Quote of the Day: “Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?” – Confucius
Photo: by Akuppa John Wigham, CC license via Flickr
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An 86-year-old woman has proved that you don’t need to buy an expensive gym membership—or even leave your house— in order to get healthy.
Jessica Slaughter has lost 120 pounds simply from walking around her one-bedroom apartment.
The senior from St. Louis, Missouri has struggled with obesity since she was an elementary school student, but when she was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic in her 70s, she decided to make a change.
RELATED: Want to Stop Eating Junk Food? New Research Says You Should Get More Sleep
She cut meat, dairy, and alcohol out of her diet and started walking laps around her apartment. Her daily walks only take about 20 to 25 minutes every day, but each morning’s stroll tallies up to about 3,000 steps.
Her unique fitness regiment has resulted in Slaughter shrinking from a size 22 waistband to a size 4—and she hopes her transformation will inspire other people to take similar action.
“I just want seniors to know just because we’ve gotten a certain age, we don’t have to stop living,” Slaughter told KSDK. “I want to tell them that there’s a better way of life if they choose.”
(WATCH the news coverage below)
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Police officers and firefighters across America are coping with the stress of life on the front lines by slipping into a downward dog.
The nonprofit group Yoga For First Responders is teaching these emergency workers a better way to handle the demands of their hazardous jobs.
36-year-old instructor Olivia Kvitne Mead founded YFFR in 2013 after she was inspired by her work with military veterans. If the 5,000-year-old practice could help them with PTSD, then she was certain that first responders could avoid burnout and perform more efficiently at the scene of emergencies.
“There are lots of yoga programs for veterans but they are all focused on after their tours of duty,” said Mead. “That doesn’t happen for first responders. They are in their jobs for 30 years until they retire. They go to work and see trauma, death, destruction, loss and the worst part of humanity, then they have to go home and be a mother or a father, a husband or a wife.”
Mead, who is from Denver, Colorado, believed that yoga could help lower their rate of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and alcoholism. According to a study from the Ruderman Foundation, more first responders committed suicide in 2017 than those who were killed in the line of duty.
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“There is a missing skill set in first responder training and that is what is leading to these high statistics of burnout, divorce, alcoholism and suicides,” said Mead. “They need to be taught the ability to handle stress and trauma and process it. Otherwise you are just going to get squished by all the trauma you witness.”
And it’s a good thing that she pursued the idea, because she turned out to be right.
She first contacted the Los Angeles Fire Department in 2013 and pitched her idea to teach yoga to firefighters. “The then-head psychologist of the department already practiced yoga and he knew the benefits – [but] his number one concern was: how are we going to get the alpha male population to do yoga which is marketed as a female, delicate exercise?
“I said that I already taught veterans and I thought I could speak to this group of people.”
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She began to volunteer twice a week at the fire department, showing up every Tuesday and Thursday with yoga mats – and soon, the Los Angeles Police Department joined firefighters in becoming interested in her program, too.
“The behavioral science section of LAPD was hosting a wellness day for their high command staff,” said Mead. “The detectives were not clocking out, working 24/7 and dropping dead of heart attacks left, right and centre. It was almost an epidemic.”
Mead admitted that not all first responders have been eager to get on the yoga mat.
“I worked with one firefighter in Iowa. He was a bigger guy and he didn’t want anything to do with the yoga,” she recalled. “But I came back to the fire department to give weekly classes. When I explained to him that I was here to help him do his job and sleep well afterwards, he changed his mind about yoga. He came to every single class I did.
“I later learnt that he hadn’t been able to sleep a whole night for a year after being called out to a car accident. He told me one day: ‘After your yoga classes, I was able to sleep last night’.”
CHECK OUT: Veterans Are Finding Peace From PTSD Through ‘Float Therapy’
Today, Yoga For First Responders works with 35 police and fire departments across the United States, including in Denver; Wichita, Kansas; and Lawrence, Massachusetts.
The training is also now officially part of the Chicago Police Academy syllabus, meaning every new recruit takes yoga sessions before joining the force.
