The Bluebird Patch

There's no denying that a fresh bouquet of roses or a handful of vibrant lilies brighten a room. Still, a new study has shown that flowers can be immensely beneficial for senior citizens. Researchers at Rutgers University have proven that beautiful buds can alleviate depression, encourage social interaction and foster memory skills during one's golden years. "The results are significant because as our nation grows older and life becomes more stressful, we look for easy and natural ways to enhance our lives," said Dr Jeannette Haviland-Jones of the Human Development Lab at Rutgers. The study followed willing participants over the course of six months. Afterwards, 81 percent reported a reduction in depression, while 72 percent scored higher on memory tests than those who did not receive a regular bouquet of blooms. Read more: http://www.retirementhomes.com/library/senior-living/retirement-living/flowers-can-encourage-happiness-among-retirement-living-seniors-20...

Close romantic partners unknowingly smell each other’s feelings of happiness, fear and sexual arousal, according to a study presented on May 29 at the Association for Psychological Science annual convention. The study included collecting sweat from volunteers via armpit pads during sessions in which they watched videos meant to evoke certain emotions, such as happiness, fear, and sexual arousal. The pads were then put in jars and presented to the voluneteers' partners to pass the sniff test. Amazingly, in nearly two-thirds of the tests, partners were able by smell alone to detect the emotions of their better half, with couples that had been living together the longest having the best results. Source  The Post Chronicle More info about Denise Chen reserach here.