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Heart Health month is coming to a close, but knowing the risks and symptoms of heart disease is something to be aware of all year round. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States today. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance of developing heart disease. Your age and family history cannot be changed, yet your cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and smoking history can all be controlled. The symptoms of heart disease, however, is something many people do not…

Do your streets look like the one in this photo? If so then it may be a good idea to stay indoors even if you’re a winter warrior like my 97 year young member.

Walking outdoors in inclement weather can increase the risk of falls because sidewalk pavement may be uneven or have cracks. Decreased visibility from falling snow or from covered sidewalks will affect your ability to walk safely.

According to the Centers for Disease Control

• Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. They are also the most…

Medication management is especially important for people with dementia. It’s critical that they take their medications on time and in the right dosage. If medication is not taken properly, their condition can quickly deteriorate and they may not be able to verbalize that they’re not feeling well. This can be very challenging for caregivers.

When people with dementia attend an adult day center, part of our role is to observe any changes in physical, cognitive or mental health and report it to caregivers. Over the years, there have been many examples of…

With The Olympics in full swing in Vancouver, I feel that is time to discuss physical fitness. We all know that obesity in children and adults is a growing problem in this country. The numbers and the consequences (diabetes, heart disease to name a few), to this rise in patients with true obesity is incredible. WHAT IS GOING ON?

Well to begin with we are are becoming more and more sedentary, thanks to electronics and computers. Pretty much everything is at a push of a button. And most children today have…

Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play as a team is another story.

–Casey Stengel, Manager of the NY Yankees 1949-1960, 7 World Championships

Atop our monthly team meeting handouts are Old Casey’s words of wisdom which I believe apply both in and outside the world of sports. I am thankful that excellent team work has been a reality not just a slogan during my first year providing home care for the VNS CHOICE program.

Excellent coordination between all parts of a home care team is crucial because the majority of the…

It was reported this week that the Oscar-winner actor, Louis Gossett Jr., aged 74, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  It is in an early stage and he has begun intensive treatment. He said in a statement that he wants to “set an example for the large number of African-American men who are victims of this disease because of the comparatively low emphasis in our community on preventive examinations and early treatment.”

Prostate cancer is the single most diagnosed non-skin cancer among African-American men. The chances of getting it are 1 in…

(Photo by Matt May)

I couldn’t miss the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics! So, I recorded it. I was working that evening, but when I watched it the next day I saw a celebration of the beautiful diversity throughout the world. I especially enjoyed the various athletes walking into the stadium waving their country’s flag with pride, as well as the mini history lesson of Canada. It perfectly blended all their distinct cultures through landscape scenes, dance, and narration.

Anyone else love the grunge tap-dancing fiddlers performing in-between bright…

I spent much of Presidents’ Day night on the web searching for blog ideas. Not to worry, I was not neglecting other responsibilities. My husband was at his Pilates class and I was taping 24.

My original thought was to write about Patrick Kennedy choosing not to run for re-election. He is still mourning his father (who was a hospice patient), and he himself has battled depression, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse. I attended a great VNSNY workshop on “Addiction and Recovery in Grief” and was fascinated to learn that people…

Why Dear John….read on and you shall see.

As a follow up to my earlier post on Autism I wanted to highlight why it is in the news as much as it is. Today in the US there are 1 in 110 children affected by Autism. This includes both the milder form, Asbergers, and the more severely affected which all fall into the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). There is no pattern to which child will be affected other than it occurs more frequently in boys that girls (as high as 7 boys  to…

Depression can become a big issue for older adults – they may experience multiple losses including loss of loved ones, physical functioning or financial security. Adult Day Centers can help in treating depression because we create a positive environment that focuses on what older adults CAN do and enjoy, instead of focusing on what’s been lost. We strive to give seniors a place to develop talents, socialize, feel productive, maximize functioning and have fun.

Everyday, we are struck by examples of seniors that came to us quite depressed, and over time we…