I will never forget the call I received on the evening of September 18, 2019. Noah, the son of dear family friends, was taken for an emergent MRI due to concerning symptoms he had developed over the previous weeks. It was on this call that I received the news that the MRI showed Noah had… Continue reading Why Empathy in Healthcare Matters

Thank You, Nurses! Each May, we recognize both Nurse Appreciation Week (May 6 – 12) and National Nurses Month. With more than 4 million registered nurses in the U.S. across a wide spectrum of specialties, the impact nurses make on healthcare is unparalleled. Nurses of all specialties bring vast knowledge and expertise to every healthcare… Continue reading History of National Nurses Week

Every year on March 30th, we honor physicians for the work they do for their patients and their communities. The hard work and devotion of our physicians save lives and help keep us healthy. History of National Doctors’ Day The first known Doctors’ Day was observed in Winder, Georgia on March 30, 1933. Eudora Brown… Continue reading Celebrating National Doctors’ Day

Every April, we celebrate National Occupational Therapy Month to honor the differences these vital clinicians make in the lives of individuals and their caregivers. For those who practice it, occupational therapy (OT) is more than a profession; it’s a passion, and it’s about people. What is occupational therapy? Occupational therapy is a science-driven, evidence-based profession… Continue reading What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?

Breaking Barriers That Prevent People and Communities from Thriving Social Work Month is a time to celebrate the life-changing profession of social work! The theme for Social Work Month 2023 is Social Work Breaks Barriers. Social workers choose this crucial healthcare profession because they have a strong desire to help empower individuals, families and communities.… Continue reading Social Work Month: Social Work Breaks Barriers

An Overview Of Our Civil Rights A few years ago I visited the San Francisco Bay area and Berkley, California, to film our Shield Healthcare video series, Mobility In The City. While there, I had the privilege of touring The Center for Independent Living, an organization that helps increase awareness, collaboration and opportunity among people… Continue reading Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act

Anxious People: Protect Your Energy Anxiety is an incredibly pervasive feeling that impacts every part of our functioning. It impacts our decisions, our thoughts, our feelings, our assessments and most importantly, our perception of ourselves.  Anxious people are some of the most caring and thoughtful people who just want to do right by others. Anxious… Continue reading Anxiety Management: How to Protect Your Energy

Nearly 1 in 7 older adults die within a year of undergoing major surgery, according to an important new study that sheds much-needed light on the risks seniors face when having invasive procedures. Especially vulnerable are older patients with probable dementia (33% die within a year) and frailty (28%), as well as those having emergency surgeries (22%).… Continue reading Should Older Seniors Risk Major Surgery? New Research Offers Guidance

This is Anxiety Too When we think of anxiety or a person who is anxious, we often think of someone who looks panicked, someone who is writhing their hands, hyperventilating or crying. That can be the experience of anxiety but it’s not always that obvious for children, adolescents or young adults. Anxiety is an internal… Continue reading What Does Anxiety Look Like?

Each year, millions of people suffer from seasonal influenza, which is often called the flu. The flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. The flu is a mild illness for some people. But for others, including older adults and those with chronic (long-lasting) health conditions,… Continue reading Influenza (Flu) and Older Adults