The Last Breath Brings a New Reality Even when you know someone is dying, watching a loved one take their last breath is surreal. If they are on life support, once they are removed from it, their breathing may change pretty quickly, and then it stops. Natural death can be different. For several minutes, you […]
Frailty Assessments: 7 Keys to Improve Outcomes, Quality of Life “Frailty is everyone’s business, and recognizing it improves outcomes and helps people live well longer,” said William Mills, MD, BrightSpring Health Services’ senior vice president of medical services, during Frailty: Why It Is Important, How to Identify It, and Programs to Help, a 2023 Clinical […]
February is American Heart Month! Fact #1: Heart disease kills more than 600,000 Americans every year. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for Americans. Thankfully, heart disease is often preventable and can be treated by making healthier lifestyle choices. Fact #2: Chest discomfort or a heart attack is the first […]
Raynaud’s and Scleroderma Awareness Anyone who has lived with a chronic illness is aware that, most often, chronic illnesses present with comorbidities. A condition is considered chronic when it lasts more than one year and requires ongoing medical attention to treat the symptoms. Autoimmune disorders often present with many comorbidities. Scleroderma is an autoimmune disorder, […]
Understanding Heart Disease Approaching middle age and later years comes with a number of health changes and increased health risks. One commonly faced issue in America is heart disease. In 2020, one in five deaths was due to heart disease and related complications. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country, regardless […]
Black History Month and the Medical Advances We Have Today Thanks to People of Color Have you ever touted the wonders of laser eye surgery to remove cataracts, blood transfusions, or pacemakers? We might not be promoting these and other advancements today if it were not for the ingenuity of African American scientists, practitioners, and […]
Understanding Palliative Care Compared to Hospice Care Some older adults and people with serious illnesses, unfortunately, experience the end of life in certain healthcare settings that do not align with their desired wishes. If you have a serious illness or are a caregiver of someone planning end-of-life care, knowing the difference between palliative care and […]
November is American Diabetes Month When you hear the word “diabetes”, chances are it hits home on some level. It may be a loved one, a parent, a friend, or yourself who is living with this disease. They are just one of 34 million Americans living with a diabetes diagnosis. Another 96 million have prediabetes. […]
Breast Cancer Awareness Month It’s time to speak up about breast cancer, and the month of October is dedicated to doing just that. As the most common form of cancer, it’s likely that someone in your life whom you care for deeply has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Given how prevalent breast cancer is and […]
Breast Cancer Survivors – A Cut Above the [Breast] As a survivor of breast cancer, few will understand the struggle you endured, but many acknowledge and honor the strength it took to carry on. Alongside the relief and celebration that comes with completing treatment and hearing the long-awaited word “remission” may come a host of […]
