Feda Almaliti is the mother of a 15-year-old son with severe autism and an advocate. She describes how the challenges of the coronavirus crisis are exponentially more difficult for families like hers.
Edgar Urriola got sick around St. Patrick's Day; he's now on a ventilator. Then the kids got ill. Now his family is trying to keep life as normal as possible while hoping for his recovery.
Eight states and Washington, D.C., have paid family leave programs funded through payroll taxes. But a similar bill in blue-state Colorado is being watered down.
The for-profit hospice industry has grown, allowing more Americans to die at home. But few family members realize that "hospice care" still means they'll do most of the physical and emotional work.
Reaching out in kindness, mindful breathing and taking time daily to note positive moments and personal strengths are all part of a program that reduces anxiety and depression. But it takes practice.
In Vermont, there are more elderly patients with medical needs than there are nursing homes. A growing number of families in the state are opening their homes to the elderly as an alternative.