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For some people dying alone is not such a bad thing – here’s why

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/glenys-caswell-142188">Glenys Caswell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a> It seems so obvious that no one should die alone that we never talk about it, but people do often die when they are alone. Sometimes they die in a way that suggests they prefer to be alone as they are coming to the end of their lives. So is it really such a bad thing to be alone when you die? When a person is dying in a hospital or a care home it is common for the nurses caring for them to summon their family. Many people will have the experience of trying to <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2190/OM.55.3.d">keep vigil beside a family member</a>. It is hard – as everyday life goes on regardless – and it can be emotionally exhausting. Sometimes, the relative will die when their family have gone to make a phone call or get a cup of tea, leaving the family feeling distressed and guilty for not being there when they died. There is plenty of research literature, from many countries, devoted to trying to decide <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885392415001578">what makes a good death</a>. There are differences to be found between countries, but similarities too. One similarity is a belief that <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S106474811600138X?via%3Dihub">no one should die alone</a>. This idea sits well with the view of dying that can be found in many different places. When interviewed as research participants, health professionals – and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2904589/">nurses in particular</a> – commonly say that no one should die alone. There are also many cultural references that suggest that to die alone is a bad thing. Consider, for example, the death of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’s <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm">A Christmas Carol</a>, or the death of Nemo, the law writer in <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1023/1023-h/1023-h.htm">Bleak House</a>. These are both sad, dark, lonely deaths of a kind to be avoided. Celebrity deaths, such as those of comedian and actress <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/apr/20/victoria-wood-dies-aged-62-comedian">Victoria Wood</a> or <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35278872">David Bowie</a>, are described in the news as peaceful or good when they are surrounded by family. Ordinary people who die alone make the news when the person’s body is undiscovered for a long time. When this happens the death is likely to be described in <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795360300577X?via%3Dihub">negative terms</a>, such as shocking, lonely, tragic or as a sad indictment of society. <h2>Some people prefer to be alone</h2> Of course, it may be the case that many people would prefer to have their family around them when they are dying. But there is <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21582041.2015.1114663">evidence</a> that suggests that some people would <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953615003482?via%3Dihub">prefer to be alone </a>as they are coming to the end of their lives. My own <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13576275.2017.1413542">research</a> found that while hospice-at-home nurses believe that no one should die alone, they had seen cases where a person died after their family members had left the bedside. The nurses believed that some people just want to be on their own when they are dying. They also thought that people may have a measure of control over when they die, and choose to do so when their family are not around. In the same study, I also talked to older people who were living alone to find out their views about dying alone. I was intrigued to learn that dying alone was not seen as something that is automatically bad, and for some of the older people it was to be preferred. For some people in this group, dying was not the worst thing that could happen – being trapped in a care home was considered to be far worse than dying alone. Cultural representations of dying suggest that being alone while dying is a dreadful thing. This view is supported by healthcare policy and the practices of health professionals, such as nurses. But we all know people who prefer to be left alone when they are ill. Is it so surprising then that some might wish to be alone when they are dying? It is time we began to talk about this and to accept that we want different things in our dying as we do in our living. Openness created through discussion might also help to remove some of the guilt that family members feel when they miss the moment of their relative’s death.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90034/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/glenys-caswell-142188">Glenys Caswell</a>, Senior Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-some-people-dying-alone-is-not-such-a-bad-thing-heres-why-90034">original article</a>.

Caring

Readers response: What’s one thing you wish you had known before retiring?

When it comes time to retire, there are always things we wish we knew first before entering our golden years. We asked our readers what they wish they knew before retiring, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Margaret Walsh - As long as you are fit and active, it's great. Just don't get crook or disabled, it sucks. Judi Bradshaw - I retired 9 times and kept going back to work as I didn't find myself ready to stop work, but finally retired at 73. Took awhile to adjust but now 75 and full time travellers, just loving life. Marcus von Moger - How good it was going to be. Chris Bailey - How boring it is, I’d go back to work in a heartbeat if I could. Ellen Fowler - That the government would keep changing the rules. Michael L Carrigg - Just how long it takes dealing with government departments that clearly are understaffed, especially in the front line service areas. Jim Burgess - Finding reasonably priced accommodation. Nicol Kyriakidou - That it would be so great! Having the whole day to yourself. Taking it easy, meeting friends, going shopping. Doing everything at your leisure. Gaye Johnson - You never get a day off!!! David Brown - How good it is. I should have retired 20 years earlier. Image credits: Shutterstock

Retirement Life

Controversial suicide capsule applications suspended amid investigation

Advocacy groups behind the suicide capsule have suspended the process of taking applications amid a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland. In a statement on Sunday, they said that 371 people were “in the process of applying” to use the device, known as the Sarco, as of September 23 and applications were suspended after its first use. The Sarco capsule is designed to allow the person inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas from a tank underneath into the sealed chamber, allowing the person to fall asleep and then die of suffocation in a few minutes. On September 23, an unidentified 64-year-old woman from the US Midwest, became the first person to use the device in a forest in the northern Schaffhausen region. The president of Switzerland-based The Last Resort, Florian Willet, said at the time that the woman's death was "peaceful, fast, and dignified", although those claims could not be independently verified. On the same day as the woman's death, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal. Willet and several others were taken into custody following her death and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide. Willet is currently being held in pretrial detention, according to The Last Resort and Exit International, an affiliate founded in Australia over a quarter-century ago. The others who were detained were released from custody. Exit International also clarified that their lawyers in Switzerland believed the use of the device is legal. “Only after the Sarco was used was it learned that Ms Baume-Schneider had addressed the issue,” the advocacy groups said in the statement Sunday. “The timing was a pure coincidence and not our intention.” Switzerland has some of the most permissive laws when it comes to assisted suicide, but the first use of the Sarco has prompted debate among lawmakers. Laws in the country permit assisted suicide, as long as the person takes their own life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive”. Image: Exit International

Legal

Hospice nurse shares the four physical stages of dying

A hospice nurse has shared the four things that happen to your body in the months, weeks and days before you die. Julie McFadden, who specialises in end of life care, shares videos about death and dying on social media to open up the conversation on the taboo topic, to help better prepare people for death. In her latest video, a viewer asked Julie what the dying process actually looks like, as the nurse explained that it all depends on how, when and why you pass away. However, she said there are four things that happen to the body as the end draws near. The first stage of dying is slowing down, which can happen up to six months before you die, with the symptoms being very "generalised". Julie says, "For instance, you’re just going to be generally tired, generally lethargic, not eating and drinking as much, probably being less social." According to Julie, the second stage is a sharp decline in strength, as she explains, "The closer you get to death – let’s say three months out – you’re going to be more debilitated." "It’s going to be difficult for you to leave the house, you probably are eating and drinking very little throughout the day, and you’re sleeping more than you’re awake." <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Before the last stage of life, Julie describes a period of "transitioning" which happens around a month before death and can include a phenomenon known as "visioning". <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The nurse says, "This is when people will start seeing dead relatives, dead loved ones, dead pets, things like that." She says that typically, someone "can be up and having a normal conversation with their family", all the while "saying they’re seeing their dead father in the corner who is smiling and telling them he’s coming to get them soon and not to worry." <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">According to Julie, this final stage of death is considered the most "distinct time in the dying process" when the body starts to fully shut down. <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The actively dying phase is what scares people, because they’re not used to seeing it and they don’t know what the heck’s going on," she says. <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Metabolic changes’ such as a difference in skin colour, high and low temperature, or the ‘death rattle’ – a gurgling noise (also known as terminal secretions) caused by a buildup of fluids in the throat and upper airways – follow before they later pass on. <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">However, while it’s natural to find these things upsetting, Julie assures people this stage is a "normal part of death and dying", and "it’s not hurting your loved one." <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"It’s important to be educated about what death actually looks like. Movies and television don’t do it justice, then people see it in real life when it’s their loved ones and they freak out," she said. <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Image credits: YouTube / Instagram