Mead insisted that yoga not only helps first responders to handle the stress of their job, it allows them to do their jobs more efficiently; especially because teaching deep, controlled breathing allows firefighters to require less oxygen when battling blazes.
“Breath work helps CO2 tolerance in the body,” said Mead. “It means that while a firefighter’s air bottle normally lasts 15 minutes in action, we can make it last longer.
“Yoga strengthens the body and makes it more mobile which is very important for first responders, as their body is their tool—but the true essence of yoga is neurological training.
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“It trains the mind and the nervous system to withstand anything by teaching breathing techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy.”
The Henderson Fire Department in Kentucky now offers a YFFR class three times a week, and they are seeing “really great” attendance. Lieutenant Josh Dixon came to his first class last November and now practices yoga five times a week.
“We can’t control what goes on outside our body, especially in an emergency,” said the 41-year-old responder. “But you can control what goes on inside.”
(WATCH the video clip — Donate to the nonprofit, or find a location)
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When a police deputy was paying tribute to a fallen officer, she was unknowingly being honored by a Good Samaritan who was standing behind her – and earlier this week, she finally got to meet him face to face.
Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Tiffany Dial was standing on a rainy street corner in Birmingham, Alabama so she could salute a passing funeral procession.
The procession was for the late police Sgt. Wytasha Carter who recently died in the line of duty. For 30 minutes, Dial stood at attention for the funeral.
At the time, Dial noticed that several pedestrians were taking pictures of her – and she later figured out why.
A man who worked in a nearby building had seen Dial standing in the rain and taken it upon himself to hold an umbrella over her head in the rain.
Because of the angle of Dial’s hat, she was not able to see the man standing behind her until the photo later appear on social media. After the photo went viral on social media, WBMA News identified the man as Shawn Allen, and she was finally able to meet the man and thank him for his kindness.
“I was in my moment,” Dial told WBMA. “It meant a lot, in ways you can’t even put into words. It wasn’t just about keeping the rain off of me for that little bit, it meant a lot more than that.”
(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by WBMA
Protect Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing This Sweet Story To Social Media
Thanks to a generous donation from acclaimed singer-songwriter Paul Simon, dozens of special education students will be soon developing their culinary chops.
During Simon’s recent farewell tour, he made donations to local programs in every city he visited, including Portland, Oregon last month.
Remembered for his successful folk duo, Simon and Garfunkel, the 77-year-old musician made a $10,000 donation to Portland Public Schools, half of which was given to the Community Transition Program (CTP).
The program helps students with special needs develop skills for life after high school. Simon’s donation will ensure these kids will have a bridge over any troubled waters ahead, by having perfected their culinary skills working with professional chefs in a brand new kitchen.
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“It’s going to open up huge opportunities for my students to learn customer service skills, learn different soft set skills before we place them in an internship with a community partner,” said Thelina O’Daniel the principal of CTP. “It’s really exciting.”
“We thought it would be great to put in a training kitchen here because many of our students want to get into the culinary field,” she added.
As for the fans of the “Mrs.Robinson” songwriter, his quitting touring doesn’t mean they will need to endure the ‘sounds of silence’ from Simon, because he just released an album called In the Blue Light.
You Can’t Call Us Al, But You Can Share The Good News To Social Media – Photo by Matthew Straubmuller, CC
Quote of the Day: “Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do.” – Orison Swett Marden
Photo: Santa Barbara parade for Solstice – copyright GWC
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
The Lesson: Whether you’re breaking old habits or forming new ones, changing your behavior can seem like a daunting task – but there is a pretty simple formula for understanding how we can form (and change) our habits. In this particular talk, Brian Johnson details the three simple steps that you can use to break a bad habit. If you want to delve further and learn how you can use the three steps to build a good habit, you can visit Johnson’s website.
Notable Excerpt: “The three laws of breaking a bad habit: number one, make it invisible; number two, make it hard, rather than easy; and number three, make it terrible rather than awesome. So for our purposes, let’s assume that the habit you want to set is you want to use your phone less … first question, how do we make it invisible? Well, how about we set an alarm for when we want to put our phones away? Science says at least thirty minutes to an hour before our ideal bed time. Then when the alarm goes off, we shut down our phone and bury it in our closet … Second, how do we make it hard?”
