Olean Times Herald • The Bradford Era • The Salamanca Press
April / May 2016 Volume 1 • Issue 1
A place to call home Genesis House in Olean celebrates 20+ years of combating homelessness
Former drug addict tells his road to recovery
Local officials work to combat heroin epidemic
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April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing
Twin Tiers Health
April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing
April / May 2016 Volume 1 • Issue 1
What’s inside... 5
LOCAL IMPACT | Local officials work to combat heroin epidemic
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HOME & FAMILY | Healthy tips for keeping a clean house
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MIND & BODY | Chiropractic medicine: help for overcoming addiction or for countless long-term conditions
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FITNESS & EXERCISE | Get running to your first 5K
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FEATURE | Genesis House in Olean celebrates 20+ years of combating homelessness
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FEATURE | Former drug addict tells his road to recovery
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FOOD & NUTRITION | Maintaining the balance
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HEALTH TIPS | Well-being is an important contributor to our state of health
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DR. NOTICE | Addiction is a brain-based disorder
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DR. NOTICE | What are the signs of screen addiction?
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LOCAL UPDATE | Groove Health & Fitness wants to make workouts fun
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LOCAL UPDATE| OGH works to keep ER wait times down LOCAL UPDATE| Colleges for a Cure donates to BRMC
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OFF YOUR ROCKER | Area Senior Centers offer many benefits to older adults
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HEALTH NEWS |
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Contributors
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Graphic Designer
Matt Keim
Circulation Manager
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Amy Hayden Leanna Cameron Tiffany Mager Jenn Mong
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April / May 2016
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Local officials work to combat heroin epidemic By Rick Miller
Special to Twin Tiers Health
On March 1, Salamanca Police Chief Troy formally announced a program to help opiate and heroin-addicted area residents find in-patient treatment. The program began as a collaboration between Westfall and David Raiport, the officer in charge of the Gowanda Police Department, who were aghast at the impact heroin was having on their communities in terms of deaths, wasted lives and grieving families. Although state Health Department records show three
Photo by Rick Miller Gowanda Police Department Officer in Charge Steve Raiport (left) and Salamanca Police Chief Troy Westfall attended the March 2 meeting of the Cattaraugus County Board of Health to inform health officials of a new program, Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative (PAARI), which aims to get heroin and opiate addicts into treatment instead of jail.
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heroin overdose deaths last year, Westfall said he was aware of at least five overdose fatalities in 2015. There were no heroin overdose fatalities in 2014 and two in 2013. Last year police and other first responders across the county used dozens of cans of Narcan, which is a fast-acting heroin and opiate antidote. The police officials watched as addicts from their communities sought treatment only to find that heroin is a difficult demon to exorcise during out-patient therapy. Many addicts feared arrest and jail. A Massachusetts police chief’s program, the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI), was embraced as a model by Westfall and Raiport. Instead of arresting heroin and other opiate addicts, the Salamanca and Gowanda police departments offer addicts an avenue for detoxification and treatment of their addiction. Westfall told the Cattaraugus County Board of Health on March 2 that he realized police can’t arrest their way out of the current heroin epidemic plaguing much of Upstate New York as well as many parts of the country. The PAARI project — getting treatment for individuals as soon as possible without arresting them — was the only avenue open to the Salamanca and Gowanda communities at the time. With heroin and opiate addiction so widespread, police found there was a shortage of in-patient treatment beds both in the region and in the state. In addition, those in-patient beds — for programs lasting ...continued on page 6
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local impact 30 days to six weeks — were often unavailable for addicts who had not first failed in an out-patient setting. This meant that after an initial detoxification after an overdose — in which the heroin antidote Narcan may have been used — and emergency room visit, an addict could be back to using heroin in a matter of days. The heroin that is readily available in the area is stronger than in the past and often laced with fentanyl, an opiate 50 times stronger than heroin. Fentenyl is believed to have been involved in some of the heroin overdoses in Cattaraugus County in the past year. The PAARI program involved finding addiction rehabilitation facilities with beds outside of New York because of the lack of available facilities in the region. These states include Florida, California and New Hampshire. The addict’s family buys a plane ticket to get the addict to the facility and the treatment is paid for by the family, private insurance or Medicaid. Raiport, Gowanda’s officer in charge, said that while less than two months may be too soon to judge the effects of the PAARI project in Cattaraugus County, the two police depart-
ments have helped place into therapy 32 individual addicts who asked for help. “More than half are in-patient, and three or four are back from their 30-day in-patient treatment, getting continuing care including outpatient clinics back here and group therapy,” Raiport said. “The families are the biggest support behind that individual,” Raiport said. “There’s peer support for families too.” The Community Connection group in Gowanda and Seneca Strong in the Salamanca area have formed to help addicts and their families. “It’s a life-change for the whole family,” he said of addicted individuals. “Our village board and community are behind this program 110 percent,” Raiport said. “It was needed to address the situation. It kind of makes you feel good that you are helping someone out.” One result of the program, which has been in the talking stage since last October in Gowanda, has been a decrease in the quality of life crimes like car break-ins, Raiport said. There were six people at the first meeting and more than 50 at the March Community Connection meeting. “It’s certainly not going to go away,” observed Raiport. However, by getting more than 30 addicts (heroin and opiates) off the street and into treatment, there has been a decrease in the number of overdose calls. If an addict asks for help in getting to a rehabilitation bed, the police in both communities have committed themselves to help, Westfall told the Board of Health. The exception is heroin dealers. Dealers need not apply for the program, Westfall told the board. Police have a jail cell waiting for them instead.
