In Good Health: CNY #284 - August 2023

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Dr. Ronald L. Kirshner & Dr. Praveena Paruchuri

Meet Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Mark E. Vadney, D.O.

Q: How have your first few days as chief of anesthesia at Oswego Health been?

A: They’ve been wonderful. I’ve found the cafeteria, and I’ve found the OR and I’ve found the restroom, so I’m pretty much set. To be honest with you, the hospital is amazing. One of the things I really appreciated when I interviewed here and enjoy now that I’m here is that it’s a community hospital. Community hospitals and smaller hospitals are the wave of the future. Right now big cities are being overwhelmed. They’re struggling to meet the needs of their communities where we have the luxury of being able to provide top-notch care. When you only have seven ORs instead of 50, you can really focus on those ORs and make them quality places. The nurses are able to spend time with patients in their rooms. I truly believe that if you’re going to get care for everyday normal issues like gall bladder surgery, appendectomies or pneumonia, this is where I’d want to be. Obviously if you need a heart transplant we can’t help you here at Oswego, but for most of the needs of our community, we can not only meet them but exceed them.

Q: What kinds of anesthesia needs does a hospital like Oswego have?

A: We have the ability to do kid-

ney stones, gall bladders, appendixes, gastrointestinal, hernia, thyroids; things that people in the community might commonly need and don’t want to travel far for. They want to be where their family can visit them. If they have to stay overnight, their loved ones can bring them their pajamas. One thing we do that you don’t always see at community hospitals is gastric bypass surgery. We’re able to do them and do them well.

Q: How many personnel do you oversee?

A: Right now there are five anesthesiologists and, I believe, six CRNAs [certified registered nurse anesthetists]. We’re trying to grow it, but post-COVID there’s a national shortage of health workers all over. But to be honest with you, we’re doing very well here in our community. We are not using a lot of travelers — people coming in from the outside. We are mostly local providers and nursing staff. So the people who are treating you are the people who are living here.

Q: Do you find that makes a big difference in terms of commitment?

A: Big time. You always want to have local providers. This is your community, the people you want to see healthy. You see them on a more regular basis. Obviously, anesthesiol-

ogists aren’t people you’re going to see all the time, but it’s nice to have locally committed people. I live five minutes from the hospital. I have an investment in the area. I want my people to be successful. This is my community. This is where I’m going to shop, go to eat and go to Harborfest.

Q: As far as building a relationship with patients, your patients are going to be unconscious a lot of the time, but it’s also maybe the specialty in which patients are putting their lives in your hands. How do create a sense of trust there with such limited time?

A: If you talk to patients, a lot of the time they’re less nervous about the surgery itself than they are of losing control. It’s a skill, and it’s something I pride myself in. In a short period of time, I have to convey a sense of confidence. Having a sense of humor, a smile and sense of professionalism helps. If the patient is nervous, give them an extra minute and help them try to understand what’s going on. Letting them know that they’re important and that we’ve got them. They’re not going to be alone. There’s someone who is invested in their safety and health. That’s something I try to impart to them.

Q: Is anesthesiology a specialty that’s still evolving, or do we more or less have it down to a science?

A: Every day there’s a new revolution. One area that’s evolving is multi-modal pain control. The opioid epidemic has us minimizing narcotic usage. We still give it when you need it, but multiple kinds of medication are used for different kinds of pain. Opioids, for example, don’t even address every kind of pain. There are many different ways to address pain. The same goes for post-operative nausea. We treat it preventatively pre-op, as well as post-op. Some of the things stay the same, but there’s always a significant effort to improve the patient’s experience with pain, nausea and recovery. We try to make it so they can get out of the hospital sooner. Not because we want to get

Physician Mark E. Vadney’s journey to a career in medicine is unique. Originally he attended college to major in mass communications and theater arts and earned his bachelor’s from Castleton State College in Vermont in 1988. In 1994 he pursued his master’s in drama from the University of Arkansas. This degree advanced his career in the arts and he found himself exploring the country, immersed in several large productions. While working as a production stage manager in California, he had the opportunity to take an EMS course to assist in his responsibilities. That’s when his passion for medicine is credited and he decided to go back to school to study anesthesiology

rid of them, but because they’re able to leave sooner. With more patients and less providers, it also means we can see more patients.

Q: What is the hardest operation to do anesthesia for?

A: At Oswego, the most challenging would probably be pediatrics. There’s an emotional and communication component, as well as different reactions to a lot of medications. So you have to be very conscientious of their needs. Outside of Oswego? I would say lung resections and aortic operations and transplants. They get very complicated.

Lifelines

Name: Mark E. Vadney, D.O.

Position: Chief of anesthesiology at Oswego Health

Hometown: Medfield, Mass.

Education: University of New England College of Medicine in Maine (2006)

Affiliations: Oswego Health

Career: Has experience developing regional anesthesia programs, including at the FF Thompson Hospital, affiliated with university of Rochester Medical Center, Guthrie Corning Hospital, Canton Potsdam Hospital Samaritan Medical Center, and SUNY Upstate Medical Center.

Organizations: Fellow of American Society of Anesthesiology

Hobbies: Skiing, boating, camping, fishing.

For new chief of anesthesia smaller community hospitals like Oswego Health are the wave of the future. He explains why

Over a Third of Americans

Opt for a ‘Sleep Divorce’

Whether it’s to avoid partners who steal the covers and toss and turn all night, or those who consistently rattle the room with loud snoring, many Americans are opting for a “sleep divorce” to help improve their nightly sleep.

According to a recent American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) survey, more than one-third of people say they occasionally or consistently sleep in another room to accommodate a bed partner.

Men are most likely to hit the sofa or guest room, with almost half of males (45%) reporting they occasionally or consistently sleep in another room, compared with just one-fourth (25%) of women.

“We know that poor sleep can worsen your mood, and those who are sleep deprived are more likely to argue with their partners. There may be some resentment toward the person causing the sleep disruption which can negatively impact relationships,” said Seema Khosla, pulmonologist and spokesperson for the AASM. “Getting a good night’s sleep is important for both health and happiness, so it’s no surprise that some couples choose to sleep apart for their overall well-being.”

Getting the right amount of healthy sleep is important for relationships. Studies have shown that those in relationships who consistently experience poor sleep are more likely to engage in conflict with their

partners and that sleep loss decreases levels of empathetic accuracy — meaning those who do not have enough sleep may be less able to understand or interpret their partners’ feelings.

Almost half (43%) of millennials occasionally or consistently sleep in another room to accommodate a bed partner, followed by one-third (33%) of those in Generation X, 28% of those in Generation Z and 22% of baby boomers.

“Although the term ‘sleep divorce’ seems harsh, it really just means that people are prioritizing sleep and moving into a separate room at night when needed,” said Khosla. “However, if it is one partner’s loud snoring that is leading to separate sleep spaces, then you should encourage that partner to talk to a doctor about obstructive sleep apnea. This applies to both men and women who may snore.”

Loud and frequent snoring is not just a nuisance; it is a common symptom of sleep apnea. While not everyone who snores has this sleep illness, snoring is a warning sign that should be taken seriously. When snoring is paired with choking, gasping or silent breathing pauses during sleep, it’s a strong indicator of sleep apnea.

For more information, or to find a local AASM-accredited sleep center, please visit sleepeduation.org.

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Making New Friends: It’s Never Too Late

Question from a reader

I’ve been divorced for about a year now, and struggle with loneliness. I miss the friends we shared as a couple, but I’m just not comfortable socializing with couples anymore. I’m 58, and it feels awkward to try to make friends at my age. Any advice for me?

Answer from Gwenn

You’re not alone. Unfortunately, what you are experiencing often happens in the aftermath of a separation or divorce, especially if it was acrimonious. Friends’ loyalties can be split and, just as you feel uncomfortable relating to your former “couple” friends, some couples may feel uncomfortable relating to a now-single friend.

So how do you meet new people and cultivate friendships as an adult? Here are a few tips:

• First, be your own best friend

Taking care of yourself matters. Loving yourself shows. When you feel good about yourself you radiate a calm confidence and kindness that invites people in.

Healthy, positive people attract and gravitate to other healthy, positive people where friendships can flourish.

• Do more of what you enjoy doing

You won’t make new friends sitting alone at home. Get out of the house and do those things that bring you joy, whether it’s practicing yoga, learning a new language, taking a cooking class, playing music or any number of activities that put you with others.

You’ll meet people who share and appreciate your interests and aspirations, which — to quote Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca” — could lead to “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

• Consider a support group

It’s not uncommon for new friendships to be borne out of compassion and empathy. A divorce or grief support group will put you in touch with others facing similar challenges.

A friend of mine met her second husband in a divorce support group. She shared, “We got to know each other as friends first, and have remained ‘best friends’ throughout our marriage. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

• Say “yes” to invitations and opportunities to be with people

Circulating at neighborhood porch parties, gallery openings, retirement parties, weddings, etc. can be the ticket to making a new friend. You’ll be out and about with people with whom you share something in

Board Games Could Be a Win for Your Kid's Math Skills

Family game night can be more than just a fun time: New research suggests it may even help build some early math skills in young children.

While past research has pointed to games as a way to enhance reading development and literacy, a new comprehensive review finds that number games like Monopoly, Othello, and Chutes and Ladders may help children with math.

“Board games enhance mathematical abilities for young children,” said lead author Jaime Balladares, from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, in Santiago. “Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex math skills. Board games can easily be adapted to include

learning objectives related to mathematical skills or other domains.”

These number-based games help improve counting, addition and the ability to recognize if a number is higher or lower than another for young children, according to the study.

Children benefit when they play board games a few times a week supervised by a teacher or another trained adult, the study authors said.

The researchers reviewed 19 studies published from 2000 onward involving children aged 3 to 9. Most of the studies focused on the relationship between board games and mathematical skills.

The children each received special board game sessions about twice a week for 20 minutes over about

common. Show up and don’t be shy about extending an invitation to someone you meet. It could be a cup of coffee, drinks after work or walk in the park.

• Don’t overlook your family

My sister is my best friend, and she helped me re-establish a network of friends after my divorce. I had gone into the proverbial “cave” and lost contact with practically everyone.

Her friends became my friends, and now, years later, I enjoy the company of her friends, as well as my own.

• Rekindle relationships with old friends

It happens. It’s not uncommon for friends to drift apart when careers, marriage, kids or other life events require time and focus.

But things change. Life marches on and many of us have retired and become empty nesters. You now have glorious time on your hands to reconnect with old friends — friends who were an important part of your life at one point and may still have lots to offer.

Just yesterday, I got a text from an old friend. It began, “It’s been ages! I just retired in June after 34 years. I’d love to connect.” We are meeting next week.

It’s as easy as that! You can do it.

• Give a “singles” event a try

Many divorced or widowed women and men find fun and friendship in community activities organized just for singles. It could be a movie night, dining out, hiking, biking, kayaking, you name it.

You can find these opportunities online in community calendars or in local newspapers. You could also check out www.meetup.com for a wide-ranging list of activities, gatherings, and events for people with

six weeks.

Some of the studies grouped children into either the number board game or to a board game that did not focus on numeracy skills, while in other studies all the children participated in number board games but were assigned different games.

All children were assessed on their skills before and after the interventions, with the authors rating success in four categories, including the ability to name numbers; basic number comprehension (such as nine is greater than three); the ability to add and subtract; and interest in mathematics.

In some cases, parents were provided training on using math in games. The results showed that children had significantly improved math skills for more than 52% of tasks analyzed. In 32% of cases, children in the intervention groups gained better

• Volunteer or champion a cause

Supporting an organization or cause you believe in will put you in contact with people working toward a common goal.

Community gardens, political parties, hospitals, museums, animal shelters and many other organizations often need volunteers. Strong connections can be made when you work alongside others who want to make the world a better place to live, work, play and pray.

Friendships enrich our lives. Good friends are there for you in hard times when you need someone to lean on. And they are there for you in good times to help celebrate life’s successes and happy moments.

When I’m in the company of my good friends, I feel a warm sense of belonging. They know me and I know them. We laugh and cry together, prop each other up, and share our deepest feelings and fears, hopes and dreams, and of course, favorite recipes and movies.

