In Good Health: CNY #278 - February 2023

Federal Agency Mulls Ban on Gas Stoves Due to Health Concerns

Gas stoves could face new emissions standards or even be banned because of their link to indoor air pollutants and childhood asthma, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The federal agency will open public comment on gas cooking stoves and their hazards sometime this winter, Bloomberg News reported.

“This is a hidden hazard,” agency commissioner Richard Trumka Jr.,

said in an interview. “Any option is on the table. Products that can't be made safe can be banned.”

About 12% of childhood asthma cases can be linked to gas stove use, according to a recent study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

“There is about 50 years of health studies showing that gas stoves are bad for our health, and the strongest evidence is on children and children's asthma,” said study co-author Brady Seals, a manager in the car-

bon-free buildings program at RMI, a nonprofit clean energy group. “By having a gas connection, we are polluting the insides of our homes.”

About 40% of Americans have natural gas stoves in their homes.

The stoves emit nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter at levels deemed unsafe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), according to Bloomberg News.

In October, Consumer Reports urged readers to buy electric after tests on gas ranges found high levels of nitrogen oxide gases.

The issue is one likely to generate back and forth as interest groups weigh in on the issue.

Lawmakers have asked for requiring warning labels, range hoods and performance standards. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, both Democrats, were among those who wrote to the CPSC last month urging action and calling the emissions a “cumulative burden” on Black, Hispanic and low-income households, according to Bloomberg News.

Some Republicans have called the plans government overreach.

“If the CPSC really wanted to do something about public health, it would ban cigarettes, or automobiles, long before it moved on to address stoves,” said Mike McKenna, a GOP energy lobbyist. “It's transparently political.”

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, which represents gas range manufacturers, said all cooking produces emissions, not just gas.

“Ventilation is really where

this discussion should be, rather than banning one particular type of technology,” said Jill Notini, a vice president with the Washington, D.C.based trade group. “Banning one type of a cooking appliance is not going to address the concerns about overall indoor air quality. We may need some behavior change, we may need [people] to turn on their hoods when cooking.”

Policymakers in nearly 100 cities and counties have adopted policies that require or encourage a move away from fossil fuel-powered buildings in an effort to address climate change, Bloomberg News reported. Natural gas distributors have said that bans on this fuel would offer little environmental benefit but would increase costs.

“The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and EPA do not present gas ranges as a significant contributor to adverse air quality or health hazard in their technical or public information literature, guidance, or requirements,” said Karen Harbert, president of the American Gas Association.

The Inflation Reduction Act may provide some relief to consumers who can get rebates of up to $840 to purchase new electric ranges, part of $4.5 billion to help low- and moderate-income households electrify their homes, Bloomberg News reported.

The commission could issue a proposal as soon as this year, Trumka said.

“There is this misconception that if you want to do fine-dining kind of cooking it has to be done on gas,” Trumka said. “It's a carefully manicured myth.”

FDA Approves New 2-Drug Combo Medicine for Asthma

Adults with asthma now have a new rescue medication to turn to after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Airsupra in January.

The drug is the first approved to combine albuterol (a beta-2 adrenergic agonist) and budesonide (a corticosteroid).

It's meant for the as-needed treatment or prevention of bronchoconstriction (narrowed airways) and to reduce the risk of asthma attacks in patients with asthma aged 18 and older.

This medication is also the first approved in the United States to contain an inhaled corticosteroid approved as a reliever rather than as a controller of asthma symptoms.

Asthma affects 24 million Americans, with symptoms that vary by person and can change over time. A long-term condition, it causes the airways to become inflamed and narrow. Someone having an asthma attack might cough, wheeze, feel chest tightness and be short of breath.

Prior to the approval, the FDA evaluated the drug's effectiveness in reducing severe asthma attacks in a randomized, double-blind, controlled study with patients who had moderate to severe asthma.

The patients in the study were randomly assigned to use either Airsupra or just albuterol on its own. Patients received treatment for at least 24 weeks.

The researchers looked at the time a patient had to the first severe asthma attack that required systemic corticosteroids for at least three days or an emergency room visit that led to taking the steroids or hospitalization for at least 24 hours.

Adult patients treated with Airsupra had a 28% reduction in the risk of a severe asthma attack compared to those using just the albuterol. Airsupra is taken through two oral inhalations.

Most common side effects for those taking Airsupra were headache, an oral yeast infection, cough and difficulty speaking.

Meet Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Andrey Moyko, M.D.

Crouse Hospital’s ER doctor: Flu, RSV, COVID-19, “It’s been a little bit crazy

Q: What’s the state of your ER now? Are you stretched thin?

A: It’s funny, during the pandemic there was this lull where we didn’t see that many patients, where it seemed like people were a little nervous to go into the ER. But in the post-pandemic era, we’re having a lot more people coming in. It’s a lot of patients, a lot of sick patients and, as you probably know, there’s a big nursing shortage. So it’s been a bit crazy in most ERs in the country. With ours in particular it’s been very full with patients boarding because the hospital is also full. So it’s been a little bit hectic. This flu–RSV season isn’t helping. So it’s been a little bit crazy recently.

Q: Are patients with respiratory viruses coming in in large numbers?

A: Yeah, a lot of RSV in the last few months. A lot of flu. And we’re still seeing COVID as well. But definitely a big jump in RSV and flu patients compared to last year.

Q: How sick are these patients for the most part?

A: It’s a combination.

whelmed and sometimes they can’t see someone who’s sick, or they don’t have slots for sick visits, so they end up coming in as well. We do see a lot of people who are going to be fine and are safe to go home, but on the other extreme there are a lot of people coming in with a lot of medical issues, and they do seem to be more sick than in years prior.

Q: At what point would you say it’s a good idea to go to the ER if you’re having respiratory symptoms?

A: If you’re starting to have trouble breathing or if you’re having chest pain. Those are usually signs it’s a good time to call your doctor or go to the emergency room if you can’t get hold of your primary care physician. If it’s just some fever, some cough, you’re just achy, maybe wait it out at home with some overthe-counter medication.

Q: How quickly are you able to see patients? Are there times of the week that are slower than others?

A: Usually the morning is better, but with staff shortages and people boarding in the ED, it’s difficult to

Q: As far as the nursing shortage goes, is it difficult in finding or retaining staff? Or is there just so much demand that it exceeds capacity?

A: I don’t know. We did have some staff leave, so it’s probably a combination of both. Not sure if they left for better opportunities elsewhere or if they just burnt out after COVID; but it seems like every hospital is looking for nurses. The administration is trying to keep up with staffing as much as possible.

Q: Is primary care still sending most of their COVID patients to the ER, or are they managing it more inhouse?

A: It seems like they’re managing it more. Now there are different treatments for COVID, so primary care is able to treat patients that aren’t that sick on an outpatient basis. We do still see some referrals, but these are usually patients who have comorbidities or trouble breathing, so they’re being sent in.

Q: Is the staffing issue as serious where physicians are concerned?

A: I think from the physician standpoint our staffing is OK. We’re definitely not as short-staffed as nursing. I think we’re doing OK right now.

Q: Does that mean physicians have to take on some nursing duties?

A: Sometimes we have to help them out, discharge a patient or do something they might normally take care of. We’re trying to be good team players and help out, since they’re just as busy — and sometimes busier — than us.

Q: Do you see the situation improving in the near future?

A: I hear it’s still tough to get nurses, but we’re always hopeful. The administration is hiring. I don’t know if that will translate to relief in the next few months, but hopefully it will be better down the line. Unfortunately it seems like a nationwide thing.

Q: How much has emergency medicine changed since you graduated in 2014?

A: It’s a little hard to say how Syracuse has changed. It’s different by region. I started off in a small community hospital in Boston. I’ve only been here for about two years.

Q: How do you avoid burnout?

A: Our ED is good about our schedules, so we usually get off the days we request. We usually don’t work more than three shifts in a row. I try to take a drive out to see my family in Pennsylvania. My wife, daughter and I try to travel when we can and just get out a bit to relax. And not working six days in a row definitely helps as well.

Lifelines

Name: Andrey Moyko, M.D.

Position: Emergency medicine physician at Crouse Hospital

Hometown: Camillus

Education: SUNY Upstate Medical University

Affiliations: Crouse Hospital

Organizations: American College of Emergency Physicians

Family: Wife, one daughter, expecting another soon

Hobbies: Travel, chess

recently”

U.S. Birth Rates Continue to Fall

Continuing a decades-long trend, the percentage of American women who've ever had a child declined again in the latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"A lower percentage of women aged 15 to 44 in 2015–2019 had ever had a biological child (52.1%) compared with women aged 15 to 44 in 2011–2015 (54.9%)," concluded a report issued Jan. 10 by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Declines were also seen for men becoming fathers. From 2015 through 2019, 39.7% of boys and men aged 15 to 44 had fathered a child, compared to 43.8% during 2011–2015, the report said.

Overall, birth rates have plummeted for Americans over the past five decades: "Between 1976 and 2018, the mean number of children ever born per woman declined, from three children to two," according to the report's authors, Gladys Martinez and Kimberly Daniels.

By 2019, the average female aged 15 to 49 had given birth to 1.3 children, and the average male had fathered 0.9 kids.

American women are also tending to have a first child later in their lives, the new study found.

The average age for giving birth to a first child was about 24 years for women and 27 for men in 2019, according to the report, which was based on a national survey of almost 21,500 Americans aged 15 to 49. The probability that a woman would have her first child by age 40 fell from 83% in 2011–2015 to 81% by 2019. A similar dip was seen for men becoming fathers by age 40: from

78% in 2011–2015 to 72% by 2019.

In fact, "delayed childbearing, having a first child at age 35 or over, [has] increased ninefold between 1972 and 2012," the authors noted. Overall, birth rates among women in their 40s have charted steady increases since 1985.

According to the report, the reasons for these trends are many: Better access to contraception, more women seeking higher education, more women entering and staying in the workforce, changing family values, relationship instability, and concerns over personal finances and the high cost of childrearing.

"Having a first child at older ages has been associated with a positive impact on women's wages and career paths," according to Martinez and Daniels.

Later childbirth can be healthy for children, as well, they noted, because having a child in your 30s and 40s typically means a family has better financial resources.

A woman's education appears to influence the timing of her having a first child. The report found that as the years a woman spent in school rose, her likelihood of having a first child in her teens or 20s declined.

Of course, fertility declines with advancing age, so the trend towards later births does have that "potential negative consequence," the authors added.

There's also been a continued trend toward Americans having children outside of marriage, the report found.

The National Health Statistics Report was published Jan. 10 as an NCHS Data Brief.

Our site participates in national and global research studies by partnering with specialists from all different backgrounds. Our team joins together to explore new medical treatments by conducting clinical research studies for investigational edications and diagnostic tools. Our site conducts multiple concurrent studies, all performed in accordance with mandatory guidelines.

Conveniently located in Central New York, our site offers ease of access from major highways and NYS Thruway. Our site offers free parking along with a commitment to providing individuals safety and data integrity through the duration of each research study.

Research Studies

Healthy Memory

Independent with self-care. No memory concerns outside of normal aging.

Memory Loss/Mild Cognitive Impairment

A

published by Local

• Writers: Deborah J. Sergeant, Jim Miller, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Chris Motola, Melissa Stefanec, Eva Briggs (MD), Mary Beth Roach, Ernst Lamothe Jr., Kimberly Blaker, Stefan Yeblosnki, George Kornfeld, George Chapman

Advertising: Amy Gagliano, Cassandra Lawson

Occasional forgetfulness or loss of shortterm memory that interferes with daily life. Possibly experiencing diminished thinking skills, ability to make sound decisions, or forgetting important information.

Fatty Liver

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a type of fatty liver disease characterized by infl ammation of the liver and fat accumulation in the liver.

Vaccine

Utilize trained staff to administer vaccine(s) in accordance with the protocol of the research study.

Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Steve Yablonski

U.S. Cancer Deaths Decline Overall, But Prostate Cancers Make Rebound

Cancer deaths continue to decline, dropping 33% since 1991 and saving an estimated 3.8 million lives, according to the American Cancer Society's annual statistics report.

But individual trends within that overall success story highlight the struggle to find the best ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer for all Americans, the society said.

On the positive side, the United States saw an “astounding” 65% reduction in cervical cancer rates

among 20- to 24-year-old women between 2012 and 2019, a direct result of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, said physician William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“The effort that our children went through over the last 20 years or so to go through vaccinations have actually saved lives,” Dahut said, noting that the plummeting case level “totally follows the time when HPV vaccines were produced.”

Chief executive officer Karen

Knudsen added that “this is some of the first real-world evidence that HPV vaccination is likely to be effective in reducing cancer incidence and [death rates].”

Unfortunately, rates of advanced prostate cancers are on the rise, likely driven by confusion and conflict over screening guidelines, ACS officials said.

