In Good Health: CNY #264 - December 2021

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DECEMBER 2021 • ISSUE 264

Why You Should Absolutely

TAKE A BREAK RIGHT NOW Life is busy. You work all day, eat lunch at your desk, come home to care for your partner and children, and tackle the endless responsibilities that come with being an adult. Read about why you should take a ”mental break” right now. P. 20

ALSO INSIDE: STRESS-FREE HOLIDAYS With a little planning, you can survive the holidays this year. P. 18

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY Problem is rising across the board, to the point where around 40% of the population is showing symptoms, says clinical psychologist Monique Winnett at St. Joe’s. P. 4

BE HAPPIER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON: SAY ‘YES’

‘LIGHTS OF LOVE’ Each of the 3,000 lights on the iconic Crouse Hospital clock tower represents gifts given in honor or in memory of someone.

Funds raised during the event support the hospital’s ability to provide medical services and programs for the community. P. 9

Kidney Grown in Pig Successfully Transplanted in Human A kidney grown in a genetically altered pig functioned normally after being attached to a human patient during a groundbreaking procedure performed by U.S. doctors.

If the technique proves generally successful it could revolutionize organ transplant, greatly expanding the pool of available organs.

The surgery was conducted in September at NYU Langone Health in New York City and involved a patient who was brain-dead and being kept alive on a ventilator, The New York Times reported.

The kidney came from a pig genetically engineered to grow an organ with a low risk of being rejected by the human body. After being attached to the blood vessels in the upper leg outside of the patient’s abdomen, the kidney quickly started functioning normally, said physician Robert Montgomery, the director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute who performed the procedure, the Times reported.

The results strongly suggest that this type of organ will work in the human body, according to Montgomery.

“It was better than I think we even expected,” he told the Times.

“It just looked like any transplant I’ve ever done from a living donor. A lot of kidneys from deceased people don’t work right away, and take days or weeks to start. This worked immediately.”

The patient was followed for only 54 hours and the research hasn’t been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, but it hints at a new source of desperately needed transplant organs.

Many questions remain, but experts called the procedure a mile-

Opening a New Door to Addiction Treatment Addiction affects all, regardless of background, race, ethnicity, gender, religion or socio-economic status.

In recent years, communities across our nation — including Central New York — have experienced alarming increases in the number of people needing addiction treatment services.

As the longest running treatment program in the region, Crouse Health’s Addiction Treatment Services remains committed to our mission to expand access to care and ensure delivery of high-quality addiction and mental health treatment in our community.

We are proud of our new facility that matches the caliber of our staff and provides a nurturing, safe and uplifting environment that is already greatly enhancing our focus on holistic patient care: The Bill & Sandra Pomeroy Treatment Center at Crouse Health.

If you, a loved one, friend or colleague is in need of treatment for substance use disorder, please contact us at 315-470-8304 or visit crouse.org/addiction.

Bill & Sandra Pomeroy Treatment Center in Syracuse. The two-story, 42,000 square-foot facility at 2775 Erie Blvd., East, replaces the 100-year-old former location of Crouse’s outpatient treatment services at 410 South Crouse Avenue.

Page 2 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

stone.

“There’s no question this is a tour de force, in that it’s hard to do and you have to jump through a lot of hoops,” physician Jay Fishman, associate director of the transplantation center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, told the Times.

“Whether this particular study advances the field will depend on what data they collected and whether they share it, or whether it is a step just to show they can do it.”

“We need to know more about the longevity of the organ,” but this “is a huge breakthrough. It’s a big, big deal,” physician Dorry Segev, a professor of transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, told the Times.

There are more than 100,000 Americans on transplant waiting lists, including more than 90,000 who need a kidney. Each day, 12 people on the waiting lists die, the Times reported.

Pig-grown organs such as kidneys, hearts, lungs and livers that can be transplanted into people has been something researchers have long been trying to achieve.

“This is really cutting-edge translational surgery and transplantation that is on the brink of being able to do it in living human beings,” physician Amy Friedman, a former transplant surgeon and chief medical officer of the organ procurement organization LiveOnNY, told the Times.

The group played a role in finding the brain-dead patient involved in the procedure. The patient was a registered organ donor, but the organs were not suitable for transplantation, so the family agreed to the experimental kidney procedure.

WE WANT TO

SEE YOU HEALTHY The doctors, nurses and specialists at St. Joseph’s Health want to keep you and your family safe and healthy this cold and flu season. As a U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Hospital with primary care and specialized care facilities across the region, we are driven to keep our community strong and thriving. Safety is an integral part of our culture, and our top priority is — and has always been — the health and trust of Central New York. We work hard to advance our practices and medical technology while providing the highest level of care — every day to every patient.

A H I G H E R L E V E L O F C A R E | sjhsyr.org/find-a-location/ © 2021 St. Joseph’s Health. © 2021 Trinity Health. All rights reserved.

December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 3 SJH10128_See-You-Healthy_Print-Ad_In-Good-Health_9.75x13.75_No-Bleed_v01.indd 1

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Meet

Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Monique W. Winnett, Psy. D. Depression and anxiety rising across the board, to the point where around 40% of the population is showing symptoms, says clinical psychologist at St. Joe’s Q: The past two years have caused an upheaval in a lot of people’s lives.

What kind of impact are you seeing on mental health due to the pandemic, the restrictions that have attempted to address it, and the resulting social climate?