My friends are family.

If you are feeling lonely or left out, know that you can always meet new people, make new friends, and nurture existing ones. It’s never too late.

Gwenn Voelckers is the founder and facilitator of Alone and Content, empowerment workshops for women and author of “Alone and Content,” a collection of inspiring essays for those who live alone. For information about her workshops, to purchase her book, or invite her to speak, visit www. aloneandcontent.com

results than those who did not take part in the board game intervention.

The findings were published online July 6 in the journal Early Years.

“Future studies should be designed to explore the effects that these games could have on other cognitive and developmental skills,” Balladares said in a journal news release. “An interesting space for the development of intervention and assessment of board games should open up in the next few years, given the complexity of games and the need to design more and better games for educational purposes.

Beverly Aubin, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Oswego Alex Filipski, DO Family Practice Physician Oswego, Fulton

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Farzana Chaudhary, MD Pediatrician  Fulton

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MS Support Group Celebrating Milestone

Since 1998, Multiple Sclerosis Resources has been assisting persons with MS live a better life

By Stefan Yablonski

Multiple Sclerosis Resources of Central New York, Inc., was developed by a group of concerned individuals who felt persons with MS needed additional assistance to help them meet the daily challenges of living with a chronic disease.

The 501(c)3 nonprofit was founded in 1998.

“This is actually our 25th year of service and it’ll be our 11th poker walk,” Annette Simiele, associate director, said.

“We have a regular 9-5 work day. For the most part we’re here Monday through Friday. As we’re doing events and things like that we get busier. We have already had a walk and a bowling tournament. And, we are an office of two people — so, we are very busy!” she added.

The annual Bridie Manor Poker Walk will be held Sept. 9, starting at 9:30 a.m.

Over the years, it’s raised more than $50,000.

“We’re not part of a large national organization — we’re a local agency,” Simiele said. “All the funds stay local.”

“[The Poker Walk] starts at the restaurant, Bridie Manor. People

walk through downtown Oswego. There are seven different locations,” she explained. “They pick up a playing card and go to the next location. At the end, everyone comes back to Bridie Manor and I have volunteers there to see who has acquired the best poker hand. Then [owner] Larry [Lombardo] does like a picnic lunch.”

Lombardo is not just the host — he has MS.

“Larry, God bless him. His disease isn’t as progressive as some others’. He’s still a business owner, goes to work every day and manages his symptoms quite well and functions at such a high level,” Simiele said.

What is MS?

“MS is a progressive autoimmune disease of the central nervous system,” Simiele said. “It affects more than two million people worldwide. It makes your immune system attack the protective sheath surrounding your nerves [called the myelin sheath] — and this causes nerve damage. It affects the brain, spinal column and optic nerves.”

Symptoms can vary from very mild to very severe where maybe a

person has to use a wheelchair or they’re bedbound, she added.

It’s not a terminal disease, she said.

Multiple sclerosis isn’t generally considered life-threatening. Most people will live a normal lifespan. It’s chronic and progressive, she added.

“Their life expectancy isn’t really any shorter than a person without MS,” she said.

One study found the average life expectancy for people with MS is 76. In 2019, the U.S. life-expectancy averaged 78.8 years and in 2020 it declined to 77.3 years, primarily due to COVID-19.

Many people with MS may live for 25 to 35 years or longer after diagnosis, she said.

“A lot of our clients — we have 1,500 of them — I’d say a good population of them do feel isolation because some of them do use a wheelchair, they don’t drive any longer, they’re not in the workforce — maybe their family has moved away. So there are some isolation issues,” she said. “We try to combat that with support groups and all these different events for them to participate in.”

There are all sorts of different medications available these days — orals, infused, there’s injectable medications.

“We’re running the gamut of ways to get medication now,” she said. “Before 1993, there was really nothing; patients were told, ‘go home and manage the symptoms.’ But now we have a plethora of things to choose from.”

“I think people with disabilities in general are more widely accepted through education. Not everybody uses a wheelchair, not everybody

Annette Simiele is the associate director at Multiple Sclerosis Resources of CNY. uses a cane. Those people who do use adaptive equipment may not be affected by MS. Maybe they were in a car accident or maybe they had a stroke or something like that,” she added. “I think that as a nation, as a people, we are more tolerant now. Years ago, I don’t want to say stigma, but there was that curiosity about why somebody was in a wheelchair.”

Survival is improving. But chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, depression or diabetes may lower life expectancy in MS. Talk with your healthcare provider for more information.

For more information, call 315-438-4790 or 1-800-975-2404.

The annual Bridie Manor Poker Walk to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Resources of Central New York will be held starting at 9:30 a.m., Sept. 9 at 1830 Bridie Square Oswego.

Committed to exceptional, family-focused care – provided by over 60 physicians and 40 nurse practitioners and physician assistants from 29 locations across CNY – FCMG is one powerful ally in the care of your growing family. Our comprehensive range of services includes:

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TEENS AND TOBACCO USE

Tobacco use was declining… then e-cigarettes came along

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Teens seem to be getting the message on the dangers of smoking cigarettes. However, tobacco use is going up.

“Electronic cigarette [e-cigarette] use among young people is reaching alarming levels,” said Kristen Richardson, registered nurse, director of CNY Regional Center for Tobacco Health Systems at St. Joseph’s Health, part of the Tobacco Action Coalition of Onondaga County.

The appeal of the sleek device, which often looks like a USB flash drive, also attracts teens. Most parents would not identify the device correctly among their teen’s belongings.

Part of the reason for the upswing in use is that teens perceive e-cigarettes as safer than incendiary cigarettes. Originally, they were marketing as a tool for smoking cessation, which has fooled many consumers into thinking they’re safe. Since e-cigarettes emit vapor, it seems safer than smoky cigarettes.

“E-cigarettes pose significant health risks, including exposure to a host of harmful chemicals linked to lung disease and high levels of nicotine,” Richardson said. “Additionally, the ultrafine particles within e-cigarette aerosol can be inhaled deeply into the lungs. More than half of teens falsely believe e-cigarettes are harmless. Research shows that youth who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to start smoking conventional cigarettes than their peers who do not vape.”

Although tobacco is not safe for anyone, its particular dangers for teens concern Richardson.

“Tobacco product use is started and established primarily during adolescence, with nearly nine out of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily first try smoking by age 18, and 99%

first try smoking by age 26,” she said. “Nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and prime the brain for other addictions, including opioid addiction, and harms the developing brain. Awareness and persistence are key to mitigating these alarming trends.”

Research from the department of public health sciences and Center for Community Health and Prevention at University of Rochester Medical Center indicates that e-cigarettes are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. And that’s without long-term studies on their health effects.

Deborah Ossip, professor and researcher from University of Rochester Medical Center, stated in a US News & World Reports article in December 2022 that nicotine changes brain development in young people.

“One of the, I think, really sobering sets of findings about the dangers of e-cigarettes is that many diseases take a long time to develop,” Ossip said in the article. “Lung cancer might take 20 years to develop, and e-cigarettes haven’t been around that long, and even at this early stage we’re still starting to see some relationships and increased risk of some of these diseases.”

Lawmakers have identified that flavored vaping liquids primarily target younger people. The US Food and Drug Administration banned fruity vaping liquids in 2020. However, the ban covered only flavored cartridges and pods, not tanks or disposable flavored e-cigarettes. This provided a loophole for tobacco manufacturers.

“We know that every gain or win is followed by the discovery of loopholes and new products to fill the void,” Richardson said. “We can-

not be complacent; we need to stay vigilant. We know that strong and effective laws can protect youth from nicotine addiction by reducing access and exposure to tobacco products.”

Most of the vaping liquids on the market are sourced from companies that use less stringent consumer safety standards than those of the US. They’re also far more addictive than people realize. A Hyde vape contains about 1.8 ml. of liquid, which equals 25-50 mg. of nicotine. That’s equal to one pack of cigarettes. Unlike a cigarette, which burns up to indicate that “serving” of nicotine has been consumed, a vaping device has no clear end point. Using a vape is like eating from a carton of ice cream with a spoon compared with the cigarette, which offers portion control more like that of eating an ice cream sandwich.

Prevention is obviously better than quitting. Parents need to take the lead by setting a good example and not using substances themselves. It may seem like teens want to be anything but like their parents, but the parental example ingrains in children early on what is acceptable behavior.

The peer group also matters. To offer a feeling of community to teens and young adults endeavoring to quit, New York’s free “DropTheVape” program allows them to anonymously text the phrase to 88709 to receive interactive daily text messages tailored to their sign-up date or their target quit date if they set one up.

“Messages include encouragement, motivation, tips, skill, and self-efficacy building exercises and coping strategies,” Richardson said.

Parents should talk with kids before they start using by asking what they know about vaping and

the myths about it. Approaching the topic as a curious parent can allow tweens and teens to feel you give them credit for what they know.

Teens typically vape because they feel it will help them de-stress. For this reason, it’s vital to promote healthy ways of managing stress and to avoid over-scheduling and heaping up unrealistic demands. Teens need downtime as well as adults.

Screening adolescents to assess use and risk of use represents another means of reducing use. But this only happens if children are seen for well child visits or other doctor’s visits.

Use of Tobacco Products

The New York Youth Tobacco Survey reveals that in 2014, 10.5% of New York high school students use e-cigarettes. That percent has climbed to 22.5% in 2020 and, the most recent figure, is 18.7% in 2022. The percent smoking incendiary cigarettes was 7.3% in 2014, 2.4% in 2020 and 2.1% in 2022. Overall tobacco use (cigarettes, vapes and other types such as cigars, oral pouches and cigarillos) has climbed from 19.5% in 2014 to 25.6% in 2020 and dipped down a bit to 20.8% in 2022.

• Vaping cessation resources from the New York State Smokers’ Quitline: https://nysmokefree. com/FactsAndFAQs/Vaping

• The latest in products attracting youth: https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/ emerging-tobacco-products/whatzyn-and-what-are-oral-nicotinepouches

Men Die of Overdose 2-3 Times More Than Women

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Men died of opioid and stimulant drugs at a rate two to three times higher than women between 2020 and 2021, according to a recent study. The data looked at fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.

The study said that men’s higher rates of use do not entirely account for the increase in mortality risk.

The study was published by Neuropsychopharmacology and led by investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health.

“Though men and women are being exposed to the modern, fentanyl-contaminated drug supply, something is leading men to die at significantly higher rates,” said Nora Volkow, physician and director of NIDA and one of the co-authors on the study in a press release. “It may be that men use drugs more frequently or in greater doses, which could

increase their risk of death, or there may be protective factors among women that reduce their risk of death compared to men.”

The study indicated that further research must be done to determine why more men die from stimulant and opioid overdoses than women.

“I am in agreement with the statistics, with which is hard to argue, as it’s consistent with what we see at the hospital and with emergency services calls,” said physician Gregory Serfer, medical director of Tully Hill Treatment & Recovery in Tully.

“As for the reason, the study said that higher rate of use still does not account for the higher rate of death and that it could be based on biologics and gender-based differences.”

He hypothesizes that it’s likely not biological, but socially constructed beliefs about gender forming the driving differences that result in higher overdose rates. Men are generally more eager than women to take risks, especially when goaded

Legalizing Marijuana Has Not Eliminated Health Risks

Just the facts, know the risks

By Jennifer Faringer

As marijuana dispensaries begin to open across New York state, some view this as a business opportunity.

However, it’s important to have the facts and and know the potential health risks and impact on our communities, our families and our youth. Legal does not equal safe. Marijuana remains an addictive drug.

With the legalization of marijuana comes a corresponding decline in the perception of risk which has been shown to result in an increase in use, especially among youth. Marijuana is often the first drug teens try, but it is typically not the last.

• While teens report using

marijuana to cope with anxiety and depression, more and more studies are showing that using marijuana only worsens both.

• Smoking or vaping marijuana damages lung tissue similar to tobacco use. Studies have also shown that marijuana decreases the body’s ability to fight infection thus weakening the immune system.