The second-leading cause of cancer death for U.S. men, prostate cancer cases rose 3% a year from 2014 through 2019 after two decades of decline, the report found.

There's also been a 5% year-overyear increase in diagnosis of men with advanced prostate cancer, “so we are not catching these cancers early, when we have an opportunity to cure men,” Knudsen said.

Black men, in particular, are being affected by the rise in prostate

cancer, according to the report.

“Black men, unfortunately, have a 70% increase in incidence of prostate cancer compared to white men and a two- to four-fold increase in prostate cancer [death rates] as related to any other ethnic group in the United States,” Knudsen said.

The nation's leading authority on health screening, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, recommends that men between 55 and 69 years of age discuss the potential benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening with their doctor and then decide for themselves.

American Cancer Society guidelines recommend that doctors discuss screening with men at an earlier age — 40 for those with a close relative who has had prostate cancer, 45 for men at high risk, and 50 for nearly all others.

HealthcareinaMinute

By George W. Chapman

Healthcare Organizations Under Ransomware Attacks

According to a study sponsored by the Journal of the AMA, ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations have doubled over the last five years.

Last year, 374 reported attacks impacted the personal health information (PHI) of about 42 million people. The attacks are increasing in both frequency and sophistication. Worse yet, researchers believe these attacks are under reported. The top targets are health clinics, followed by hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, mental health providers, dental practices and post-acute care providers like nursing homes. Larger, highly networked providers are most vulnerable because employees can access information remotely via cell

Virtual Mental Health Surges

A survey recently conducted by American Well (AmWell) revealed 62% of respondents prefer virtual visits, even though it is relatively safe to return to in-person visits. Virtual provider Doctor On Demand reports a 50% increase in business since the fall. The pandemic has exacerbated ongoing economic, environmental and social issues. Notable increases in virtual visits were among men, seniors, millennials and Gen Z. A national BCBS study revealed millennials, versus baby boomers, are more likely to associate the impact of mental health upon physical health. They are twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes and almost three times more likely to have coronary heart disease.

92% of millennials feel the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health. Consequently, alcohol use, smoking and vaping are increasing among that generation. As the millennial and Gen Z generations become more dominant in the overall US population, industry experts predict much more emphasis will be placed on long-neglected behavioral health care.

phones or personal computers, making it easier for hackers.

The healthcare industry was notoriously slow to adopt electronic medical records. Ironically, this made ransomware attacks possible. Healthcare organizations are required to report any breaches to their patients. CommonSpirit Health, the nation’s second largest nonprofit hospital system, faces a class action lawsuit for “failing to exercise reasonable care” to protect PHI. 600,000 records were hacked. Scripps Health will pay out $3.5 million to 1.2 million patients impacted by a breach in 2021. Each plaintiff will receive a minimum $100 with some receiving $7,500 for extraordinary suffering and out-ofpocket expenses.

FDA Approves Abortion Pill

Mifepristone or RU-486 is now available at local pharmacies, retail pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens and via mail order. The drug can be used up to 10 weeks gestation. To protect a patient’s privacy, the DOJ ruled the pill can be delivered via mail. No one must appear in person at a pharmacy to receive the drug. The FDA requires instructions on how to use the pill; information regarding the risks; shipping services must provide tracking; it must be dispensed and delivered in a timely fashion. Pharmacists are one of the most trusted providers, yet they are grossly underutilized. Most people would like to see them provide more services like testing for flu and strep throat and be a more active partner with primary care providers. By providing additional services, pharmacists can relieve a lot of the pressure on physician practices and community clinics.

ACA Enrollment Up

As of December 15, 2022, enrollment is up 18% on the exchanges

from the same time in 2021, or about 1.8 million enrollees. The healthcare exchanges offer individuals without employer sponsored healthcare various commercial insurance plans. Premiums are based upon the individual’s income.

$1.7 Trillion Omnibus Spending Package

It contains several key healthcare items. Medicare reimbursement for physicians was to be cut 4.5% this year. Instead, the cut was reduced to 2% in 2023, but then another 3.5% cut in 2024. This cut comes at a time when practices are plagued with nursing shortages and inflation still around 7%-8%. $9.2 billion is earmarked for the CDC which is a $760 million increase from last year. Half of the increase is for future pandemic preparedness. Telehealth flexibility, which was to expire this spring, has been extended another two years. This includes paying providers the same for a virtual visit as an office visit. Medicare will cover marriage and family therapists and counselors and spend more on mobile mental health crisis providers. The spending package also continues enhanced payments to rural hospitals with high Medicare occupancy for two more years.

More Transparency

Per executive order, our 7,000 hospitals (for profit and nonprofit alike) must indicate who owns them and what the nature of that ownership entails. The information will be available on the CDC website. Skeptics wonder what is the point? There are no “secret” hospital owners. All of this is readily available on IRS form 990. In any event, it is another way for Medicare to make healthcare more transparent to the consumer. Skilled nursing facilities have been required to do this for years.

NYC Nurse Strike

As of this writing, more than 7,000 nurses from Mount Sinai and Montefiore hospitals are on strike for better wages and safer staffing levels. The nursing situation in these

two hospitals is not much different than the nursing situation in most of our 7,000-plus hospitals across the country. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the nation’s physical and mental health. More than a million people have died. The lingering impact of virus variants continues to swamp emergency rooms which end up treating admitted patients in hallways because inpatient beds upstairs are at capacity. Because of the nursing shortage, hospitals have had to close beds that cannot be safely staffed. So, capacity has been severely hampered. Hospital-based nurses and physicians are literally the front line in a “war” that has lasted three long years. The constant stress has caused a lot of these providers to either quit or retire early, leaving fewer of their colleagues behind to treat the higher patient load. And there seems to be little relief in sight. But increasing wages and adding staff requires, well, money. And cash-strapped hospitals just don’t have it. Hospital reserves are notoriously low. Unlike just about any other business, hospitals (and physicians) cannot solve the money problem by simply raising prices. Virtually no one would end up paying their new price because government and commercial payers set their reimbursement in advance. Based on federal and state budgets, there won’t be enough financial relief this year from either Medicare or Medicaid. And there won’t be much relief coming from commercial insurers because they tend to mimic what Medicare pays. Frustrated and exhausted nurses are on strike against their cash-strapped employers. But hospital administration is not the enemy. At some point, the AHA, ANA and AMA need to band together and “strike” against the payers.

George W. Chapman is a healthcare business consultant who works exclusively with physicians, hospitals and healthcare organizations. He operates GW Chapman Consulting based in Syracuse. Email him at gwc@gwchapmanconsulting.com.

My Turn

By Eva Briggs, MD

Meet Tranq, the ‘New Kid’ in Town. He Doesn’t Play Nice

It’s making street drugs even more dangerous and it’s making its way to Central New York

There’s a new kid in town and he doesn’t play nice. His street name is tranq. That’s short for xylazine. This veterinary horse tranquilizer causes drowsiness and amnesia. It depresses breathing, slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure. Combined with other central nervous depressants like alcohol, benzodiazepines and opioids, tranq spells disaster.

Xylazine was developed in the 1960s as an anesthetic for veterinary procedures. It was tried in human trials but caused severe respiratory depression and dangerously lowered blood pressure. So it was not approved for human use. It’s not a controlled substance; therefore it has not been monitored closely by the FDA. It was first used by as a recreational drug in Puerto Rico in the 2000s. It began to take off as a cheap filler for drugs in 2018.

Drug dealers are adulterating opioids such as

fentanyl and heroin with tranq. This lengthens the euphoric effect. But the depressive effects make it easier for users to overdose. Especially if other substances such as alcohol, cocaine, heroin, benzodiazepines, gabapentin, methadone and prescription opioids are also on board.

The prolonged period of stupor renders users helpless to fight off crimes like rape or robbery. When a user does wake up, they often emerge craving narcotics because their opioids have already worn off. Another “benefit” of cutting drugs with tranq is that it’s cheaper, allowing dealers to sell at a lower price.

Tranq is not reversed by naloxone. In case of an overdose, naloxone should still be administered to reverse the effect of any opioids also on board.

31st Annual AIDS 5K Walk/Run

This drug can be injected, snorted, inhaled or swallowed. Injected tranq can lead to skin ulcers and abscesses. These skin infections are often worse than the run-of-the-mill MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infections, which are already pretty bad. Tranq wounds develop thick black crusts called eschars and the underlying tissue turns dead (necrotic). These infections are tough to treat and sometimes lead to amputation. A Google search for “tranq skin infections” images will reveal some of the horror if you need a visual.

How common is tranq? It has been detected in 36 states and the District of Columbia. In Philadelphia, more than 90% of street drugs test positive. In New York City, the number is 25%. And if it’s NYC, you know it’s coming to Central New York. In fact, it’s already here. In November 2022, the Onondaga County Health Department reported 16 overdoses in one 24-hour period, felt to be related to tranq-containing dope.

I don’t have the answer to the opioid epidemic. But I hope this article raises awareness of this new threat.

Eva Briggs is a retired medical doctor who practiced in Central New York for several decades. She lives in Marcellus.

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

What’s a Single Person to Do

sages to people you care about, buy one of those cuddly pink teddy bears for your favorite niece, connect with someone with whom you’ve lost touch, or treat your office mates, gym buddies, volunteers pals or bridge partners to some bagels (with cherry cream cheese).

dear friend how much they mean to you. Ask how they are doing and listen with your whole heart. Chances are you’ll make their day!

Or show a little love for those less fortunate.

on

Valentine’s Day? Embrace It!

What’s a single person to do on Valentine’s Day?

Embrace it!

February (and that perennial “day of love”) is just around the corner, so why not beat Cupid to the punch?

Grab your proverbial bow and arrow, take aim and decide to warmly embrace Valentine’s Day with grace, confidence and humor.

Since the ball dropped on 2023, we haven’t been able to walk into a store, open a magazine or even shop online without being bombarded by candy hearts, roses, pink teddy bears and cards galore.

Yes, the countdown to Valentine's Day started even before we set down our glass of Veuve Clicquot. In full force, it's no wonder that those without a "special someone" on their arm may dread what Hallmark promises to be the most romantic day of the year.

What's a single person to do?

Before drowning your sorrows in a box of Godiva chocolates, consider

these tips for surviving the day dedicated to amour:

Adopt a new attitude

Take the broadest possible view of Valentine’s Day and decide it’s not just a day for couples, but a day to celebrate love in all its glorious manifestations: love of self, love of family, love of friends and — one of my favorites — love of pets!

Feeling brave? Surprise someone you’ve secretly admired with an invitation to get together. Maybe for coffee? A walk? A movie?

Have fun and laugh

Why not? It’s just a day. Invite some of your single friends over for wine and pizza or agree to meet anywhere that’s not sporting a Valentine’s Day theme.

Raise a glass and toast to your independence, your freedom and your triumphant escape from the commercialism of this holiday. Valentine’s Day is only depressing if you let it be. Have some fun with it.

Do something for someone else

On Feb. 14, consider making a contribution to a local or national organization that helps people or pets in need. You’ll feel better for having expressed your appreciation in such a meaningful way.

Do something for yourself

Didn’t get around to making any New Year’s resolutions? Make Feb. 14 your new New Year’s Day and make good on those New Year’s resolutions that have yet to see the light of day: quit smoking or drinking, renew your membership at the gym (better yet, go to the gym), schedule your annual physical, organize your paperwork, and vow to do those things on your list that will improve your outlook, your health, and your future.

Your life, your best life, is in your own hands whether you are with or without a special someone. Make the most of it.

My final tip

Believe me, you won’t be the first to purchase an adorable, heart-festooned collar for your furry friend. Guilty!

One of the best ways to avoid a downward woe-is-me spiral is to think about others in need and how you might brighten their day. Consider baking a little goodie for a neighbor who lives alone, calling your uncle who lost his wife last year or committing one of those random acts of kindness.

Express your love

Send cards with thoughtful mes-

You might also spend Valentine’s Day celebrating your relationships with those you care about. Pick up the phone and tell your mother, father, sister, brother, uncle, aunt or

When did you last see your doctor? It might be time. Routine preventive care is key to staying healthy. Most screenings and immunizations are no cost when you visit a participating plan provider.* Common preventive services include:

• Annual routine checkup

• Well-woman visit

• Well-child visit

• Immunizations

• Mammography screening

I know this may sound silly. But, I’m serious. After you get up on Tuesday morning, Feb. 14, make your bed, and then place a candy heart on your pillow. It will be waiting for you when you turn in later that evening, reminding you that you are loved by the person who matters most: yourself! Learn

have theirs.

Like us on Facebook!