The Speaker: Brian Johnson is a philosopher and founder of Optimize.me, a website, app, and free video series that help people to optimize their lives so they can be their best selves. He studies self-improvement books, then breaks them down into bite-sized chunks and “Philosopher‘s Notes” for busy people who want “more wisdom in less time”. He also offers Optimal Living classes and online training for your Hero’s Journey.
Podcast: Brian’s podcast, OPTIMIZE with Brian Johnson, features the best big ideas from the best optimal living books. More wisdom in less time (between 4-19 minutes each) to help you live your greatest life. Subscribe: Stitcher — iTunes — Podbean.
(WATCH the inspiring talk below)
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Boeing has just announced that they HAVE completed a successful first test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype.
The PAV prototype completed a controlled takeoff, hover, and landing during the flight, which tested the vehicle’s autonomous functions and ground control systems from an airport in Manassas, Virginia.
Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight, as well as the transition phase between vertical and forward-flight modes. This transition phase is typically the most significant engineering challenge for any high-speed VTOL aircraft.
“In one year, we have progressed from a conceptual design to a flying prototype,” said Boeing Chief Technology Officer Greg Hyslop. “Boeing’s expertise and innovation have been critical in developing aviation as the world’s safest and most efficient form of transportation, and we will continue to lead with a safe, innovative and responsible approach to new mobility solutions.”
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Powered by an electric propulsion system, the PAV prototype is designed for fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing, with a range of up to 50 miles (80.47 kilometers). Measuring 30 feet long (9.14 meters) and 28 feet wide (8.53 meters), its advanced airframe integrates the propulsion and wing systems to achieve efficient hover and forward flight.
“This is what revolution looks like, and it’s because of autonomy,” said John Langford, president and chief executive officer of Aurora Flight Sciences, the Boeing subsidiary responsible for designing the aircraft. “Certifiable autonomy is going to make quiet, clean and safe urban air mobility possible.”
The test flight represents the latest milestone for the company’s urban mobility department: Boeing NeXt. The division works with regulatory agencies and industry partners to lead the responsible introduction of a new mobility ecosystem and ensure a future where autonomous and piloted air vehicles safely coexist.
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The new aircraft is a likely candidate for Uber’s developing “air taxi” initiative. According to the ride-sharing company, the Uber Air network will initially launched in Dallas-Fort Worth and Los Angeles with commercial services expected to be made publicly available as soon as 2023.
In addition to the PAV, the Boeing NeXt portfolio includes an unmanned fully electric cargo air vehicle which is designed to transport up to 500 pounds (226.80 kilograms) and other urban, regional and global mobility platforms. The cargo craft completed its first indoor flight last year and will transition to outdoor flight testing in 2019.
“Boeing was there when the aviation industry was born and in our second century, we will unlock the potential of the urban air mobility market,” said Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager of Boeing NeXt. “From building air vehicles to airspace integration, we will usher in a future of safe, low-stress mobility in cities and regions around the world.”
(WATCH the sneak peek of the vehicle in action below) – Photo by Boeing
BREAKING: It’s another first for us. Along with @AuroraFlightSci we’ve successfully tested our passenger air vehicle. We continue our progress towards a safe and sustainable urban mobility ecosystem. #TheFutureIsBuiltHere pic.twitter.com/hwuw4d5jmz
— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) January 23, 2019
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Instead of firing back at a Twitter user who insulted him for his political comments, comedian Patton Oswalt responded with kindness.
The Twitter troll, 64-year-old Michael Beatty, has not been faring very well since he recently returned to his home in Huntsville, Alabama. He was only just released from a 2-week stay in the hospital as a result of sepsis and diabetes complications which landed him in a coma.
Additionally, the retired Vietnam veteran is only able to sustain himself on “meager retirement checks”.
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Upon returning home and finding his social media feed filled with political arguments and opposing opinions, he felt angry and frustrated.
His irritation finally came to a tee when he saw a criticizing tweet from Oswalt about President Trump. Beatty responded by calling the comedian a “sawed-off little man” and saying “I just realized why I was so happy you died in Blade Trinity!”
