Let Them Sleep!

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Delirium. We have all had residents in our centers who experienced delirium, many times resulting in a negative outcome. We often track the onset of delirium to an emergency room transfer, hospitalization, infection, etc. but have we looked at the possibility that interrupted sleep increases the risk of delirium? In a limited study published in Medscape, researchers found that with …

The Common Cold

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Remember when you got sick with a bad cold as a child and seriously thought you were dying? Mom told us we wouldn’t die and the good news was that our immune system would recognize that virus in the future and destroy it, leaving us free from colds forever. Not! However, mom wasn’t totally wrong! In fairness, our body would …

Intermittent Fasting

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Intermittent fasting is a relatively new trend in “dieting” where you restrict the number of calories consumed a few days a week (not back-to-back days) and/or you restrict the number of hours per day you consume calories. For instance, if you prefer to “fast” several days a week and allow yourself a “normal” diet the other days, consume about 500 …

Heredity versus Lifestyle?

Angie SzumlinskiNews

For years and years, I assumed that most chronic illnesses are unavoidable, inherited, etc. so imagine my surprise when I read a recent article on Rheumatoid Arthritis! For those of you who are unfamiliar with this debilitating disease, the body’s immune system attacks its own tissue, and over long periods of time, the inflammation can cause bone erosion and joint …

Counting Calories

Angie SzumlinskiNews

The word “calories” has 8 letters, twice as many letters as a 4 letter word. Now that I have you counting the letters (I know you are) let’s talk about counting calories instead! The average American adult has tried more than one weight-reduction plan in their lifetime, most of us have tried many different plans, some successful, some not so …

“Free” – Testing and Masks

Angie SzumlinskiNews

As we continue this long, tedious journey we call “the pandemic”, we are faced with another wrinkle! Remember all of those pretty, decorative, facemasks we made at home and shared with everyone we loved, to “keep them safe”? Well, it turns out these masks are just that, “pretty and decorative” but technically provide little to no protection against the SARS …

Year 3 with COVID

Angie SzumlinskiNews

If you had told me in February of 2020 that in January of 2022 we would still be soldiering through the COVID pandemic I would have laughed at you. Well, not laughing now, are you? It seems totally crazy to me that we are fighting an invisible threat that is similar to the video games my grandsons play. When we …

Trauma Informed Care – The Time Is Now

Angie SzumlinskiNews

We all know the negative impact of isolation on seniors living in our communities, but I had never heard it referred to as “confinement syndrome”. In an article published in JAMDA, that is the term used to describe the signs of depression, isolation, delirium, decreased cognitive awareness, etc. that our residents have experienced since the beginning of the pandemic. If …

Infrared Light

Infrared Light and Memory Performance

Angie SzumlinskiNews

We have all read articles on the value of using ultraviolet lights during the cold, winter months to improve mood in people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I read an interesting study on how a phototherapy device may improve memory in middle-aged individuals. The study found that the participants who wore a special helmet had significant improvement in motor function, …

Aspirin

Aspirin the Miracle Drug

Angie SzumlinskiNews

I remember as a kid, aspirin was the only medication available for pretty much everything from fever, sore throat, headache, you name it. Yes, I am old but seriously, it was often referred to as a “miracle drug”. Of course, I always asked questions about pretty much everything, including “how does the medicine know where to go” when I would …