A: As everyone says, these are unprecedented times and, unfortunately, what we’re seeing in the behavioral health field are upticks in the percentages of people who are endorsing symptoms of depression and anxiety. We’re seeing more and more people seeking treatment who have never done so before. We’re especially seeing it from adolescent and early adulthood groups.

Q: I imagine they’re a group that’s had their lives disrupted more than most. Many haven’t been able to attend school in person consistently or have what we might consider normal childhood interactions.

A: I think there are a couple contributing factors here. Developmentally, it’s an age group where socialization and forming peer relationships are very critical. Probably even more so than at any other stage of development. To your point, they’ve really been halted in how much time they’ve been able to spend socializing with their peers and doing typical activities and events. The second contributing factor is that, because of that, more and more people within those age ranges have been turning to technology and social media for company, companionship, entertainment and distraction. Unfortunately one of the things we know about engaging with electronics on this level, particularly social media, is that it also tends to increase symptoms of depression and anxiety. So I think, unfortunately, people are getting hurt from both angles there.

Q: Do you think we’re adequately grappling with the mental, emotional and social costs of our COVID-19 policies? Are people doing cost-benefit analysis on it or are they largely ignoring the costs?

A: I think people are at different stages along that continuum. I

Page 4 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

think there are risks and benefits in either direction and, unfortunately, it’s been a bit of a moving target.

As we’ve learned more and more about the virus, people’s opinions have changed. I think most people are doing that best that they can and making the choices that they feel are most appropriate for themselves and their families, their neighbors. But I think people’s perspectives, their knowledge tends to be different. Your idea of what’s best and healthiest for your family may look different than what I think is best for mine.

Q: Aside from adolescents and young adults, who is most vulnerable to developing mental health issues at a time like this?

A: Honestly? Just about everyone. We’ve seen rates of depression and anxiety rise across the board, to the point where around 40% of the population is endorsing symptoms of depression and anxiety. I think there was a time when people viewed mental health and behavioral issues in a certain light, and there was a lot of stigma around it. I think the last year and a half has really brought to light how it’s something that can impact anybody.

Q: That’s a huge number, 40%.

What was it prior to the pandemic?

A: Prior to coronavirus, the proportion of people endorsing symptoms of anxiety and depression was a little under 30%. I think the numbers were highest last winter, which shouldn’t be that surprising, especially in climates like ours. It’s been a pretty marked jump in the number of people showing symptoms and seeking treatment.

Q: We’re about to head

into winter again with the virus still around. What can people do to stay mentally healthy?

A: To the degree that you can do so safely, social interaction is very important, especially if you can be with people physically. Human beings are social creatures, so depriving ourselves of that can be setting ourselves up for failure. I think there’s also really strong evidence for the impact of physical activity and exercise on behavioral health and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. So I’d advise people to stay active and engage in activities that are pleasurable to them, whether that’s coming up with new mentally stimulating hobbies or interests that they can do in a safe way.

Q: How do you go about helping people who seek treatment?

A: There are some strong therapeutic interventions that can be used to target depression and anxiety.

There are a lot of different theories and frameworks, but I do a lot of cognitive behavioral therapy with my patients, which is really helping patients to look at the way they’re thinking about things, the actions and behaviors, and the relationship those have with how they’re feeling.

It helps to raise awareness of those things and what we’re doing on a daily basis. It can really go a long way in terms of symptom reduction. And, of course, for some of my patients the addition of a low dose of medication can be helpful.

Q: Do you see more of a role for behavioral health in developing or tweaking public policies during crises like these?

A: I think so. I think we’ve made a lot of progress toward reducing the stigma around mental health issues, but we could always do better, helping people seek help earlier. We do know that long-term behavioral health conditions can have a negative impact not only in terms of people’s emotional health, but there physical health. There definitely have been a lot of negative impacts from COVID, but I think we’re seeing more people willing to acknowledge their own symptoms and seek treatment.

Q: Do you anticipate any longterm impacts from this event?

A: It’s too early to have any longitudinal data. While I think humans are pretty resilient, traumatic, life-altering experiences can take an impact on someone. It takes an impact in terms of how they view themselves, their world and how safe or not they feel. We do know that when people are consumed with more immediate issues, a lot of our higher order functioning gets put on the back burner and we kind of go into a state of fight or flight. So we’ll likely see impacts down the road on both an individual and societal level.

Lifelines

Name: Monique W. Winnett, Psy. D. Position: Clinical psychologist at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Hometown: Corning Education: University of Hartford Affiliations: St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Organizations: American Psychological Association Family: Husband, three children Hobbies: Exercising, travel

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December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 5

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Healthcare in a Minute

By George W. Chapman

Walmart About to Change the Healthcare Industry

I

f you want to see the future of healthcare, (good or bad), in at least primary care, watch what the retail giant is doing. With more than 5,000 locations throughout the U.S., including rural areas where providers are in scarce supply, Walmart is uniquely positioned (and financed) to have huge impacts on the healthcare costs, delivery and outcomes. Plans include expanding in-store walk-in clinics, telemedicine, discounted drugs and supplies, a universal electronic medical record and a new venture with self-insured businesses. Walmart is leveraging its massive purchasing power to get

discounts from both drug and supply manufacturers. (So, drug companies do negotiate discounts. But it literally takes an act of Congress to allow Medicare, with its huge purchasing power, to negotiate discounts. Maybe Medicare should buy its drugs through Walmart? Sorry.,I digress.)

