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Baylor Gerontology Expert: It's Important for People to Know the Signs of Elder Abuse

Gerontology expert James Ellor, Ph.D., M.Div., professor in Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, said it's important to remind people what elder abuse looks like and how they can respond if they see the signs. Reports of abuse are most often submitted by family members, hospital staff and law enforcement. But churches and other organizations should also be diligent, Ellor said, adding that clergy are considered mandatory reporters in many states. “No one group of caring persons can solve this problem alone; it takes a community of caring lay and professional leaders to even try to start to make a difference,” Ellor said. Elder abuse – intentional or negligent acts by a caregiver or trusted individual – comes in many forms: * neglect or isolation * physical abuse, sexual abuse * exploitation or financial abuse * emotional and psychological abuse * verbal abuse and threats “If signs are noticeable, the next steps will depend on the type of abuse. In most cases, counseling support is critical, but often the need for medical help or legal help is also very important,” Ellor said. Read the linked article to learn more. ... Dr. Ellor works with older adults around issues of mental and spiritual health. He has served on the executive committee of the Midwestern Geriatric Education Center and provided education, counseling and planning for individuals and groups who work with seniors. His research includes work in entrostomal therapy, hunger, the church as service provider, spiritual assessment and intervention techniques with cognitively impaired older adults. Source:

Second Annual SUU Child Behavioral Health Conference

The second annual Southern Utah University Child Behavioral Health Conference is happening this week, May 17-18, 2018. Representing expertise across the field of child and pediatric behavioral health, the invited presenters include Gregory Snyder, Lindsey Ricciardi, Julia Thompson, and Kelsie Hendrickson. Dr. Michelle Grimes, Assistant Professor of Child Clinical Psychology at Southern Utah University and founder of the Child Behavioral Health Conference, wanted to create an opportunity for the professional community by bringing a continuing education event focused on evidence-based behavioral healthcare to southern Utah. “So often, behavioral health providers in rural areas have to invest a significant amount of time and financial resources travelling to conferences to receive continuing education. This ongoing training is necessary to stay current in the field, and also to maintain professional licensure. My goal for the SUU Child Behavioral Health Conference is to match the high quality you would find at a national event, while increasing the accessibility to healthcare providers in our community and surrounding areas.” Last year’s conference focused on common behavioral health disorders of childhood and adolescence. This year the conference will include a variety of topics relevant to adolescents, children, and parenting; broadly focusing on addressing complex cases in an outpatient setting. “We are focusing on complex clinical cases and added a seminar on ethical issues that arise when working with youth. The seminar will emphasize ethics related to adolescents and risk behavior, eating disorders, and trauma.” The conference welcomes all healthcare professionals from psychologists and pediatricians to social workers and treatment center staff. “We have attendees from Idaho, Utah, and Nevada and various behavioral health and medical disciplines are represented. This also serves as a professional development opportunity for students; we are pleased that students from SUU and other universities throughout Utah have registered. We hope to continue to build a regional interdisciplinary focus. We look forward to holding this event annually.” Dr. Grimes is a licensed psychologist with specialized training in clinical child psychology. Her clinical and research interests focus on behavior disorders of childhood, sibling conflict, and pediatric sleep disorders. She is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit her profile. Source:

Ten Types of Food Can Make or Break Your Health

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, eating the right amount of certain types of food can help to reduce deaths from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes in the U.S. by almost half. The researchers at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy identified 10 dietary components closely tied to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes - six of them (nuts and seeds, seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and polyunsaturated fats like soybean or corn oils) will help your health, while four of them (sodium, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages and red meat like steak) will hurt it. So how much of the good stuff should we eat more of? And how much of the bad stuff should we cut out? How should we alter our dietary habits to ensure we lower our risks of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes? Natalie Allen, clinical instructor of dietetics in the biomedical sciences department at Missouri State University, can provide some insight. Allen has a background in clinical, community and sports dietetics, and is the team dietitian for MSU Athletics. She is an expert in this area and is available to speak to media. Click on her icon to arrange an interview. Source:

The Value of a Cure and Do All Americans Benefit from Medical Breakthroughs?

On February 28, 2017 policymakers, health officials, industry representatives and patient advocates were meeting in Washington to discuss the ‘value of a cure’ – the costs, the public health benefits and how America will move forward following the passage of the 21st Century Cures legislation. The Act, which was signed in December promises to accelerate funding for biomedical research while it also loosens regulations governing drugs and medical equipment and devices. Innovations in medical research and technology have produced cures and breakthrough therapies to overcome diseases that were once considered a death sentence. Polio is preventable with a vaccine, HIV is managed with a daily drug regimen, and Hepatitis C now has a cure. But are these breakthroughs reaching all communities? How can we balance the high costs of drug development with affordability? And what can we do to ensure that new cures continue to be developed? This is where Virginia Commonwealth University can help. Our experts are thought leaders and are some of the go-to opinions in this field. Dr. Thomas Roper is a professor and the director of the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering at the VCU School of Engineering. Thomas specializes in efforts to bring engineering and science closer to patients who utilize medicines via novel technologies. Dr. Frank Gupton is a professor and the chair of the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering at the VCU School of Engineering. He leads the school’s Medicines for All project that is striving to reduces costs of treatment for AIDS. He is an award-winning researcher and an expert in his field. Both Dr. Roper and Dr. Gupton are available to speak with media regarding this very important issue. Simply click on either of their icons to arrange an interview. Source:

Experts Available for Commentary on Calls to Remove the Medical Device Tax

3D Communications have experts available to comment on calls by Reps. Suzan DelBene (Washington), Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona) and Scott Peters (California) to repeal the medical device tax. Source: