Outdoor Mental Health

Dan Onion, MD, MPH

Mt. Vernon/Vienna Health Officer

293-2076; dkonion@gmail.com

October, 2019

I am sitting at my computer, having prepared for the patients I see tomorrow morning, looking out my window at a sunny, beautiful fall day. I’ve got to get out there and will shortly.

Aging-In-Place and Its Limits

Dan Onion, MD, MPH

Mt. Vernon/Vienna Health Officer

293-2076; dkonion@gmail.com

July, 2019

Last month I wrote about advance directives and promised to explore powers of attorney (POAs) this time, but I’m going to defer that for a month and instead address “aging-in-place”, its value and limitations. Mt Vernon is actively planning a laudable community-wide program to allow more people with physical and/or cognitive limitations to remain here with help. Vienna, given its twin city status in Tom Ward’s “metroplex”, would be a logical partner as well.

Advance Directives 

Dan Onion, MD, MPH

Mt. Vernon/Vienna Health Officer

293-2076; dkonion@gmail.com

July, 2019

OK, this isn’t a very popular topic, but it is important, especially for the chronically ill and/or those us over age 75. If you aren’t in those categories, you may, nevertheless, be called on to help family members or friends, construct advance directives. As a geriatric consultant, I talk with many people about how to prepare for and manage serious illnesses and the mortality risks those illnesses carry.

The June 2019 Union Hall Newsletter is here

Tick Bites and Diseases
Dan Onion, MD, MPH
Mt. Vernon/Vienna Health Officer
293-2076; dkonion@gmail.com
June, 2019

I just pulled the 5th tick of the year off my leg last night! It hadn’t embedded yet; rather it was racing up my leg to hide, tripping over my hairs and so alerting me. It reminded me that I haven’t written about ticks and the diseases they transmit in these columns since 2013! Time to review again, given that circumstances have worsened since then (Fig. 1).