Walmart employs community healthcare workers like nurse practitioners, nurses, care coordinators, dietitians and medical assistants knowing that 70% of health outcomes depend on our personal habits and behaviors and social determinants like decent housing, access to care, transportation, income, ethnicity and diet.

Finally!?

Federal Vaccine Mandate

We may be, finally, somewhat closer to relief on exorbitant drug prices, which are often the root cause of personal bankruptcy. For decades, the ubiquitous drug lobby has fought to prevent any price concessions.

Medicare’s “permission” to deploy its massive 160 million people purchasing power, a la Walmart, to merely negotiate with drug manufacturers is included in the much ballyhooed human infrastructure bill that as of this writing is expected to be voted on by Congress. The bill gives Medicare permission to negotiate only a couple dozen drugs. Medicare will not attempt to throw its weight around on drugs that enjoy market exclusivity. Despite the recent flood of grossly misleading ads run by the drug manufacturers association intended to scare seniors, Medicare is not “setting” prices (like it unfairly does for hospitals and physicians).

The price is “set” once it is mutually agreed upon by both parties in their negotiations.

New York state has already mandated vaccines for healthcare workers. While it has resulted in some staff resignations, the overall impact has been negligible. Now the federal government has issued a vaccine mandate for all facilities, providers and healthcare support workers receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding. Virtually all healthcare facilities receive those funds.

Facilities and workers have until Jan. 4 to comply. The federal mandate covers about 76,000 providers and 17 million support workers in more than 5,000 hospitals, 15,000+ nursing homes, clinics and private practices.

Vaccines are critical to protecting those who are battling the virus for us on the front lines.

Virtual Visit First?

The pandemic has significantly increased the utilization of, acceptance of, and even the preference for, virtual visits or telemedicine. Banking on this trend, some insurers are

Page 6 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

offering new products that literally require your first visit (non-emergent) to be a virtual one. Most of these products also require you to select an “online provider” (in addition to your regular network physicians) who would then be authorized to “treat” and refer you to one of your regular providers for follow up if needed. These products are offered at lower premiums and there are no co-pays for the virtual visits. Skeptics are quick to point out the downsides.

You have no idea who or where your “online provider” is. The provider could be in another state. Something may be missed on the virtual visit that could have been picked up during an in-person visit with your regular primary provider. Studies estimate about two-thirds of initial visits require in-person contact. While certainly not for everyone, this new product could be a viable option for relatively healthy consumers looking to reduce their medical expenses.

Hospitals Need to Change.

Hospital administrators and industry observers agree: the pandemic has forever altered hospitals' operations and those slow to adapt will perish. A survey of 73 hospital executives was conducted by consulting firm Kaufman Hall. Hospitals must pay more attention to revenue cycle management, access to care, staff recruitment and retention, increasing supply costs, artificial intelligence and decreasing demand post pandemic. Ninety percent of respondents have already significantly raised staff compensation to attract and retain staff. An interesting caveat to decreasing demand is the surge in non-COVID related emergency room visits. The negative and consequential results of postponing or delaying care are now presenting in emergency rooms. Heart and respiratory problems, blood infections, organ failures and drug overdoses are once again filling ICUs as the pandemic

weakens.

Lab professionals.

We need to take the following into consideration when impatient for COVID-19 test results. The healthcare industry was already facing staffing shortages prior to the pandemic. COVID-19 has exacerbated staff shortages leaving many positions unfilled. Behind the scene healthcare workers, like lab techs, are feeling the crunch just as is nursing.

This impacts the immediacy of test results. Work in the clinical laboratory can be exciting, rewarding, and intellectually stimulating for those who enjoy science and its application toward patient care. However, the shortage of staff resources combined with increased pressure to provide COVID-19 test results quickly, all while trying to meet the day to day expectations for critical laboratory results, has created the perfect storm for clinical laboratory staff burn out.

Burn out has increased retirements and resignations. Let’s appreciate the behind the scene healthcare workers who help providers diagnose the infected and inform the uninfected. We need to continue promoting these laboratory professions which is such a vital part of our healthcare along with the resources need to return to proper staffing levels.

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

Excellus BCBS Raises its Minimum Wage to $18 an Hour

E

xcellus BlueCross BlueShield has raised the minimum wage for all employees at its company to $18 an hour. Previously, the minimum wage was $15 an hour.

“I’m excited to share that our organization has a new $18 an hour minimum wage,” said Jim Reed,

CEO and president of Excellus BCBS. “We hope an increase in the minimum wage will have a meaningful impact on employees and their families and help us remain competitive when attracting and retaining top talent.”

Increasing the minimum wage to $18 an hour will result in salary increases for 639 employees across Upstate New York, or about 15% of the health plan’s total workforce.

Employees receiving raises include about 389 making below $18 an hour and 250 making just above that amount. Many of these employees work in customer service, member enrollment, claims processing, clinical support, provider network credentialing or in the print and mail room.

Excellus BCBS employs about 4,000 employees across 39 counties of Upstate New York.

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021 2:00 – 5:00 P.M.

Average Salary for Registered Nurses at Samaritan now $82,500

We would like to welcome you to stop for the viewing of our NEW Neurofeedback suite and meet our team. Stop in and enjoy some light refreshments! Including a 10% savings on all in-stock supplements, essential oils, and CBD products! Plus, a variety of Healthy Holiday bundles will be available for purchase at the event!

