Lauren Sieben

Without giving up on sweet cherry wine and fish boils, the legendary peninsula has discovered its cool side. We'll show you where to find it—town by picturesque town.
A full moon hangs overhead as I drive toward the northern tip of Door County. I've come to spot stars—the real kind . One of only 195 places in the world designated an International Dark Sky Park, Newport State Park is one of the Midwest's prime destinations for catching constellations, shooting stars and other astronomical wond...

From urban jaunts to small-town rides, each of these cities holds unique experiences that can only be enjoyed on two wheels.
When you're on a bike, you're seeing places from a completely different perspective than on foot or in a car. Local trails in the Midwest let you explore new places in new ways, with the freedom to pull off to grab an ice cream cone, pause at a lake or discover a nearby nature center. When you're ready to roll, check out eight of the best Midwest cycling destinations.
C...

If you're newly eligible for Medicare, you may be wondering: Does Medicare cover diabetic supplies?
Fortunately, Medicare generally covers the tests, supplies and medical visits required to manage diabetes. But different parts of your Medicare plan cover different aspects of your care. It's important to understand the specifics of your coverage and to anticipate which services or supplies may not be covered.
Coverage for Diabetes Supplies and Screenings
Medicare Part B — the medical insurance...

Nursing faculty work with Milwaukee community partners to focus their research on real-time health care needs in the neighborhood.
For some people, the idea of “research” might conjure images of professors running experiments in a lab or reviewing academic studies in their office. While these are common components of conventional research, these images don’t paint an accurate portrait of community-engaged scholarship, says Dr. Kristin Haglund, professor of nursing.
Community-engaged research ...

As retirees inch closer to age 65, it's important to understand the basics of Medicare — a federal health insurance program for people over 65.
As you start your research, you may read about Original Medicare, which refers to federal government insurance that covers both hospital and medical expenses. In practice, this insurance covers many healthcare expenses — but not all of them.
Read on to learn the basics of Medicare Part A and Part B and health insurance in retirement, including the det...

For many people, simply buttoning up their shirts isn’t a task to think twice about. But for people with spastic cerebral palsy, it can feel nearly impossible when an intense spasm tightens the muscles in their hands.
There are four types of cerebral palsy, which are differentiated by the area of the brain each one affects. Regardless of the specific type, all forms of cerebral palsy affect a person’s gross and fine motor skills, which dictate the muscle movements that control everything from...

Faculty team seeks to remove barriers from identifying children with autism.
When Dr. Mary Carlson started her career as a special education teacher in 1978, the education community’s understanding of autism looked very different than it does today.
“We only knew of a very small class of kids that had autism, and they were generally nonverbal, self-injuring and really difficult to engage in any kind of schoolwork,” Carlson says. But that narrow definition meant some children with autism fell ...

Naming a beneficiary for life insurance and retirement accounts is a crucial step that spells out who will receive benefits or the balance of your accounts if you pass away.
But what happens if your beneficiary passes away before you, or around the same time? What if they can't take over the account for other reasons? In situations where the primary beneficiary can't step in, it's important to have a contingent beneficiary named to your policy or account.
What Is a Contingent Beneficiary?
A c...

“Sweater weather” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re a homeowner.
From lawn maintenance to winterizing the pool, the change of the season ushers in a slew of extra items for your to-do list.
There’s plenty to keep you busy this fall if you’re feeling ambitious and ready to try your hand at some DIY home maintenance. But it’s also easy to outsource your list if you have the budget—and if you prefer not to spend your weekends installing insulation or trimming back tree branches.
Ready to ...

You check in for a doctor’s visit and a nurse or physician’s assistant leads you back to the exam room. There, they check your vitals — blood pressure, temperature, pulse, breathing rate. Maybe height and weight too.
Most of us are so used to this routine that we don’t think twice about it. Some of the core vital signs are as old as the field of medicine itself. Centuries ago, nobody used medical equipment to check if someone was breathing or had a pulse; you could simply watch for breathing ...

When you're planning your estate, you need to think beyond how you want your physical and financial assets distributed. You might also need a document that spells out the medical care you would want to receive if you're ever unable to speak for yourself.
What Is a Living Will?
A living will is a type of advance directive, a legal document that details the medical care you'd want to receive if you were ever unable to make your own medical decisions — for example, if you become critically ill o...

Alumna Lorna Mahlock becomes the U.S. Marine Corps’ first Black woman to lead as brigadier general

In 2016, a video posted to YouTube showed a routine test of a SpaceX rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A few seconds into the clip, smoke begins snaking out from the side of the rocket. A minute passes, then boom: An explosion erupts and a mushroom of flames erupts from the structure. Fire engulfs the rocket and the launchpad below.
The stunning footage ran on news broadcasts around the world, and the public immediately started asking: What went wrong?

Many retirees don't have spouses or immediate family members to factor into their end-of-life planning. If this is your situation, it's still vitally important to consider your estate planning, even if you have no beneficiary at the moment.
It's wise to take time now to think about your wishes regarding your health care and the distribution of your financial assets. If you're unsure of where to start, here are a few of the most crucial end-of-life planning considerations for retirees without ...

Serving as a caregiver for a loved one can be both exhausting and rewarding. Over time, though, the stress and demands of this work can lead to caregiver burnout, which impacts both the caregiver and the person receiving care.
One way to stave off burnout and exhaustion is to create a respite caregiver plan. Planning ahead for respite care is an important part of ensuring that you don't lose sight of your own health and needs while you care for others.
What Is Respite Care?
Respite care is an...