necessarily show deference to an older cat, and some older cats are stressed by a young cat’s high level of energy.

2. Prepare to bring the new cat home

Consider housing the new cat in a separate room or floor before making any introductions. That means providing a new set of everything a cat needs to be comfortable: litter box, food and water dishes, a soft place to sleep and enrichment like toys, a cat condo or places to climb and perch. You may want to consider revamping spaces throughout your home to provide multiple places cats can enjoy before introducing them.

Make sure your new cat and existing cats won’t accidently run into each other every time you open the door to the new cat’s space by setting up a baby gate or barrier. In addition, keep your cats’ claws clipped so they’ll be less likely to do serious injury if they get into a scrap when they first meet.

3. Be patient

Give your new feline lots of time to get used to you, and the space, before attempting introductions. Every cat is an individual, and may take time to become comfortable in their new home. Because they’re so unique, you won’t know who’ll be more stressed about the introduction — your existing cat(s) or the newcomer.

Chances are good your cats are aware of each other long before they can see one another. Feeding or offering treats on opposite sides of the door can foster positive associations before they meet.

4. Introduce them, one sense at a time

Depending on your home’s layout, your cats may already smell and/or hear each other. At the beginning, find ways to limit the senses by which they’re encountering each other. For example, let them smell each other’s scent by swapping their beds or blankets for a few days. If your home allows, try a room swap, letting each cat inhabit the other’s space for a while. You can also try feeding them on opposite sides of a baby gate with a sheet draped over it, so they’ll hear and smell each other without visual contact.

Later, if you have a glass or plastic door or partition, you could feed them within eyesight but without them being able to smell or hear each other well.

5. Watch their behavior

You probably recognize signs of displeasure in your cat, like hissing, growling or their fur fluffing up. More subtle signs of stress can be ears flattening, tail twitching or the death stare: unbroken eye contact between cats who appear frozen in place.

Positive body language may also be visible: tail straight up, ears facing forward. One cat may lean forward to sniff the other cat, even showing playfulness by rolling on their back to reveal their tummy. Signs like this show they’re ready to accept the other cat — though it may not be mutual yet.

If you see signs your cats aren’t happy, don’t panic. A little hissing or growling doesn’t mean they’ll never be friends. Try giving them treats together, or coaxing them to play with favorite toys at the same time. Most importantly, keep their interactions limited and supervised while they figure out this new relationship.

Depending on your individual cats, it may take weeks, months or even years before they happily coexist, but that doesn’t mean all-out warfare. With patience and preparation, you can help your cats successfully navigate their new social interactions.

2026-08-06T09:55:00

(BPT) – When you think of solar power for your home, you likely picture the rows of gleaming panels lining your roof. However, before you begin selecting and installing solar, there is an important first step you cannot skip: purchasing a home backup battery.

There are plenty of myths and misconceptions about backup batteries, but the truth is that starting with solar and then purchasing a battery holds you back from true energy independence. Read on to discover the five biggest backup battery myths and why procuring one for your home is the first step toward harnessing solar power regardless of rain, shine, heatwave, hurricane, tropical storm or snow.

Myth 1: Solar panels give me 24/7 energy independence

Reality: Solar panels alone can’t power your home overnight or during storms that can take out the grid and sunlight. That’s because solar panels can’t store the power produced by the sun.

Traditional grid-tied solar-powered systems capture and send power to your home’s electrical system for use. Without a battery, any excess solar power flows from your home to the grid. So, what happens when the grid shuts down or there’s a storm? You’re still left without power.

Think of it this way: Your solar panels are the engine that creates the power needed to run your home. Your battery is the gas tank that stores energy for later, so you can use it when you need it. Without a battery, you can’t store or use your own energy during a storm, an extended outage or overnight.

Myth 2: I can just buy solar panels and sell excess power back to the grid

Reality: The days of relying on utility companies to buy back your extra daytime solar power at top dollar are rapidly coming to an end. California kicked off the nationwide shift when it overhauled its net-metering policies, drastically cutting the rate utilities pay homeowners for pushing excess solar back to the grid. Almost overnight, new solar-only installs lost their biggest financial perk so homeowners started adding battery storage to capture that free daytime energy and use it themselves when rates spike at night or when outages hit. Today, a home battery is the default foundation required to actually get the full benefits of solar energy.

Bonus: Home backup means beating Time-of-Use (TOU) rate spikes. With or without solar, a home backup battery lets you take advantage of daily smart energy management. You can charge your battery from the wall when grid electricity is cheapest, then run your home on that stored battery power during expensive peak afternoon and evening hours. It’s an instant way to lower your electric bill.