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Healthy tips for keeping a clean house
April / May 2016
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Home & Family
By Kate Day Sager
Special to Twin Tiers Health
Warmer temperatures during the spring and summer months will likely inspire many people to open the windows and dust, mop and vacuum dirt that has accumulated over the fall and winter months. A couple of local experts have provided advice on both natural and manmade products that will not only clean houses safely, but also efficiently. Joan Haynes, an employee at Pfeiffer Nature Center in Portville, has words of advice for those who prefer to clean their homes or living space with natural products. Haynes, who provided a program to the public last year on the use of natural cleaning products, said she converted to using natural cleaning products in the home in recent years. For example, apple cider vinegar can be used to rinse clothes, while vinegar and baking soda is a good natural agent for cleaning everything from shelves to floors. “Vinegar and baking soda are the first things that come to my mind” for cleaning dirty floors, walls and counters, Haynes said. “The combination of baking soda and vinegar bubbles up and helps clean (stubborn) areas.” Vinegar poured in water
also can be effective in cleaning, she added. “Vinegar kills so many germs and cuts through grease and gummy stuff,” she said. Haynes said lemon juice is another underrated natural product, as it can be used to clean stains and serve as a deterrent for some bugs. She said lemon juice is especially effective in warding off ladybugs, also known as Asian lady beetles, that infest area homes in the spring and fall. “I found out they do not like lemon” sprayed around window sills, she noted. “Other bugs, such as ants and spiders, don’t like peppermint,” she continued. “So when you’re doing your spring cleaning, you can use it to keep some of your bugs away.” FOR THOSE who prefer cleaning products found in the store, there are safe, effective ways to use the items, said Ray Jordan, senior public health sanitarian with the Cattaraugus County Health Department. While the department doesn’t typically advise the public on the use of household products for Photos courtesy Metro Creative Connection
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cleaning, Jordan said common sense should come into play when cleaning begins. “You don’t want to combine bleach with ammonia because you can get a gas that is toxic,” Jordan cautioned. “It probably should be also noted that it can be dangerous to combine bleach with a number of chemicals, including commonly used household cleaners.” Jordan said the cleaning of mold in the house, depending on the degree of build-up, may merit wearing paper masks and gloves that can be purchased in hardware stores. In addition, Jordan advised against using volatile cleaning agents in areas of the house that may have open flames, such as found at the base of hot water tanks. When throwing out waste products, homeowners should also check on what materials will be picked up with other refuse. Jordan said items such as fluorescent tubes, as well as antifreeze and motor oil from one’s garage, will not be picked up for the landfill. Old medications also should not be flushed down the toilet or thrown out in the trash, Jordan added. Jordan said the Cattaraugus County Department of Public Works has a website that will advise homeowners on proper disposal of these items or collection drives in the county. Information for other regional refuse sites, collection drives and waste disposal can also be obtained on the Internet. In conclusion, Jordan noted “common sense is the rule” when cleaning this spring.
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Chiropractic medicine: help for overcoming addiction or for countless long-term conditions
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Mind & Body
By JoEllen Wankel
Special to Twin Tiers Health
Dr. Jason Wood of Wood Chiropractic on Barbour Street explained that chiropractic medicine is for anybody, any age and any condition. Chiropractic visits are more a wellness maintenance approach to people’s health, making life easier and helping to make for a healthier community. A healthy nervous system where the body is under it’s own control makes life better. Individuals who are dealing with withdrawal or issues with overcoming addiction can seek treatment with a chiropractor and stand a good chance of finding relief from those issues with pain. “In Bradford and the surrounding areas, [addiction] is an increasingly huge problem,” Wood said. “For the majority of folks caught up in a vicious cycle with pain medication or even heroin, they start was with a prescription opiod or pain reliever.” Wood noted that there are two ways to help someone with an addiction. The first is to help with the pain that was the initial motivation and the second is to help deal with the main issue of substance abuse – the brain becomes rewired to respond differently to the urges for the substance. For
those who seek treatment with a chiropractor, their brain health and the brain chemicals improve significantly. “It still will require willpower and the person will need to want to get away from the addiction and change,” Wood said. “For a lot of people, a chiropractic visit makes it easier.” There is no specific age when visiting a chiropractor becomes beneficial. Instead, if there are symptoms that seem to indicate an adjustment by a chiropractor would be helpful, it is a good idea to make an appointment. “A lot of people have the conception in mind that a chiropractor is a back pain specialist,” Wood said. “That makes sense, since we treat a lot of people with back pain and they get better. The truth is though, that we don’t treat the condition. Chiropractic medicine ensures that the brain gets all the messages to the body to run everything. If the messages ...continued on page 13
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Mind & Body aren’t getting through to certain areas, those areas of the body won’t work correctly.” Wood explained that misplaced bones in the neck or back are typically the cause of interference between the brain and the rest of the body. Some issues commonly treated by Wood include anxiety, high blood pressure, constipation and menstrual cramps. These are in addition to the more commonly recognized issues of headaches, backaches, carpal tunnel, sciatica and migraines that patients suffer from and make appointments with a chiropractor to resolve. For those who have concerns about their children, even infants, Wood Chiropractic is a great place to look for help. Wood noted his primary focus is on pediatric care, since children have been dealing with issues with interference for a shorter period of time. “I see teenagers and children who are school-age or younger,” Wood said. “My youngest patient was two days old. I had to travel to the hospital where the baby was a patient and do the adjustment there. “From a chiropractor’s standpoint, the best time to see a patient would be at two days old, because there has not been a lot of time for things to go wrong.” For those who have been suffering from a condition for years, the time to see an improvement can vary. Wood says typically new patients see a difference within the first two
weeks, with notable improvement occurring within the first 12 weeks of treatment. Wood said that people are usually dealing with a lifelong condition that finally manifests in symptoms that require attention, while other symptoms have been tolerated along the way and not recognized as a result of the condition. “Two weeks, eight weeks, 12 weeks... It is nothing compared to the 30 or 40 years some people have been dealing with the condition,” Wood said. “That is the power of the human body; it wants to heal. It wants to work properly.” When it comes to successful treatment for the patient, Wood is less concerned about the condition and physical symptoms than about the mental approach to receiving chiropractic adjustment. “As a chiropractor, the biggest obstacle is not physical. It is really the mindset of the patient,” Wood said. “Chiropractic medicine in a way of doing things differently and of getting bodies to function correctly, not treating the condition.” Wood explained he offers a 30-minute orientation at his office each Monday night for those who are not familiar with chiropractic medicine and are interested in learning about it. For those who wish to attend, it is a good idea to contact the office to reserve a spot. Space is limited and Wood notes the orientation is typically well-attended.
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Get running to your first 5K
April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing
Fitness & Exercise
By Rich Place
Special to Twin Tiers Health
From health benefits to simply the feeling of accomplishment that comes with crossing a finish line, there are several reasons why this year should be the year to starting running. And with warmer weather approaching and the sun setting later, there’s less excuses to go out and begin that training program. From the first-time runner to the seasoned marathoner, everyone has to start somewhere. But setting your sights on a 5K race is a good place to start, according to Dr. Dionne Kress, owner of Groove Health & Fitness in Ellicottville. A 5K race gives runners an achievable goal — that is, 3.1 miles — and there are plenty held in the area. Plus, there are training plans available online to help you get started and finish strong.
“It gives you a goal to shoot for,” said Dr. Kress of signing up for a 5K. She is one of many who are part of an area running group training for the 5K held during the weekend of the Happy Half Marathon in Ellicottville in mid-May. She’s part of a group because they encourage her and hold her accountable, and she finds it more enjoyable than training on her own. Photos courtesy Metro Creative Connection
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Fitness & Exercise “Running gives you camaraderie and a goal,” she said. “But if you can make it fun, it’s a game changer.” The key to running a 5K is to start slow and build up your strength and endurance, Dr. Kress explained. Her best advice is to beginning training with a walk/run combination. “Don’t jump on a treadmill and try to run a 5K right away,” she said, advising to always have a warm up and cool down period at the beginning and end of each run, respectively. The Couch to 5K, one of the best most well-known training regimens to prepare for a 5K, advises participants to begin with a five-minute warmup walk, then alternate between 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of running for a total of 20 minutes. Then, as the program continues, the amount of walking is decreased while the amount of running is increased.
