The Sentinel

Remote work was an underestimated benefit and blessing for family caregivers

by Joanne Kenen
Kaiser Health News

Even when Beltré switched to a hybrid work role — meaning some days in the office, others at home — caring for her father was manageable, though never easy.

For Aida Beltré, working remotely during the pandemic came as a relief.

She was taking care of her father, now 86, who has been in and out of hospitals and rehabs after a worsening series of strokes in recent years.

Working from home for a rental property company, she could handle it. In fact, like most family caregivers during the early days of covid-19, she had to handle it. Community programs for the elderly had shut down.

Even when Beltré switched to a hybrid work role — meaning some days in the office, others at home — caring for her father was manageable, though never easy.

Then she was ordered back to the office full time in 2022. By then, Medicaid was covering 17 hours of home care a week, up from five. But that was not close to enough. Beltré, now 61, was always rushing, always worrying. There was no way she could leave her father alone so long.

She quit. “I needed to see my dad,” she said.

Couple out for a walk

Photo: Pixabay/Mark Thomas

Work-from-home made it much easier for caregivers to take care of their loved ones and improve the quality of life those they were responsible for during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In theory, the national debate about remote or hybrid work is one great big teachable moment about the demands on the 53 million Americans taking care of an elderly or disabled relative.

But the “return to office” debate has centered on commuting, convenience, and child care. That fourth C, caregiving, is seldom mentioned.

That’s a missed opportunity, caregivers and their advocates say.

Employers and co-workers understand the need to take time off to care for a baby. But there’s a lot less understanding about time to care for anyone else. “We need to destigmatize it and create a culture where it’s normalized, like birth or adoption,” said Karen Kavanaugh, chief of strategic initiatives at the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. For all the talk of cradle to grave, she said, “mostly, it’s cradle.”

After her stepmother died, Beltré moved her father into her home in Fort Myers, Florida, in 2016. His needs have multiplied, and she’s been juggling, juggling, juggling. She’s exhausted and, now, unemployed.

She’s also not alone. About one-fifth of U.S. workers are family caregivers, and nearly a third have quit a job because of their caregiving responsibilities, according to a report from the Rosalynn Carter Institute. Others cut back their hours. The Rand Corp. has estimated that caregivers lose half a trillion dollars in family income each year — an amount that’s almost certainly gone up since the report was released nearly a decade ago.

Beltré briefly had a remote job but left it. The position required sales pitches to people struggling with elder care, which she found uncomfortable. She rarely gets out — only to the grocery store and church, and even then she’s constantly checking on her dad.

“This is the story of my life,” she said.

Workplace flexibility, however desirable, is no substitute for a national long-term care policy, a viable long-term care insurance market, or paid family leave, none of which are on Washington’s radar.

President Joe Biden gave family caregivers a shoutout in his State of the Union address in February and followed up in April with an executive order aimed at supporting caregivers and incorporating their needs in planning federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Last year, his Department of Health and Human Services released a National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers outlining how federal agencies can help and offering road maps for the private sector.

Although Biden checked off priorities and potential innovations, he didn’t offer any money. That would have to come from Congress. And Congress right now is locked in a battle over cutting spending, not increasing it.

They cashed in his retirement fund to hire part-time caregivers.

So that leaves it up to families.

Remote work can’t fill all the caregiving gaps, particularly when the patient has advanced disease or dementia and needs intense round-the-clock care from a relative who is also trying to do a full-time job from the kitchen table.

But there are countless scenarios in which the option to work remotely is an enormous help.

When a disease flares up. When someone is recuperating from an injury, an operation, or a rough round of chemo. When a paid caregiver is off, or sick, or AWOL. When another family caregiver, the person who usually does the heavy lift literally or metaphorically, needs respite.

“Being able to respond to time-sensitive needs for my dad at the end of his life, and to be present with my stepmother, who was the 24/7 caregiver, was an incredible blessing,” said Gretchen Alkema, a well-known expert in aging policy who now runs a consulting firm and was able to work from her dad’s home as needed.

That flexibility is what Rose Garcia has come to appreciate, as a small-business owner and a caregiver for her husband.