Beatty says that he didn’t expect the comedian to respond – and if he did, he only expected to be insulted in return.
Aw, man. This dude just attacked me on Twitter and I joked back but then I looked at his timeline and he’s in a LOT of trouble health-wise. I’d be pissed off too. He’s been dealt some shitty cards — let’s deal him some good ones. Click and donate — just like I’m about to. https://t.co/6zRdZ430WG
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 24, 2019
He was stunned, however, when Oswalt made a Twitter post asking his 4.5 million followers to donate to Beatty’s GoFundMe.
Over the course of 10 days, Beatty’s page had only raised about $600 for his medical bills – but then in addition to Oswalt donating $2,000 of his own money, the comedian’s followers immediately started making their own contributions.
The page has now raised over $36,000 in just 24 hours.
Patton. You have humbled me to the point where I can barely compose my words. You have caused me to take pause and reflect on how harmful words from my mouth could result in such an outpouring. Thank you for this and I will pass this on to my cousin who needs help. A cascade. pic.twitter.com/6Is7KflPeY
— Michael Beatty (@MichaelBeatty) January 24, 2019
Needless to say, Beatty was stunned.
“I would never have [imagined this] based on what I tweeted to him,” said Beatty, according to the Washington Post. “If anything, I expected a scathing retort or just to be ignored, but that’s not what happened.”
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After exchanging some good-natured jokes with Oswalt, who just turned 50 years old on Sunday, Beatty says that the experience has completely transformed his perspective on politics and dissertation.
“Patton, you have humbled me to the point where I can barely compose my words,” wrote Beatty. “You have caused me to take pause and reflect on how harmful words from my mouth could result in such an outpouring.”
I want to thank everyone who came to my aid with generous outpourings- and also to @pattonoswalt without whom I would not be the recipient of so much love and support. I'm not a man who ever cries but I had to wait to send this. And to quote Stuart on Big Bang "meat tonight"! pic.twitter.com/r4Kc9zYk7E
— Michael Beatty (@MichaelBeatty) January 24, 2019
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Being rocked to sleep not only helps adults and babies get a better night’s sleep – new research says that it also boosts their memory.
Most people are accustomed to rocking their babies in order to send them off to dreamland, but this study suggests that the rocking motion could also help adults too.
Young adults who were rocked to sleep not only experienced better sleep quality, but Swiss scientists found it also boosts memory consolidation during sleep.
The study’s volunteer participants were gently rocked from side-to-side by a specially-designed bed until they fall asleep. Not only did the rocking help them to fall asleep faster, but once asleep, they also spent more time in non-rapid eye movement sleep, slept more deeply, and woke up less.
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They also had better recall memory the next morning.
The findings could lead to new treatments that don’t rely on sleeping tablets for insomniacs or even for those who suffer memory problems as they age.
“Having a good night’s sleep means falling asleep rapidly and then staying asleep during the whole night,” said biologist Laurence Bayer from the Sleep Medicine Centre of the University of Geneva.
“Our volunteers – even if they were all good sleepers – fell asleep more rapidly when rocked and had longer periods of deeper sleep associated with fewer arousals during the night.
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Previous research by Bayer and colleagues showed continuous rocking during a 45-minute nap helped people to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. In the new study, 18 healthy young adults were brought into the lab for three nights of sleep.
The first night was intended to get them used to sleeping there. The second night, they slept on a gently rocking bed. On the third night, they slept on an identical bed that wasn’t moving.
After analyzing the participants’ sleep patterns, the researchers subjected them to memory tests.
“To see if this effect also affected memory, we subjected our participants to memory tests: they had to learn pairs of words in the evening and remember them in the morning when they woke up,” said postdoctoral fellow Dr. Aurore Perraul. “And here too, rocking proved beneficial: the test results were much better after a night in motion than after a still night!”
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Further studies showed that rocking affects brain oscillations during sleep.
The rocking motion caused an entrainment of specific brain oscillations of non-rapid eye movement sleep (slow oscillations and spindles). As a result, the continuous rocking motion helped to synchronize neural activity in the thalamo-cortical networks of the brain, which play an important role in both sleep and memory consolidation.
