- Behavioral HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAt any age, mental health challenges can arise. While significant focus has been rightly given to mental well-being in younger people, it’s crucial not to overlook our seniors. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) underscores this, revealing that up to 25% of older adults live with mental health issues, like anxiety or depression. If left untreated, mental health conditions can negatively affect your physical well-being and quality of life. Fortunately, many factors contributing to mental health decline are avoidable. As May marks Mental Health Awareness Month and Older Americans Month, now is an ideal time to implement these five strategies aimed at preserving your mental well-being as you grow older. 1. Nurture/invest social connections Loneliness and social isolation can significantly increase mental health issues later in life. They can also increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and early death. These tips can help nurture/invest social connections: Stay in touch with friends and family via social media or video chat. Virtual meet-ups can help you feel less alone. Volunteer. Giving back to others can help you meet people in your community. It can also provide a sense of purpose that older adults may lose after retirement. Get tested and treated for hearing loss. It affects one in three adults aged 65 to 74, according to NCOA. Hearing loss can make it difficult to follow what’s happening around you. It’s a common reason older adults withdraw from social interaction. 2. Get regular physical activity Sitting for long periods of time and lack of physical activity can increase your risk of depression. Physical activity can boost your mood. For overall health and well-being, older adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, each week, or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise, like running. Talk to your primary care provider and decide what’s best for you. They also need at least two days of strength-building and balance activities, which can be done from the comfort of your home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends multicomponent physical activities to meet these triple goals. Try these: Sign up for a dancing class at a local community center for older adults. Take up yoga or Tai-chi. There are many online offerings at no cost. Explore outdoor activities like gardening or hiking. But remember to stay hydrated. 3. Try music therapy Listening to or making music seems to activate brain areas that can improve mental and physical health. Research finds that music-based interventions may be helpful for anxiety, depression and chronic pain. Go ahead and play that oldie but goodie! 4. Reduce caregiver stress Some older adults face the added emotional challenges of caregiving. According to a 2023 AARP Survey, 50% of caregivers said caregiving increased their emotional stress, while 37% said it caused physical stress. If you’re a caregiver, the Luminis Health Caring for Caregivers page provides self-care tips and local caregiver resources. These can help you care for your loved one while taking care of yourself. 5. Recognize mental health issues Depression is common in older adults, but it’s not a normal part of aging. Less than half of older adults who struggle with mental health and substance use issues get the treatment they need. Getting help starts with scheduling regular checkups with your primary care doctor. They can help you manage physical limitations or medical conditions, such as post-stroke or cancer recovery, which may increase your risk of depression. Should you or your loved one experience any of the following symptoms persistently for more than two weeks, it’s crucial to inform your doctor, as they could point to mental health issues: Anger or irritability. Anxious or sad mood. Changes in appetite, mood and energy level. Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions. Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much. Drug or alcohol misuse. Feeling guilty or hopeless. Hearing, feeling or seeing things other people don’t. Loss of interest in things they once enjoyed, including sex. Next steps After ruling out medical causes, your doctor may start treatment for a mental health condition, or refer you to a mental health professional for evaluation and treatment. Mental health problems are often treated with a combination of medication and talk therapy. You can receive high-quality mental and behavioral health services at The Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center Behavioral Health Pavilion on our Lanham campus. You can also call 301-623-4350.