Caring

Why are some people happy when they are dying?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mattias-tranberg-941050">Mattias Tranberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lund-university-756">Lund University</a> Simon Boas, who wrote a candid account of living with cancer, passed away on July 15 at the age of 47. In a recent <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clmykzrdnljo">BBC interview</a>, the former aid worker told the reporter: “My pain is under control and I’m terribly happy – it sounds weird to say, but I’m as happy as I’ve ever been in my life.” It may seem odd that a person could be happy as the end draws near, but in my experience as a clinical psychologist working with people at the end of their lives, it’s not that uncommon. There is quite a lot of research suggesting that fear of death is at the unconscious centre of being human. William James, an American philosopher, called the knowledge that we must die <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/170217/the-worm-at-the-core-by-sheldon-solomon-jeff-greenberg-and-tom-pyszczynski/">“the worm at the core”</a> of the human condition. But a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44577785">study</a> in Psychological Science shows that people nearing death use more positive language to describe their experience than those who just imagine death. This suggests that the experience of dying is more pleasant – or, at least, less unpleasant – than we might picture it. In the BBC interview, Boas shared some of the insights that helped him come to accept his situation. He mentioned the importance of enjoying life and prioritising meaningful experiences, suggesting that acknowledging death can enhance our appreciation for life. Despite the pain and difficulties, Boas seemed cheerful, hoping his attitude would support his wife and parents during the difficult times ahead. Boas’s words echo the Roman philosopher Seneca who <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Moral_letters_to_Lucilius/Letter_61">advised that</a>: “To have lived long enough depends neither upon our years nor upon our days, but upon our minds.” A more recent thinker expressing similar sentiments is the psychiatrist <a href="https://www.viktorfrankl.org/">Viktor Frankl</a> who, after surviving Auschwitz, wrote <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/347571/mans-search-for-meaning-by-viktor-e-frankl/9781846046384">Man’s Search for Meaning</a> (1946) in which he lay the groundwork for a form of existential psychotherapy, with the focus of discovering meaning in any kind of circumstance. Its most recent adaptation is meaning-centred psychotherapy, which offers people with cancer a way to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4861219/">improve their sense of meaning</a>. <h2>How happiness and meaning relate</h2> In two recent studies, in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951521000262">Palliative and Supportive Care</a> and the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909120939857">American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care</a>, people approaching death were asked what constitutes happiness for them. Common themes in both studies were social connections, enjoying simple pleasures such as being in nature, having a positive mindset and a general shift in focus from seeking pleasure to finding meaning and fulfilment as their illness progressed. In my work as a clinical psychologist, I sometimes meet people who have – or eventually arrive at – a similar outlook on life as Boas. One person especially comes to mind – let’s call him Johan. The first time I met Johan, he came to the clinic by himself, with a slight limp. We talked about life, about interests, relationships and meaning. Johan appeared to be lucid, clear and articulate. The second time, he came with crutches. One foot had begun to lag and he couldn’t trust his balance. He said it was frustrating to lose control of his foot, but still hoped to cycle around Mont Blanc. When I asked him what his concerns were, he burst into tears. He said: “That I won’t get to celebrate my birthday next month.” We sat quietly for a while and took in the situation. It wasn’t the moment of death itself that weighed on him the most, it was all the things he wouldn’t be able to do again. Johan arrived at our third meeting supported by a friend, no longer able to grip the crutches. He told me that he had been watching films of him cycling with his friends. He had concluded that he could watch YouTube videos of others cycling around Mont Blanc. He had even ordered a new, expensive mountain bike. “I’ve wanted to buy it for a long time, but was tightfisted,” he said. “I may not be able to ride it, but thought it would be cool to have in the living room.” For the fourth visit, he arrived in a wheelchair. It turned out to be the last time we met. The bike had arrived; he had it next to the couch. There was one more thing he wanted to do. “If by some miracle I were to get out of this alive, I would like to volunteer in domestic care services – one or two shifts a week,” Johan said. “They work hard and it gets crazy sometimes, but they make such an incredible contribution. I wouldn’t have been able to get out of the apartment without them.” My experience of patients with life-threatening disease is that it’s possible to feel happiness alongside sadness, and other seemingly conflicting emotions. Over a day, patients can feel gratitude, remorse, longing, anger, guilt and relief – sometimes all at once. Facing the limits of existence can add perspective and help a person appreciate life more than ever.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234309/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mattias-tranberg-941050">Mattias Tranberg</a>, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Institute of Palliative Care, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lund-university-756">Lund University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-some-people-happy-when-they-are-dying-234309">original article</a>.

Caring

Sarah Ferguson sends her well wishes to Kate Middleton

Sarah Ferguson has shared a hopeful message for Kate Middleton in the wake of her cancer diagnosis. The Duchess of York, who has battled both breast and skin cancer in the last year, said she was impressed and proud of the Princess of Wales for coming forward with the news of her diagnosis, while also sending her well wishes as her health journey continues. In a statement to her Instagram page, Fergie wrote, "All my thoughts and prayers are with the Princess of Wales as she starts her treatment. I know she will be surrounded by the love of her family and everyone is praying for the best outcome." She continued, "As someone who has faced their own battle with cancer in recent months, I am full of admiration for the way she has spoken publicly about her diagnosis and know it will do a tremendous amount of good to raise awareness." "I hope she will now be given the time, space and privacy to heal." The Duchess is no stranger to difficult diagnoses, as she shared the news of her skin cancer diagnosis in January - just months after undergoing surgery for breast cancer. On Saturday, Kate Middleton confirmed she had been <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/kate-middleton-reveals-cancer-diagnosis-in-heartfelt-message" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diagnosed with cancer</a> in a personal video message released by Kensington Palace, following weeks of speculation and controversy surrounding the true state of her health. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Longing for the ‘golden age’ of air travel? Be careful what you wish for

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-bednarek-144872">Janet Bednarek</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a> Long lines at security checkpoints, tiny plastic cups of soda, small bags of pretzels, planes filled to capacity, fees attached to every amenity – all reflect the realities of 21st century commercial air travel. It’s no wonder that many travelers have become nostalgic for the so-called “golden age” of air travel in the United States. During the 1950s, airlines promoted commercial air travel as glamorous: stewardesses served full meals on real china, airline seats were large (and frequently empty) with ample leg-room, and passengers always dressed well. After jets were introduced in the late 1950s, passengers could travel to even the most distant locations at speeds unimaginable a mere decade before. An airline trip from New York to London that could take up to 15 hours in the early 1950s could be made in less than seven hours by the early 1960s. But airline nostalgia can be tricky, and “golden ages” are seldom as idyllic as they seem. Until the introduction of jets in 1958, most of the nation’s commercial planes were propeller-driven aircraft, like the DC-4. Most of these planes were unpressurized, and with a maximum cruising altitude of 10,000 to 12,000 feet, they were unable to fly over bad weather. Delays were frequent, turbulence common, and air sickness bags often needed. Some planes were spacious and pressurized: the <a href="http://everythingnice.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/PanAm-cutawayS.jpg">Boeing Stratocruiser</a>, for example, could seat 50 first class passengers or 81 coach passengers compared to the DC-3’s 21 passengers. It could cruise at 32,000 feet, which allowed Stratocruiser to fly above most bad weather it encountered. But only 56 of these planes were ever in service. While the later DC-6 and DC-7 were pressurized, they still flew much lower than the soon-to-appear jets – 20,000 feet compared to 30,000 feet – and often encountered turbulence. The piston engines were bulky, complex and difficult to maintain, which contributed to frequent delays. For much of this period, the old saying “Time to spare, go by air” still rang true. Through the 1930s and into the 1940s, almost everyone flew first class. Airlines did encourage more people to fly in the 1950s and 1960s by introducing coach or tourist fares, but the savings were relative: less expensive than first class, but still pricey. In 1955, for example, so-called “bargain fares” from New York to Paris were the equivalent of just over $2,600 in 2014 dollars. Although the advent of jets did result in lower fares, the cost was still out of reach of most Americans. The most likely frequent flier was a white, male businessman traveling on his company’s expense account, and in the 1960s, airlines – with young attractive stewardesses in short skirts – clearly catered to their most frequent flyers. The demographics of travelers did begin to shift during this period. More women, more young people, and retirees began to fly; still, airline travel remained financially out-of-reach for most. If it was a golden age, it only was for the very few. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bKqQgNZylLw?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Jet planes were introduced in the late 1950s, resulting in shorter flight times. But their ticket prices out of reach for the average traveler.</figcaption></figure> People also forget that well into the 1960s, air travel was far more dangerous than it is today. In the 1950s and 1960s US airlines experienced at least a half dozen crashes per year – most leading to fatalities of all on board. People today may bemoan the crowded airplanes and lack of on-board amenities, but the number of fatalities per million miles flown has dropped dramatically since since the late 1970s, especially compared to the 1960s. Through at least the 1970s, airports even prominently featured kiosks selling flight insurance. And we can’t forget hijackings. By the mid-1960s so many airplanes had been hijacked that <a href="http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/hijackers/flying-high.htm">“Take me to Cuba”</a> became a punch line for stand-up comics. In 1971 <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/39593/index2.html">D.B. Cooper</a> – a hijacker who parachuted from a Boeing 727 after extorting $200,000 – might have been able to achieve folk hero status. But one reason US airline passengers today (generally) tolerate security checkpoints is that they want some kind of assurance that their aircraft will remain safe. And if the previous examples don’t dull the sheen of air travel’s “golden age,” remember: in-flight smoking was both permitted and encouraged.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/34177/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-bednarek-144872">Janet Bednarek</a>, Professor of History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/longing-for-the-golden-age-of-air-travel-be-careful-what-you-wish-for-34177">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Mother bans in-laws from seeing her baby after they go against her wishes

