I’ve written four blogs this month on the U.S. health-care system. They were:
1. Sept. 1: "We’re No. 37!" The blog provided a link to a Business Insider article that detailed the 36 health-care systems that are better than ours, including Chile and Costa Rica. http://newyork.storeboard.com/blogs/health/were-no-37-in-health-care/208155 http://www.businessinsider.com/best-healthcare-systems-in-the-world-2012-6?op=1
2. Sept. 4: "Harry Truman Told The Truth." The blog documented Truman’s plan for an Economic Bill of Rights that included "health security for all Americans." http://newyork.storeboard.com/blogs/health/harry-truman-told-the-truth/208905
3. Sept. 8: "Does Oliver Twist Live In The USA." The blog focused on the USA‘s sad record on children‘s health care, including the fact that we have highest infant mortality rates, highest children’s mortality rate, and high child poverty rate among the 17 nations that were studied. http://newyork.storeboard.com/blogs/health/does-oliver-twist-live-in-the-usa/209844
4. Sept. 12: "Americans Smoke And Drink Less Than Others, But…….." The blog focused on the fact that Americans were last in longevity and health among 17 nations studied by two health-care organizations despite our comparatively good smoking and drinking habits. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13497
Health Care Blog No. 5: Dogs Improve The Health Of Wounded War Veterans
This blog isn’t exactly about the health-care system, but it brings to light something important -- dogs can improve people’s health. I decided to post a blog on dogs after I saw a Reuters story entitled “Dogs Help Stressed U.S. Military Veterans Cope With Civilian Life.”
I read the story as I contemplated the possibility of living without my dog Susie, who is pictured above. I’ve been with Susie for more than nine years. Her presence often uplifts my spirits and makes me healthier physically and mentally. She’s healthy right now at 12, but I might have to be separated from her because of the behavior of a vile and dishonest landlord. It’s a long story -- and part of the reason that I haven’t blogged for one week -- but I’m hoping we can stay together for the rest of her life.
The dogs in the Reuters story were described as “a prescription on four legs” by Shari Duval, the executive director of K9s for Warriors. The non-profit organization in Florida trains dogs to help veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries because of their military service.
The story reports that 29 percent of 830,000 veterans treated at U.S. Veterans Affairs medical centers in the last 10 years have been diagnosed with PTSD and 22 percent have been diagnosed with depression.
One of the dogs, a Labradoodle named Cody, is responsible for helping Justin Madore have a normal life after he was incapacitated by PTSD for five years. Formerly housebound, the sergeant who served in Afghanistan and Iraq told Reuters he was housebound for five years, but now is able to have an active life with his young children.
Cody has been trained “to create personal space for veterans whose condition may make them nervous in a crowd.” Susie gives me less personal space by sleeping on top of me, but she has improved my health anyway.
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