September 18-24 is National Rehabilitation Awareness Week

Injured man on crutches returning to previous health

The World Health Organization defines rehabilitation as “a set of interventions designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment”.

Rehabilitation is a specialty field within medicine. Medical doctors who specialize in this field are known as PM&R (physical medicine and rehabilitation) doctors or physiatrists. They are part of an interdisciplinary team of therapists, case managers, social workers, psychologists and nurses. These specialists work with patients of all ages who have impairments or disabilities affecting the musculoskeletal (bone, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons) or nervous (brain, nerves, and spinal cord) systems. 

There are two main goals of rehabilitation medicine:

1. Maximize function, independence and quality of life
2. Prevent further decline of functioning

This medical specialty does not work to cure the patient.

Rehabilitation is very patient-centered and individualized. Patient needs that can be covered by rehabilitation medicine include:

• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) for self-care
• Cognition, including concentration, memory, organization, problem-solving
• Communication: speech, writing, and alternatives
• Education and training of patient and family
• Family support (e.g., about discharge planning, financial issues, lifestyle changes)
• Mobility
• Pain management
• Psychological counseling for behavioral and emotional issues
• Respiratory, including breathing treatments and ventilator care
• Social skills
• Vocational training

Rehabilitation is part of the universal health coverage that is key to achieving Sustainable Development Goal #3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” There are numerous benefits to including rehabilitation in the health care provided.

• Rehabilitation can reduce the impact on the daily lives of persons who have diseases or injuries.
• Rehabilitation not only aids in recovery, it can help manage, prevent, or reduce the complications from various conditions and interventions.
• Rehabilitation can slow the progression of some conditions, such as cancer and diabetes, thus improving healthy aging.
• Rehabilitation can help avoid hospitalization. reduce the length of hospital stays, and prevent hospital re-admission. 
• Rehabilitation helps patients recover at home and return more quickly to their pre-existing lifestyles.

Some misconceptions about rehabilitation still exist.

• Rehabilitation is not just for people with disabilities or physical impairments. It is an essential health service for people with any health condition or injury, whether temporary or chronic, that limits their functioning.
• Rehabilitation should not be a luxury or boutique service, but should be available to anyone including those who can’t afford to pay for it.
• Rehabilitation is not used only when other treatments fail to prevent or cure a health condition. It should be part of the first-line treatment options that are considered for each patient.

Worldwide, about 2.4 billion people could benefit from medical rehabilitation, but in some low- and middle-income countries more than half these people receive the rehabilitation services that would help them become more independent. This can be caused by emergencies such as disease outbreaks, military conflicts, natural disasters. These emergencies not only cause the need for rehabilitation, but also disrupt existing services.

Celebrate National Rehabilitation Awareness Week by becoming more aware of the benefits of this medical service. For more information, please click these links about physical medicine and rehabilitation from the following organizations:

• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 
• Mayo Clinic
• Johns Hopkins 

September 23 is the International Day of Sign Languages

International Week of Deaf People 2023
International Day of Sign Languages 2023
#IWDP & #IDSL

There are more than 300 different sign languages around the world. According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are over 70 million deaf people worldwide. Over 80% of deaf people live in developing countries. 

Each sign language is a real language with its own vocabulary and syntax. It is not like the spoken language in the country where it is used. There is also an international sign language with a limited vocabulary and less complex grammar that is used informally when deaf people travel away from their home country.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has recognized sign languages as equal in status to spoken languages. It has made its information available in several sign languages, including international sign.

The United Nations has proclaimed September 23 as the International Day of Sign Languages. How can you celebrate? Shine a blue light. Read some of the resources in the links on this page. And learn a few basic phrases in your country’s sign language.

Survey of Experience with ADA Coordinators

The Pacific ADA Center and New York University are conducting a survey of people with disabilities in the US states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada, and the Pacific Basin. They want to know how ADA Coordinators are helping people with disabilities in their local communities.

Note that “ADA Coordinator” may not be their job title. Other people working in state or local government offices may help people with disabilities get services or programs they need, and make sure that people with disabilities are not mistreated or discriminated against.

