Fear of falling is a common concern as we get older. And rightly so, as approximately one third of the elderly and over two thirds of nursing home residents fall each year. This statistic is due largely in part to the fact that as we age, our gait tends to change. Nearly 50% of people… Read more »
Dear Dr. Malm: How many people in the United States wear dentures today? Dear Reader: It is estimated that 32 million people wear dentures today. The largest group is the 65 to 74 year olds, and approximately 57% of Americans in this age group wear them. Of those who do wear dentures, 20 million have… Read more »
During the Humana Challenge, a group of La Quinta Middle School students had their final exam broadcast on television in front of a crowd. For these little chefs, it was a piece of cake…Well, actually, just the opposite! The 45 nutrition class students finished their 3 ½ month course on healthy eating and cooking with… Read more »
Students interested in today’s health care field have a wide range of career options, and the Indio High School Health Academy works to pave the way for their students. Their career/tech program is designed to provide students with knowledge and an understanding of health/medical sciences and careers. In addition to class education, the Academy provides… Read more »
Students from Cathedral City High School (CCHS) leave the safety and security of their classroom once every semester in their junior year, to venture throughout the Coachella Valley to discover information about a possible future career. The students are enrolled in the Health and Environment Academy of Learning (HEAL) at CCHS, a curriculum designed to… Read more »
This past December, Women Leadership Forum’s Young Women Leaders (YWL) gathered for a volunteer day at F.I.N.D. Food Bank. The girls learned about food insecurity which affects 90,000 members of our community, as well as the value of nutritious food –for those they were serving, as well as their own circle of family and friends.… Read more »
Loss of hearing is America’s most prevalent physical ailment. More people suffer from hearing loss than from heart disease, cancer, blindness, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, venereal disease and kidney disease combined. Despite the magnitude of the problem, we pay less attention to hearing loss than to any other major affliction. Perhaps it is because hearing loss… Read more »
“You walk like an old man,” said my friend Gary. We had not seen each other for almost two years. I am not offended and listen to him, like it or not, because he cares for me. Gary is very independent, strong and invincible; or so he thought, until he suffered a heart attack caused… Read more »
As children, we learn very quickly how to avoid an embarrassing situation, such as incontinence, mostly to avoid public ridicule and or “bullying” from peers. Now, fast forward 50-60 years later to find yourself with the same problem and with the same fears. However, this time you know that the solution may not be as… Read more »
Did you ever wonder how moms learn to become moms, and parents to parent? When young people are first starting out and don’t have relatives in the area, who answers all the questions? In the Coachella Valley, new moms and young families are lucky to now have a place to go, the About Families, Inc.,… Read more »
One of the utmost things that I love about living in the Coachella Valley is the extensive health initiatives embedded throughout our desert communities. Within these precincts lie the Desert Healthcare District (DHCD), UC Riverside (UCR), and the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP), which have similar visions that parallel my own: to ultimately improve the… Read more »
A smile and laughter are the expressions of a positive attitude about life. With the challenges of advancing years it takes strength to meet the tests. That awareness is not a gift; it needs to be earned with quiet gratitude. Wake up each day and smile when you look in the mirror and say that… Read more »
Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and…headaches? When it comes to being all-American, having at least one episode of head pain occurs in 90% of the American population. Researchers who have studied the prevalence of headache in adults in the United States report a high correlation with complaints of neck pain. When a headache originates from… Read more »
For many, the holiday season is full of cheer and memorable experiences. However, for others, the holiday season can bring stress and anxiety due to financial and social obligations, or the memories from years gone by. Many seniors are adversely affected by the rituals of the holiday season. It may be something as simple as… Read more »
Rancho Mirage resident and former Desert Regional Medical Center radiologist, Dr. Pam Meoli, had a stroke at age 51. Her prognosis included a walker or cane, little or no mobility of her left arm, and compromised speech. After nine months of speech therapy her ability to speak was much improved, but she was still not… Read more »
Health Career Connection (HCC) is a national, non-profit organization that provides under-represented or disadvantaged college students and recent graduates with a ten-week paid internship in a health related field. This summer marked the return of the HCC internship program, the only one of its kind in the Coachella Valley. The number of interns in the… Read more »
As I look at three generations in my family–my mother, myself and my daughter–I find that proper nutrition and exercise are woven into the fabric of our family. My focus on fitness, contemplative practices such as meditation and yoga, and conscious eating are practices handed down from my mother, which I am now imparting to… Read more »
More than 2000 years ago, an Indian sage described yoga as “preventive, healing art, science, and philosophy” for the purpose of blending the mind, body, and spirit to achieve optimum health. Yoga is usually regarded as a practice most associated with healthy individuals. Some images portray yoga as a mystical, spiritual ritual associated with meditation… Read more »
Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing. –Mark Twain Laughing is the best medicine. LOL. Have you laughed out loud today, or yesterday? When was the last time? The comic cartoons in the daily newspapers are said to be what most people read first. The renowned New Yorker has a loyal readership not in small part due… Read more »
I recently adopted an adorable furry friend from the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. While there I discovered they now have several programs for seniors interested in fostering or adopting cats and dogs. Studies have shown that pets can be very therapeutic and the shelter’s philosophy is, “we want anyone who truly wants a pet to… Read more »