- Senior CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBeing a caregiver is an important and demanding job. As the level of care your loved one needs increases, it may be time to consider whether a nursing home is the next logical step. “Each situation is unique,” says AAMC Associate Chair of Medicine Jeanette Abell, MD. “It depends a lot on the person, family, overall condition and symptoms. In general, it might be time if there are home safety issues, problems with falling or needs beyond what the caregiver can provide.” It may also be time to consider a nursing home or extra support if you are experiencing burnout as a caregiver. Caregiver burnout can include feelings of frustration or anxiety, physical illness or negative impacts on your other relationships. “These situations are never easy. One of the most important things is letting caregivers know that it’s OK to ask for help,” says Dr. Abell. It’s normal to feel stressed, guilty or anxious. It’s important to get appropriate support for what you need. You can’t continue to be a caregiver if you are not healthy yourself. If it doesn’t seem like quite the right time to move your loved one to care outside the home, Dr. Abell notes that there are several options to consider. She suggests adding support in “layers.” These could include making sure your house is safe, having someone to go grocery shopping or cook meals, or putting in place an alert system to notify the right people if your loved one falls. There are also adult daycare facilities, where older adults can go during the day for socialization, recreation, meals, and occupational or physical therapy. When possible, Dr. Abell suggests discussing your loved one’s wishes ahead of time. Have a conversation with your loved one and write down who should make healthcare decisions when he or she is unable to do so. Additionally, you may want to research and visit care facilities in your area, so you are prepared before a crisis strikes. “There is a real disconnect in the importance of these conversations and who is actually having them,” says Dr. Abell. “That’s why it’s important to have these conversations before a crisis. I like to refer to them as ‘kitchen table conversations.’” Author Jeanette Abell, MD, is the AAMC Associate Chair of Medicine. Originally published Dec. 5, 2016. Last updated Sept. 30, 2019.0
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs access to electronics continues to grow among teens and preteens, there’s a disturbing trend that some have dubbed the “hate virus”: cyberbullying. “Cyber bullying is very dangerous because it often occurs in silence. Many times kids are cyber bullied starting at a young age and it can go on for years without parents being aware of the torment that their child is going through,” says Jennifer Williams (Walton), MA, LPC, LCPC, a mental health professional at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists. “It is extremely important for parents to be aware of their child’s online activities, including who they are speaking to, where they met these people, and do they know them in real life. “Parents should consistently check in with children regarding online activities to make sure they are safe, and to allow children an opportunity to share with them information about what is happening in their cyber world and if anything or anyone is causing them to feel depressed or anxious,” she says. “This is an epidemic,” concurs Doyle Batten, supervisor of school security for Anne Arundel County Schools. Doyle says that around-the-clock online access means victims can’t escape their tormentors after school, and that nearly all of the physical confrontations he sees at school can be traced to online interactions. “From a mental health standpoint and from a violence-prevention standpoint this is the most urgent thing I’ve seen.” Parents and guardians are the most important safeguards against cyberbullying fallout. That means being equipped to step in well before teasing, taunts or intimidation create a life-threatening problem. Here are some ways to keep on top of potential problems: How to help your child avoid cyberbullying • Awareness and access: As adolescents have near-universal online access, it may be more realistic to monitor their online use rather than to deny access. Be aware of the social media sites your child uses, and make sure you have passwords to accounts and devices. • Communicate: Have regular, open-ended conversations about online activities with your child, and discuss responsible online behavior, such as never sharing personal information and that what you post may stick around forever. • Encourage reporting: Young people should feel safe talking about cyberbullying, whether they are being victimized or someone they know is. Explain to younger children that reporting cyberbullying isn’t tattling. • Know the signs: A sudden drop in grades, frequent illness, withdrawing from friends or school activities, sleep and appetite changes, and extreme irritability are all warning signs that something is wrong. It could be cyberbullying. What to do if your child is a victim of cyberbullying • Listen: Some mean or hurtful attacks may not seem serious to an adult, but they can be very serious to a young person. Victims need to feel heard. • Question: Without judging, ask open-ended questions to understand the underlying cause. • Report: Contact a teacher, school counselor and/or administrator. If the bullying involves physical threats or is sexual in nature, it should be reported to the police. • Understand the law: Cyberbullying doesn’t always rise to the level of a crime. If you think it may, talk to the police or a school safety officer for guidance. In cases of sexually suggestive or explicit materials, kids and parents need to understand that both the bully and the victim may be implicated in a crime if the victim is a minor and willingly took or distributed explicit photos of himself or herself. • Seek help: Bullying can pose a serious threat to physical and mental health. Your child may need professional help developing