“The ultimate goal is to try and run for 30 minutes straight,” Dr. Kress explained, noting the time figure would translate to roughly a 10-minute pace per mile. It’s advised by both the Couch to 5K program and Dr. Kress to run three days per week. Dr. Kress went even further to note the importance of cross training on non-running days — that’s means doing exercise other than running that works other core body muscles. Swimming and cycling, for example, are popular cross training activities. But perhaps more important than the actual running, the cross training or choosing the right shoe — all vitally important in the running habit — is to not exert yourself too much. “Whatever your body is telling you, listen to it,” Dr. Kress said. “Don’t run too much, too fast, too soon. Starting out slowly, listen to your body and warm up.”
UPCOMING LOCAL RACES Sunday, April 24 SAPS 10K & 5K Franklinville Saturday, May 7 Happy Half Marathon & 5K Ellicottville Saturday, May 7 Allegany Adventure Trail Runs Allegany State Park Friday, May 13 Krouse 5K Challenge Gowanda Saturday, May 21 5K for Family Services Warren, Pa. For more information on these runs and a list of other runs in the area, visit buffalorunners.com and roadracerunners.com.
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FEATURE
A place to call home
ess
Genesis House in Olean celebrates 20+ years of combating homelessness
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April / May 2016
A Place to Call Home
In 2015, the facility housed 39 children, 55 women and provided 3,000 nights of shelter. In addition, the shelter served 26,000 meals.
Photo by Kate Day Sager Sister Melissa Scholl (left), volunteer coordinator at Genesis House, is shown with Faye Briggs, a former resident of the homeless shelter who now manages the facility.
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By Kate Day Sager
Special to Twin Tiers Health
OLEAN — When Faye Briggs refers to the staff and volunteers at the Genesis House homeless shelter, she says they’re all “like a bunch of moms” to her. Briggs, who now manages the same homeless shelter she had resided at in the past, spoke of the lifeline provided to her by the Olean facility. The shelter, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, helps homeless women and children, or family units, at its South Barry Street home, as well as men at a separate, smaller facility. The shelter is funded through donations from churches, organizations and individuals, annual fundraisers and supplies from food drives and the Food Bank of Western New York. It is operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a small, dedicated staff as well as volunteers. In 2015, the facility housed 39 children, 55 women and provided 3,000 nights of shelter. In addition, the shelter served 26,000 meals. The facility not only provides food and shelter for women and men, but also puts them in contact with community resources to help them get back on their feet. In addition, individuals in the shelter are assisted at their apartments or homes after they leave the facility through the After Care program. Through the program, they receive everything from shampoo to diapers to referrals. Debbie Wescott, case manager at the shelter, said fundraisers such as the geranium sale in May, as well as other benefits throughout the year, are critical in the operation of the facility. A new fundraiser for the shelter is the Genesis Run dice run on June 4 in Olean.
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A Place to Call Home The event will launch from the Poor Cow Leather shop in the Walmart Plaza in Allegany with a destination of Hollywood Happenings in Gowanda. More details will be released at a later date on the event. “All the money raised is for operational costs here, every cent of it,” Westcott had previously remarked. “But it’s not just to keep the electricity (and other utilities on); if we get five or six families, we put them up in motels until we can figure out how to help them.” Briggs said the shelter not only helped her get back on her feet once, but also during a second stay at the facility. “I was a resident and spent a year here,” Briggs said. More important was the unconditional help she received when she returned later on. “They’re amazing here … they’re really like a bunch of moms — they’re awesome.” Wescott said Briggs has been a wonderful addition to Genesis House.
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“She’s fantastic and kind of looks over things after we leave for the day,” Wescott said of Briggs’ work with shelter residents. “She makes sure they’re doing their chores and everybody is in by 9 p.m.” Executive director Linore Lounsbury said a new program that will be offered by Genesis House and CAReS to professionals and individuals in the community is a May 5 seminar titled “An American Epidemic, Heroin and Other Opiate Addiction.” The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Good Times on East State Street and is open to the community. The speaker, Michael Nerney, is a nationally known consultant in substance abuse prevention. Lounsbury said Genesis House joined forces with CAReS on the program as the shelter has helped individuals with addictions. For more information on helping the shelter through donations, fundraisers or volunteer work, call (716) 373-3354.
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Former drug addict tells his road to recovery By Sandy Rhodes
Special to Twin Tiers Health
A drug addict could wind up in one of three places — rehab, jail or in a cemetery. Alex George has been to rehab and jail. And it was his incarceration that saved his life. Sadly, that is not always the case with addicts. Seven of George’s friends lost their lives to drugs. Pennsylvania is near the top of the national statistics for drug overdose deaths, according to a report published last year by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One of those who fell victim was Danielle Fitzsimmons, who died in October of a heroin overdose. Danni, who died while George was in jail, may be seen as his inspiration to kick his heroin habit. “Every time I would lose somebody, I’d say it was my time to quit, but drugs have a strong hold on you.” After years of being addicted to painkillers and heroin, George was sent to jail on a probation violation. “Thank God. Jail saved my life.” A Family Affair George drank alcohol and smoked marijuana, but his foray into hard drug use came at the hands of his father, who one day handed his son an OxyContin, an opioid (narcotic) pain medication. “Dad had known people all his life who did drugs.” So, it did not seem out of the norm for his dad to offer George an OxyContin. “It was like turning a friend onto a good drug,” said George, a man in his 40s who has lived in Bradford sporadically throughout his life. Just as some enjoy a drink at a bar or a smoke of weed behind the bar, for the Georges, taking painkillers was their way of having a good time on weekends. But as George soon realized, painkillers send people down a slippery slope into addiction and more drug use. “Painkillers. They are everywhere,” he said, adding that people may start innocently enough and do not realize how
Overdose Awareness
