Trump: ‘Mental Institutions’ Should Return — To Tackle Homelessness
The kind of state-run psychiatric hospital that former President Donald Trump called for faded in the mid-1900s, and they were associated with inhumane practices. Their return, Trump said, would "get the homeless off our streets." Also in the news: dementia and slow-wave sleep loss; your Halloween haikus, and more.
Axios:
Trump Calls For The Return Of Mental Institutions
Former President Trump has called for the return of "mental institutions" as part of his plan "to get the homeless off our streets" should he be elected to a second term in office. The state-run psychiatric hospitals that largely disappeared in the mid-1900s are often associated with inhumane mistreatment. (Owens, 10/31)
CNN:
Loss Of Slow-Wave Sleep Raises Dementia Risk, Study Finds
Loss of slow-wave sleep as you age may increase your risk of developing dementia, according to a new study. “We found that aging was associated with a decline in the amount of the deepest stages of sleep, known as slow wave sleep,” said Matthew P. Pase, senior author of the study published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology, via email. (Rogers, 10/30)
CBS News:
Special Treatment Could Help Teens Battling Depression Due To Rumination, Overthinking
Rumination or overthinking is a common feature of depression in which people get stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts. Rumination Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or RF-CBT has been shown to help in adults. ... The study suggests that this type of therapy can help teens break out of the "painful mental loops" that contribute to depression. (Marshall, 10/30)
The Washington Post:
David Shaffer, Pioneering Expert On Child And Teenage Suicide, Dies At 87
Dr. David Shaffer, a Columbia University psychiatrist who transformed the study of childhood and teenage suicide with psychological autopsies that led to pioneering prevention methods, died Oct. 15 at the Mastic Beach, N.Y., summer home of his ex-wife, Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour. He was 87.The cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease, his son Charlie Shaffer said. (Rosenwald, 10/30)
In other health and wellness news —
AP:
FDA Says WanaBana Fruit Puree Pouches May Contain Dangerous Levels Of Lead
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning parents and caregivers not to buy or serve certain pureed fruit pouches marketed to toddlers and young children because the food might contain dangerous levels of lead. Children who have eaten WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches should be tested for possible lead poisoning, the agency said. (Aleccia, 10/30)
The New York Times:
Top Marine General Hospitalized After Apparently Having Heart Attack
Gen. Eric M. Smith, the Marine Corps’s commandant and top officer, was hospitalized on Sunday evening after an unspecified medical emergency, the service said on Monday. The Marines announced General Smith’s hospitalization in an email to reporters but provided no further details about his condition. One current and one former defense official familiar with his condition said he apparently had a heart attack while jogging. (Ismay and Schmitt, 10/30)
KFF Health News:
Medical Debt And Nurse Shortages Haunt Winning Halloween Haikus
Readers, beware! There’s a bitter chill in the air and bloodcurdling screams coming from our newsroom. We received more than five dozen spooky submissions to KFF Health News’ fifth annual Halloween haiku contest. Here’s the winner and the top runners-up, illustrated by Oona Tempest. The judges’ favorites were inspired by school nurse shortages and the nation’s gut-wrenching medical debt crisis. Keep an eye on KFF Health News’ social media accounts (X, formerly known as Twitter; Instagram; and Facebook) for more of our favorites. Enjoy! (10/31)