You are invited to participate in this quick survey if you:

• Are a resident of these states and area
• Are a person with a disability or a family member of a person with a disability
• Have worked with a local or state government office on a disability-related issue

The survey is voluntary and anonymous. The responses will help improve training and support for ADA Coordinators.

To participate in this survey, please click this link: https://nyu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9plAbvlxcVbRFC6.

September is Sepsis Awareness Month

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is a life-threatening toxic response of your body to an infection. Most cases of sepsis originate in a bacterial infection. Many people who develop sepsis have an underlying medical condition, such as a weakened immune system or chronic illness. Sepsis is the leading cause of deaths in hospitals in the US.

What are the symptoms of sepsis?

Signs and symptoms that a person has sepsis include one or more of the following:

• Clammy or sweaty skin
• Confusion or disorientation
• Extreme pain or discomfort
• Fast or weak pulse
• Fever, shivering, or feeling excessively chilled
• Shortness of breath

However, each of these can indicate another cause.  

How dangerous is sepsis?

Sepsis is a medical emergency. According to the CDC, about 1.7 million adult Americans develop sepsis annually. Of these, about 350,000 either die in the hospital or are discharged to hospice.

However, as many as 80% of sepsis deaths could have been prevented if detected and treated early. For every hour of delay of treatment, the risk of dying of sepsis increases by 8%.

What can you do to reduce your risk of getting sepsis?

Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands frequently. Clean skin injuries and keep them covered until they are healed.

Prevent infections by caring for chronic conditions and getting recommended vaccinations.

Know the potential signs of sepsis. If an infection seems to be getting worse, seek medical attention immediately.

For additional information, please see:

• What is sepsis? https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/what-is-sepsis.html
• Sepsis- Symptoms, causes and risk factors: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sepsis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351214
• Sepsis Awareness Month: https://www.sepsis.org/get-involved/sepsis-awareness-month/.

Healthinfo Island Displays and Exhibits for September 2023

Healthinfo Island
Click the image to teleport there!

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this blog post. Click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images. 

If you click each poster, you will get a message with additional information and live links.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

Animal Zoonotic Diseases

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

Managing Sadness

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

Coping with Intense Emotions

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

Rhabdomyolysis

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

IBS or IBD?

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

ARGH! Emotional Meltdown

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

Allergic to Red Meat?

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

Are You Ready for Summer Thunderstorms?

Thunderstorms can be a threat to life and belongings, no matter where you live. They are most common in spring and summer, but can happen any time.

Did you know that lightning kills an average of 27 people a year in the US and injures many more? Heavy rains can cause flash floods. Sometimes hail and tornadoes can form in thunderstorms; these can cause expensive property damage.

Here are some tips to help you survive thunderstorm season:

• If you are outdoors when a severe thunderstorm warning is given, or if you see lightning as a storm approaches, either get into a car with a roof or a sturdy building. While it is tempting to shelter under a tree to stay dry, that’s not safe. Lightning often strikes the tallest object around.
• When indoors during a thunderstorm, don’t run water or use a landline phone. Lightning’s electricity can travel through phone lines and plumbing.
• Unplug computers and other appliances to keep them safe from an electric surge.
• If you are in a car during a thunderstorm, avoid flooded roads. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock you off your feet if you try to wade in it. A foot of floodwater can sweep your car away.
• If a tornado warning is issued during a thunderstorm, go into the basement or the lowest level of the building, preferably in a room without windows. Stay there until the All Clear is issued.
• When planning outdoor activities, check the FEMA app for real-time alerts from the National Weather Service. Learn about the meaning of alerts and warnings (the URL is not a typo) and sign up for alerts in your local community.

Learn more about thunderstorm, lightning, and hail safety from FEMA,

Remember, it’s great to get out and be part of nature, but Nature isn’t always gentle.

There’s Still Time to Comment on Medical Diagnostic Equipment

Uncle Sam Needs Your Comments!

The US Access Board is a federal agency that ensures access to federally funded facilities for people with disabilities. It creates design criteria for buildings, transit vehicles, information and communication technologies and medical diagnostic equipment in accordance with the ADA.

Recently the Access Board has been working on standards for accessible medical diagnostic equipment on which the patients may lie (supine, prone, or side-lying) or sit. In order for persons in wheelchairs to transfer to these surfaces, the Access Board intends to require a lowest transfer height of 17 inches, and allow intermediate heights up to 25 inches.