A woman has banned her in-laws from seeing her newborn daughter after they “betrayed her trust” and directly went against her wishes. The new mum shared the story to Reddit, as she explained why she was cutting contact with her husband’s parents after they pierced her child’s ears without their knowledge or consent. “My husband is from a culture where it's not uncommon to pierce baby girls' ears and his mother started pestering me about getting my daughter's ears pierced a few days after she was born,” the 32-year-old mum began. “I made it clear that I would not be doing that, and that I'd be waiting until she's old enough to ask for it herself. We live in my country where piercing a baby's ears isn't common at all.” The new mum's world soon came crashing down after the baby spent a weekend with her grandparents, before she went back to her parents red in the face and screaming. “My mother-in-law was looking after her over the weekend and decided to pierce her ears without my knowledge or consent.” “When I saw this I threw a fit. My baby was crying in pain, and I actually took her to the doctor to get their advice on whether or not to take them out.” The doctor advised the parent to take the earrings out as they were irritating the baby, but the issue didn’t end there. “I decided at that moment that my mother-in-law and everyone else on that side of the family (except for my sister-in-law, who's on my side about this) is going to have no alone contact with my daughter ever again - or at least until she's a teenager.” “My worry is that she'll do the same thing again, and to be frank, she's lost my trust entirely. I told her that if she had a problem with that, I'd report what she did to the police.” The husband of the baby girl reluctantly sided with his wife over the issue, despite saying it wasn’t a big deal and suggesting everyone move on from the incident. The story prompted a mixed response online, with some people saying the woman was overreacting and should work towards rebuilding trust with her in-laws. Others, however, had the opposite opinion, with one person saying, “Forget rebuilding trust, I'd be having them charged with assault.” Another person said, “They mutilated a child and they knew it was against the parents wishes. These people have serious problems. Not that I'd press charges, but getting holes poked in someone else's kid is a huge thing.” Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Simple, cheap remedies you’ll wish you knew sooner

Pull nails out gently If you’re planning to pull a nail out of wood but worry that the hammerhead will hurt the grain, protect the wood before using the hammer. How? Slip a plastic spatula under the head of the hammer before you start the job. Replace the oil in baking Fat makes baked goods moist and tender. It’s also incredibly kilojoule-dense, and if you’re cutting kilojoules, it’s an easy place to start. But say you don’t like your cakes and muffins dry and tough? Then applesauce is the answer. Replace up to 2/3 of the oil called for in a cake or muffin recipe with applesauce, and you’ll add moisture and flavour while ditching the fat. Sweeten the house People who are allergic to air fresheners and sprays can still enjoy the benefits of a sweet-smelling house. Wet a cotton ball with vanilla and dab it very lightly on the outside of a regular light bulb (not a halogen bulb) in your lamps. When you turn on the lamp, the bulb heats up and a faint but alluring scent of vanilla drifts out. Soften beans Afraid those dry beans have been on the shelf too long? Help soften them by adding a pinch of baking soda to the soaking water. Add a fresh pinch to the cooking water, too, and you can significantly reduce the aftereffects of bean consumption. Neutralise mouth ulcers Place an antacid tablet directly on the ulcer, giving it time to dissolve, or simply chew one. The medicine will stop the acids and enzymes in your mouth from attacking the tissue in the sore, and more importantly, it will stop the pain. (Be sure to check the product’s label for correct dosage instructions.) Rip it off the right way Pulling an adhesive bandage off your child’s skin can be tough on both of you. Make it easier by rubbing the bandage with a cotton ball soaked in baby oil. Rub until you can easily pull the bandage off. This trick works well for adults with sensitive skin, too. Clean your carpet overnight Whether your carpet smells dank and musty because of a pet, a smoker, or a season of rain, take the odour out with baby powder. Using a flour sifter, spread the powder generously over the carpet. Let it sit overnight – a few hours will suffice, but overnight is better – and vacuum up the powder and the smells in the morning. Hold a nail Stop hitting your fingers every time you hammer a nail in place. Use the teeth of an ordinary comb to hold the nail while you hammer. Get rid of fishy odours Been chopping something pungent? The smell of garlic or fish can linger on your fingers long after the food is gone. Avoid that by scrubbing your wet hands with baking soda, just as if it were soap, then rinse in warm water. Your hands will smell sweet – and feel softer, too. Remove splinters Make a paste of Epsom salt and water and apply it to the area harbouring a splinter. The paste will pull the splinter to the surface of the skin in about 10 minutes. It will pull insect stingers out of your skin, too. Skip the shaving cream Use hair conditioner for a smooth, clean shave – on your legs, under your arms, and (for men) even on your face. The conditioner will pamper your skin as well as your hair! You can also use hair conditioner as a soothing agent for legs irritated by shaving. Preserve your bouquet Spray the undersides of your cut flowers – leaves and petals – with hair spray to prolong their life. Be sure to stand about 30 cm away when you spray them for best results. Numb your eyebrows Make plucking your eyebrows much less painful by putting an ice pack on them until they’re uncomfortably cold. At that point your skin will be numb enough to begin plucking. You won’t even feel the tug! Train a dog Most dogs hate the sound of dried beans rattling in a can. Use that to your advantage when training a dog by putting a handful of beans in the bottom of an empty aluminium soda can. Seal the top with a strip of tape. When your dog misbehaves, shake the can a couple of times. Refresh tired feet Take this tip from marathon runners, who know that a ten-minute soak in a sugarless mouthwash will take your tootsies from tired to terrific. Alcohol invigorates and mint will make them smell sweet again. Remove crayon from walls If you find crayon markings on your wall, don’t get mad – get shaving cream. Spray the shaving cream directly onto the offending artwork, and scrub it off with a toothbrush or scrub brush. Make a close-fitting hot pad Soothe aching muscles with a custom-made hot pad. Fill a long sock, such as a tube or athletic sock, with dried beans, and tie the top tightly closed with ribbon or string. Heat in a microwave on high for 30 seconds. Place it right on your painful spot. You can drape it around a stiff neck or wrap it around a sore wrist, and it will mould to you, providing faster relief. Keep cookies fresh Homemade chocolate chip cookies can go from tasting deliciously soft and cakey to feeling hard and crunchy in a matter of days. To keep your freshly baked cookies tasting freshly baked, put a couple of slices of bread into the tin or jar where you store the cookies, laying the bread right on top of the cookies. The bread will keep that just-out-of-the-oven flavour and texture intact for up to a week. Wax your windows Do your double-hung windows have a bumpy ride every time you open or close them? If your windows don’t slide up and down with ease, let a candle help them. Clean the insides of the window frame where the sashes travel, then rub the same area with a candle. The windows will have a much smoother journey. Make your garage floor sparkle If you find a puddle of oil on your concrete garage floor, pour paint thinner over it, and then cover the area with kitty litter. (Make sure that the garage is well ventilated by keeping the garage door open, and don’t let anyone smoke or strike matches anywhere near the affected area – and keep the cats away.) The kitty litter will absorb the oil. Just sweep up the mess and you’re done. Clean smudges off suede Suede jackets, shoes and handbags look great, but they’re prone to picking up dirty marks. Clean fresh smudges off quickly and easily before they set into stains by rubbing the suede gently with a piece of fresh white bread. Use a small, circular motion. You may need a second piece of bread to get the spot clean. Keep down items from clumping Throw one or two tennis balls into the dryer the next time you dry down-filled items like pillows, comforters and jackets. They’ll ditch the flat look they get from the washing machine and puff up again with pride. Repel mosquitos You may love the mild apple-like flavour of chamomile tea but mosquitoes absolutely hate it. Brew a very strong batch of chamomile tea and keep it in a spray bottle in the fridge. Before you relax in the back yard or run through the tall grass, spray exposed skin liberally. It’s fragrant, potent and totally safe for children. Fill a stripped screw-hole If the screw keeps turning and turning in a piece of wood, push a bit of foil loosely in the hole and try again. It will grab tight. Freshen a fridge If something soured in your fridge or the freezer failed, clean it out, then fill a wide, shallow bowl with fresh coffee grounds and leave it in the fridge or freezer overnight. The strong scent of coffee will permeate the space, eradicating any hint of what went wrong. Banish burned-on food Liquid fabric softener is your best friend when it comes time to scrub pots and pans soiled by your worst enemy, baked-on grime. Soak the offending vessel in water and a squirt of fabric softener. Let it sit for an hour. Wash and rinse it all away. Feed your plants Used coffee grounds are full of nitrogen, so it’s a shame to throw them away each day. Coffee is especially good for acid-loving plants, like camellias, evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and rose bushes, so be sure they don’t miss out on the occasional cup of coffee – grounds, that is. Oil squeaky hinges Spray a little oil-based furniture polish on a squeaky door hinge, then open and shut the door several times to work the lubricant into the hinge. The furniture polish is a lot cleaner than the oil you’d usually use for a noisy hinge, and it works just as well to silence the squeak. Untangle a shoelace Junior got a knot in his sneaker and pulled and pulled until it became an impenetrable mass. Sprinkle the knot generously with cornflour, and then work the knot again. The laces will start to slip and slide, and you’ll be able to get the kinks out. Breathe better with a paper bag Got a case of the hiccups? Stop them before you start to hurt. Breathe in and out of a paper bag for a few minutes. You’ll create a build-up of carbon dioxide in your lungs, which helps relax your diaphragm – whose involuntary tightening causes the hiccups in the first place. This trick works if you’re hyperventilating, too. Give the jar a hand No more banging a jar on the floor to loosen a tight lid. No more running it under hot water. And no more fancy tools designed to do the trick – that somehow don’t work. Just put on a pair of rubber gloves, and open the jar with ease. (Psst – sandpaper also works wonders!) Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/home-tips/1-solutions-youll-wish-you-knew-sooner?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

