For anyone living in a nursing home or other long-term or assisted-living facility, these are particularly difficult times. I’ve heard more than one resident complain bitterly about feeling trapped in their rooms, having meals left outside their door (rather than gathering in the dining room with friends), and not being allowed to participate in their… Read More »
In the Boston area, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 is steadily decreasing. This is obviously happy news and a long-awaited reason to celebrate; however, we continue to be concerned about the mental health of our patients, especially those who are pregnant. Even in the best of times, women who are pregnant or have… Read More »
One in five people struggling with addiction have increased their substance use since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to a new survey. The Addiction Policy Forum polled 1,079 substance use disorder patients and their families from April 27-May 8 and found that 34% reported changes in their treatment or recovery support, and 14% said they… Read More »
It’s 4:30 a.m. as I trudge to the parking garage with a sense of defeat. I am an internal medicine resident wrapping up a swing shift, the magnanimous buffer to admission responsibilities between the day and overnight ward teams. Though clinically tucking in patients that arrive before six o’clock is often easily accomplished well before… Read More »
The barbershop and beauty salon are important community touch points for health, wellness, and social connection in so many peoples’ lives. In my book, HealthConsuming: From Health Consumer to Health Citizen, I feature the black barbershop to introduce a chapter on “The New Retail Health.” In the COVID-19 pandemic, how we’re dealing with hair is… Read More »