Wake County

Two women sit near a table and talk. One of them is a volunteer caregiver

Volunteer caregiving for seniors, already vital in NC, gets $19M push from feds

February 10, 2020 by Thomas Goldsmith 1 Comment

Volunteer caregiving for seniors, already vital in NC, gets $19M push from feds - North Carolina Health News

Cary’s Center for Volunteer Caregiving has built expertise during 28 years of recruiting, training and monitoring people who will volunteer to help seniors and people with disabilities. Now a federal push proposes spending millions to do the same thing with innovative methods.

By Thomas Goldsmith Regular help with household chores and an hour of friendly conversation can represent a gift beyond price for an older North Carolinian living alone. And for some isolated seniors and people with disabilities, that returning visitor or a dependable ride to a medical appointment can mean the difference between living independently and […]

four scientists sit at a table where they discuss water pollution

Not all in-home water filters completely remove toxic PFAS

February 6, 2020 by Greg Barnes 3 Comments

Not all in-home water filters completely remove toxic PFAS - North Carolina Health News

A new study finds that under-the-sink reverse osmosis systems work best at removing “forever chemicals,” but they aren’t cheap.

By Greg Barnes Not all types of in-home filters are completely effective at removing “forever chemicals” from drinking water, and a few could do more harm than good if not properly maintained, according to a new study released Wednesday by North Carolina researchers. Water filters in refrigerators, pitcher-style filters, under the sink reverse osmosis systems […]

A look inside the former Dorothea Dix Chapel, which features dark wooden pews and ornate panels.

Former chapel on NC’s Dorothea Dix campus to reopen, welcome visitors, events

January 27, 2020 by Thomas Goldsmith

Former chapel on NC’s Dorothea Dix campus to reopen, welcome visitors, events - North Carolina Health News

All Faiths Chapel of Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh will become a multi-purpose and welcome center after a $2 million renovation that’s just getting underway. Spiritual gatherings may still take place there, but it will also house concerts, meetings and educational events.

By Thomas Goldsmith The chapel that patients and staff at Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Hospital attended for almost 60 years is getting a $2 million facelift and will greet visitors to Dix Park as well as offer concerts, community meetings, educational programs, spiritual events and more. The All Faiths Chapel opened in 1955 as a brand […]

Participants in a falls prevention workshop look at photos of common household hazards around a white table.

To prevent senior deaths from falls, NC providers turn to exercise and home-proofing

January 22, 2020 by Thomas Goldsmith

To prevent senior deaths from falls, NC providers turn to exercise and home-proofing - North Carolina Health News

Deaths following falls is on the rise among seniors. But keeping up strength and mobility can prevent falls, as can making homes safer for those at risk, say North Carolinians working to counter the trend.

By Thomas Goldsmith The family tragedy often unfolds something like this — Cousin Lily, who’s 88, falls at home in August and enters the hospital with a broken hip. By Thanksgiving, Lily is gone; dead following complications. People sometimes don’t realize that Lily could still be living and that older people, in general, can increase […]

Map of North Carolina illustrating areas with high radon readings.

N.C. gives away radon test kits

January 20, 2020 by Greg Barnes

N.C. gives away radon test kits - North Carolina Health News

The radioactive substance known as the silent killer has been found at high levels in all 100 N.C. counties. The EPA says it causes 21,000 deaths annually in the U.S.

By Greg Barnes It’s known as the silent killer for a reason. Every year, radon, a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, radioactive gas, causes an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States. In North Carolina, officials with the state Department of Health and Human Services estimate that 435 residents will die from radon-related lung […]

Two women interact at an adult day care canter in Raleigh

NC Adult day care centers serve vital purpose, but face stagnant rates

January 7, 2020 by Thomas Goldsmith

NC Adult day care centers serve vital purpose, but face stagnant rates - North Carolina Health News

Adult day care centers don’t have as high a profile as assisted living and nursing homes, but provide a level of care that can allow an older person to stay at home instead of at a residential center.

By Thomas Goldsmith Time spent at an adult day care center can make major life differences for older North Carolinians who have trouble staying at home alone, and for those who look after them. For thousands of caregivers of an older person or someone with disabilities, such a center serves a place of safety and […]

A little holiday toy in Christmas lights as an illustration of holiday toys.

Toys to avoid this holiday season

December 19, 2019 by Sarah Ovaska

Toys to avoid this holiday season - North Carolina Health News

Slime, magnetic toys and more on annual list of unsafe toys.

By Sarah Ovaska It’s the time of year when store shelves are groaning with toys and relatives wander through stores, trying to figure out just what would be just right for a 2-year-old niece, grandson or daughter. But not all the toys out there for sale are necessarily safe, with young children particularly at risk […]

Several students sit on a sidewalk, they are all working on a PFAS project together

Raleigh students take on PFAS pollution

November 21, 2019 by Greg Barnes

Raleigh students take on PFAS pollution - North Carolina Health News

Ten students at The Exploris School, a charter school in Raleigh, hope their project on forever chemicals will help bring awareness to the issue and get industries to stop polluting the state’s waterways.

By Greg Barnes Many eighth-graders at The Exploris School in downtown Raleigh had never heard of forever chemicals before they began their clean water project earlier this year. Now they are on a mission to help educate people in nearby communities about drinking water contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, and […]

A group of people at tables watching a speaker on stage at a suicide prevention event

Charlotte community events bring suicide prevention to the fore

November 14, 2019 by Yen Duong

Charlotte community events bring suicide prevention to the fore - North Carolina Health News

Events sponsored by Atrium Health and nonprofit group Healthy Charlotte Alliance brought together community members, health care providers and advocates to raise awareness of suicide and prevention.

By Yen Duong Last week, the North Carolina Child Task Force released a report showing that suicide among 10 to 17-year-olds reached its highest rate ever in 2018, with 52 child deaths by suicide in North Carolina. That report underscores the need that pushed two groups in Charlotte to hold community suicide awareness and prevention […]

A bunch of men with suits sit around tables in the General Assembley in Raleigh, where last week they changed the definition of sexual assault, closing a loophole in the law.

NC sexual assault reforms pass unanimously

November 7, 2019 by Carolina Public Press

NC sexual assault reforms pass unanimously - North Carolina Health News

Loopholes on revoked consent and incapacitated sexual assault closed without opposition by NC House and Senate.

Kate Martin Carolina Public Press UPDATE: Gov. Cooper signed the bill into law this week. A wide-ranging legislative package reforming sexual assault laws passed both chambers of the NC General Assembly unanimously last week, with two elements closing decades-old legal loopholes on the definition of rape that set North Carolina apart. The Senate passed SB […]

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