• With the potency of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana increasing from 1% to 4% in the 1960s to now 20% to 90% (as found in concentrated forms), the risk increases.

The effects of marijuana when ingested are not felt as quickly as when smoked or vaped. For those

by other men.

“The amount of use is a big influence,” Serfer said. “My experience shows men use significantly more than women. Men are less aware that they’re using significantly more than women. Women are more accurate reporters of amount of use. Men consistently underreport at a greater rate than women do. They say they use less and with less frequency and report less actual amount ingested.

“Women afraid to lose children: That’s a possible factor. Women still tend to come across as more nurturing and less selfish in a lot of ways than men, especially when it comes to their children. [Maternal instinct] is an inborn trait with biological and societal influences. I think that plays a role.”

The source of the drugs can also make a difference. Serfer said that instead of prescription opioids, men tend to take more street drugs, which could be laced with fentanyl and other unknown substances. Women abusing substances tend to take prescription opioids, which are untainted and have a known dosage.

“I have seen this in my personal experience,” Serfer said. “But even if you look at it regardless of substance, men still overdose more than double

compared with women.”

Evan Frost, assistant director of communications & public information at the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports in Albany, said that more than 70% of treatment admissions are male.

“A higher prevalence of substance use disorder in men is not new and has been a steady trend in both New York state and the rest of the country for years,” he said.

As to why more men are dying — especially since they’re entering treatment programs at higher rates — it’s not entirely clear.

Most of the programs OASAS offers are oriented towards men or are men-only, including programs on parenting, relationships in early recovery, anger management and specialized services for those involved in the criminal justice system.

“In general, we are also addressing opioid overdoses by increasing access to care through low threshold access to medications for opioid use disorder, providing overdose prevention education and naloxone and providing fentanyl and xylazine test strips so people who use drugs can be informed about what is in their supply,” Frost added.

ingesting edibles intentionally, this delayed reaction often leads to taking more to feel the expected effect and may result in effects ranging from drowsiness and lethargy to loss of muscle coordination, agitation and irritability, and confusion.

Edibles continue to be a growing concern as reports point to increasing instances of pediatric poisonings due to children accidentally ingesting marijuana-laced food products and candy which are often packaged in a way that can be indistinguishable from actual food products. With children under age 3, the impacts of pediatric poisoning are often critical and may include respiratory depression and seizures.

There is also a risk to public safety when we consider the probable increase in drugged driving. Driving while impaired is illegal no matter what substance is being consumed. In New York, it is illegal for both the driver and passengers to use marijuana. Individuals under the influence of marijuana may feel focused and in control, but are instead experiencing narrow fixation of focus, a decrease

in peripheral vision and a slowed reaction time. After alcohol, marijuana is the most frequently identified drug in deadly crashes. Impaired or drugged driving jeopardizes the safety of all who travel on the roads and highways.

As marijuana potency increases, the risk of becoming addicted has also increased. It is no surprise that marijuana is often the number one reason teens seek treatment. Despite legalization, marijuana remains an addictive drug with health risks.

For more information and a wide range of resources for parents and the community, visit the website awareness page at: https://ncaddra.org/resources/awareness-campaigns/marijuana .

To schedule a presentation contact jfaringer@depaul.org.

Jennifer Faringer is director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence – Rochester Area. She can be reached at jfaringer@depaul.org.

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

Is Shrimp Good For You?

If you’re watching your cholesterol, you may be wary of eating shrimp. Next to squid, shrimp has more cholesterol than any other seafood, which depending on your intake can put a serious dent in your recommended amount. We’re talking up to 200 milligrams per average serving. Although I have high cholesterol, I continue to eat shrimp, maybe three or four times a month, swayed by the research from Harvard School of Public Health, which asserts that the biggest influence on blood cholesterol levels is the mix of fats and carbs in your diet — not the amount of cholesterol you eat from

food. While some foods do earn cholesterol red flags — think high-fat baked goods, meats high in saturated fats, deepfried foods — shrimp does not.

That’s because shrimp contains minimal saturated fats and negligible carbs. (Of course, red flags go up whenever shrimp is fried or

HEALTHY GRILLED SHRIMP

Adapted

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and cleaned

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon regular or smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon coarse black pepper pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Serves 6

1.Thaw shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes.

2. Mix together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices in a large bowl. Add shrimp, mix until coated, and let shrimp sit for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the grill to medium-high; oil the grates.

4. Thread the shrimp on skewers and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until shrimp are opaque. Serve immediately.

How Healthy Is a Vegan Mom's Breast Milk?

Vegan moms can breastfeed their children and not worry that their breast milk is missing essential nutrients, a new study finds.

Researchers from Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands tested the milk of vegan mothers, finding it contains sufficient levels of vitamin B2 and carnitine.

“The maternal diet greatly influences the nutritional composition of human milk, which is important for child development. With the rise of vegan diets worldwide, also by lactating mothers, there are concerns about the nutritional adequacy of their milk," said lead researcher, physician Hannah Juncker.

"Therefore, it would be important to know if the milk concentrations of those nutrients are different in lactating women consuming a vegan diet,” she added in a medical center news release.

Vegan diets are limited to plant-

based foods. This type of eating includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, soy, nuts and nut butters but no animal-sourced foods.

Although vitamin B2 and carnitine are found in highest concentrations in animal products, they were not missing in vegan moms' breast milk, challenging assumptions that breastfed infants of these mothers may be deficient in these nutrients.

The study used a technique that separates a sample into its individual parts and analyzes the mass of these parts. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is important for enzymes involved in many biological pathways. A shortage can lead to anemia and neurological problems in infants, the study authors noted.

Carnitine is involved in energy metabolism, and shortages can mean low blood sugar and potentially heart and brain dysfunction, the researchers said. Previous studies

served with a rich sauce.) Experts agree, however, that it remains important to monitor the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have heart disease, diabetes or “respond” to dietary cholesterol in a way that most people don’t. So, is America’s most popular seafood healthy?

Yes, says the Acade- my of Nutrition and Dietetics, shrimp teems with beneficial nutrients. When it comes

to low-calorie protein, shrimp is a superstar, with an average serving delivering about 25 grams of protein for only 135 calories. A workhorse nutrient, protein is an essential for tissue repair, muscle building, weight maintenance, and more. What’s more, shrimp boasts a unique mix of nutrients that supports brain health. From its omega-3s to its antioxidants to its vitamin B12, all contribute to keeping our memories sharp, our moods bright, and our thinking clear. Lastly, this sweet crustacean is one of the best food sources of iodine, an important mineral for proper thyroid function and brain health.

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 avpalumbo@aol.com.

Helpful Tips

Fresh? Frozen? Farmed? Wild? Selecting the freshest, safest shrimp can be daunting! But here’s what the experts say: Unless you’re absolutely sure that the “fresh” shrimp at the counter are truly fresh-off-the boat, frozen shrimp are a better bet. Since there’s no way to know how long the “fresh” shrimp on display have been allowed to thaw, you’re better off buying frozen and thawing them at home. If you’re concerned about antibiotics in shrimp, it’s best to select wildcaught shrimp, which is never treated with antibiotics. Rest assured that shrimp caught and prepared in the United States does not contain antibiotics.

have found that people with vegan diets have lower carnitine intake and plasma concentrations than those who are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal foods. Although the study found lower

serum-free carnitine and acetyl carnitine concentrations in the mothers following a vegan diet, it saw no notable difference in human milk carnitine concentrations.

Things You Need to Know About Men’s Health

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

Despite COVID-19 no longer taking up headlines, vaccination remains at the forefront of many people’s minds.

However, vaccines are far ranging and not just important for preventing the disease that spread worldwide. They are critical for protecting both children and adults from a range of diseases.

“Vaccines in general are very important. They are essential because they help fight infections and help you build antibodies,” said Samantha Blais, physician assistant for Oswego Family Physicians.

1.Benefits of Vaccination

The benefits of vaccination cannot be overstated. Vaccines protect individuals from serious and sometimes life-threatening illnesses, but they also protect communities as a whole by reducing the spread of disease. This is particularly important for individuals who are unable to receive certain vaccines due to medical reasons, such as those who are immunocompromised. Vaccination has been proven to reduce the incidence of many infectious diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella, polio and HPV.

“By getting vaccinated, you are not just helping yourself but your community. If enough people get vaccinated you create a herd immunity, which is when the majority of a population develops immunity against a contagious disease,” Blais said.

My Turn

2.Safety

While nationwide public opinion varies, the medical community touts its success and safety. The process for developing and approving vaccines is rigorous and includes clinical trials and extensive testing to ensure both their safety and efficacy. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has monitoring systems in place to continue tracking vaccine safety even after they are approved for use.

In addition, vaccines do not cause autism. This myth has been perpetuated for years, but multiple studies have proven that vaccines are not the cause of autism. The original study linking vaccines to autism has been retracted and debunked, and the overwhelming scientific consensus is that vaccines are safe. Pregnant women should also get vaccinated. Vaccination can protect both the mother and the fetus from serious diseases, such as influenza.

“Not only are vaccines extremely safe, but it is a great health initiative to help the overall population. This is how we address infections nationwide and keep everyone safe,” added Blais.

3.Vaccines for kids

The most important vaccines for children include DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and HPV (human papillomavirus). These vac-

By Eva Briggs, MD

Does Frequent Urination Impact Your Sleep?

Nocturia means getting out of bed to urinate more than once during the night.

Frequent nocturia impacts sleep.

Disrupted sleep increases the risk of daytime drowsiness, decreases energy, delays reaction times, diminishes mental and physical performance and makes people cranky.

Over the long-term, poor sleep increases the risk of depression, immune suppression, cardiovascular and other physical disease, and motor vehicle accidents.

But there is no one size fits all cure. An accurate history and exam is key to determining both cause and possible treatments. First, do you wake up because you need to urinate? Or do you head to the bathroom because something else awakened you — perhaps pain or sleep apnea? Is the urinary stream

strong or weak? Are there daytime symptoms such as frequent urination or urgency?

Keeping a journal will enable you to distinguish between frequent small amounts of urine (a storage or overactivity issue) versus voiding large volumes (overproduction). Your doctor might use ultrasound check how much urine remains in your bladder after you urinate. This is called post-void residual.

Failure of your bladder to empty completely could be a blockage in the urinary tract, an enlarged prostate, a medication side effect, narrowing of the urethra (the tube carrying urine from the bladder) or damage to the nerves that control bladder function.

Behaviors leading to nocturia include drinking habits such as the timing of caffeine and alcohol intake or taking diuretics (water pills) too

Sami Blais is a physician assistant for Oswego Family Physicians.

cines protect children from serious illnesses and diseases that could lead to complications and even death.

Vaccination continues to be the most effective way to protect individuals from serious and life-threatening illnesses. It is important for both children and adults to receive all the recommended vaccines to protect themselves and their communities. Vaccines are safe and have been thoroughly tested before being approved for use. If you have any concerns or questions about vaccinations, speak with your healthcare provider.

“We recommend that you follow up with your pediatrician because they know the full schedule you need from the time you are a newborn,” said Blais. “This is something that we push because when kids are not vaccinated routinely, that is when you start seeing the spread of certain diseases whether that is measles or chickenpox.”

4.Vaccines for adults

Vaccines remain just as important for adults as they are for children. Many adults need booster shots for vaccines they received as children,

close to bedtime.

If nocturia is associated with ankle swelling, there may be underlying heart issue. Obesity, large neck, and loud snoring suggest possible sleep apnea. In fact, people with sleep apnea are as likely to have nocturia as snoring. During breath holding spells (apnea), the heart releases a hormone called atrial natriuretic peptide which prods the kidneys into excreting salt and water.

Once the cause or causes of nocturia are determined, your doctor can guide you to the best treatment.

Possible solutions include:

Lifestyle changes — avoiding liquids for two hours before bed, avoiding alcohol and caffeine in the evening, and ensuring diuretic medicines are taken early in the day.

When there is a mechanical obstruction to urine flow, surgery can improve urine flow and postvoid residual. Because nocturia can arise from a combination of factors, surgery does not always improve frequency or urgency. But correction of the obstruction can permit the use of medicines that must be avoided when there is urinary outflow obstruction.