coping mechanisms, social skills, assertiveness, or friendship skills to prevent and guard against cyberbullying. What to do if your child is the cyberbully • Teach empathy: Some bullies think it’s funny to tease or hurt someone online. In some cases they simply don’t realize the impact of their activity and need to be taught to empathy. • Seek help: Sometimes children bully because of low self-esteem or because they are being bullied. If your child is bullying as a way to cope with his or her own emotions, seek the help of a mental health professional. • Teach consequences: Parents need to stress that bullies may lose their phones or online accounts. They may face legal charges. If their bullying behavior is sexual in nature it can lead to the bully being registered as a sex offender. RESOURCES AAMG Mental Health Specialists AAMC’s outpatient mental health clinic on Riva Road offers mental health services, including a counseling group for kids from 12 to 17 to discuss issues such as bullying self-esteem, body image, family dynamics, school stress and more. 410-573-9000 Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency Warmline 24/7 information, assistance and referrals 410-768-5522 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Student Safety Hotline 877-676-9854 AACo PD Speak Out App Allows anyone to discretely contact Anne Arundel County school police officers http://aacopdspeakout.myapp.name Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline 800-422-0009 Author Jennifer Williams (Walton), MA, LPC, LCPC, is a mental health professional at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists, located in Annapolis. To reach her, call 410-573-9000. Originally published Nov. 13, 2015. Last updated Sept. 30, 2019.0
- Employee SpotlightGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOn a cold December morning, Lori Freedman, Medicare billing systems and audit coordinator, was on her way to work. As Lori pulled into her office parking lot, she saw an elderly woman standing next to a parked car who seemed nervous. Concerned, Lori approached her. “It took her a few minutes to explain what had happened, but she thought she had been involved in an accident,” Lori explains, adding that she recalls the road being icy that morning. “She probably narrowly missed the accident but the entire situation had upset her.” The woman insisted on waiting outside for her husband to pick her up. “I let her borrow my phone because we couldn’t figure out how to use hers,” Lori says. “After she called her husband, I offered her to come inside because it was cold, but she was still very upset by what had happened and wanted to wait until her husband came for her.” Half an hour went by and Lori couldn’t stop thinking about the woman. She told her manager what happened before heading outside to check on her. “I didn’t feel comfortable not knowing what had happened and whether her husband found her or not,” Lori says. The woman was still standing outside waiting for her husband. Lori decided to wait with her. “We talked probably for 20 minutes,” she says. “She told me she was from Germany, and she met her husband during World War II before they got married and moved to the United States. She was an amazing person and I could have listened to her all morning.” More time passed and the woman’s husband had not arrived. Lori was able to convince the woman to let her drive her home. Upon their arrival, the woman’s husband was relieved to see his wife safe and sound. “He was frantic because he didn’t know how to find her,” Lori explains. “They were worried about each other and it was so nice to get them together.” A few days later, the woman came back to the office to deliver a big tray of cookies as a thank you for Lori’s act of kindness. “We are all here to help people and our community,” says Lori. “My manager understood what was happening and I was glad I could help her. That’s why I love working here, because who I am as a person aligns with the organization’s mission and culture.” Lori, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania, moved to the Eastern Shore years ago. Once she had raised her children, she was ready to go back to work. And coming from a healthcare background, working at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) seemed like a perfect fit. Eleven years later, she says she knows she made the right choice. “I started in patient Financial Services in 2008 and I made a jump to Reimbursement for a couple of years before I came back to the department where I started,” she says. “The people who work here and even the projects we’ve chosen and community outreach we do has helped to sustain our culture.” Lori, who has won two Champion Awards, says that her colleagues and the people she gets to work with every day are what have kept her at AAMC for so long. “I left this department and came right back voluntarily,” she says. “I love the people I work with and I love the leadership we have. More than anything, I think my job is fun. All of those factors are important to me.” Pro tip: “At the heart of it, you truly have to love what you do, the people you work with and who you’re serving.” If you know a great individual or a fantastic team going above and beyond to make a difference, make sure to let us know! Looking for a career in health care? We invite you to join a diverse and collaborative team of professionals working together to innovate the future of health care for our entire region. Check out our career opportunities.0
- Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWomen are more likely to experience bladder control problems, also known as urinary incontinence. Many women think that accidental leakage is a normal part of aging. While incontinence is common, it is not normal. The good news is there are many options for help, and most women who get treatment see their symptoms improve. Here are a few treatment and self-help options to help you manage incontinence. Maintain a healthy weight and diet. Carrying extra weight adds stress to your pelvic floor and impacts function of the nerves and muscles in your genital tract. Also, find a healthy balance of fluid intake to stay hydrated without overdoing it. This can reduce your trips to the bathroom. You also want to drink the right kinds of fluids. Beverages like coffee, tea and energy drinks with artificial sweeteners can irritate your bladder and create a sudden urge to ‘go.’ Live an active lifestyle. Fitness plays an important role in managing your incontinence. While high-intensity exercises can increase your risk of incontinence by placing pressure on your pelvic floor, regular physical activity keeps you normal. Kegel exercises, with or without the help of a physical therapist or professional trainer, can also help you better control your pelvic floor muscles and help with leakage. Try physical therapy for the pelvic floor. Pelvic physical therapy can help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and aid in function of the organs that support your pelvic floor. Physical therapy might include pelvic floor contractions for urge control as well as stretching and strengthening exercises to help decrease pain. Therapists can also help you with proper Kegel technique to make sure you are getting the full benefit of the exercise. Talk to your doctor about medication to help control symptoms. There are several medications available to help manage the muscle spasms in your bladder that cause incontinence. Your doctor can help you learn both the risks and benefits of using medication. Talk to your doctor about minimally invasive surgery treatment. If other treatments fail to improve your symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgery to treat incontinence has advanced to include minimally invasive options. Minimally invasive surgery allows for a faster recovery and quick return to daily activities. Most surgical patients leave the hospital less than 24 hours after surgery. Urogynecology is a field of medicine dedicated to the treatment of pelvic floor disorders, including incontinence, in women. Places like Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) Women’s Center for Pelvic Health have urogynecology doctors to help patients of all ages optimize and maintain pelvic wellness. Don’t let incontinence take away from your quality of life. Talk to a urogynecologist about a treatment plan specific to your symptoms. Author Kay Hoskey, MD, is a urogynecologist with AAMC Women’s Center for Pelvic Health. Her office can be reached at 443-481-1199. Originally published Aug. 28, 2017. Last updated Sept. 1, 2025.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) and Doctors Community Health System (DCHS) have combined to form a new health system. AAMC and DCHS announced today that the name of the new, integrated health system is Luminis Health. The new health system will reimagine community care, improving access and population health while expanding services throughout Maryland. “For years, Anne Arundel Medical Center and Doctors Community Health System have shared a dedication to compassionate care, delivered when and where people need it most,” said Victoria Bayless, president/CEO of AAMC and CEO of Luminis Health. “We’re carrying that same commitment into the future as Luminis Health, a health system that is here to embrace progress and awaken a new era in care for our communities.” “We are committed to lighting the way to the highest quality, personalized health care to meet our patients’ needs,” said Gary Jobson, board chair, Luminis Health. “The benefits of combining and creating the new health system include more entry points for coordinated care across the region, improved access to care close to home, enhanced quality and improved health outcomes.” “Luminis Health will serve as a beacon of hope and healing to strengthen our local communities,” said Paul Grenaldo, president of DCHS. “Those important phrases truly represent elements of each organization’s great traditions while looking towards the future as to how we can be of greater service to people throughout Maryland.” After sharing their intent to partner in May, AAMC and DCHS signed a definitive agreement at the end of June and closed July 1, 2019. Luminis Health will launch its new brand in spring 2020, which will include a new logo and visual identity. The full integration is expected to take up to two years. In November, health system officials will host public town hall meetings in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties. To view the town hall schedule and to learn more about Luminis Health, visit LuminisHealth.com. What is the meaning behind the new name? Luminis (pronounced lu·mi·nous) is symbolic of light. It signifies the health system’s commitment to being a beacon of hope and healing for its communities. Light is quite literally energy that you can see — and by joining forces and moving forward as one, AAMC and DCHS are igniting new possibilities for how and where health care is delivered. How did you pick this name? Over the past several months, health system officials have asked for input from community members and internal stakeholders through surveys, research and interviews. Luminis Health was born from that input, but more importantly, all of the research will help define the new health system brand. The new brand will be revealed in spring 2020. Will the name of the hospitals change? Starting Sept. 17, the new health system will be known as Luminis Health. The next step is to determine how the new system name will apply to both hospitals’ existing entity names while respecting the legacies of each. This process will continue to include an enormous amount of research to make sure voices of both AAMC and DCHS stakeholders (i.e., employees, physicians, board members, community members, volunteers, etc.) are heard. How will this affect patients? Right now, access to care will remain the same, without any immediate changes. Patients can continue to see their preferred providers, and insurance coverage and access to patient portals will not change.0
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