Mary Barbara, PA Physician Assistant Pulaski

Nicole Brubaker, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Sandy Creek School

Annette Digby, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Grace Nasri, MD Family Practice Physician Pulaski

Lisa Beagle, PNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Lura Sharp School

Mikayla Fox, PA Physician Assistant Pulaski

Carolyn Dudden, NP Nurse practitioner Fulton

Alison Flood, NP Nurse practitioner Fulton

Lauren Hehir, AGNP

Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Richard Salvagno, DDS Dentist Pulaski

Jill Brushaber, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Patrick Carguello, DO Family Practice Physician Pulaski

Celeste Carnes, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski, Mexico

Dean Gardner, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Brittany Gehrke, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski, Sandy Creek School

Anna Gofman, DDS Dental Pulaski, Fulton

Jody Hipple, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski High School

Megan Hollister, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Annalise Isgar, RDH Dental Pulaski

Blaze Kravec, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Kwi Lee, DDS Dentist Pulaski

Melissa Noel, DDS Dentist Pulaski, Fulton

Jessica Overton, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski, Fairgrieve School

Megan Pecha, MD Pediatrician Pulaski

Mary Shaben, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Marissa Taber, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski

Glenn Thibault, MD Family Practice Physician Pulaski

Dorese Vecchio, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski, APW Schools

Jenna Walker, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski

Edward G Wolfe Jr., RPA-C Physician Assistant Pulaski

Mary Ellen Xavier Flanagan, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

5

Things You Should Know About Heart Health

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

For decades, one health ailment continues to dominate as the most severe. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. It is a condition that remains a health issue globally. The World Health Organization states cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year.

Cardiovascular diseases are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease and other conditions.

“Everyone should consider heart disease as important because it is prevalent in our lives. Almost everyone knows someone in their family or friend network that has been affected by heart disease,” said physician David Bass, who provides cardiovascular care with the Center of Cardiology at Oswego Health. “This is something that can affect youth and adults.”

1.Youth vs adult

Bass said there can be significant differences between heart ailments for youth and adults. Patients who are younger than 18 typically get diagnosed with some type of congenital heart disease.

“Congenital heart defects are one of the most common types of birth

defects, meaning patients often had a problem with their heart’s structure since birth,” said Bass, who is board-certified in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine. “Many times the first diagnosis is done by a pediatrician.”

2.Family history matters

Having a family health history of heart disease makes you more likely to develop heart disease yourself. In some cases, having family members with heart disease at age 50 or younger can be a sign of familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder that causes high cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials suggest taking time to collect your family health history of heart disease and share this information with your doctor and other family members.

“There is definitely a correlation between family history and heart diseases. There are conditions that deal with narrowing of the arteries that can be hereditary,” said Bass. “You definitely want to speak with your physician if you have a history of anyone in your family who had a cardiac incident or cardiac death unexpectedly in their earlier age. There are diagnostic tests that we can perform to help with prevention.”

3.Men and women heart different attacks

Heart attacks do not discriminate. Women are just as likely to have a heart attack as men. But women are more likely than men to die from one. Some of the reasons are because

men and women can have significantly different symptoms.

“Men have more of the classical symptoms such as crushing chest pains that can radiate from their arms and jaw. The symptom pain worsens with physical activity,” said Bass. “Women have non-classical symptoms like shortness of breath. It may even be symptoms such as nausea and back pain.”

4.Myths

It’s easy to be fooled by misconceptions. Relying on false assumptions can be dangerous to your heart.

“It’s important we know that every person is wired differently,” he said. “One of the myths I want to dispel is the idea that young people don’t have to worry about heart disease. Issues can develop in childhood so you should be aware of your heart health at various ages.”

Bass said other misconceptions include not connecting heart health and alcohol.

“People think alcohol abuse only affects the liver, but it can be toxic to the heart,” he added.

5.Heart strength

Preventive health initiatives are always recommended by physicians. But also the ability to stop negative behavior remains paramount.

“If I had to give someone one singular advice it would be if you are a smoker, quit immediately. You double your risk of a heart attack, stroke and vascular issues if you continue to smoke,” said Bass.

In addition, he recommends a healthy diet.

“I love the Mediterranean diet. That diet involves a lot of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and nuts, whole grains, brown rice and extra virgin olive oil. I also recommend eating fish,” he said. “You also want to limit red meat. I would avoid any trans fats in your diet.”

He also stressed the need for physical activity.

“You have to stay active. You have to exercise and make sure you get your steps and keep moving,” said Bass. “I would recommend yoga and also working on any anxiety issues.”

Physician David Bass, who provides cardiovascular care with the Center of Cardiology at Oswego Health: “If I had to give someone one singular advice it would be if you are a smoker, quit immediately,” he says.

Q & A with Lisa Alford

ACR Health CEO discusses how the nonprofit went from focusing on people with HIV AIDS to treating a broader population, including those who abuse drugs, need housing, food and more

By Mary Beth Roach

Q: Early on, your agency was called AIDS Community Resources.

A: The reason we now utilize the name ACR Health is because our role and focus are broader than HIV and AIDS. The need for the types of services that we provide has expanded beyond just those with HIV AIDS to those with various complex and chronic health conditions. We’re going to help you get into services or make referrals to those services, but also help you get there; food; referrals for housing. We provide housing subsidies for certain clients.

Q: What is your coverage area, your budget, the number of employees, and the number of clients?

A: In a year, we probably serve about 16,000 clients because we cover a nine-county region. (Cayuga, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego and St. Lawrence.) We have offices in Syracuse, Utica and the North Country in Watertown. We just opened our own Q Center in the Watertown area. We have about 120 staff between those

three office areas. Our budget is about $10 million.

Q: How are you funded?

A: A large percentage is state-funded grants. We do have some that are federally-funded and some local funding and our partners and donors who join us. Our biggest fundraiser has been our AIDS Walk/ Run that we have every June.

Q: How has the COVID pandemic affected your agency’s delivery of services?

A: Everything was being done remotely. You didn’t have people coming for testing. Obviously, that created a problem. They saw it across the nation, across the state, where people were still having sex and not necessarily making healthy sexual options. So you had increases in certain STIs and STDs that they had not seen in years, like syphilis and gonorrhea.

It certainly was very challenging for people with chronic health conditions to be isolated.

What I will tell you, though, is that lessons that have been learned during the AIDS epidemic were many of the things they utilized during the COVID pandemic — that you need to talk to communities, you need to use data regarding where you’re seeing spikes and trends, where people need access to testing, and in this case, PPE, things to keep themselves safe and utilizing community ambassadors that are trusted messengers.

Q: Are you seeing more of your efforts being focused on substance abuse issues versus HIV, AIDS and STDs?

A: I would say, we’ve got both. The pandemic caused spikes in certain STIs and STDs because places were closed and we weren’t doing some of that testing for a while. And certainly, the opioid epidemic has been a huge piece. The Narcan trainings, working with local governments when they have had spikes in overdoses. That certainly has expanded exponentially. We also have funding in our youth and family services area, where we’re providing training to professionals throughout the state.

Q: What do you see for your agency for 2023?

A: The opioid epidemic — I certainly see our work in that area continuing to increase and in the harm reduction field and how might we expand. There are areas that

we’re not reaching. We want to identify and develop partnerships and relationships with those groups.

I certainly see continuing to expand care management.

I want us to be an employer of choice for people that want to work with the communities we serve. And I also want to be an agency of choice for clients. I want people to have good experiences when they come to ACR Health.

Q: Can you briefly describe the programs and services that ACR Health provides?

A: ACR Health is a nonprofit organization. We provide comprehensive health services to people in the community to help them maximize their health and achieve optimal well-being. The ways in which we do that are through our various programs. We have a prevention department, where we go about providing education as well as testing for various STIs [sexually transmitted infections] and other diseases. We provide items that will help people reduce their risk of obtaining, developing or contracting STIs or STDs. We also have our harm reduction department, which helps persons that may be using drugs. We do education; we train people on overdose use techniques, such as Narcan and we will provide Narcan for people to utilize. We also provide clean or safe needles for persons that may be drug users. We provide referrals to various treatment programs in the community. We have a clinic where we partner with organizations to provide medication-assisted treatment for persons. We also provide some acute care as well. We have our insurance department and provide information about health insurance options for folks and help them get signed up. We have our youth and family services. Folks are probably most familiar with the Q Center for LGBTQ+ youth in the community. It’s a safe space for them to come and just be themselves, but also to develop life skills, education and training. Also, a care management area, where we provide care management and case management services for persons that are dealing with HIV, as well as other chronic health conditions, helping to make sure that they are accessing services they are eligible for, so they can manage their health conditions. Obviously, it’s much more cost-effective to help people manage health conditions than it is to treat them after they are in a much more acute stage.

Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps Celebrates Milestone

Veteran members reflect on decades of service to community

By Stefan Yablonski

The Greater Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2022.

The agency started in 1962. It was neighbor-centered and “the community was thrilled to have this remarkable healthcare benefit in their town,” said Bob Sweet, the organization’s vice president. “GBAC was just the second volunteer ambulance in the state of New York.”

The first ambulance was a converted 1959 hearse. More than 120 volunteers signed up to ride the ‘new’ ambulance.

Vin Maresco began his emergency care career in the 1980s, serving on his college’s emergency squad; then became a member of the national ski patrol, working at Song Mountain and Greek Peak.

He became a certified New York State EMT in 2019. In 2020, Maresco joined the Baldwinsville Ambulance team and now provides advanced EMT care.

“GBAC has been a very welcoming environment to learn and grow as an EMS provider,” he said. “The agency provides exceptional pre-hospital care for sick and injured members of the district. I’ve grown as a provider under the mentoring of the GBAC professionals.”

He also serves on GBAC’s Quality Improvement Board.

Sweet has served with GBAC for 39 years.

“This field of work is one people either love or hate. For me it’s a passion. I love everything about this business,” Sweet said.

He started at GBAC in the early 1980s when everyone was a volunteer. He became a paramedic and practiced at that level for nearly 30 years.

Today, he’s an EMT on the ambu-

lance.

Most EMS organizations are staffed with paid, career oriented people who do this for a living today, he noted.

“When I first joined, there were only volunteers at GBAC and most other EMS operations. Now volunteers have nearly disappeared,” he said. “GBAC is fortunate to have a good mix of both.”

Sweet shares shifts with his longtime partner, Patty Moses.

A paramedic, she’s been volunteering with GBAC for 44 years and is an emergency room nurse at one of the Syracuse hospitals.

Moses is also GBAC’s historian. She’s seen significant innovations in back-of-the-ambulance patient care over the years — such as “digital stethoscopes, 12-lead diagnostic ECG machines, BiPap machines and video tracheal scopes. All of which help us to provide industry leading care in the back of an ambulance,” she said.

Another area that’s evolved is safety.

“Needles and intravenous catheters used to be open and exposed after use, increasing the probability of paramedics being stuck with a dirty needle. Today there are safer needles that automatically retract after being used, drastically decreasing the chances of exposure to blood,” she said. “In addition, our stretchers no longer need to be manually lifted into the back of the ambulance. Instead, they’re pneumatically raised by a push of a button, thus saving countless back injuries.”

Anne-Marie Howell has been involved in EMS for 47 years.

She’s a paramedic and a paramedic instructor.

When volunteering began at GBAC in the early 1960s, “the training required to provide patient

care on the ambulance was a firstaid class,” she said. “Things have changed significantly since then. Today, all EMS providers must pass a rigorous course consisting of 200 hours of classroom education and many hours working in an ambulance with a preceptor before receiving the basic Emergency Medical Technician certification. EMTs are able to assess patients, administer six different medications and treat several medical and traumatic conditions. EMTs provide what’s called Basic Life Support care to patients.”

“The greater Baldwinsville community is fortunate to be served not only by BLS providers but Advanced Life Support care-givers as well,” she added.

In order to provide care at this level, you must be certified by the state as a paramedic.

“In order to begin the paramedic training program you must first be an active EMT. Then, you begin a nearly two-year, 1,000 hour college level course which also requires 100 hours of hospital time in several different specialties,” she said. “Paramedics also have to prove their skills ‘in the field’ with a preceptor over dozens of patient care episodes. Paramedics can administer approximately 30 different medications, capture and interpret diagnostic 12-lead Electro Cardiograms, start IVs and mechanically breathe for patients who can’t breathe on their own. Paramedics in ALS ambulances perform nearly all the same treatments for a critically ill patient that the emergency room staff would do in the first 10 minutes after arrival at the hospital.”

Howell, who has been teaching EMTs and paramedics for years, said emergency medical services “has come a very long way over the last few decades.”

“In this business, you are often interacting with people that are experiencing one of their worst days. We are especially saddened when there is loss of life,” Sweet said. “Even though we have state of the art techniques, medicines and machines, sometimes the damage to the human body is just too great.”

“I lost my father due to a traumatic injury. Although I was emotionally devastated, I was comforted knowing that he had the best chance of survival because it was GBAC, my ambulance, that responded and did everything possible to help him,” he continued.

