Nancy Maes

Journalist at Chicago Health

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Articles

Falling Fears

2 months ago | chicagocaregiving.com | Nancy Maes

The factors that put older adults at risk for falls — and how to prevent themFact checked by Catherine GianaroOlder adults, especially those who ignore signs of aging, are at risk of experiencing a life-changing fall. Dina Kartsonas, an occupational therapist and partner at FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers – Chicago, sees the problem often. She works to rehabilitate older adults who have suffered the consequences of falls because they’re not as steady on their feet as they once were.
Visionary Ophthalmologist

Oct 12, 2024 | chicagohealthonline.com | Nancy Maes

Fact checked by Shannon SparksBefore a recent trip to Guatemala, Charles Bouchard, MD, current chair of Loyola Medicine’s ophthalmology department, went shopping. He went to a Dollar Tree store with a $300 donation from a patient and a purpose. “I bought 300 pairs of over-the-counter eyeglasses at a dollar each,” he says.
Blue Space

Jul 7, 2024 | chicagocaregiving.com | Nancy Maes

Fact checked by Catherine GianaroThe benefits of water run deeper than hydration. Blue space — bodies of water such as the expansive Lake Michigan and meandering Chicago River — benefit human wellness in myriad ways. People who spend time near natural bodies of water reported positive effects on their physical and mental health, according to BlueHealth, a pan-European research initiative focused on urban blue spaces, climate, and health. Some people know these benefits instinctively.
Alzheimer’s Poetry Project

Jul 6, 2024 | chicagocaregiving.com | Nancy Maes

Fact checked by Derick WilderChicago poet Gary Glazner founded the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project in 2003 to give people with dementia a way to express themselves. Since then, the organization has worked with more than 62,500 participants. “The workshops won’t change the progression of the disease, but they give participants moments of joy and happiness not only for themselves, but for their family, friends, and caregivers to connect to them,” Glazner says.
Male Friendship

Apr 8, 2024 | chicagohealthonline.com | Nancy Maes

Fact checked by Derick WilderWhen Milan Bagel lost his wife of 55 years, he didn’t have any male friends to confide in about how lonely he felt without her. That was five years ago. More recently when Bagel, who is now 87, sold their home, he didn’t have any men close to him to share his feelings about leaving this key place in his life. A retired engineer, Bagel moved to Encore Village of Schaumburg. He usually ate dinner alone in the community dining room for the entire first year.
Fatherhood?

Apr 8, 2024 | chicagohealthonline.com | Nancy Maes

Fact checked by Shannon SparksA growing number of men are saying no to fatherhood. The number of men who don’t want children has doubled over the past two decades, according to a 2022 study. Although the study doesn’t explore the men’s reasoning, Michael Goldstone, a social worker and associate director of the Emerging Adult Team at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, says his clients have cited numerous reasons for choosing a childfree lifestyle.
From Thought to Movement

Apr 8, 2024 | chicagohealthonline.com | Nancy Maes

Fact checked by Shannon SparksStephen Littig had to have his left leg amputated above the knee when he was 65. Afterward, he went to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for rehabilitation. The goal: to increase his strength enough to use a prosthetic leg — and then learn how to live the rest of his life with it. In the U.S., some 150,000 people have lower limb amputations every year as a result of diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, or trauma dueto accidents and combat casualties.
Reading Rewards

Oct 19, 2023 | chicagocaregiving.com | Nancy Maes

Learning to read is a revelatory experience for children. They discover that when certain letters of the alphabet go together, those letters become words that form sentences, revealing infinite possibilities. That initial thrill of reading can last a lifetime, and it can protect and improve the wellbeing of older adults in many different ways. Reading improves memory, concentration, and stress levels.
Reaping Rewards

Sep 28, 2023 | chicagohealthonline.com | Nancy Maes

Eriko Kojima readily admits that she used to be a couch potato. “I was an indoorsy person. I didn’t like to exercise, and I had bouts of depression,” she says. Then, one July day in 2015, she went on a hike and learned that the Forest Preserves of Cook County was looking for volunteers. So she signed up to spend three hours at Somme Woods in Northbrook, gathering seeds that would eventually be sown to restore habitats.
Medical Mission

Sep 28, 2023 | chicagohealthonline.com | Nancy Maes

In his desk at Shriners Children’s Hospital Chicago, Peter Smith, MD, keeps a drawing that a child in Colombia made for him. The drawing shows a doctor in scrubs with angel wings on his back. The drawing humbles Smith and reminds him ofwhy he does what he does. Twice a year, Smith, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, travels to Colombia with a team of specialists.