“Taken together, the present findings demonstrate that applying a rhythmic sensory stimulation, here, using a rocking bed during a whole night of sleep, promotes deep sleep and memory consolidation in healthy sleepers,” said Bayer.
Another study that was conducted on mice by researchers from the University of Lausanne was the first to explore whether rocking promotes sleep in other species.
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It used commercial reciprocating shakers to rock the cages of mice as they slept. While the best rocking frequency for mice was found to be four times faster than in people, results showed rocking reduced the time it took to fall asleep and increased sleep time in mice as it does in humans. However, the mice did not show evidence of sleeping more deeply.
Researchers had suspected the effects of rocking on sleep were tied to rhythmic stimulation of the vestibular system, the sensory system that contributes to our sense of balance and spatial orientation.
To explore this notion in the mouse, the researchers studied animals whose vestibular systems were disrupted by non-functioning otolithic organs, found in their ears.
They found that mice who lacked functional otolithic organs experienced none of the beneficial effects of rocking during sleep.
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“Together with the companion animal study, the present human experiment thus provides new insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of rocking stimulations on sleep,” said Bayer. “These results may be relevant for the development of non-pharmacological therapies for patients with insomnia or mood disorders, or even for aging populations who frequently suffer from decreased deep sleep and/or from memory impairments.”
The researchers say it will be essential in future work to explore the more precise, deeper brain structures involved in the effects of rocking on sleep.
Associate Professor Dr. Paul Franken, who conducted the second study in mice, said: “The results of the current study support previous observations on the effects of rocking on sleep and provide insight to the mechanistic aspects of the phenomenon.
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“Overall, our findings strengthen the view that the vestibular system can be utilized to promote non-rapid eye movement sleep, supporting efforts toward a non-pharmacological, non-invasive approach to aid patients suffering from sleep disorders.
“Current tools, such as optogenetics, can help us decipher which structures, or even neuronal populations, receive the stimulus from the otolithic organs and transfer it further to the structures of the sleep circuitry.
“Mapping the network of communication between the two systems will provide with basic understanding, as well as novel clinical targets to cope with sleep disorders, like insomnia.”
The studies were published in the journal Current Biology.
Be Sure And Pass On This Fascinating Article To Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Predi, CC
Dear @LidlUS
— Philosopher Bean (@BeanPhilosopher) October 16, 2018
My name is Bean. I eat peanut butter and jelly English muffins for three meals a day.
Back in February, my mom bought 72 jars of your peanut butter when it was on sale for 78 cents a jar. I numbered each jar. pic.twitter.com/u4wBgH8rzm
A 15-year-old boy who managed to charm his way into earning a lifetime supply of peanut butter is now sharing his fortune with furloughed workers during the government shutdown.
Eric “Beans” McKay from Woodbridge, Virginia has autism – which means he is especially sensitive to the taste and textures of food.
He does, however, really like peanut butter; so when his mother saw that there was a sale on his favorite brand of peanut butter at Lidl, she bought 72 jars of peanut butter for 78 cents each.
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Delighted by his new treasure trove of peanut butter, Beans labeled each jar with a number and challenged himself to finish every single one of them. In October, Beans finally made it to the 72nd jar of peanut butter.
To celebrate his achievement, he sent a tweet to the Lidl grocery store chain jokingly telling them that it was time to have another sale.
Lidl was so impressed by the boy’s peanut butter passion, they responded to his tweet saying that if he managed to get 72,000 retweets on his original post, then they would give him a lifetime supply of peanut butter.
I’m now on Jar #72. My mom says it’s time for you to have another peanut butter sale.
— Philosopher Bean (@BeanPhilosopher) October 16, 2018
Thanks for your help.
Bean pic.twitter.com/f3zCioNcd9
As a means of sustaining his nutty addiction while he collected retweets, Lidl sent him another 72 jars of peanut butter.
Social media users were more than happy to get Beans his lifetime supply of peanut butter, and after just three months, he had accumulated 76,000 retweets.
