Author: Amy Simon, RN, CDCES

January 14, 2026

Are You Considering a GLP-1 for Weight Loss?

What are GLPs? First it is important to understand what GLP medications are and what they do. This will help to decide if you are a candidate for this medication and if you and your medical provider believe they are appropriate for you. It is essential that people who consider using GLP-1 medications for weight loss consult with a healthcare...

Categories General

October 29, 2025

Metformin (Glucophage): A Common Medication for Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes in America is a common diagnosis.  In fact, the prevalence of diabetes in 2018 was 34.2 million Americans, or 10.5% of the population. Of those more than 34 million people, which breaks down to about 1 in 10, 90-95% have Type 2 Diabetes.   In addition 88 million American adults, aged 18 or older have prediabetes, that’s 34.5% of the...

Categories General

August 6, 2025

Summer Sense: Diabetic Care Tips

Summer is a great time of year.  Time to get outside and enjoy parks, walks, swimming, all things in nature, travel for vacation, or whatever you like to do.  For a person with diabetes there should be some thought of what needs to be done to make the person safe and healthy. Safety tips can help. Here are some key...

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June 11, 2025

The Amazing Purple Cat

I got the opportunity to visit The Purple Cat which is based in Youngstown, Ohio. I am blown away by many different types of programs they offer.  Founded to offer day-program and alternatives for adults, The Purple Cat has around 275 clients.  The Purple Cat was founded in 2003 with the goal “to prompt each individual to achieve his or...

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October 2, 2024

Demystify Sugars: Gain an Understanding of Sugars in Your Diet

Understanding sugars in your diet is beneficial.  Especially if you are looking to lose weight, have diabetes, or are just concerned about what type of sugars you put in your body. This article will discuss the different types of sugars and how they are digested within the body. These are the types of sugars that will be discussed: Understanding Sugars...

Categories Everyday Life/General

August 28, 2024

Think Safe: Have Successful Meals, Not Sickness

Modified from August 2019. Summer is all about getting out of the house and enjoying the great outdoors.  Time outside could include picnics, fairs, parties, grilling, and all kinds of fun.  However, being outdoors with food means we need extra care around food safety. Whether you are purchasing, preparing, consuming, or storing food, it is very important to protect yourself...

Categories Community/Everyday Life/General

July 31, 2024

What is the WorkLink at Penn State University all about?

Penn State University has a program called WorkLink. It is an on-campus, non-residential 2-year certificate program. WorkLink is fully integrated. It provides the opportunity for individuals with ID to participate in postsecondary experiences and education opportunities with their peers. This program was founded in 2018. Special education students receive the opportunity to participate in Penn State classes. Participants connect with...

Categories Community/Resources

June 26, 2024

Outdoor Safety in the Summer: Avoid Tickborne Diseases

It’s that time of year when the weather starts to warm up and we start to have outdoor activities.  As we go outside to enjoy the sun so do other living things.  We may not realize the prevalence. According to the Smithsonian Institute “insect /arachnids species have been found to be quite numerous, with calculations of from 3 to 23...

Categories General/Resources

December 20, 2023

RODS Heroes Gives Voice to the Voiceless

An amazing organization helping every child hero get a family. I recently came across an organization called RODS Heroes, which helps hero children with special abilities come home to loving families. This amazing organization described what they do in this heartful paragraph on their website. “RODS Heroes inspires families to answer the call to adopt a child with special abilities...

Categories General

November 29, 2023

A Success Story After Being Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes

Do you remember when you got the diagnosis? Whether it was you or someone you care for, when you hear the word Diabetes you know it will affect many factors in life. When Brooks Shuster was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, he had an A1C of 12. This is the equivalent of an average blood sugar of 298 for the...

Categories Everyday Life/General