Many rolls of toilet paper

TP Caper

Angie SzumlinskiNews

I still remember the night I drove over to my parent’s apartment to drop off a 4 pack of toilet paper, it was June 2020, and the “virus” had spread! It is interesting to me that toilet paper became such a focus for so many people. You could see lines at groceries stores with carts overflowing with toilet paper. Then, …

white pill on white background with bottle

Antivirals and COVID-19

Angie SzumlinskiNews

If you have ever had influenza or any viral flu for that matter, you know how uncomfortable and miserable it can be, right? Many of us reach for our telehealth phone, visit with our primary care doc or urgent care provider, and are often prescribed antiviral medication. There are many antivirals on the market, Tamiflu is one of the more …

Vaccine Talk – Again!

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Yes, I am here to talk about the pandemic, I know, old news and everyone is pandemic weary. That said, over the past 4 months, I have realized that no matter how weary we are, we can’t let our guard down! The Delta variant should be a wake-up call for everyone, especially front-line workers, yes, you! Think about how comfortable …

Man at a standing desk

Just Stand

Angie SzumlinskiNews

We all know the benefit of regular exercise and making healthy lifestyle choices, but did you know that these steps can also work in your favor as it relates to insulin and diabetes? In a recent study, the researchers found that the more time spent standing, the better insulin sensitivity is in sedentary adults. Of course, adipose tissue (nasty words) …

Cup Half Full?

Angie SzumlinskiNews

I came across an interesting article this week that talked about the effects of being happy. Well, of course, I had to read it. Who doesn’t want to learn more about being happy? I have to admit, the other side of the article discussed cognitive impairment and dementia, that wasn’t so happy! The good news, the article discussed the results …

Flu and You

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Ugh, the flu season, its back, and predicted to be a more difficult year due to last year being relatively mild. If you have never had the flu, trust me, you don’t want to experience it. The body aches, fever, chills, sore throat, cough, difficulty breathing, oh and don’t forget the possible GI symptoms some people experience! Sounds great, doesn’t …

Palliative Care – Are We There?

Angie SzumlinskiNews

End-of-Life Care, Palliative Care, Hospice, different names, similar care delivery; however, are you aware that the settings where this care should be available don’t always have the resources to provide it? In a recent study published in JAMDA, it identified that despite caring for patients with serious illnesses and poor prognosis, only a minority of LTACHs in the U.S. have …

Dare to Compare

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Many conversations are being had regarding which of the COVID-19 vaccines is most effective. In the beginning of December, when the vaccine became available to the general public, the CDC told us to “take the first one available” and I honestly still agree with that. However, there has been some debate on the effectiveness and safety of specific vaccines. For …

PELI – QAPI

Angie SzumlinskiNews

As we begin to emerge (cautiously) out of the pandemic of 2020, the battle scars are evident. We have lost so much including caregivers, residents, quality of life, and individual, personalized care. However, all is not lost, the cup is half full and we have an opportunity to emerge triumphant if we access and use the resources made available to …

Semicolon with COVID virus

Suicide – Impact During Pandemic

Angie SzumlinskiNews

I was recently asked to assist in locating publications, literature, and/or studies on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the rate of suicide in the United States. I was really quite surprised to learn that in fact, the suicide rate actually went down by 6% last year. What really struck me as interesting was that study after study, interview after …