"I'm home": Paramedics grant dying grandmother's final wish

Dedicated paramedics have made an emotional pit stop at the beach for a dying grandmother who wanted to see the ocean one last time. The ambos were transporting 94-year-old Shirl McHugh to the hospital when the grandmother asked to make a stop at Newcastle's Bar Beach: her favourite spot. Shirl told the paramedics she wanted to "feel the salt breeze one last time", as she had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving the hospital. When they stopped at the beach, the great-grandmother relaxed and told paramedic Brittaney Banks, "I'm home". Thankfully, Ms McHugh was able to bask in a beautifully fine day to take in the famous stretch of beach, which is busy with swimmers, surfers, lifesavers and families most days. Shirl, who was a respected member of her church as well as the wider community, died just 15 hours after her stop at the ocean. The NSW ambulance shared Shirl's story to their Instagram page, with paramedic Brittaney Banks recalling the emotional day. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyK0y_Ns8j5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyK0y_Ns8j5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by NSW Ambulance (@nswambulance)</a> </div> </blockquote> "When I opened the doors of the ambulance, Shirley said 'I'm home', and breathed a sigh of relaxation… it's one of those jobs I will remember forever," Brittaney said. Her granddaughter expressed her gratitude on social media, thanking the ambulance crew for respecting the special request from the stylish great-grandmother known to many as 'Shirl the Pearl'. "Thank you ladies for fulfilling my Nan's final wish on her way home," Emma Brown wrote. "She had such a beautiful soul, it was really my pleasure," Ms Banks replied. "I am so glad we could bring her home." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Dying husband and wife spend their final days holding hands

A married couple have spent their final days holding hands in hospital, after their beds were pushed next to each other so they could be side-by-side as they both passed away. The couple from Tennessee, Tommy and Virginia Stevens, both 91, were both admitted to the Vanderbilt hospital for unrelated medical issues. Tommy, who was suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, had been struck down with aspiration pneumonia and sepsis, and was transferred to the hospital's palliative care unit. The same morning, Virginia suffered a fall as she sustained six broken ribs, a spinal fracture, and a hip injury, and was admitted to the hospital's trauma unit. As Tommy and Virginia's family were struggling to split time between the two wards, hospital staff were able to pull strings for the longtime lovebirds to be roomed side-by-side. Virginia was moved into a room near Tommy’s in the Palliative Care Unit, and her hospital bed was scooted against his so she could comfort him as his health continued to get worse, the hospital said. “He was awake when she came in,” their daughter Karen Kreager said. “His eyes were open. He wasn’t communicating a lot — just in small whispers. But he knew that she was there and that she was going to be right beside him. They haven’t stopped holding hands the whole time. She won’t let go of him.” “It reminds me of why we do this work,” Mohana Karlekar, MD, medical director of VUMC’s adult Palliative Care Program told local news station <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2023/09/19/she-wont-let-go-him-vanderbilt-helps-hospitalized-wife-comfort-dying-husband/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WSMV</a>. “We take care of people — husbands, wives, mothers, fathers — not patients. We brought this family together during one of their most difficult times with little effort on our part. It involved a call, seeing an extra patient that day and some conversations.” “From the time we brought Mrs. Stevens over, she held her husband’s hand and fussed in a very loving way with him,” Karlekar said. “She was able to tell me Monday that she was at peace with what was going on, and she wanted to be there until the end.” Tommy died on September 8th, just a day before the couple’s 69th anniversary, and Virginia died a few days later on September 17th. Image credits: Vanderbilt University Medical Center and The Stevens Family

Caring

Try these 12 clever pillowcase hacks you’ll wish you knew sooner

Use a pillowcase as a laundry bag while travelling When you travel, you always want to keep your dirty laundry separate from your clean clothes. Stick a pillowcase in your suitcase and toss in the dirty laundry as it accumulates. When you get home, just empty the pillowcase into the washer and throw in the pillowcase as well. Use a pillowcase to dust ceiling fan blades Have you ever seen dust bunnies careening off your ceiling fan when you turn it on for the first time in weeks? Grab an old pillowcase and place it over one of the ceiling fan blades. Slowly pull off the pillowcase. The blades get dusted and the dust bunnies stay in the pillowcase, instead of parachuting to the floor. Turn a pillowcase into napkins Who needs formal linen napkins that need to be pressed every time you use them? Pillowcases are available in a wide array of colours and designs. Pick a colour or design you like, and start cutting. Prevent fraying by sewing a hem on each side, or simply finish with iron-on hemming tape. You’ll have a new set of colourful napkins for a fraction of the cost of regular cloth napkins. Use a pillowcase to keep matching bedding together Your recently arrived overnight guests want to go to bed, but it’s not made. You run to the linen closet, but you can’t find a matched set of sheets. Next time, file away your linens. Place newly laundered and folded sheets in their matching pillowcase before putting them in the closet. Prepare travel pillows Family road trips can be a lot of fun, but they can also get a little grimy too. Your youngsters may want to bring their own pillows along for the ride, but after several days in the car, they’re likely to get dirty with candy, food and markers. Take their favourite pillows and layer several pillowcases on each. When the outside one gets dirty, remove it for a fresh start! Use a pillowcase to wrap a present Trying to wrap a basketball or an odd-shaped piece of art? Is your wrapping paper not doing the trick? Place the gift in a pillowcase and tie closed with a ribbon. Use a pillowcase to store your jumpers Stored in plastic, winter jumpers can get musty. But stored in a wardrobe, they’re prey to moths. The solution can be found among your linens. Put the sweaters in a pillowcase for seasonal storage. They will stay free from dust but the pillowcase fabric will allow them to breathe. Use old pillowcases as garment bags You’ve just laundered a favourite dress shirt or skirt and you know you won’t be wearing it again for a while. To protect the garment, cut a hole in the top of an old pillowcase and slip it over the hanger and clothing. Psst – you can also use this trick when you’re packing for a holiday. Use pillowcases as dust bags You reach up to pull a leather purse or suede shoes down from a shelf. Of course, the item is dusty and now you have to clean it. Save yourself the time and hassle next time by storing infrequently used items in a pillowcase. They’ll be clean and ready to use when the occasion arises. Wash your delicates in a pillowcase Jumpers and pantyhose can get pulled out of shape when they twist around in the washer. To protect these garments during washing, toss them into a pillowcase and close with string or rubber band. Set the machine on the delicate setting, add the soap, and worry not about knots. Machine-wash stuffed animals in pillowcases Your child’s favourite stuffed animal is cute, but mighty dusty. Time for a bath! Place it in a pillowcase and put it in the washer. The pillowcase will ensure it gets a gentle but thorough wash. If any parts fall off the stuffed animal, it’ll be caught in the pillowcase so you can reattach them after the washing machine bath. Use a pillowcase to clear out cobwebs There’s a cobweb way up high in the corner of your dining room. Before you take a broom to it, cover the broom with an old pillowcase. Now you can wipe away the cobweb without scratching the wall paint. It’s also easier to remove the cobweb from the pillow than to pull it out of the broom bristles. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/home-tips/12-clever-uses-for-pillowcases-youll-wish-you-knew-sooner?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