Garcia’s husband and business partner, Alex Sajkovic, has Lou Gehrig’s disease. Because of his escalating needs and the damage the pandemic wrought on their San Francisco stone and porcelain design company, she downsized and redesigned the business. They cashed in his retirement fund to hire part-time caregivers. She goes to work in person sometimes, particularly to meet architects and clients, which she enjoys. The rest of the time she works from home.

As it happened, two of her employees also had caregiving obligations. Her experience, she said, made her open to doing things differently.

For one employee, a hybrid work schedule didn’t work out. She had many demands on her, plus her own serious illness, and couldn’t make her schedule mesh with Garcia’s. For the other staff member, who has a young child and an older mother, hybrid work let her keep the job.

If caregivers quit or go part time, they lose pay, benefits, Social Security, and retirement savings.

A third worker comes in full time, Garcia said. Since he’s often alone, his dogs come too.

In Lincoln, Nebraska, Sarah Rasby was running the yoga studio she co-owned, teaching classes, and taking care of her young children. Then, at 35, her twin sister, Erin Lewis, had a sudden cardiac event that triggered an irreversible and ultimately fatal brain injury. For three heartbreaking years, her sister’s needs were intense, even when she was in a rehab center or nursing home. Rasby, their mother, and other family members spent hour after hour at her side.

Rasby, who also took on all the legal and paperwork tasks for her twin, sold the studio.

“I’m still playing catch-up from all those years of not having income,” said Rasby, now working on a graduate degree in family caregiving.

Economic stress is not unusual. Caregivers are disproportionately women. If caregivers quit or go part time, they lose pay, benefits, Social Security, and retirement savings.

“It’s really important to keep someone attached to the labor market,” the Rosalynn Carter Institute’s Kavanaugh said. Caregivers “prefer to keep working. Their financial security is diminished when they don’t — and they may lose health insurance and other benefits.”

But given the high cost of home care, the sparse insurance coverage for it, and the persistent workforce shortages in home health and adult day programs, caregivers often feel they have no choice but to leave their jobs.

Temote and hybrid work is mostly for people whose jobs are largely computer-based. A restaurant server can’t refill a coffee cup via Zoom.

At the same time, though, more employers, facing a competitive labor market, are realizing that flexibility regarding remote or hybrid work helps attract and retain workers. Big consultant companies like BCG offer advice on “the working caregiver.”

Successful remote work during the pandemic has undercut bosses’ abilities to claim, “You can’t do your job like that,” observed Rita Choula, director of caregiving for the AARP Public Policy Institute. It’s been more common in recent years for employers to offer policies that help workers with child care. Choula wants to see them expanded “so that they represent a broad range of caregiving that occurs across life.”

Yet, even with covid’s reframing of in-person work, telecommuting is still not the norm. A March report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found only 1 in 4 private businesses had some or all of their workforce remote last summer — a dropoff from 40% in 2021, the second pandemic summer. Only about 1 in 10 workplaces are fully remote.

And remote and hybrid work is mostly for people whose jobs are largely computer-based. A restaurant server can’t refill a coffee cup via Zoom. An assembly line worker can’t weld a car part from her father-in-law’s bedside.

But even in the service and manufacturing sectors, willing employers can explore creative solutions, like modified shift schedules or job shares, said Kavanaugh, who is running pilot programs with businesses in Michigan. Cross-training so workers can fill in for one another when one has to step into caregiving is another strategy.

New approaches can’t come soon enough for Aida Beltré, who finds joy in caregiving along with the burden. She’s looking for work, hybrid this time. “I am a people person,” she said. “I need to get out.”

She also needs to be in. “Every night, he says, ‘Thank you for all you do,’” she said of her father. “I tell him, ‘I do this because I love you.’”

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

African-American women who use chemical relaxers suffer from hormone-related cancer more frequently

by Ronnie Cohen
Kaiser Health News

Social and economic pressures have long compelled Black girls and women to straighten their hair to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.

Deanna Denham Hughes was stunned when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year. She was only 32. She had no family history of cancer, and tests found no genetic link. Hughes wondered why she, an otherwise healthy Black mother of two, would develop a malignancy known as a “silent killer.”

After emergency surgery to remove the mass, along with her ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and appendix, Hughes said, she saw an Instagram post in which a woman with uterine cancer linked her condition to chemical hair straighteners.