Samaritan Health, Watertown’s largest health provider, reaches wage agreement with NYS Nurses Association

www.imofcny.com 1386 State Route 5, Suite 203, Chittenango NY 13037

S

amaritan Health has recently reached an agreement with the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) to raise wages for its unionized registered nurses (RNs) by 14%.

As a result of this agreement, Samaritan has increased its starting RN wage from $30.41 to $34.67 an hour. The average full-time Samaritan RN earns approximately $82,500 per year.

Samaritan completed a significant market-rate adjustment for its employees in August that impacted many positions and led to adopting a new $15 per hour minimum wage rate for all entry-level positions.

Approximately 1,200 staff received a pay increase at that time. RN wages did not increase in August due to Samaritan’s assessment that its wages remained market-competitive at that

time. However, RNs did receive a 1% lump-sum payment for their continued dedicated work.

According to a news release issued by Samaritan, local and regional market RN wages have increased dramatically since August. The agreement with NYSNA was ratified by a vote of RNs on Nov. 22 and it will be retroactive to Aug.1, 2021.

The change will impact 408 RNs at the medical center.

“As the nationwide shortage of registered nurses continues to impact hospital systems throughout the country, this increase will supplement Samaritan’s continued efforts to recruit and retain nurses,” read a hospital press release. “We strive to hire and retain the highest-quality nurses through strong wage offers, a comprehensive benefits package, and sign-on bonuses.”

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In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2021 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: 315-342-1182 • Fax: 315-342-7776 • Email: editor@cnyhealth.com Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Writers: Deborah J. Sergeant, Jim Miller, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Chris Motola, Melissa Stefanec, Eva Briggs (MD), Ken Sturtz, Barbara Pierce Advertising: Amy Gagliano, Cassandra Lawson Layout & Design: Joey Sweener • Office Manager: Nancy Nitz

No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement—not to take the place of—the recommendations of your health provider.

Consult your physician before making major changes in your lifestyle or health care regimen.

December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 7

Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Be Happier This Holiday Season: Say ‘YES’ “Thank you so much for thinking of me. I would love to attend but have another commitment. So sorry.”

Do you find yourself using this familiar refrain?

When feeling overwhelmed with life after my divorce, my first line of defense was to say “no” to invitations and opportunities.

This was especially true during the holidays when I was alone and coping with all the decisions and choices and shopping and schlepping. Saying “no” was my way of keeping life simple and more manageable during a hectic time.

I thought it would make life easier and, therefore, happier.

But it didn’t.

Experience taught me that there’s a downside to “no.” Declining invitations, deciding not to throw my annual Christmas party, and discounting the value of holiday traditions and gatherings didn’t make me any happier. In fact, the opposite happened. By not showing up I felt empty and lonelier than ever.

One of the world’s longest studies on happiness (conducted by Harvard researchers) revealed that good, close relationships are what keep people happy and healthy throughout their lives.

Saying “no” keeps us apart.

Saying “yes” brings us together. And it’s the togetherness that contributes to happiness. In the end, doing the things that nurture our relationships is what lifts our spirits because it brings us closer to one another.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or the December solstice, the holidays can be a real challenge if you’re newly di-

vorced or widowed. They were for me until I took the reindeer by the horns and decided to say a resounding “YES” to life. Consider the following:

Say YES to slowing down Better, stop what you’re doing altogether.

Ask yourself what the holidays really mean to you.

Rebirth? Hope? Love and connection? Generosity and goodwill? Revisit your most deeply held beliefs about the season and make a conscious decision to participate in the holiday rituals and activities that align with your values, views, and spiritual beliefs.

Say YES to being realistic For those who live alone, some degree of loneliness can be considered normal during the holidays.

It’s a good time to remember that feelings of loneliness aren’t terminal, nor are they a state of being reserved for single people.

Loneliness has very little to do with being alone. It has everything to do with your state of mind. Prayer, meditation, mindfulness and communing with nature can remind you of your intrinsic belonging to your inner self, to others, and to all of life. Embrace the felt experience of belonging to an all-encompassing universe.

W

Say YES to creating a new holiday tradition This is especially important if you are bemoaning the loss of irretrievable traditions of a past life.

Consider instituting your very own signature tradition of volunteering to help others. When you give of yourself, you reap two big rewards: First, you’ll develop connections with people who share your spirit of giving and second, you’ll nurture your soul.

Say YES to random acts of kindness If volunteering doesn’t fit into your schedule, bake some holiday goodies for your family and friends.

Leave a little something (maybe a pine-scented candle?) on a neighbor’s doorstep. When you are thinking about and doing for others, you get outside of yourself and feel less lonely — more a part of the world and of this season of giving.

Say YES to sending out holiday cards Take this occasion to go old school and say hello by snail mail.

I love getting an unexpected card from a long-lost friend, and I delight in tracking down and sending out season’s greetings to those who might be surprised to hear from me.

Sure enough, good things come from reaching out to others, and I encourage you to address a few envelopes this season.

Say YES to happiness Let go of the notion that you need to be married or in a romantic relationship to enjoy the holidays.

The potential for happiness is all around you. You’ll find it in the personal connections with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, even people you meet in passing.