We've got 72 jars on the way! Are you willing to up the ante?! If you get 72,000 RTs we’ll give you a lifetime supply of peanut butter. Do you accept our challenge? #LidlBeanutbutter
— LidlUS (@LidlUS) October 17, 2018
“Congrats Bean! We’re over the moon that you reached your goal,” Lidl tweeted. “The Lidl elves have just received a fresh shipment with your name on it! Could you stop by our warehouse tomorrow?”
True to their word, Beans stopped by a nearby Lidl supply facility and was gifted 5 years worth of peanut butter.
Despite peanut butter being his favorite food, Beans still knows that this is more than enough for one teenager – so he decided to share the wealth with those in need.
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Since Beans’s dad is a federal worker who is currently on furlough, he volunteered to give away his free peanut butter to government employees who have not been receiving their paychecks since the US shutdown began in December.
Furloughed workers are now being encouraged to pick up three jars of free peanut butter from the Lidl store in Dumfries – and it’s all courtesy of Beans.
(WATCH the video below)
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Quote of the Day: “A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” – Ingrid Bergman
Image: Casa Blanca film poster
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
The Lesson: Before Wes Anderson’s movies were being nominated for Academy Award, they were bombing in local movie theaters. However, the director’s disastrous first screening is a prime example of why you should never give up in the face of failure.
Notable Excerpt: “[Regarding Bottle Rocket], I feel like I was never more confident in my life than when we made that film, and never less confident than when we screened it … I was sitting in the back row with all the movie executives and I began to see people leaving … in groups. At a certain point, I left.”
The Guest: Wes Anderson is a highly-regarded director and auteur whose unique and visually-compelling style has earned him critical acclaim from around the world. and a distinctive directorial style. His first-feature length film, Bottle Rocket, was well-liked by critics, but received very mixed reviews among general audiences. That being said, he then went on to direct such cinematic hits as Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Life Aquatic.
The Host: Noah Baumbach is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director. His debut feature film, Kicking and Screaming, helped to established his career rooted in both film and television.
(LISTEN to the inspiring interview below) — Photo by Diana Ringo, CC
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Roughly four years after the worst mass bleaching event in Hawaii, scientists are “thrilled” to say that the state’s coral reefs are finally stabilizing.
According to surveys conducted by The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiian coral reefs are showing signs of growth and stabilization. The healthier reefs were generally located away from excessive exposure to human influences, but even the vulnerable cauliflower coral species that experienced 98% bleaching in 2015 has shown signs of recovery.
“Bleaching events like what occurred in 2015 can overstress a coral reef to the point where it may never recover,” said Eric Conklin, director of marine science for the organization’s Hawaii program, as reported by West Hawaii Today.
“We surveyed over 14,000 coral colonies at 20 sites along the West Hawaii coast from Kawaihae to Keauhou and were thrilled to see that many of the area’s reefs have stabilized, which is the first step toward recovery.”
The news outlet goes on to say that only 6% of state waters and 12% of nearshore waters are currently managed by the Hawaiian government — but legislators are aiming to increase nearshore protection to 30% over the course of the next eleven years.
With the help of the TNC surveys, state lawmakers hope to implement legislation that will efficiently protect reefs from stressors such as pollution runoff and commercial fishing.
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While adults are working to provide housing for the homeless, this youngster took it upon himself to give a little boy his shoes and socks.
9-year-old Cheikh Faizal was walking with his father through Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia last week when they passed a transit station that is often frequented by homeless people.
Cheikh then spotted a barefooted homeless boy sitting with his mother on the street. According to Chekih’s father Sofian, his son felt compelled to help the youngster because he looked about the same age as Cheikh.
Cheikh then ran to the boy’s side, sat down, and removed his sneakers and socks so he could personally put them on the feet of his new friend. Not only that, he gave the boy several kisses on the cheek before continuing down the street with his father.
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Sofian was so proud of his son’s compassion, he filmed the exchange and later posted it to social media in hopes that it would inspire other people.
“My son saw the young boy without shoes and made the decision to help him,” said Sofian.
“He showed his love for everyone there, even though they are homeless. He then went home without his shoes.
“Hopefully, everybody in the world will see this positive message and we can make life better for every human being. There are many homeless people but if everybody makes a small gesture of kindness we can improve their lives.”
