Home Safety: Try This Not That

jjue February 2nd, 2012, 8:44 AM
Jeffrey Jue, PT, Rehabilitation Consultant
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Have you ever tried to finish a home improvement project without using the right tools? How did it turn out? As a new homeowner, I’ve learned the results aren’t pretty.

Along the same lines, using the right equipment can enable people with certain physical limitations to safely accomplish every-day tasks in the home. If you use any of these common household items for these (or similar) reasons, allow me to share with you a few safer options.

1) Avoid holding onto the towel rack to enter and exit the bathtub or shower.…

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Happy Feet

pwilson January 31st, 2012, 11:51 PM
Paula Wilson, RN, Registered Nurse, Clinical Coordinator
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photo by Jonathan Fitch

photo by Jonathan Fitch

If you ever think about it, the feet support us, can get us around, and take a lot of abuse. However according to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 75% of Americans will have some type of foot problem in their lives. The feet are a very important but often neglected part of our body and often when I see patients, it is the feet that they are having issues with. When the feet are not well, it can cause pain, interfere with mobility, and thus your freedom.

Some common…

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Poetry in Pediatrics

smcternan January 19th, 2012, 9:29 AM
Sandra McTernan, MSN, Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
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2_4C_African-American_nurse_with_smiling_baby_(2)_jpgFor families that care for an ill child at home the work is 24/7, and the stress of daily care can take a toll on everyone. But much research on home care in children supports that these children often do so much better at home. They continue to maintain their role within the family. Surround yourself with those that love you, and you love and anything is possible. Here is a thought:

H — Happiness lives there;
O — Overwhelming love and safety;
M — Me and my family, strong together;
E — Everyone I care…

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What is Community Connections TimeBank?

guest January 12th, 2012, 12:17 PM
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mashi

Mashi Blech is the Director of VNSNY Community Connections TimeBank.

This guest blog was written by Mashi Blech, Director of VNSNY Community Connections TimeBank

Irma was in a panic. She was having surgery and was worried how she would manage alone after coming home from the hospital. Her son was coming from out of town on Day One but what about Day Two, Three and Four? Who would run to the pharmacy or make her some chicken soup?

Vivian moved to this country knowing no one. She was afraid to even leave her…

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Competency in Life Skills – Is Your Teen Ready?

smcternan January 11th, 2012, 1:35 PM
Sandra McTernan, MSN, Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
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Life Skills is something we, as adults, take for granted since we feel pretty independent in all our daily living needs unless we suffer from some illness that requires assistance. But our children, specifically our teenagers, are poised at the ready to enter the big world of adulthood. Are they ready? Better yet are we ready? How do you prepare your teen or young adult out of college to handle daily independent living in a positive way?

Things are very different now then they were 20 or more  years ago. To…

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5 Simple Winter Safety Tips

jjue January 4th, 2012, 3:21 PM
Jeffrey Jue, PT, Rehabilitation Consultant
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24779fbpwwr230nNew York City temperatures are beginning to drop. Before you know it snow will be in the forecast, which means older adults need to take adequate precautions before heading outdoors. They can reduce their risk of falling by sticking to these guidelines.
 
1. Simply stay indoors
 
New York’s sidewalks are notoriously uneven and riddled with cracks. Winter storms can result in decreased visibility of sidewalks and street crossings, increasing one’s risk of falling. Avoid the bad conditions altogether by staying indoors until everything has been cleared.
 
2. Wear the right snow boots
 
If you…
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Sleep Apnea and Your Health

pwilson December 31st, 2011, 2:05 AM
Paula Wilson, RN, Registered Nurse, Clinical Coordinator
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Photo by: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Photo by: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you are in the midst of a busy holiday season, getting enough sleep is something that can be hard to obtain. Yet for others, this is a year round problem if they have sleep apnea. It has been estimated that this condition, where a person has episodes of stopped breathing during sleep, affects about 18 million Americans (1 in 15 people) yearly. Not only does it contribute to daytime drowsiness and lack of energy, but could be potentially dangerous and affect ones health.…

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A Recap of 2011

jjue December 30th, 2011, 10:20 PM
Jeffrey Jue, PT, Rehabilitation Consultant
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32270sc75qalo8oAs 2011 is winding down my gut instinct is to make a few of the familiar resolutions for the coming year. Does starting a new exercise plan or eating healthier ring a bell?

However, before I make any of those resolutions I took time to reflect on my experiences providing care in the greatest city on earth and here’s what I came up with.

The Value of Home Care

Having choices is good. Having choices when it comes to caring for the older adults in our lives is invaluable. Everyday I witness how home health care improves the quality of life…

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Children and Surgery

smcternan December 21st, 2011, 3:11 PM
Sandra McTernan, MSN, Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
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Corrective pediatric surgeries happen everyday in most hospitals in the United States. For the most part, these surgeries are required for many different conditions and can be life changing. Corrective surgeries, for example, open doors for ambulation, normal cardiac function, normal diet consumption and opportunities for achievement. Families do there best to prepare themselves and their child for what may be a difficult road to recovery. It can be life changing in both good and bad ways.  Bad in that some surgery recipients have complications and have great difficulty “getting…

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Home Medication Safety During the Holidays with Children

smcternan December 15th, 2011, 1:00 PM
Sandra McTernan, MSN, Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
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Holiday cheer, family in from out of town, and all the fittings of the many feasts that come with the holidays. As you prepare to entertain, visit with family and routines get changed, don’t forget the safety part of any holiday. Many years ago, I had a parent who reported to me her daughter’s trip to an ER on Christmas Eve. Because her daughter (then 3-years-old) took an unidentified pill. A pill you ask? Yes, it was left in the bathroom on the sink by an older cousin who had…

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