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addictive they are. “It is everywhere. It is a large problem.” From Painkillers to Methadone to Heroin George took painkillers off and on for seven to eight years. When the mother of his child would threaten to leave if he didn’t stop, he would — for a while. After a car accident, he needed those same painkillers for medical reasons. And he got them. Three of them. All from the same doctor. OxyContin, Dilaudid and Vicodin — all strong painkillers and all highly addictive. George would start each month with the more potent drug, then would slowly work his way to the least potent until it was time to go back to the doctor. “It was never enough.” The rug was eventually pulled out from under George when another doctor found marijuana in a urine test. Although his original doctor said it was OK for him to smoke marijuana while on the painkillers, it was not. “I lost my pills in the middle of my addiction.” George’s journey into another drug — methadone — included an eight-hour bus trip daily to methadone clinics in State College, Clearfield or Erie. Methadone withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to heroin or other narcotic drugs without causing the “high” associated with the drug addiction. In essence, one drug was used in place of another. “It kept me away from drugs, but it was non-stop. I was taking a drug every day to feel normal. George dropped out of the clinic and started to detoxify off of methadone by himself — something he describes as one of the worse experiences of his life. “It makes you sick to your stomach. You have no energy. And the cold — it cuts through you like a knife to your skin and your bones.” It took two and a half months for him to feel normal. “It takes a certain mindset to truly realize that opiates don’t have a place in your life. “I wanted to control it and not have it control me.” Then, after his detox from methadone, George jumped from the frying pan into the fire. He started using heroin. “Before you know it, I was trying to get a fix.” In the fall of 2014, George started using pills again. That ...continued on page 22
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Overdose Awareness led him to heroin, which, as he found out, was not hard to get. “Once you are into that kind of thing, you can find friends who are into that,” he said, likening to finding friends with similar interests such as movies, drinking or fast cars. “If you do opiates, you can find friends who do.” By the spring of 2015, George was going to jail on a probation violation. He was also in the midst of heavy heroin use, taking at least a bundle of heroin a day — or 10 bags. According to George, going to jail was the best thing that could have happened to him. Sentenced to Life Six months in jail saved George’s life. It wasn’t easy, but he lived through it and beyond it. “I was sick and tired of being sick and tired,” he said. “Enough is enough is enough.” In jail, one has no choice but to go through detox. “After the first week in jail, the drug is out of your system.” Luckily for George, his sentence was six months. For he is certain that if he had gotten out sooner, he would have returned to a life of drug use. But somewhere in those six months “something clicked.” “I wanted my life back. I wanted to stay away from opiates,” he said. George used his time in the out-of-area jail well. He took any class he was offered to better himself. Between his time in jail, his time away from drugs, his time in class and the loss of a friend, he realized it was time to quit drugs. “I am not sure what made me change. I can’t put my finger on it.” A View from the Other Side Life is pretty good for a recovering addict. “It’s fairly good,” George said of his life now. “I get up, eat breakfast and not try to find drugs, hunt down money (for drugs) or constantly look over my shoulder.” But having seen both sides — that of an addict and one who conquered his addiction — George knows why addicts don’t always seek the help they need. “Once you are an addict, everyone looks at you the same,” he said. “Society has a demeaning attitude” toward addicts. George pointed out that opiate use touches every walk
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of life — regardless if whether someone is rich or poor, came from a good family or not. Drug use sends a person into a life they never wanted — and all for a high. “They are no common criminal. The drug grips you and changes the way you think.” Getting the next high is all that matters and nothing will stand in their way of getting it. And while jail saved George’s life, he knows it is not necessarily a lifesaver for others. “They are locking up drug addicts with drug addicts and are making a bigger drug community, a smarter drug community … it doesn’t make sense.” Advice from an Addict When someone is thinking about doing drugs or already addicted, they are in for a fight of their lives. “If you are thinking about it or are offered drugs, get ready for the biggest fight of your life,” George said. “You will end up dead or completely changed for it.” The struggle is worse for those already addicted. While the addiction is easy to achieve, recovery takes a lot longer. “You need to change your mind to change your life,” he said, adding they should be prepared to be in rehab for a while. “Not 30 days of rehab. Ninety days or more.” George theorized that it would be better to offer counseling to drug addicts instead of throwing them in jail. That and changing the way people think about addicts will go a long way in helping curb this addiction epidemic And be prepared to lose friends as George lost a friend in Danni. “She was one of the sweetest, kindest, real friends … she was always smiling and ready to give a hug. She was a delightful girl.” Another testament that drugs affect people from all walks of life. But George’s goal in tossing a stone into this conversation by telling his story is to help people understand drug use and to help those enduring the same struggle he did. “If I just help one person, I am doing something better than I was a year ago.” Another ripple reaching out to educate and help others.
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Maintaining the balance
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Food & Nutrition
Fighting addictive, excessive dietary habits By Amber Turba
Special to Twin Tiers Health
When you think of addiction, admit it: you think of drugs, alcohol and vice. However, addiction can come in many different forms and can have a wide array of effects on every person depending on their circumstances. One form of addiction that may be more common than people realize is also one of the core staples of life - food. More specifically, the dietary habits that are practiced every day have the possibility of becoming addictive if the behaviors reach a level of excess and dependency that begin to take over more than just the act of basic human sustenance. Two common dietary practices that appear to pervade the region and have received recognition from millions of people worldwide, are vegan and paleo. As most people already know, vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and byproducts such as eggs, dairy, honey, leather, fur, wool, silk, cosmetics or soaps derived from animal products, for a variety of environmental, ethical or personal reasons. Vegan diets are free of cholesterol and are generally low in saturated fat. Thus, eating a vegan diet makes it easy to conform to recommendations given to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. A paleo diet, on the other hand, is based on the notion that, for optimal health, modern humans should return to eating “real,” wholly unprocessed foods that are more healthful than harmful to the body. People who practice paleo eat whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods, prioritizing grassfed and pastured meats and eggs, wild-caught seafood, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Correspondingly, a paleo diet excludes foods that potentially harm the body by causing systemic inflammation or derailing natural metabolic processes. And, while some physicians, biochemists, nutritionists and
Photos courtesy Metro Creative Connection
other researchers have noted the benefits of ancestral nutrition, people who adopt a paleo or vegan dieting approach to eating are at a particularly high risk for excessive behaviors toward what they can and cannot consume, just as nondieters are at a high risk for excessive behaviors toward how much they can and cannot consume. According to local dietician Mariann Kahle, LDN, dieting habits are generally taken in “an all or nothing” approach. “People are either really good, or they’re really bad,” Kahle stated. “Typically, when a person begins a diet, they have goals in mind that become a heightened expectation that they either live up to, or don’t. I’ve seen a lot of people begin these fad diets - diets that restrict certain foods or portion intakes drastically - and fail, in which case they binge and start over, or they succeed for a little while, losing weight very quickly, and then become addicted to the results regardless of whether it’s harmful or not. People have very little patience and very high goals, and that’s where excessive behaviors, and addictive practices, stem from.” Kahle says the secret to successful health is all about maintaining balance. “I personally advocate for a healthy lifestyle that isn’t a fad diet,” Kahle stated. “I want people to develop habits that can be sustained for the rest of their lives, and that involves a balanced diet, measured, attainable goals and a reasonable timeline that eventually fades into everyday practice.” The difficulty, Kahle acknowledged, is when success from a healthy lifestyle begins to plateau. ...continued on page 26