(WATCH the video below) — Photo by Viral Press
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A British hospital has unveiled the nation’s first hospital “bouncer” nurses to redirect non-urgent patients away from emergency rooms — and the initiative has already reduced waiting times dramatically.
The “gatekeeper” nursing staffers are stationed at the front door before receptionists
so they can immediately assess patients when they arrive. They can then decide if they are in genuine need of urgent care — and if not, the nurses can then redirect the patients to their pharmacies or general practitioners.
The initiative at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital is aimed at cutting waiting times for overstretched emergency room departments, and it has already made a dramatic difference.
Known as “clinical streaming”, the procedure is always carried out by a trained clinician. Furthermore, it operates under the strict policy that no one is sent home, only redirected to other professionals.
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Streaming nurse Deborah Thompson is waiting at the door to greet patients before they even get to the receptionist so she can ask a few basic questions and tell the patient where they should go.
“It has sped up times in the A&E because the doctors and nurses aren’t seeing the minor cases,” says Thompson. “People who come here with a sore throat or a chest infection thinking that they should attend an emergency department and clearly it’s not appropriate.”
Meanwhile in other parts of the country, the pressure on emergency departments is ramping up, says The Royal College of Emergency Medicine — and senior A&E doctors are warning that hospitals are teetering on the edge of safety.
Thompson added: “If we weren’t streaming, the department would be packed and there would be people sitting here for hours on end when they don’t need to be.”
Tracey Turley, another streaming assessment nurse practitioner in Bournemouth, said: “An ED streaming service is not a new concept, but it is one that the Trust has seen a great deal of benefit from.
“As an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, we are able to identify patients’ needs quickly and refer to the most appropriate service available. Providing this service ensures patient safety is paramount, and no patient will be sent away without a suitable clinical pathway.”
Leanne Aggas, who is an emergency department matron, added: “It is important to bear in mind however that A&E is not an alternative to a GP appointment. If your GP is closed, you can call 111 which will direct you to the best local service.”
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Being a crossing guard can often be a thankless job — but after experiencing a string of bad luck, Wallace Peoples was recently given one of the most heartfelt gifts of all.
Peoples has worked for Sherwood Forest Elementary in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for two years, and in that short time, he has become a “superhero” to the students, parents, and staffers.
“He’s just extraordinary,” one student told WXII. “He helps all of us and keeps us safe, and we all love him.”
Last month, Peoples was unable to come into work because his car broke down. On top of that, the school community discovered that Peoples had spent Christmas Eve in the hospital. Having noticed his absence and heard about his misfortune, school parent Sloane Johnson took to Facebook to find him some help.
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The response was immediate. “Within a span of two hours, we had $800 raised and a car donated by another parent,” Johnson remarked.
That very same week, Peoples was taken by surprise when a group of parents and students greeted him with signs, cheers, applause, and a donated SUV. As if this wasn’t enough, they included a check for $2,500.
“…they showed me so much love,” Peoples tearfully told the news outlet. “And I don’t take it lightly…”
As he starts his new car with a smile, it’s clear that Peoples will be arriving on time for a job he loves in order to ensure the safety of those who love him too.
(WATCH the video below) — Photo by WXII
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Quote of the Day: “I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.” – Sir Francis Bacon
Photo: by Matt Preston, CC license via Flickr
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Conservationists are rejoicing over Tanzania’s latest announcement that they will be protecting a globally unique forest ecosystem in East Africa, following research that demonstrated it is under threat from illegal activities including tree-cutting for charcoal and the poaching of elephants and other animals.
Previous research had shown that the Magombera Forest in Tanzania could disappear by 2018 if action wasn’t taken to protect it.
A conservation program, called the Udzungwa Forest Project and the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG) and with help from local villages, demonstrated the significance of the unique wildlife and importance of the land to the people of the region.
In 2018, the Udzungwa Forest Project and TFCG, reached their target of $1 million to protect the forest in partnership with nearby villages and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency.
The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, with financial and scientific support from the several conservation groups, will now create a 6,463-acre Magombera Nature Reserve to protect the plants and animals of the forest.