On occasion, they’re there to help when patients are having one of their best days, he added.

“One of the best days, for patients and for EMS personnel, is when we get to help deliver a baby. Of course the mom does all the work; we just assist and are there for any complications,” he said.

There are times these care providers can experience their own increased stress because of seeing so many patients having that worst day or after experiencing a particularly distressing patient encounter.

“This is when we, the helpers, need to reach out for some emotional support,” Moses said. “There are EMS providers who are specially trained in what’s called critical incident stress debriefing. We can always reach out to them when we feel the need.”

Today, GBAC has five fully equipped Advanced Life Support ambulances and answers nearly 5,000 calls each year.

“It’s very exciting and gratifying work providing care for your neighbors,” Sweet said.

To learn more, call 315-638-4328.

From Left: Anne-Marie Howell, Vin Maresco, Patty Moses and Bob Sweet

Should You Take Vitamin D?

A recent article by the Cleveland Clinic states that people who are healthy and not undergoing treatments for health problems should not bother taking vitamin D — local experts weigh in

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

For years, health experts touted vitamin D as a companion supplement to aid in absorption of bone-strengthening calcium. Vitamin D became a veritable panacea and research linked it to supporting nearly every bodily function and system.

More recently, the importance of vitamin D has been minimized.

A recent article by the Cleveland Clinic stated that people who are healthy and not undergoing treatments for health problems should not bother taking vitamin D.

WebMD cites several research studies in a recent article to show that vitamin D isn’t a superstar supplement, as it does not appear to lower risk of cancer, stroke or heart attack as once thought (although its role in calcium absorption remained intact).

The National Institutes of Health link excessive vitamin D with stomach discomfort, unusual mental symptoms and kidney problems.

“Large-scale studies have found that deficiency is widespread in not just adults but in children as well,” said Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and edu-

cator with Carlson Laboratories in Canastota. “Vitamin D has been seen in research with promoting healthy growth and development, supporting teeth, bone and muscle health, assisting with a healthy immune and cardiovascular system as well as aiding in a healthier mood.”

Although vitamin D is important for building bone, Sterling said that bones also need other vitamins and minerals to stay strong.

The body generates vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. However, people in the north experience little exposure to sunlight all winter.

“With some people, the level between June and November is decent, but it falls off between January and April,” said Laura Vreeland, registered dietitian at the Syracuse VA Medical Center.

The only way to know one’s vitamin D levels is lab testing. Vreeland also looks for things like decreased energy and mood during the winter months, even in people with low to normal vitamin D levels. Some of her clients take vitamin D supplements only during the winter months. Others take it all year long, depending

upon their health needs.

“Vitamin D is not a set panel for a routine physical,” Vreeland said. “There’s a bit of disparity as to what they recommend for the normal levels between the Endocrine Society and the Institutes of Medicine.”

She encourages people to ask their primary care provider to test their vitamin D level to see if supplementation is needed. Most providers will not bring up vitamin D as part of a routine visit.

Maria Winkworth, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and owner of Winkworth Wellness in Syracuse, said that getting five to 30 minutes of sunlight several times a week works to spur the body to generate vitamin D, but “if you’re sitting in your house or office near the window, or in your car, you won’t get D that way,” she said. “Window glass blocks UV light. You have to be outside.”

Unfortunately, natural sunlight is hard to come by this time of year. Until spring, seeking supplements and foods rich in vitamin D can help sustain vitamin D levels. Winkworth said that the better form is vitamin D-3, not D-2.

“D-2 is made from plants,” she said. “Most experts recommend D-3 because our bodies absorb and use it better.”

Once you know you need to take vitamin D, “follow up testing eight to 12 weeks after supplementation is suggested to make sure serum levels are improving,” said Julie Mellen, registered dietitian with Upstate Medical University. “If vitamin D stores are normalized, then repeat testing every two to three years is suggested unless there are any major changes in overall health.”

Eat Your Vitamin D?

The daily value for vitamin D is 800 IU (20 mcg). Few naturally occurring food sources of vitamin D-3 exist and most of those are fish. Mushrooms provide only traces of the less helpful D-2 and they are the only vegan, non-supplemental source of either type of vitamin D.

Egg yolk contains 37 IU of vitamin D, although pastured hens may provide three to four times that amount because of their exposure to sunlight. Cod liver oil boasts 450 IU per teaspoon. Canned light tuna offers 269 IU per 3.5-ounce helping.

Try 3.5-ounce servings of these fish for more D-3:

Salmon 526 IU

Fresh Atlantic herring 214 IU

Canned sardines 193 IU

Halibut 190 IU

Mackerel 643 IU

In addition to milk, fortified foods include some brands of breakfast cereal, orange juice and yogurt.

L to R: Maria Winkworth, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and owner of Winkworth Wellness in Syracuse; Julie Mellen, registered dietitian with Upstate Medical University; Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and educator with Carlson Laboratories in Canastota

Services / Products Available:

n Baseline and monitoring testing for chemotherapy and other hearing – harmful medications

n Hearing measurements for personal (medical, communication) or occupational (OSHA, DOT, law enforcement) purposes.

n Hearing protection counseling and devices for loud recreational (music listening, hunting, motor sports, landscaping) and occupational (professional musicians, fire and police personnel) activities.

n Hearing aid selection, fittings and repairs

n Tinnitus evaluations and treatment.

n If you have any questions or concerns regarding your hearing

how to protect it.

Low Vision: Frequently Asked Questions

By George Kornfeld Doctor of Optometry

Ever since optometrist William Feinbloom introduced the first low vision glasses in 1936, there have been low vision solutions that, for whatever reason, are not known to the general public (unlike hearing aids.)

People with vision-limiting conditions are often frustrated because they have been told that there is nothing more that can be done for their vision when, in fact, there often is.

What is Low Vision?

Common medical definitions of low vision include:

• Low vision is vision loss that can’t be corrected with glasses, contacts, medication, or surgery;

• Low vision is a term that refers to vision 20/70 or worse;

• The International Academy of Low Vision Specialists define it as the result of having an eye condition that prevents someone from doing the things that they want to do.

What Are Common Eye Conditions That Can Cause Low Vision?

They include macular degeneration, Stargardt disease, glaucoma, ocular albinism, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, stroke-hemianopsia. This is not an exhaustive list and there does need to be some usable vision to work with.

What Are Common Tasks That People Want To Do?

Reading books, newspapers, magazines, sheet music, labels on packaging including prescriptions. They also want to see faces, drive, play cards, crafts, watch TV, and see the food on their utensils.

What Does a Low Vision Specialist/Optometrist Do?

A low vision specialist identifies the correct hands-free device, typically a very specialized type of glasses (microscopes, telescopes, E-Scoop, prismatic reading glasses), to match the eye condition, specific vision, and task that the person wants to do. They may also recommend wearable technology. This could mean that you may need more than one device depending on what you want to see and do.

Supplements to Support Vision

Dietary supplements to support eye health have gained traction among healthcare providers and eye specialists. But not every supplement is the same

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

If you experience vision problems or feel concern that you could, a dietary supplement may be helpful. However, it’s not as easy as popping a pill every day.

Not every supplement is as good as another. And supplements for vision can have different uses.

Dietary supplements to support eye health have gained traction among healthcare providers and eye specialists with good reason, as larger bodies of evidence have emerged supporting the helpfulness of eye supplements. Laura Vreeland, registered dietitian at Syracuse VA Medical Center, said that some of her patients’ eye doctors have recommended dietary supplements for supporting eye health.

“It’s different of what’s in your regular multivitamin,” she said.

Most stores carry general “eye support” formulas in their supplement aisle, but more specific supplements may be more helpful in addressing particular concerns.

Formulas related to macular degeneration have become more popular as research has shown supplements are helpful in slowing the condition. Macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition that causes permanent loss of central vision. More than one in three adults 75 and older will experience macular degeneration. The condition causes deterioration of the central part of the retina at the back of the eye.

Vreeland advised looking for a supplement containing lutein, trans-zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin as active ingredients.

“Fish oil is in another ingredients in eye supplements,” she added.

In addition, she promotes a balanced diet that includes leafy green vegetables, eggs, fish and a variety of fruits to support vision health.

Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and educator with Carlson Laboratories in Canastota, explained why lutein and zeaxanthin are usual

As the first definition of low vision above states, a low vision specialist can’t fully correct the eye condition. What they do is improve the ability to see and, thereby do, with the person’s usable vision by enhancing, magnifying or expanding the peripheral vision.

How Do I Know if I Have Low Vision?

• Do you have a vision condition?

• Are there things that you can no longer do as a result?

• Does not being able to do these things frustrate you?

If the answer to all three of these questions is ‘Yes’, then you would benefit from a low vision consultation. If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’, you do not have low vision (you may have poor vision.)

Can Young People Have Low Vision?

Yes. Young people can have the following conditions:

• Stargardt disease (juvenile macular degeneration);

• Nystagmus (where the eyes make repetitive, involuntary horizontal movements);

• High astigmatism (causes blurred distance and near vision);

• Congenital cataracts (a rare birth defect);

• Achromatopsia (color deficiency);

• Rod-cone dystrophy;

• Strabismus (crossed eyes);

• Amblyopia (lazy eye);

Things that young people often want to do are see the board better at school (not have to sit in the front row!), drive, and read better.

How Is a Low Vision Exam Different Than a Regular Eye Exam?

At a low vision office appointment, your low vision specialist may conduct a practical low vision evaluation per The Richard Shuldiner, OD and William Feinbloom, OD philosophy & methods of providing low vision care.

– The appointment does not involve eye drops to dilate the eyes

– The doctor uses an eye chart with larger numbers, the Feinbloom low vision chart

– Your doctor will request that you bring samples of activities that you regularly perform (stock market reading material, needlework, etc.)

– The low vision specialist will prescribe tailor-made glasses specific to your vision and what you want to do

Where Can I Find a Low Vision Specialist Near Me?

The International Academy of Low Vision Specialists has a doctor directory on its website — www. ialvs.org. People do not need a doctor referral to make an appointment.

George Kornfeld is an optometrist who has been serving low vision patients for over 50 years. He owns Low Vision Optometry of Western New York, which has locations in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. For more information, call 866-446-2050 or visit www.kornfeldlowvision.com

ingredients in vision supplement formulas.

“They are carotenoids, which are found in fruits, vegetables and other foods, and are stored in high amounts in and around the macula,” Sterling said. “Zeaxanthin is the predominant carotenoid found in the center of the macula and lutein is found in higher concentrations in the surrounding retina. They also may increase macular pigment density, which is associated with healthy retinas and vision.”

In addition to promoting healthy retinas and vision, zeaxanthin and lutein are antioxidants. Sterling said that they help protect vision by “filtering and blocking harmful UV sunlight and digital blue light from computers, laptops, tablets, and phones, as well as providing protection stopping oxidative stress and retinal damage from free radicals.”

This action can also help prevent cataracts, a condition that causes clouding on the lens of the eye.

According to the American Optometric Association, “cataracts and age-related macular degeneration are the leading causes of visual impairment and acquired blindness in the US, affecting millions of aging Americans.”

Of course, supplements should not replace eating a balanced diet. The above listed healthful foods should be eaten as reasonable servings as part of a balanced diet low in processed foods, added animal-sourced fat, salt and sugar and moderate in overall calories.

Poor diet, smoking, unmanaged diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease raise risk of vision problems such as macular degeneration. Taking care of these issues can help mitigate risk such as genetic predisposition and advanced age. Talk with a healthcare provider about vision concerns and before making changes in diet or taking dietary supplements. Any sudden loss of vision requires immediate medical attention.

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

Why You Should Eat More Bananas

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s loaded with important holidays and events.

A lesser-known food holiday that happens on Feb. 23, but one still worthy of celebration, is National Banana Bread Day. Clearly, its founder thinks it’s the best thing since sliced bread!

Bananas, the star of this delicious quick bread, are one of the world’s most popular fruits, with annual worldwide consumption exceeding 100 billion. On average, Americans eat about 90 bananas per person every year.

Affordable and accessible, bananas have numerous health benefits that deserve some serious unpeeling.

Bananas are a rich source of carbs, which appear mainly as starch in unripe bananas and sugars in ripe bananas. Carbs provide fuel for daily activities and workouts and may also help reduce exercise-related muscle cramps and soreness. For those with diabetes, bananas can often be worked into one’s overall meal plan or as a healthy snack to aid with stable

blood sugars.

Hearts love bananas for more reasons than one. A good source of potassium—an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure—bananas help keep our tickers ticking.

The fiber in bananas also does a heart good by helping to reduce blood pressure, quell inflammation, and ferry out bad cholesterol.