There are several ways to submit your comment about this proposed transfer height. You can email docket@access-board.gov (be sure to include docket number ATBCB-2023-0001 in the subject line of your message).

Or you can mail a written message to: Office of Technical and Information Services, U.S. Access Board, 1331 F Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-1111.

Your comments are due by August 31.

Healthinfo Island Displays and Exhibits for August 2023

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this blog post. Click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images. 

If you click each poster, you will get a message with additional information and live links.

** indicates exhibits of particular importance in the ongoing heat wave

Cataracts

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

 

Excessive Digestive Gas

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

 

Self-Management for Chronic Conditions

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

 

**Health in the Heat

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

 

August is National Immunization Awareness Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

 

Phantom Limb Pain

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

 

Shampoo

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

 

**Eating in the Heat (includes recipe notecards!)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

 

Thanks to Mook for assistance with the posters this month.

Accessibility Features at US Airports

Both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) require specific assistance be provided at American airports for persons with disabilities. The Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights describes the fundamental rights of air travelers. These rights apply to all flights of all US airlines, and to flights originating at or ending in the US by foreign airlines. Here’s how to access that assistance.

First, when you make your reservations early, advise the airlines of the type of assistance you will need. Will you need someone to guide you to the gate, or someone to push your manual wheelchair, or will you be using your power wheelchair which must be gate-checked? Remember to call and confirm your accessibility needs before you leave for the airport.

When you arrive at the airport, identify yourself to an airline staff member as a person with a disability who has pre-booked specific assistance. You should be provided assistive services that address your needs. If you are traveling with your motorized wheelchair, be aware that each airline has its own procedures for storage of such wheelchairs and wet-cell batteries.

To express your gratitude for assistance, it is polite to tip the airport accessibility assistant. They are often low-paid workers and a small tip is usually appreciated. Their job is usually considered a tip-wage position by their employer, which allows them to be paid below the minimum wage.

Some of the rights passengers with disabilities have, in addition to assistance through the airport check-in and boarding process, include accessible airport facilities, priority aircraft boarding, assistance in getting to the onboard lavatory, and the right to travel with assistive devices and service dogs. Airline staff must have had training on how to properly assist a person with a disability.

What if you’re not disabled, but would find the long hike between check-in and boarding too strenuous? Can you request wheelchair assistance? Yes, you can, but the airlines may choose to transport you on a cart instead of in a wheelchair.

Have a safe trip and remember to book your accessibility needs well in advance of departure.

July 26 is ADA33 Day

Thirty-three years ago on July 26, 1990, President George Herbert Walker Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law.

President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act

This historic document not only guarantees the rights of Americans with disabilities, but it also serves as a model for disability civil rights legislation in nations around the globe. There are five sections, or Titles, in the law,

Title I of the ADA legislation protects persons with disabilities in the employment practices of private employers with 15 or more employees, state and local governments, employment agencies, labor unions, among other employers. Title II offers protection in the programs and activities of state and local government. Title III applies to private entities that are considered places of public accommodation. Title IV requires telecommunications companies (phone and internet) to provide relay services for hearing and speech impaired individuals. It also requires closed captioning of federally funded public service announcements. Title V contains miscellaneous provisions addressing, for example, the impact on insurance providers and a probation against coercion and retaliation. Title V also lists certain conditions that are not considered as disabilities.

What can you do to celebrate ADA33 Day. First, and perhaps most important, learn about the rights and responsibilities set forth in this document. A good overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act is here: https://adata.org/factsheet/ADA-overview.

The ADA National Network has provided a Toolkit for ADA33 Day. It includes tweets and other ways to share the anniversary with your social media contacts. Find the ADA33 Toolkit here: https://adaanniversary.org/.

Healthinfo Island Displays and Exhibits for July 2023

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this blog post. Click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images. 

If you click each poster, you will get a message with additional information and live links.

Central Pavilion of Healthinfo Island

Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

Garlic & Health

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

West Nile Virus

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

Fungus Among Us

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

Alpha-1

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

Why You Should Read More!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

Norovirus (“Stomach Flu”)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

Opioid Use Disorder

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

Intertrigo

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

Thanks to Mook for assistance with the posters this month.

