On December 4, 2022, Gary Haley was home after a physically demanding day at work at Cushman & Wakefield/UBS, where he is an engineer. He was about to start decorating the house for Christmas when he realized something was wrong.

In the past, people with diabetes were given a long list of foods they couldn’t eat. Today, that’s not the case, says Sandra Arevalo, R.D., Director of Community Health and Wellness at Montefiore Nyack Hospital. “With the evolution of science, we now know that many foods can be part of a diet of a person with diabetes,” she said. “The trick is to know how to incorporate foods into the diet.”

In the past, patients having colorectal surgery required an operation with large incisions, called open surgery. Today, colorectal surgeons perform many procedures using minimally invasive techniques. “This means smaller incisions, faster recovery, with less pain and less need for opioid painkillers,” said Ziad N. Kronfol, M.D., a colorectal surgeon with Highland Surgical Associates and Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds. Nearly 795,000 people have a new or recurrent stroke each year.

A stroke is a medical emergency. It can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death. During a stroke, every minute counts. ‘The faster a person having a stroke gets to the Stroke Center, the faster we can intervene to save the brain and the person’s quality of life,” said Andrew Erian, MD, Director of Stroke at Montefiore Nyack Hospital and Highland Medical, P.C.

Clinical trials are medical research studies that look for new ways to prevent, detect or treat disease. Cancer patients at Montefiore Nyack Hospital are evaluated to see if they are eligible for a clinical trial. Those who choose to participate in a clinical trial receive comprehensive, advanced care, sometimes well before it is available anywhere else, according to Sung Ho Lee, M.D., Director of Clinical Research at Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

As a growing number of patients are discharged from the hospital sooner, with more complex medical needs, the role of home care is expanding. Today, home care nurses care for very sick patients who require extremely skilled high-tech nursing care at home.

Home care organizations also provide physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, as well as social workers and home health aides.

An estimated 8 million people in the United States have congestive heart failure (CHF). Today, there are a variety of effective treatments for CHF. That wasn’t always the case, according to Ulrich Jorde, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Co-Director, Montefiore Nyack Hospital Congestive Heart Failure Program.

Choosing well-fitting footwear is one important way to protect your feet this summer, says Steven Adler, D.P.M., Director of Podiatry at Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

“Make sure summer shoes fit appropriately,” he said. “Flip-flops are fine for around the pool, but don’t wear them to play football or Frisbee—you can easily injure yourself.” Flip-flops with padding or thick bottoms can cushion the ball of your foot. Look for flip-flops with arch support to provide stability and balance.