“I almost fell over,” she said from her home in Smyrna, Georgia.

When Hughes was about 4, her mother began applying a chemical straightener, or relaxer, to her hair every six to eight weeks. “It burned, and it smelled awful,” Hughes recalled. “But it was just part of our routine to ‘deal with my hair.’”

The routine continued until she went to college and met other Black women who wore their hair naturally. Soon, Hughes quit relaxers.

Social and economic pressures have long compelled Black girls and women to straighten their hair to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards. But chemical straighteners are stinky and costly and sometimes cause painful scalp burns. Mounting evidence now shows they could be a health hazard.

Relaxers can contain carcinogens, like formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, and other endocrine-disrupting compounds, according to National Institutes of Health studies. The compounds can mimic the body’s hormones and have been linked to breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers, studies show.

African American women’s often frequent and lifelong application of chemical relaxers to their hair and scalp might explain why hormone-related cancers kill disproportionately more Black than white women, say researchers and cancer doctors.

“What’s in these products is harmful,” said Tamarra James-Todd, an epidemiology professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who has studied straightening products for the past 20 years.

She believes manufacturers, policymakers, and physicians should warn consumers that relaxers might cause cancer and other health problems.

In conversations with patients, Gore sometimes also talks about how African American women once wove messages into their braids about the route to take on the Underground Railroad as they sought freedom from slavery.

But regulators have been slow to act, physicians have been reluctant to take up the cause, and racism continues to dictate fashion standards that make it tough for women to quit relaxers, products so addictive they’re known as “creamy crack.”

Michelle Obama straightened her hair when Barack served as president because she believed Americans were “not ready” to see her in braids, the former first lady said after leaving the White House. The U.S. military still prohibited popular Black hairstyles like dreadlocks and twists while the nation’s first Black president was in office.

California in 2019 became the first of nearly two dozen states to ban race-based hair discrimination. Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation, known as the CROWN Act, for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. But the bill failed in the Senate.

The need for legislation underscores the challenges Black girls and women face at school and in the workplace.

“You have to pick your struggles,” said Atlanta-based surgical oncologist Ryland Gore. She informs her breast cancer patients about the increased cancer risk from relaxers. Despite her knowledge, however, Gore continues to use chemical straighteners on her own hair, as she has since she was about 7 years old.

“Your hair tells a story,” she said.

“It’s just a deep discussion,” one that touches on culture, history, and research into current hairstyling practices, she said. “The data is out there. So patients should be warned, and then they can make a decision.”

The first hint of a connection between hair products and health issues surfaced in the 1990s. Doctors began seeing signs of sexual maturation in Black babies and young girls who developed breasts and pubic hair after using shampoo containing estrogen or placental extract. When the girls stopped using the shampoo, the hair and breast development receded, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Pediatrics in 1998.

A 2017 study found white women who used chemical relaxers were nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who did not use them.

Since then, James-Todd and other researchers have linked chemicals in hair products to a variety of health issues more prevalent among Black women — from early puberty to preterm birth, obesity, and diabetes.

In recent years, researchers have focused on a possible connection between ingredients in chemical relaxers and hormone-related cancers, like the one Hughes developed, which tend to be more aggressive and deadly in Black women.

A 2017 study found white women who used chemical relaxers were nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who did not use them. Because the vast majority of the Black study participants used relaxers, researchers could not effectively test the association in Black women, said lead author Adana Llanos, an associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

Researchers did test it in 2020.

The so-called Sister Study, a landmark National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences investigation into the causes of breast cancer and related diseases, followed 50,000 U.S. women whose sisters had been diagnosed with breast cancer and who were cancer-free when they enrolled. Regardless of race, women who reported using relaxers in the prior year were 18% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Those who used relaxers at least every five to eight weeks had a 31% higher breast cancer risk.

Nearly 75% of the Black sisters used relaxers in the prior year, compared with only 3% of the non-Hispanic white sisters. Three-quarters of Black women also self-reported using the straighteners as adolescents, and frequent use of chemical straighteners during adolescence raised the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer, a 2021 NIH-funded study in the International Journal of Cancer found.

Another 2021 analysis of the Sister Study data showed sisters who self-reported that they frequently used relaxers or pressing products doubled their ovarian cancer risk. In 2022, another study found frequent use more than doubled uterine cancer risk.

