All posts tagged: Families

The Belgian town where families take in people with psychiatric conditions | Mental health

The Belgian town where families take in people with psychiatric conditions | Mental health

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] The city of Geel in Belgium has a foster care system for people dealing with mental health issues. These foster families sometimes host their boarders for decades, making them an integral part of the nuclear family. The families see the care they provide as normal, because many know it from their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. This system is within the DNA of Geel. The psychiatric centre rarely allows media to cover this story – I had the chance to document the lives of these boarders and their foster families Ilvy Njiokiktjien By fostering in this way the families want to normalise the lives of those with mental illness, treating them not as patients with a diagnosis, to be institutionalised, but as individuals deserving of dignity and inclusion. This way of altruistic psychiatric care has been part of Geel since the 13th century. It started when a church was built for Saint Dymphna, who is the patron saint of mental illness. Because of the construction of the church, pilgrims started flocking to the city. …

‘I am starting to panic about my child’s future’: climate scientists wary of starting families | Climate crisis

‘I am starting to panic about my child’s future’: climate scientists wary of starting families | Climate crisis

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] “I had the hormonal urges,” said Prof Camille Parmesan, a leading climate scientist based in France. “Oh my gosh, it was very strong. But it was: ‘Do I really want to bring a child into this world that we’re creating?’ Even 30 years ago, it was very clear the world was going to hell in a handbasket. I’m 62 now and I’m actually really glad I did not have children.” Parmesan is not alone. An exclusive Guardian survey has found that almost a fifth of the female climate experts who responded have chosen to have no children, or fewer children, due to the environmental crises afflicting the world. Such decisions were extremely difficult, they said. Dr Shobha Maharaj, an expert on the effects of the climate crisis from Trinidad and Tobago, has chosen to have only one child, a son who is now six years old. “Choosing to have a child was and continues to be a struggle,” she said. Maharaj said fear of what her child’s future would hold, as well as adding …

Best beach tents of 2024 for families: Editor picks from Argos, Decathlon & MORE

Best beach tents of 2024 for families: Editor picks from Argos, Decathlon & MORE

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] It’s hard to believe summer 2024 is on the horizon – have you got your family holiday sorted? Whether you’re going abroad or planning a staycation, it’s the moment we all look forward to. But if you’re heading somewhere with a beach, you’re going to want to put a beach tent or shade on your list of essentials! If you’re going to be spending the day by the sea you need something to protect you from the sun’s UV rays. Plus they can also make sand and insects less bothersome – not to mention providing a nice place to sit and chill or have a picnic or a snooze! On windy days they’re an absolute saviour too. This is a beach item that you’ll get plenty of use from beyond the beach – they’re great for hiking, camping, festivals, or even just sitting out in the garden. As long as there’s grass where you can fit some tent pegs, job’s a goodun! “I spend a lot of time at the beach during my holidays, …

Infected blood scandal: Bereaved families say loved ones who died after being contaminated were being ‘used for research’ | UK News

Infected blood scandal: Bereaved families say loved ones who died after being contaminated were being ‘used for research’ | UK News

Published by Sam

[ad_1] Bereaved families who lost loved ones in the contaminated blood scandal say they have seen evidence that proves their relatives were being “used for research” without their knowledge and despite clinicians knowing the risks. Historic notes in medical records found by campaigners are said to show that some patients being treated for the blood clotting disorder haemophilia in the 1970s and 1980s were given blood plasma treatment which doctors knew might be contaminated and infect them with hepatitis. Clinicians involved in the treatment have maintained they wanted to study the links between the haemophilia treatment Factor VIII and the risk of infection. Jason Evans, director of the campaign group Factor 8, believes that instead of stopping treatment, clinicians lobbied to continue trials, even after identifying the association between hepatitis and the treatment. He has found notes alluding to the research in his own father’s medical records. Read more:Infected blood compensation scheme ‘to be extended’Campaigners concerned govt may seek to delay paying compensation Mr Evans, whose father died in 1993 after being infected with both …

First these Army families lost their loved ones. Then the man assigned to help them took their money.

First these Army families lost their loved ones. Then the man assigned to help them took their money.

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] As she mourned the sudden death of her son, a 26-year-old Army sergeant felled by a heart condition, Sharon Hartz learned some surprising news: She would receive a death benefit and life insurance totaling half a million dollars. But she said the Army’s casualty assistance officer, who had helped her with the funeral arrangements, told her she first had to meet with an Army financial counselor. “[He] insisted that we be educated on the finances so they were properly handled,” she said. Sgt. Thomas F. Anastasio died because of a heart condition while on active duty. His death benefits went to his mother, Sharon Hartz.Courtesy Sharon Hartz Hartz and the officer drove to Fort Dix, where she first sat down with Caz Craffy, an Army reservist whose 9-to-5 civilian job was offering advice about money to Army families. Craffy was “very charismatic,” Hartz said. “Very, very friendly, very welcoming.” That turned out to be a façade. Craffy was a con man, who has now pleaded guilty to bilking Hartz and dozens of other Gold …