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“A lot of patients I work with find that, once they make healthy changes and lose a lot of weight, they sort of plateau and don’t see very much progress,” Kahle explained. “The important thing is to stick it out and not give up. And that’s where the patience aspect comes in, and that’s where willpower and control have to take over. It’s as much of a mind game as it is a physical journey.” According to Kahle, the first step in any health situation is meeting with a medical professional and getting a list of local resources, dieticians and fitness facilities. “There are so many factors that go into a person’s health that there is no quick-fix or easy solution for all,” Kahle stated. “But some common denominators involve one’s diet, exercise history, sleep-pattern assessment and stress-management ability. Luckily, every community has at least one facility that can address each and every one of these needs - especially Bradford.” Within the community, Sacred Spaces Holistic Center on Mechanic Street focuses on stress-elimination for a healthier lifestyle. Through the awareness of breath, bodywork, meditation, yoga and Ayurvedic health counseling, Sacred Spaces provides what they call “original” health care. “Emotional trauma we face with life events, painful recovery from injury, stress from our everyday lives and lack of faith in a higher power can all create a state of being that is not only unhealthy, but unbalanced,” according to Sacred Spaces. “When we reach this state of unbalance, our bodies, minds and spirit are the playground for disease and illness. A staggering statistic in conventional medicine states that over 80% of all disease is caused by stress. Not the catastrophic events that happen in our lives, but the day to day living stress. We are here to help combat that with healthy options to reduce stress and rebuild our bodies, minds and spirits.” Santo Vida is also available for dieting needs and lifestyles. Located on Main Street, Santo Vida is Bradford’s only natural wellness store offering a variety of products and services to improve community and individual wellness. For more information regarding addiction or dietary practices and health, contact your local medical professional, wellness center or specialist to see what resources are available for you. “It’s never too late to change your mental attitude, your physical health, or both,” Kahle said. “But you only have one of each, so invest in yourself and find the right balance that fits your lifestyle.”
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April / May 2016
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Health Tips
Well-being is an important contributor to our state of health By Dr. Dionne Kress
Special to Twin Tiers Health
Does the state of our health always have to begin with weight, diet, and exercise? What about well-being; our state of mind and level of satisfaction with life? Doesn’t that influence how happy or depressed we feel, the food choices we make, and our level of motivation to get to the gym? What if we shifted our perspective and started to consider our mental, physical, and social well-being? Might that approach to improving our health naturally allow weight management, diet and exercise to naturally fall into place? Let’s explore. At some point in our lives we will all take a moment to evaluate the state of our health and wellness. First we get on the scale and choose some abstract number of pounds we think we need to lose. We then move to the refrigerator to begin evaluating the foods we need to start and/or stop eating. All of a sudden we begin to feel discouraged realizing we are about to lose all the things we love and enjoy. Finally, our mind shifts to exercise, oh the drudgery of going to the gym. We are suddenly filled with excuses. Our feeling of anxiety, intimidation, and overwhelm are so strong we get a pit in our stomachs. Why do we focus on these three areas first? Why aren’t we considering the real factors contributing to weight gain, bad food choices, and lack of motivation to go to the gym? Why are we always so quick to look outside for the answers when ...continued on page 28
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April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing
Health Tips we all know the real answer lie within? Why do we fear going to the place that will bring us real long lasting results once and for all? When we begin to consider our health (being without illness or injury) and wellness (condition of good physical and mental health) we prefer to focus on the BIG three because it is safe and seems easier. Going within can be scary and a lot of work; who has the time to figure out their real issues. I would like to suggest you consider taking a risk - the reward could be big. Ask yourself some seriously tough questions and be honest with yourself. Are you comfortable with yourself? Are your fit and able to engage in activities you enjoy? Are you happy, content, joyful. If you have answered no or not sure, you have some thinking to do. Your feeling of being comfortable, fit and happy is about your state of well-being. Well-being is a primary contributing factor to our state of health. We can continue trying to losing that last 20 lbs, eating the foods we know are healthy and getting to the gym regularly, but if we don’t have a positive sense of well-being we will often land right back where we started. Well-being encompasses our physical, mental, and social aspects of life. Your physical well-being relates to your feeling of energy, vitality, and vigor for life. Mental well-being includes: • Your sense of satisfaction for life • Acceptance of self
• Recognizing our purpose and passion • Experiencing balance between positive and negative emotions • Feeling in control of life circumstances • Seeking out personal growth and development opportunities. Finally, social well-being is when you feel as though you give and receive support from friends, family and colleagues. People who feel a greater sense of well-being will rate their lives as positive and will feel more optimistic, ultimately being healthier. Do you currently feel healthy, full of energy and able to take on your daily activities? Are you engaged in your life? Do you find it interesting and satisfying? Are you surrounded by supportive friends, and family? People with a sense of wellbeing evaluate their lives as meaningful and having purpose. Does this describe you? Maybe this is where you need start in the evaluation of your state of health. Stop looking at the scale, eating more broccoli and avoiding the gym. Take the time, energy, and risk; go deeper to figure what is really affecting your state of health. (Dr. Dionne Kress is owner of Groove Health & Fitness in Ellicottville. She maintains a blog on her website, dmkress.com.)
Photos courtesy Metro Creative Connection
Bradford Publishing
April / May 2016
Addiction is a brain-based disorder By Mary Ann Polucci Sherman, M.A. Special to Twin Tiers Health
Twin Tiers Health
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dr. notice behavioral and psychological trauma that often accompanies loving someone who is battling addiction. If you suspect someone you love has a drug problem don’t: • Preach or bribe; cover up or make excuses for the drug user • Shield the drug user from the negative consequences of their behavior • Hide or throw out drugs; take drugs with them • Feel guilty or responsible for the user’s choices to use drugs • Argue with the person when they are high • Make emotional appeals that may only increase the user’s guilt and compulsion to use drugs and rob the user of his or her dignity.
