A few weeks ago I watched a virtual screening of The Color of Care, a documentary highlighting the disparate and inequitable care received by Black and Brown individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the movie, Executive Producer Oprah Winfrey opined that one of the primary issues with healthcare is the “empathy gap”. Upon hearing the
*This article was originally published on 9/3/2017 and was updated on 1/29/2022 When I became a caregiver to my dad, I quickly realized that I was not going to be able to keep all of his medical information in my head. After years of packing my brain with medical facts, I began to feel I
(updated 8/7/20) My rising junior moves into her off-campus apartment in 2 weeks. I have been reflecting on her first move-in day two years ago. Like most freshmen parents, we had spent a lot of time shopping for twin XL sheets, storage bins, a micro-fridge, and various other items to furnish her room away from
My dad had vascular dementia. It took a LOT of doctor’s appointments to arrive at this conclusion. It was the result of damage to his brain caused by poor blood flow. Unlike a stroke, which is typically sudden and caused by either a blockage or a large bleed within blood vessels of the brain, the
My dad was hospitalized several times while my sisters and I helped to care for him. They were usually brief hospital stays of 2-3 days. No matter how long he stayed or where he was hospitalized, there was always one common element—miscommunication. Inevitably, there would be a mix-up regarding his medications or misinformation about his
*Please note that this article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. You should always use your best judgment and the advice of your personal physician or another licensed healthcare professional when deciding when and where to seek medical care.* Years ago, there were very few options for
When my sisters and I began caring for our dad several years ago, our lives were turned upside down. We took turns checking on him after work, fighting rush hour traffic to get to his home to spend a little quality time with him. We also had to make sure he was eating and taking
*Note: To watch Episode #10 of “Navigator Nuggets”, my weekly Facebook Live show (Mondays 8pm ET) where we had an informative discussion on this topic, click here. In December 2017, a 75-year-old woman in stable condition recovering from a brain bleed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center died after a nurse committed a
It’s hard to believe, but 2018 is almost a wrap! I know this is the season for holiday celebrations, self-reflection, and goal-setting, but as a professional health advocate, I am always thinking about your health. Here are my top 4 healthcare tips as you prepare for 2019. Many individuals underestimate the value
Restoring humanity in healthcare — one organization, one physician, one community at a time.