Myth 3: I have to buy solar panels before buying a battery

Reality: You can and should install battery storage first. That way, when you eventually purchase and install your solar panels, you’ll be ready to store and use energy from the get-go.

Also, a home battery can serve as a stand-alone backup system without solar if needed, providing energy day or night, storm or no storm. For example, Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus home backup battery can recharge from multiple sources, including high-voltage solar and traditional AC power.

That flexibility is what makes battery backup such a strong starting point. They’re always ready, providing stored power when the grid goes down or when electricity is most expensive, whether or not you have solar panels.

Myth 4: Installing a backup battery is difficult

Reality: Many modern backup batteries, like portable power stations, don’t require installation, and are designed for plug-and-play operation, though some have the option to be easily connected to your home’s circuits via a transfer switch, the process of which is less expensive and more straight forward compared to permanently installed, grid-tied home backup. This versatility in home backup options means whether you own your home or rent an apartment, backup power for all your essentials like the refrigerator, lights, WiFi, home office and more is within reach. And you won’t need an electrician or permits to start, if ever.

Jackery makes it simple to make battery backup a part of any home, with or without solar already installed. Both the Solar Generator 5000 Plus and the HomePower 3600 Plus can be used as-is by plugging appliances and electronics directly to them. They even feature built-in wheels and a pull handle, allowing you to move power from room to room.

Bonus: You can connect these backup batteries/portable power stations to your home’s electrical circuit by having an electrician install a transfer switch. The Solar Generator 5000 Plus pairs with the Jackery Smart Transfer Switch to provide automatic home coverage and seamless backup when you need it most and the HomePower 3600 Plus also connects home circuits via a manual transfer switch. These provide multi-room coverage without the need to install a permanent generator so the system can move with you. And while they are modular for tailored scalability, the base units still work as standalone portable power stations for ultimate flexibility.

Myth 5: Batteries have a short lifespan

Reality: Home batteries have come a long way. Today’s models can be used for over a decade depending on use. For example, the Solar Generator 5000 Plus has over an 11-year battery lifespan, while the HomePower 3600 Plus is rated for over 16 years. Jackery supports these solutions with multiyear warranties, so you can rest easy knowing you’re covered.

Battery storage should be the default, not an afterthought

To truly take advantage of solar power, you must be able to capture, store and use it on your own terms. To learn more about backup batteries and how they make solar power usable when you need it most, visit Jackery.com.

2026-08-06T09:05:00

(BPT) – Key takeaways

• Proper ventilation is essential for your comfort and health, and your home’s structural integrity.
• Modern homes are built tight. Traditional ventilation systems often can’t deliver proper ventilation in airtight homes.
• Balanced ventilation via an energy recovery ventilator keeps your home comfortable, improves indoor air quality and works with your home’s design.
• The Panasonic BalancedHome^® ERV complements the modern home and is essential for long-term home performance.

When you’re building a new home or remodeling your existing one, you’ll have many choices to make. Most homeowners focus on visible features like kitchens, flooring and smart technology. But there’s one system that matters just as much, and it’s hidden behind your walls: your home’s ventilation.

Why ventilation matters

Think of your home’s ventilation system as its lungs. It brings in fresh outdoor air and removes stale indoor air. Good ventilation means fresher air throughout your home, better moisture control, and fewer odors and indoor pollutants.

Every home needs proper ventilation. Whether you live in a cold northern region, a hot and humid southern state or anywhere in between, proper ventilation keeps your home comfortable, healthy and structurally sound.

Where traditional ventilation systems fall short

Modern homes are designed to be super energy-efficient, which means they’re sealed more carefully than ever before. The downside? That same seal that saves on your electric bill also traps stale air, humidity and cooking odors inside. Traditional mechanical ventilation systems work with a one-way approach. Some pull air out of your home and hope fresh air seeps in through cracks and gaps. Others push air in and hope stale air escapes the same way. Neither approach works well in today’s airtight homes.

The result? Uneven comfort, excess moisture accumulation, condensation on windows, spatial air dead zones, lingering cooking odors, and a buildup of indoor pollutants from everyday activities like showering and cleaning. It gets worse. Exhaust-only systems can create negative pressure, allowing moisture and contaminants to seep into your walls. Supply-only systems trap moisture inside, increasing the risk of mold and long-term damage to your roof, walls, foundation and insulation.

2026-08-04T10:01:00

(BPT) – Nearly one in four vehicles on the road today needs a new battery — most without warning signs of upcoming failure.

Extreme summer heat can quietly weaken your car’s battery long before you notice any issues, putting today’s vehicles at increasing risk. And the 12-volt battery in every vehicle, full electric, gas and hybrid, meets more power demands than ever before.