Migraines

By Virtual Ability member Sorrell Fang

Where did it begin? 

I had two head injuries in my life. Both right between the eyes. 

One was a kid throwing rocks and managed to hit me. 

The second one was when helping a friend clear out his basement. I hit my head on a low hanging pipe. Shortly after the 2nd injury, I started having migraines. 

They were every once in a while and not debilitating at first. 

Then I got Lyme Disease, and the migraines started increasing and they were the kind where I started vomiting, got dizzy, and lay in bed in the dark. At times, I was so sick, I had to go to the ER. 

I actually ended up in the ER several times a year. On some days, I missed work or family events.

Meds & Triggers 

I have taken practically every med for migraines out there. I'm not good with the idea of all the needles the doc was discussing. I've taken the ones that knock you out so you don't feel the pain. Of course, you can't work under those conditions. 

I ended up with 3 go-to meds. Fiorcet for onset. If hours later, the migraine was still going strong, I used Zomig. In addition, I took Zofran for nausea. All this was to keep me out of the Emergency Room. If it grew worse, I would lay on my bed in the dark with my ice pack on my head. 

There are tons of triggers. People have different ones. I will share mine.

1. Loud noises  (I am hearing challenged with 20% hearing but loud noises go through my head like lightning. Not fun)
2. Bright light
3. Chemical smells
4. Snow storm or rain storms 
5. Too much stress
6. Xylitol

If I get very sick from something else where I get dehydrated, a migraine usually followed. 

For some people, triggers are different foods. For me, an artificial sweetener called Xylitol (which is in gum, toothpaste, and lots of things now) took me by surprise and its effects were fast. I was incapacitated in 20-30 minutes. Once we knew was it was, I would read every label to avoid it.

Changes mean Change

When I got breast cancer, all my meds and supplements were evaluated by my oncologist to make sure they would not conflict with my chemotherapy. It didn't. But my body went through more changes during that year. (I ended up retiring early due to my almost constant illness.)

My migraines became more intense. When I was in the hospital, the nurses got used to getting me an ice pack for my head even when I was hooked up to IV chemotherapy.  I also got Fiorcet or Zomig and Zofran as needed. They found that even Benadryl helped a little.

I can't tell you whether it was the chemo or the cancer that increased my migraines to 20 a month. Now that was even using my standbys. On some days they didn't work at all and I was in the dark with an ice pack again. 

After a year, I was told I was cancer clear but need to take a chemo pill to prevent recurrence.  At 20 a month, that was concerning to my neurologist.

Maximum then Minimum State 

My neurologist referred me to a migraine specialist. Sadly, she didn't inspire a lot of confidence in either me or my husband in talking about Botox and all the needles. Then she couldn't take my blood pressure, since it seemed all the cuffs in her office were not working, finally she got a high reading from me. She was all distraught and was sending me to the ER, but she didn't have the time to call them which meant I would be waiting for hours. 

As we were leaving, my husband called my general practitioner who has known me for years and told him what happened. He said, "Don't go to the ER. Go to the drug store. I will have a prescription waiting for you. Go home, take it and rest. Then take your blood pressure."

Shout outs to all the super smart General Practitioner Docs! He prescribed Norvasc which is a blood pressure med with an unusual side effect for 10% of those in their study group who are migraine sufferers. 

Migraines went from 20 a month to 4. However, I could no longer use my migraine meds with it.  Since most of my migraines are waking onset, I take my blood pressure pill in the morning. The migraine clears in about a half hour. If not, I take a Tylenol, which helps bounce it out. I have also taken Benadryl. On the worst 2-day one recently, I wore an ice pack too. 

Not everyone can take the same meds that I do or have the same result. I encourage you to go on this journey with your doctor. Please, do not take my story as medical advice. Seeing your doctor is best and don't give up. Keeping a migraine diary jotting down migraine onset and gone times and food, weather, anything that was happening when the migraine came on, will help your doctor help you.

Wishing you all the best and good health!

(PS from Gentle Heron - June is National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. Check out the poster display on Healthinfo Island: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22)

Healthinfo Island Displays and Exhibits for June 2023

There are numerous special health-related months and weeks and days designated during June. Every exhibit and display this month is dedicated to one of these important topics.