After researchers discovered the link with uterine cancer, some called for policy changes and other measures to reduce exposure to chemical relaxers.

“It is time to intervene,” Llanos and her colleagues wrote in a Journal of the National Cancer Institute editorial accompanying the uterine cancer analysis. While acknowledging the need for more research, they issued a “call for action.”

No one can say that using permanent hair straighteners will give you cancer, Llanos said in an interview. “That’s not how cancer works,” she said, noting that some smokers never develop lung cancer, despite tobacco use being a known risk factor.

The body of research linking hair straighteners and cancer is more limited, said Llanos, who quit using chemical relaxers 15 years ago. But, she asked rhetorically, “Do we need to do the research for 50 more years to know that chemical relaxers are harmful?”

Charlotte Gamble, a gynecological oncologist whose Washington, D.C., practice includes Black women with uterine and ovarian cancer, said she and her colleagues see the uterine cancer study findings as worthy of further exploration — but not yet worthy of discussion with patients.

“The jury’s out for me personally,” she said. “There’s so much more data that’s needed.”

Not long ago, she considered chemically straightening her hair for an academic job interview because she didn’t want her hair to “be a hindrance” when she appeared before white professors.

Meanwhile, James-Todd and other researchers believe they have built a solid body of evidence.

“There are enough things we do know to begin taking action, developing interventions, providing useful information to clinicians and patients and the general public,” said Traci Bethea, an assistant professor in the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Research at Georgetown University.

Responsibility for regulating personal-care products, including chemical hair straighteners and hair dyes — which also have been linked to hormone-related cancers — lies with the Food and Drug Administration. But the FDA does not subject personal-care products to the same approval process it uses for food and drugs. The FDA restricts only 11 categories of chemicals used in cosmetics, while concerns about health effects have prompted the European Union to restrict the use of at least 2,400 substances.

In March, Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) asked the FDA to investigate the potential health threat posed by chemical relaxers. An FDA representative said the agency would look into it.

Natural hairstyles are enjoying a resurgence among Black girls and women, but many continue to rely on the creamy crack, said Dede Teteh, an assistant professor of public health at Chapman University.

She had her first straightening perm at 8 and has struggled to withdraw from relaxers as an adult, said Teteh, who now wears locs. Not long ago, she considered chemically straightening her hair for an academic job interview because she didn’t want her hair to “be a hindrance” when she appeared before white professors.

Teteh led “The Cost of Beauty,” a hair-health research project published in 2017. She and her team interviewed 91 Black women in Southern California. Some became “combative” at the idea of quitting relaxers and claimed “everything can cause cancer.”

Their reactions speak to the challenges Black women face in America, Teteh said.

“It’s not that people do not want to hear the information related to their health,” she said. “But they want people to share the information in a way that it’s really empathetic to the plight of being Black here in the United States.”

Kara Nelson of KFF Health News contributed to this report.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

Drinking too much water, even when dehydrated, can be hazardous to your health

Omni Kumar hits a backhand groundstroke during his match against Stefan Dostanic at the 2022 Fighting Illini Open. Professional athletes like Kumar, soldiers, and outdoor laborers performing strenous work can quickly become dehydrated on hot summer days. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

by Paul Arco
OSF Healthcare

Don’t drink just water. Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade, as well as coconut water and cow's milk are full of electrolytes.

ROCKFORD - When it’s hot outside, people tend to reach for the water. But too much of a good thing can be a problem.

It’s called water intoxication and it’s making news. Recently, a young woman died from drinking too much water in a short amount of time, and a young boy was hospitalized after doing the same thing.

"Water intoxication comes from drinking too much water," says Elizabeth Clay, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare. "And it can lead to some severe symptoms. You can get a headache, disorientation, confusion, nausea, vomiting – it can even be fatal.”

Other serious symptoms include muscle weakness, increased blood pressure and double vision.

"The amount of water that a person should consume is going to be individualized," says Clay. "But overall, your kidneys can only handle so much. And that's between 0.8 and one liter. So, you really don't want to be taking in more than that per hour in water.”

Water intoxication can affect anyone. But it’s a problem that is especially common in people who participate in sporting events, military training or working outside.