A medication called desmopressin acetate helps some people who produce large volumes of urine during the night. This requires close

such as tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. In addition, adults should receive certain vaccines based on their age, health status and occupation.

“When it comes to adults, we recommend various vaccinations whether that is shingles, the flu vaccine or receiving your tetanus booster every 10 years. We don’t want people thinking that just because you are an adult, you no longer need to be concerned about vaccinations,” she added.

5.COVID-19 update

This summer the CDC has made some slight changes to its recommendations for vaccinations. There is an updated vaccine dose for adults 65 and older and additional doses for people who are immunocompromised. This allows more flexibility for healthcare providers to administer additional doses to immunocompromised patients as needed. CDC recommends that everyone aged 6 and older receive an update. For young children, multiple doses continue to be recommended and will vary by age, vaccine, and which vaccines were previously received.

monitoring by a doctor because it may lower the blood sodium concentration. Newer formulations of this medicine released in 2017 using lower doses to reduce this risk.

One cause of nocturia is overactive bladder, with symptoms of frequency, urgency, and sometimes urge incontinence (wetting oneself before being able to reach the bathroom.) This may respond to a type of medication called antimuscarinics. If these don’t help, or if the patient has other conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, previous stroke, an urologist may need to do additional workup.

Other treatments for selected patients with nocturia include pelvic floor therapy, timed voiding, botulinum toxin.

If your sleep is interrupted by nocturia, see your doctor for help.

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

Q & A with Mary Jo Klein

GiGi’s Playhouse’s board of managers president talks about how the nonprofit helps more than 450 families in CNY. The agency assists those with Down syndrome

By Mary Beth Roach

Q: Can you describe GiGi’s Playhouse and what services are provided?

A: GiGi’s Playhouse is a Down syndrome awareness center. Our mission is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all. We change lives through consistent delivery of free educational, therapeutic-based and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome, their families, as well as the community and we do it through our playhouse model.

Q: What is that model?

A: The programs we offer are all designed by individuals in our national office in Chicago. We offer literacy and math tutoring. Our volunteers are given the proper materials and the proper training, so that they can tutor. We also offer GiGi FIT a physical therapy-based fitness program designed specifically for individuals with Down syndrome by a physical therapist. We offer every level — infant, toddler, kids, teen and adult. With the older kids, we track their meals; we track their water intake because it also helps them with healthy habits. Another program is GiGi’s kitchen for kids, teens, and adults. This teaches our individuals how to safely use kitchen utensils and kitchen tools. They read

SENIOR CITIZEN HOUSING

a recipe, they make the recipe and a lot of times they’re trying foods that they’ve never had before. It also teaches them healthy eating habits. Another program is called LMNOP. It is for ages birth up until 3, but we don’t cut it off at 3 years because sometimes they may be a little bit older but still need it. It’s a sign language class and incorporates music, stories and play, while introducing sign language as an alternate way to communicate. Our families love it because a lot of our kids are delayed with their verbal usage. For older kids, we have Fantastic Friends. They gather either in the Playhouse or out in the community, go to different events and activities.

Q: These services are all free for families, is that correct?

A: Absolutely.

Q: How many families are served in the Central New York area?

A: A little more than 450 families are registered with us today.

Q: GiGi’s Playhouse is a national organization. When was the local group established?

A: We were established in November of 2012. We were the 12th Playhouse to open and the second Playhouse in New York state. We

currently have 58 playhouses in the United States and in Mexico, and we reach more than 80 countries virtually.

Q: How are you funded?

A: We’re mainly funded by our events and our donors. We have two main events. The first in the spring is GFAC [GiGi’s FIT Acceptance Challenge]. It’s a 5K, a walk and a kids’ dash at Long Branch Park. It’s a great celebration for acceptance. On Oct. 2, is our annual golf outing. Again, we rely on donations and grants.

Q: Is there an age range for the people that you serve?

A: No. Say a new mom is diagnosed in utero — they can come in, talk to us. We tell them about our programs. We’ll set them up with a current family and they can talk to the family and share experiences. Then as soon as that baby is born, they can come in, they can come to LMNOP, they can come into open play at the gym. We have a huge gym full of toys and equipment. We serve them all the way through adulthood.

Q: How many volunteers do you have?

A: The last count was about 160 volunteers. We’re always looking for more. We are in search of new board members.

Q: What is the best way for them to get in touch?

A: Our general e-mail: Syracuse@ gigisplayhouse.org

Q: How long have you served as president of the board of managers and what does your involvement mean to you?

A: I’ve been president for three years and before that, I was on the board as secretary for a year. My children grew up with David [a neighborhood child with Down syndrome], who lived down the street and was a very good friend of theirs. They treated David as he should be treated. Unfortunately, David passed away almost five years ago. Being part of GiGi’s is keeping his legacy going.

GiGi’s Playhouse is located on the upper level of the mall area at Driver’s Village, Cicero. For more information, email Syracuse@gigisplayhouse.org.

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GiGi’s Playhouse is a Down syndrome awareness center. Our mission is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all.

Arc of Onondaga ‘Very Helpful’ to Syracuse Man

Arc’s client recognized as employee of the year by New York State Industries for the Disabled in Albany

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

In 2022, Akeem Allan was recognized by the New York State Industries for the Disabled in Albany as the employee of the year.

Allan has worked at Arc of Onondaga as a janitor for three years, a position he would not have been able to handle were it not for the coaching he received from Arc.

“I was really proud of myself,” he said of when he received the award. “I wasn’t expecting to get that. I very much appreciate Arc of Onondaga. They’ve really helped me. I like about everything about Arc of Onondaga. There are a lot of friendly people. They’ve been very helpful to me.”

He works six hours a day, five days weekly. But first, he needed to learn job skills and interpersonal skills.

“I learned a lot of things, like not to be afraid of being me and going to people when I need help,” Allan said. “A lot of people want to help.”

As part of Arc’s pre-vocation program, Allan also tried cleaning hospital equipment at Upstate Medical University, among other possible ways of becoming employed. He likes that Arc offers these hands-on experiences with mentors who can help and guide as needed.

“They’re very patient with us,”

he added.

The Syracuse-based organization has provided support to people who have developmental and intellectual disabilities since the chapter was founded in 1951. These supports include offering volunteer opportunities.

“One gentleman who lives in one of our community residences has volunteered for 21 years as a transport aide at Upstate one day a week,” said Joanna Jewett, director of development and public relations. “He loves it and they love him. At a busy hospital, he’s hopping from the time he gets there.”

Arc offers a day habilitation program Monday through Friday and sometimes, the group offers volunteering opportunities such as helping prepare Meals on Wheels.

Allan’s path to employment was through community-based pre-vocation support, part of Arc’s employment division. The goal is to help people engage in a variety of experiences as an unpaid employee to learn employment skills and to “try on” possible careers while an Arc-provided mentor offers guidance.

The mentor eventually phases out as the supported employee gains confidence in both the job skills and things like using public transporta-

tion to get to work and back.

The numerous workers who maintain long-term employment are a testament to the program’s success — and the capacity for people with disabilities to work in the community. In the current economy, where staffing is tough for employers, the population Arc serves represents an often-overlooked source of capable, competent and willing workers.

“The goal of community based pre-vocation is to see if there’s a fit with their interests and abilities,” Jewett said. “It’s a win-win. The business gets extra hands and people who want to be there and learn get the experience. We have been very successful in placing people in paid employment. Nine times out of 10, once people find the right opportunity, they stay a long, long time.” Some remain with the same company for decades.

Arc of Onondaga serves 900 peo-

ple and their families and employs more than 500.

“We focus on people’s abilities and what they can do,” Jewett said. “Inclusion is so important in what we do every day. It goes hand in hand with volunteering and that goes hand in hand with the volunteering done by the people we support. They want to be involved and give back.”

Arc of Onondaga welcomes potential community partners to explore the possibilities of working with adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Tops Friendly Markets, National Grid, and VA Hospital are among the community partners with which Arc has worked to help those they serve find paying positions — a key step towards greater independence.

“Our staff is there to make sure the work gets done,” Jewett said. “We provide the mentor and guidance and support to hopefully make someone successful.”

Akeem Allan of Syracuse is a client of Onondaga Arc who was selected as employee of the year last year by by New York State Industries for the Disabled in Albany. “I was really proud of myself,” he said when he received the award. “I wasn’t expecting to get that.”

Back to School

‘Angels’ Helping to Feed Children in Need

Program provides nutritious food for local students in Phoenix, West Genesee school districts. More than 40,000 meals are provided for children throughout the school year

By Norah Machia

The tragic story of Erin Maxwell, the 11-year-old girl killed by her stepbrother in their Palermo home in 2008, shocked the Central New York area.

Police officers arriving at the scene found the youngster had been living in deplorable conditions inside a house filled with garbage, animals and feces. Her father and stepmother were accused of locking the young girl in her room and often denying her food.

A short time after the tragedy, Sheila Dion started working as a “lunch lady” with the Phoenix Central School District. The mother of three boys, she was looking for a job that would allow her to be home with her sons during school holidays and summer vacations.

Although she had never met the young girl, Dion heard stories about Erin, and could not stop thinking about the tragedy.

“I wanted to honor her memory in a positive way” by doing something to address the broader issue of food insecurity among children in her own community, she said.

The mother decided to seek funding to start a “backpack program” for the Phoenix schools, similar to ones operating in other school districts. These programs offer bags

of food for needy children to bring home each weekend. The bags are discretely placed in their backpacks by school staff, providing them with healthy meals when school breakfast and lunches are unavailable.

It took several years of knocking on doors, making phone calls and attending meetings, but in 2017, Dion was eventually able to find enough support to establish “Erin’s Angels” for the Phoenix Central School District, a program committed to ending childhood hunger.

The program was launched with support from the Southern Oswego County Council of Churches, and “I am forever grateful to that wonderful group of people” who accepted the program under their nonprofit umbrella, said Dion. “Erin’s Angels” obtained its own nonprofit status in 2019 and received a $5,000 start-up grant from the Shineman Foundation.

“Erin’s Angels” started providing weekend food bags to 17 children receiving free and reduced lunches in the Phoenix School District, said Dion. The program has grown significantly, and today it helps 124 students in the district.

Students who receive food bags through “Erin’s Angels” are identified by school social workers, who

send letters to needy families letting them know their children are eligible for the weekend backpack program. Although the parents are given the option not to have their child participate, very few families refuse the help, said Dion.

“Food should be considered a school supply for hungry kids,” said Dion.

Each food bag contains items for two breakfasts, lunches and snacks — for example, oatmeal packets, apple sauces, granola bars, mac and cheese mixes and ramen noodles.

“We also send them home with extra food during school breaks,” she added.

To protect students from feeling embarrassed about needing extra food, school staff takes care of discreetly placing the food packages in the backpacks of the children when all the students are out of the classroom for other instruction, such as music or art classes.

“Erin’s Angels” also expanded into the West Genesee School District, where more than 140 children are served under its “power pack” program. The West Genesee program was initially operating under the auspices of a local church, but “we decided to put them together” into the same organization, said Dion. “We didn’t want to be limited by a zip code,” she added. “If children needed food, we wanted to help.”

As the numbers of children in the program increased, “Erin’s Angels” started to partner with the Food Bank of Central New York to purchase nutritious food in larger bulk quantities, Dion said. The programs at both schools are supported by volunteers, teachers and parents, along with business and community leaders.

The nonprofit organization relies on monetary donations to purchase food through the Food Bank of Central New York to stock food pantries

within the schools. Donations of specific food items are also welcome, along with volunteers to help assemble the food bags. “Erin’s Angels” also hosts numerous fund-raising events throughout the year to support children facing hunger issues.

The food program is doing even more than curbing hunger, Dion said. “It helps meet both the physical and emotional needs of these students,” because a lack of nutritious meals often affects children’s cognitive and social development and their academic success, she added.

Studies have shown students who are hungry often have lower test scores and increased potential for failing a grade, while those who are not hungry are more attentive and engaged in their lessons. “Food insecurity also causes anxiety in children,” particularly on a Friday, if they are thinking about not being able to come to school on the weekend to eat breakfast and lunch, Dion said.