6 Reasons for Roles in Dysfunctional Families

6 Reasons for Roles in Dysfunctional Families

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Source: Alisa Dyson / Pixabay Dysfunctional family roles often emerge organically within the family system as a response to underlying dysfunction within the family unit. In dysfunctional families, communication may be strained, emotions may be suppressed, and conflicts may go unresolved. In such environments, family members naturally adapt to their surroundings in an effort to navigate the complexities of their relationships and experiences. These adaptations often take the form of dysfunctional roles, which serve to maintain a fragile equilibrium within the family system. Because dysfunctional roles arise out of necessity rather than choice, they are often perpetuated unconsciously. For example, a child growing up in a household with a narcissistic parent may instinctively adopt the role of the scapegoat as a means of coping with constant criticism and blame. Similarly, a parent struggling with addiction may inadvertently thrust their child into the role of the caretaker, relying on them for emotional support and stability. Family Roles Can Change and Merge Over Time Dysfunctional family roles serve several purposes within the family dynamic despite their …

The best festivals for families this summer

The best festivals for families this summer

Published by Sam

[ad_1] Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Nothing says summer like spending weekends outside, listening to live music, while eating and drinking al fresco. Festival season is almost upon us and as family days out go, you cannot beat it. From one-day events to mini escapes complete with camping, there’s something for all the family. Here’s our guide to best family festivals of summer 2024… Victorious Festival, Southsea, August 23-25 The perfect festival for families to attend, as it caters for all life stages. This three-day event is easy to get around, with three main stages and lots of smaller areas. Headliners this year include Fatboy Slim, Jamie T and Biffy Clyro, with some generation alpha favourites, like Becky Hill, Jess Glynn and Louis Tomlinson. Comedy headliners are strong too, with Frankie Boyle (though maybe don’t take the kids to that one!), Russell Howard and Al Murray all performing. The …

Ridiculous Things People Have Said To Multiracial Families

Ridiculous Things People Have Said To Multiracial Families

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Crystal Shaniece Roman vividly remembers the first time that she saw someone outside the family fail to recognise her connection to her mother. “It was a parent-teacher conference in Staten Island, NYC. I was in grade school. I went with my mom, and the teacher asked if my mom was coming, although she was standing by my side. At that moment I realised people looked at my mom differently from me,” Roman told HuffPost. She documented this memory in ”Black Latina: The Play,” which explores her experience of being raised by her light-skinned Puerto Rican father and dark-skinned Jamaican mother. The teacher’s comment, she said, “robbed me of my innocence.” “A child looks at their parents through the eyes of love, not colour,” she said. Unfortunately, for multiracial families, who comprise 10.2% of the U.S. population according to 2020 Census data (a 276% increase since 2010), these kind of upsetting comments aren’t always avoidable. Whether well-intentioned, overtly aggressive, ignorant or unintentionally hilarious, strangers’ inability to comprehend that kids’ hair and skin don’t always “match” …

Wealth gap between White and Latino families surpasses million

Wealth gap between White and Latino families surpasses $1 million

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] The wealth gap between white families and their Black and Latino counterparts has widened by more than $1 million, according to a new analysis by the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that focuses on economic and social policy research. In 2022, the average wealth of white families was approximately $1.36 million; for Latino families, it was $227,544, and for Black families, $211,596. For Asian American households, the average was $1.8 million. The data come from the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, conducted every three years by the Federal Reserve. “Wealth translates into opportunity. It translates into mobility. [Wealth] enables people to reach their full potential,” said Signe-Mary McKernan, vice president for labor, human services and population at the Urban Institute. The analysis points to structural racism as a contributing factor to the widening wealth gap, singling out exclusionary homeownership policies such as redlining and racial covenants that have largely affected Black and Latino Americans. “Wealth inequities lie in the policies, programs and practices which created pathways to building wealth for white families while …

Accurate Terminology in Egg Donation Families

Accurate Terminology in Egg Donation Families

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Source: arloo / 123rf People often reveal themselves by the language they use and, sometimes, by the language they deliberately avoid. Defining language around family is important in egg (and embryo) donation families—specifically, the confusion surrounding the terms “biological mother” and “genetic mother.” Using clear and accurate terminology is important for donor-conceived children and adults alike. There is no child too young to hear about their origin story,1 and, in fact, research suggests that donor-conceived individuals thrive best when informed from the start, fostering a sense of perpetual awareness about their unique origin story. Children can be introduced very early on to the concept that each person has two genetic or biological parents,* one providing the egg and the other the sperm, each endowing approximately 50 percent of the DNA required to form a new life. Terminological Discrepancies A unique disparity in terminology emerges within egg donor families, unlike sperm donor families, as the nonbiological mother often carries and gives birth to the child. While phrases like “I carried and delivered my child, so …