- Weight LossGeneral Page Tier 3BlogYou may have kicked off 2024 determined to lose weight. If you accomplished your goals, congratulations on your hard work and dedication. However, we know that maintaining weight loss can be just as challenging as achieving it. It’s tempting to reward yourself with old habits once you reach your goal, but remember, this is just one milestone in your journey to a healthier you. Let’s discuss a few steps you can take to maintain your healthy weight. Healthy Weight Benefits Achieving a healthy weight can lower your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, reduce stress on bones and joints and ease the workload on your heart. All these health benefits are why it’s important to not simply lose weight, but to maintain the weight you have lost. Contrary to what some may think, people without obesity generally have just as much difficulty sustaining a small degree of weight loss as people with obesity have maintaining even larger degrees of weight reduction. It Takes Dedication It’s no secret that many weight loss journeys fail in the long term. This can be because strict diets are difficult to maintain over time. Another factor is that the decrease in calories to lose weight causes a drop in the rate your body burns calories. For these reasons, extremely low-calorie diets and rapid weight loss are discouraged. Luminis Health weight loss experts recommend losing no more than half a pound to two pounds per week. Gradual weight loss such as this is more likely to help you sustain it for the long term. Long-Term Weight Loss Individuals who have successfully maintained their weight loss share some common strategies across the board. Regardless of which diet you use to lose weight to begin with, taking up these habits may help you to keep it off: Stay physically active—Try exercising for at least 60 minutes every day. Walking is a great low-impact option. Find an activity you enjoy and do it with someone who brings you joy! Keep a food log—Recording what you eat every day helps hold you accountable, sheds light on emotional eating habits and keeps you motivated. Maintain a balanced diet—What you eat each day should be healthy and well balanced, minimizing ultra-processed foods and high fructose corn syrup. Eat breakfast every day—This is important because eating breakfast boosts metabolism and staves off hunger later in the day, which helps prevent those late afternoon junk food binges. Regularly check the scale—Weighing yourself weekly may help you detect any small weight gains, enabling you to promptly take action if you see the number creeping upwards. Keep Your Eye On The Prize Although many people are concerned about weight loss because of how it affects their appearance, it’s important to remember that even a small amount of long-term weight loss can have remarkable health benefits. Remember to determine your weight management success based on your health and how you feel—not on how you look. Author Dr. Jilian Nicholas, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon at Luminis Health.
- Behavioral HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIf you have a teenager, no doubt the world is much different than your childhood. Social media apps have made it easy for teens to communicate with strangers—and sometimes, the people they interact with online are actually scammers. Parents should prioritize monitoring their children’s online activities, especially their interactions with others. It’s crucial to engage in open and meaningful conversations about the potential risks of living in a social media obsessed world. You may be surprised to learn social media scams are far-reaching, impacting teens around the world. While anyone can fall victim to these sexting scams, teenage boys are often targeted by scammers using blackmail tactics. What exactly are sexting scams? Sometimes referred to as sextortion, sexting scams are meant to scare victims into handing over money. While the details can vary, scammers gain the trust of victims before tricking them into sharing compromising photos. The predator threatens to share the photos with the victims’ family and friends unless they pay money. Strangers pose as interested girls and convince unsuspecting boys to send naked photos of themselves showing their face. After sending the photos, they are immediately blackmailed for money. The frequency of this scam has prompted federal law enforcement to issue warnings, cautioning that scammers are targeting children as young as ten years old. If our kids aren’t equipped to recognize it as a scam — or don’t feel comfortable coming to their parents when it happens — it can be dangerous. Ranging from anxiety and depression to thoughts of suicide, these scams can have troubling and long-lasting effects on their mental health. What are the signs my teen may be in trouble? There are many signals to help you determine if your child may have been victimized. Parents should start asking questions if they discover their teen: Becomes unwilling to talk about their online interactions with you or anyone else Exhibits sudden changes in behavior, like moodiness or isolating themselves Expresses fear or discomfort about someone they met online Grades suddenly drop Loses interest in activities Receives messages from strangers asking for personal information Uses electronic devices to the point of ignoring things going on around them Withdraws money from bank accounts or purchases gift cards How can I help if my teen falls victim to sexting scams? If your child is in this kind of situation, you should take the following steps: Let the blackmailer know parents are now involved, you are not afraid, and the harassment needs to stop immediately. Keep proof of all conversations and make backups. Don’t send any money. Even if the harasser has potentially damaging photos of your child, there’s no guarantee that sending them money will end the blackmail. Report the scam to the social media platform. Contact the police. You can call the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at (800) CALL-FBI or report the harassment online at fbi.gov. You can also report the incident to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at icactaskforce.org. Talking to your teen openly and often is your best defense The more you and your child talk about these situations, the less likely they are to become a victim. Before your child gets a cell phone, talk to them about the importance of keeping personal photos and personal information private, even if they are in a mature relationship. Sharing compromising photos is never a good idea. But if your teen shares nude photos, they should know that they can come to you, or another trusted adult, for help. The Luminis Health Behavioral Health Clinic in Lanham is a safe space for teens. The urgent care offers services for those needing non-emergency, non-life-threatening behavioral health care. It’s open from 8 am to 5:30 pm, Monday-Friday, for adults and children 4 years of age and older. Author Dr. Jesselina Curry is Luminis Health’s regional medical director for Ambulatory Behavioral Health Services PC: Maureen Porto Photography