It’s not uncommon for students who are hungry to have anxiety about where their next meal is coming from, and that mental stress affects their school performance, she added.

To encourage school success, “Erin’s Angels” started offering college scholarships to Oswego County high school students last year, because “education is the only way out of poverty,” said Dion. “We would like to see that program expand in the future.”

More than 40,000 meals are provided for children throughout the school year, and “Erin’s Angels” is continuing to seek donations to support children during the summer months as well.

For more information on how to support the program, visit www. erinsangels.com

Sheila Dion started working as a “lunch lady” with the Phoenix Central School District. She later started a nonprofit, Erin’s Angels, named after Erin Maxwell, the 11-year-old girl killed by her stepbrother in their Palermo home in 2008.

Erin’s Angels volunteers at Maroun Elementary School in Phoenix.

Erin’s Angels provides nutritious food for local students in Phoenix and West Genesee school districts. More than 40,000 meals are provided for children throughout the school year.

Back to School School Nurses: Frontline for Student Health, Safety

Salary is lower but school nurses enjoy many perks not available to private practice nurses

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

The shortage of nurses in the hospital setting represents a longstanding concern for the healthcare industry. It has also affected school nursing positions.

A 2017 survey by the National Association of School Nurses states that fewer than 40% of public schools have full-time school nurses, likely because the pay rate is considerably lower. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wages for hospital nurses is $78,070; school nurses make only $61,780. But school nurses enjoy a few perks.

Central Square Central School District listed only one substitute school nurse opening online as of July 2023, as staffing has not been challenging for the district.

“A lot of them like the teacher’s calendar, to work 180 days,” said Tom Colabufo, superintendent of schools at Central Square Central School District.

Hospital nurses usually work irregular shifts and hours and are often called upon to work longer shifts.

The school employs a chief medical officer who oversees six nurses and six nursing assistants, a team of one of each in each of its six buildings, along with substitutes available as needed.

“They play an invaluable role,” Colabufo said. “It’s a requirement to have a nurse at the middle school and high school, but not elementary. But I don’t know any schools that don’t have them.”

In addition to these medical issues, school nurses also provide a “safe space” for children’s social and emotional needs beyond the school counselor, psychologist and social worker.

“The nurses always build a strong relationship with the students,” Colabufo said. “It’s another trusted adult to have.”

Children evidence their trust in nurses by asking health questions or bringing up concerns that they may not want to with teachers or at times with their parents such as when a girl begins menstruation during the school day.

Marquis Youmans, the school nurse coordinator with Greece Central School District near Rochester, said that her district has openings like everywhere. “There is a need for school nurses. It’s not a profession a lot of people look at. It’s also hard because it’s such a different type of experience. You have to work with kids. The triage skills are different than a hospital,” she said.

Homework Tips for Parents of ADHD Kids

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that is typically diagnosed by age 12 (although children are born with it). About 4% - 12% of schoolchildren have ADHD.

As any parent of a child with ADHD realizes, it causes “trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active,” states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Understandably, settling in for a long session of homework is tough for these children — and the parents who are trying to get this to happen.

“It’s about creating and maintaining structure for students,” said Tom Colabufo, superintendent of schools for Central Square Central School District. “Parents ask me this a lot and their children have been diagnosed or when they’re not diagnosed, and they can’t maintain focus. Establish when the students are going to do their homework and keep it at the same time of day. Communicate clear rules and expectations so they’re not overwhelmed. What often happens with ADHD is they start a

task, don’t complete it and jump to another task and never finish. They have five or six tasks going on and none are completed. Then they get overwhelmed. They really need to make sure they’re not adding multiple tasks.”

Breaking apart tasks makes them much easier to complete instead of trying to tackle the whole thing at once. For example, have students finish one worksheet or one row on a worksheet at a time instead of stating, “Do your homework.”

Schooldays include many transitions from activity to activity all day. This can prove difficult for many children with ADHD. Colabufo said that modeling this transition at home can help children while they’re at school, such as saying, “We’re going to stop this activity and then to that activity” so that at school, that kind of transition and structure seems normal.

Parents should also help their children prepare for success by ensuring they get enough sleep.

“When parents say, ‘My child has ADHD,’ and I ask about their sleep pattern, some parents say they go to bed by 10 and they take away their devices at 11,” Colabufo said. “These

The summers off can be challenging because that’s two months’ less pay than elsewhere and the district typically does not have enough seasonal summer positions for everyone. Some nurses work short-term nursing assignments elsewhere during the summer.

The school nurse’s duties are manifold and in many ways are quite different from hospital nursing tasks.

“It’s past applying ice packs and Band-Aids,” Youmans said. “There are complex needs for all kinds of things.”

She listed Type 1 diabetes, propensity for seizures and children who take maintenance medications as a few of the issues that school nurses help manage every day.

“A lot of kids need medication,” Youmans said. “Nurses are responsible for getting orders through the doctor and making sure their paper-

are children. They shouldn’t be on devices. Their sleep pattern is so important. Even if a child isn’t diagnosed with ADHD, all children need good sleep patterns.”

Well-rested children are better able to regulate their own behavior, including focus on schoolwork more readily.

It also helps to have the right environment for studying. Colabufo recommends a room that has no TV and a reduced amount of activity as ideal. A reading nook with a lap desk may be suitable. Sometimes, finding the right spot relies upon the time of day, such as the kitchen outside of mealtimes.

“They shouldn’t listen to music unless it’s soothing and allows them to calm down,” he added “Focus is key. Kids with ADHD are already hindered with the ability to focus so those distractions need to be removed as much as possible.”

Some children like blocking out ambient sound with white noise to sharpen their focus.

Although a traditional homework set-up is a desk and chair in a quiet room, if another position helps, go with that. Some children prefer sitting on an exercise ball, where the wobbly posture lets them wiggle. Others like standing to complete

work is up to date and being a liaison with the family about the amount of medications they take at the school.”

School nurses also help track the state-mandated immunizations and required physician screenings for school athletes. They perform hearing and vision screenings. For children whose families cannot meet these needs, school nurses work to find resources like clinics.

“Over the years, I think the role of a school nurse has changed a lot,” Youmans said. “They’re a part of the team within the school system to help students, faculty and staff to help make the whole experience a positive one. They’re there to provide support and help these students in any way they can, not just medically. I’ve been doing it seven years and I love it.”

Previously, Youmans worked at Rochester Regional Health.

work at the kitchen counter.

“Plan to study around medication,” said Rita Worlock, licensed clinical social work in private practice in Syracuse, works with people with ADHD. “Motivate with rewards and ensure homework is handed in.”

All diagnosed children qualify for a 504 plan, which accommodates their disability at school. Some children with ADHD qualify for an individual education plan, which parents can discuss with their district’s special education department. The IEP can provide helpful resources and services.

More Tips?

www.chadd.org

www.healthychildren.org

Back to School

said. “In the real world, if someone goes into the military or workforce, there’s not an IEP for them.”

Lenwood Gibson Jr., Ph.D., associate professor of special education (Educational and Community Programs) at City University of New York, said that in addition to supporting schoolchildren, special education teachers also help parents.

“Special education teachers communicate directly with parents about how their children are doing,” Gibson said. “Daily communication is sometimes needed. Some teachers use a communication book that goes back and forth between school and home. They also provide quarterly progress reports to parents and act as the liaison between home and school. They can answer parents’ questions and address concerns.”

Special Education Teachers Essential to Schools

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Without special education, many schoolchildren would lack the types of support they need to seek an education at all.

“They’re the most important people in the building,” said Tom Colabufo, superintendent of schools for Central Square Central School District. “My youngest is 9 and is on the autism spectrum. He’s done such an amazing job over the past five to six years, mostly because of the special ed teachers he’s had. A good special ed teacher is worth their weight in gold.”

Special ed teachers help children with physical, emotional, developmental and intellectual challenges. They develop an individualized education programs (IEP) for each student; plan activities according to each child’s abilities; implement IEPs and track their progress; and update

parents, teachers, counselors and administrators with the students’ progress.

“The special ed teacher is like the quarterback of the team,” Colabufo said. “They know the IEP inside and out. The other teachers take direction from the special ed teacher. They can help them know how to be more successful with each child. The special ed teacher looks at all the children with an IEP and helps teachers modify the lesson so those students have the tools to be successful.”

He added that they also help the students transition from school year to school year so any new teachers have a good snapshot of what works for those students and what progress they’ve made.

“As kids get older, they need fewer and fewer services, which is our goal for all students,” Colabufo

Prepare Your Child for Peak Asthma Season

Worst time for those who suffer from asthma: late August through the end of September

If you have a child with asthma, now is the time to revisit their asthma action plan so you are prepared for the annual increase in asthma attacks that occurs each year as kids return to the classroom.

A dramatic rise in the number of asthma flare-ups occurs each year from late August through the end of September, according to a review of public health records by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

“The annual spike is caused, in part, by kids being exposed to more germs once they return to school,” says physician Lisa Y. Harris, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Excellus

BCBS. “It’s also the peak time of year for mold and pollen, which can trigger airway inflammation that can launch an asthma attack.”

Harris, who is boardcertified in internal medicine and pediatrics, advises parents to use the final weeks of summer to make sure that prescribed asthma control medications are being used as directed, and that a doctor’s note is on file with the child’s school so that a supply of those medications can be kept there in case of an emergency.

Parents should also use these last few weeks of summer to consult with their health care provider to develop or update their child’s asthma action plan. This is a writ-

Typically, the Committee on Preschool Special Education guides the education of special needs-identified children aged 3 to 5. No specific disability is stated on the school’s IEP. From ages 5 through 21, the IEP includes this information, and the Committee on Special Education serves their needs.

As part of the IEP, special education teachers provide free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. This means that the program is tailored to each child’s needs while still offering access to grade-appropriate curriculum.

The IEP will need adjusting periodically to meet the child’s changing needs. Procedural safeguards legally require that schools issue a prior written notice to articulate the nature of the changes and request their signature to approve the changes to the IEP. This also applies to denying or expanding special education services.

After the school receives a PWN signed by the parents, the special education department can start transitioning the child from the first IEP to the next, which could include more testing. This “roll-over” step is

one way in which special education teachers can demonstrate their partnership with families.

“It is the primary mission of the special education department to work collaboratively with students, parents and educators to provide a free, appropriate, public education in the least restrictive environment for students with disabilities,” said Jeffrey Hammond, director of public relations and information for Buffalo public schools.

Any time parents do not understand their child’s IEP, they should reach out to their school’s special education personnel for clarity. They should keep in mind that educators specialize in instruction, but parents are the experts on their own children. Sharing what works and what doesn’t work at home may help special education instructors find ideal ways of helping kids learn better.

Special education teachers often use adaptive techniques and devices to help them instruct, depending upon the children’s needs.

The IEP could also include the delivery of therapy services at school, such as occupational, speech or physical therapy to help children learn better and offer a convenient way to receive such services.

The Legally Recognized Individualized Education Program Categories

• Autism

• Deafness

• Deaf-blindness

• Emotional disturbance

• Hearing impairment

• Intellectual disability

• Learning disability

• Multiple disabilities

• Orthopedic impairment

• Other health-impairment

• Speech or language impairment

• Traumatic brain injury

• Visual impairment, including blindness

To-do List Before the Start of School

• Check with your health care provider to make sure that prescribed asthma medications are up to date and working, and that permissions are in place for their use at school, if needed.

• Make sure your child takes all asthma medications as directed.

• Alert all adults at school and elsewhere who work with your child to recognize the signs of an asthma attack.

• Empower your child to notice and report asthma triggers and signs of a pending attack.

ten plan that details a child’s daily asthma treatment including which medicines to take and when, and the child’s specific attack triggers. The action plan also explains how to identify when the child’s asthma symptoms are severe enough to contact the provider, or to take the child to urgent care or a hospital emergency room.

“All adults and schools or other sites that care for a child with asthma should have a copy of the asthma action plan and understand their responsibilities regarding the child’s care,” says Harris.