“My heart is breaking”: The Wiggles perform for dying young fan

The Wiggles have made a young girl’s dreams come true, as they stood by her and performed just hours before she died. Purple Wiggle Lachlan Gillespie, new Blue Wiggle Lucia Field, and Dorothy the Dinosaur visited young Zahra’s bedside in Westmead Children’s Hospital, just before she passed away last month to perform a sweet rendition of Twinkle Twinkle. Earlier this week, Zahra’s mum posted the sweet video on TikTok, while sharing the story of how Zahra was diagnosed with Leigh syndrome, a rare neurometabolic disorder that affects the central nervous system. “On Zahra’s last day, she got a special visit from her fav Wiggles,” Zahra’s mum wrote in the video shared on her TikTok account. <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 611px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7254527205701733633&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40keish_el%2Fvideo%2F7254527205701733633&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoACeAheW25teaIoFQJHPEC2YgpcNAKrzDgaksj%3Fx-expires%3D1689325200%26x-signature%3D8aPR7s6As4g3eiheXA%252B7PmnZSBk%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> In the caption, she added, “This day was so special to us, Zahra was obsessed with the Wiggles and for them to come and see her is a memory we will never forget.” She went on to say that on her last day on earth, her doctors and parents gave her “one full day” off the tube where she got to do “all her favourite things with family and friends”, including the Wiggles. Lucia, who is the daughter of original Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, commented, “Lachy and I were so grateful to have met your beautiful family. May your beautiful little girl be happily resting”. The video has racked up over two million views, with many sharing their condolences for the grieving family. One user said, “I can't handle it. I'm so sorry… my heart breaks for you.” Another emotional viewer wrote, “RIP you little angel, you have earned your wings.” One person wrote that they were praying for Zahra and her family, and her grieving mother responded, “Thank you so much for those prayers. I know they would have kept her with us for as long as she could.” Image credits: TikTok

Caring

Rolf Harris' dying words revealed

Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris spent the final years of his life struggling to eat, walk and communicate as his health rapidly declined. His <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/rolf-harris-cause-and-date-of-death-confirmed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death</a> at 93 was confirmed on May 23 but it was later revealed his death certificate documented he had passed on May 11 as a result of neck cancer, which he had been suffering from since his release from prison in 2017. An ambulance was spotted outside his home in Berkshire, west of London in May. He lived there with his wife of 65 years, 91-year-old Alwen Hughes, who has Alzheimer’s disease, and both required round-the-clock care. 2022 saw the severity of his illness, with author and private investigator William Merrit telling The Daily Mail, “Rolf has been very sick,” Merrit noted that Harris was still “the entertainer” and would “turn into a big kid” as soon as someone walked into the room, trying to “perform on cue even when he’s unwell”. A neighbour told The Telegraph that his health had declined after the death of his poodle, Bumble. “Only carers and nurses, who care for him 24 hours, come and go. I’m told he can’t eat anymore,” the neighbour, Portia Wooderson, said. His dying words have been revealed, with Harris begging his daughter Bindi to make sure his wife receives the proper care. News Corp Australia reported a source saying Harris told Bindi, “Look after your mum. I always believed we would go on longer together but, if I go first, promise you’ll take good care of your mum.” Image credit: Getty

Caring

21 more organising tips you'll wish you knew all along

Give in to the piles “For people who chronically pile papers instead of filing them, ditch your filing cabinet. Instead, keep your piles but make them a little more structured by putting them into clear bins and then labelling them by category. It’s best if bins are transparent—either wire or acrylic—because if you’re a piler then you also probably have a visual memory. Labelling helps other people interact with your piling system.” —Kelly McMenamin and Katie McMenamin, co-authors of Organise Your Way: Simple Strategies for Every Personality Hang everything “Consider hanging almost all of your clothes. (You can use a double hanger to increase hanging space.) This helps you see everything you have so you know exactly what’s there and what you need. Drawers should be reserved for socks and underwear only.” —Kelly McMenamin and Katie McMenamin Don’t underestimate how draining clutter can be “Being surrounded by a lot of stuff can wear you down, physically and emotionally. Your home should be a reflection of items that truly hold meaning for you – either because you really like them or because there’s a special memory attached to them. Don’t hang onto unused picture frames, knick-knacks, plates, bowls, vases and other items you don’t have out on display or use. And remember, just because it’s hidden in a closet doesn’t mean it won’t add to that overwhelmed feeling you have as you still have to take care of it.” —Jeffrey Welder Note how your taste changes “Just because you loved something once doesn’t mean you still have to love it ten years later. Times change, people change, and trends change, and there’s nothing wrong with letting things go that no longer make you happy.” —Jeffrey Welder Over-the-door shoe organisers aren’t just for shoes “Hanging shoe organisers are a handy tool to keep clutter off floors and shelves, with uses for every room of your house. Try hanging one in your laundry room to organise all of your cleaning supplies. Or put one on your pantry door as the pouches are the perfect size to organise small boxes and gravy packets. Hang one in your bathroom to organise makeup and other toiletries. Use one in the playroom to keep Legos, matchbox cars, stuffed animals, and other small toys off the floor and in plain sight. Or try one in your workroom to keep all of your craft and wrapping supplies together.” —Jeffrey Welder Use the empty spaces above too “Under cabinets often end up packed to the gills (and hard to use) or half full of dead space. A simple solution is to use half shelves or stackable containers to use as much of the vertical area as you can.” —Schae Lewis and Bahar Partow Make it a game “Our clients love the ‘12-12-12 challenge.’ Each week, set a time to find 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to be returned to their proper home. It takes just a few minutes and is a fun, easy way to quickly organise 36 things in your house.” —Alison Bradley of the London Cleaning Team Throw a swap party “If you want to declutter without being wasteful, throw a party and invite friends to bring unused or unwanted items to swap. Everyone gets to go home with something new, and if you end up with leftovers, donate them to a local charity.” —Alison Bradley Shop your wardrobe “An easy way to declutter your wardrobe is to hold up each item and ask yourself, ‘Would I buy this again right now?’ If the answer is no, no matter what the reason is, out it goes.” —Hazel Thornton, professional organiser and author of Go with the Flow! The Clutter-Clearing Tool Kit for an Organised Life Question your stuff “For each item you consider bringing into the house, ask yourself three questions: Where is this going to live? Who will take care of it? Can I afford the money, time and energy it will require? If you don’t have a ready answer for any of these, then put it back.” —Hazel Thornton Start at the bottom of the pile and work up “For overwhelming paper piles, take a sheet from the bottom of the pile. The paper at the bottom is likely to be outdated, unneeded, even forgotten about, and no longer useful. That makes it easy to get rid of.” —Claire Tompkins, clutter coach and author of Five Minutes to a Relaxing Bedroom Can you handle the truth? "It’s hard to figure out what’s clutter in your own space because you’re so used to it. You take it for granted. Sometimes you can’t even see it. So pretend you’re showing a nosy visitor around. When she picks up that decorative box and asks you why you have it and if you like it, you may find yourself answering that it was left over from a white elephant sale and actually, no, you don’t even want it. The results can be surprising and liberating.” —Claire Tompkins Keep things where you actually need them “Put garbage or recycling bins where they’ll be used. If rubbish or recycling collect in the bedroom or living room, save yourself a trip and put the bins there, so you don’t have to go searching for them when you need them. Keep your shredder and recycling bin near where you process incoming mail. This allows you to take care of the paper right away rather than letting it pile up.” —Sarah Krivel, owner of Simpler Surroundings, a professional organising and productivity consulting company Cherish the memory with a photo “If you’re keeping something purely for sentimental reasons, take a picture and then give the item away. Recognise it’s the memory you cherish, not the actual item.” —Sarah Krivel Set a limit for decluttering “To avoid getting overwhelmed, I suggest to my clients to set the timer on their phones for a half hour. When the buzzer goes off they can stop! This can also be done by saying you’ll fill one bag to give away and then take a break. Often, just seeing their progress is motivation enough to keep going.” —Felice Cohen, professional organiser Get creative with repurposing old items “Sometimes something doesn’t need to be thrown out; sometimes it just needs to be used in a different way. For instance, use an empty tissue box to hold extra plastic grocery bags inside a kitchen pantry, cabinet, or closet. Or repurpose a bathroom towel rod by placing it on a garage wall to hold skateboards or longboards.” —Nancy Haworth, professional organiser, On Task Organising If you don’t love it or use it, lose it “This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s amazing what we can talk ourselves into keeping. For instance, gifts that we received and now feel obligated to keep forever, clothing that collects dust in our wardrobe but was too expensive to just get rid of, or childhood mementos that are taking over your storage space even though you’ve never taken the time to actually look back on them. If there is something that you are holding on to, be honest with yourself. Do you love it? Do you use it? Your home is a representation of yourself, and it should only be filled with items that you enjoy and use.” —Rachel Rosenthal, professional organiser and owner of Rachel and Company Don’t forget why libraries exist “If you have a large book collection, gather all your books from around the house so you can sort through them all together. Keep the ones you will still read, still reference, or have a particular love of. The rest can be donated. Remember, you can download many books now, and libraries still exist. Once you’ve whittled down your collection, decide how you would like to display your books: by topic, by author, by size, or by colour. Shelve the keepers accordingly. Create sections like a library or bookstore would have (thriller, reference, biography, comedy) or alphabetical by author.” —Amy Trager, certified professional organiser. Organise spices alphabetically “This allows you to quickly find what your recipe calls for, as well as figure out which spices your cabinet is missing. Whether in a drawer, laying flat, or in a cabinet on tiered shelves, alphabetizing will make grabbing spices quick and putting them away just as fast. If you enjoy cooking a lot and a variety of cuisines, you can also organise spices by cuisine type: Indian, Asian, Mediterranean, baking, etc.” —Amy Trager The bye-bye box “Take all supplies off of the top of your desk – pens, sticky notes, paper clips, etc – and put them in a box to the side. As you work, take out only the things you need to use. After two weeks, you’ll know what you actually use, and whatever hasn’t been taken out of the box can be discarded or donated.” —Sara Skillen Save the instructions “It makes sense that the manual for something like a printer, television, or computer should be kept next to or under the item it goes with. Sure, you could file them away, but chances are when you need the manual you will be standing next to the malfunctioning item. So simply slip the instructions underneath, taped to the back, or next to the equipment.” —Lee Silber, author of Organising from the Right Side of the Brain Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/home-tips/42-organising-tips-youll-wish-you-knew-all-along" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

