Constipation is not a glamorous topic, but it's certainly important, especially in older adults. As anyone who has experienced occasional or even chronic constipation can tell you, it can really put a damper on quality of life and well-being. Constipation can also cause more substantial problems, such as: * Severe abdominal pain, which can lead to emergency room visits * Hemorrhoids, which can bleed or be painful * Increased irritability, agitation, or even aggression, in people with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia * Stress and/or pain that can contribute to delirium (a state of new or worse confusion that often happens when older adults are hospitalized) * Fecal incontinence, which can be caused or worsened by having a hard lump of stool lodged in the lower bowel * Avoidance of needed pain medication, due to fear of constipation Fortunately, it's usually possible to help older adults effectively manage and prevent constipation. This helps maintain well-being and quality of life, and can also improve difficult behaviors related to dementia. The trouble is that constipation is often either overlooked or sub-optimally managed by busy healthcare providers who aren't trained in geriatrics. They are often focused on more "serious" health issues. Also, since many laxatives are available over-the-counter, some providers may assume that people will treat themselves if necessary. Personally, I don't like this hands-off approach to constipation. Although several useful laxatives are indeed available over-the-counter (OTC), I've found that the average person doesn't know enough to correctly choose among them. Also, although in geriatrics we often do end up recommending or prescribing laxatives, it's vital to start by figuring out what is likely to be causing or worsening an older person's constipation. For instance, many medications can make constipation worse, so we usually make an attempt to identify and perhaps deprescribe those. In short, if you're an older adult, or if you're helping an older... According to the above context, choose the correct option to answer the following question. Question: What is probably true about those with dementia and constipated? Options: - not enough information - constipation is not too much an issue in their lives - Constipation can complicate their days even further - they can probably get good treatment if they cooperate
Constipation can complicate their days even further

Bryan C. Keene and Alexandra Kaczenski of the Getty Museum's Manuscripts Department have spent the last few years preparing for an exhibition and publication titled Sacred Landscapes: Nature in Renaissance Manuscripts that aims to examine representations of "green spaces" such as gardens, vistas, and their relation to the divine. In particular, Bryan and Alexandra focus on the ways in which artists during the European Middle Ages and Renaissance embedded the pages of illuminated manuscripts with depictions of the natural world so that nature could guide prayer, chant, and meditation. For Bryan, this project represents a continuation of his interest in sacred gardens that began with his graduate work on the garden imagery that influenced Botticelli's Agony in the Garden painting. In 2013 he curated the exhibition and authored the accompanying book Gardens of the Renaissance. For Alexandra, interest in this subject stems from her scholarly focus on Flemish manuscripts and their relation to Flemish landscape paintings. She brought to the project a complementary interest in issues of environmental and landscape destruction, which also were themes of the exhibition and publication. Though floral and nature studies of the Renaissance and Early Modern periods have been extensively investigatedthe scientific notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, for example, are well documentedthis exhibition turns its focus on landscape and the divine. Curatorial research has shed new light on subjects such as the seemingly "scattered" floral arrangements represented within the pages of these books and their relationship to humoral theory and religion. Bryan adds, "The tension that we find in these borders is, on the one hand, intricately rendered leaf and petal structures of plants or flowers, and on the other, hidden whimsical elements, all of which combine to create a rich tapestry of meaning, both symbolic and scientific. Alex and I will continue to explore the potential meaning within this botanical and arboreal chaos." Sacred... According to the above context, choose the correct option to answer the following question. Question: When did Keene and Kaczenski start preparing for the exhibition titled Sacred Landscapes? Options: - in the last few years - not enough information - 20 years ago - 10 years ago
in the last few years

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA The U.S. election calendar could be a key factor in determining the scope and timing of a potential deal to end the North Korean nuclear program. Planning is progressing for both the upcoming summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the end of April and the expected meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in late May or early June. President Trump said Tuesday that there had been talks at "extremely high levels" between his administration and the North Korean government. Later it was reported that Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and a secretary of state nominee, met recently with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang. Trump also noted the talks have been marked by "a lot of goodwill" and that "there has been a major change in terms of North Korea's behavior," since Kim's Olympic outreach this year, in which he sent a large delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter games in South Korea, suspended nuclear and missile tests, and expressed a willingness to engage in denuclearization talks. The turn toward diplomacy has reduced, for now, the potential for conflict over the North's accelerated efforts last year to develop an operational nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the U.S. mainland. The North Korean leader's decision to engage in denuclearization talks was likely motivated by both Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign, which increased sanctions and the threat of military action against the North, and by South Korean President Moon's reassuring outreach efforts to improve inter-Korean relations. Trump's motivation in pursuing a nuclear deal with North Korea, in addition to resolving a growing national security threat, could also have a political component. According to North Korea analysts at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, the Trump administration is likely calculating how achieving such an agreement could help boost the president's chances for re-election in 2020. "If I were Trump, I... According to the above context, choose the correct option to answer the following question. Question: What was the likely reason for Mike Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang? Options: - not enough information - Making preparations for Trump's upcoming meeting with Kim - He needed to travel there before being confirmed as Secretary of State - To discuss the sanctions on North Korea
Making preparations for Trump's upcoming meeting with Kim