Many drivers associate cold temperatures with dead batteries, but summer heat has a large impact on battery health. Hot temperatures can cause internal battery components to break down, shortening the battery life, according to experts at Clarios, the Wisconsin-based maker of one out of every three car batteries worldwide.

Today’s vehicles are essentially rolling advanced computers, which rely on the 12-volt battery to power them. Two decades ago, a luxury vehicle might have a simple computer system, power windows and a few electronic modules. Nowadays, most vehicles have more than 50 electronic control units to run large infotainment screens, advanced driver assist technologies and multiple cameras.

All this computing power makes the summer heat even harsher on a car battery.

To help drivers keep up with the growing demands on today’s vehicles, Clarios battery experts offer four simple tips to avoid heat-related battery issues:

1. PARK SMART: Park in the shade to reduce heat exposure

2. CHECK SECURITY: Ensure your battery is securely mounted

3. WATCH FOR DAMAGE: Inspect for bloating or leakage

4. CHOOSE THE RIGHT BATTERY: Consider whether your battery is designed to handle higher temperatures and increasing electrical demands. Options such as AGM batteries are well-suited for more demanding conditions

An AGM (“Absorbent Glass Mat”) battery holds electrolytes in glass mats. In traditional “flooded” batteries (EFB) the electrolytes move around freely in a casing, while AGM technology is spill-proof and maintenance-free. This design can offer advantages as vehicles place higher demands on battery performance, particularly in more extreme conditions such as heat, and are ideal for vehicles with higher electrical demands, frequent short trips or idling, harsh environments and start-stop technology.

Battery maintenance tips

As vehicles integrate more electronic features and power-hungry functions, the role of the 12-volt battery continues to expand. The requirements for a traditional car battery have evolved beyond starting the vehicle to support safety critical and convenience features including advanced driver assistance systems. The low-voltage battery provides reliable and dependable power, protecting against failures that could put occupants at risk.

Clarios experts recommend not running accessories with the engine off and avoiding short trips whenever possible. Additionally, drivers need to heed dashboard warning signs. Yet even without obvious signs of battery degradation, vehicle owners should seek a professional battery test if their battery is more than three years old. One easy thing to do is make sure you mark your calendar when you get a new battery.

Selecting the right battery and proper maintenance can make for a summer of fun without worrying about diminished vehicle performance or worse, a dead battery somewhere down the road.

For more battery tips and informative videos, visit AutoBatteries.com.

2026-08-04T09:01:00

(BPT) – Back-to-school season is buzzing with possibility. New backpacks, fresh supplies, colorful moments — and for parents and teachers, a long to-do list and rising costs. That’s where Crayola, the #1 brand preferred by parents and teachers*, steps in.

The Freedom to Create Without Limits

Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers give kids — and parents — permission to create with confidence. Proven across hundreds of washability tests to clean easily from hands, clothes, desks, and painted walls, these nontoxic markers deliver vibrant color for everything from coloring books to school projects. Perfect for bold, colorful learning at home and in the classroom — with cleanup you can trust.

Innovative Clicks

Beyond washability, there’s another frustration that derails creativity: lost caps, dried-out markers, and endless sharpening. Crayola Clicks solve these obstacles with retractable design.

Clicks Colored Pencils need zero sharpening with 2.0mm retractable lead with 24 refills included. Clicks Markers feature retractable tips so there are no caps to lose and no markers drying out by tomorrow. Clicks Highlighters deliver smooth, consistent color that washes easily from skin and clothing. Available in Classic, Bold & Bright, New Pastel, and New Neon.

Empowering Essentials for All Students

Did you know that 5.1 boxes of Crayola Crayons sell every second during back-to-school season? They’re the 13th fastest-selling item at retailers — sandwiched between bananas and water on the essentials list.**

From endless creative possibilities at home to classroom masterpieces, 24-count Crayons deliver primary and secondary colors, plus the beloved Dandelion yellow, permanently restored by popular demand.

And when the whole class is ready to create, Crayola has teachers covered. To help educators ensure they have plenty of tools for all the kids in their classrooms this fall and throughout the year, consider gifting one of these class packs of essential school supplies like Crayons, Colored Pencils, and Markers.

Bulk sets ensure that more students will be set for creativity during the entire school year, making them a top choice for teachers setting up classrooms, community donation drives, whole group activities, and collaborative projects that put every student’s imagination to work.

Ready to get the new school year started? You can find all these back-to-school necessities, plus plenty more supplies to fuel your kids’ creativity at Crayola.com and retailers nationwide.

*Source: TeacherList.com (Sept. 2025)

**Source: Numerator TruView// USA Retail (Jul. 2025)