“Protection for these lands follows more than 40 years of research and consultation,” said project leader, Dr. Andy Marshall of the University of York. “When I first began work in the forest 15 years ago, it was clearly a biologically important place, but it rang with the sound of axes and machetes.
“Over the past few years we have worked with local villages to find alternative sources for wood and have even managed to reduce the frequency of wildfires, invasive vines and tree-cutting in Magombera, leading to thousands of small trees now growing back into the once almost empty forest.”
The conservation value of the forest first became known in the 1970s, but received international attention through the discovery of a new chameleon species that was spotted escaping the jaws of a snake by University of York researcher, Dr Andy Marshall, in 2009.
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The discovery of several new species of monkeys, trees, and chameleons was reportedly a major incentive for increased donor support and interest in protection of the forest.
“As well as the Magombera chameleon and the red colobus monkey, the region is also home to numerous other internationally threatened species of plants and animals, including the Udzungwa dwarf galago, African elephants, and hippopotamus,” said Dr. Paul Salaman, Chief Executive Officer of Rainforest Trust, one of the organizations contributing to the park’s protection.
“It is also an important place for local communities who depend on the adjacent land for rice and sugar farming.”
Without the environmental services provided by the adjacent forest, the agricultural region would become under serious threat from floods and soil erosion, making life in the surrounding villages increasing challenging.
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In partnership with the Udzungwa Forest Project, additional funds from Rainforest Trust are now being used to develop and implement a conservation management plan for the new reserve, which will include the ways in which tourists can visit the forest, to the benefit of the local communities, and view the colobus monkeys without disrupting any wildlife habitats.
“The Magombera Nature Reserve will break boundaries in forest conservation in Tanzania, by ensuring that tourist entrance fees will go both to local communities and to the government managing authority,” said Charles Meshack, Executive Director at TFCG.
“This is a major achievement for forest conservation that will help both wildlife and people, in a way that differs from any other reserve that I know.”
(Source: University of York)
Plant Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends — Photos by Dr. Andrew Marshall
This multitasking mom has garnered a flood of appreciation and support after her boss posted a photo of her effortlessly juggling job duties with a baby girl in hand.
Melody Blackwell works at Maryland Farms Chiropractic in Brentwood, Tennessee. After enjoying three months of maternal leave with her newborn daughter Nora-Jo, she returned to work last month.
Blackwell’s boss, Dr. Elizabeth Baker, has been working with Blackwell in order to ensure that her work schedule is as flexible as possible in order to accommodate her parenting duties.
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Since Blackwell primarily handles insurance billing for the clinic, she has been able to do most of her work from home — but when Baker recently walked past the young mother at her desk during one of her first days back at the office, the chiropractor was impressed by what she saw.
In a viral picture which Baker later uploaded to Facebook, Blackwell can be seen cradling her sleeping baby in one arm while simultaneously cradling a phone against her ear and taking notes with her other hand.
“She makes it look so easy,” marveled Baker.
Struck by her employee’s casual disposition, Baker snapped a photo and posted it to the clinic’s social media page where it was shared hundreds of times.
She says she published the photo in hopes of increasing awareness and support for accommodating working mothers.
“We need more small and large businesses to see this is doable and should be allowed more often! The newborn months are so short,” wrote Baker. “[Blackwell] has transitioned to working from home mostly, but comes in when we need the extra hands. She’s still breastfeeding and baby needs mama!”
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Blackwell says that she was delighted when her boss first proposed working remotely, as the costs of daycare can often be debilitating to a family’s finances. Baker was even the one to suggest that Blackwell could bring her daughter into work once a week in order to attend the weekly staff meetings — and far from being a nuisance, the staffers and patients have been delighted to have Nora-Jo’s sweet face in the office.
Though Blackwell understands that some workplaces are less able to accommodate children and babies, she hopes that the clinic’s positive experience with Nora-Jo will encourage other businesses to consider similar options.
“If it’s an environment where baby crying is okay,” she told Yahoo! News, “I think more small and large businesses should look more towards allowing that.”
(WATCH the video below) — Photo by Maryland Farms Chiropractic
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