Lastly, bananas are high in vitamin B6, a critical vitamin that helps break down an amino acid (homocysteine) that, when elevated, has been linked to greater heart disease risk.

As mentioned, bananas boast a decent amount of fiber, with one banana providing about 3 grams of both soluble and insoluble fiber. In addition to lowering cholesterol levels, a banana’s soluble fiber absorbs water in the gut, which then forms a gel that slow downs digestion, keeps you feeling full, and slows the stream of sug- ar into your blood.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, adds bulk to your stool, which helps keep you regular. In general,

foods that are high in fiber help with both weight maintenance and loss.

Just over 100 calories, nutrient-rich bananas are also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C and have no fat, cholesterol or sodium.

Healthy Banana Bread

Adapted from wellplated.com

1½ cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 3-4)

1 large egg

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons canola oil (or substitute applesauce)

1/3 cup light brown sugar

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups white whole wheat flour

¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Place the rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9-by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Mash the bananas in the bottom

of a large bowl until mostly smooth. Whisk in the egg, then the yogurt and oil.

Whisk in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt over the top, then stir until combined. Gently stir in the flour until barely combined, then fold in any mix-ins.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check at the 35-minute mark and tent with foil if the bread is browning too quickly at the corners. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and place on rack to finish cooling completely (for neat slicing), or enjoy warm and don't worry if the slices are messy.

TO MAKE MUFFINS: To bake this recipe as 12 muffins instead of a loaf, lightly grease a standard muffin tin, then divide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake at 350 F for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the muffins spring back lightly when touched.

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle columnist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at

Retirement Living. Right at Home.

Parenting

By Melissa Stefanec MelissaStefanec@yahoo.com

A Love Letter to My Body

In honor of the month of love, this column will be about how much I love my body. I will start with a poem.

“Oh, body, sweet vessel of mine. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

Except, that’s totally a total crock.

Carefree Retirement Living. at Home.

Enjoy your retirement without all the fuss and consider a move to Springside at Seneca Hill! Springside provides a warm, caring environment for active seniors ages 55 and older, with services and support programs designed with independent seniors in mind. This attractive facility offers one- and two-bedroom apartments in a congregate living environment, as well as newly renovated one-story duplex-style homes and cottages which feature two bedrooms, two baths and a garage.

Like many moms out there, I stress about the appearance of my body.

My body looks nothing like it used to. Bringing two children into this world changed my body’s topography forever. The duties of motherhood limit my ability to change it back.

I don’t like having body-image issues. And, some people may argue that it’s easier than ever to love your body and all of its nuances. We’re living in the age of body positivity. One can’t make it far on social media or shop online without being slapped in the face with body inclusivity. Advertisers want me to believe I should love my body, because everyone else does. The problem is, I’m not buying it.

Rationally, I know what other people think about my body is irrelevant. I should be going through life concerned with how I conduct myself, not what I look like while doing it. But it’s not that easy. If it were, you would see masses of confident, self-possessed moms walking into every school, daycare, grocery store and office place.

But you don’t. You hear moms engaging in negative self talk. You see moms hiding our midsections. You hear us recite guilt for eating a bowl of pasta. You see women spending literally billions of dollars a year to manipulate their exteriors. We waste so much mental energy on where our fat deposits should and should not be. Our bodies are banks and our fat is transactional.

duplex-style homes and cottages which feature two bedrooms, two baths and a garage.

1 Bedroom Apartment Available!

MOVE-IN SPECIAL!

20% off the 1st month’s rent and no application fee!

all the fuss and consider a move Springside provides a warm, caring ages 55 and older, with services and with independent seniors in mind. one- and two-bedroom

SPRINGSIDE AT SENECA HILL

For a tour call 315-343-5658 • www.oswegohealth.org

Co Rt 45A, Oswego, NY 13126

at work and whatever else ends up on plate.

In the midst of that cyclone, there isn’t much time for carefully curating my fat deposits.

So what is a mom to do?

How do we rise up and stop caring about ridiculous beauty standards?

I don’t know that we can, but we can allow ourselves to feel two contradictory things at the same time. We have to thrive in the face of bodily contradictions. We have to acknowledge the beauty standards we don’t meet and also acknowledge our own beauty.

So, to all the mothers out there who are struggling with body image right now, I offer you this love letter to my body.

Dear Momma,

Today, you went to the doctor and held back tears when you stepped on the scale. You’ve been working hard and the number that registered was even higher than it was at your last appointment. You spend so much time worrying about that number, about the softness of your middle, about the dimples in your thighs, about the tightness of your clothes, about how you have let yourself go.

But there are so many reasons to love your body. The way it ushers your children through busy parking lots. The way it leads your kids on a woodland trail. The way it carries heavy groceries into the house. The way it shoots hoops with the kids. The way it can paddle a tandem kayak when the child in front of you can’t paddle. The way it can lift bags of rock salt or cat litter. The way it braids hair and hauls wood. The way it makes delicious food. The way it keeps a home and a job.

I’m exhausted with it and myself. After I give my energy to loving and nurturing my spouse, children, family, friends and myself — real life kicks in, and life doesn’t leave much room for obtaining the so-called perfect figure.

The day-to-day of modern parenting is merciless.

There are the never-ending appointments, school events, full-time jobs, tutor scheduling, grade monitoring, class projects, sport practices, music events, extracurriculars, buying the stuff for those extracurriculars, grocery shopping, house cleaning, house tidying, birthday parties, special occasions, conferences, bill paying, home maintenance, life maintenance, school-parent app monitoring, clothing shopping, banking, budgeting, following current affairs, pet care, snow shoveling, lawn care, garbage nights, laundry, meal prep, retirement planning, decluttering, volunteering, extra hours

And it’s not just the practical things your body can do that make it so beautiful. Your body is capable of magic. By offering hugs when they are needed most, it’s a safe haven from the aggressions in this world. When you sit it next to your kids, they delight in its presence. When courage is needed, a simple hand on a shoulder can be enough to help your children move the mountains that obstruct them. Your voice can guide, reposition, soothe and heal. When was the last time you fathomed the magic of your body?

Maybe it doesn’t look like it did when you were 20, but it wasn’t so accomplished then. Your body was thin and strong, but it couldn’t move mountains for others or heal their emotional wounds. Perhaps, you should raise your beauty standards. Perhaps you should admire and reflect on all of the hard work, dedication and love it took to make your body as beautiful as it is today.

For a tour call 315-343-5658 • www.oswegohealth.org

Maybe you need to believe that others see that beauty too. The only energy your body deserves is self love. And, you should be able to love something that is undeniably beautiful.

Co Rt 45A, Oswego,

Meet Dr. Kathryn Anderson, the New Health Commissioner in Onondaga County

The physician arrived in Syracuse to work at Upstate four months before COVID-19 hit. The pandemic put her on a different professional path

By Stefan Yablonski

As the calendar flips to February, people start thinking about Valentine’s Day. However, physician Kathryn Anderson hopes people don’t forget about their healthy New Year’s resolutions.

Onondaga County’s new health commissioner is working hard to ensure residents have a healthy environment in which to live every day.

An assistant professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology at Upstate Medical University, she came to Upstate in 2019 after working at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Maryland and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. She was confirmed by the legislature in November 2022.

“I helped guide the Syracuse area’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic. I got into public health through my epidemiology,” the Minnesota native said.

She has been studying mosquito borne diseases for more than 20 years, she added

“I moved out here to Upstate in 2019 so I could be working more closely with folks that I have been collaborating with,” she said. “I came to Upstate to work with them, with my family — my husband and two little girls 3 and 6.”

She said she loves pets. But, due

to her job, she doesn’t have any.

“I have no pets. Part of that we — at least pre-COVID — we traveled a lot internationally. Actually, we spent a lot of our time living in Thailand. So pets didn’t really go along with that lifestyle,” she said.

“When my family and I moved here, it was for that position at Upstate — but then COVID came about three months after we arrived, maybe four months. And I got pulled into the incident command response at Upstate, which was a new experience for me,” she said.

“This was my first time kind of living in the community where I was trying to respond to a public health threat. I found it really challenging, but really satisfying. I got to meet with all sorts of different people in the community who are all trying to come together and respond. I found it satisfying and it had me thinking more about doing something that was maybe a bit more broader impact, a bit closer to home. So, when this position [of commissioner of health in Onondaga County] became available, it felt right.”

It was kind of coming together, she got to know a lot of the folks here through the COVID response, “so it kind of naturally lead into itself,” she said.

The leadership style she is trying to emulate is “service leadership.”

“In this position, I think of myself as being at the service of two different groups in our community, working to serve our community and I am also here to serve the people that I work with in the health department — to make sure that they have opportunities to grow that they have the autonomy to get their jobs done. I am supporting them in every way I can,” she said.

What is public health?

“A couple things I think about that. One thing at the front of my brain since I started this position is public health does fundamentally important jobs. But they are jobs that if people don’t know you are doing it they won’t recognize that it’s a fundamentally important task until there is a problem.

Testing the water in Skaneateles Lake, making sure the restaurants are safe, kids are vaccinated,” she said. “So, public health is actually the absence of a problem.”

That can be hard for some people to appreciate, she noted.

“And so one thing, I think that has maybe contributed to, I’d say an under-appreciation of public health, sometimes, even the misunderstanding of public health — is public health is not speaking up enough

about what we do and being visible enough, promoting enough — how public health touches almost every aspect of people’s lives from the time you wake up in the morning to the time you go to sleep at night,” she added. “I think people don’t really understand that. So it is easy to under-appreciate the role of science in pubic health.”

“The other thing that I think we saw in real time in COVID was the challenges of communicating to the public that some people may not fully appreciate the role of science in public health or how the scientific process works,” she said. “That was happening in real time in COVID. But we didn’t have time to wait for years until we did a lot of research and then say, ‘OK now we know how it spreads ... now we know all these things, now we can act.’ We had to act in real time; and based on the best information that we had. We learned new things as time went on. The information changed.

I think that was also hard for the public to proves and appreciate.

This isn’t misinformation — we’re not trying to mislead you. We’re just learning new things in real time. That’s why mask recommendations changed for example. It’s just

Next page

Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest

How to spot, and what to do

You’ve heard the terms “heart attack” and “cardiac arrest,” but do you really know what they mean?

Each describes a life-threatening cardiac event but understanding the difference could help you save someone’s life.

“A heart attack is a plumbing issue — an artery that brings blood to the heart is blocked,” says physician Lorna Fitzpatrick, vice president medical affairs and senior medical director at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “Victims are usually conscious, and while they need medical attention quickly, an electrical charge from an automated external defibrillator (AED) may not be needed because

often, the heart is beating and the victim is breathing.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), signs that someone is having a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort; feeling weak, light-headed, or faint; pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back; pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders; and shortness of breath. Other symptoms of a heart attack could include unusual or unexplained tiredness and nausea or vomiting. Women are more likely to have these other symptoms. Anyone experiencing one or more of these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.

“Cardiac arrest, also known as

sudden cardiac arrest, is an electrical issue that occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions,” says Fitzpatrick. “Without warning, the victim collapses and stops breathing.”

The heart is electrically active but is unable to beat in a regular rhythm, and therefore unable to pump blood to the brain or other organs.

Medical attention is needed immediately, or the victim will die.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 Americans outside of hospitals die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, meaning they were stricken at home or while out in public.

“Cardiac arrest can sometimes

Does COVID-19 suppress other diseases?

be reversed if CPR is immediately performed, and an AED is used within minutes to shock the heart into stopping its chaotic rhythm,” says Fitzpatrick. “You never know where or when it will occur, which is why it is vital to have as many people as possible trained in CPR and have AEDs available in places where people gather and also participate in athletic activities.”

Many AEDs issue spoken commands. If the device detects a shockable rhythm, it will provide voice instruction on how to deliver an electrical charge. If it doesn’t detect a shockable rhythm, it will not allow a shock to be administered. In the absence of any cardiac electrical activity, CPR offers the only chance for survival until medical professionals arrive.

Fitzpatrick urges everyone to take CPR training where they’ll also become familiar with using an AED. To find a CPR class near you, visit RedCross.org, or the American Heart Association website at Heart.org.

the scientific process.”

Talking COVID

“Nobody wants to talk about COVID anymore. But we still need to talk about COVID. You’re right; we are not ‘post’ COVID. Thankfully we are in a situation right now where we have much better tools than we had years ago. We have antivirals; we have vaccines that help prevent deaths. So we do have tools at our disposal that should hold off future crises,” she said.

“The problem we have right now is that people aren’t — high numbers of people — aren’t taking advantage of the tools. We know that individuals who are older than 65 are at highest risk of dying from COVID and people with compromise immune systems.

But only one in four people older than 65 in the United States have gotten their up to date booster, she pointed out.”

That’s “a huge, huge gap — a lot

of preventable disease and death,” she stressed.

“We know that people older than 65 who get COVID get boosted. So there is a huge opportunity for where we could prevent death and sever disease — people need to be taking advantage of it,” she said.

COVID prevents COVID?

“I’ve heard that a lot. I’ve heard that even from people in my family. That is not true. It’s safe to say at this point now that anybody who is not up to date with their boosters is at risk,” she said. “I know people who are vaccinated back in early 2021 and have not been boosted. I’d say they are at risk as well. Anybody who’s not up to date is at risk.”

New data shows that people who had some COVID and never were vaccinated — the next time they get COVID, they are at much higher risk of getting severe disease and dying, she added. Those people in particular need to go out and get vaccinated, she said.

“That’s an important question, because certainly we are all struggling under this burden of respiratory viruses that we’re seeing now — COVID, influenza and RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] and it’s a big problem. It’s a big problem for everyone — health systems are being stressed and overwhelmed right now,” she said. “The easiest answer and probably the most honest answer is: we don’t quite know. We don’t know for sure what was the impact of the restrictions that we had in terms of mask wearing, schools being closed down … did it set us up for this triple epidemic?

It is possible that we know that viruses can interfere with each other, compete, so maybe the high amounts of COVID we’ve had set up some sort of biological environment where adults got less RSV. But we don’t really know.”

RSV seems to have peaked, but they’re seeing a lot more than they usually see, she added.

“What we’re seeing coming up right now, the big concern is, flu. Flu cases here are much higher than in the past 10 or more years. It started earlier in the season than normal and it’s rising at a faster rate than we’ve normally seen,” she said. “We are concerned that it will continue to rise and a situation like that overwhelms our emergency rooms. So, we are in the midst of a big problem. COVID

cases in other parts of the state, other parts of the country, are going up. Right now our cases are higher than where they were at over that last few years — but cases, knock on wood, seem somewhat stable right now.”

Promoting good health

“That’s a really important question because if we look at our community and where we hope to make the biggest impact it would be in more preventive care —preventing chronic diseases making sure folks have health maintenance [access to care], everything they need to stay healthy,” she said. “So, for me it starts with things like making sure everybody has access to a primary care physician and get routine health care checkups, healthy food, healthy neighborhoods. The biggest thing would be to get a primary care physician and follow up with them regularly. Live a healthy lifestyle including exercise and make sure they arte up to date on their vaccines.

The expectation is she work 35 hours a week. “It’s easily that or more. But it’s been wonderful work, important work,” she said. “I really enjoy the natural beauty around the Syracuse area — hiking and being outside. I spend a lot of time with my kids and that brings me a lot of joy. My family is rather musical. My husband plays music and I sing with him, sometimes. We’re more of a small venue, open mic type family.”

Lorna Fitzpatrick

 From previous page New Onondaga County Health Commissioner: ‘Flu Cases Here Are Much Higher Than in the Past 10 or More Years’

Recognizing Hearing Loss in Children

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Hearing evaluations are routine for children born in US hospitals. However, hearing loss acquired afterwards can go undetected. It’s important to catch hearing loss early, as young children are at a crucial developmental stage.

“Early treatment and detection are better in the long haul,” said Kristopher Rookey, hearing instrument specialist with Port City Hearing in Oswego. “We want to catch it sooner than later. If they are having trouble, they might be disengaged in school and having trouble. Getting them hearing sooner is important.”

It can be easy to miss a hearing loss, especially if parents are not aware of some causes of hearing loss.

Some children have an anatomical predisposition to ear infections and if they develop them chronically, along with the typically impairment of hearing, they may miss numerous months of hearing clearly and learning language.

“Fluid can build up and they need tubes in their ears,” Rookey said. “Chronic ear infection can cause nerve damage.”

Causes of permanent hearing loss include illnesses such as mumps,

measles and other childhood disease that are preventable with routine childhood vaccinations. A high fever that goes unchecked can destroy the auditory nerves and thus the child’s hearing. A fever treated with Tylenol that remains higher than 103 degrees Fahrenheit in otherwise healthy children warrants immediate medical attention. Seek care for any fever in babies younger than 3 months old. For those 3 to 6 months, 102 Fahrenheit is considered a high fever.

“A sign indicative of potential hearing loss after the birth screening is if a child isn’t localizing to sound,” said Anna Fyalkowski, audiologist with Syracuse Hearing Solutions. “If you call the child’s name and they’re not turning their head appropriately. Not startling to loud sounds, like if a dog barks or you’re clapping and they don’t move their hands or close their eyes tight.”

Early milestones include infants startling at louder noises and by 3 to 6 months, beginning to turn their heads towards the source of sounds to localize it. By 6 to 12 months, children should start recognizing familiar words and respond to their names.

Lesser-known Causes of Hearing Loss

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Many people associate hearing loss with older war veterans or people who have worked for 40 years in a noisy factory.

However, many less well-known things can cause hearing loss.

Anna Fyalkowski, audiologist with Syracuse Hearing Solutions, said that although many people dismiss hearing loss as part of the aging process, many causes of hearing loss can be prevented or, if caught early, treated to preserve hearing.

“If you have sudden sensorineural hearing loss, it is like one day you wake up and you can’t hear out of one ear,” she said. “It’s scary but rare. We see it in our clinic. We try to get treatment as quickly as possible.”

Patients also may feel like their ear is full, dizziness and tinnitus — ringing in the ears. Since the onset is so rapid, many people assume that a minor illness or wax build-up is causing the symptoms.

Douglas G. Brown, audiologist and owner of DB Audiology Associates in Syracuse, said that Ménière’s disease is a condition many do not realize can lead to hearing loss.

“It creates problems with hearing and balance,” Brown said.

Typically, it causes one-sided hearing loss because of one of the fluids in the inner ear is too high. Treatment includes medications to manage the vertigo and nausea, diuretics and anti-anxiety medications.

The middle ear bones are part of the hearing process. When bony deposits accumulate on these bones (ossification), they become so stiff that their ability to conduct sound lessens.

“Otosclerosis, primarily in females, is hereditary,” Brown said. “Onset can occur around pregnancies. They haven’t figured it out why.”

Although unmanaged diabetes

Sometimes, parents test their children’s hearing by only using loud sounds. However, everyday speech volume, between 55 and 65 dB should be loud enough to hear. Having to speak louder to be heard may indicate mild hearing loss and warrant seeing a professional.

“If there’s any delay in speech production according to milestones, something could be going on,” Fyalkowski said.

Parents also should seek an evaluation for children who ask for parents to repeat what they say, turn up the TV or other devices, or their teachers at school say they do not pay attention.

“Observe the child to see if the child pays attention to speech,” said Douglas G. Brown, audiologist and owner of DB Audiology Associates,

can bear many life-altering consequences, hearing loss is not one many people consider. Brown said that diabetics with unmanaged diabetes or hypertension can experience hearing loss.

“Smokers have a higher incidence of hearing loss than nonsmokers because instead of taking oxygen and nutrients to part of the body, it gets 46 different chemicals so that the ear, especially when under stress listening to high levels of sound, can’t get the nutrients to stay healthy,” Brown said. “The waste of what’s happening in the cells can’t get carried away.”

Benign growths on the acoustic nerve can also cause hearing loss. Called an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma, the growths compress the auditory nerve, causing hearing loss on one side, along with dizziness and facial nerve weakness. Brown said that tumors are typically slow growing and can cause reduced hearing clarity.

“They may attribute it to ‘It was too noisy or ‘That person mumbles,’” he said.

He added that autoimmune diseases can change hearing over time. Since some patients with one autoimmune disease tend to have a higher risk for other autoimmune diseases, they should be aware that hearing loss is a possibility.

Some medications can cause hearing loss. Called ototoxic, the amount of the medication taken matters. Anyone concerned about hearing loss as a medication side effect should discuss it with a care provider.

“There are also physical traumas to the ear,” Brown said. “I had a patient who was clearing his ear with a Q-Tip and his elbow hit the door. He perforated his eardrum. Sometimes these heal on their own. Sometimes they don’t. Surgery may improve

PC in Syracuse. “Is the child looking at the mouth?”

This may indicate that the child is using visual cues to improve understanding of speech.

Brown said that by a year old, a child should be able to follow twopart requests, such as “Get the ball and place it on the table” as well as follow simple conversations.

Sometimes other family members are better able to identify hearing loss in children than their own parents.

“Parents are so familiar that they may see behavior that they attribute to other things,” Brown explained.

Any parent with concerns about their child’s hearing should seek a screening. Pediatrician offices can run basic screening tests and an audiologist can provide more in-depth testing and evaluation.

that situation.”

In addition to avoiding cotton swab use in the ears (even the package says not to do so), wearing protective gear for sports is also important for protecting hearing. Brown said that skipping protective gear can result in displacement of the bones in the middle ear and hearing loss.

Most people realize that listening to loud music greater than 85dB can result in permanent hearing loss. They may not know that listening to recreational equipment or household, non-commercial tools can damage hearing.

Brown listed lawn mowers, snow blowers and chain saws, racecars as common culprits most people ignore as causes of hearing loss. Wearing hearing protective devices such as muffs and earplugs can prevent this hearing loss.

“Don’t let it go if you have sudden hearing loss,” said Kristopher Rookey, hearing instrument specialist with Port City Hearing in Oswego.

But it’s also vital to protect hearing from everyday damage, the “normal, everyday stuff like power tools, lawnmowers and grinding tools,” Rookey added. “A few hours on the lawn mower for a few years, you don’t really think of that as causing hearing damage. I’m always a big advocate for hearing protection.”

He explained that damage occurs because of the decibel level, how long exposure happens and how frequently it happens.

“You have to protect the hearing that you’ve got,” he said. “Most people who come in regret that they didn’t.

“Recognize if you have hearing loss and seek treatment sooner. That will get stimulation back to the brain and promote cognitive function. If you let it go, it can lead to isolation. Get back your quality of life.”

How Nutrition Needs Change as We Age

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Many aspects of health change as you enter older adulthood, including nutritional needs.

With lessening activity, caloric needs may decrease, but the same amount of nutrients — and in some instances, more — are still needed.

“They have a lower caloric need intake as they’re not as active,” said James Mahler, director of food and beverage at the Nottingham at Loretto. “They have changes in their metabolism. They have an increased need in nutrition level. They also have age-related loss of bone and loss of muscle mass because they’re not using it as much.”

He added that a decrease in absorption of vitamin B-12, which is necessary for brain function and red blood cells, is also common among older adults. Good sources include spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.

As the sense of taste and smell may decline, a person’s food preferences often shift towards sweet, salty foods and “comfort foods” and away from healthful things. Replacing a balanced meal with crackers, chips, processed foods and pieces of candy can lead to malnutrition and weight gain.

In general, meals and snacks should include more high protein foods. Protein shakes represent an easy way to increase protein intake.

Mahler suggested seafood, lean meats, beans, lentils, hard-boiled eggs and protein supplements added to foods. Some older adults on a fixed income struggle to afford many sources of protein. They may experience difficulty in chewing some sources of protein. Slow cooker chicken, eggs, tuna, nut butters and yogurt are few examples of protein sources that are both easy to chew and reasonably affordable.

Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and educator with Carlson Laboratories in Canastota, said that including fatty fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids can help support better health later in life.

“These foods have an immense amount of research backing up how they support brain, nerve, vision, joint, cardiovascular health, and so much more,” Sterling said.

She also recommends considering supplementation with digestive enzymes, as these decrease in age.

“This can potentially lead to more GI upsets, bowel issues and impaired digestion,” Sterling said. “Digestive enzymes can be taken on a regular basis with meals or on an as-needed basis.”

Thinking outside accustomed foods can lead to more nutritious food choices. For example, a smoothie that combines raspberries with a less palatable vegetable like kale or

carrots can make it easier to consume more veggies. Or, snacking on hummus with whole grain crackers instead of potato chips and French onion dip.

Variety can make food more interesting and boost nutrition. Maria Winkworth, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and owner of Winkworth Wellness in Syracuse, encourages older adults to “have a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables, like dark leafy greens, red, yellow and each color. They each provide different nutrients.”

In addition to B vitamins, whole grains offer fiber. Winkworth listed oatmeal, brown rice and quinoa as examples of whole grains. Beans, nuts and seeds are good sources of fiber and protein.

Bone health relies upon vitamin D and minerals, including calcium.

“Eat low-fat cheese, yogurt and milk with added D for calcium,” Winkworth said.

Some yogurt types are high in sugar, so selecting plain yogurt and adding fresh fruit is a better option.

Julie Mellen, registered dietitian with Upstate Medical University, likes the MyPlate guide, calling it helpful for “eating a variety of foods to supply a good variety of nutrients. Include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, dairy and healthy fats daily.”

To ensure adequate hydration, it helps to take along a filled water bottle.

