Too many seniors are considering giving away their pets or taking them to the shelter. Often the senior is on a limited budget, and it's getting too difficult to pay for pet food. If you're in this group, help is available.

While there doesn't seem to be a national network of pet assistance for seniors, small efforts have sprung up across the country. In some places, animal shelters have been taking donations of food and money to help people keep their pets. Call and ask for help. (Many have funds available for veterinary care, too.)

by Matilda Charles

The rate of those of us having mental issues involving anxiety seems to decline a bit as we advance in age. On the other hand, if we have depression, it can be harder to treat in seniors. So say two recent studies.

The first study compared people of all age groups to see which group had more anxiety disorders, and then focused on older age groups (55-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years and 85 years and up) and compared them over a 12-month period.

Once Ubaldo Jimenez found the strike zone, the Atlanta Braves had no chance — and the Colorado Rockies had their first no-hitter.

Jimenez pitched the first no-hitter in the Rockies' 18-year history and the majors' first this season, getting help from a spectacular catch by Dexter Fowler in the seventh inning of a 4-0 win over the Braves on Saturday night.

"It is every pitcher's dream to be out there for nine innings and throw a no-hitter," Jimenez said.

While I sometimes wonder about the purpose of all of the studies that researchers do on seniors, here's one that could really have some value: Hairstylists helping to spot depression or physical changes in seniors.

A recent Ohio State University study found that at least 80 percent of us confide in the person who cuts and styles our hair. A whopping 72 percent of hairstylists considered themselves and their clients as family. According to the study, family issues and health problems are the things talked about the most.

by Matilda Charles

Have you gone skydiving recently?

Except for former President Bush Sr., I don't know many seniors who have. But he might be on to something: I'm sure he's had to learn how to land correctly. And that same "parachutist's landing" has been shown to be a way to reduce hip fractures.

The University of Michigan has done studies to explore hip fractures in seniors. Researchers examined just how it is that falls occur and used computer models to explore four different types of falls.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2008 has a little something for seniors: a onetime payment of $250 for all 55 million of us.

Here are a few things you need to know:

Who will receive the payment?

SENIOR NEWS LINE by Matilda Charles-- I've always suspected there might be something to Chinese medicine.
T'ai Chi (pronounced "tie chee") is a 2,000-year-old Chinese form of martial arts. I'm not sure why it's classified as a martial art, because the movements are so gentle. It's thought that doing the movements allows cosmic energy to flow through the body and boost the immune system. Now there is a short Westernized version, called T'ai Chi Chih.

T'ai Chi Chih isn't exercise. It's a series of 19 movements and one pose done while standing in place, with the wrists kept loose and fingers spread apart. The soft and continuous arm movements are slow and without effort, like swimming through thick air. There's little movement of the feet, except for a gentle swaying. (It can even be done while sitting down.)

A UCLA study was done recently with seniors who had trouble sleeping to see if there were any sleep benefits to T'ai Chi Chih. Boy, were there benefits.

by Matilda Charles

Long-Term Care

If you want to stay at home if you become ill or disabled, you might have to move to New Mexico, Oregon, Washington or Alaska. That is, if you want Medicaid to pay for your care.

AARP's Policy and Research branch recently conducted a study to determine what percentage of Medicaid money the states are spending on long-term at-home care. Only those four states spent more than 50 percent of their long-term care money to keep people in their homes in comfortable surroundings. (Change that to 40 percent and you can add three more states: California, Minnesota and Texas.)