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Loneliness, isolation are worsening mental health in seniors Creating community and providing education can help deliver the solution. For more than a decade, Karen Lee has fostered connections through stained glass, modeling clay, markers and more. Lee leads Art Express , a program within the Smith Alzheimer’s Center at SIU Medicine that gives those with dementia a chance to express themselves without having to verbalize their feelings. On its face, it’s a valuable program as it gives those with dementia a better quality of life. It allows caregivers to breathe. But from the beginning, a

Creating a community that better understands Alzheimer's and dementia fosters a better environment for all. One where shop owners understand unusual behavior, where waiters can provide more patience with a confused customer, and one where caregivers have allies and neighbors who better comprehend their situation. The Dementia Friends initiative is about turning your new understanding of dementia into practical actions, helping others in your community. An estimated 250,000+ people are living with dementia in Illinois. Every action counts. Led by Debbie Kuhns, program director at the Smith

Build the next great moment, together. Engage and keep the mind active through seriously fun play with LEGO bricks. This program is beneficial in that it scales with the person with memory loss. Whether they are in the early stages, or perhaps more advanced, Building Moments allows the person to build at their level. There is an initial assessment to determine what kind of LEGO are appropriate for use. Each class starts out with a specific group build that helps build communication and teamwork, and then there is an opportunity to build a unique design, allowing those with memory loss to

Bunions are hard, bony growths that form at the base joint of the big toe. Treatments include changing shoes, padding the foot, and pain medications. Painful bunions can be removed surgically.

Burns range in severity from first degree (superficial damage, red, non-blistered skin) to third-degree (widespread and deeper skin damage) and even fourth-degree (involving muscle, bone, and tendon). For severe burns, call 911 and protect and elevate the area of the burn, if possible. Do not immerse in water.

This includes physical, rehabilitative, and emotional therapy for recovering burn victims. Treatments can vary based on the severity of the burn injury.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and SIU Medicine's Farm Family Resource Initiative invites members of the farming community to help us bring awareness to this important topic. We need to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Let's start by debunking four common myths surrounding mental health. How many of these have you heard? Myth #1: You can tell someone has a mental health problem. An estimated 1 in 5 Americans has some form of mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. This means that you probably know several people who are dealing with mental