National Nursing Assistants Week is a special time set aside annually to celebrate and recognize the important work that CNAs do all year long. Nursing Assistants go by many titles (CNA, LNA, RNA, HHA) but they all provide hands-on care to others who need assistance with daily tasks of care.

Now more than ever, attention is being directed to the care of our elder and disabled citizens and greater attention also is directed to the workers who provide hands-on care. This week we recognize the hard work of our Nursing Assistants.

June is National Men’s Health Month. It’s a time to raising awareness of preventable health problems and encouraging early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. In the United States, men on average, die at higher rates of heart disease, cancer and unintentional injuries. Take this month to encourage the men in your lives to implement healthy living decisions, such as eating right and exercising.

Stroke Awareness Month spreads awareness and aims to reduce the incidence of strokes. Nearly half of adults with high blood pressure are women. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes can increase the risk of having a stroke. Reduce this risk by monitoring your diet and exercising regularly.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a whole month dedicated to making mental health is something everyone should care about. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health of people of all ages. Now, more than ever, it is critical to reducing the stigma around mental health struggles, because that stigma often prevents individuals from seeking help.

In the last year, nurses shown us the vital role they play in healthcare every day. During National Nurses Week, we celebrate our nurses and thank them for all their hard work, and their dedication to protecting our residents while continually providing quality care.

National Interprofessional Healthcare Month acknowledges the importance of inter professional practice and education. We recognizes that quality health care is provided collaboratively by professionals of multiple disciplines. Health care benefits from the diverse knowledge and skills of a range of health care professionals. This month we recognize that quality healthcare is in the public’s interest for overall welfare and well-being and thank all professions involved.

Learning to cope with our stress and finding healthy ways to deal with these situations can go a long way in living a healthy and positive life. Stress is a response to demands on the body and life, a response to crisis and fears. Long-term stress can prove to be more than just a mental issue. From headaches to stomach disorders to depression – even very serious issues like stroke and heart disease can come as a result of stress.

Stress is a normal bodily reaction, but it’s important to acknowledge that too much stress isn’t healthy and can actually lead to serious health problems. Take the time this month to identify stress factors in your life and ways to effectively reduce them.

Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week is recognized from April 12th to the 18th. During this time there is a lot of focus on promoting education around these types of cancer and screening methods for early detection. Head and neck cancer accounts for approximately 3 percent of all cancers in the U.S. These cancers are nearly twice as common in men as in women. This month we hope to raise awareness and the urge the need for early detection in order to save lives.