Wellness | Penn Today

A person, Helaine Heggs, standing outside in front of a tree.

‘Trusted messengers’ distill science, debunk myths about COVID-19 vaccine

VaxUpPhillyFamilies, led by Penn’s School of Nursing, engages Philadelphia parents and caregivers as vaccine ambassadors to identify concerns and provide support related to COVID-19 vaccines, increase vaccine uptake, and address social support needs.

Q&A

How to improve accessibility and digital inclusion

Tonya Bennett discusses a recent accessibility awareness panel discussion where higher education leaders focused on physical and digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people worldwide with disabilities and impairments.

Headphones and a stethoscope on a table.

Combating provider burnout and stress with music

Health care providers, long susceptible to burnout, have turned to music to alleviate the stress of the pandemic.

Farhan Jivraj sits at a desk and looks at the topographic rug in the biophilic room

Can nature-inspired designs affect cognition and mood?

A team from the Center for Neuroaesthetics created a biophilic room to test the idea. Preliminary findings from a small pilot show promise, but also spur many questions about how to best use such a space.

A person stretches on a yoga mat on an outdoor walkway.

Be in the Know returns for wellness in 2022-2023

Penn’s faculty and staff wellness campaign begins a new year and is bringing back on-campus biometric screenings this fall.

The foods that keep you hydrated

Dan Negoianu of the Perelman School of Medicine says there’s really no data behind the eight-glasses-of-water-a-day advice.

An adult wearing a mask squatting next to a child wearing a mask at the end of a slide on an outdoor playground.

Q&A

Children younger than 5 eligible for COVID-19 vaccines

In a Q&A, Lori Handy of Penn Medicine and CHOP discusses what it means now that this final group can get protection, plus offers recommendations for families with concerns about doing so.

A group of people walk down a wooded road

Pride Wellness Walk

Penn’s monthly Wellness Walk was Pride-themed in June, providing an opportunity for staff and faculty to cultivate community and health.

Penn researchers find mental health benefits in visiting museums, including reduced anxiety

Katherine Cotter and James Pawelski of the School of Arts & Sciences are quoted on their work showing that visiting a museum can have measurable mental health benefits.

Young child wearing a life vest in the pool with two adults behind them.

With summer’s return, a guide to avoiding drowning

Zaffer Qasim of the Perelman School of Medicine analyzed the mortality data of drowning victims in the United States to prescribe treatment measures. Among other recommendations, he encourages everyone to get training in basic life support.

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