You have a choice. Choose to be with people rather than isolate.

Choose to deepen and strengthen your ties with loved ones. Choose to appreciate what you have rather than focus on what you’re missing.

Choose to say “yes” and be happier this holiday season!

Say YES to accepting and extending invitations

Say YES to inviting people over

It’s the most wonderful time of year to meet and greet old and new friends. This is a festive time and people at holiday gatherings are

It will give you an incentive to decorate, if you just don’t feel motivated to do it for yourself. No need to do anything elaborate. Inviting a

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

mended dose, take the medicine too often, or take more than one product that contains the same drug. For example, taking both a pain reliever containing acetaminophen and cough and cold medicine containing acetaminophen.

Don’t give children medicines that are packaged and made for adults because adult medicines may overdose a child, the FDA said.

It also noted that there are no approved homeopathic cough and cold medicines for children, even though they can be found online and in stores.

The FDA offered tips for relieving cough and cold symptoms in infants and children.

Encourage children to drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated, especially warm drinks to soothe the throat.

A cool mist humidifier can make breathing easier by decreasing congestion in nasal passages, and saline nose drops or sprays can keep nasal passages moist and help avoid stuffiness.

Nasal suctioning with a bulb

syringe or a similar product works very well for children younger than 1 year old.

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used to reduce fever, aches and pain. Carefully read and follow the instructions or talk to your pharmacist or health care provider about dosage.

Call your doctor if your child has any of the following symptoms: • A fever of 100.4 degrees F. or higher in an infant 2 months or younger.

• A fever of 102 degrees F. or higher in children at any age.

• Blue lips.

• Labored breathing, including nostrils widening with each breath; wheezing; fast breathing; the ribs showing with each breath, or shortness of breath.

• Severe headache.

• Not eating or drinking, with signs of dehydration (such as decreased urination).

• Excessive crankiness or sleepiness.

• Persistent ear pain.

• If the child is getting worse.

Do Your Kids Really Need Cough & Cold Meds?

hen children have colds, parents may want to hold off on using cough and cold medicines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests.

Most children get better on their own, and cough or cold medicines won’t change the natural course of a cold or make it go away faster.

Also, some cough and cold medicines can have serious side effects,

typically in good moods and filled with positive energy. Say “yes” to invitations and show up for your happiness fix!

Or you be the initiator. Identify a holiday concert or event you’d like to attend and invite family and friends to join you. Take on the role of social secretary and you’ll gradually feel your holidays, social life, and social circle becoming more active and interesting.

few friends over for brunch or to watch a holiday special on TV can brighten your day (and theirs!).

Consider including children in your planning. For years, I hosted a cookie-decorating party for my friends and their kids. The children’s silliness, curiosity and wonder added a magical (and messy!) dimension to the holidays.

such as slowed breathing, which can be life-threatening, especially in infants and young children, the FDA warned.

The agency doesn’t recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for cough and cold symptoms in children younger than 2, and the products’ labels advise against giving them to children younger than 4.

These products can harm children if they get more than the recom-

Page 8 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

CROUSE HOSPITAL AUXILIARY presents

To contribute, visit crouse.org/auxiliary

Crouse Health Auxiliary Launches 34th Annual Lights of Love Campaign

T

he holiday season is upon us and with it one of Central New York’s most glowing traditions: the annual Crouse Hospital Auxiliary Lights of Love campaign.

Each of the 3,000 lights on the iconic Crouse clock tower is illuminated, representing gifts — given in honor or in memory of someone — that will support the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive medical services and programs for the community.

The lights traditionally begin to glow during a lighting ceremony held the Monday evening following Thanksgiving. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on public gatherings, this year’s clock tower lighting ceremony will be held virtually. Donors are invited to participate in this holiday tradition from the comfort of home or office via a special Zoom link emailed to those who contribute to the campaign.

“This year’s campaign is focused on small gestures,” says Janet Izzo, a local attorney who is the Lights of Love chairwoman. “Before COVID-19 changed our world, many of us felt we didn’t have the time or energy to extend ourselves to others with small gestures that are at the core of common courtesy. Small gestures extended by physicians, providers and staff comprise the foundation of the Crouse culture, and we are always thankful for our contact with them.”

Eighteen months into the pan-

demic, the hospital continues to experience increasing emergency department patient volumes, as the community has become more familiar and more comfortable with the safety measures put in place at the beginning of the pandemic. As the “front door” to the hospital, staff continue to see increasing cardiac and stroke related admissions through the Pomeroy Emergency Services Department. Because of this great need, proceeds from this year’s Lights of Love campaign will benefit ongoing patient care and safety initiatives for patients and staff, as they continue to monitor and adapt to changing COVID-19 protocols while serving the community with the best emergency services.

Those making the campaign possible this year are: sponsor: Bottar Law Firm, PLLC; patrons: Kimberly, Charlie and Henry Boynton, Connie Bull, William G. Pomeroy Foundation, Frank C. Smith, MD; friends: David and Cheryl Abrams, Cathy J. Berry MD & Associates, Carrie Berse and Chris Skeval, Creative Florists, King & King Architects, PLLC, Michael and Elizabeth O’Connor; in-kind donors: Avalon and Lamar Advertising Company.

The 2021 Lights of Love committee members are Janet Izzo, chairwoman, Robin Ascioti and Jeri Gallauresi.

To purchase lights on the clock tower, visit crouse.org/lights.