"Dehydration can play a major role in water intoxication because when a person feels that they're getting dehydrated, they may try to overcompensate and may drink too much water at one time, and your body can't handle that," says Clay. "So, you'll start to get these symptoms whether it's nausea, vomiting, confusion – just disruption of your brain activity – and that comes from that depletion of sodium. And so, your cells inside your brain are holding on to that water and it causes swelling inside your brain and that can lead to some serious complications.”

Clay suggests taking frequent swallows throughout the day rather than chugging a bottle of water at once. Also, eat a healthy diet to get the needed electrolytes. And don’t drink just water. Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade, as well as coconut water and cow's milk are full of electrolytes.

There are no guidelines as to how much water a person needs each day. Some people still follow the 8x8 rule, which recommends drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Still, it depends on certain factors like body weight, the amount of physical activity you get and the climate where you live.

"So, if you can, stay indoors and out of the sun during this hot weather," says Clay. "But if you must be outside – if you've got training or some sort of physical activity that maybe your job or work requires – just want to make sure that you're getting those electrolytes and that water that you need. Just don't overdo it.”

If you begin to experience symptoms after drinking too much water, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Illinois volleyball season opens season against EIU in a free exhibition match

CHAMPAIGN – The Fighting Illini volleyball team will start their 2023-24 season on August 16 at Huff Hall in an exhibition contest against Eastern Illinois University. The match, which is free general public, will start at 6 p.m.

Illinois' regular season play starts on August 26 at Northern Illinois University. After the road opener on Saturday, the Illini hosts their first home contest three days later against Valparaiso at 6 p.m. on August. 29.

The Illini will enjoy the services of nine veteran players and six newcomers this season. American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-region selection Raina Terry and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree Brooke Mosher return to the squad led by head coach Chris Tamas, who starts his seventh season at the helm.

2023 season tickets are on sale now and can be reserved online by following this link here.

Quick getaway dog-friendly beach destinations you both will love

Photo: StockSnap/Pixabay

Outer Banks welcomes pups to play on the sand and in the waves. Dogs must be leashed, and leashes should not be longer than 10 feet.

by Kim Salerno
TripsWithPets

Wake Forest, NC - Most pets love the beach as much as their pet parents do.

Fortunately, if you’re looking for a beach vacay you and your furry kid will both enjoy, there are plenty of pet-friendly options to choose from.

We’ve compiled a list of ten of our favorites - in no particular order, along with the reasons we love these beaches, and a few of the best local pet-friendly accommodations. All of the accommodations are either oceanfront or a short walk to the beach, and we included a range of prices and types. Choose your favorite, and head out for some surf, sand, and sun!

Atlantic Beach, NC

This cozy beach, located in scenic coastal North Carolina, is an ideal spot to bring your pooch for some fun in the sun. Dogs are welcome to come and play year round on the main strand. However, they’re not allowed to venture further than 20 feet from the shore in lifeguard-protected areas. Besides the beach, there are pet-friendly breweries, restaurants, and attractions, such as the Fort Macon State Park, a Civil War memorial that features nature trails, guided tours, and its own beach area.

Places to stay

Atlantis Lodge

This resort is one of our favorite pet-friendly places to stay. Atlantis welcomes dogs and cats are welcome at this beachfront establishment. Upon check-in, dogs are greeted with local gourmet treats. On the beach, pets are provided with their own lounge chairs and umbrellas, and also have their own pet wash station. A bonus pet amenity is an on-site dog park!

There is a per-night pet fee and a limit of two pets per room, but there are no weight or breed restrictions.

Doubletree by Hilton Atlantic Beach

This beachfront Doubletree hotel offers amazing views and plenty of beach area to explore with your pet. They also have a beachside bar and grill for beachfront dining with your furkid. Waterfront rooms with balconies allow you and your pet to chillax while taking in the seabreeze, sounds of the waves, and breathtaking ocean views

The hotel charges a per-stay pet fee. Up to two pets are allowed per room, and there is a 50 pound weight limit.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Atlantic Beach, NC.

South Padre Island, TX

If you’re looking for a pet-friendly beach, you can’t do better than South Padre Island in Texas. The entire Padre Island National Seashore welcomes pets at nearly every beach and park, both onshore and in the water, as long as they are leashed. The area also features pet-friendly shops, events, and even boat rides.

