Ways to cope

“I tell people: get in a routine, especially if you’ve graduated from college and don’t have a job lined up. It can be really hard if you don’t have things going on throughout your day. Have a sense of purpose,” Yuhas notes. “If gyms are your thing, join a gym. You’re getting socialization and helping your body and the chemicals in your brain. Go to the library. Join a community group.

“If you do get a job, be mindful of the Monday through Friday routine,” Yuhas adds. “Make sure you’re doing [pleasurable] things on the weekends, not just the same meal prep and laundry. Try to break it up and have things not be super consistent.”

Parents and other loved ones should also take an active role in helping the young adult blossom, Yuhas says.

“Be open. Be there for that person. Notice things and make observational statements like ‘Hey, I’ve noticed you’ve been late to work a couple times. How are you?’,” Yuhas says. “Or ‘I noticed you’ve been having trouble doing your laundry’ or ‘You haven’t been getting out of your room when you come home from work. How are things going?’

“Gentle check-ins and observations are better than accusing them,” she adds.

If the stress of young adulthood is too much to manage or if the person is a threat to harm themselves or others, see a mental health provider right away. One-on-one sessions, sessions with the parents or group sessions are all options. The provider could even help with career coaching.

“It’s a non-judgmental space to talk about the shift in your life. Because it is hard,” Yuhas says.

Learn more

Read more about mental health resources available at OSF that can help build life skills. Some resources, like behavioral health navigators and support groups at hospitals like the one Yuhas works at, are available even if you are not an OSF patient.

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Kren Harmon loves a good success story.

The licensed clinical social worker runs a neurological therapy group for older adults at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois. Attendees might have short term memory loss due to a stroke, Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. Those challenges can also bring mental health concerns. But there is hope. Small group sessions like the ones Harmon runs have been proven to help not only with the seniors’ day-to-day life but also their sense of feeling alone.

“I had a new woman in group who said she had memory loss and was embarrassed. Another woman who’s a veteran of the group didn’t miss a beat. She reached over, touched the woman’s hand and said, ‘Honey we all have that’.” Harmon recalls. “The woman burst into tears and realized she’s not the only one dealing with this.

“That’s why I come to work every day,” Harmon says, beaming.

The fears, and how providers can help

Harmon has heard plenty of health concerns from older adults, and they’re all valid. The senior has moved out of their home and is worried about losing independence. They’re worried their health needs will be a burden on family. They might even be scared of dying.

Enter small group therapy. First, Harmon says, it’s a consistent thing on the senior’s schedule where they can look forward to getting out of the house and seeing people. Harmon says studies have shown more socialization for older adults means less confusion. But more importantly, the group connects attendees with others in their situation so they know they’re not alone. Harmon describes the concept in two terms: commonality of experience and installation of hope.

“We all have these same issues, but there’s hope,” Harmon says, restating what is said in a group session. “We can learn coping skills and accept what’s going on. We can support each other.

“Individual psychotherapy is great, but in group they get the benefit of having each other to lean on,” Harmon adds. “They say ‘This worked for me. You might want to try this at home.’”

A typical session might be a mix of camaraderie, memory tasks (medical term: cognitive stimulation therapy) and specialized topics like handling grief.

“We cover current events. What’s the date? What’s the weather?” Harmon outlines. “We do check-ins. Tell me something new in your life. People like that. They talk about their new great grandbaby.”

Harmon encourages her patients to expand on what they learn in group. The medical term for this is acceptance and commitment therapy. Find a way to exercise that works with your limitations. Explore a new hobby, such as puzzles or reading. Watching television all day won’t cut it, Harmon says.

“You’re never too old to learn a new skill,” she reminds.

Getting involved

If an older adult in your life could benefit from group therapy, Harmon says going through a physician might be the way to go. She’s found that seniors sometimes don’t listen to friends and family. But if their neurologist – someone they know and trust – recommends something, it might carry more weight.

“Having the doctor refer, I’ve found, makes a difference with that generation. When someone in a white coat says it, it’s the best idea ever,” Harmon chuckles.

You can also read more about healthy thoughts and behaviors on the OSF HealthCare website.

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How old is too old to drive?

