Seniors’ mental health

Posted on February 6, 2026 by msw blog

I love the Op-Ed section of the paper. I believe we all need to write at least one letter on something we’re passionate about in our lifetime. In saying that, I applaud this reader

Re: “Why suicide rates are so high among older adults in Washington” (Nov. 24, Mental Health Project) and “High suicide rate among seniors is a tragedy for entire community” (Dec. 4, Opinion):

We applaud The Seattle Times for highlighting the risk of suicide among older Washingtonians and the editorial board’s call to readers to support seniors’ mental health and social connections. Beyond these excellent suggestions, we would like to offer some perspectives on the role of lethal means in suicide.

At Forefront Suicide Prevention, we’ve long been concerned about suicide among seniors. In the highest risk group, men ages 80-84, a shocking 85% of suicides involve firearm use. Medication overdoses are the most frequent type of suicide attempt.

The good news is that limiting access to firearms and medication in times of crisis can protect people against suicide. We encourage everyone to learn about brave and responsible actions people can take to secure firearms and medications in the home.

Good resources include the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation and our own website (intheforefront.org), which includes resources on suicide prevention among seniors.

Suicide among older adults is an urgent public health problem, but it’s one we can address through raising awareness, connecting with others and keeping each other safe from lethal means in times of crisis.

Rebecca Vaux,

Posted in Reading | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Clarifying your goals

Posted on February 6, 2026 by msw blog

Before you start cutting arranging and pasting, take a moment to reflect on how you’re doing. What do you want to achieve in your career, relationships, health or personal growth?  Be specific and think about how reaching these goals will make you feel. Visualizations is critical here. Close your eyes and imagine yourself living your dream life. What does it look like? How do you feel? Remember to use these images and emotions as your guide when selecting pictures and words or your vision board. Then flip through magazines and cut out pictures of your dream job, dream home, ideal vacation spots or mages representing qualities you want to modify, like confidence, love or success. Don’t forget the power of words. Cut out words that embody how you want to feel or represent goals.

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

attunement

Posted on February 5, 2026 by msw blog

Soul-deep attunement can’t be forced.
Uncertainty—yours and theirs—is a gift.
In the search for clarity, sometimes the fog is the answer.

We often can’t see how our prayers have already been answered, because we’re still oriented in the wrong direction.

So today, let’s orient toward love.
Not the dreamy, romanticized version of love (you know, being in love with the idea of love).

That was literally so yesterday. — embodiedblackgirl

Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Support Nursing Education: A Call to Action

Posted on February 5, 2026 by msw blog

I love the Op-Ed section of the paper. I believe we all need to write at least one letter on something we’re passionate about in our lifetime. In saying that, I applaud this reader

Re: “Keep nursing on the federal list of professional degrees” (Dec. 2, Opinion):

As Justin Gill, DNP, APRN, RN, president of the Washington State Nurses Association, so eloquently stated, “For the sake of Washington’s patients, families and future workforce, the education department must include nursing in the professional-degree designation …” before the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed rule is finalized.

During my career, I worked closely with graduate-prepared registered nurses in outpatient, inpatient hospital and emergency transport settings. They are the backbone of the U.S. health care system. The education required is enormous and expensive. Limiting federal loan access for these advanced practice programs will worsen the access to these programs and subsequently the availability of health care services. Furthermore, it is an insult to the nursing profession, especially after our experience relying on them so heavily during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you to all RNs and to Justin Gill for alerting us to this federal proposed rule change.

Toni Long, Seattle

Posted in Reading | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment