- Men's Health, Women's Health, Wellness, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnnapolis resident Doug Jones had been a muscular young man, but just as his doctor had predicted, his weight crept up steadily with age leading to complications such as diabetes and high cholesterol. Doug was at high risk for heart a heart attack until weight loss surgery helped him regain control of his health. I went from 160 pounds to 388 pounds, and I was absolutely out of breath. Absolutely tired. I would think how far do I have to walk? Can I take a car to go two blocks? That sort of thing. My feet hurt. My ankles hurt. And then they had a thing on 60 minutes a report on the benefits of weight loss surgery for diabetics and after I saw it, I said, we ought to look into that because it sounds like it’s perfect for me. The day I got out of the hospital I never had another problem with diabetes and every day I would lose an average of two to three pounds. My cholesterol is better than it’s ever been. I guess the best way to say it is: I have 13 grandchildren and before I had this operation, I didn’t know how long I’d be around with them or how much I could enjoy them. Since I’ve had the operation I’ve felt like I cheated because I’ve tried to go on every diet there was. This went so easily that I literally feel like I’m cheating. I feel like a million dollars, and I think I look like I feel. There are no ifs, ands, or buts! If you want to know would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Watch the full video of Doug’s interview on our YouTube Channel.
- Behavioral Health, News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Center has broken ground on the construction of its mental health hospital. During the groundbreaking ceremony, held Wednesday, June 20, hospital officials also announced the facility will be named the J. Kent McNew Family Medical Center. The McNew family has been connected to AAMC for nearly 50 years. The late Nancy McNew was an AAMC nurse from 1970 to 2006, first as a cardiac care nurse and then as the first nurse leader of Infection Control. Kent McNew served on the AAMC Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2012. To commemorate the groundbreaking, longtime supporters of the project, including Congressman John Sarbanes, Congressman Anthony Brown, Maryland Secretary of Health Robert Neall, Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch, Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh, and the offices of Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, joined AAMC President and CEO Victoria Bayless and Board of Trustees Chair Gary Jobson. READ MORE: CEO Message: Mental health hospital approved The J. Kent McNew Family Medical Center will be located on Riva Road next to Pathways, AAMC’s substance use and co-occurring disorder treatment facility. It is scheduled to open in summer 2020. The 16-bed facility will double Anne Arundel County’s inventory of mental health beds and serve up to 900 patients a year who would otherwise be transferred out of the area. When complete, the campus will provide: Inpatient mental health care A psychiatric partial hospitalization program Intensive outpatient programs Residential and outpatient substance use services Referral and care coordination to community-based treatment and support services AAMC currently provides many of these services in locations throughout the county. Offering a full spectrum of services at one location will allow for coordinated care and improved patient outcomes.
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLately, it seems like everything that comes on the news is plagued with disaster and acts of violence. And on June 28, the violence hit our backyard when a gunman entered the Capital Gazette newsroom with a shotgun, killing five people and injuring two. Many struggle with what to say or what to do, while others struggle to bounce back and feel a sense of safety and normalcy. This is true for many adults, but it also applies to children. Vulnerable by nature, kids can respond to traumatic events in many ways. Some can seem more withdrawn and quiet, while others may have a delayed reaction and demonstrate a change in their behavior weeks or months later. Many will feel confused, afraid, worried and develop an aggravated sense of being in danger. Children will turn to adults for more information and help to understand what it means. When it comes to children and violence in the news, it is important for you as a parent or guardian to keep communicating with them and reassure them that they are safe. Discussion helps validate a child’s feelings and comforts them during a period of confusion and fear. Here are a few tips for talking to kids after a traumatic event: Allow them to express their feelings. Give them the opportunity to express their emotions through talking, writing, drawing or whatever creative method they feel most comfortable. Acknowledge their feelings and let them know it’s normal to feel sad or upset. But most importantly, listen to them. There is no need to pressure them to talk or get involved. Give them space and pay close attention for signs of distress. Be patient. Let them discuss other fears and concerns about unrelated issues. Children and youth do not always talk about their feelings and fears willingly. Keep an eye on clues that suggest they have something they want to talk to you about, like hovering around while you are doing something. If they are hovering more than normal, ask how they are doing. They may respond to knowing you care. Keep your explanations age-appropriate. Use their questions as your guide as to how much information you need to give them. Early elementary school: Young children need short, simple information that should reassure them and their safety. Late elementary and early middle school: Children will be more open to asking questions about whether they are safe. It is likely they may need your help separating reality from the “what ifs”. Late middle school and early high school: Adolescents will feel strongly about the causes of violence in society and will express their own opinions. They will share specific suggestions about how to make their environment safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. Talk to them about what they can do to become responsible citizens, for example: not providing building access to strangers, reporting strange activity, reporting threats, how to respond to an active shooter, etc. Keep it simple. Be basic and answer questions in a way they can understand. Avoid giving graphic details about tragic circumstances. Monitor TV and social media consumption. Try to watch the news with them. You may wish to limit their access so they have time away from reminders that trigger them reliving a traumatic experience. Don’t use labels. Be careful with blaming any particular cultural or ethnic group. Let children know that they are not to blame when bad things happen. Many influential speakers will attempt to scapegoat when it helps their agenda. This can obscure a child’s sense of safety for decades. Help them see the good. Help children identify good things, such as heroic actions, families who get together to share support and the assistance offered by others. Keep a normal routine. Keeping a regular schedule can be encouraging and promote physical health. Especially self-care routines, like preparing and eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and exercising. Some children may require more active interventions, such as family counseling, if they were more directly affected by a traumatic experience. Be careful not to over-shield children. Everyone is bound to hear or see something that might be disappointing. Pretending that something didn’t happen or doesn’t exist can only make things worse. The best thing parents and guardians can do is to continue to support children, communicate with them and help them through challenges with love and kindness. Remind them that tragedy is not the norm and encourage them to be the best version of themselves by being forgiving and compassionate with others. When we care and look after each other as humans, we are bound to create more good than bad. Author Daniel Watkins is the nursing manager at Pathways, Anne Arundel Medical Center’s substance and mental health treatment facility. He can be reached at 410-573-5434. Ask questions, find resources and learn more at askAAMC.org/HealthyMinds.
