| Cancer and the
Elderly
According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 3 women and 1
in 4 men over the age of 60 will develop cancer. The Alvin & Lois
Lapidus Cancer Institute of LifeBridge Health offers specialized services to
treat this population of cancer patients. With multi-disciplinary clinics for
breast, colon and rectal, lung, prostate and sarcoma cancers, patients meet
with an oncologist, surgeon and radiation oncologist in one visit, allowing them
to focusing on getting better.
If you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed with
cancer, log on to www.lifebridgehealth.org to find out more
information about the services provided at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer
Institute of LifeBridge Health.
New Ankle Arthritis Surgery
Orthopedic
surgeons at the Rubin Institute of Advance Orthopedics (RIAO) at Sinai Hospital
are using a new procedure to help eliminate the pain associated with arthritis
in the ankle. The surgical procedure, which began in Europe, is showing
encouraging results for relieving chronic arthritis pain without taking away the
overall movement and function of the joint. The new ankle procedure called
Ankle Joint Distraction is currently only being preformed in this region by the
physicians at the RIAO. It involves placing a device known as an
external-fixator on the ankle. The fixator then applies tension to expand
the joint and leave room for new cartilage to from, thereby eliminating painful
bone-on-bone pressure. While fusion surgery for this condition has been a
mainstay for many years and works well for pain relief, according to experts,
fusing the ankle joint makes it immobile and permanently stiff. Ankle
Joint Distraction with external fixation preserves the joint, eliminates pain
and increases function.
To find out more about the services provided at the Rubin
Institute of Advanced Orthopedics at Sinai Hospital, log on to www.lifebridgehealth.org.
Tips for Surviving the Winter Blues
It�s
official. The cold weather is here and so are the dark, dreary days that go with
it. These changes cause many people to feel down or depressed. However, there
are ways to lift your spirits. In addition to the winter blues, about 15-million
Americans suffer from what�s called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a
condition that can cause depression, isolation, sleeping and overeating. Sherry
Myers, RN, and director of Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital�s
Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient programs, has some tips to help manage
the winter blahs, which include:
- Brightening up your home with splashes of color on pillows or
knickknacks
- Exercising to invigorate your body and enhance your senses
- Volunteering or joining a club, where people have a similar interests as
you
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month
More
than three million American suffering from glaucoma, a group of eye diseases
often caused by increased pressure inside the eye, according to the Glaucoma
Research Foundation.
The best way to protect yourself is to be aware of your risk and
to make sure you have a comprehensive screening regularly. People with higher
risk for glaucoma include:
- Those with family history of glaucoma
- African-Americans over the age of 40
- Anyone with elevated eye pressure
- Anyone over the age of 60 (the older you are, the more you are at
risk)
While glaucoma can not be cured, it can often be treated. The
Krieger Eye Institute at Sinai Hospital offers a variety of treatment options --
from screening to surgical procedures. Log on to www.lifebridgehealth.org to find out more about
the Krieger Eye Institute.
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