Skip to main content

Featured

Elder Suicide - Know the Warning Signs

Quiet Acknowledgment is Powerful: Rethinking Suicide Prevention for Older Adults By Dr. Tyshawn J. Thompson, Clinical Psychologist, Montefiore-Einstein Psychiatry Associates  Bronx Voice  August 21, 2025 NEW YORK - Despite continued awareness and prevention efforts, suicide remains a leading cause of death in the U.S. Many conversations about suicide risk focus on youth and middle-aged populations, while older adults tend to go unnoticed - but they are an important group to consider.  Sadly, death by suicide is highest for men older than 75 years . Older adults can face many factors that increase their risk for suicidal thoughts and actions including: feelings of loneliness, social isolation, grief, family discord, new cognitive and physical deficits, financial strain, and institutionalization.  Recently, I had a conversation with a close family member who shared feelings of anxiety and a fear of losin...

Your 2025 Care Goals Mid-Year Check-Up – Things to Consider



By Dr. Steven Angelo, Chief Medical Officer

UnitedHealthcare, Medicare and Retirement of New York 

Bronx Voice 

July 28, 2025

 

NEW YORK - If your 2025 New Year’s resolution was to improve your health and well-being, and you have not made as much progress as you had hoped, it is not too late to refocus your efforts.



 

Review your list of health goals

Maybe your plan was to eat better, be more active, be more social, or just feeI better and more energized. So, make a list, be specific and establish a timeline. And bring this with you when you go for your annual wellness visit or your next care provider visit.

 

Plan your care visits

Make a list of the care appointments you will need this year – but have not yet scheduled. This includes your annual wellness visit, screenings, dental and vision appointments, and vaccinations. Then start making those appointments. Care providers may be able to schedule appointments months in advance, which may offer you more scheduling options.



 

Prepare for your appointments

Jot down notes on how you’re currently feeling, any concerns you have, and your health care goals. By doing this, you can help ensure that you remember important information to share with your doctor, which can help make the most of your time together.

 

Catalog your “medicine cabinet”

Prepare a list of all medications you are taking. Also, don’t forget to include all vitamins and supplements. Share this with your primary care provider at your annual wellness visit or your next care provider visit. NOTE: Take care in disposing of expired or unneeded items. Go to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration site for some tips.


Review your benefits

In addition to covering wellness visits, tests, medicines and other medical care, see what other benefits may be included in your health insurance plan that may help you meet your health goals, including gym benefits and mental health support, and financial support for food and other necessities.




Want more health information

Ask your care provider for information, specifically around topics that were discussed during your visit. Go to your health insurer’s website for educational and benefits information. UnitedHealthcare members may go to www.unitedhealthcare.com. Search the Web for health and care information from “trusted sites,” which may include academic medical institutions, health departments, and health-related non-profit institutions.

 

Check in with yourself quarterly

Take out your “health goals” list and your care provider’s health recommendations. Have you made progress toward these health goals? Perhaps you wanted to address dental or vision problems, lose weight, exercise more or focus on your mental health. If you have made progress, keep going. If not, it is not too late to start toward reaching your health goals. Go to UnitedHealthcare’s “There’s no time like now to schedule an annual wellness visit” for more information.

Comments

Popular Posts