1) Always fill your prescriptions at the same pharmacy! Make the pharmacist is your best friend! This is a great resource that most people don’t use nearly enough. Every time you add a medication, discontinue or change a dose have the pharmacy print you a list of all of your current medications and doses.

2) Carry that medication list with you at all times. Many times people are prescribed the same medication from two doctors. Be aware that the same medication can have two names, a brand name and a generic name causing…

Everyone knows someone who has asthma. While it is very common throughout the United States, it is particularly prevalent in the northeast.

Why is it so high here and is there anything that can be done to change that? I’m glad to say that there is something that can be done to change it, and it is called getting informed and controlling your symptoms. Medication management is very important in any disease but environmental changes often bring the biggest impact on symptom control. This means that there are things that you and…

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…

Nearly a year ago, when I wrote the blog When You Meet a Stranger’s Husband, I noted that I was rarely with family when keeping vigil. During the week I met with Ferdinand, I was fairly convinced that we would not see each other again. I was naïve to think this way since we live in the small town of Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Because the first anniversary of Isabella’s death is this week (Jan. 15), I wanted to talk about my unplanned reunion with Ferdinand. It happed on August 15; seven…

Congratulations to Coco Lorenzo Beasley! She is the winner of our Ugly Sweater contest with her hand-made, 3-D reindeer sweater.

Our contest details:

Laughter really can be the best medicine! Enter VNSNY’s First-Ever Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest to spread some seasonal smiles and qualify for a chance to win.

Post your holiday sweater photo on Facebook or email it to contest@vnsny.org through December 26, 2011 (extended to January 1, 201).

Winner Selection: One winner will be chosen by the VNSNY Team to receive a $100 American Express Gift Card. Winners will be announced on Facebook on…

Gone are the days of exchange system diet plans. Today, the carbohydrate counting rule applies, and this can be challenging for both children and adults. Portion control is key. Avoiding empty calories is of the utmost importance. Balancing diets and balancing energy needs for your day may seem unsurmountable but there is help.

In home-care, we utilize the services of nurses trained in diabetes care and also nutritionists to assist with diet teaching. Working with your doctor as a team is a component that makes a big difference. Keep your doctor informed…

When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died last week after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, there were many articles and blogs written about his contributions to the improvement of our civilization, the way he revolutionized how we communicate, listen to music, and consume technology. He was lauded for his understanding of the marketplace, creating shareholder value, and fabulous sense of design.

What I found most interesting, however, were his views of death, which he shared with Stanford graduates in 2005, after his original diagnosis. Now when he spoke to the students…

I was a young woman and a relatively new nurse when I began working for VNSNY in 1998. My days and years past are filled with precious memories and experiences as an employee of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. All of those professional experiences transcend to my heart and spirit to become an integral part of the person, woman, mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, and nurse I have become. But THE day that stands out for me the most is a day that is full of sorrow…

I was planning to write about all the activities we’re doing at the center to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this week, but in the wake of the tragedy in Japan, it seems too light a subject.

This morning on my way into work, I heard a story on CNN about how this disaster is going to affect senior citizens in particular, as they’re 20% of the country’s population, and reporters seem to be speaking with many people around the age of 60 who are looking for missing parents. The CNN coverage…