The religion of Islam has many followers from all walks of life and nationalities, and many of them call Greater Flint and Genesee County home. “We have a growing Muslim population,” explains Niman Shukairy of the Flint Islamic Center, “and our community is very diverse. We have Syrians, Egyptians, Sudanese, Jordanians, Palestinians, Pakistani and Yemeni, as well as a large African-American Muslim Community.”
As part of this year’s welcoming week celebration, the International Center of Greater Flint in partnership with the City of Flint and Genesee County hosted a welcome reception at the Greater Flint Arts Council. The purpose of the event was to welcome immigrants and refugees, and to acknowledge their contributions to this nation and Genesee County. Since the beginning, immigrants have contributed much to art, culture, community and commerce. Let’s work together with everyone who calls Genesee County home, as we move toward a better future.
I was born and raised in Haiti until the age eleven and a half. I have been married for 22 years to Tony Haywood and we have four beautiful children: Aujaurie, Cyerra, Caleb and Carlens, our adopted son in Haiti. I speak three languages and I own and operate Unique Children’s Center in Flint, where we serve children from infant, preschool, PreK and before- and-after-school care. I have been in business for almost ten years and I have a brother who resides in Lansing and is also in business (Good Painting). I run a foundation in Haiti named after my mother, Le Foundation de Nelie Desir. Through my foundation, my family and I give away needed goods such as clothing, food and personal hygiene items, as well as paying for medical needs and children’s tuition. I love being a Haitian and despise what is going on there, though I do enjoy going to my native home and spending time with my son and family. Haiti has a rich culture and the natives there are so friendly and hardworking. They make means with whatever they have.
In the United States, there are roughly 47.8 million people who are age 65 and over, and that number continues to grow. As healthcare advances and we learn more about our physical and mental health, more people are finding themselves living longer lives.
My City Magazine is happy to acknowledge the top vote recipients in our recognition of excellence in local health care.
In 1901, a young German psychiatrist was called to an asylum to see a new patient. Auguste D., a woman, was experiencing increased confusion, paranoia and delusion. What was most fascinating about her case was her age. At 51, she was hardly old enough to begin experiencing what were once thought of as standard “effects of old age.” Even more interesting, her condition was worsening much faster than what normally occurs. After her hospitalization, the young psychiatrist moved on, but never truly forgot the case. Five years later, Auguste D. died. Then older, the psychologist, Alois Alzheimer, requested that he be allowed to study her brain. It was sent to him in Munich where it was dissected and he published the results of his research a year later.
Everyone has heard of Spanish explorer, Ponce De Leon, and his search for the Fountain of Youth. As the story goes, De Leon went on an expedition in 1513, voyaging overseas to current day Florida where he believed he would find the Fountain of Youth. He struggled across the land for months on his search. Finally, after being shot in the leg by a native’s arrow and struggling to continue, he abandoned his quest. Ponce De Leon and every other dreamer looking for a way to “turn back the years” slowly accepted the fact that time is inevitable and aging, unstoppable. But is it? Is it possible to turn back the clock or at least slow it down? In order to consider this, the questions of how and why we age must be answered. Scientists have worked for centuries to decipher the mystery of aging in order to answer those very questions. Here, we provide the scientific community’s most common theories on aging with a brief synopsis of each.
Most people are familiar with how physical therapy can treat a sports injury or help patients recover from surgeries. Few realize that it can also be beneficial in treating pelvic pain and improving bowel or bladder function in both men and women. This specialized therapy approach, called pelvic floor physical therapy, can help with diagnoses ranging from incontinence and difficulty with urination and/or constipation, to painful sexual intercourse, pelvic and back pain and endometriosis, among other conditions.
According to the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer’s disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death for the elderly in the U.S., but recent estimates indicate that the disorder may rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Sunita Tummala, MD, Medical Director of Stroke for McLaren hospitals, shares her expertise about the disease and the latest advancements in treatment.