Financial Aid Now Available for Substance Use Disorder Certificate at Cazenovia College

F

ederal financial aid is now available to students seeking to enter Cazenovia College’s pre-employment phase I police academy training program and its substance use disorder certificate program.

The same levels of federal financial aid and the same sources of educational funding typically available to undergraduate college students now apply to this program, according to Nick Kordek, college director of financial aid and director of enrollment services.

Those interested need only apply for financial aid through the traditional Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. Once the financial aid form is received by the college, it is reviewed for the student’s eligibility for Pell grants and federal loans, then award decisions are made, Kordek said.

Students registering for the Substance Use Disorder Certificate programs who are eligible for Pell grants can qualify for up to the maximum amount of $6,495 annually.

Certificate The role of a CASAC — or credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselor — fulfills an important professional capacity in the addiction field. Cazenovia College is approved to offer the 350 clock hours of the education and training requirement for CASAC credentialing through its substance use disorder certificate program, for which students earn college academic credit. The coursework can be completed entirely online, on campus or through a combination of both methods.

Successful completion of the courses required for the certificate in substance use disorder counseling allows students to meet the education and training requirements for the CASAC-T application in New York State.

More information on the program is available at www.cazenovia. edu, then click “CASAC-T 350 Hour Certificate” on the search menu.

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In 2011, disinfecting our vehicles and equipment between customers became Empire’s standard.

We remain commited. Our community’s health and safety are always Empire’s top priority.

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December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 9

30% of Adults in Upstate New York Skip Visits to Dentist

T

ing Sjogren’s syndrome, hirty percent of Uprheumatoid arthritis, and state New York adults lupus did not visit a den• Celiac disease tist within the past year, • Anemia according to the results of • Chronic kidney a survey commissioned by disease Excellus BlueCross BlueShUntreated oral disield. And that’s troubling ease has a large impact on because the Centers for quality of life and producDisease Control and Pretivity for both children vention reports 42% of all and adults. On average, 34 adults (and 60% of adults million school hours are age 65 years and older) Anna Kanaley is lost each year because of have some form of gum medical director at emergency dental care. In disease.

Excellus BCBS. the workplace, more than Kids are also nega$45 billion is lost in productivity in tively impacted by a lack of routine the United States each year because dental care. By age 8, more than half (52%) have had a cavity in their baby of untreated oral disease. Poor dental care even impacts employment, with teeth, and low-income children are nearly 18% of all working-age adults, twice as likely to have cavities as and 29% of those with lower inhigher-income children. comes, reporting that the appearance “Regular preventive dental care of their mouth and teeth affects their is not only essential for good oral ability to interview for a job. health, but also general health,” says “Adults, and especially parents, physician Anna Kanaley, medical should view routine dental care the director at Excellus BCBS. “Many same way they do other routine diseases that affect the entire body often first become apparent as mouth medical care, such as wellness visits, lesions or other oral problems.” More standard immunizations, and screenings,” says Kanaley. “You shouldn’t than 90% of all systemic diseases think of dental care as just cleanings, produce oral signs and symptoms, and you shouldn’t just go to the reports the Academy of General dentist when you think something’s Dentistry. wrong.”

Routine dental care identifies The American Dental Association issues early when they may be easier recommends that everyone visit their to treat. The following health condidentist for an exam and cleaning at tions may be identified by a dentist least once a year, and preferably once during a routine oral exam: every six months.

• Diabetes “For help finding a dentist who • GERD (gastroesophageal reflux meets your needs, visit your health disease) insurer’s website,” advises Kanaley.

• Cancers of the head, neck, “Even if you don’t have dental covermouth and throat age, your health insurer may be able • Osteoporosis to connect you with dental health • AIDS (acquired immune defiresources.” ciency syndrome) • Autoimmune diseases, includ-

When it comes to learning your risk of cancer – including breast cancer – knowledge is power.

That’s why Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY is proud to offer comprehensive Cancer Genetics Testing and Counseling with specially trained experts.

Available to anyone – not just HOA patients – Cancer Genetics Testing and Counseling: • helps you and your family make better-informed decisions about your healthcare • is covered by most insurance plans • begins with a simple blood sample To see if Cancer Genetics Testing and Counseling is right for you, talk with your doctor and take our five-minute survey at hoacny.com/cancergenetics or by scanning this code.

Page 10 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

Brianna Procopio of Baldwinsville was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2020. Photo courtesy of Monica Browning Photography.

“Advancements in treating breast cancer are coming very quickly.”

Cancer Clinical Trials Aimed at Improving Outcomes for Patients

Physician Jeffrey Kirshner, the lead researcher at Hematology/Oncology Associates of Central New York.

‘If you have the option for a clinical trial, take advantage of it,’ says patient

By Aaron Gifford

B

rianna Procopio was only 30 years old when the bad news came: Breast cancer.

She had multiple tumors in her left breast, some of which were more than two centimeters in diameter.

An aggressive treatment plan was necessary because the disease had progressed to the second stage.

Procopio was juggling her career as a medical insurance specialist with raising two young children.

Mapping out her future at that point was a daunting task. Physician Jeffrey Kirshner, the lead researcher at Hematology/Oncology Associates of Central New York, informed her that she was eligible for an ongoing clinical trial for patients like herself that had the HER-2 gene.