• Prevent the spread of germs by encouraging proper handwashing, social distancing, and making sure that every family member is current on all recommended vaccinations, including the annual flu shot.

Visit www.health.ny.gov/ publications/4850.pdf for a free New York state asthma action plan template.

Submitted by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

Physician Lisa Y. Harris, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Excellus BCBS.

Sound Therapy Promotes Wellness

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Sound therapy seems odd to those unfamiliar with the concept. However, to people struggling with health issues unaddressed by conventional medicine, it can help calm the central nervous system to promote the body’s own ability to heal.

Sound bathing refers to a group of people undertaking sound therapy together or it could refer to individual sessions. The “bath” involves no water but the use of sound in a relaxing environment to promote wellbeing.

Juniper Dunlap, licensed massage therapist, yoga instructor and owner of Wunderland, LLC, offers sound baths from her Oswego-based business. She doesn’t consider using sound as “therapy” but believes that sound baths are “therapeutic” as

More Twins

St. Joseph’s Health Hospital announced July 19 that three sets of twins had been born within a 24-period at the hospital. This follows the fact that in June three other sets of twins were born at the hospital

“Three sets of twins in a 24-hour period...again! We don’t know what’s in the water but our labor and deliver and mother-baby colleagues are loving caring for these munchkins and their mamas,” read a note from the hospital.

Scarlett Rose and Sophia Jane Sundberg, born July 11; Marcello Jerome and Malaysia Ann Thomas, born July 12; Jordan Skye and Parker Grace Ryder, born July 12. Ryder

she founded her business in evidence-based modalities.

Dunlap’s clients typically rest on a massage table in a darkened room with warmers, blankets and bolsters to create a tranquil experience. She plays crystal singing bowls, brass singing bowls, Native American flute, instruments that sound like birds, waves, wind and thunder, gongs and percussion instruments.

The “playing” refers to making specific sounds with bowls meant for sound therapy. Some practitioners use tuning forks for types of vibrational sound therapy. Some practitioners place instruments on or near the client’s body in strategic places. The tones they emit cause vibrations that are key to stimulating the body’s response.

“Most sound baths focus on

putting the client into what most consider a meditative state,” Dunlap said. “It drowns ambient sounds because of the vibrations wash away other sounds. The vibrations are what most people consider ‘therapeutic.’ Sometimes, I do sound bath after a massage. Even after the glory of a relaxation massage, the sound bath adds a level not reproducible in any other way. I believe that has to do with the vibration in the ear and in the body.”

Dunlap has musical training, but sound baths aren’t musical. The difference between music therapy and sound therapy is that sound therapy is not meant to convey songs. It’s more about vibration than sound. Although people can derive some benefit from hearing videos of sound therapy on YouTube, Dunlap said that vibration is more accessible through in-person sessions.

“What sound baths tend to do is put the nervous system into a parasympathetic state and out of fight or flight,” Dunlap said. “It goes to rest and digest. It’s noninvasive. It’s a beautiful experience, even if one doesn’t get into a state of bliss.”

The vibrations produced during a sound bath or sound therapy are produced by universally pleasing sounds that signal the brain it’s time to rest and relax. Dunlap said that in that parasympathetic state, “that’s when we heal. This is why we need sleep and times of relaxation while awake. The more chances we have to put our minds and bodies at rest, the more time we have to heal what’s the matter. What I do is to give that to heal. I don’t consider what I do ‘healing.’ What I do believe that massage and yoga and sound baths to open the door for the client’s nervous

system to do what it’s good at doing: healing.”

Some people seek sound therapy for anxiety or depression. Some are currently use Western medicine for their health issues and use sound therapy to complement it.

Sound therapy has a few contraindications. Carol Scheg-Morissette, owner of Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center in Rochester, would not use it on people with a broken bone or fracture, for example.

“The vibrations would cause the bone to vibrate and cause extreme pain,” she said.

It’s also not advisable for people with epilepsy.

Scheg-Morissette is a licensed massage therapist, cranial sacral therapist, certified in sound healing, certified vibrational sound massage, Reiki master and teacher, integrated energy therapy master instructor, certified aroma therapist, certified herbalist and cranial sacral therapist.

Sound therapy is also not advised for pregnant women, especially during the first 12 weeks, as “water is a great conductor of sound,” Scheg-Morissette said. “A baby is surrounded by water which would intensify the effects of the sound. It would also be contraindicated during pregnancy to attend a sound bath because again the sound would be amplified. It would be like taking a baby to a really loud concert.”

The same goes for infants, as their fontanels are still developing. She also advised that sound therapists should keep a minimum distance of 20 cm. from any implanted heart pacemaker, stent or shunt.

“Combining specific frequencies together plus intention creates healing,” Scheg-Morissette said. “Playing notes C and G together creates a perfect fifth. You want to have quality bowls. Sometimes the ones coming from China have a higher lead content in them and can create dissonance instead of resonance. Also, when you are playing them, your intentions play a big part in it. You want to put out positive thoughts and positive energy while practicing sound healing.”

Sundberg

Thomas

Parenting

By Melissa Stefanec MelissaStefanec@yahoo.com

An Ordinary Midsummer Bucket List

In Shakespear’s iconic play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” there are jaded lovers, mischievous fairies, spells and love triangles.

As a parent, I have a different kind of midsummer night’s dream — the kind where you know monsters are creeping up on you: back-toschool monsters.

In my midsummer dream, September monsters are lurking in every bush. Fairies have made back-toschool lists full of folder colors that are out of production and the only strange bedfellows are incompatible September schedules.

So, as I stare down another school year and feel the pending loss of another summer, I need a way to fend off the panic. As a lover of lists, I know I need a plan. So, I’m going to share my midsummer bucket list for me and the family.

This bucket list is special. Normally, bucket lists contain dream items that take a lot of effort, time or money to accomplish. My beatthe-back-to-school-blues bucket list is going to be the exact opposite. It will be full of items that are easy to accomplish.

When it comes to making memories with our kids, I think a lot of us parents overcomplicate things. We think memories are made of pomp, circumstance and big-ticket fun. We think the best memories will be extraordinary or exciting things.

But, when I ask my children, who are 12 and 8 years old, what their favorite parts of summer vacation are, they say things like playing kickball, having a slumber party or swimming at the neighbor’s house. Kids may be thrillseekers, but their stakes aren’t as high as we think they are.

So, the goal of my midsummer bucket list is to create memories and good times within a few miles of our home. This list is full of items I know my kids enjoy but that I often don’t make time for. My hope is that taking time to do ordinary and fun things with them will make for beautiful memories.

Here is the list for my family. I hope it can inspire other parents to make their own midsummer bucket list.

• A backyard badminton game — We have a net up for half of the year, we might as well use the thing. We also have birdies that light up at night, making nighttime badminton a wonderful option. We need to have a tournament, complete with brackets and prizes.

• A walk in the creek — Forget a walk by a creek, my family needs to take a walk in a creek. There is something special about chasing down minnows and crayfish while the water gently splashes your legs. And, there is something magical about a kid looking for a pool of water that is just deep enough to belly flop into.

• An after-bedtime star gaze — The

nighttime sky is full of wonder. From the different phases of the moon, to constellations, planets, satellites and drones, the night sky is a feast for the eyes. If I do a little internet homework and know what to search for, I can make this very special for my kids.

• A family cornhole tournament — While I am at work, my kids play a lot of cornhole with each other. So, my husband and I can look forward to being the worst players in the tournament. But that is exactly what will make this so much fun for my kids.

• A family movie night with a popcorn bar — My kids love popcorn and movies, even if both of these things are consumed in our own living room. To make things a little more special, we can have a popcorn bar, complete mix-ins, add-ons and dustings. We will make the popcorn on the stovetop and eat it while it’s warm.

• An evening swim at the beach — We are lucky enough to live quite close to a state park. One special evening, I need to close my work laptop a little early, pickup a pizza and head over to the beach. There is nothing quite like a swim with a setting sun and meal eaten on a picnic blanket.

• A family obstacle course — What kid doesn’t like making a fool out of their parents? To that end, I will ask the kids to use the oodles of outside gear we own and put it to good use. They can build an obstacle course and make all of the rules. Then, we can take turns attempting to conquer whatever silliness they have contrived. I look forward to likely falling flat on my face and laughing until my sides hurt.

• An anecdotal conclusion — If you’re still on the fence about making your own simple midsummer bucket list, I want to share a story about stargazing. A couple of years ago I took my kids out in the backyard to see a meteor shower. We huddled under a blanket, waited patiently and were rewarded with falling stars. Months later, my son wrote a story about that night for a school project, complete with a drawing of us lying next to each other, which he turned into a refrigerator magnet. Apparently, it really is the simple, little things that make for beautiful memories. We did a lot of big things that summer, but a simple night under the stars is what stuck with him.

‘As I stare down another school year and feel the pending loss of another summer, I need a way to fend off the panic.’

Neurosurgeons from St. Joe’s Join Crouse’s Medical Staff

By Norah Machia

Two highly skilled neurosurgeons, who are considered leaders in the field of complex spinal and neurosurgery, have joined the medical staff at Crouse Hospital. While they are new to the hospital, they are familiar faces in Syracuse.

David Eng and Craig Montgomery have been practicing together since 1998, most recently at St. Joseph’s Health. Both completed their neurological surgery residencies at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

The board-certified physicians joined a team of five other neurosurgeons at Crouse Medical Practice — Neurology, located at 739 Irving Ave., suite 600, where they will continue to see their established patients, along with welcoming new ones.

The neurosurgery practice provides comprehensive patient-focused care for a range of diseases and disorders of the brain, spine and nervous system. Crouse Health offers the latest treatment options and technological advances, including the region’s most sophisticated minimally invasive microsurgical tools available.

While the two physicians have shared their patient care expertise with each other for years, joining the neurosurgery practice at Crouse will allow them to expand that working relationship with other highly skilled neurosurgeons.

“We’re really looking forward to working together with them,” said Montgomery.

One of the most common medical issues that both physicians treat is chronic neck and back pain. But while they specialize in surgery, they don’t recommend it for everyone. In fact, both physicians work with pa-

tients on less invasive ways to treat their conditions, reserving surgery as the last option.

“We see a lot of patients we don’t operate on,” said Montgomery.

Both doctors often work with other healthcare practitioners, including primary care doctors, pain management specialists, physical therapists and chiropractors, to help their patients resolve back and neck pain issues.

Treating the patient “as a whole” is their philosophy, so it’s important to address lifestyle changes as well, both physicians said.

For example, a new ergonomic chair at a desk, enrolling in a low-impact exercise program, or taking Pilates or yoga classes to build core strength are all changes that could be beneficial to a patient’s health and well-being. In fact, core strength supports back health, and “that’s good for everyone as we age,” said Montgomery.

Twenty years ago, a neurosurgeon would primarily focus on surgery for patient treatment.

“Now we’re really focused on other aspects of a patient’s health, including tracking bone density and helping with weight management,” said Montgomery. “We address the patient as a whole, taking a look at everything needed for that person to stay healthy.”

“Our first goal is to treat patients nonsurgically and help them heal on their own,” said Eng, noting a lot of patients will get better without surgery by following other treatment plans. By working with multiple medical professionals, “we are able to develop a plan that is best for them, and will really help improve their lives,” he added.

Their main priority has always been to “listen to the patient” and understand their concerns,” Montgomery said. “We get to know them first, and then we come up with a treatment plan” which may or may not include surgery, he added.

One of the most rewarding parts of the job is “helping bring patients back to a normal life” by treating their pain, said Eng.

“Chronic pain can be debilitating to both the patient and the family,” he added. “It’s not easy to deal with pain every day. A person may look okay, but that person may have a difficult time just getting out of the house.”

If surgery is required, such as a disc replacement, the latest technology available makes the procedure much less invasive, offering faster treatment, minimized complication rates and improved outcomes.

“These newer, less invasive ways to do surgery allow the patient to recover faster,” said Eng.

While both physicians had the opportunity to practice anywhere in the country (there is a shortage of neurosurgeons nationwide), they

came to Crouse “because we wanted to stay in Syracuse and continue to take care of our patients,” said Eng. “We wanted to do that at Crouse with the other experienced neurosurgeons who have the same commitment to patient care.”

