The Health Team provides information on women's health and aging to allow you to make informed health decisions. We will take a holistic approach to help us safeguard and nurture our bodies, as well as enrich our minds and spirits. There will be articles and reports, suggested books, and FAWCO member contributions. We will also include practical information and resources, such as caring for loved ones from a distance, for ourselves and family members.
In 2014, we re-launched Clubs in Motion, with the goal to walk or run around the globe before the March 2015 Conference. That's 40,000 kms, so we better get moving! To learn more, sign up your club's walking or running group, and check how far we've come, go to Clubs in Motion.
We have gathered information from FAWCO Clubs about their Heart Pillow Projects to help women who have had breast cancer surgery. If you have Heart Pillow news to share, please send it to us at .
We are currently looking for a Health Issues Team Chair. Please contact if you are interested in the position.
FAWCO’s Health Team comprises FAWCO and FAUSA women who work together to educate, enlighten and encourage our members all over the world to care well for themselves as well as gaining a deeper understanding of health issues that impact the most vulnerable in society. The Team is working to provide information on the 8...
The First Session of the Open-ended Working Group on strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons was held in April 2011. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs has published an article that discusses the outcomes of this meeting. The article states: "The world’s population aged 60 or older is expected to double by 2050, to a record of 21...
"The National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) is dedicated to fostering an understanding of the vital relationship between creative expression and the quality of life of older people. Creative expression is important for older people of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds, regardless of economic status, age, or level of physical, emotional, or cognitive functioning." For more information about the NCCA,
By: Alison Weihofen, LCSW, MPH
“Good news” and “depression” are not usually found in the same sentence. However, here’s the first piece of good news: The vast majority of adults aged 65 and over is not depressed. The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that only 1% - 5% of older adults living independently in the community suffer...
Welcome to the newly re-named team that focuses on age-related issues!
Over the last few months, a new team of team co-chairs, Kelly Fitzgerald, PhD and Tam Thompson-Steckel, has been working to revise the Transitions: Growing Older Team into the newly named Global Aging Team. Ali Weihofen, LCSW, MPH has been a significant contributor to the development of the newly...
According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated two million women in the world living with fistulas. Another word for fistula is ‘hole.’ So, in other words, there are over two million women who literally have a hole in the lower cavity of their bodies, and as a result, cannot control the passage of their bodily...
Improving Maternal Health
By maintaining the awareness for improving maternal healthcare, the Global Health Issues Team has provided a recommended list of videos for viewing. If the link does direct you to the web site, please copy and paste.
List of Videos: (Retrieved on January 29th, 2010 from)
Melinda Gates
Improving health for mothers and newborns
October 27, 2009
Melinda...
On March 13, 2009 world leaders assembled in London to renew commitments on achieving the MDGs. Two technical working groups were established to present analyses and recommendations to the Taskforce. The focus of Working Group One was on constraints of up scaling and costs. The focus of Working Group Two was on raising and channeling funds.[1]
The Facts – why...
NOW - National Organization for Women USA - has launched a campaign to help "raise awareness about women's health, body image and self-esteem," and "urges women to question beauty ideals." The campaign will culminate on October 15, 2009, the day earmarked to celebrate Love Your Body Day with actions and events.
Since 1997, NOW Foundation's Love Your Body has "given girls and...
Menopause, one of the most important transitions experienced by women during their lifetime, is one of those topics that many women, even today, seem to know very little about. In order to "offer a positive, useful and comprehensive resource to women everywhere," John Rowlinson, the founder of PtS in Great Britain, has established menopauseexpert.co.uk/. The site was created...
January 30, 2009 — The current recommendation is that women with BRCAmutations, who are thus at high risk for breast cancer, start receiving annual screening mammography as early as age 25.
However, a new risk-analysis study published online January 27 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that screening should probably not start until age 35.
The study estimates that, for BRCA-mutation...
Jane Gross, author of The New York Times blog The New Old Age, Caring and Coping, has tackled the testy subject of what to call those of us who are over 50 but who certainly do not consider ourselves "elderly" and resent being referred to as such. It seems that the topic is not a new one, and Ms. Gross...
Jane Gross, a journalist with The New York Times, writes a blog under the heading The New Old Age, Caring and Coping (http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/ ). Based on her and her brother's experience in caring for their elderly mother between 2002 and 2003, Ms. Gross asks and tries to provide answers to questions that few of us are prepared for when our...
Philip Moeller, who writes The Best Life blog for U.S. News and World Report (usnews.com), on February 13, 2009, devoted his space to questions and answers regarding taxation for those of us who are considered "older." U.S. News consulted H&R Block tax expert Gil Charney, principal tax researcher at the company's Tax Institute, where were some of the most commonly...
This is the start of a new series of articles on caregiving. New pages will be added as new articles are written. An overview of caregiving is presented here. More specific information will be presented on further pages.
Page 2: Caregiving
Shortly after the mother of Ryan, the blog's author, suffered a stroke in the summer of 2005, he began the site "because I found few practical resources for helping families considering assisted living." His stated goal is "to share with you some of what I learned in hopes of making it easier for you and your mom, dad, relative or...