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs a mom, I am always thinking of the many things I have learned from my experiences. As a psychiatric nurse, I am thinking of how to promote the mental health of our children and help them grow into compassionate, social and competent adults. One thing I have come to understand as an adult is how powerful and essential it is to give our children words to use to identify feelings. You may have seen the charts that have 20 or so feelings and faces that go with them. That’s great for older kids but overwhelming to little ones. For me, it boils down to these five emotions: mad, glad, sad, lonely and scared. I found that my daughter and I communicated more easily when something difficult was going on if she could identify the feelings. Mad (angry): When a child is mad, if they can use their words, that is great! We as parents can help them know what is appropriate depending on their age. For a younger child, learning to use words instead of biting, scratching or hitting another person is crucial. One of my favorite things was to ask my daughter to draw about it. We know that coloring is almost meditative. Another tactic is to encourage physically letting out that energy through sports, running, hitting a pillow, etc. One of my personal favorites is to have a screaming minute in the car with windows rolled up to get out that anger in a safe way. Glad (happy): If a happy moment comes, no matter how small, help your child celebrate that feeling. You can then help them call upon that memory when it is needed. For example, “Nick, do you remember when you had that great soccer game last month and how good you felt? I know you can do this science project and feel as good about yourself!” Sad: This is a hard one. Children all feel sad once in a while, it comes with being human. If your child is sad for long periods of time, talks about hurting or killing him/herself, or does a self-harming action, it is time to seek professional help. Contact your pediatrician, call a mental health professional and get the needed support. If it’s urgent, call 911 or take your child to the nearest emergency room. Depression is bigger than just being sad. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Lonely: This is another hard experience that children have. Peers, siblings and family are so important to them. If there is a fight with a best friend, they can feel terrible. You know your child best. If there is a time when your child has no friends, does not like going to school, etc., it would be good to investigate further. A real possibility that we know occurs is bullying. If that is happening, help your child by making it easy to be around other kids who have similar interests. Pets can also help with loneliness. Scared: As an example, I’ll share a personal story. My daughter was 7 years old and in a new school when 9/11 happened. The school immediately cancelled classes and went into day care mode. She knew something was wrong as the parade of the other children were picked up. Finally, she and another boy were the only ones left with their teacher. When I could finally leave the hospital and pick her up, she hugged me and cried, telling me how scared she was because she did not know what was happening. We talked a lot about it that evening and for many months. When a child is scared, they need information and reassurance. With all of the upsetting news, it is good to help your child process the things they are hearing about at school, from other people and from the news. Understanding your child’s feelings is so important. You are their first and best teacher. You can give them the foundation they need as they grow and learn about life. There are so many good resources on the internet for parents. The mental health of our children is one of our best resources for a positive world. Author Jo Deaton is the senior director of nursing for Mental Health at Anne Arundel Medical Center. She can be reached at 410-573-5454. Ask questions, find resources and learn more at askAAMC.org/HealthyMinds.
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogChildren with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have a difficult time in school. If your child with ADHD is having trouble at school, Jennifer Williams (Walton), MA, LPC, LCPC, a mental health professional at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists, offers some important tips. “Children with ADHD respond well to having a structured daily schedule. Make sure that your child’s day has a large amount of clearly defined structured time to prevent them from making impulsive decisions that will lead to negative actions. Children will feel more comfortable if they know exactly what is happening during the day, and when it will happen,” Williams says. School Rules Make sure your child is seated in the front row, close to the teacher, and not next to a window or in the back of the room where distractions abound. Children with ADHD need their teachers’ and parents’ help de-cluttering their school backpack, which lessens the confusion and frustration when looking for homework that needs to be completed or turned in. Along with your child’s teacher, take a proactive stance to break large assignments into smaller parts. Big projects can frustrate kids with ADHD. Home Sweet Home With school presenting its own challenges, it’s time to reinforce steps that make for a calmer home life. For example, Williams stresses the positive effects of a goal or reward chart. Immediate rewards for smaller goals might include extra video game time or a favorite snack. Larger rewards for bigger accomplishments can include an outing to your child’s favorite park. A Helping Hand If it feels like your child is struggling more than usual with distraction, impulse and hyperactivity, it may be time to seek additional medical help. For children 6 years of age and older, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends behavior therapy with medication. While your pediatrician can prescribe medication, behavioral therapy for children can be hard to find. Your pediatrician may be able to help. If your pediatrician tried one or two ADHD medications but results are not as hoped, that points to a more complex case that calls for a psychiatric provider. This is particularly important if your child is dealing with ADHD plus other issues, and these cases are typically beyond the pediatrician’s expertise. Ask questions, find resources and learn more at askAAMC.org/HealthyMinds. 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 Sept. 15, 2016. Last updated May 14, 2018. Save
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