- Behavioral HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSocial workers are often recognized for the important work they do with children, people with disabilities and the elderly, but they also play a vital role in behavioral healthcare. There are social workers involved with every step of the patient journey, from evaluation to advocacy. They work in a variety of settings, including emergency rooms, inpatient care, outpatient care, substance use programs and more. Here are a few examples of the crucial services social workers provide: Assessment and Evaluation: Social workers conduct initial assessments to understand patient’s behavioral health needs, strengths, and challenges. They may use standardized tools and techniques to assess the severity of symptoms and the impact on the individual’s daily life. Counseling and Therapy: Social workers provide counseling and therapy to individuals, families, and groups to address mental health issues. They may utilize different therapeutic approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), or interpersonal therapy to help clients manage symptoms, develop coping strategies, and improve overall well-being. Advocacy: Social workers advocate for behavioral health patients’ rights and access to appropriate services and resources. They may work with healthcare providers, government agencies and community organizations to ensure that patients receive the support they need. Crisis Intervention: Social workers are trained to provide crisis intervention services for individuals experiencing acute behavioral health crises or emotional distress. They may offer immediate support, assess risk, and facilitate referrals to emergency services or psychiatric care as needed. Supportive Services: Social workers offer ongoing emotional support and encouragement to mental health patients and their families. They provide a compassionate and nonjudgmental presence, helping clients navigate challenges, build resilience, and maintain their recovery journey. For those who are interested in becoming a social worker, there are several steps involved, including: A Bachelor’s Degree A Master’s Degree in Social Work Supervised Experience Licensure Exams Maintaining a License Becoming a social worker offers the opportunity to have a meaningful impact in the well-being of others. If you are looking for a career in social work, please visit Luminis Health Careers. Author Joy R. Hudson, LCSW-C, LICSW is the Clinical Director for Luminis Health Behavioral Health at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center.
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHealth System will partner with Prince George’s County Public Schools to Offer Services and Training at High Schools (Lanham, Maryland) February 20, 2024- In response to the increasing demand for mental health services among young people, Luminis Health has been awarded a $1.6 million grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission. The non-profit regional health system will collaborate with Prince George’s County Public Schools by implementing comprehensive support services at six high schools. As part of the grant, Luminis Health will hire and deploy mental health providers directly to the schools, collaborating with school counselors to offer vital support to students and parents. These embedded providers will rotate through the schools, providing education and training to students, parents, and teachers, ensuring access to evidence-based screening tools for identifying individual needs and strengths on an ongoing basis. “Our mental health matters, and today’s teenagers are grappling with a mental health crisis of unprecedented proportions,” said Dr. Aliya Jones, executive medical director of Behavioral Health at Luminis Health. “By partnering with school counselors, teachers, parents and students, we can build strong bonds and connect with teenagers, fostering an environment of support for their mental health well-being and facilitating their growth.” In addition to placing mental health providers with expertise in adolescents within the schools, Luminis Health plans to implement a multifaceted approach to support students’ mental well-being. This includes training teachers to recognize warning signs of mental health issues and equipping them with the tools to provide appropriate support and referrals. Furthermore, students themselves will receive training on how to identify signs of distress in their classmates and provide effective peer support. Luminis Health has forged a strategic partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools to ensure equitable access to care where it’s needed most. Through close collaboration with administrators, six high schools have been identified as priority locations for this initiative: Parkdale High School in Riverdale Park DuVal High School in Lanham Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt Northwestern High School in Hyattsville Bowie High School in Bowie Chesapeake Math and IT Academy North High School in Laurel Over the next few months, Luminis Health will recruit team members to support the services funded by the grant, including clinicians, therapists, addiction counselors, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses. The health system will begin working directly with school personnel in June, with plans to roll out the comprehensive services for students in the upcoming school year. “Over the past 4 years, Luminis Health has invested $110 million at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (LHDCMC) in Lanham, including opening a new Behavioral Health Pavilion to provide comprehensive mental health services,” said Tori Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health. “We extend our sincere appreciation to the State and County for their support in advancing our mission of enhancing the health of people we serve. These communities will benefit directly from this grant by expanding mental health options in Prince George’s County and enhancing accessibility by bringing programs directly into our schools.” The grant will additionally cover extended hours at the Behavioral Health Urgent Care walk-in clinic at LHDCMC, offering treatment for non-life-threatening mental health needs for individuals of all ages. The Maryland Community Health Resources Commission approved 129 grant awards totaling $111 million to expand access to comprehensive behavioral use services for children, kindergarten through high school, in every jurisdiction in Maryland. Funding to support these new programs was made available by the Maryland General Assembly under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
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