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this post. Click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images.

If you click each poster, you will get a message with additional information and live links.

Central Pavilion of Healthinfo Island

Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

June is National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

Ultra-Processed Foods

*June is Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

June is National Safety Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

June is National Cataract Awareness Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

June is National Aphasia Awareness Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

You've Been Diagnosed with BPH!

*June is Men's Health Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

National Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

Scoliosis

*June is Scoliosis Awareness Month

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

 

Thanks to Mook for assistance with the posters this month.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month – Can you pass this quiz?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Surely, you’ve read an article about it, or attended Virtual Ability’s Mental Health Symposium. We hope you checked out the poster displays on Healthinfo Island. There have been lots of opportunities to learn the facts about mental health.

Are you ready to test your knowledge? Here’s a short true-false quiz. Try to answer all of them before looking up the answers!

1. Everyone gets depressed from time to time. Depression isn’t a real mental health condition. True or False?
   
   
2. Mental health diagnoses are common. True or False?
   
   
3. Mental health conditions are not really illnesses. True or False?
   
   
4. People with mental health conditions could just “snap out of it” if they really tried. True or False?
   
   
5. Someone with a mental health condition most likely brought it on themself. True or False?
   
   
6. If you have a mental health condition, you shouldn’t be employed. True or False?
   
   
7. People with mental health conditions are no more likely to be violent or dangerous to others than are people without mental health conditions. True or False?
   
   
8. Counseling helps people with mental health conditions, so nobody needs to be medicated. True or False?

Scroll down to find the answers.

Keep going...



































A little more...

Answers

1. False. There is a difference between ordinary depression and clinical depression. Temporary mild sadness about something is not uncommon, and soon passes. Clinical depression is a serious condition that interferes with everyday activities and relationships. It is described as a mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
   
   
2. True. Mental health conditions are common worldwide and are nothing to be ashamed of. About one in five US adults and one in six children have some kind of mental health problem. Not all are serious, though, and the severity of each condition falls along a spectrum. Approximately one in twenty US adults has a serious mental health condition.
   
   
3. False. Mental illness is identified by its symptoms and causes. It is as real as any other kind of illness or disease. Diagnosis with a mental illness is helpful, because it is the key to access to appropriate care.
   
   
4. False. Stigmatization of mental illness is unfortunately common. This misbelief is harmful to persons with mental illness, because it blames the person for not getting better. Medical issues need medical treatment. Some symptoms can’t be easily controlled, however, even when the person is compliant with recommended treatment.
   
   
5. False. Mental health problems are complex, usually caused by an interactive combination of genetics, environmental factors, and life event triggers such as trauma. People are individuals, with different capabilities for dealing with these potential causes. But mental illness is never a “fault” of the person dealing with it.
   
   
6. False. Although underemployment of persons with mental illness is common, individuals living with mental illness can enter or return to the workplace. They can be as productive as any other employee; employers are legally required to provide appropriate accommodations for their needs. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides employment modification suggestions for employers and employees.
   
   
7. True. Despite what is reported in the media, most people with mental illness are no more dangerous to others than are those without mental illness. In fact, a person dealing with mental illness is ten times more likely to be a victim of violence or abuse than are others.
   
   
8. False. While it is true that counseling or psychotherapy is a cost-effective and long-lasting treatment method that helps many people with common types of mental illness, some conditions need to be addressed through hospitalization and medication. Every condition and every individual is different and requires individualized treatment plans.

Healthinfo Island Displays and Exhibits for May 2023

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Read more about the special celebration here: https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month.

NOTE: All the poster sets on Healthinfo Island this month support Virtual Ability's annual Mental Health Symposium on Friday, May 12. For information on the Symposium: https://virtualability.org/mental-health-symposia/mental-health-symposium-2023/.

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this blog entry. Click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images.

If you click each poster, you will get a message with additional information and live links.

Central Pavilion of Healthinfo Island

Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

Loneliness, Social Isolation & Mental Health

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

Counteracting Loneliness

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

Music and Mental Health

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

Minority Mental Health Equity

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

Tips for Maintaining Mental Health

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

Boost Your Resilience

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

Stress Awareness

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

How to Get Mental Health Help

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

 

Thanks to Mook for assistance with the posters this month.

