Queens News - Local News

By Dan Lynch   Occupational Therapist   VNS Health   Queens Voice  October 7, 2025 NEW YORK - When I first met 87-year-old Lydia, I was coming to help her recover from a fall. More than the physical impact she had suffered, though, I quickly saw how the fall had made her fearful and that this was also impacting her quality of life As I’ve found when I’m out in the field as an occupational therapist with VNS Health, Lydia was not alone— falls are alarmingly common among older adults . Having purchased a new, comfortable mattress, she also was now sleeping in a bed that was much higher for her—in fact, not long after getting her new bed, she suffered from a fall while she was getting out of it on her way to the bathroom. Afraid of injuring herself again, she had taken to sleeping with her pet c...

By Jahanara Ullah, PhD,  Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Montefiore School Health Program  Queens Voice  August 20, 2025 NEW YORK  - The transition from summer to school routine is an adjustment that can lead to conflict or trigger anxiety.  Children might be anticipating big changes, such as going to a new school or meeting new teachers. Kids who learn differently might become anxious about keeping up with their academics or fitting in with their peers. Caregivers often struggle to get kids back on an earlier sleep and wake schedule.  Montefiore School Health Program supports caregivers in the back-to-school transition to support the overall well-being of kids and families. Here are some tips that can help you and your child lay the foundation for a successful school year.  1. Start the transition to school-mode e...

By Amanda Torres  Queens Voice July 8, 2025 An infectious disease expert shares information on NB.1.8.1, which has caused a surge in COVID infections in parts of Asia.     This article originally appeared in NewYork Presbyterian Health Matters. NEW YORK - The new COVID variant known as NB.1.8.1, nicknamed Nimbus, has emerged globally and is beginning to spread in the United States. Nimbus accounted for an estimated 37% of cases in the U.S., during a two-week period ending June 7, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  What sets NB.1.8.1 apart is how quickly it spreads,” explains Dr. Magdalena Sobieszczyk, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “It has a genetic advantage: mutations that make it easy for it to bind to receptors on human cells. The mutations could allow NB.1.8.1 to spread faster and...

  The aims of the bills, which include curbing illegal evictions and keeping tenants safe during heatwaves, were broadly supported by those testifying — but implementation challenges lingered. This article originally appeared in The City. By  Rachel Kahn NEW YORK - The City Council took one step closer to expanding protections for tenants against illegal evictions and mandating that all tenant-occupied buildings have access to cooling during the summer. In a committee hearing, council members heard testimony on a slate of bills addressing the issues. Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who is the primary sponsor of the air conditioning bill, acknowledged that the bills were “bold” but maintained that they were necessary — especially because extreme temperatures are the “number one climate killer.” “It’s not wildfire, or hurricanes, or tornadoes,” he said. “It’s heat.” Though currently city landlords are required to provide heat in residential buildings during “heat season...