As we grow old, many of us will find we need help with everyday tasks, like cooking, cleaning and bathing. In West Virginia, there are few programs that can help, and those that do serve the state’s aging population are overburdened — with waitlists that can stretch months or years […]
Read MoreAuthor: Kara Lofton
Seniors’ Want to Stay at Home as They Age — But is That the Best Option?
The percentage of West Virginia adults aged 60 and older is growing more rapidly than any other part of the population. And most of them, like 91-year-old Paige Omohundro, want to stay home as they age. Omohundro has lived in her modest two-story brick home for 54 years and wants to stay […]
Read MoreDiving Deep into Harm Reduction
Part 1: Why W.Va.’s Largest Needle Exchange Closed In December 2015, with support from the city of Charleston, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department launched a harm-reduction program that included a needle exchange. The primary goal was to reduce the risk of diseases commonly spread by sharing needles. The secondary goal was […]
Read MoreAppalachia Continues to Struggle with Hepatitis A Outbreak
The infectious liver disease hepatitis A has hit Appalachia hard during the past several months. But your risk of contracting the disease depends on several factors. “So it’s very important to understand that there are certain groups of people that are at increased risk, as opposed to the general population,” […]
Read MoreAnti-Abortion, Paid Protestors and the Push to Confirm Kavanaugh
Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court began Tuesday, Sept. 4. Kavanaugh is considerably more conservative than the justice he would replace — a fact celebrated by the anti-abortion advocacy group the Susan B. Anthony List. The organization has been touring several states during the past few […]
Read More‘Not in my Neighborhood’: Community Clashes with New Clinic Wanting To Provide Addiction Treatment
A few weeks ago, community members and physicians gathered for a town hall In Beckley, West Virginia. On the agenda? Whether a new psychiatric clinic downtown should be allowed to do medication-assisted treatment from their building. A few weeks ago, community members and physicians gathered for a town hall in […]
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