The Baldwinsville resident previously elected to get a genetic test because her grandmother had breast cancer. She said the test came back negative. HER-2, however, is not an inherited gene. Rather, it’s an abnormal protein that is developed.

Kirshner noted that, nationwide, the HER-2 gene has been linked to 25% of breast cancer cases.

The clinical trial, EA1181, is going on nationwide. Its purpose is to test the effect of decreasing chemotherapy while administering two antibodies that specifically attack the HER-2 gene. The chemotherapy takes place before the surgery and the antibody treatments without chemotherapy continues after the surgery if no cancer is detected after the surgery.

“Years ago, it was one size fits all,” Kirshner said. “Now, we try to be more specific to the patient’s needs.”

Procopio was eager to sign on for the clinical trial. A friend of hers that battled breast cancer endured many chemotherapy sessions and com-

plained about seemingly constant nausea and fatigue.

“She said one of the chemo types is called ‘red devil’ because it’s so intense,” Procopio said.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, chemotherapy defined as a drug treatment that uses powerful drugs and chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in the body. It is specific to cancer treatment because cancer cells grow and multiply much more quickly than most cells in the body.

Paclitaxel or docetaxel are among the drugs commonly used in chemotherapy for breast cancer patients.

These medications prevent cancer cells from dividing and eventually kills those cells. According to the Chemocare website, chemotherapy is most effective at killing those cells that are rapidly dividing. Unfortunately, chemotherapy does not know the difference between the cancerous cells and the normal cells. Side effects, including low blood counts, mouth sores, nausea, diarrhea and hair loss, occur when the normal cells are damaged and before those normal cells grow back and become healthy again.

By contrast, the pertuzumab and trastuzumab antibodies used in this clinical trial work by attaching themselves to the HER2 receptors in the surface of the breast cancer cells and blocking them from receiving growth signals, according to the www.breastcancer.org website. The two different antibodies actually target two difference areas on those receptors. This is considered immune-targeted therapy.

In addition, pertuzumab also fights breast cancer by alerting the immune system to destroy cancer cells onto which it is attached.

The Food and Drug Administra-

tion, which last year approved the fixed dose combination of these two antibodies for breast cancer treatment, reported that less than 30% of patients noted some side effects from pertuzumab and trastuzumab, but the intensity of those side effects was far less than what patients experience after chemotherapy.

Kirshner added that prolonged chemotherapy causes unnecessary damage to the body.

“The more you get, the more likelihood of bone marrow problems, leukemia….” he said.

Procopio was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2020. She elected to get the lower doses of chemotherapy for 12 weeks instead of the higher doses for three weeks.

She received the two antibodies once every three weeks for a year. As for the surgery, Procopio chose a double mastectomy instead of just having the left breast removed.

She has been in remission for more than a year now and has follow-up appointments once every three months. Procopio said she did lose her hair following chemotherapy and at times she felt tired but was still able to keep working and stay on top of her tasks at home.

“The nausea was not too bad,” she said. “At times there was this different type of exhaustion, where I was just too tired to play with my kids. My energy levels have come back. But in many ways I feel like I got off easy. The whole thing is an emotional roller coaster. Even when I was done with everything, you feel this big relief, but you still feel a little uneasy, like it may not be over yet.”

“But yes,” she added, “if you have the option for a clinical trial, take advantage of it.”

The study has enrolled 435

Physician Jeffrey Kirshner, the lead researcher at Hematology/Oncology Associates of Central New York. He said half of the patients he has worked with in a current clinical trial is in remission. patients nationwide. Its goal is to review the results on a total of 1,250 patients. If this treatment is proven effective, the standard of care for patients with this type of breast cancer could avoid the short- and long-term adverse effects of multiple chemotherapy.

Locally, Kirshner said about half of the patients he has worked with in this clinical trial are in remission.

There is a follow-up clinical trial in the cases where the patients in EA1181 did not fully respond to the treatment. Eligible patients for this study will receive 14 doses of a new drug, TDM-1, instead of continued doses of the two antibodies. Two of the 40 patients enrolled nationwide are from Syracuse.

“We are focused on the long-term effects,” Kirshner said. “Advancements in treating breast cancer are coming very quickly.”

December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 11

Health Career

They are a vital cog in how healthcare organizations function

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

A

from the hospital, healthcare social workers may help set up needed support at home, such as a home health nurse. They may refer the patient to agencies that can help them get the equipment they need and set up transportation to doctor’s visits.

“In the hospital setting, it is a lot of discharge planning to get a person back into their home or the community,” said Brianne Barr, director of social work at Seneca Hill Manor. “It’s making sure they have prescriptions, some type of homecare set up, calling their primary care provider and making sure they have equipment in place. They can initiate

Is the Demise of the Doctor’s White Coat Near?

Y

our doctor walks into the exam room wearing a white coat. Or perhaps your physician has on a fleece or softshell jacket.

Does it make a difference?

Yes, according to a survey that sought public perceptions on doctor attire and professionalism in the United States.

social workers learn the ropes.

“You learn pretty quickly and gain that with experience,” Cox said.

“You’re part of the team working with the doctors and specialists. They’re pretty gracious in helping us understand. In no way are we medically trained, but we help the family understand what the team is saying.”

She said that healthcare social workers should be compassionate, patient and good at communication and negotiation. Patients are usually discharged to complete their recuperation at home or in a rehab facility, so they are still experiencing pain and discomfort.