21 organising tips you’ll wish you knew all along

The best organising ideas For many, organising is something that gets put off for months, but if you stay organised from the start and follow these tips, home organisation might not be such a daunting task. Learning how to organise from the start might be a lifestyle change, but in the end, it’s worth it. Read on to learn the best organising tips from the pros. Before you can get clutter out, you have stop it from coming in “The first step to winning the battle against clutter is to control what comes into your home. Unsubscribe from junk mail and catalogues you do not read. Stop shopping in bulk and buying non-necessities. Once the incoming flow of stuff and papers slows down or stops, you can focus on decluttering and organising what you have.” —Joanna Monahan, chief of external communications for Major Organisers. Channel Alice in Wonderland with an “Eat Me First!” fridge bin “Most households generate a lot of food waste, but you can cut it down just by having a dedicated – and labelled! – place in the fridge for leftovers and food that needs to be eaten quickly. This way the food actually gets eaten and you will be aware of what you have to buy soon.” —Lauren Haynes, expert in home organising and maintenance at Star Domestic Cleaners. Keep your “ice” on ice “Ice cube trays placed inside a drawer can really help you store and organise all kinds of little things that can easily get lost. They’re perfect for small pieces of jewellery, paper clips, or craft supplies.” —Lauren Haynes Kid’s clock and schedule, all in one “To structure your kid’s daily routine, get a simple white-faced clock and use different markers to colour the time segments for each activity like sleeping, bath time, or doing homework. Attach an activity list under the clock and you can keep your kid on schedule and on time.” —Lauren Haynes See shapes, not things “If you have groups of items that are shaped similarly (ie shoes in the bedroom or martini glasses in the kitchen), look at how to fit the shapes together instead of fitting the items. For example, if you are using shoe cubbies, put the shoes toe to heel instead of side by side. This way you can fit a pair of high heels in one cubby instead of two. You’ll be surprised how much more you can fit in a space when you look at shapes.” —Schae Lewis and Bahar Partow, co-founders of Mission 2 Organise LLC Forget the Pinterest projects “Being organised doesn’t have to be about being super creative or crafty like you often see online. For instance, you have probably seen the ‘trick’ to get 20 mason jars and glue the tops to the underside of a shelf, making cute storage for small items. But that’s a lot of work! And for what? Is that really making your life easier? I always tell my clients to look for the easiest solution to your organising problems, not the most creative.” —Alissa Dorfman, personal organiser and owner of Alissa Dorfman Home Organising Hook a kid up "When you have kids, always use hooks for their daily use items like coats and backpacks, rather than using hangers. Many kids lack the motor skills to get a coat on a hanger. Make sure the hooks are low to the ground so that the kids can reach them.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards, professional organiser with Home Key Organisation Ditch dressers “Instead of a traditional dresser, try a shelf with bins on it instead. This way, clothes don’t always have to be perfectly folded to close a drawer. Bonus: It will be easier for kids to put away their own clothes.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards Skip the shoe rack “Shoe racks are flimsy and rarely have enough space for all the shoes in a home, so use a bookcase instead.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards Don’t forget to clear out digital clutter “Digital clutter can be just as burdensome as physical clutter. To cut down on this, shut off automatic download of messages and start fetching emails only when you’re ready to deal with them. Also, set up a secondary email account for things like newsletters and promotional mail. Use an e-mail sorting system. Take five minutes every so often to clear out your pictures, text messages, music and other electronic files on a regular basis. Set up a recurring appointment on your phone calendar to remind you.” —Maura Thomas, founder of regainyourtime.com and author of Personal Productivity Secrets Have an electronics hub in every room "Have a place for all your mobile electronics, like iPads and phones, in every room you spend time in, not just in the kitchen or office. Since electronic items tend to move from room to room, having just one place in the home to store them doesn’t really work. Make the storage method fit each room. For instance, round baskets or an ottoman with storage can sit on the floor next to couches; decorative bowls or boxes function well on table tops; and magazine holders work in a tight space. Keep each station stocked with the necessities like different chargers, remotes and earphones.” —Jeffrey Welder of Vänt Wall Panels" Play the matching game “Start small, with one room or even just one drawer. Then empty everything out of the space and sort it into categories, grouping like items together. Once you see how much of each type of thing that you have, it will be easier to get rid of duplicates.” —Joanna Monahan Use a zone defence against clutter “Designate one place in your home, called a zone, for each category of items. For instance, have only one place for office supplies, one place for sports equipment, one place for shoes, and so forth. Clearly label each zone to help you and your family know where to look for [items] and to return items to their proper homes.” —Joanna Monahan Pick one of four destinations “It isn’t enough to pull out all the stuff you just don’t need. Purge it from your home by either trashing it, recycling it, thrifting it, or consigning it. This will help you become more mindful about what you really need.” —Evan Zislis, professional organiser and author of ClutterFree Revolution: Simplify Your Stuff, Organise Your Life & Save the World Your stuff should support your life goals, not the other way around “You need to clarify what is really important to you. Then organise the stuff that supports who you want to be and what you want to do before you’re dead and gone.” —Evan Zislis Freebies aren’t free “Just say no to free pads of paper, branded items, and other things you pick up at conferences, schools, or store events. Those items usually result in unused clutter around your house. Also say no to buy-one-get-one-free deals and bargains at the store too. Really, when are you ever going to use up six boxes of staples? And storing them isn’t free.” —Sara Skillen, Certified Professional Organiser Your refrigerator is your biggest cupboard “The refrigerator is one of the most frequently used ‘cupboards’ in the home, yet it is often forgotten when it comes to getting organised. Eliminate ‘lost’ food in the back by placing a lazy Susan at the rear of shelves to make rear spaces more functional and the items stored there, such as condiments, more accessible and usable. In addition, store food in clear glass standardised storage containers. When you can see the food, you are more likely to eat it.” —Debra Baida, owner of Liberated Spaces Make storage fun “For long-term results, design spaces with style and vibrancy, flexibility and function. This will give you the inspiration you’ll need to maintain your newly organised systems. In other words, make it fun and pretty!” —Evan Zislis Start organising your kitchen with the pantry “How many times have you gone to the store and wondered if you had pasta at home in your pantry? You’re not sure, so you buy another box, only to get home and find you have 20 already. To avoid this dilemma, pull everything out of your pantry and trash it if it’s expired. Donate unopened items you don’t like to a food bank. Then put your stuff back in but label your shelves with a name under each item. Only put foods on their designated shelf and you will never have to wonder how much pasta you really have.” —Alissa Dorfman Start organising your bedroom with the dresser “If you have an overflowing drawer, consider expanding it to two drawers, until every drawer can close. Next, narrow down how many types of things are in the same drawer. Only bras and underwear should have to share space. Lastly, move out-of-season or excess items into under-bed storage. —Alissa Dorfman Organise toys by age “How old are your kids? Do their toys reflect that? As kids grow, their toys change shape. In the beginning, everything is big and chunky with fewer pieces. A few years down the road, everything is teeny and collectible and kills if you step on it. Your playroom should reflect the ages of your kids and have different ways of organising the distinctly different toys. Use bins and Ziplock bags for all the little pieces, labelled so kids know which is for which. Communal areas, like dress-up and kitchen, should have big bins so clean-up is easier. Puzzles and board games should have a shelf, but make sure they too are separated by age, so each kid knows which area has their age-appropriate toys. Encourage taking out one thing at a time and remind them ten minutes before a playtime ends to clean up. You may have to help at first, but once your children know where every toy belongs, they are more than capable of cleaning up on their own.” —Alissa Dorfman Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/home-tips/42-organising-tips-youll-wish-you-knew-all-along" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

