September is Healthy Aging Month, a reminder that aging well is about more than adding years to life—it’s about adding life to years. It encourages us to take a more proactive approach to ensure that we have vitality, independence and well-being as we get older.

Tips for Healthy Aging

Aging well means making simple, consistent choices that help you take care of your body, as well as your mind. Here are some evidence-based tips and resources at UCR to help you implement them:

• Stay active: Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity most days. UCR provides access to employee fitness and wellness options through recreation and health programs on campus.
• Eat for wellness: Eating a balanced, healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins promotes heart and brain health. Visit UCR Dining Services for healthy eating tips and resources.
• Challenge your mind: Reading, doing puzzles, or learning new things keeps your brain sharp. UCR also offers professional development and enrichment programs that nurture thinking.
• Stay connected: Social ties improve mood and protect against cognitive decline. Take advantage of UCR community events and wellness initiatives to strengthen those connections.
• Prioritize sleep: Sleep can restore energy, and improve mood and memory. Ask about sleep strategies from wellness coaching at UCR.
• Schedule check-ups: Routine health screenings or primary care services from UCR Health can often catch issues early, which supports lifelong health and wellness.

A Doctor's Perspective

Dr. Ramy Sadek, a board-certified physician in Cardiovascular Medicine and Internal Medicine at UCR Health – Riverside Downtown (Primary Care), emphasizes that healthy aging begins with prevention.

“Maintaining heart health through a balanced diet, regular exercise, and routine checkups can significantly improve quality of life and decrease the risk of cardiovascular events,” says Dr. Sadek. “Preventive care allows us to detect and manage conditions early, helping older adults stay active, independent, and engaged in their communities.”

Stay Connected with UCR Wellness Resources

In addition to both clinical care and community programs, UCR also offers resources to support the faculty and staff on their own wellness journey. One simple way to stay engaged is to subscribe to the UCR Faculty and Staff Wellness Newsletter: Faculty and Staff Well-being Bites. Faculty and Staff Well-being Bites is a newsletter with wellness tips, highlights of upcoming wellness events, and resources to help support wellness year-round.

UCR Health’s Commitment to Healthy Aging

At UCR Health, our mission is to help individuals embrace aging with strength and dignity:

• Primary Care & Preventive Screenings: Proactive visits to manage ongoing health and prevent illness.
• Geriatric Medicine: Focused care tailored to the unique needs of the older adult population.
• Community Engagement: Workshops, DocTalks, and outreach events that equip the community with tools for long-term wellness.

Looking Ahead with Confidence

Aging is a natural and beautiful journey, and when it is supported with intentional habits and care, it can be one of life's most fulfilling chapters. This Healthy Aging Month, let UCR Health be your partner in building a stronger, happier tomorrow.

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August is National Immunization Awareness Month, an opportunity to reflect on the importance of vaccines to protect not just individual health, but community health as well. UCR Health recognizes immunizations as a foundational component of preventive care and part of our broader commitment to equitable access to care.

Vaccines are vital in preventing the transmission of serious, avoidable diseases, reducing hospitalizations, and protecting vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and those with chronic conditions. However, the importance of vaccines is more than just biology. While vaccination programs have biological underpinnings, they require transparent communication, trust, and systems that respond to the community needs.

At UCR Health, we provide support to improve access to immunizations through community-based events, clinical outreach, and culturally-informed care. Our teams support accurate information, answer questions, and deliver vaccinations in a timely and approachable way, no matter where the patient begins their journey.

This work is reflective of our brand promise: care that is coordinated, compassionate, and built on trust. We do our best to alleviate confusion and follow up as much as possible, and we want patients to take comfort in the care they receive. During a back-to-school visit, a wellness appointment, or when working at a health fair, we consider every immunization to be an opportunity and to be part of a larger system of support.

While National Immunization Awareness Month is in full swing, we encourage individuals and families to check in with their providers, review their immunization schedule, and ask any questions. UCR Health is ready to assist that process and strive to collectively build a healthier and better connected community.

To speak with a doctor about your vaccinations and how they can be beneficial to you, visit: https://www.ucrhealth.org/make-an-appointment/

Want to learn more?

