NYC News

NY Giants’ Great on Hand as NYC Honors NFL’s Fight Against Obesity Super Bowl-winning NFL Giant Ottis Anderson touts the NFL’s Fight Against Obesity with NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. -Photo by Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Manhattan Voice March 4, 2024   NEW YORK – Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan, on behalf of Mayor Eric Adams, presented a proclamation recognizing the impactful work of the NFL Alumni and its Tackle Obesity Program .  NFL Alumni was represented by two-time Super Bowl-winning NFL Giant, Ottis Anderson. The former New York Giants star has played a pivotal role in the NFL Alumni Association’s Tackle Obesity Initiative, aligning with the city's overarching health goals outlined in the HealthyNYC agenda .   The proclamation acknowledges the NFL Alumni’s and Anderson's dedicated efforts to combat obesity, which aligns with the goals of the comprehensive HealthyNYC initiative. Introduced in November of 2023, HealthyNYC aims to foster l

By Madhu Sharma, MD, Pediatric Cardiologist, Youngsters' Clinic at Montefiore Manhattan Voice August 17, 2023 NEW YORK - Coronary illness was once viewed as a medical problem that main impacted grown-ups. Sadly today it is progressively influencing kids and youthful grown-ups as well. Atherosclerotic coronary illness (a main source of sickness and demise all over the planet) is the improvement of a tacky substance called plaque, which is comprised of cholesterol in the veins - called courses. The plaque limits the supply routes over the long run, and this causes diminished blood stream to the heart, cerebrum, and other indispensable organs. This, thusly builds the gamble of respiratory failures, strokes and other heart illnesses sometime down the road.

Be mindful of tips to avoid getting the holiday blues. Photo by VNS By Susan Clayton Meyer, Program Manager, Behavioral Health at VNS Health  HEALTH - We all know the stereotype of the “perfect” winter holiday season—family coming together from across the country, extravagant gifts, huge meals with everyone around the table, decorations, parties, social gatherings, and of course the requisite perfect winter weather. However, life is a lot more complicated than a Hallmark holiday movie (for starters, how DOES the hair of those Hallmark movie heroines always stay so perfect in the snow?).  The truth is, for many people the holidays can be a trigger for feelings of grief, loneliness, stress, and fatigue. As the National Alliance on Mental Illness found , 64% of those with a mental illness say the holidays exacerbated their symptoms, while three out five Americans report that their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays.  It’s important to remember that what mi

By Priya Nori, MD HEALTH - Doctors have been busy with RSV, a common virus that hits young children and people over 65 especially hard. Flu cases have been climbing earlier than usual, and COVID-19 infections continue to spread in our community. All of the above can create sneezing, congestion, sore throat and fever – so a lab test is the best way to determine the cause.  These symptoms can be truly exhausting – leading people to visit their doctor in hopes of getting a prescription for an antibiotic. We’ve come to think of these medicines as wonders for a quick cure – and they can be when they quickly resolve a difficult bacterial infection. When Antibiotics Cause Harm  While antibiotics can be helpful for bacterial infections, they do not kill viruses, which are the cause of the common cold, the flu, RSV, and COVID. When you have a virus, antibiotics will not work – and they can cause harm without benefits.  Common antibiotic side effects can include ra

‘Just being there’ can mean powerful healing VNSNY Social Worker Christine Garcia  By Chandra Wilson NEW YORK - March is national Social Work Month, a time to learn about and acknowledge the meaningful impact that social workers have on so many lives.  Whether it’s helping individuals, families or community groups cope or navigate the obstacles they encounter in life, from medical or emotional challenges to access to health education, care or government and support resources, or just being there, ready to listen, social workers—especially in the home care field—are true heroes of our healthcare professions. At the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY), hundreds of social workers travel hundreds of miles and make hundreds of phone calls every single week as they advocate and care for patients throughout New York’s five boroughs and Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Rarely in the limelight, they may see their patients only a few times, but despite this short duration,

Subscribe in a reader Tweet By Fatima Shell-Sanchez, Registered Nurse with Visiting Nurse Service of New York February is National Heart Month, and as New Yorkers continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, take extra caution with hand washing and get vaccinated for COVID-19 when they are eligible, they’re also encouraged to check in with their health professionals about good heart health—especially with sedentary lifestyles on the increase due to COVID-19. Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is the leading cause of death for all Americans, and something to stay mindful of during the pandemic. HHD increases with age, and includes heart failure, coronary artery disease, and other conditions.  Each year, approximately 100,000 home care patients in the U.S. report a prior stroke, and a recent study at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York Center for Home Care Policy & Research further shows that, at start of care, recurrent stroke risk is high for many pati

Subscribe in a reader By Jane Sadowsky-Emmerth, RN, Partners in Care, an affiliate of VNSNY Anyone who has a relationship with someone suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s knows that even the simplest tasks in daily life can become true challenges—for both caregivers and the family members themselves.  Something as innocent as making and enjoying a morning cup of coffee or tea can turn into an exhausting and frustrating experience—especially with challenges like COVID-19 causing additional stress. Coping is difficult enough on good days, we don’t need the little joys of life to become a burden too. As a registered nurse and clinical case manager at Partners in Care , a licensed home care agency affiliated with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York , I know there are countless potential obstacles that can make even daily rituals extremely difficult for caregivers. My colleagues and I have come up with some ideas for communicating that we hope will help caregivers maintain patie