Places to stay

La Quinta by Wyndham South Padre Island Beach

Nestled on the Gulf of Mexico, La Quinta’s beachfront South Padre Island location features free breakfast, an in-room kitchen so you can comfortably prepare your own meals, and room service in case you’d rather just relax. Either way, you can dine in with your pet, and enjoy a hotel-provided movie or show together afterwards.

Dogs and cats are welcome, with no breed restrictions. The hotel does have a weight restriction of 75 pounds, and charges a per-night pet fee.

Hilton Garden Inn South Padre Island

The beachfront Hilton Garden Inn South Padre Island is just 492 feet from the Gulf of Mexico, so you and your pet can easily step out to the beach to enjoy the surf. The hotel offers 24-hour front desk service, so if you need something, you don’t have to leave your hotel room. Rooms feature balconies with full or partial ocean views, which you and your pooch can enjoy together as you relax with a cup of coffee or tea.

Both dogs and cats are welcome here. There are no breed restrictions, but there is a 75 pound weight limit, and the hotel requires a per-stay pet fee.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in South Padre Island.

Portland, ME

Portland, Maine is not the first place you’d think of for a beach getaway, but the Portland area actually has a wealth of beautiful beaches, and many if not most are pet friendly. Each beach offers a bit of a different experience. Peaks Island is a quaint and charming spot that’s slow-paced, quiet, and ideal for enjoying the scenery. Higgins beach is perfect for beach combing or kayaking. If you enjoy history, head to Cape Elizabeth Beach, where you can tour a variety of lighthouses and experience New England charm. Willard Beach is a small sand-and-pebble beach where you can go for a swim and watch the lobster boats as they go out and come in. East End Beach is a popular spot located in the heart of the city. Portland is a pet-friendly destination, and dogs are very welcome on beaches, but they must be on leashes at certain times of the year.

Places to stay

Westin Portland Harborview

Tucked into the charming Portland city center arts and shopping district, the beautiful and historic Westin Portland Harborview offers access to dining, shops, and the harbor. Plush Marriott bedding will keep you and your pooch comfortable, while spacious windows offer a stunning city view you will both enjoy.

Pets 50 pounds and under are welcome, and up to 2 pets are allowed.

Aloft Portland Maine

Situated within walking distance (or a short drive) from some of Portland’s best attractions, Aloft Portland Maine offers an array of great amenities pet parents will love, including a concierge service, room service, a restaurant, and a pet welcome package upon arrival - which includes Aloft-branded bed and bowl + complimentary treats and toys. The icing on the cake is that they are only a short walk to Portland's East End Beach.

The hotel has a limit of two pets, a weight limit of 50 pounds, and a per-stay pet fee.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Portland, ME.

Nags Head, NC

This gem of a beach locale, located in North Carolina’s scenic and pristine Outer Banks, welcomes pups to play on the sand and in the waves. Dogs must be leashed, and leashes should not be longer than 10 feet. You and your pooch can also explore the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway, and the nearby Wright Brothers Memorial together.

Places to stay

Sun Realty Vacation Rentals

If you’re looking for a place to hang your hat in Nags Head, Sun Realty Vacation Rentals has what you need. Choose from a variety of charming, picturesque oceanfront beach homes, some of which are just minutes from dog-friendly beaches.

Pet-friendly properties allow up to two well-trained dogs, and sometimes allow cats as well. A pet deposit is required for professional flea control. Pets are not allowed in property hot tubs or pools.

Stan White Vacation Rentals

Stan White Vacation Rentals boasts 80 pet-friendly vacation homes in Nags Head and the surrounding area. Rental options range from cozy one-bedroom accommodations to 10-bedroom villas, and offer everything from simple pleasures, to full amenities, to luxury stays. Pet-friendly amenities include fenced-in yards and easy access to pet-friendly beaches and hiking trails.

Properties allow up to two adult, well-trained dogs. Some properties may have breed or weight restrictions. A per-stay pet fee is required.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Nags Head.

Hollywood, FL

Want to head to a beach that’s beautiful, tropical, and warm all year, without ever leaving the country? Dog Beach of Hollywood is the perfect Florida getaway for you and your pet. Dogs are welcome on the beach as long as they are leashed. You can also visit the Yellow Green Farmer’s Market, the Topeekeegee Yugnee Park, or one of several Hollywood dog parks.