“We’ve always wanted to remain partners, and this way we can keep seeing the same patients while working with the neurosurgeons already on staff at Crouse,” said Montgomery. “The hospital administration and the other neurosurgeons have been very supportive of us.”

Crouse Health has approximately 3,200 employees and is the only locally governed hospital in Syracuse. In 2022, the total number of patients served by Crouse Health (both inpatient and outpatient) was 625,743.

The healthcare system is one of the region’s leading employers and has built a strong reputation for a number of specialty services offered to patients in a large geographic region surrounding Central New York.

For more information about the neurosurgery services offered at Crouse, check www.crousemed.com/ specialties/neurosurgery

Craig Montgomery

David Eng

Physical Therapy Isn’t Just for the Office

In-home visits by PTs grow in Rochester area

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Getting to a physical therapy appointment challenges some patients more than others. Whether it’s transportation, physical frailty, social anxiety, deconditioning or scheduling, patients now can call on a number of mobile physical therapy practices serving the greater Rochester area.

Alexander Talev, doctor of physical therapy with Home Stretch Physical Therapy in Syracuse, said that his practice works with not only rehabilitation from injury, illness or deconditioning, but also maintenance programs and home safety assessments. Many patients choose at-home therapy because of the

convenience if they lack the stamina or transportation to get to a therapy appointment.

“They don’t have to go anywhere as it’s in the comfort of their own home and is custom-tailored to their needs and goals,” Talev said. “There is often better carry over because we’re using the home environment to incorporate activities we’re doing in our therapy sessions so they can continue to do them on their own. We can often make recommendations of things they can do within the home like removing objects like throw rugs, rearranging furniture or seeing if they need railings or grab bars.”

Although homebound patients

may rely on at-home therapy, patients need not have homebound status, as Home Stretch also provides therapy at place of employment or elsewhere at the patient’s request.

Many therapy offices treat multiple patients at a time in the clinic. Seeing patients outside a clinic also enables therapists to provide one-onone attention.

Keith Waldron, a doctor of physical therapy with Oswego Health Home Care, views at-home PT as a good bridge between hospital care and out patient PT for patients with total knee or hip replacement.

“It’s ideal so they can learn to get up and use stairs,” he said. “We get to see patients where they live. If they come to an office, you don’t see their home and their home dynamics. Even for a small window of time, that’s helpful.”

He believes that home PT is underused by those who need it the most, an issue his organization has been trying to address.

“Those are the folks that would really benefit from services in the

home to build them up again and restore some of their access to community resources like social and form a wellness perspective,” he said.

It’s also helpful that patients— many of whom are in ill health—do not have to wait in a waiting room, potentially exposing them to communicable illnesses.

One drawback to physical therapy at home is the limited amount of equipment available, since it must be small, light and portable—not things such as aerobic equipment. The other option relies upon the creativity of therapists to adapt the use of objects from the patient’s home, such as using their own chair for practicing standing and sitting. But in the latter case, patients can improve function for their activities of daily living within their typical environment, which can be helpful.

At-home PT provides little stimulation for people who cannot easily get out.

“We have folks who are already challenged with being socially isolated and not going out to a clinic and being around other patients dealing with the same elements is not as helpful,” Waldron said. “There is more isolation in home care.”

New York is a direct access state, meaning patients may have 10 visits or up to 30 days of seeing a physical therapist without a referral from a physician. This provision helps patients receive care right away without another doctor’s visit and a needless copay.

Alexander Talev is a doctor of physical therapy with Home Stretch Physical Therapy in Syracuse.

Memory Care Corral Assists those with Alzheimer’s

By Mary Beth Roach

When 92-year-old Mary Woiler and her daughter, Jill Brule, travel from their homes in Fayetteville to take part in the Memory Care Corral program in Chittenango, the pair spends time in the stable, grooming the horses, sometimes walking with the animals or watching them out in the corral area. Woiler has been known to nuzzle up to the miniature now and again.

The visits are very soothing for both mom and daughter.

“It just completely takes her out of her day-to-day problems and anxieties and stress,” Brule said. “I took mom for her sake, but I enjoy it, too.”

Woiler has had a long-time affinity for horses, having taken riding lessons during her teen years in Port Chester. She even rode competitively and earned ribbons, Brule said.

To offer people with memory challenges and their caregivers some respite is at the core of the Memory Care Corral program.

Located at and in partnership with ARISE at the Farm it offers individuals with dementia, Alzheimer’s or memory issues, along with their caregivers, 90-minute guided sessions during which they engage in non-riding activities, so no horse-handling experience is required. Another partner of the Memory Care Corral is the Central New York chapter of Alzheimer’s Association.

The program was developed over the last two years by the Athelda Fund, which was created by Sandra Martin in honor of her mother,

Athelda Hogrefe, who had a lifelong love of horses and had lived with Alzheimer’s disease for many years. When Athelda died in 2003, Martin pointed out that many donors in the Central New York area contributed to the fund and it is administered by the Central New York Community Foundation.

“It is a unique program developed in collaboration with experts in Alzheimer’s disease, aging and equine therapy in Virginia, California and Central New York. It is based on national research, showing the effectiveness of equine-assisted activities for those living with memory loss and their caregivers,” Martin said.

As Rebecca Schafer, inclusive recreation coordinator at ARISE At The Farm, pointed out, “Horses provide a unique perspective that traditional therapy animals such as dogs and cats cannot provide. Horses are prey animals and because of this they are very aware of their surroundings and the energy around them. Horses will be able to feel if you are relaxed, anxious, tense, etc. and they will mirror those emotions.”

If Schafer has a participant who is tense and distracted, the horse will sense that and become fidgety, so she works with the participant through a relaxation exercise while they handle the horse and ask them to look for signs that the horse is starting to relax.

“When a participant performs a relaxation exercise and then sees the horse release its own tension, they can have the visible reassurance that the exercise is working. And for

individuals who are apprehensive to try different strategies to help themselves they may be more inclined to do something to help the horse. Participants are then able to bring home the strategies that they learn with the horses to help with reducing anxiety and stress for both the caregiver and the individual living with dementia,” she explained.

For Brule, the sessions are “very gratifying.”

Four Sessions Offered in August

Four sessions with the Memory Care Corral will be offered in August and run Friday mornings, Aug. 4 through 25. The cost is $10 per person. Registration is required and can be done by calling (315) 671-2974 or emailing Rebecca.schafer@ariseinc.org

Jill Brule stands with her mother Mary Woiler during their participation last winter in the Memory Care Corral program in Chittenango. The program was developed in collaboration with experts in Alzheimer’s disease, aging and equine therapy. It offers respite for patients and their caregivers.

By Jim Miller

Elder Mediation Can Help Families Navigate Thorny Caregiving Issues

Dear Savvy Senior,

Are there any services that you recommend that can help families resolve elder parent caregiving conflicts? My 86-year-old father was recently diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, and to make matters worse, my sister and brother and I have been perpetually arguing about how to handle his future caregiving and financial needs.

Conflicted Siblings Dear Conflicted,

It’s not unusual when adult children disagree with each other regarding the care of an elder parent. If you and your siblings are willing, a good possible solution is to hire an “eldercare mediator” who can help you work through your disagreements peacefully. Here’s how it works.

Elder Mediation

While mediators have been used for years to help divorcing couples sort out legal and financial disagreements and avoid court battles, eldercare mediation is a relatively new and specialized service designed to help families resolve disputes that are related to aging parents or other elderly relatives.

Family disagreements over an ill or elderly parent’s caregiving needs, medical care, living arrangements, driving issues, legal and financial decisions are just some of the many issues that an elder care mediator can help with.

But don’t confuse this with family or group therapy. Mediation is only about decision-making, not feelings and emotions.

The job of an elder mediator is to step in as a neutral third party to help ease family tensions, listen to everyone’s concerns, hash out disagreements and misunderstandings, and help your family make decisions that are acceptable to everyone.

Good mediators can also assist your family in identifying experts such as estate-planners, geriatric care managers, or health care or financial professionals who can supply important information for family decision making.

Your family also needs to know that the mediation process is completely confidential and can take anywhere from a few hours to several meetings depending on the complexity of your issues. And if some family members live far away, a conference or video call can be used to bring

everyone together.

If you’re interested in hiring a private eldercare mediator, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to more than $500 per hour depending on where you live and who you choose. Or, if available in your area, you may be able to get help through a community-based nonprofit program that offers free or low-cost services by volunteer mediators.

Finding a Mediator

To locate an elder mediator in your area, start by asking for referrals from health professionals or hospital social workers or search online at The Academy of Professional Family Mediators website (apfmnet.org) or Mediate.com. Both sites have searchable directories.

Or, to search for free or low-cost community-based mediation programs, see the National Association for Community Mediation website (nafcm.org). Unfortunately, not all states offer them.

There is currently no universally accepted credential or professional standard for eldercare mediators, so make sure the person you choose has extensive experience with elder issues that are similar to what your family is dealing with. Also, be sure you ask for references and check them. Most elder mediators are attorneys, social workers, counselors or other professionals who are trained in mediation and conflict resolution.

New Heart Implant Monitors, Treats … and Then Dissolves Away

An experimental implant now under development could serve as a temporary monitor and pacemaker for ailing heart patients — then dissolve away when it's no longer needed.

The soft, lightweight and transparent implant is about the size of a postage stamp and is made of polymers and metals that are biodegradable, researchers reported July 5 in the journal Science Advances.

Early experiments have shown that the implant can be placed upon the heart of a lab rat, take accurate readings and then safely dissolve and be absorbed.

The implant would be a boon for patients who have developed heart rhythm complications as a result of a heart attack, surgery or other treatment, said co-senior researcher Igor Efimov, an experimental cardiologist and professor of biomedical engineering at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Those patients now have to wear sticky sensors and tote a bulky monitor so doctors can keep track of their heart as it recovers, Efimov said.

“The challenge with those devices is they're not very comfortable,” he said. “They interfere with daily functioning. For example, you cannot wash in the shower very easily.”

The new implant could be inserted during a person's heart surgery or procedure. It would provide data via electrodes and optical sensors,

and even could be rigged to deliver an electrical jolt to set straight any irregular heart rhythms that occur, Efimov said.

“Let's say someone just had a heart surgery. After heart surgery, about 30% of patients will get atrial fibrillation [a-fib],” he said. “We want to create an electronic device which can be implanted for the amount of time required, then dissolve.”

In cases of postoperative complications like a-fib, devices would typically be required for about 10 days and then no longer be needed, Efimov said.

About one-third of the nearly 700,000 people who die from heart disease each year in the United States succumb to complications in the first weeks or months following a heart attack or heart surgery, researchers noted.

“Many deaths that occur following heart surgery or a heart attack could be prevented if doctors had better tools to monitor and treat patients in the delicate weeks and months after these events take place,” said co-senior researcher Luyao Lu, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

The device is made entirely of materials that have been deemed safe and biocompatible for humans by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Lu said.

FDA Gives Full Approval to Alzheimer’s Drug Leqembi

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently gave full approval to the Alzheimer's drug Leqembi, clearing the way for insurance coverage of the pricey drug.

“The full FDA approval will open the floodgates for people with early Alzheimer's to get this drug. It's a big deal because it's very expensive at $26,500 per year," Robert Vassar, director of Northwestern Medicine's Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago, said in a statement released. "Now, Medicaid and Medicare will cover it as long as patients enroll in a registry to track their progress," he added.

“It's a big breakthrough because it's the first disease-modifying drug for Alzheimer's. This has been the holy grail since the early 1990s when amyloid was discovered, and people were trying to design drugs to eliminate amyloid from the brain," Vassar explained.

"This is the first successful one. There were many attempts in the past that failed. It really shows that removing amyloid does delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease," he said.

“During the 18-month trial,

Leqembi delayed the progression of Alzheimer's by five months, which is pretty significant," Vassar noted.