Tune in to our podcast episode "Measles Outbreak 2025 & Vaccine Questions Answered" featuring Dr. Naveen Raja and Dr. Jean Russell. Listen on Youtube or Spotify.

About UCR Health

UCR Health is comprised of a team of physicians, specialists, and healthcare professionals dedicated to improving people’s health. With four medical offices located throughout the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley, UCR Health is growing to meet the healthcare needs of the region, bringing innovative, culturally sensitive medical care to the community. Established alongside the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, UCR Health’s patient-centered primary care and specialty services deliver university-based healthcare excellence and innovation to all communities.

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Patient Safety Awareness Week, occurring between March 10-16, is an annual event dedicated to increasing awareness about healthcare and patient safety. During this week, many healthcare organizations raise awareness by promoting education, holding events to share information, and engaging in various activities.

Background

Over the past two decades, the World Health Organization estimates that over 134 million events have occurred each year due to unsafe care in hospitals, resulting in around 2.6 million deaths. Additionally, around 40% of patients experience harm in primary care settings, with 80% of these occurrences being preventable.

Some examples of unsafe care can include:

• Medication Errors: Administrating incorrect medication, administering incorrect doses, failure to record allergies to medication, etc.
• Surgical Mistakes: Incorrect procedures, misplacement of surgical items, errors with anesthesia, etc.
• Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI): Improper hygiene in the hospital, contaminated medical equipment, unsanitary conditions in the hospital, etc.
• Communication Errors: Poor communication among workers and patients leads to misunderstandings and errors.

Studies have shown that as a result of these small preventable errors, there have been up to 250,000 to 400,000 deaths in the United States each year. Although not every unsafe practice has led to death, it can often impact one’s physical and emotional well-being, as well as personal finances.

How can I help?

• Banners: Banners around the hospital can help spread awareness to physicians, staff members, patients, and parents.
• Activities: Some hospitals created trivia activities to test staff knowledge; winners were given gift cards.
• Interactive Talks: Talks about health equity, patient wellness, and care were given by local experts.
• Posters: Hospitals highlighted patient incidents to raise awareness; quotes were placed around café tables.

Patient Safety Awareness Week serves as a vital reminder of the ongoing efforts needed to prioritize patient safety in healthcare. With millions affected by preventable errors each year, it's evident that continued education, awareness, and proactive measures are crucial in reducing risks and ensuring the well-being of patients. By promoting awareness, we can work together to create safer environments and improve the quality of care for all. Together, we can strive towards a future where patient safety remains at the forefront of healthcare practices worldwide.

To learn more, watch the video by the American Hospital Association.

About UCR Health

UCR Health is comprised of a team of physicians, specialists, and healthcare professionals dedicated to improving people’s health. With five medical offices located throughout the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley, UCR Health is growing to meet the healthcare needs of the region, bringing innovative, culturally sensitive medical care to the community. Established alongside the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, UCR Health’s patient-centered primary care and specialty services deliver university-based healthcare excellence and innovation to all communities.

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World Immunization Week’s goal is to highlight the action necessary to be taken within communities to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases. Throughout history, we have encountered many various diseases such as tetanus, influenza, measles, mumps, etc. As time progressed, and with the proper research and technology, vaccinations became available to the general public. Now, immunizations prevent 3.5-5 million deaths every year from these vaccine-preventable diseases. It is important to get the annual influenza vaccine as it helps prevent individuals from falling ill from the yearly flu. 

Many other immunizations are more recent and have worked very well for the communities. For example, COVID-19 vaccinations. When the pandemic began, no vaccine was available to prevent this outbreak. Over time, immunization was available and helped prevent a large number of individuals and many communities from falling ill with the COVID-19 virus. 

Though many myths about immunizations have been circling around such as immunizations causing other illnesses or disorders, they are not true. The main and sole purpose of immunizations is to prevent an immunization-preventable virus and disease from happening to an individual. 

Let's do our part to protect our communities! Schedule your vaccine appointment today - give us a call at 1-844-827-8000 or submit an online appointment request form here.

