You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2681 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Health And Wealth (NAPSA)—No matter where you hurt—neck, shoulder, back, knee —physical therapy may improve your quality of life and save you time, trouble and money. With physical therapy, you’ll be better able to move freely without discomfort, feel renewed and maybe avoid injury altogether. It may also help you avoid painful, invasive and expensive surgery. Research shows that physical therapy, combined with comprehensive medical management, can be just as effective as surgery when it comes to relieving such conditions as osteoarthritis of the knee. What’s more, falls among the elderly are prevalent, dangerous, and can diminish their ability to lead an active and independent life. According to the National Council on Aging, about one in three people over 65 will fall at least once this year, perhaps with disastrous consequences. A physical therapist can design an individualized program of exercises and activities with an emphasis on strength, flexibility and proper gait. Despite all the advantages of physical therapy, some people are not getting all they should and that their doctors have prescribed because of high co-payments. These have caused many patients to face a sad dilemma: health care vs. making ends meet. When co-payment plans were first introduced, it was thought they’d lower medical costs by decreasing unnecessary care. Empirical evidence, however, shows that high co-payments can actually increase health care costs. According to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine, high co-payments led to patients skipping ambulatory care. This increased health care costs because the patients Good News For Older People (NAPSA)—It’s a blanket statement but still true: Aging Americans can benefit from having a special blanket—one that’s lightly weighted to about three to five pounds, that is. There are several reasons. First, older people tend to get less deep REM sleep at night. A weighted blanket can help the brain produce melatonin and serotonin, allowing the person to sleep more soundly at night and be more alert during the day. Because physical therapists receive specialized education in physics, anatomy and other sciences, they understand how the body works and how to manage its major systems. then needed more acute care, such as at a hospital, later on. The study concluded that “raising cost sharing for ambulatory care may have adverse health consequences and may increase total spending on health care.” “When you have patients, who are in pain and recovering from injuries, avoiding medically necessary care because they can’t afford the high co-payments, you know there is a problem,” said Matthew R. Hyland, PT, Ph.D., MPA, CSCS, President of the New York Physical Therapy Association. High co-payments, it appears, add to health care expense and make it hard for patients to get the treatment they need to stay healthy. Many Americans are going to www.house.gov and www.senate.gov to ask their legislators what can be done. Learn More For further facts and stats, or to find a nearby physical therapist, visit www.moveforwardny.com. Older people can find lightly weighted blankets, a great sensory integration tool, both comfortable and comforting. The elderly tend to get cold easily regardless of the temperature, and featherweight blankets keep them warm because the polypellet content makes these blankets sort of a beanbag combined with a blanket. Featherweight blankets from Mosaic Weighted Blankets provide a feeling of comfort; they mimic a hug with their steady pressure on the body. The even distribution of weight gives a pleasant feeling of being cuddled and comforted. Learn More Find further facts at www. featherweightblankets.com and (512) 567-8943. Shining A Spotlight On Homeless Pets (NAPSA)—One film star is stepping out of the spotlight to shine a light on homeless pets. It turns out that Josh Duhamel, an actor known for numerous action films, has a serious soft spot when it comes to pet adoption. Rescuing a dachshund, Meatloaf, several years ago inspired Duhamel and his production company, Dakotakid Media, to join forces with the country’s leading funder of animal welfare efforts, PetSmart Charities, to create a Web series in support of the nonprofit’s Rescue Waggin’ program. As executive producer of the eight-episode Web series “Rescue Waggin’: Tales from the Road,” Duhamel and his team follow homeless dogs and puppies as they travel hundreds, even thousands of miles for a better chance of being adopted. The Web series includes cameos from a cache of celebrity pet adoption advocates including Kristen Bell, Adam Shankman and Bret Michaels. “Thousands of dogs are euthanized in shelters every day because the adoption demand does not meet the supply of pets,” said Duhamel. “When I saw what PetSmart Charities was doing, loading pets into vans and transporting them to shelters where they have a better chance of being adopted, I wanted to tell the story of this lifesaving program.” “Rescue Waggin’: Tales from the Road” puts viewers in the passenger’s seat of the Rescue Waggin’ vehicle to experience the shelter pet transport process from start to finish. The Web series chronicles the real stories of dogs and puppies from communities with more pets than adopters to communities Actor Josh Duhamel is producing a new Web series that follows homeless dogs and puppies as they travel hundreds of miles for a better chance of being adopted. where adoptable pets are in demand. Rescue Waggin’ vehicles travel up to 3,000 miles a week giving hopeless pets a new “leash” on life. When one of the dogs is settled into his new shelter, he is usually adopted within three to seven days. PetSmart Charities estimates the Rescue Waggin’ program has saved more than 70,000 dogs and puppies since 2004. “I actually bought my first dog, Zoe, and I got some criticism from family and friends over it. So when it came time to find her a companion, we realized that adoption was the only way to go. Adopted dogs and cats make incredible pets,” said Duhamel. Many dogs, such as Meatloaf, are finding homes thanks to PetSmart Charities and the Rescue Waggin’ program. To see Duhamel and the star-studded cast in the Web series “Rescue Waggin’: Tales from the Road,” visit www.rescue waggin.org.