Drug abuse is associated with illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin, as well as with prescription and over-the-countermedicines. Commonly abused prescription medicines include opioids such as Vicodin, OxyContin and Percocet, sleep medicines such as Ambien and Lunesta and stimulants such as ConFamily members should: certa and Ritalin. Over-the-counter medicines include Nyquil, • Discuss their concerns with the user Robitussin, Benadryl and Pseudoephedrine. • Offer help and support without passing judgment Addiction involves craving for something intensely, loss of • List specific examples of behaviors and actions that you control over its use, and continuing use despite negative consehave witnessed that have you worried quences. Addictive drugs flood the brain with the hormone dopa• Stay safe, do not put yourself in dangerous situations mine, the brain lays down memories of this rapid sense of pleasure • Support your loved one, encourage treatment. and the brain wants this response repeated. Addiction changes the brain, first by subverting the way the brain registers pleasure Remember you can’t force an addict to change. Your loved and then by jading and corrupting the other normal drives such one is responsible for his or her actions and choices. as learning, behavior and motivation. One does not feel normal Recovery is possible and more successful when you have without drugs. No matter which drug you are addicted to, the people and professionals you can lean on for encouragement, craving to use grows more important than anything else, comfort and guidance. “JUST SAY YES” to treatment, recovery takes a village. We can no longer afford to including family, friends, career, and even your own remain silent about this drug addiction pandemic. health, happiness and desire to live. When you “Addiction is not a It affects each and every one of us, please find become addicted, the substance takes on the failure of will or lack of your voice. Speak often, and with respect for same significance as other survival behaviors, those living with addiction and for those lovsuch as eating and drinking character. It is a braining someone with addiction. Addiction is not a failure of will or lack of based disorder. This If you have any questions or concerns character. It is a brain-based disorder. This explains why an addict about addiction, call Bradford Regional explains why an addict cannot simply stop cannot simply stop Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Unit at using drugs by willpower alone. using drugs by willpower 800-446-2583. Vulnerability to addiction differs from person to person. Your genes, mental health, family, alone.” (Mary Ann Polucci Sherman, M.A. is a Pennsyland social environment all play a role in addiction. vania Licensed Psychologist employed by Bradford Risk factors include: family history of addiction; abuse, Regional Medical Center, Department of Behavioral Health neglect, or other family experiences; early use of drugs; Services. She has been working in the field of behavioral health comorbid mental disorders; and method of drug administration for 20 years in private practice and hospital-based services. At (smoking or injecting a drug may increase its addictive potential). BRMC she currently provides psychological services to Inpatient Families where addiction is present are painful to live in. FamiGeneral Psychiatry; Inpatient Dual diagnosis: Outpatient Partial lies whose loved ones are addicted often feel hopeless, angry, Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Proand ashamed. Living with addiction puts a family under tremengram.) dous stress. The family unit is helpless to balance the emotional,
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Twin Tiers Health
What are the signs of screen addiction? By Kelsey Boudin
Special to Twin Tiers Health
We’ve all seen the signs of screen addiction. There are some out there who spend a majority of their awake hours glued to the screen of a smartphone or computer. What they’re doing generally varies — sometimes they’re checking Facebook or texting, many are in a seemingly unending battle to manage work email accounts, while others are frequently compelled toward Internet pornography. But who’s actually suffering from it? Dr. Kimberly Young says that line can be fuzzy. And that’s coming from two decades of research after she founded the national Center for Internet Addiction in 1995, when the Internet was still in its infancy, long before social media and technological innovations placed the world at the fingertips of several billion people worldwide. “It depends on the level of severity,” said Young, a licensed psychologist and also a professor of journalism and mass communications at St. Bonaventure University. “When we talk about screen addiction, I think what happens is there’s a continuum. … People become preoccupied with the Internet. They’re unable to hold a job or serious relationship because of the Internet.” Some other warning signs available at her website — netaddiction.com — include: • Failed attempts to control behavior; • Neglecting friends and family; • Neglecting sleep to stay online; • Being dishonest with others; • Feeling guilty, ashamed, anxious or depressed as a result of online behavior; • Weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome; and • Withdrawing from other pleasurable activities. Exactly how prevalent is it? Much like alcoholism, the commonly cited statistic is between 5 and 10 percent of all users — because many never seek help or report honestly, leaving numbers as a guessing game for the experts, Young said. “There are no real outcome studies looking at how prevalent it is. I think the reality is there’s varying degrees,” said Young, who
April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing
dr. notice in 2014 gave one of the popular Internet-streamed TED talks on the topic. “There’s people that I call chronic checkers. They just check their phone all the time. Is that an addiction? No. It’s more of a compulsive problem.” Sometimes there are other underlying problems accompanying degrees of screen dependency — the clinical term is comorbidity. Again, like other addictive diseases, Internet addiction often coincides with depression, anxiety, other psychological afflictions and chemical imbalances, Young explained. “We get a lot of young men who are socially depressed and anxious and won’t get off these (online video) games. They just literally will not get off the computer,” she added. “They sit there and get blood clots in their veins. That is a problem behavior.” That can lead, she noted, to even greater problems in school, the workplace and social circles. What of those who seem addicted to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and the like? Experts have, in some cases, cited narcissism — excessive self-interest — on the part of those who can’t draw themselves away from the likes and comments that make the phones excitedly dance in their pockets. “I think these are people with esteem issues,” Young said. “They need that reassurance that they’re liked and wanted, so they post stuff a lot and want to see how many likes they get. It becomes reinforcing.” But there’s also an unclear line between needing that selfassurance and simply oversharing on social media. “I have good friends who I wouldn’t say are addicts — they have jobs and relationships — but they just post a lot, and I think some people overshare,” Young said. “That’s more of an issue with average adults. They overshare. Not all of what they share is relevant, but they’re still imbedded in real life.” “When we talk about Internet addiction or screen addiction, it’s typically someone who doesn’t have a handle on life, kind of like with drugs or alcohol,” she added. “There are people who might drink every day, but they’re not falling down, sloppy drunks. They may have a glass of wine or two a night, but they hold down jobs and relationships and otherwise function in society.” For those who are addicted, the pleasure — or relief — from checking those phone notifications just one more time comes from that happy, little brain chemical: dopamine. Your brain loves it. Addicts crave it. It comes naturally — think of a runner’s high or the feeling after just finishing a good workout. It also comes from using drugs and alcohol or satisfying an Internet habit. “Yes, when you deprive the brain of dopamine, you go through withdrawal,” Young said.
