This guest blog was written by Margery Kirsch, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Diabetes Educator.

A 60-year-old Mexican-American can’t imagine a day without his mealtime staples, rice and beans. The parents of an 8-year-old girl believe their daughter’s life is now over. Two West Coast residents can’t stop worrying about their 80-year-old mother, who lives alone in Chinatown. All of these people are dealing with newly diagnosed diabetes.

As diabetes educators, we know that teaching patients and family members about the disease and taking away their fears (yes, you can eat rice and…

Obstacles are everywhere. As a parent we have to always be ahead of that young child, as they only see adventure and not danger. To any parent that has seen the look of awe as a toddler takes his first step-they are off and your life will never be the same. Many new parents are told to baby proof as soon as the baby comes home from the hospital but few do. ‘We have time for that-they say’. Well before you know time has arrived and coins are in the…

According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year about one in three older adults will experience a fall. Many of these falls occur in the home due to the presence of safety hazards. I have found the stairwell to be a common area for falls to occur.

Fortunately safety hazards can be corrected. Follow these steps to improve the safety of your stairwell.

1. Simply remove any clutter which also includes the shoes on the steps or that favorite sweater hanging off the handrail
2. Make sure there is adequate lighting available
3. Repair any damaged steps…

The VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center is a multicultural program serving seniors that speak English, Spanish, French Creole and Chinese. We strive to offer activities in our members’ native languages to help them feel comfortable, participate as much as possible and encourage socialization with peers. We offer these activities through staff and volunteers that speak a variety of languages, as well as through the help of translators.

Last month, Columbia Nursing Students interning at our center led health education for our Haitian seniors. Through the use of a translator, the nursing…

My family reads every night after dinner and for the last 2 years we have read aloud the seven Harry Potter books. For those familiar with these stories, there is a scene toward the end of the sixth book “The Half-Blood Prince,” in which Harry’s mentor and guardian Albus Dumbledore is killed at the hand of Severus Snape.  It is a moving and powerful scene for many reasons critical to the arc of the story. It includes the image of Dumbledore’s bird, a magical Phoenix named Fawkes, crying a haunting…

When you’re trying to encourage someone with dementia to participate in activities, take heart and keep trying. Don’t give up, because you never know what will spark their interest and abilities.

For an activity geared toward stimulating the senses, our Activities Coordinator put together a sampling of lotions with a variety of smells. As she led the activity, she noted that the seniors didn’t seem interested. They weren’t familiar with these ”spa” scents and although there was sensory stimulation, they couldn’t relate to it.

So, she decided to change the materials for the…

Photo: husin.sani

As we become over saturated in our electronic devices and busy lifestyles, the cost becomes more apparent. Not just the monetary costs (that I am always telling my kids about), but the cognitive cost. When I say that many children are confused today, do I mean uninformed or truly clueless? Let’s begin with computer and internet access 24/7! Yes, if the computer is in your child’s bedroom, it is 24/7.

NEW RULE: lights out means all electronics off. There bed is for sleeping, and they need adequate sleep to grow…

The film Steel Magnolias focuses on themes of friendship, love, suffering, illness, life and death. Within these themes the plot highlights the life, illness and dying process of a young woman played by Julia Roberts. Her mom is artfully portrayed by Sally Field. Toward the end of the film there is a heart-wrenching scene at a graveside. In it, the mom, played by Fields, is standing in silhouette, staring into the grave of her young daughter, who was newly married with an infant son. Needless to say, this is a difficult…

We’re always looking for new and fresh ways to get our seniors involved.   Many of our participants love art or are developing a new interest in art.     For people with functional impairments, although we’re located so close to New York City, it can be difficult to get there to enjoy all the cultural opportunities.

We were very lucky to connect with the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA).   They have a wonderful program where they come to adult day centers and train staff on how to lead art related activities and discussions…

Cold and flu season is among us and the weather does not seem to know that it is truly winter. Are you or your kids coughing a lot? Maybe you are fighting some lingering post-nasal congestion and wondering how to stop it without taking prescription medications (as there is always a place for medication-overuse is never good long term)?

If colds linger for more than a week, a doctor’s appointment may be in order especially if accompanied by fever. Here are some handy over the counter, easy ways to remedy a…