Mental Health Symposium 2023 Schedule of Events (cont.)

 Virtual Ability Presents

the 12th Annual Mental Health Symposium

“Self-Identity and Mental Health”

Friday, May 12, 2023

Sojourner Auditorium,

Virtual Ability Island

In Second Life

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/53/172/23

Mental Health Symposium 2023 Schedule of Events (cont.)

All times are in SLT/PDT.

Start Time: 9:00 am
Presenter: Dr. Kate Cooper

Institution: University of Bath

Presenter Biography: Dr. Kate Cooper is a clinical psychologist and researcher from the University of Bath in the UK. Kate’s work focuses on understanding social identity and gender identity in autistic people to promote psychological wellbeing.

Title of Talk: Autism social identity and well-being

Abstract: This presentation will start by looking at different ways to understand identity. It will focus on research about identity in autistic people and how social identity processes can support psychological wellbeing.

Start Time: 10:00 am
Presenter: Dr. Fred Berlin

Institution: Johns Hopkins

Presenter Biography: Fred S. Berlin, M.D., Ph.D. is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an Attending Physician at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is the Director of the National Institute for the Study, Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Trauma and the Director of The Johns Hopkins Sex and Gender Clinic. Dr. Berlin has given addresses at the White House, the US Senate, and the European Parliament, and frequently testifies as an expert witness in addition to his numerous publications.

Title of Talk: Transgender Persons (Gender Dysphoria)

Abstract: The presentation will describe the nature of gender dysphoria (sometimes called gender incongruence), and what is known about its etiology. It will review historical and cross cultural examples of transgender persons and communities. It will discuss whether transgender persons should be permitted to participate in athletic events in keeping with their personal sense of gender identity, and it will address the question of what is a man and what is a woman. It will briefly discuss hormonal, surgical, and mental health supports available for transgender (and non-binary) adults and children.

Start Time: 11:00 am
Presenter: Dr. Bonnie Vest and Dr. Rachel Hoopsick

Institution:     University at Buffalo,
                        University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Presenter Biography: Dr. Bonnie M. Vest is a Research Associate Professor in the Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, at the University at Buffalo. She is a medical anthropologist and her research focuses on the complex relationships between identity, substance use, mental health, and social-environmental factors that impact healthcare utilization and overall well-being of military populations, using qualitative and mixed-methods approaches.

Dr. Rachel Hoopsick (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She uses epidemiologic methods and a socioecological lens to understand risk and resilience for problems with substance use and mental health among populations with high-stress occupations and life circumstances. Her research has primarily focused on military populations (including veterans, active duty service members, reservists, and military-connected families), with a particular focus on never-deployed service members and veterans – a population at increased risk for problems with substance use, mental health, and barriers to healthcare services, yet remains understudied.

Title of Talk: Military Identity and Service Expectations among Reservists: Associations with Mental Health and Substance Use

Abstract: Operation: SAFETY is an ongoing longitudinal study (PI: G. Homish) that examines the health and well-being of US Reserve and National Guard soldiers and their spouses. In this presentation, we will share insights into how military identity and military service expectations play into mental health and substance use outcomes among reservists. Specifically, we will discuss relationships between negative emotions related to not deploying and veteran identity centrality on substance use and mental health, as well as the intersections between them.

Start Time: 12:00 pm
Presenter: Wonkyung Jung, PhD, RN

Institution: Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

Presenter Biography: Wonkyung Jung is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the RESILIENCE Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. Her research interests focus on healthy aging and social integration among people with disabilities.

Title of Talk: Social Integration and Resilience

Abstract: We will talk about the concept of social integration and introduce the Resilience Center at the RESILIENCE Center in the School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University.  The RESILIENCE Center funds several research projects for intervention development and dissemination. Among the projects, we will introduce “CAPABLE Family” and “Designed With You.”  “CAPABLE Family” is to adapt the original CAPABLE study for older adults with mild cognitive impairment and early-stage dementia and their family members. “Designed With You” is aimed to identify the needs of caregivers with disabilities and develop tailored interventions using human-centered design.