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Mental Health Center

Meaningful Engagement for Seniors: Why it’s Important

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meaningful engagement

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Why Meaningful Engagement Matters A growing body of research suggests that the strongest predictor of happiness in old age is meaningful engagement – with society and each-other.  The McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) analyzed over 70 recent, peer-reviewed academic studies on the societal participation of older adults and “found six thematic health benefits: reduced mortality rates; reduced cognitive disability; less functional disability and frailty; decreased loneliness and depression; increased physical activity levels, and enhanced meaning and quality of life” (2023).  A McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) analysis that surveyed individuals 55 and older across 21 countries recently added to this research, indicating that having a sense of purpose in life and meaningful connections with others were among the most important factors that bolster the health of older adults around the world (2023).  Meaningful Engagement The findings support the concept of societal participation being important to mental health and …

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Physician Spotlight 6: Dr. Kimberly Brown

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meaningful engagement

Physician Spotlight In today’s physician spotlight we highlight Dr. Kimberly Brown. Dr. Kimberly Brown is board certified in both Addiction and General Psychiatry. About Dr. Kimberly Brown  Dr. Kimberly Brown provides psychiatric evaluations and medication management with special attention to individual requirements. She is flexible and integrative in her approach to meet the needs and desired outcomes of each person. She carefully explores each patient’s personal history, life experiences and attitudes towards medication, all of which she approaches with empathy, understanding and helpful explanations that facilitate treatment and a patient’s sense of comfort and trust. Dr. Brown received her medical degree from USC/Keck School of Medicine and completed her internship at Cedars-Sinai. She finished her residency at USC/Keck where she served as Chief Resident of Outpatient Services and received specialized training in psychodynamic, intensive short-term and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. Following graduation, she pursued an Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at the …

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Physician Spotlight 5: Dr. Vicki Kalira

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meaningful engagement

Physician Spotlight In today’s physician spotlight we highlight Dr. Vicki Kalira. Dr. Vicki Kalira is a talented psychiatrist who is board certified in both Addiction and General Psychiatry. She has robust experience working in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Her multifaceted clinical approach incorporates medication, psychotherapy, nutrition, physical movement and social engagement at different stages of treatment, always focusing on self-compassion. Dr. Vicki Kalira’s approach tailors to each individual patient, is goal-oriented, flexible, and integrative. About Dr. Vicki Kalira Dr. Vicki Kalira completed medical school at West Virginia University and her psychiatry residency at Johns Hopkins University. After completing a one-year addiction psychiatry fellowship at New York University (NYU), she supported hospitalized patients at NYU-Tisch Hospital as a Consultation-Liaison Psychiatrist. Here, her focus centered around providing care to patients with complex medical and psychiatric comorbidities who were experiencing acute intoxication or withdrawal states. Dr. Vicki Kalira then transitioned to the …

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Menopause and Mental Health

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meaningful engagement

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Menopause Menopause describes the point in time where changes in a woman’s hormones lead to the end of menstrual cycles. It usually is diagnosed after a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period. The menopausal transition most often begins between ages 45 and 55. It usually lasts about seven years but can be as long as 14 years. The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such as smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity. During perimenopause, the body’s production of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones made by the ovaries, varies greatly (2021). Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that “many healthcare providers actually use the term menopause to refer to the period of time when a woman’s hormone levels start to change. Menopause is said to be complete when menstrual periods have ceased for one continuous year. The transition phase before menopause is often referred …

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DEA’s National Take Back Day 2023

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meaningful engagement

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is DEA’s National Take Back Day? The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a national security threat to public health and safety.  The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) holds a “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” every year as a reflection of the DEA’s “commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting” (DEA, 2023).  Last year, there were a total of 4,902 collection sites and 647,163 pounds (324 tons) of unneeded medications collected (DEA, 2023). This year, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on October 28, 2023. Find a collection site near you using the Collection Site Locator. Statistics According to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people who died from a …

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