About Erika Gruszewski
Posts by Erika Gruszewski
Healthy Snacking Tips from a Football Party Veteran
Watching the big game can be grueling when you’ve got a super-sized buffet to celebrate. But you can approach kickoff with a solid game plan to help you avoid getting sacked by too many fatty barbecue wings or ill-advised slices of calorie-laden pie: Before you start the bash, have a small, healthy snack such as…Read More »
Why I Will Be in Line for A Flu Shot This Year
For many years, Ann Himmler of Monroe County, was required to get a flu shot every year because she was a Hospice volunteer. “I was 100 percent on board with the requirement,” said Ann, “because in addition to the patients I would be spending volunteer time with, my family had also been providing care to…Read More »
Small Steps to Prevent Big Falls: Protecting Older Adults from Injury
I had a reunion of sorts with some old friends from high school. Once we adjusted to seeing each other as “seasoned” adults, we caught up on the past 30 plus years since graduation. We chatted about the highlights: families, careers, travel, and memories from high school. As we settled in, our conversation turned toward…Read More »
5 Ways to Reduce Caregiver Stress
When I was in high school, there were several years where my mom devoted herself to taking care of my grandparents. We lived in Syracuse, but my grandparents lived in Watertown, so my mom would regularly travel the hour or so north up I-81 to be with them. Back then, and for years after, she…Read More »
Teresa’s Grateful for Her Gift of Life
After Teresa Arnold’s 12-hour liver transplant surgery, her doctor told her husband, “It’s amazing she was still alive. Her liver was a small, hard rock.” Teresa emerged from the operation looking pink after years of having a yellow cast to her skin. Her husband, David, burst into tears of relief. He had been her primary…Read More »
Zachary’s Story: Making a Difference in Organ Donation
“I don’t always want to be known as the kid with a heart transplant,” he said. “I want to be known as the kid who made a difference.” Heart failure from a cold? In the fall of 2018, Zachary Losee was in many ways a typical teenage boy. He lived in Monroe County with his…Read More »
Volunteering Virtually and a Fulfilling New Hobby
Grateful to work for a company that gives employees one paid volunteer day per year, I was straining to find a virtual opportunity that was meaningful to me before the year ended and the generosity was lost. I had almost given up hope when I stumbled on a topic that I value – history! The…Read More »
Hidden Gems: Winter in the Mohawk Valley
Those of us who choose to live in upstate New York do so for a variety of reasons. For many of us, one of the biggest is because we love the region’s four very distinct seasons, each with its own unique opportunities for outdoor fun and adventure. Winter Traditions in the Mohawk Valley Usually, at…Read More »
Winter Offers Little Relief for People With Allergies, But Here Are Some In-Home Tips
Pollen and ragweed may not bother us at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean people who live with allergies can breathe easy. Allergies are often worse in the cold weather months, because windows are shut, the furnace is cranked, and people and their pets spend a lot more quality time together indoors. Our…Read More »
Expert Q&A: How Has Dentistry Been Impacted By COVID-19?
Our expert: Dr. William Zugner has been a clinical peer review consultant for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield for more than six years. He is a past president of New York State’s 7 District Dental Society. He is a Fellow in the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists as well as a Member of the Pierre…Read More »