February 2013

You’re right: you really must report the error. If it happened to you, it may happen to someone else, and he or she might not catch the error in time to prevent serious health consequences. Here is what to do: Go online to the Institute…

A new study finds that about 50 percent of cardiac patients experience medication errors once they are discharged from the hospital, up from previous estimates of 20 percent. Even when patients have personalized assistance from a pharmacist, including follow-up, errors occur. About the Study The…

As I’m sure all Kentuckians are aware, breathing is the most essential of the human body’s needs. Humans can survive for about a month without food—longer or shorter periods if one is over- or underweight to begin with. We can live about a week without…

When the topic of Kentucky nursing home abuse comes up, people generally think of residents being abused by caregivers in the nursing home. This is not the only scenario, however. Resident-to-resident aggression (RRA) is evidently common in nursing homes. According to the National Center for…

Cerebral palsy (CP) tends to affect one side of the body more than the other. With one strong and one weak foot and leg, children may have difficulty walking because of their condition. Now, as described in The Puyallup Herald, a device that sends electrical…

By now, most Kentuckians are probably aware that keeping the mind active in later life can help to fend off dementia. Reading, doing crossword puzzles, and playing Sudoku are examples of such mental exercise. A recent study indicates that physical activity may also have a…