Serious mental illness is quite possibly one of the largest growing health concerns in our communities. I have recently had several clients reach out to ask about suicide prevention/self-harm best practices, policies, and protocols. It made me stop and think, do we have a bigger problem with mental health than we are willing to acknowledge? So, I did a little …
Although the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be waning now that many people are vaccinated, visitation at many centers can still be limited/restricted. Many of us work full time and have aging parents who get sick and require hospitalization and/or rehabilitation services. Sure, we can do more than window visits now but sometimes the window visit is more pleasurable than having …
I still remember the night I drove over to my parent’s apartment to drop off a 4 pack of toilet paper, it was June 2020, and the “virus” had spread! It is interesting to me that toilet paper became such a focus for so many people. You could see lines at groceries stores with carts overflowing with toilet paper. Then, …
If you have ever had influenza or any viral flu for that matter, you know how uncomfortable and miserable it can be, right? Many of us reach for our telehealth phone, visit with our primary care doc or urgent care provider, and are often prescribed antiviral medication. There are many antivirals on the market, Tamiflu is one of the more …
Yes, I am here to talk about the pandemic, I know, old news and everyone is pandemic weary. That said, over the past 4 months, I have realized that no matter how weary we are, we can’t let our guard down! The Delta variant should be a wake-up call for everyone, especially front-line workers, yes, you! Think about how comfortable …
We all know the benefit of regular exercise and making healthy lifestyle choices, but did you know that these steps can also work in your favor as it relates to insulin and diabetes? In a recent study, the researchers found that the more time spent standing, the better insulin sensitivity is in sedentary adults. Of course, adipose tissue (nasty words) …
I came across an interesting article this week that talked about the effects of being happy. Well, of course, I had to read it. Who doesn’t want to learn more about being happy? I have to admit, the other side of the article discussed cognitive impairment and dementia, that wasn’t so happy! The good news, the article discussed the results …
Ugh, the flu season, its back, and predicted to be a more difficult year due to last year being relatively mild. If you have never had the flu, trust me, you don’t want to experience it. The body aches, fever, chills, sore throat, cough, difficulty breathing, oh and don’t forget the possible GI symptoms some people experience! Sounds great, doesn’t …
End-of-Life Care, Palliative Care, Hospice, different names, similar care delivery; however, are you aware that the settings where this care should be available don’t always have the resources to provide it? In a recent study published in JAMDA, it identified that despite caring for patients with serious illnesses and poor prognosis, only a minority of LTACHs in the U.S. have …
Many conversations are being had regarding which of the COVID-19 vaccines is most effective. In the beginning of December, when the vaccine became available to the general public, the CDC told us to “take the first one available” and I honestly still agree with that. However, there has been some debate on the effectiveness and safety of specific vaccines. For …