Bradford Publishing
April / May 2016
Twin Tiers Health
Groove Health & Fitness wants to make workouts fun
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local update
By Rich Place
Special to Twin Tiers Health
ELLICOTTVILLE — Working out doesn’t have to be a monotonous chore; if it’s an activity that is fun and something to look forward to, you’ll want to become part of that community. That’s the attitude of those at Groove Health & Fitness, a recently opened fitness center in Ellicottville that combines the typical weights, treadmills and workout classes of a traditional gym with a savvy coffee bar and outdoor fireplace to bring its members closer together. “My goal for this place is to make fitness inspirational, light and fun,” said owner Dr. Dionne Kress. “When you come in here, we want you to feel inspired and energized. We want you to look forward to working out, which will make you feel fit and healthy.” With a smile she added, “plus we are all fun!” Groove Health & Fitness opened last autumn and has been building its membership, especially throughout the winter months when Ellicottville’s skiers and snowboarders were looking for a place to not only exercise but just get together and commune. Because although it’s obvious Groove’s top priority is fitness and wellbeing, Dr. Kress stressed it’s also about a sense of bringing people together. She said outside of bars and coffee shops, Ellicottville didn’t have a gathering place for people to simply hang out. “This is a place I encourage people to come, hang out and chat,” she said. “Feel free to look at emails with our free WiFi. Hang out in the back after workouts. This really has a sense of community I feel is really starting to build. “You can see people are coming to classes together, working out together and support each other in their fitness efforts.” That sense of community, Dr. Kress believes, will lead to better exercise results. Groove Health & Fitness offers well known exercise classes like Synrgy 360 and hot yoga, and anticipates hosting barre
Photo by Rich Place Owner Dr. Dionne Kress (left) and Sam Uhrinek, both certified fitness instructors at Groove Health and Fitness, stand behind the coffee bar at the center, which is open to new members. Walk-ins are welcome.
classes later this spring. There’s the traditional weight room — which also includes exercise bikes and treadmills — and new spaces for classes and group sessions. One of the larger rooms has two flat-screen televisions on the wall to be used for video classes, another aspect that makes Groove Health & Fitness unique, Dr. Kress said. “Not only do we have the facilitated classes of Synrgy, barre and hot yoga, we also have over 200 video-based classes,” she explained. “We list them on our website in a classes schedule, and add and subtract as people want different things.” Keeping with the goal of making fitness more fun, Dr. Kress said even traditional classes, like Synrgy 360, are more than just the mundane workout sessions. “We try and alternate and never do the same routine,” she said. “And we crank up the music.” Dr. Kress and Sam Uhrinek, another employee at Groove, are both certified instructors. The fitness center had more than 1,000 people come in for a workout or class since opening in November, Dr. Kress said. The center’s visitors and members are a combination of Ellicottville’s winter ski and snowboard visitors and local cliente, she said. The center is open to new members and walk-ins are welcome. Groove Health & Fitness is located at 6696 Route 219, just south of the village of Ellicottville. For more information, visit groovehealthandfitness.com.
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April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing
local update
OGH works to keep ER wait times down OLEAN — When people are sick or injured, the last thing they want to do is wait for long periods of time in a hospital emergency room. ER wait times are a frequent complaint among patients at any hospital and can vary for a number of reasons. While Olean General Hospital (OGH) has a much shorter average ER wait time in comparison to other hospitals, OGH has looked at ways to improve services and performance and has invested tremendously to further reduce wait times and improve patient satisfaction. “We knew our ER waiting times were shorter than most hospitals, but we wanted to do even better,” said Jeff Zewe, RN, senior vice president, chief operating officer, Upper Allegheny Health System. “There’s always room for improvement,” he said. Working with an outside consultant, the hospital identified opportunities such as improving triage and bed turnaround processes, standardizing staff responsibilities, instituting patient care teams and a mentor leadership team. The goal was to reduce times from arrival to triage (initial patient evaluation), arrival to room, lower the number of those leaving without being seen by a healthcare professional, more rapidly identify high risk patients, and improve arrival to provider times and patient satisfaction scores. In a hospital with approximately 35,000 ER visits annually, Zewe said making this investment in creating a better patient experience in what can be a scary time of uncertainty was important for our community. “The results are clear and have made a lasting impact,” Zewe said. In fact, among medium volume, comparable sized hospitals, OGH reported one of the lowest ER wait times, according to data collected from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The report noted a state average of 32 minutes before patients were seen by a healthcare professional, whereas OGH’s average was 24 minutes. Patient satisfaction scores increased also, citing an average in the 85 percentile of likelihood of recommending the ER to others.
Submitted photo Olean General Hospital is looking at new ways to improve services and performance in its emergency room to reduce wait times.
“We are on track to maintain these improvements. We are successful because of our staff,” said Janet Roy, nurse manager, OGH emergency department. “Community hospitals like Olean General have a real local ownership of their hospitals and we want them to have a good experience here,” Roy said. Upper Allegheny Health System is the parent company of Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean General Hospital. An integration of two prominent community hospitals in Southwestern New York state and Northwestern Pennsylvania, Upper Allegheny Health System’s goal is the enhancement of each hospital’s mission of care and service to their respective communities with the common goal of improving care, enhancing clinical programs and providing best-in-class service for various health needs.
Colleges for a Cure donates to BRMC BRADFORD, Pa. — Colleges for a Cure, a special interest club at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, members recently delivered gift bags to oncology patients at Bradford Regional Medical Center. Approximately 30 faculty and staff from the group are in the process of becoming hospital volunteers to provide companionship during a patient’s treatment. Colleges For a Cure continually raises funds to purchase items for the bags which include gum, mints, water, flavored water packs, cups (donated by Whirley Industries of Warren), crackers, lip gloss, tissues, puzzle books, and cards made by first and fifth grade students in the Bradford Area School District. Through this program, Colleges For a Cure hopes to provide comfort to patients while they are receiving chemotherapy. Pictured, from left, in front, are Gabby Enserro and Tiffany Gardner, club president. In back are, Devonte Sadler, Nathan Lawyer, Emilee Yormick, and Denise Perkins, club advisor.
Submitted photo Colleges for a Cure, a special interest club at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, members recently delivered gift bags to oncology patients at Bradford Regional Medical Center.