Places to stay

Costa Hollywood Beach Resort

This Florida resort is condo-style luxury hotel that offers you your own seaside retreat. Just a short walk from Hollywood Beach and the Hollywood Beach Boardwalk, the hotel offers a kitchenette in every room for easy in-room dining, a private beach with two chairs and towels provided so you and your pup can relax on the sand or play in the waves, and 24/7 concierge service so you can find all of the pet-friendly activities in the area.

Up to two pets, dogs or cats, are allowed, with a pet weight limit of 75 pounds. There is a per-stay pet fee, and pets are not allowed in the room unattended.

Hollywood Beach Suites and Hotel

This popular pet-friendly hotel is an affordable option that offers a lot of bang for your buck. Located just a minute or two from Hollywood Beach and the Boardwalk, the vibrant, beachy decor is quintessential Florida, while the mini-kitchen and comfy beds will make you and your furkid feel right at home. There’s even a designated potty area for pet guests.

Bring up to two pets, dogs or cats, as long as they are 25 pounds or less. There is a per-visit pet fee. Pets are allowed to stay in the rooms unsupervised, and the hotel provides a designated potty area.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Hollywood, FL.

Jekyll Island, GA

There are several different beaches on Georgia’s Jekyll Island, and each has something a little different to offer you and your pooch. You can also explore the island on a pet-friendly hiking trail, or even take a dog-friendly dolphin tour! Dogs are allowed on most beaches, however, pets are restricted from a specific area designated for the protection of sea turtles and migratory birds. Pets must be under their parents’ direct control, and pet parents must dispose of their pet’s waste.

Places to stay

Hampton Inn Jekyll Island

Who doesn't love Hampton? This Jekyll Island Hampton Inn features a boardwalk that leads straight to the beach for easy enjoyment of sand and sun, free breakfast, so you can dine in with your pet in the morning, and a balcony/terrace so you can enjoy the scenic hotel views together. The hotel even offers canoeing, so you can paddle out with your pup!

Two pets are allowed per room. Cats and dogs are welcome, and there is no breed restriction. There is a weight restriction of 75 pounds, and the hotel does charge a per-stay pet fee.

Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island

Rooms at the Jekyll Island Holiday Inn boast a stunning ocean view, which you can enjoy with your pet on the balcony or terrace. The hotel offers easy access to nearby hiking trails, so you can explore the island together, and convenient food delivery, so you can share meals together in your room.

Dogs and cats are welcome, with no weight restrictions The hotel does provide a designated pet potty area, and pets are allowed in rooms unattended. A per-night pet fee is required.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Jekyll Island, GA.

Key West, FL

Famed for its laid-back vibe, its vintage Florida charm, and its position as the southernmost point in the United States - and the only place in the U.S. that boasts colorful sunrises and sunsets, Key West is also a paradise for pooches. Leashed dogs are welcome on the island’s beaches, and some beaches will allow unleashed dogs as long as they’re under voice control. The most popular off-leash beach is notably named “Dog Beach.”

Places to stay

Havana Cabana

Visit this Caban-inspired paradise with your pet and you won't be disappointed. This waterfront pet-friendly resort is a short jaunt to three awesome dog-friendly beaches. While at the Havana Cabana, pets are welcome to dine with you in their outdoor restaurant. In addition, pets are welcome in the tiki hut, resort shuttle, game areas and pool area (as long as they stay out of the pool). Upon check-in, pets are greeted with a Sandy Paws Doggie Bag - complete with dog biscuits, poop bags, water bowl, and mat.

The hotel welcomes both dogs and cats, with no breed restriction. There is a 50 pound weight limit, and a required per-stay pet fee. Up to two pets are allowed.

Reach Key West Curio Collection

This popular pet-friendly resort is a breezy, yet luxurious way to enjoy your stay in Key West. This beachfront hotel features private balconies so you and your pet can take in the sunrise–or sunset. Explore Reach Key West Curio's extensive private beach together, or head out into the waves together for an onsite canoe ride.

The hotel only allows dogs, and only up to 25 pounds. There is a per-night pet fee.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Key West, FL.