Kitchen organisation ideas you’ll wish you knew sooner

<h2>The benefits of keeping your kitchen neat</h2> They say everything has its place and this was never more true than in the kitchen. An organised kitchen can save time, prevent food waste, and let’s face it, it’s a lot more attractive and cheaper than renovating. With the help of a few experts, we put together kitchen organisation ideas and helpful tips to organise your kitchen cupboards, clean up your kitchen counters, pantry organisation ideas, and more. The best part? Most of these kitchen organisation tips are fast, easy, and free or inexpensive, to implement. <h2>Purge your drawers and cabinets</h2> Maybe you loved the idea of a juicer but only ever eat toast for breakfast. Or you used to be into baking but now you’ve put your focus into healthy meals. The top kitchen organisation idea is to stop thinking about the stuff, and start thinking about your life and how you want to live, says Laura Cattano, professional organiser and founder of Organisational Design. “If it’s not adding to your life, it’s directly taking away from it because it’s taking space away from something else.” <h2>Group by need, not by item</h2> You might keep your masher and microplane grater by the stove with other long-handled items like cooking spatulas, but that’s not the most convenient setup. “There are three things that happen in the kitchen: prep, cook, and serve,” says Cattano. “The best thing is to zone out your kitchen by those categories.” You might keep your spatulas by the stove, but your potato masher belongs near your countertop and big bowls. Take it a step further by asking exactly when you use each item. For instance, there’s no reason your mugs need to be by your water glasses, but putting them next to the coffee maker will save you from running all over your kitchen in the morning, says Cattano. <h2>Set up a drop zone by the door</h2> “The kitchen is still one of the first places we go when we enter a home,” says Maeve Richmond, founder and coach of organising company Maeve’s Method. “All the stuff of life that comes in the door accumulates in the kitchen.” To keep your meal space from becoming a catchall for your handbag, wallet, and gym bag, Richmond recommends setting up a “drop zone” by your door to set those things as you’re walking in. You might make it a permanent home for your wallet and keys, and a temporary place to drop your workout gear while you’re putting away groceries. <h2>Make a place for mail</h2> Taking just five minutes to go through your mail daily or every other day will keep that pile of papers under control so you don’t lose documents in the shuffle when you actually do need them. “The mail just keeps coming,” says Jodie Watson, founder and president of Supreme Organisation. “Keep trimming it down so you’re not losing items in the mix.” Instead of leaving it by your eating space, designate an area that has a basket for papers, and hang a bulletin board to write messages and reminders, she says. <h2>Adjust the height of your shelves</h2> Don’t let your shelf height define how you use your space. People tend to put cereal on a top shelf because that’s the one with the most space, but it’d be easier to reach on a lower shelf, says Watson. On the other hand, too much space for canned goods and you’ll probably start stacking items into an ugly, unstable pile. If your shelves aren’t already adjustable, buy shelf dividers to split one shelf into two, says Richmond. “Re-spacing the shelves takes away the messiness because things aren’t stacked,” says Richmond. <h2>Store small appliances you don’t use on a daily basis</h2> Feel free to leave appliances you use daily, like a coffee maker or toaster, on the counter. But anything you aren’t using every day should be stored in a cabinet to make more room on the counter. “Nobody likes to have to put the appliance away, but balance that against the precious countertop space,” says Richmond. “There’s the convenience of having it out, but it’s more convenient to be able to chop more vegetables or have a cleaner space.” <h2>Keep your cooking utensils within reach</h2> Store your spatulas, servings spoons, etc next to the stove in an attractive ceramic container or jar. But don’t overstuff it, cautions Cattano. “Not every single cooking utensil needs to be right by the stove,” says Cattano. Leave out the ones you use most often, but hide the rest in a drawer. <h2>Buy only what you need</h2> If you find yourself leaving food out simply because you don’t have room in a cupboard, it might be time to start cutting down. “We want to save money, and it’s good to buy in bulk, but if you don’t have space for it, changing the way you shop might be more helpful,” says Watson. She recommends first going through your pantry to take stock of what you already have. Then head to the supermarket less often so you have a chance to use up what you have before refilling your cabinet. <h2>Organise your oils</h2> Exposure to light can make cooking oils go rancid. If you like having them on the counter, put them in opaque containers and stylise them so they don’t just look like clutter. “Put a tray under them so it looks intentional,” says Cattano. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/home-tips/kitchen-organisation-ideas-youll-wish-you-knew-sooner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. Images: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

13 things psychologists wish you knew about happiness

<h2>Listen to melancholy music</h2> You heard that right! You officially have another excuse to listen to Adele on repeat (as if you even needed one anyway). Studies suggest that blasting some depressing and sappy tunes can actually help boost positive and peaceful feelings, which can be therapeutic, cathartic, and calming. <h2>Actually speak to the person next to you on the train or bus</h2> People are happier during their commutes when they chat up their seat neighbour, even if they think it will make the trip less positive and productive, according to a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Try to get over your fear of speaking to strangers or worrying that you’re bothering them – you could bring some joy to both of you! “The biggest source of misery in the workplace is actually getting there and back,” says Dr Art Markman, PhD, author of Brain Briefs. “People are generally unhappy when forces outside their control are affecting their lives.” Obviously, you can’t control other drivers or the schedule of public transportation, so it helps to find aspects of your commute that you can control. “Get in conversations with random strangers on the train or bus,” says Dr Markman. “The more you take control of the situation, the happier you’ll be.” <h2>Know that money sometimes can buy happiness</h2> “They say money can’t buy happiness,” says Dr Nancy Etcoff, PhD, an assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School. “But it can if what you buy is extra time, or pay to delegate tasks.” So don’t feel guilty ordering in Chinese food or hiring a house cleaner. A study found that people who spend money to save time tend to be happier than those who don’t. Yes, it might be overkill to order takeout for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, or to have someone clean your home more than once a week. But consider sending out your dry cleaning this week to save you the time of ironing yet another shirt. <h2>Call your mum </h2> When was the last time you picked up your smartphone to actually make a call? Research has found that hearing your mum’s voice can help reduce stress, which means a happier you. Talking on the phone was found to reduce a key stress hormone and release the feel-good brain chemical oxytocin that is thought to play a key role in forming bonds. It goes without saying that you’ll also make Mum’s day. <h2>Hang out with happy people</h2> Yawns aren’t the only things that are contagious. Research has found that the more you surround yourself with positive people, the happier you’ll feel. Go ahead and enjoy a round of drinks with your girl squad, grab coffee with that woman at school pickup who’s always smiling, or schedule a visit with your cheery hairdresser. <h2>Daydream about your upcoming holiday</h2> Do you yearn to be lying on the beach, exploring the mountains, trekking in the jungle, or touring a museum – right this minute? Believe it or not, getting out of town won’t necessarily make you happier, a study found. But thinking about going out of town is another story. The fact is that we get an extra boost of joy if we delay pleasure. We build positive expectations, imagining how amazing the experience will be. That warm sun or the frozen strawberry daiquiri by the pool? It’s just an added bonus. <h2>Speak to the person behind you in the supermarket</h2> Research has found that making friends – not just online – boosts our spirits. “Face-to-face, human interactions are the elixir for nearly everything that ails us,” says Dr Kit Yarrow, PhD, a consumer psychologist, professor, author, consultant, and speaker. “Though every interaction may not create happiness, in the long run, [it’s] the sense of community that’s created will.” Say hello to the mum next to you on the sideline at the soccer game. Chat up your new co-worker in the lunchroom. You never know who you’ll meet and what kind of connections you’ll make. <h2>Dust off your yearbook</h2> It’s time to reminisce about fond memories from the past, so dig up your wedding album or high school yearbook, and then call or email your high school or childhood besties. Research published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin has found that feeling nostalgic about the past will increase optimism about the future and make you happier. <h2>Hang out with man’s best friend</h2> Power to the pets! Studies show that playing fetch with your dog or cuddling up with your cat does the body good. Interacting with pets has been found to release oxytocin, and you’ll be left with a joyous feeling. <h2>Be a little selfish</h2> “Being selfish is sometimes the best thing for yourself and others,” says Antonia Hall, MA, a psychologist, relationship expert, and author of The Ultimate Guide to a Multi-Orgasmic Life. Self-care may cause disappointment to others, like when you decline an invitation or cancel plans, Hall says. “But your wellbeing is more important.” If you’re unhappy, it won’t be a positive experience for either of you anyway, she says. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/13-things-psychologists-wish-you-knew-about-happiness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Mind