Food deserts – neighborhoods that don’t have quick access to a grocery store with healthy options – are, sadly, nothing new. They lead to quick stops at the fast-food place or gas station, where healthy food may be at a premium.

But have you ever taken a deep dive into how food deserts can significantly impact a person’s health? And more importantly, what can be done about the problem?

Clare Carley, an exercise physiologist at OSF HealthCare, has some things to keep in mind. Carley also knows about food insecurity firsthand through her support of two OSF programs: Peace Meal, which provides meals in-home or at a central site to people 60 and older, and Smart Meals, which provides a meal kit for a family of four and teaches them to cook.

“We want diets high in fruits, vegetables and fiber and low in saturated fat. Gas stations and fast-food restaurants provide the flip side. They often provide no fruits and vegetables, food high in saturated fat and no good fiber food,” Carley says.

How to navigate food deserts

• Planning meals for the week is key, Carley says. Estimate how much food you’ll need and how much you have to spend.
   
• If you can’t help but go to the eatery or gas station often, choose healthier options.
  
  “I’ve found gas stations are very similar to grocery stores. As long as you stay on the outside perimeter, you’ll stay away from candy and chips that will be down an aisle,” Carley says. “When you walk in, there’s usually some sort of fresh fruit or vegetable right there. Pretzels are really great filling snacks. Nuts are good for you. You have granola bars too.”
  
  One caveat: Carley says to check labels of packaged salads at the gas station. She says they are often heavy on unhealthy preservatives.
  
  At restaurants, opt for a grilled chicken sandwich and water rather than a cheeseburger and soda. Carley also says healthy choices are sometimes hidden on the kid’s menu. Look there for things like apple slices, and make that your side instead of fries.
   
• When you can get to the grocery store, make wise choices. Carley suggests canned fruits and vegetables that have a long shelf life. For vegetables, look for options with low salt. You can also rinse the veggies at home to remove some of the salt. For fruit, look for options that are canned in 100% juice or water, not syrup.
   
• Consider creating a garden at home or advocating for a community garden in your neighborhood. Carley says this allows you to bank up healthy food for the winter. It’s also likely going to be cheaper, she says, given the rising cost of groceries. And working outside provides benefits to your physical and mental health, too.
  
  “It’s a little extra work, but it pays off in the long run,” Carley says.
   
• Talk with a dietitian, nutritionist or wellness expert about making diet changes.

How to help people who are struggling

Carley says everyone can help in the fight against food insecurity. Get to know your community so you know which groups are struggling, such as parents struggling to afford school lunches for their kids. Then, talk to health care groups, social service groups and government groups about changes. For example, it’s not uncommon for residents to encourage their city council to recruit a grocery store to town.

The consequences

Frequent meals from the gas station or drive through can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

“Fast food is notorious for being high in salt. Those foods retain water in our body and can lead to heart and lung problems,” Carley says.

Childhood obesity, Carley adds, is a big problem in the United States and can set kids up for a lifetime of health problems and doctor visits.

Learn more

If you have concerns about food insecurity, contact the OSF hospital near you to see if it offers a program like Peace Meal or Smart Meals. The OSF HealthCare website has healthy recipes.

Social service agencies or schools in your area can also help. Carley says food pantries typically are open to accommodate adults who work different shifts.

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Anxiety. Depression. Bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia.

They’re daunting diagnoses, but necessary to think about for many people.

And experts say those concerns don’t magically go away when a person reaches age 60 and beyond. Rather, older adults need to keep mental health care in mind and know the resources available to help with concerns unique to that age group.

Ari Lakritz, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist at OSF HealthCare who has taken a keen interest in this area.

“As individuals grow older, they start to prioritize their emotional needs over their professional, financial or more mundane needs,” Dr. Lakritz says. “So you may be surprised when you work with an individual who’s older at how quickly they want to work on the problems in their life and how solution-focused they are as compared to their younger cohorts.”

Dr. Lakritz has seen plenty of examples of this research-backed idea as he’s conducted counseling sessions. For example, an older adult may want to dive right into talking about death or family disputes that have been festering for years.

