Bad Jokes

My Uncle Andy recently turned 90, and it was hard to imagine what a guy would like for his 90th birthday.

Incorporate music in visits with Alzheimer’s patients

Dear Doctors: My uncle has Alzheimer's disease. He goes through these awful phases where he's agitated and afraid. We've noticed that music calms him down, especially when it's something from when he was young. Why would that be? Maybe music should be part of Alzheimer's therapy.

Logistics interfere with Christmas tradition

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm excited to visit my family this year for the holidays, especially since last year's quarantine prevented us from being together. My problem is that the only affordable flight I could get lands me at home on Christmas Day. My family has a ritual on Christmas Eve where the adults wrap gifts together, and the kids get to open one gift the night before. I so want to be there for that, but I couldn't make it work. Am I wrong to ask the family to delay that until Christmas afternoon when I arrive? – Nostalgic

Hispanic voters resemble other migrants

Martinez is the new Martinelli. That's another way of making a critical political point: Hispanic voters increasingly resemble other immigrant groups, like Italians.

Son’s girlfriend stays in bed during visits

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son lives in a different state, and I do not get to see him very often. Usually about once a year, he will bring his girlfriend of five years to our house and spend a week with us. Unfortunately, every time they come over, his girlfriend becomes sick and will have to stay in bed for the majority of the trip. She says that she is not used to the weather in our state. I don't believe that she is really sick. I think that she is anxious about being around us and would prefer to stay in bed and be away from us. My son has warned me about her anxiety on multiple occasions. Is it wrong if I request that he not bring her this year? – Just Stay Home

DO JUST ONE THING

● Whatever type of blinds you invest in for your windows – bamboo, wooden, cellular, roman or roller style – they can help to improve energy efficiency in your home. If you live in a cool climate, blinds should be left open in the winter when it's sunny to help bring heat inside the home. But at night, they should be closed and snug in the window frame to prevent cold air from seeping in and to help reduce heat loss. Some blinds are more efficient than others, but any style is better than none.

Trump’s political will

No American presidents of our time – perhaps no American presidents ever, with the possible exceptions of George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt -- have affected the environment of their successors as dramatically as Donald J. Trump has shaped the political world of Joe Biden.

Parasitic tapeworms cause unusual neurological symptoms

Dear Doctors: There was a story in the news recently about a man who had a tapeworm living in his brain. Our two teenage boys also saw it and are now obsessed. They're grossed out and fascinated, and they are asking lots of questions. An explanation would be welcome.

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