Thousands of Tasmanian devils are dying from cancer – but a new vaccine approach could help us save them

Tasmanian devils are tough little creatures with a ferocious reputation. Tragically, each year thousands of Tasmanian devils suffer and die from contagious cancers – devil facial tumours. We have discovered that a modified virus, like the attenuated adenovirus used in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, can make devil facial tumour cells more visible to the devil immune system. We have also found key immune targets on devil facial tumour cells. These combined advances allow us to move forward with a vaccine that helps the devil immune system find and fight the cancer. And we have a clever way to deliver this vaccine, too – with edible baits. A puzzling cancer Tasmanian devils mainly suffer from the original devil facial tumour, or DFT1. A second type of devil facial tumour (DFT2) has begun emerging in southern Tasmania that further threatens the already endangered devil population. DFT1 and DFT2 are <a href="https://www.tcg.vet.cam.ac.uk/about/DFTD">transmissible cancers</a> – they spread living cancer cells when the devils bite each other. This has presented a puzzle: a cancer cell that comes from another animal should be detected by the immune system as an invader, because it is “genetically mismatched”. For example, in human medicine, tissue transplants need to be genetically matched between the donor and recipient to avoid the immune system rejecting the transplant. Somehow, DFT1 and DFT2 seem to evade the immune system, and devils die from tumours spreading throughout their body or from malnutrition due to the facial tumours disrupting their ability to eat. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495558/original/file-20221116-12-jv29a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Close-up of a Tasmanian devil held by human hands, with a tumour on its lower jaw" /></a><figcaption>A Tasmanian devil with DFT1. Andrew S. Flies @WildImmunity</figcaption></figure> On the bright side, the immune systems of a few wild devils have been able to overcome DFT1. Furthermore, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep43827">previous vaccine and immunotherapy trials</a> showed the devil immune system can be activated to kill DFT1 cells and clear away sizeable tumours. This good news from both the field and the laboratory has allowed our team to zoom in on key DFT protein targets that the devil immune system can attack. This helps us in our quest to develop a more effective and scalable vaccine. How can we vaccinate wild animals? Even if we succeed in producing a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14760584.2020.1711058">protective DFT vaccine</a>, we can’t trap and inject every devil. Luckily, clever researchers in Europe in the 1970s figured out that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003953">vaccines can be incorporated into edible food baits</a> to vaccinate wildlife across diverse landscapes and ecosystems. In 2019, we hypothesised an oral bait vaccine could be made to protect devils from DFT1 and DFT2. Fast forward to November 2022 and the pieces of this ambitious project are falling into place. First, using samples from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-021-03601-x">devils with strong anti-tumour responses</a>, we have found that the main immune targets are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.220208">major histocompatibility proteins</a>. These are usually the main targets in transplant rejection. This tells us what to put into the vaccine. Second, we tested a virus-based delivery system for the vaccine. We used a weakened adenovirus most of the human population has already been exposed to, and found that in the lab this virus can enter devil facial tumour cells. Importantly, the weakened adenovirus can be modified to produce proteins that can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001812">stimulate the devil immune system</a>. This means it forces the devil facial tumour cells to show the major histocompatibility proteins they normally hide, making the cells “visible” to cancer-killing immune cells. This vaccine approach is much like the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine that uses a weakened chimpanzee adenovirus to deliver cargo to our immune system, getting it to recognise SARS-CoV-2. <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nepa/states/US/us-2019-onrab-ea.pdf">Adenoviral vaccines have also been widely used</a> in oral bait vaccines to protect raccoons from the rabies virus. Edible protection But there were additional challenges to overcome. Our collaborators in the USA who research and develop other wildlife vaccines suggested that developing an effective bait for devils might be as challenging as making the vaccine itself. Our first studies of placebo baits in the wild confirmed this. Contrary to previous studies which showed devils eating most of the baits, we found the baits were also readily consumed by other species, including eastern quolls, brushtail possums, and Tasmanian pademelons. This led us to test an automatic bait dispenser supplied by our collaborators at the US Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center. The <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/WR/justaccepted/WR22070">dispensers proved quite effective</a> at reducing the amount of “off target” bait consumption and showed devils could successfully retrieve the baits with their dexterous paws. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5BEBfFqOY8k?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Tasmanian devil retrieving a placebo bait from an automatic bait dispenser.</figcaption></figure> Encouragingly, a recent mathematical modelling study suggests an <a href="https://lettersinbiomath.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/lib/article/view/555">oral bait vaccine could eliminate DFT1</a> from Tasmania. Successful delivery of the vaccine would be a demanding and long-term commitment. But with it, we could prevent the suffering and deaths of thousands of individual devils, along with helping to reestablish a healthy wild devil population. Can’t stop now A bit of additional good news fell into place in late 2022 with the announcement that our international team was awarded an Australian Research Council Linkage Project grant to develop better baits and ways to monitor wildlife health in the field. These oral bait vaccine techniques that eliminate the need to catch and jab animals could be applied to future wildlife and livestock diseases, not just Tassie devils. Building on this momentum, we are planning to start new vaccine trials in 2023. We don’t know yet if this new experimental vaccine can prevent devils from getting devil facial tumours. However, the leap we have made in the past three years and new technology gives us momentum and hope that we might be able to stop DFT2 before it spreads across the state. Perhaps, we can even eliminate DFT1.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194536/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Andrew S. Flies, Chrissie Ong and Ruth Pye. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-tasmanian-devils-are-dying-from-cancer-but-a-new-vaccine-approach-could-help-us-save-them-194536" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Lucid dying - what some patients experience as they’re going through CPR

A study of people who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in hospital has found that some of them had what’s being dubbed “lucid experiences of death,” accompanied by spikes in brain activity. The research found that roughly one in five CPR survivors described unique experiences, including feeling separated from their bodies, observing the events without pain or distress, and a meaningful evaluation of life. These experiences were different to hallucinations, dreams, or CPR-induced consciousness, according to the researchers, who presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2022 conference. The international team of researchers collected data on 567 patients whose hearts stopped beating, in UK and US hospitals, between May 2017 and March 2020. While they were all treated immediately, fewer than 10% of these people were ultimately discharged from hospital. In addition to hearing the patients’ experiences, the researchers observed spikes in brain activity – specifically, in so-called gamma, delta, theta, alpha and beta waves. In some cases, these activity spikes were observed when CPR had been going on for up to an hour. “These recalled experiences and brain wave changes may be the first signs of the so-called near-death experience, and we have captured them for the first time in a large study,” says lead investigator Dr Sam Parnia, an intensive care physician and associate professor in the Department of Medicine at New York University Langone Health, US. “Our results offer evidence that while on the brink of death and in a coma, people undergo a unique inner conscious experience, including awareness without distress.” While plenty of people have personal accounts of near-death experiences before, they’re difficult to judge empirically. “These lucid experiences cannot be considered a trick of a disordered or dying brain, but rather a unique human experience that emerges on the brink of death,” says Parnia. It may be linked to disinhibition – the release of barriers in the brain as it shuts down. The researchers are keen to investigate the lucid dying experiences further. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/lucid-dying-cpr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. Image: Shutterstock

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Lucid dying - what some patients experience as they’re going through CPR