About UCR Health

UCR Health is comprised of a team of physicians, specialists, and healthcare professionals dedicated to improving people’s health. With five medical offices located throughout Inland Empire and Coachella Valley, UCR Health is growing to meet the healthcare needs of the region, bringing innovative, culturally sensitive medical care to the community. Established alongside the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, UCR Health’s patient-centered primary care and specialty services deliver university-based healthcare excellence and innovation to all communities.

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What Is An Immunization?

Immunization is the process of protecting yourself against a virus or illness, hence becoming immune to an extent. Immunizations have helped us with many illnesses and viruses such as COVID-19, Hepatitis, and others. 

Why Is It Important to Receive An Immunization?

Receiving an immunization is strongly recommended, regardless of age. It can help prevent you from getting infected with many different types of viruses. Many healthcare providers strongly recommend getting specific immunizations to ensure you live a healthy life without getting a certain virus.

To speak with a physician about your immunizations and how they can benefit you, visit https://www.ucrhealth.org/make-an-appointment/.

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Low vision is described as difficulty seeing even with the assistance of glasses, contact lenses, medications, and/or surgery. Causes for vision loss in adults over the age of 65 include age-related macular degeneration, diabetes, and glaucoma.

The first step to any treatment is to seek help. Ophthalmologists or optometrists who specialize in low vision can help curate a vision rehabilitation plan best suited to a patient’s needs.

Take this time as an opportunity to spread the word and raise awareness about vision rehabilitation and learn more about potential risk factors for low vision. 

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Anyone can have this condition, but those at higher risk include:

• People over the age of 60, especially in Hispanic/Latino populations
• African Americans over the age of 40
• People with a family history of glaucoma

There is no current cure for glaucoma but early treatment is critical in preventing damage. Glaucoma can be detected through a comprehensive dilated eye examination.

Join us as we raise awareness for this disease by opening up conversations about glaucoma within your community and educating yourself about glaucoma research, treatments, news, and information!

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Nandini Gowda, MD, who recently became board certified in Obesity Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, had started a weight loss clinic at UCR Health Citrus Tower this past year.

Dr. Gowda, MD specializes in Adult Medicine, Breast Cancer, Diabetes, Internal Medicine, Men’s Health, Preventative Medicine, Primary Care, Well Women Care, and Women’s Health Services at the UCR Health Multispecialty Center. She received her board certification at The American Board of Internal Medicine. She has taught Ambulatory Clinic Practice with an emphasis on Women’s Health to Residents in resident programs that include Internal Medicine, Family Practice, and Preventive Medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. She is fluent in both English and Kannada.

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Dr. Gowda also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Health Science at the UCR School of Medicine. She completed her M.B.B.S (M.D. equivalent degree) at the Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences in Mysore, India, before completing her Internal Medicine Residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center and the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Prior to becoming a faculty member at UCR School of Medicine, Dr. Gowda served as an Internal Medicine physician at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Loma Linda School of Medicine School from 2013 to 2019. Dr. Gowda has made seven outstanding posters, lectures, and oral presentations on various health-related issues covering multiple research topics such as vaginitis, anemia, and hyperlipidemia regarding providing the best possible care to patients coping with different health conditions from diverse backgrounds. 

Dr. Gowda's patient philosophy emphasizes providing a collaborative and supportive environment to address patients' unique and complex healthcare needs holistically. Her patients are empowered to share their lived experiences and express any concerns they may have regarding care. Through fostering such a clinical practice, she believes that patients can best understand diagnoses and receive treatments while remaining in control of their lives. As a healthcare provider at UCR Health, Dr. Gowda works together with her patients to deliver care at the center and bring health home to the greater Inland Empire community. 

The post Nandini Gowda, MD // UCR Health’s April Physician of the Month appeared first on UCR Health.

• Adult and child preventative and wellness care 
• Geriatric health assessments 
• Primary care pain management 

• Cervical, breast, and colon cancer screening 
• Prevention contraception 
• And more 

Matthew Louis, MD is one of our family medicine physicians practicing at the UCR Health Palm Desert location. Dr. Louis is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.  

To request an appointment at any of our locations, please complete a brief appointment form or call us at 1-844.827.8000  

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