Bradford Publishing
April / May 2016
Twin Tiers Health
Area Senior Centers offer many benefits to older adults By Deb Everts
Special to Twin Tiers Health Senior centers are a hub in the community where older adults can enjoy many benefits including social interaction with their peers, communal dining, entertainment and activities that promote their mental and physical well-being. The Salamanca Area Senior Center is open to senior citizens 60 years of age and older, not only from the city of Salamanca, but from all around Cattaraugus County. Board member Mary Ellen Giblin estimates the center has about 185 members who come occasionally, but about 80 are active. The center offers a wide-variety of activities including lunch on Fridays, an exercise program, computer classes, recreational activities, guest speakers, educational programs, entertainment, crafters night, chess and pool, Bible classes, cards, and trips. Giblin said they’re currently in the process of planning a June trip to the Erie Playhouse, in Erie, Pa. “People who come to our center benefit mostly from the social time,” she said. “We have lunch on Friday and sometimes a coffee hour during the week. People can come in anytime to relax, read the paper, and watch television.” Another benefit offered at the center is a low-impact exercise class geared for seniors, which is taught by Joe Backus three days a week. Giblin said the seniors at the center often participate in community service projects. The popular crafts class is currently knitting shawls for people at the nursing home. They also do food drives during the Christmas season. The Salamanca Area Senior Center is located at 18-20 Main St. and is open 5 days a week: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Thursday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; and Friday from 9 a.m. 2 p.m. The center is closed Saturday and Sunday. For more details and a complete schedule of activities, visit the center’s website at salamancanyseniorcenter.org or call (716) 9453138. The Great Valley Senior Group meets the second Wednesday of the month around noon. A potluck luncheon is served at 1 p.m. with a short meeting afterward. Yvonne Darts who leads the group said they periodically have a speaker who does a short presentation, but they generally have an informal get together. “It’s important for these people to get out of the house and reconnect with each other — to catch up on what’s happening and
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off your rocker how everybody’s doing,” she said. Darts said the seniors often do something for the community during the year. Most organizations do food drives during the holidays, but her group had a food drive in February because people need to eat year-round. Members of the group come from five towns: Great Valley, Humphrey, Salamanca (excluding the city), Mansfield and Ellicottville. Darts said the reason why only certain towns are associated with this group is because they have an arrangement with each township. Darts said the group takes four day-trips each summer. Anybody from the five towns can sign up to go on any of the trips. “Each year, we usually go to a dinner theater, on a boat trip, and a couple of other fun day-trips,” she said. “One of our more popular trips is to Amish Country, in Ohio, where we’ve been several times.” Find out more about the Great Valley Senior Group by calling Darts at (716) 945-3279. The Cattaraugus Senior Citizen Center is located on South Street. Site manager Emily Moore said they recently got back into the building because it needed some updating. “We’re trying to get re-established and people are coming back slowly, but surely,” she said. “Right now we are trying to build the congregation up again to have activities with a nice number of participants.” Moore said she’s trying to get the word out to find out what people want. She plans to have activities in the future whether it’s BINGO, a card game or a knitting group — anything like that. She’s open to suggestions. The Cattaraugus Senior Citizen Center is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The center is closed on Wednesday. Lunch is served at noon and they also offer home delivery meals. For more information, call (716) 257-3035. The Senior Citizens of Little Valley meet at the Community Center, in the Little Valley Municipal Building at 103 Rock City St. Tour Coordinator Ann Martin said the seniors meet the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. She said people usually arrive early for a social hour and bring a dish to pass. The Senior Citizens of Little Valley go on coach trips that are supplemented by the Village of Little Valley, according to Martin who said it’s a nice setup that their former coordinator, Guy Sibley, helped establish. Martin said the group is planning a day-trip, June 15, to the Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino for a show and lunch. “We just went to the Chautauqua Mall, in Lakewood, and the Lucile M. Wright Air Museum, in Jamestown, for our spring trip,” she said. “A lot of us, particularly the World War II veterans, enjoyed it. It was very much a group activity and a community activity in which they could exchange stories.” Anyone is welcome to join the Senior Citizens of Little Valley. Interested people can call Martin at (716) 307-2559 or Nancy Wares at (716) 938-9237.
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April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing
health news
Illinois sober homes under more government supervision
children of pregnant women infected with it. President Barack Obama has asked for about $1.9 billion in emergency money to fight Zika but the request has stalled in the GOP-controlled Congress. White House budget chief Shaun Donovan and Health and Human
CHICAGO (AP) — Sober
Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said on a conference call with report-
homes in Illinois are under more
ers that the administration still needs the full request to fight both Zika and
government supervision than in
maintain vigilance on Ebola.
other states.
Illinois has been licensing the facilities since the 1990s following complaints about crowded, hazardous conditions. Today, complaint investigations are conducted on licensed
AP Photo by M. Spencer Green Darnell Johnson, 50, a resident of a sober home in Chicago, walks through his apartment. Such facilities offer a supervised, substance-free setting for people trying to regain their independence.
homes — as well as anyone attempting to operate one without a license.
WHO: Diabetes rises fourfold to 422 million people in 2014 By Jamey Keaten Associated Press
Illinois has 90 licensed sober homes, a number that has grown about 10 percent over the past three years. Theodora Binion, retired director of
GENEVA (AP) — The world
Illinois’ Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, says they are cost-
has seen a nearly four-fold
effective.
increase in diabetes cases over
It costs the Illinois Department of Corrections about $48 per day to
the last quarter-century, driven
house an offender in a sober home, compared to $64 per day in prison.
by excessive weight, obesity,
Last year, Illinois spent $4.8 million housing parolees in sober homes — up 25
aging and population growth,
percent in the last three years.
the World Health Organization
reported earlier this month, adding that 422 million people were
White House: $589M to go to fight Zika virus
affected in 2014.
AP Photo by Francois Mori World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan said recently that that excessive weight, aging and population growth have recently driven a huge increase in worldwide cases of diabetes and called for stepped-up measures to reduce risk factors as well as improve treatment and care.
In a new report on diabetes, the U.N. health agency called for stepped-up measures to reduce risk fac-
By Andrew Taylor Associated Press
tors for diabetes and improve treatment and care. WHO said 8.5 percent of the world population had diabetes two years ago, up from 4.7 percent, or 108 million, in 1980.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fed-
“We need to rethink our daily lives: to eat healthily, be physically active
eral money left over from the largely successful fight against
and avoid excessive weight gain,” WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret
Ebola will now go to combating
Chan said Wednesday.
the growing threat of the Zika virus, the Obama administration announced earlier this month. Most of the $589 million would be devoted to the
AP Photo by David Goldman Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden speaks during a news conference at a Zika summit in Atlanta on April 1. Congressional officials say April 5, the Obama administration has decided to transfer leftover money from the largely successful fight against Ebola to combat the growing threat of the Zika virus in Puerto Rico, the Southeast U.S., and Central and South America.
The Geneva-based agency blamed growing consumption of food and beverages high in sugar for the increase in diabetes. The disease increased around the world but affects lower- and middle-income people more often than wealthier populations. Diabetes rates rose the most in Africa, the Middle East and Asia — with
Centers for Disease Control and
the “Eastern Mediterranean” region more than doubling its prevalence to
Prevention for research on the virus and Zika-related birth defects, as well
13.7 percent of the population, the only world region with a double-digit
as the creation of response teams to limit its spread. The National Institutes
percentage.
of Health would continue research into a vaccine and the U.S. Agency for
Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body either does not
International Development would intensify efforts to fight the virus overseas.
make enough insulin to break down the sugar in foods or uses insulin inef-
Researchers fear Zika causes microcephaly, a serious birth defect in
ficiently. It can cause early death or serious complications like blindness,
which a baby’s head is too small, as well as posing other threats to the
stroke, kidney disease, amputation and heart disease.
Bradford Publishing
April / May 2016
Twin Tiers Health
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Twin Tiers Health
April / May 2016
Bradford Publishing