Used-car purchasers face high-price sticker shock

If you are in the market for a used car, the timing couldn’t be worse. But if you’re looking to sell a car, now’s the time to get top dollar pricing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, used-car prices jumped dramatically in June and over the previous year. The increase is so significant that it helped drive an overall increase in the nation’s inflation rate.

Used car prices and availability have steered people toward new cars, but that market is facing availability problems, too. The global supply of semi-conductors is impacting new car production because of supply and demand fluctuations created by pandemic shutdowns. That means car manufacturers can’t meet new vehicle demands by consumers turned off of used car price inflation.

Recent economic data indicates the situation is resolving slowly, but there are other new car component problems on the horizon.

Brian Moody is the Executive Editor for Autotrader and he appears on Smart Talk Tuesday to share insight into car market economic trends.

Disenfranchised grief a barrier to facing a loss

When a close friend or family member experiences a death or loss, it is often difficult to find the right words to comfort them. Because it is difficult, some people might say nothing to avoid saying the wrong thing.

The grief experienced by a significant loss is called disenfranchised when others avoid talking about it or if they use a cliché that minimizes that loss.

With more than 28,000 Pennsylvanians having died from COVID-19, many people are facing this experience, especially when there are people who don’t recognize the virus as a real threat to public health.

Kenneth Doka, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle and Senior Vice President with the Hospice Foundation of America, pioneered the concept of “disenfranchised” grief. He joins Smart Talk Monday to explain the concept and how understanding it can help people to heal and connect with one another.

For more on public health issues plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare–check out WITF’s Transforming Health. Online at TransformingHealth.org, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.

Some avoid lifting weights because of intimidation factor

While going to a gym isn’t for everyone — resistance training at home or outside is something people of all skill levels can do.

Based on a recent study authored in part by the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, making time and effort to perform resistance exercises has unique benefits for fat loss, in addition to reshaping bodies and increasing metabolism.

Some physicians in private practice are taking their knowledge of the importance of movement by approaching exercise as a prescription for better health outcomes. They write prescriptions for drug therapies, why not for exercise, too, which has been shown to improve or halt some disease progression.

WellSpan Health System Sports and Family Medicine Dr. Nathan Bucks, DO, joins Smart Talk Monday to talk about setting accessible goals and objectives to make the most of strength training and exercise.

For more on health issues plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare–check out WITF’s Transforming Health. Online at TransformingHealth.org, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.

Study finds that exercise with weight training promotes fat burning

Most people know that regular exercise, including weight training, builds muscle and improves health — but what’s less known is how it affects body fat on the cellular level.

A recent study authored in part by the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, finds resistance exercise has unique benefits for fat loss, in addition to reshaping bodies and increasing metabolism.

Joining Smart Talk Monday to share insight to their findings is John McCarthy, Ph.D. a co-senior study author and associate Professor in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine’s department of physiology.

For more on health issues plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare–check out WITF’s Transforming Health. Online at TransformingHealth.org, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.