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

During the past decade, a growing body of research has shown that air pollution harms older adults’ brains, contributing to cognitive decline and dementia. What hasn’t been clear is whether improving air quality would benefit brain health. Two studies published this year by researchers at six universities and the National Institute on Aging provide the… Continue reading Clearing Pollution Helps Clear the Fog of Aging — And May Cut the Risk of Dementia

Medicare patients were readmitted to hospitals less frequently in communities with more nursing home beds and primary care physicians, a new Health Affairs study shows. Why it matters: Hospitals can be penalized when patients cycle through their doors repeatedly under the federal Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. But that program does not account for the continuum of care… Continue reading More Nursing Homes and Physicians Linked to Lower Hospital Readmissions

Each May, we recognize both Nurse Appreciation Week (May 6 – 12) and National Nurses Month. This year’s theme, “You Make A Difference,” honors the vast contributions and positive impact of America’s nurses. We are all indebted to nurses for their unwavering commitment to patients, their communities, and our healthcare systems. During the first waves… Continue reading Shield HealthCare Salutes Nurses: You Make A Difference

Screening patients for incontinence is important in the home healthcare setting to prevent falls and incontinence associated dermatitis (IAD), in addition to improving each patient’s quality of life.