By: Rob Bartolotta, PhD
The Front Page Blog: Blogs on Health
By Jane Rath, New Editions Vice President
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Program provides funding and support for 44 state grantees to design and develop services and supports to assist individuals move from institutional to home and community-based settings. Additionally, MFP provides the foundation and framework for…
Complete the following statement, I could improve my health if I [fill in the blank].
If you’re like me, the first answer for the blank above that comes to mind is: increase my level of physical activity. Over the last few years, I’ve not made enough time for exercise. However, our recent New Editions’ Walking Competition and the company’s participation in The Arc of Northern Virginia…
In June, New Editions facilitated the seventh annual meeting between the US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Agriculture (USDA) at HUD headquarters. The theme of this year’s meeting was Housing as a Platform for Health.
During the first week of August, I attended a conference hosted by Aniridia Foundation International (AFI). Aniridia means “lack of the iris,” which is the colored ring around the pupil of the eye. Advances in research and development have shown that the impact of aniridia extends beyond the eye and can affect the development and maintenance of the eyes, pancreas, central nervous system,…
During May, which is National Stroke Awareness Month, the American Stroke Association strives to educate the public that stroke is the leading cause of serious, long term disability. Here are some important statistics:
Over 29 million Americans are currently living with diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations, and adult onset blindness. The disease also accounts for 20 percent of all health care spending in the United States. Given these facts, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified diabetes as a public health problem reaching epidemic…
November is National Family Caregivers Month. While caregiving can be a very rewarding experience, caregivers are at risk of fatigue, increased stress, and other negative health consequences. One way to help reduce the stressors faced by caregivers is to learn about and employ helpful tools and resources.
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities holds an annual National Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference. The conference is for staff of Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as partners, providers and advocates providing services to people with long term services and supports (LTSS) needs in the community.
The President of the United States proclaimed May 2016 “National Mental Health Awareness Month.” This proclamation recognizes the prevalence of mental health needs within our society, the need to reduce the stigma of having a mental illness (particularly among those pursuing treatment and support), and the expanding opportunities for treatment gained through the Affordable Care Act, as well as…
Today marks the beginning of National Public Health Week (NPHW), an annual observance sponsored by the American Public Health Association (APHA) to celebrate the contributions of public health, highlight issues critical to improving the health of our nation, and mobilize communities with a shared call to action.
March 22nd marks the annual American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert day, an event that serves as “a wake-up call asking Americans to take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.” The importance of early diagnosis and proper management is crucial to positive outcomes among the diabetic population, as the progression of the disease can…
Community integration for seniors and individuals with disabilities hasn’t always been the standard, but it is on the rise – thanks in part to programs like the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Program. As a nation we are now at a tipping point with Medicaid dollars for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) approximating the…
Since my days as a rehabilitation counselor three decades ago, I have worked toward a goal of including people with disabilities into our society—no matter the job that I held. When I became an employer twelve years ago, I sought and hired people with disabilities.
National Diabetes Awareness Month is observed every November. The National Diabetes Education Program’s (NDEP) 2015 theme, Diabetes Education and Support: Everyone Has a Role. What’s Yours?, highlights the need for ongoing diabetes education and support among people with diabetes and those who care for them, by drawing attention to diabetes and its effects on millions…
As a student at Loyola University, I was l lucky enough to call New Orleans home from 2001 to 2005. During that time, I became well acquainted with the vibrancy of the city, the kindness of its residents, and the cultural, political, socioeconomic and geographic traits that make it unlike any other place in the world. Two months after I moved to Northern Virginia, Hurricane Katrina hit the…
I was optimistic about the direction the field of disability was taking when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed. I had spent a year arguing with my brother-in-law who belonged to an organization that was actively lobbying against the ADA. He was convinced that the ADA would be the death of the small business that employed him. Our arguments were heated and often led to me saying…
Our lives have become dependent on instant communication. We spend every waking hour talking and texting, so it is hard to imagine a scenario in which you suddenly lose the ability to speak, write, and comprehend what you hear and read. This is called “aphasia” – the loss of language – and most often it is a result of a stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or other neurological condition.…
A recent Washington Post article by Richard A. Lovett has the cautionary title “Desk jobs can be killers, literally.” Since most of America's jobs are sedentary, ergonomics is becoming a necessity.
By Angelica P. Herrera-Venson, DrPH, MPH, Senior Research Analyst
As we celebrate National Minority Health and Health Disparities month, it is important to reflect on the events that shaped the movement and the potential for new initiatives to influence serious change. While significant progress has been made in some areas; in others, it has remained stagnant.
What is public health? Not getting polio. Buckling your seat belt. Not inhaling secondhand smoke. Laying your sleeping infant on her back. Getting a glass of water without worrying it will make you sick. Putting on a bike helmet. Decreased infant mortality rates. Increased safety in the workplace. The past contributions and ongoing work of the public health community touch our lives every day…
By Carolyn Pritchyk, MSN, RN
So it’s the beginning of the New Year, now what? Like many other people, you may have made the resolution to get healthy by improving your diet and increasing the amount you exercise. Transitioning into a healthier lifestyle is not easy.
Retiring Senator Tom Harkin and I have common interests. We share a passion for improving the quality of life for people with disabilities and we both support the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We have both been to Cuba twice and we have both been criticized for our comments about Cuba’s healthcare system.
Neither Senator…