Huntington Beach, CA

Huntington Beach is known as one of the country’s most pet-friendly beaches, and for good reason. There are off-leash beaches to explore, a giant dog park in the center of town to play in, dog-themed events to attend, and even doggie surfing lessons available so he can learn how to hang ten. When he’s had enough lessons, he can participate in the yearly dog surfing competition!

Places to stay

Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort

Kimpton is one of our favorite pet-friendly hotel chains, and Kimpton Shorebreak does not disappoint. This oceanfront hotel provides loaned plush pet beds, food bowls, water bowls, and a concierge list of local pet-friendly restaurants, shops, and activities. The hotel also offers food delivery and laundry services, so you can stay in and relax with your pooch.

There are no pet restrictions–if your pet fits through the door, it’s welcome. There are no pet fees, and there is no limit on how many pets you can bring.

The Waterfront Beach Resort A Hilton Hotel

Located just a short walk away from Huntington Dog Beach, the Waterfront Beach Resort is awash in pet-friendly amenities. Pet guests are given a welcome package with treats, a pet bed, waste bags, and a pet-friendly information packet. Leashed pets are allowed in all public areas of the hotel, even poolside (just not inside the pool), and one onsite restaurant boasts a doggie menu.

Pets are more than welcome; there is a per-pet, per-day fee and a 75 pound weight limit.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Huntington Beach, CA.

Seaside, OR

This Oregon destination guarantees a fun-filled beach getaway for people and pooches alike. Seaside welcomes dogs to play in the sand and surf - unleashed! In addition to pet-friendly beaches, you can walk along the Prom with your furkid, or hike with them along Tillamook Head. Pet parents must remain attentive to their pets, clean up after them, and practice discernment as to when and whether to have them off-leash.

Places to stay

Coast River Inn by OYO Seaside

Located along the Necanicum River, just a short walk from the Seaside Carousel Mall, Coast River Inn offers rooms with kitchenettes, making dining in with your pet easy and convenient Many rooms also have a river view, which you can enjoy together on a balcony or terrace.

Up to two pets–dogs or cats–are welcome, with no weight restrictions, and pets may be left unattended in rooms. A per-night pet fee is required.

Kathryn Riverfront Inn Ascend Hotel Collection

Situated at the end of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, on the banks of the Necanicum River, The Kathryn Riverfront Inn is an Oregon treasure. There’s easy access to charming shops and restaurants right in the heart of downtown Seaside. In addition, the beach is within walking distance, so whether you and your pet are up for people-watching, shopping, or strolling on the beach together, you can do it all easily from Kathryn Riverfront.

One dog up to 50 pounds is welcome to stay with you.There is a per-night pet fee.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Seaside, OR.

Hilton Head Island, SC

Hilton Head Beach is the perfect place for you and your pet to run and play...or relax and do nothing at all. The spectacular Lowcountry beaches are warm and inviting year round, and they welcome four-legged visitors. The island has its own double-gated dog park where your furry kid can safely play.

Places to stay

Beach Properties of Hilton Head

Beach Properties offers select properties for vacationers looking to stay a while with their pets. Their properties are clean, beautiful, and full of beachside charm, and they are very pet-friendly. Pet-friendly walking trails, restaurants, and activities can be easily accessed from each property.

Dogs are welcome and there is a non-refundable pet deposit.

Best Western Ocean Breeze Inn

This Best Western is an economical way to enjoy your stay at Hilton Head beach. Given that it's not directly on the beach, the rates are very budget friendly. However, the beach is only a quick 7 minute walk away! Plus, Enjoy a free full breakfast - that you can take back to your room and enjoy your pet if you like. In the afternoon you and your pup can kickback and enjoy barbequing at one of the hotels' outdoor grilling stations.

Up to two pets are welcome. Pet weight limit is 55 pounds. There is a per-night pet fee.

Find more pet-friendly places to stay in Hilton Head Island, SC.

There are a number of other pet-friendly beach getaway options. Head out to one of these or pick another destination. Just get out there and enjoy the surf, sand and ocean breeze with your doggo by your side.

Kim Salerno is CEO/Founder for TripsWithPets, Inc. TripsWithPets is a leader in the pet travel industry – providing online reservations at pet-friendly hotels across the United States and Canada.