HEALTH

Phone therapy

It turns out that people have a hard time sticking with face-to-face therapy for their depression: Almost 50 percent stop showing up to their therapists’ offices, perhaps not surprisingly since losing motivation is a symptom of depression. By contrast, a new meta-analysis from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, looking at telephone therapy, found that just 7.6 percent quit early.

“The telephone is a tool that allows the therapists to reach out to patients, rather than requiring that patients reach out to therapists,” said David Mohr, professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School and lead author of the study, which was published in the September issue of the journal “Clinical Psychology.” People who find it hard to interrupt other duties, such as looking after children or performing their daily work schedule, can just pick up the phone and get the help they need.

FASHION

Mature makeup

Q: I am 64, and think of myself as quite modern, but my makeup seems stuck in the 1970s. Problem is, the makeup in most magazines is either for gorgeous young women or is so theatrical I’d look like a clown. Where can I get ideas for age-appropriate makeup?

A: Magazines aimed at mature women, such as More and The Magazine from AARP, usually carry ads featuring attractive older models. You could take some of those ads to your favorite makeup store, and ask a consultant to show you how to achieve the look. Or you could purchase one of the many how-to DVDs offered by makeup artists and celebrities.