How does a mental health professional achieve results with this age group? Dr. Lakritz points to a concept called interpersonal therapy, which focuses on a person’s relationships and their overall place in the world.

“That is really what older adults have on their mind at this stage of their life. Many of them are retired. For many of them, financial issues or their professional climbing of the ladder have kind of taken a backseat,” Dr. Lakritz reiterates. “They are focused on their remaining relationships and making them as good as possible.”

A therapy session for an older adult may be structured the same as a younger person’s visit. But a psychologist would need to keep in mind the person’s needs. If the patient has mobility issues, for example, the office should be easy to get in and out of. If the person is homebound, a home visit or virtual visit would be necessary.

Those telemedicine appointments, Dr. Lakritz says, took on extra importance during the pandemic. Some older adults were already isolated, and COVID fears or government mandates to stay home separated them further from visiting their loved ones and practicing social or coping skills. Card games were replaced with phone calls. A trip to the community theater was scuttled in favor of watching the show on DVD.

“On the plus side, I think everyone saw and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly older adults managed to understand technology,” Dr. Lakritz says.  “[They] understand remote meetings and how to participate almost as fast as younger adults who also had to adjust very quickly.

“That was a big game changer in the field that is not going away anytime soon,” Dr. Lakritz says.

Not to mention the sense of pride from an old dog learning new tricks, as the saying goes.

“It’s very much emphasized, even in old age, to continue to pick up new skills. To acquire new knowledge,” Dr. Lakritz says. “That does lead to a great deal of self-esteem. And cognitive stimulation, learning new things, reasoning and being intellectually challenged are some of the biggest protective factors against dementia.”

One last thing Dr. Lakritz says clinicians should keep in mind when serving older adults: confronting biases or falsehoods about that generation.

For example: older adults are slower workers. The data say that’s more folklore than fact, Dr. Lakritz says.

“Many people have this misconception that working with older adults is something that is fundamentally different than working with younger people,” Dr. Lakritz says. “[Many think] you need specific, specialized training or you need to be an older adult yourself to work with older adults. And that serves as a barrier to older adults’ treatment.”

The OSF HealthCare website outlines mental health resources. Taking a look, then broaching the topic with your older friend or family member is a good first step. A necessary one, too, for some older adults who grew up in a time when “self-care” wasn’t a common term.

“If you’re a trusted person in that older adult’s life, and they trust you with more mundane concerns such as helping them get around the house and giving them rides,” Dr. Lakritz explains, “then, I think there’s a good chance they would trust you if you said, ‘I see you’re dealing with this. You’ve been dealing with it for a very long time. You haven’t been able to talk with anyone about it. There is someone we can go to’.”

And make those check-ins with your parents, grandparents and older friends a habit. They’ll be happy you did.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly expanded in 2023, and it’s here to stay. ChatGPT, Snapchat and altered photos and videos are just some of the AI encounters people have on their devices daily.

AI has many positives. But experts say when it comes to health advice, take it from a trained human being, not a robot. And if you’re scared of “the rise of the robots” – as they say in Hollywood – there are ways to cope.

“You’re absolutely normal to be anxious when there’s the first stirrings of big shifts in technology or other things that might change our life,” says Ari Lakritz, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at OSF HealthCare who says he sees these concerns often.

Coming to grips with technology advances

Common fears include technology making your job obsolete or providing you with misinformation. Dr. Lakritz suggests being proactive to the changes, not reactive. Learn how AI is changing your job or hobbies.

“See if you might be able to be part of that. Start integrating some of that into your day-to-day practice,” Dr. Lakritz says.

AI can be a time-saver, too.

“It has potential to streamline things we don’t like to do, giving us more time and energy to do things we want or things we feel are important,” Dr. Lakritz says.

For example, it may take you an hour to do an online search for sources for your college essay. If ChatGPT can do it in minutes, you might have time to take that afternoon walk or meet a friend for lunch, boosting your mental and physical health and spurring creativity.

It’s also not our first time dealing with digital unknowns. Remember the supposed Y2K bug around the turn of the millennium? Fears of computer clocks malfunctioning and worse didn’t materialize, and experts took away lessons for the next big technology shift, like AI. And a silver lining of the Y2K anxiety, Dr. Lakritz says, is that it got people learning about technology.