The approval did come with one significant caveat, however: The FDA added a so-called black-box warning to Leqembi's labeling, cautioning that in rare cases the medication can trigger "serious and life-threatening events," including brain bleeds, some of which have proven fatal.

Leqembi will only be available to people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's — those with mild dementia or what's known as mild cognitive impairment. Labeling will also instruct physicians not to treat patients with Leqembi unless they have already undergone testing to confirm an uptick in levels of amyloid protein in their brain. Amyloid buildup is a key signal of Alzheimer's disease and Leqembi is designed to fight it.

Leqembi (lecanemab), which is made by Eisai Inc. and marketed by Biogen, will be only the second Alzheimer's drug to receive the FDA's blessing in the past two decades; the agency's accelerated approval of the drug Aduhelm in June 2021 generated controversy in the medical community over its lack of effectiveness, the concerns over brain bleeds and the drug's hefty price tag.

The Social Security Office

Ask From the Social Security District Office

How Much Did You Earn

at Your First Job?

By Warren Beck Social Security District Manager in Syracuse.

Ever wonder how much you earned the year you worked your first job? Or any other year you worked? You can find out by reviewing your Social Security earnings record.

Your earnings record shows your income for each year worked and your progress toward your future Social Security benefits. We keep track of your earnings so we can pay you the benefits you’ve earned over your lifetime. That’s why it’s important for you to review your Social Security earnings record.

While it’s your employer’s responsibility to provide accurate earnings information to us, you should still review your earnings history and inform us of any errors or omissions. This is so you get credit for the contributions you’ve made through payroll taxes. You’re the only person who can look at your lifetime earnings record and verify that it’s complete and correct.

If an employer didn’t properly report even just one year of your earnings to us, your future benefit payments could be less than they

Q&A

Q.: I will rely on Medicare when I retire. Can you explain the different parts of Medicare?

A.: The different parts of Medicare cover your specific needs. There are four parts, all of which work in tandem to deliver healthcare services:

• Part A (hospital insurance): Helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility (following a hospital stay), some home health care and hospice care.

• Part B (medical insurance): Helps pay for doctor’s services and many other medical services and supplies that hospital insurance doesn’t cover.

• Part C (Medicare Advantage plans): If you have Medicare Parts A and B, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan. Private companies offer Medicare Advantage plans, which are approved by Medicare. These plans generally help you pay the medical costs not covered by Medicare Part A and B.

• Part D (prescription drug coverage): Helps pay for medications doctors prescribe for treatment.

Q.: How do I earn Social Security credits and how many do I need to qualify for benefits?

A.: We use your total yearly earnings to figure your Social Security credits. The amount needed for a credit in 2023 is $1,640. You must

should be. Over the course of a lifetime, that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in retirement or other benefits to which you are entitled. It’s important to identify and report errors as soon as possible. As time passes, you may no longer have easy access to past tax documents. Also, some employers may no longer exist or be able to provide past payroll information.

The easiest way to verify your earnings record is to visit www.ssa. gov/myaccount and create or sign in to your personal my Social Security account. You should review each year of listed earnings carefully and confirm them using your own records, such as W-2s and tax returns. Keep in mind that earnings from this year and last year may not be listed yet.

You can find out how to correct your Social Security earnings record by reading our publication How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN05-10081.pdf.

Let your friends and family know they can access important information like this any time at www. ssa.gov and do much of their business with us online.

earn $6,560 to get the maximum four credits for the year. The amount needed to earn one credit usually increases each year when average wages increase.

To qualify for Social Security benefits, you must earn a certain number of credits. The number of credits you need depends on your age when you apply and the type of benefit. No one needs more than 40 credits for any Social Security benefit. You can read more about credits in How You Earn Credits at www.ssa. gov/pubs/EN-05-10072.pdf.

For more information, visit our website at www.ssa.gov/retirement.

Q.: What is substantial gainful activity (SGA)?

A.: We use the term “substantial gainful activity,” or “SGA,” to describe a level of work activity and earnings. Work is “substantial” if it involves doing significant physical or mental activities or a combination of both.

If you earn more than a certain amount and are doing productive work, we generally consider that you are engaging in SGA. For example, the monthly SGA amount for 2023 is $1,470. For a statutorily blind person, that amount is $2,460. In these cases, you would not be eligible for disability benefits if you made more than those amounts. You can read more about substantial gainful activity and if your earnings qualify as SGA at www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html.

Excellus named to the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

has been named to the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion. Excellus received a top score of 100% on the 2023 Disability Equality Index (DEI), a national benchmarking survey by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).

inclusion officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “Our continued application to the Disability Equality Index allows us to learn, identify opportunities for positive change, prioritize universal design practices, and combat stigma and biases.

“We are proud of this designation, while recognizing there is always more to do to drive more inclusive and accessible experiences for our employees, members, and the communities we live in and serve,” she added.

Sady Fischer

The DEI is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score on a scale of zero to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.”

“Being named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for the third consecutive year reflects the dedication, passion, and work of so many throughout our organization — guided by a commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access,” said Sady Alvarado-Fischer, vice president, diversity, equity and

The DEI is a joint initiative of the AAPD, the nation’s largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the global business disability inclusion network, to collectively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. The organizations are complimentary and bring unique strengths that make the project relevant and credible to corporations and the disability community. The tool was developed by the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates.

St. Joes recognized for quality stroke care

St. Joseph’s Health has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guide-

Every family. Every community. Everybody benefits.

Everyone deserves to be cared for and to live a healthy life. And we’re here to help make it happen. We have affordable health plans for businesses, individuals and families, and we work every day to put the health of our communities first. Because we work and live here, it’s our mission to make care more accessible and affordable. And when we do that, everybody benefits. Visit us at

lines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutri ents to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times.

“As the stroke director of St. Joseph’s Health, I am delighted we have received the esteemed Gold Plus Award from the AHA for excellent stroke care,” said neurologist Fahed Saada. “This accolade is a testament to the unwavering dedication, hard work and commitment of our exceptional staff. Their tireless efforts have been instrumental in ensuring the highest standards of stroke care and improving outcomes for our patients. We remain steadfast in our mission to provide the best care possible and make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by stroke.”

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke

Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidenceand research-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines – Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

Loretto hires Janes, Penfield for development team

Loretto has hired Jennifer Janes

as director of development for The Loretto Foundation and Kristen Penfield as marketing and development coordinator. The Loretto Foundation is a nonprofit organization established by Loretto to advocate for elders and support Loretto’s role as an innovator in long-term care.

Janes

Janes will oversee the Loretto Foundation, serving as an internal and external liaison representing the organization to donors and the public, directing all development and gift giving efforts for Loretto to fund strategic priorities and programs, managing Loretto’s WeCare employee fund, and supporting the Loretto Foundation board’s strategic role in helping to promote a philanthropic culture for Loretto in the region.

Jennifer

Penfield will work closely with Kristen Penfield

Janes to strategically grow the Loretto Foundation, building relationships with foundation donors, as well as providing support for developing and executing marketing programs, community events and other activities to promote the good will of Loretto. In addition, she will provide administrative support for foundation-led employee initiatives and overall support for the marketing and development team.

“These development roles are critically important to Loretto’s ability to fulfill our mission, especially because Loretto is the community’s safety net provider of long-term care and relies on inadequate Medicaid funding for more than 75% of our residents,” said Julie Sheedy, chief marketing officer at Loretto.

Janes comes to Loretto from the Upstate Foundation where she served as the director of grateful patient programs and annual giving. She previously served in several leadership roles in higher education fundraising at Hartwick College, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Wells College and SUNY Cortland.

Penfield also previously worked at the Upstate Foundation where she served as special project associate for the Alumni Association and Cancer Center. She was also a writer for the Women of Upstate NY magazine.

ConnextCare to Improve Dental Care Thanks to Grant

Pulaski-based nonprofit announces $40,000 in funding from The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation

ConnextCare recently announced a $40,000 grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California. This funding, made possible through the access to care grants program, is dedicated to securing and increasing access to quality, affordable oral health care across the 15 states and Washington, D.C. where Delta Dental of California operates.

ConnextCare has dedicated the dollars received to support essential equipment upgrades within its remote dental programs throughout Oswego County. Currently, ConnextCare operates dental programs in the Pulaski and Fulton offices as well as at six school based health centers in the Sandy Creek, APW, Pulaski, Mexico and Fulton school districts. In

Loretto coach promoted to manager of employee retention

Michelle Cuttler was Loretto’s very first employee coach when the organization launched its coaching program in early 2020. She has now been promoted to manager of retention for Loretto’s employees.

As manager of retention, Cuttler

July 2022, ConnextCare announced it had yet again expanded its dental program to the Manor at Seneca Hill, a skilled nursing facility in Oswego. This notable expansion last year was also made possible by funds received from a Delta Dental Community Care Foundation grant in 2022.

“We truly value and appreciate the support from the Community Care Foundation that we have received over the last several years. This year we will be using some of the dollars received to purchase new, hand-held digital x-ray units that allow our team to take an image of the student’s mouth at the school, which will then be read by the supervising dentist at our main Pulaski location. In just a few minutes, the dentist will detail a treatment plan for that stu-

will lead Loretto’s long-term employee engagement strategy by developing employee training and retention initiatives that supporting the organization’s employee engagement strategy. She will help employees navigate career ladders so they can advance within the company, including Loretto’s LPN apprentice program; and she will oversee employee recognition programs, including benchmark celebrations, graduations

dent to address any concerns noted and thus treatment is expedited,” said Tricia Peter-Clark, president and CEO of ConnextCare.

Since 2011, the Community Care Foundation has contributed more than $130 million to local community partners. The goal of these partnerships is to increase access to care, address health disparities, drive health equity and promote innovation in the oral health field. Through this strategic grant, ConnextCare can continue to provide indispensable services to the most vulnerable in the communities it serves and positively influence the lives of more individuals, including the patients and families at the School Based Health Centers and the Manor at Seneca Hill.

and other programs to help employees remain and flourish at Loretto.

“Michelle’s dedication to making sure others succeed at work is precisely what the long-term care industry needs, and her success as a coach was exactly the reason why we expanded the employee coach team,” said Holly Hoehner, interim vice president of human resources at Loretto.

St. Joseph’s to Stop Hiring Travel Nurses Within 50 Mile Radius

St. Joseph’s Health will no longer hire travel nurses who live within 50 miles of Syracuse.

“We truly appreciate the sacrifices that travel staff made to help us during the pandemic. They filled many gaps in our workforce, allowing us to continue to provide safe, exceptional care to our patients,” said physician Steven Hanks, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health and St. Peter’s Health Partners. “It’s now time to move away from external contract labor.”

Travel rates were designed to accommodate for the fact that people were leaving their homes and families, living in hotels, and traveling to hospitals far away.

Take

Out to

“What we’re experiencing in the post-pandemic period is that our travel staff are more likely to not be actually travelling, and instead are moving over from neighboring facilities in order to take advantage of the enhanced rates,” said Hanks. “That’s not what the rates were designed for. They were meant to be paid during the exceptional circumstances where you have no other choice but to hire labor from outside the market. Having travel staff who aren’t actually travelling work alongside our colleagues at a higher rate of pay causes resentment among co-workers and is not financially sustainable for our health system.”

A new policy has been created that restricts anyone who resides within 50 miles of the hospital where they’d be working from being hired as travel staff.

Me

The Ball Game — Upstate’s Richard Kilburg and physician Kashaul

Nanavati lead the parade of cancer survivors at NBT Bank Stadium June 9. The Upstate Cancer Center’s celebration of the annual day to recognize survivorship featured fireworks and a Syracuse Mets baseball game. More than 500 survivors and their guests attended.

Frank Guido couldn’t be happier he had a choice for treating his prostate cancer!

Frank chose non-surgical CyberKnife® at HOA –offering 5 treatments instead of 35!

“The original diagnosis was to treat my prostate cancer with seven weeks of radiation, five days a week. I was kind of upset that I was never given the option of CyberKnife,” said Frank. “The precise radiation achieved by CyberKnife, far fewer treatments, and the personalized care I received from Dr. Chin and his team made my decision an easy one. Better, the treatment was a real success!”

ON THE COVER

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