Author: Jenifer Baker, RN

November 18, 2020

The Pressure is On for Good Skin Care in the Fight Against Pressure Injuries

November 19th is National Pressure Wound Awareness Day. According to National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP), 2.5 million people develop pressure injuries every year with 60 thousand people dying every year as a direct result of pressure injuries. Not only is there a high cost of life, the financial burden related to pressure injury medical care in 2019 was estimated...

Categories General/Resources

October 7, 2020

Leaf It to the Trees to Bring Us Something Brilliant

With the feeling of fall in the air, thoughts of cooler evenings, campfires and cider, we notice the leaves are beginning to change color.  What better way to enjoy that feeling of fall, than to take a day trip to enjoy the beautiful hues of brilliant reds, fiery orange and golden glowing yellow.  In Pennsylvania we have many spots that...

Categories General

August 12, 2020

Lyme-The Imitator and Quiet Epidemic of the Northeast

Fever, chills, muscle aches-first thought these days…maybe it is COVID-19?  That has been at the forefront of our minds for several months. With the guidelines in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, more and more people are participating in outdoor activities.  But it is important to realize that as we focus on the pandemic, much of the northeastern...

Categories General

June 17, 2020

Liftware-Specialized Utensils

For some, mealtime can mean relying on others to assist with eating. Or, it may bring about frustration while trying to be as independent as possible with meals. Some of the conditions that can affect a person’s ability to manage utensils could include cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s, or physical impairment from a stroke. Liftware is a product that...

Categories General/Technology

May 20, 2020

Dream State in a COVID-19 World

While trying to follow Covid-19 guidelines, it is easy to become frustrated with the uncertainty of when will things get back to normal. And what exactly does “normal” mean in the midst of a pandemic.  If someone told me in January that we would see a blanket shut down of many industries and society, I would have had a hard...

Categories General

January 8, 2020

Bluegrass Music Might Just Be the Cure For Your Winter Blues

Music has always been a passion for me.  As a young child, in West Virginia, I had the opportunity to go to a number of bluegrass festivals.  I always enjoyed the upbeat tempos and the unique sound that came from the intertwining of all the different instruments being played.  That sound comes from mainly stringed instruments including, acoustic guitar, fiddle,...

Categories Community/General

October 16, 2019

Could the Person You Support Benefit from Physical or Occupational Therapy? It’s Not a Far Stretch.

As HCQU staff, we are often times asked to come in and provide insight as to how best to support an individual and their team that may be struggling with medical, behavioral, emotional, and physical complications. These are called Intensive Technical Assists or ITAs. As we try to sleuth our way through medical and psychiatric records along with input from...

Categories General/Resources

October 2, 2019

Music: The Body and Mind Connection

Reach over and flip on the radio….BOOM…it’s a song you remember from your childhood, a song where you played it and then played it 20 more times, a song that takes you to a specific moment in time shared by you and someone special to you.  In an instant you are transported back to that place. Not only does music...

Categories Everyday Life/General/Resources

June 19, 2019

Independence: Trac Fab Maneuvering

Can you put a price on your mobility? What if you were unable to enjoy the beach, or make your way down your favorite nature path, hunt in the woods, or fish right from the banks of the river? For folks with physical disabilities that may rely on alternative methods for mobility, such as wheelchairs, some of these activities can...

Categories Community/Everyday Life/General

April 4, 2019

Lifesteps Transition’s Got Talent…and That’s a Fact!

Imagine performing on the same stage as some of these famous musicians-Eddie Money, the Gin Blossoms, Foghat, Jefferson Starship, the Outlaws and Shooter Jennings.  That’s just what happened for the folks from Lifesteps Transition Program… The Next Step. They hosted their ‘Transition’s Got Talent’ Event on Tuesday, March 19th, 2019 at Jergel’s Rhythm Grill.  It was clear from the kick...

Categories Community/General