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By Dr. Steven Angelo, Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare, Medicare and Retirement of New York  Queens Voice  July 24, 2025   NEW YORK - If your 2025 New Year’s resolution was to improve your health and well-being, and you have not made as much progress as you had hoped, it is not too late to refocus your efforts.   Review your list of health goals Maybe your plan was to eat better, be more active, be more social, or just feeI better and more energized. So, make a list, be specific and establish a timeline. And bring this with you when you go for your annual wellness visit or your next care provider visit.   Plan your care visits Make a list of the care appointments you will need this year – but have not yet scheduled. This includes your annual wellness visit, screenings, dental and vision appointments, and vaccinations. Then start making those appointments. Care providers may be able to schedule appointments months in advance, w...

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...

By Dr. Steven Angelo, Chief Medical Officer, Medicare & Retirement, UnitedHealthcare of New York  Queens Voice  July 1, 2025   NEW YORK - Experts are forecasting that 2025, especially this summer, will be particularly hot, which may pose heightened health risks for older adults, according to a University of Southern California study. Seniors may be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses like heat stroke as well as complications from chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure that are worsened by extreme heat.   How older adults can stay cool Plan ahead – Follow local weather reports to ensure you have enough food, prescription medications and other home “staples” to get through a heat wave. Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water, even if you are not thirsty. Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Drinks with elect...

By Melinda Wong,  Safe Pathways Program Coordinator VNS Health  Bronx Voice  June 10, 2025 NEW YORK - PRIDE Month is a time to break down barriers and celebrate the unique qualities that make each person special and one-of-a-kind, regardless of their sexual or gender identity. But for many LGBTQIA+ youth, this celebration can feel out of reach.  Discrimination, bullying, family rejection, and limited access to care still prevent many young people from living with authenticity—and, yes, PRIDE. The impact is profound: LGBTQIA+ youth have significantly higher rates of attempted suicide compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. In New York City alone, the Department of Health found that 32% of youth who have been bullied due to their identity have attempted suicide. These statistics are painfully sobering, and no young person ...