
Rachel Zimmerman
Former Staff
Rachel Zimmerman previously reported on health and the intersection of health and business for WBUR. She is working on a memoir about rebuilding her family after her husband’s suicide.
Recently published

Love alone can’t prevent suicide
A pervasive misunderstanding about suicide finds its way into a new HBO documentary about Adrienne Shelly, who wrote "Waitress" and was murdered in 2006.

I Know The Devastation Suicide Leaves Behind. I Wish I Didn’t
Like Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, my husband died by suicide, leaving our daughters and loving family struggling, wondering why.

From A Robotic Cat To Virtual Reality: How Tech Is Assisting Seniors And Caregivers
As the U.S. population ages, this new technology is emerging to augment the work of human caregivers, and also improve seniors' quality of life.

Demand For Senior Home Care Grows, But Its Pay Remains Low
"If nothing is done to improve these jobs," MIT economist Paul Osterman says, "by the year 2040, there'll be a shortage of at least 350,000 paid caregivers."

Biogen's Push For Newborn Screening Aims To Boost Reach Of Drug For Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Cambridge-based Biogen, maker of the only therapy available to treat spinal muscular atrophy, a rare but often fatal disease, says testing newborns for the condition is crucial. But getting infants...
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Innovation Boost: 3 Digital Health Startups Win Cash To Accelerate Business
The three startups -- one to help detect concussions, another to streamline emergency medicine, and a third to improve the mental health of seniors -- were awarded a total of...
With Latest Acquisition, Steward Set To Become Largest U.S. For-Profit Hospital Operator
If the almost $2 billion deal is approved by regulators, Steward would run 36 hospitals throughout 10 states.

From Dying Wishes To Support For Substance Users: How 5 Health Startups Tackle Tough Problems
Bostonomix is following several PULSE startups as they try to reach their goals, fine-tune products and figure out the best path toward commercialization.
New WPI Center Aims To Accelerate Smart Medical Device Production
PracticePoint will include four testing suites designed to mimic different health care environments, which WPI hopes will allow clinical researchers, engineers and manufacturers to more easily collaborate.

Food As Medicine: Rethinking Hunger Relief As Health Care
As more and more people understand the link between fresh food and health benefits, food banks and others tackling food insecurity have made dramatic changes.