“With aging, the sense of thirst is altered so it is important to make an effort to drink more water daily,” Mellen said.

Some medications also affect thirst and hydration.

Many people eat less and eat less

nutritious foods when dining alone. Mellen encourages older adults, “don’t underestimate the social aspect of nutrition; enjoying meals with others, whether it is family, friends or at senior centers can be helpful in improving appetite and intake.”

Obtaining food can present a barrier to eating healthfully, whether that is transportation, affordability or the stamina to prepare food. Laura Vreeland, registered dietitian at the VA Medical Center in Syracuse, recommends grocery delivery through Wegmans and Instacart and meal delivery through Door Dash.

“I’ve had some patients who are using family members to pick up groceries and the patient goes once a month,” Vreeland said.

She suggests Fairlife brand milk to older adults because it’s lactose-free (lactose, the naturally occurring sugar in milk, can cause upset stomach for many adults) and, unopened, the half-gallon containers can last up to 12 weeks. Patients can stock up without concerns of spoilage.

“Once you open it, it’s good for up to 14 days,” Vreeland said. “That helps if you can’t go to the grocery store every week.”

When buying convenience foods, such as pre-package meals, Vreeland looks at the nutrition facts for sodium, protein and calories. Healthy Choice is one she recommends or, for people who need to lose weight, Smart Ones. She also likes steam-inthe-bag frozen vegetables and brown rice. They’re relatively inexpensive and take little effort to prepare, but provide sound nutritional value.

Managing Diabetes as a Senior

Better nutrition, exercise still key to controlling diabetes

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Managing Type-2 diabetes

as an older adult is a little more complicated than with younger people. Often by this stage in life, other health issues have arisen. Doctors tell diabetic patients to exercise. However, by this stage of life, more limited mobility from arthritis or injuries can make it more challenging to work out. The care for other health conditions can make it difficult to take on all of the care necessitated by diabetes, such as managing blood pressure and cholesterol, smoking cessation, annual eye exams, careful foot care, annual urine and blood tests for kidney health and dietary changes.

“Management includes lifestyle modifications, diet, exercise, smoking cessation, treating hypertension and dyslipidemia, keeping medical appointments, and medication management if needed,” said Julie Mellen registered dietitian Upstate Medical University.

Seeking help from a certified diabetes educator can assist in managing the various aspects of the condition, including dietary changes, which many consider the most difficult aspect of management. Some patients may find it difficult to make in-office visits. However, most insurances

cover virtual visits.

“Avoiding hypoglycemia, low blood glucose, is very important,” Mellen said. “Older adults are more vulnerable to low blood sugars and may not feel the symptoms as well. Low blood glucose can result in a higher risk of falls, fractures and adverse cardiac risk.”

Ideally, pairing high fiber meals with protein helps stabilize blood sugar. Some older adults find difficult the dietary changes brought by Type-2 diabetes, particularly if they’ve never cooked much or at this point in life, find cooking difficult.

Mellen recommends MyPlate for Diabetes, which indicates filling half of a standard nine- or 10-inch plate with non-starchy vegetables raw or cooked, and the other half of the plate with lean protein and carbohydrate foods, about one-quarter each.

“Incorporate more whole grains and less refined grains,” Mellen said. “Include two to three servings of fruit daily and two to three servings of dairy or alternative. Choose healthy fats in moderation.”

Any snacks should pair carbohydrate sources with protein sources, such as fruited yogurt, cheese or cottage cheese with a whole grain cracker or peanut butter on slices of

UPSTATE CARDIOLOGY CONTINUES TO GROW

apple. Regularly eating protein is vital for diabetes management.

“Older adults can lose up to 50% of their muscle mass,” said Maria Winkworth, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist and owner of Winkworth Wellness in Syracuse. “Protein is important for diabetes as it stabilizes blood sugar and keeps people filling full longer. Sources include seafood, chicken, turkey, and yogurt.”

It’s challenging for many older adults to go grocery shopping often because of fatigue, lack of transportation and restricted budgets. Winkworth suggests for these seniors to stock up on nutrient-dense foods with a long shelf life such as beans, lentils, whole grain cereals, brown rice, nuts and seeds.

“Always make sure you have juice or fruit in the house for low blood sugars,” Winkworth said. “A lot of falls happen with low blood sugar among older adults.”

Exercising regularly can help maintain blood sugar stability.

“As long as your physician has cleared you for exercise, I would highly recommend adding regular physical activity to your routine,” said Will Masiclat, personal trainer coordinator at Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center of Syracuse in DeWitt.

He said the JCC “offers a full gym, indoor track, in-person and virtual classes and personal training.”

Swimming, elliptical workouts and senior yoga all represent forms of exercise gentle for people with arthritis. A good goal could be to increasing activity to a goal of 150 minutes a week minimum, broken into 30-minute brisk walks five days a week along with weight training two days a week to improve lean body mass.

People with diabetes should keep their regular check-ups with their physicians. They should also keep their healthcare provider abreast of any changes in exercise, diet, medication, supplements and over-thecounter items.

Lakeview Center for Mental Health Enters Third Year

Mental health facility operated by Oswego Health serves about 2,200 patients. It recently received $1 million donation from the Lobdell family of Pulaski

By Mary Beth Roach

Since opening in January 2021, Oswego Health’s Lakeview Center for Mental Health and Wellness has served approximately 2,200 individuals on an outpatient basis. That equates to about 22,000 appointments. In addition, the facility has about 100 to 110 inpatient admissions monthly.

Yet, the need is still great.

“We have a lengthy wait list that we hope to shave off weekly, but the demand is so high,” said Cam Nichols, director of social work for Lakeview.

She oversees all the center’s clinicians throughout its mental health division. “It’s heartbreaking that we cannot get people in here as soon as possible.”

The 150-plus staff provides mental health and primary care on an outpatient basis at the East Cayuga Street facility, as well as its clinics in Fulton and 14 satellite programs in Oswego, Fulton and Hannibal.

In addition, 100 to 110 inpatient admissions are processed every month — some of those referrals coming from as many as 27 counties throughout the state.

Although Oswego Health has been providing mental health care since the 1980s from its previous

facility, the $17 million Lakeview Center offers staff and patients a larger and more welcoming space. Its footprint went from 12,000 to 42,000 square feet; the number of inpatient beds increased from 20 to 32 and there’s additional staff and services, along with enhanced safety features and security measures.

As Lakeview marks its second anniversary, Omar Colon, the center’s medical director; Nichols, and other key staff members sat down to talk about their services and share their thoughts on the mental health crisis, which continues to grip the nation.

Lakeview provides primary health care to the community at large and with more people visiting the center for their primary care provider, they may be less hesitant to seek out mental care, if needed, Colon said.

According to Kathy Healy, the director of mental health and wellness at the center, “It has helped us decrease the stigma of mental having this new beautiful building for people to come in and feel welcomed.”

Colon also explained that, in the past, too often people didn’t seek help until they “lost everything in their life.”

He said that in the past few years, there has been a trend in which individuals are seeking help as early as possible, before they lose the house, the family, he said.

There has been an increase in adolescents and children as young as 5 seeking mental health help, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were learning at home and virtually, Nichols said.

They lost the opportunity to develop or practice social skills. School, too, can be a respite for children whose home life might be overwhelming or unstable, she explained. However, when they had to remain homebound during the height of the pandemic, they had to contend with those situations. Then, as schools reopened and the students were returning to the classrooms, many feared being exposed to COVID-19 and bringing it home.

The public’s improved perception of mental health, earlier intervention, an increase in substance abuse and suicides, social media and the COVID-19 pandemic are just some of the factors fueling the need for mental health services nationwide; but the policies of various insurance companies and staff shortages are two issues that throw up

barriers that worsen the situation and overwhelm the system, Colon noted.

He pointed to the disparity in insurance co-pays for mental health care compared to those for medical health care. For example, while co-pays for primary care or physical therapy may be relatively, co-pays for mental health services can be comparatively high, he said. While Lakeview is hospital-based, Healy noted, that they can often work with patients on financial assistance.

However, from a more global perspective, that is not always the case.

As Lakeview enters its third year of service, “The team that we have here has been trying to predict what else we need so we can target as fast as possible the changes that we are seeing,” Colon said.

A recent $1 million to Lakeview from the Lobdell family of Pulaski, in memory of their son and brother, Rusty Lobdell, should help navigate some of the changes Colon alluded to.

Rusty died by suicide in 1995 at the age of 19 after struggling with schizophrenia. And after the family toured the facility several months ago, a family member commented that it was “bright and full of hope.”

Some Lakeside Center for Mental Health’s leadership team, from left, are Kathy Healy, director of mental health and wellness at the center; Jody Pittsley, associate administrator; physician Omar Colon, medical director, Oswego Behavioral Health; Melissa Kinne, interim clinical inpatient director.

By Jim Miller

A Checklist of What to Do When a Loved One Dies

Dear Savvy Senior,

What steps need to be taken after a loved one dies? My 71-year-old uncle, who’s divorced with no children, has terminal cancer. He’s asked me to take care of his affairs so I would like to find out what I need to do after he passes away.

Unsure Nephew

Dear Unsure,

I’m very sorry to hear about your uncle. The death of a loved one can bring about a host of different tasks and responsibilities. Here’s a list of some things you can do now, and after his death, that can help keep a sad event from becoming even more difficult.

Before Death Occurs

There are several tasks you can do now while your uncle is still living that will make things easier for you after he dies.

For starters, find out where he keeps all his important papers like his trust or will (also make sure it’s updated), birth certificate, Social Security information, life-insurance policies, military discharge papers, financial documents, key or combination to a safe deposit box or a home safe. Also make a list of his digital assets (including usernames and passwords) like his email account, online banking accounts, social media accounts, etc.

If your uncle doesn’t have an advanced directive, help him make one (see CaringInfo.org for free state-specific forms and instructions). An advanced directive includes a living will that specifies his end-oflife medical treatments and appoints a health-care proxy to make medical decisions if he becomes incapacitated. In addition, you should also make a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. Your uncle’s doctor can help you with this.

You should also pre-arrange his funeral, memorial service and burial or cremation.

Immediately After Death

Once your uncle dies, you’ll need to get a legal pronouncement of death. If no doctor is present, you’ll need to contact someone to do this.

If he dies at home under hospice care, call the hospice nurse, who can declare his death and help facilitate the transport of the body.

If he dies at home without hospice care, call your uncle’s doctor. You’ll then need to call the funeral home, mortuary or crematorium to pick up the body. If your uncle is an

organ or tissue donor, contact the funeral home or the county coroner immediately.

Within a Few Days

If funeral plans were not pre-arranged, you’ll need to make arrangements and prepare an obituary. If your uncle was in the military or belonged to a fraternal or religious group, you should contact those organizations too, because they may have burial benefits or conduct funeral services.

You should also notify family members, close friends and his employer if he was still working, and make sure his home is secured.

Up to 10 Days After Death

To wind down your uncle’s financial affairs, you’ll need to get multiple copies of his death certificate, which are typically ordered by the funeral home.

If you’re the executor of your uncle’s estate, take his will to the appropriate county or city office to have it accepted for probate. And open a bank account for your uncle’s estate to pay bills, including taxes, funeral costs, etc.

You also need to contact your uncle’s estate attorney if he has one; tax preparer to see if estate or final income taxes should be filed; financial adviser for information on financial holdings; life insurance agent to get claim forms; his bank to locate and close accounts; and Social Security, the VA (if he’s a veteran) and other agencies that provided benefits in order to stop payments.

You should also cancel his credit cards, delete or memorialize his social media accounts and, if relevant, stop household services like utilities, mail, etc. His home and personal belonging will also need to be dealt with in the coming weeks.

Ask

The Social Security Office

From the Social Security District Office

Are Americans Financially Educated on Retirement Savings?

Financial education helps people learn about savings, credit and loans. It also helps prepare people for life changes and weather the unexpected. Financial knowledge is essential when planning for retirement.

So, how prepared are adults in the United States for their retirement? The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) conducts polls on key issues, like retirement savings, that affect a person’s financial past, present, and future.

Here’s what we have learned over the past year:

• In a financial well-being poll conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, 85% of respondents confirmed that some aspect of their personal finances was causing them stress. For 31% of respondents, that concern was “having enough saved for retirement.”

• In that same poll, 70% said they made financial adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of that group, 27% increased contributions to their emergency savings, retirement savings, or other savings or investments. In comparison, 21% tapped into emergency savings—or borrowed against retirement savings.

Q&A

Q.: My spouse doesn't have enough work credits to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Can they qualify on my record?

A.: A spouse receives one-half of the retired worker's full benefit unless the spouse begins collecting benefits before full retirement age. If the spouse begins collecting benefits before full retirement age, the amount of the spouse's benefit is reduced by a percentage based on the number of months before he or she reaches full retirement age. You can learn more by reading our online publication, Retirement Benefits, at www.ssa.gov/pubs.

