It’s the middle of the night and you hear your child crying in the next room. You rush in to see what is wrong. She is holding her ear and running a high fever. You’re worried and feel for her; you know you need to take her to the clinic, but tomorrow is a big day and you have a lot going on. Sitting in a waiting room for more than four hours would put everything on hold. What to do?
Ahhh summer! It’s time to slip on a T-shirt, shorts and sandals and head out into nature. At this time of year, millions of people spend time outdoors to take in some fresh air, get some exercise, maybe do a little photography, run through a field or two, pick up a tick and get Lyme disease. What a season! Let the festivities begin!
At Hurley Medical Center, elderly patients receive an extra layer of personalized care, according to Ruba Mahfouz-Alkotob, MPH, OTR, Director of the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP). Studies indicate that people over the age of 70 are at a greater risk of decline during hospital stays. HELP is a comprehensive care program designed to prevent delirium (a sudden state of confusion or change in mental state) and functional decline in older patients while they’re hospitalized. The team is comprised of a Geriatrician, an Elder Life Specialist, Geriatric Nurse Specialists and trained volunteers.
Women are the heart of the family. They carry the pressures of home, kids, work and all of life’s challenges, while taking care of those around them. Many of us ignore our own needs while putting others first; however, a woman’s health is the thing they need to care for the most. After all, you have nothing without your health. Fortunately, Hamilton Community Health Network (HCHN) – particularly the new Gynecology Department – is here in our community, helping women take care of their own health, while taking care of the entire family. “We all know it’s hard for women, moms and working moms to take time to care for themselves, as we’re always at the bottom of the list,” says Margaret Punch, MD, physician at the new HCHN Gynecology (GYN) Clinic.
Did you know that 86 million people have pre-diabetes and that nine out of ten don’t know it? According to Michele Bernreuter, Manager of Hurley’s Diabetes Center, 15-30 percent of those diagnosed with pre-diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes within five years. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. If you have Type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 30.3 million Americans, or 9.4% of the population, have diabetes. Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. It is a disease characterized by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production and/or insulin action.
Keeping children safe from scraped knees, bee stings, bumps and bruises is a typical part of parenting, but less understood is how to prevent eye injuries in children.
We are proud to profile these winners of our 2018 My City Wellness Awards. Nominations for outstanding health professionals of 2019 begin on August 1.