Don’t go to a robot for mental health care

Snapchat, the photo messaging application popular with young people, recently rolled out a chatbot called “My AI.” It’s a way for people to connect with someone when they have no one else.

“My AI can answer a burning trivia question, offer advice on the perfect gift for your BFF’s birthday, help plan a hiking trip for a long weekend, or suggest what to make for dinner,” Snapchat’s website says.

But the company concedes: “It’s possible My AI’s responses may include biased, incorrect, harmful, or misleading content. Because My AI is an evolving feature, you should always independently check answers provided by My AI before relying on any advice, and you should not share confidential or sensitive information.”

Some parents and mental health experts have picked up on that concern, too. They worry young people are getting inadequate mental health advice from a robot.

“That’s like Googling your symptoms when you’re sick instead of going to a real doctor,” Dr. Lakritz says with a hint of dismay. “You’ll get a great deal of information, but there will be very little guidance about how to use that information and which information is more applicable to you.”

If talking about your mental health virtually is your preferred way to go, there are more legitimate options than Snapchat, Dr. Lakritz says. First and foremost, your health care provider may offer virtual visits. Otherwise, talk to a provider or trusted adult about online, third-party counseling options.

“These are programs that have been tested and vetted. There’s oversight and accountability. There’s research behind it,” Dr. Lakritz explains. “Whereas with an AI assistant, it’s not clear the source of information. It’s not clear how to use that information best.”

Will AI and chatrooms replace in-person mental health care? Don’t count on it, Dr. Lakritz predicts. The human connection of being in a room with someone can’t be understated, he says.

When in doubt

When the content on your device is just too much to handle, turn it off, set it aside and take a break.

Look for these warning signs:

“Do you feel you’re doing too much of it? Do you find your use of technology is taking over other interests in your life? Have you tried to cut down but have not been able to? Do you find that using so much technology causes you to stress or dysfunction?” Dr. Lakritz asks.

Most devices have settings that can limit screen time. Parents should set boundaries with their children’s device use. Dr. Lakritz says you can even share your browsing or chat history with a trusted adult so they can make sure you’re using technology appropriately.

If your technology use is causing significant mental health problems, talk to your primary care provider or mental health provider. You can also call 9-8-8 to reach the Nation Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Learn more

Learn more about behavioral and mental health on the OSF HealthCare website.

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OSF HealthCare joined today with Bradley University to announce an expansion of the Bradley-OSF HealthCare Strategic Alliance. The new Innovation for Health (IFH) partnership is aimed at generating scholarly research that can translate into practical solutions to improve individual and community health.

Designed to create a robust, collaborative research community, the new agreement is between employees at two of Peoria’s largest and most impactful nonprofit institutions: Bradley University and OSF HealthCare. Significantly, Bradley will be the first private university to enter into a formalized research partnership with OSF HealthCare. The two anchor institutions have a shared history within the Peoria community; Lydia Moss Bradley was instrumental to the founding of both organizations.

The IFH partnership will connect faculty scholars from Bradley’s five colleges with clinical researchers through OSF Innovation Labs and other OSF HealthCare providers to address health care challenges within and beyond the greater Peoria area. OSF Innovation is an arm of OSF HealthCare, comprised of designers, engineers, data scientists, performance improvement specialists and other experts who work tirelessly to find the best ideas that will bring the greatest value to patients and communities. The formalized relationship will leverage Bradley’s expertise in the health and natural sciences. It will also create opportunities for Bradley University faculty in business, engineering, education, computer science, interactive media, communications, the humanities, the social sciences, and other areas to contribute to solutions-based research focused on the social determinants of health (factors influencing health outside of a medical setting), rural health, and dimensions of cancer treatment and prevention.

Financial support

The OSF-Bradley agreement commits $1 million for each of the next five years to provide annual funding opportunities in the fall and spring for innovative, interdisciplinary projects addressing important health care challenges. The first request for proposals with awards up to $50,000 will be announced soon.

“We believe expanding academic collaborations can assist OSF HealthCare with breakthrough innovations, including new medical devices, digital solutions, improved work processes and new service models,” said CEO of OSF HealthCare Bob Sehring. “Bradley University is a natural partner because of its proximity to our headquarters, but more importantly, because we can tap into the expertise and ideas incubated and accelerated through Bradley’s Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation as well as the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center, also housed at the university.”

“For OSF HealthCare, the expanded partnership will support the needs of researchers, medical educators, clinicians and most importantly, patients,” added John Vozenilek, MD, vice president and chief medical officer, OSF Innovation and Digital Health. “We’ll now have additional resources and a formal process to focus strategically on ideas and novel approaches to impact medical education and simulation, prevention and treatment significantly. Additionally, we’re excited about the prospects of developing digital health solutions and novel approaches to improve access to quality patient care and to reduce health care costs, which is vitally important, particularly for our most vulnerable populations.”

The newly signed agreement comes as Bradley University celebrates 125 years of giving students practical skills to contribute to the modern world as founder Lydia Moss Bradley desired. Given Bradley’s strong commitment to experiential learning, the partnership will also allow faculty to engage their talented students in impactful applied research. Conceivably, students could participate in projects that encompass a variety of disciplines, such as nursing, data security, game design and development, health literacy, psychology, social work and biomedical engineering.

Bradley University President Stephen Standifird, PhD, said expanded collaboration supports the Bradley mission and strategic plan. It also should improve the pipeline and recruitment of future employees for both institutions.

“We want to foster innovation and creativity through collaboration and build powerful alliances that can help each organization,” said Standifird. “Bradley’s faculty represent curious, industrious and socially conscious individuals who have an entrepreneurial mind-set. Together, we can explore solutions to some pressing needs in health care. In addition, our strategic plan embraces the contributions of each of our colleges and units. They can facilitate learning experiences for our students that will benefit the broader Bradley community while advancing thought-provoking, practical, and interdisciplinary scholarship.”

Blazing  a Trail

A Trailblazer Challenge will be the first effort under the Innovation for Health or “IFH” umbrella, crowdsourcing ideas for later development, while serving as a catalyst for building a connection between Bradley faculty, OSF clinicians and members of the innovation team.

Christopher Jones, PhD, vice president for strategy and innovation at Bradley University, said faculty are poised to make significant contribution to solutions that’ll make a difference, not only for health care in Peoria, but for health systems throughout the country and beyond.

“Peoria has been at the epicenter of some amazing developments such as mass production of life-saving penicillin,” said Jones. “This collaborative work could also serve as an economic engine, potentially generating intellectual property the two institutions can share, as well as new opportunities that align with the goals of Peoria BioMade, Distillery Labs, Peoria Next and other entities advancing discovery, innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth in the region.”

The agreement provides opportunities for Bradley alumni and other community stakeholders to contribute financially or offer their talents for research, pilots and prototypes that ultimately could attract additional resources through local, state and federal grant dollars.

As a testimony of their visionary philanthropy and as a reflection of their ongoing commitment to innovative health care, Kevin and Lisa Schoeplein and OSF HealthCare Foundation have worked together to create the Kevin and Lisa Schoeplein Innovation Endowment. This will help fund collaborative work with Bradley University, including the best projects emerging from Trailblazer Challenges.

Bradley University affiliate faculty member and director of the OSF Innovation Design Lab, Scott Barrows, is excited about having a reliable source of funding to spur ongoing collaborative research.

“We have seen the importance of health literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to expand options to reach those who can be easily influenced by disinformation and misinformation,” stressed Barrows. “This agreement will accelerate and expand our capabilities to advance community health education, and to develop and test solutions that improve health outcomes in Greater Peoria and Central Illinois.”

The Innovation for Health partnership is built upon successful models. Since 2014, OSF has partnered with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP) to fund 124 research projects with grants totaling $8.3 million. Those Jump ARCHES efforts are aimed at improving patient outcomes and reducing health care costs. In 2021, OSF formalized a research partnership and made a significant financial commitment with the University of Illinois Chicago through the Community Health Advocacy (CHA) grant program to address health and wellness challenges in urban communities.

Video clips with Bob Sehring, Steve Standifird, Chris Jones and Dr. John Vozenilek

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