Q.: Is it true that a person can own a home and still be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits?

A.: Yes. A person who owns a home and lives in that home can be eligible for SSI benefits. Although there is an asset limit for people to qualify for SSI, some things don’t count toward that limit, such as a house, a vehicle, and some funds set aside for burial expenses. To learn more about SSI and the eligibility requirements, browse our booklet, "Supplemental Security Income (SSI)" at www.ssa.gov/pubs/11000.html.

• In a poll about financial education mandates, 80% of adults said they wish they were required to complete a semester- or year-long course focused on personal finance education during high school. Also, 88% think their state should require a semester- or year-long course for high school graduation.

• In that same poll, 84% of those approaching retirement age said “spending and budgeting” should be taught in schools.

Lifetime financial education can be a helpful tool in preparing for retirement. This includes understanding Social Security retirement benefits and making the most of retirement income. You can learn more on our retirement page at www.ssa. gov/retirement.

A personal my Social Security account should be a part of your financial plan. With a secure my Social Security account, you can verify your earnings history, get personalized retirement benefit estimates, and more. If you don’t have an account, you can easily create one at www.ssa.gov/ myaccount.

To learn more about NEFE’s mission, visit their website at www.nefe. org. Please share this information with friends and family.

Q.: I am expecting a child and will be out of work for six months. Can I qualify for short-term disability?

A.: No. Social Security pays only for total disability — conditions that render you unable to work and are expected to last for at least a year or end in death. No benefits are payable for partial disability or short-term disability, including benefits while on maternity leave.

Q.: I have been getting Social Security disability benefits for many years. I’m about to hit my full retirement age. What will happen to my disability benefits?

A.: When you reach full retirement age, we will switch you from disability to retirement benefits. But you won’t even notice the change because your benefit amount will stay the same. It’s just that when you reach retirement age, we consider you to be a retiree and not a disability beneficiary. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov.

Excellus BCBS appoints three new senior leaders

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has appointed three new members to its senior leadership team. They will take on new roles as part of the health plan’s population health engagement leadership team working to ensure equitable access to high-quality, affordable care.

They are:

• Pharmacist Mona Chitre has

been named president of pharmacy solutions, in addition to her role as chief pharmacy officer. In her expanded role, Chitre will focus on delivering clinically sound pharmacy solutions to enable growth and diversification and bolster investments and innovation in all areas of the rapidly changing pharmacy landscape. She joined the health plan in 2000.

Chitre oversees Excellus BCBS’s pharmacy program, focusing on ways to drive affordable drug costs, quality outcomes, and appropriateness of care for the health plan’s 1.5 million Upstate New York members.

Under Chitre’s leadership, the health plan’s pharmacy program has developed numerous programs to improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves. The introduction of the innovative RxConcierge savings outreach program and initiatives focusing on generic medications, medication adherence, and specialty medications have helped members access quality, affordable

medications and earned the health plan national recognition. During her tenure, the health plan’s Medicare Part D prescription drug plan has received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, its highest rating, for seven consecutive years, making it the longest leading, and one of only two five-star plans in the nation.

• Physician Lisa Harris has been

appointed senior vice president and corporate medical director for Excellus BCBS. In her new role as SVP corporate medical director, she will work closely with senior leaders to drive engagement, innovation, clinical quality, equitable access and affordability, as well as enable efficiency and satisfaction among the health plan’s provider partners. Harris joined the health plan in 2018.

She previously served as vice president of medical affairs for commercial lines of business where she was closely aligned with the sales team serving as a clinical liaison and leading the clinical affordability strategy.

At Excellus BCBS, Harris maintained a focus on the larger strategy of improving health care for all as she collaborated on innovative solutions including a clinical queries system allowing key stakeholders to receive a coordinated response to clinical questions within 24 hours. She worked to develop a multifunctional high-cost claimants team designed to engage case managers earlier on in the member experience.

• Tony Vitagliano has been

named senior vice president, provider network engagement. In his new role, Vitagliano will continue to focus on the health plan’s provider partnership strategy in addition to now leading the areas of payment integrity, medical policy and risk adjustment. He will also serve as a member of the health plan’s executive team. Vitagliano joined the health plan in 1993.

Lab Alliance names director of finance

Laboratory Alliance of Central

Antonio

Vitagliano began his career with the health plan as an actuarial analyst and has held several positions during his time with the organization. Most recently, he served as vice president, provider network management and operations, leading teams dedicated to provider contracting, provider relations, value-based payments, and reimbursement.

During his career, Vitagliano led the development of Excellus BCBS’s accountable cost and quality agreement (ACQA) model, providers partnership strategy, and the alignment of clinical quality and efficiency.

“Through their partnership with our providers and community members, each of these leaders has made a significant impact in achieving our health plan’s mission of ensuring equitable access to affordable, high-quality care,” said Jim Reed, Excellus BCBS president and CEO. “I’m excited to see our efforts in the area of population health engagement continue to grow under the strategic leadership of these highly skilled and experienced individuals.”

Michael Backus has been appointed Oswego Health’s CEO effective Jan. 1. He succeeds Michael Harlovic, who retired.

Since 2020 Backus was the chief operating officer and executive vice president and worked alongside Harlovic and other members of the senior leadership team to stabilize the health system.

“We’re confident in Michael Backus and his ability to take Oswego Health to the next level and provide the quality of care this community deserves and needs,” said Oswego Health Board Chairman Ed Alberts. “Lifelong resident, a local leader, and someone who is beyond vested in this community, Backus will not only offer a smooth transition for staff but continue to advocate and position Oswego Health as a leader in local healthcare.”

According to a news release, in just two years Backus has been a proven advocate for local healthcare fighting in both Albany and Washington, DC, to further increase access to high-quality care for Oswego County residents through strategic infrastructure planning for Fulton and Oswego. He has made significant impacts as he managed the daily operations of the health system, including renovations of the AMS building in Fulton as Oswego Health

New York has named Brian Snepenger director of finance. He will oversee all of Laboratory Alliance’s finances and have direct supervision over materials management and purchasing, accounts payable, accounts receivable/revenue cycle and facilities.

Snepenger

Snepenger brings more than 15 years of finance experience in accounting, financial analysis and business management to the position. He holds a Master of Science degree in accounting from Syracuse University and is a certified public accountant.

Laboratory Alliance provides all inpatient and outpatient clinical and anatomic pathology testing for Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health and for regional hospitals, long-term care facilities and healthcare practices in a 16-county region in Central New York.

The company was founded 25 years ago and performs more than 10 million tests per year through its 11 patient centers and three laboratory locations.

Nascentia Health receives LeadingAge awards

Nascentia Health recently received three achievement awards

opened its second PrimeCare location.

He has been the conduit to Oswego Health for local government and community providers throughout the pandemic ensuring resources are readily available, and he is extremely focused on the culture of the organization by being actively involved in recruitment and retention efforts as one of the major employers in Oswego County.

Backus holds a master’s degree in public administration, along with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Le Moyne College, where he is also a member of the board of regents. As an emerging healthcare leader, Backus is a part of the American Hospital Association NextGen Fellowship Program and serves on the Board of Directors for the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS).

“It is the honor of my professional life to succeed Michael Harlovic as president and CEO of Oswego Health,” Backus said in a written statement. “I thank the board of directors for their confidence in not only me but our entire senior leadership team. Most importantly, I thank the employees of Oswego Health as throughout the past two years I have seen us rise to many challenges and I am impressed every day by the heroism of our caregivers.”

Mona Chitre

Dr. Lisa Harris

Vitagliano

Brian

Michael Backus Is Now Oswego Health’s New CEO

from LeadingAge New York in its 2022 Annual Awards at a ceremony Dec. 7.

Founded in 1961, LeadingAge New York, represents nonprofit, mission-driven and public continuing care providers. The organization’s more than 600 members employ 150,000 professionals serving more than 500,000 New Yorkers annually.

• Registered nurse Dea Kuiper

housing complex on Syracuse’s south side for seniors experiencing homelessness. She works directly with tenants to address social determinants of health and improve their outcomes and stability.

• Nascentia Health and Upstate University Hospital’s collaborative Hospital at Home Program was named innovation of the year for its holistic approach to delivering hospital-level care in patient homes. This program allows patients to leave the physical hospital and receive care in the comfort of home, freeing up needed hospital beds and improving outcomes for people and their families.

ment and patient experience efforts,” said Crouse Chief Medical Officer/ Chief Operating Officer Seth Kronenberg, MD. “We congratulate our team for this achievement, which reflects not only their strong clinical performance, but also their commitment to excellence in patient outcomes, made especially challenging during the Covid pandemic.”

Massachusetts Amherst. She lives in Whitney Point.

• Jo Miller is now vice president

Crouse gets a ‘B’ in latest Leapfrog’s safety score

Kuiper

was recognized as an employee of distinction for the CNY region because of her decades of work as a home pediatric nurse, caring for some of the most fragile and challenging young patients. Throughout her 18 years with Nascentia Health, she has specialized in maternal and pediatric care, establishing life-long bonds with children and their families, earning a reputation for blending innovation and kindness, clinical skills and empathy.

• Licensed practical nurse Amy

Davis, Nascentia’s director of older adult services, was named professional of the year, an award that honors a longterm care, housing, and services professional’s contributions to the well-being of the elderly or chronically ill in the community. Davis manages Nascentia’s tenants in the Gardens at St. Anthony’s, a new

Crouse Hospital has received a ‘B’ safety score for fall 2022 from The Leapfrog Group, a national distinction recognizing the hospital’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer healthcare.

With a safety grade of B, Crouse’s fall 2022 score is the highest in Central New York.

The Leapfrog Hospital safety grade is the only rating focused exclusively on hospital safety. Its A, B, C, D or F letter grades for more than 3,000 hospitals across the country are a quick way for consumers to choose the safest hospital to seek care. Grades are based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“Our mission of providing the best in patient care continues to guide our ongoing quality improve-

Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital Settles in to New Brittonfield Location

Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital has relocated its operations to a newly created space within the Crouse Medical Center at 5000 Brittonfield Parkway in East Syracuse.

The Brittonfield site includes all new classrooms, a nursing skills lab, a high-tech simulation area, library, computer labs, ample social and study spaces for students and administrative and faculty office space. The new facility is designed to meet the needs of all students, creating an excellent student experience within a dynamic learning environment.

Academic operations at the new site began Jan. 9 as the college welcomed back returning students from the evening and weekend option. Traditional day students began their courses on Jan. 17.

“We are excited to welcome our students, faculty and staff to our new home, which features an all new learning and teaching space in an innovative and collaborative learning environment,” said Patricia Morgan, dean of Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital.

Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital offers a two-year associate’s degree in applied science with a major in nursing and is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), a high-quality, independent regulatory agency with rigorous educational standards. For 110 years, the college has been recognized for strong leadership in educating professional nurses and anticipating the ever-changing needs in the healthcare environment.

To see Crouse’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.

Nascentia Health promotes staff

Nascentia Health has announced that three of its Syracuse office team have been promoted to new roles.

• Jennifer Allen is now vice

president of patient services, overseeing the organization’s certified home health agency and licensed home care services agency, which provide skills nursing and therapies and home health aide services to thousands of patients across a six-county region. She has expertise in quality assurance, public health and telehealth programs, and focuses on improving patient outcomes and reducing rehospitalizations. She has been with Nascentia Health for three years. She is a registered nurse with more than 25 years of experience in healthcare. She received her doctorate in nursing practice, public health nurse leader (DNP-PHNL) from the University of

of customer experience and outreach, overseeing Nascentia’s call center, customer service team, outreach staff and licensed agents. She has more than 30 years of experience with customer service and sales and 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She is a licensed insurance agent and a founder of Resources and Advocacy for the Aging and Disabled (RAAD), a nonprofit with chapters statewide that focuses on improving access to social services for adults. She has been with Nascentia since 2020. She is a graduate of SUNY Empire State College. She resides in Bradford.

• Dino Duracak is now the

director of quality assurance, performance improvement, and telehealth for Nascentia’s certified home health agency. He ensures that clinicians provide the best care to patients, including using telehealth technology to better monitor patient health in between clinician visits. He is a licensed physical therapist with nearly 10 years of experience with hands-on patient care. He received a doctorate and bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Utica University. He resides in Utica.

The college ranks among the top associate degree nursing programs in New York state and features classroom, clinical, laboratory and computer-assisted study within a state-of-the-art teaching environment. Innovative program design, extensive clinical experiences, low

student-to-faculty ratios and affordable tuition are among the college’s strengths.

More than 6,000 individuals have graduated from Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital over its century of serving Central New York.

Dea

Amy Davis

Jennifer Allen

Jo Miller

Dino Duracak

Students from Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital start a new year of coursework.