“When the hospital is full, social workers are really on deck to move patients out of the hospital to have room for the incoming patients,” Cox said. “They have to be able to manage their stress.”

Cox foresees continuing employment opportunities for healthcare social workers to keep pace with the healthcare needs of the aging population and those in need of mental healthcare and to help facilitate additional safe, community-based care.

“It’s a pretty thankless job on the surface,” Cox said. “It’s a revolving door, in and out. For social work, we go into this because we want to help people. In in-patient social work, we’re helping people with significant life changes or transition to hospice.

Taking into account their wishes and helping them through that life change is rewarding.”

increase in casual wear and the relaxation of appearances of elitism or hierarchy as health care moves to a more team-based approach, according to the authors.

“While casual wear appears to be more popular, and quite universal now, especially in U.S. hospitals, the lay public still associates elements of traditional doctoring with the symbolic white coat,” said Steinberg, an assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

“Younger individuals and those from the West Coast of the U.S. appear to perhaps be more tolerant of casual wear, with less penalties considered for the element of professionalism,” Steinberg added.

The researchers surveyed nearly 500 U.S. adults from May to June, finding that a majority perceived doctors in white coats as more experienced, professional and friendly than those wearing a fleece or a softshell jacket.

Average age of respondents was 36. Photos used showed male and female models wearing various types of clothing, including white coats, business attire and scrubs.

For surgeons, survey respondents preferred a white coat worn with scrubs. For family physicians and dermatologists, they preferred a white coat worn with business attire.

Photographed female doctors

were rated as less professional-looking than male physicians in the same attire. They were also more likely to be mistaken for a medical technician, physician assistant or nurse.

“The findings suggest that individuals prefer that physicians wear white coats and that gender biases in the perception of professional physician attire exist,” the study found.

The findings were published July 30 in JAMA Network Open.

In a commentary with the study, physician Amalia Cochran, a general surgeon based in Bozeman, Montana, writes that resistance to the white coat has been mounting for 20 years.

“Perhaps the message embedded in the article … is simply that the white coat’s importance is primarily symbolic and that it is no longer a prerequisite for physicians to provide high-quality and compassionate clinical care,” Cochran wrote.

The results suggested that both younger respondents and people from the Western part of the United States were more receptive to physicians not in white coats, Cochran said.

“Perceptions of doctors in white coats as being more professional and experienced is likely a holdover from the days when the coats were valued as a marker of status and power,” Cochran said. “For older respondents or people in more tradition-driven environments, those ideas may provide a signal that gives them comfort.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that $45,300 is the annual mean wage for healthcare social workers in the Central New York area.

Health Careers: Healthcare Social Worker vital cog in how healthcare organizations function, healthcare social workers’ role improves patient outcomes, reduces re-hospitalizations and promotes better patient satisfaction. Among their job duties, the healthcare social worker acts as a liaison between the patient and patient’s family and the resources within the community which can help them. In addition to case management and crisis intervention, they may also help families with insurance questions, provide counseling and help break down barriers to care.

For patients about to discharge

a Medicaid process. The turnover of patients is so quick in hospital settings.

It tends to be most of what they do.”

Barr added that the social worker also helps maintain communication with the family and the patient, among other duties. The healthcare social worker may screen patients for mental health issues such as depression and substance use disorders.

While the medical team looks more at the health issues, the healthcare social workers look at the complete picture of the patient’s life.

“Doctors have so much they’re doing, especially with the shortage,” Barr said. “Doctors and nurses’ primary focus is care: sending referrals and patient care.”

Healthcare social workers strive to prevent re-hospitalizations and ensure patients have what they need to live safely at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home.

“They help the psycho-social support and counseling,” said Cheryl Cox, licensed clinical social worker and social work executive at the Syracuse VAMC. “They make referrals to appropriate facilities, helping apply for Medicaid, working with insurance companies and working with the family and patients. They also talk about hospice and palliative care at home or in a nursing home or other setting.”

Many facilities employing healthcare social works require applicants to possess the credential of a licensed clinical social worker. Some require a master’s trained social worker; a few may hire registered nurses with the right background. In either case, on-the-job training helps healthcare

The lay public still appears to associate the traditional white coat with experience and professionalism, said study author, physician Jordan Steinberg.

The study was conducted as the white coat has come under scrutiny lately, with the association of germ transmission between patients, the

Page 12 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

My Turn

By Eva Briggs, MD

How to Get the Most Out of Your Urgent Care Visit Some of these tips may also apply to any doctor’s visit

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irst, is the urgent care the right place for your problem?

Many urgent care facilities have a minimum age restriction.

Different urgent care facilities offer different diagnostic tests. There isn’t a mandated list of blood tests or imaging studies that every urgent care must offer.

Most can do basic X-rays, strep tests and simple labs. If you think that you need a certain test, call ahead to ask. Even if your doctor tells you to go to the urgent care for a specific test, call and ask. Many doctors don’t realize what is — or is not — available.

In the words of an old Russian proverb, trust but verify.

One hospital system in Florida came up with some clever billboards to advertise who should go to an urgent care versus an emergency department. You can see some of these signs at this link https://tinyurl. com/9zs59ycu Have a list of your medications and their doses. If you need help, ask your pharmacist or prescriber for assistance. It won’t help if all you know is that you are taking “a little

white pill.” There are many many “little white pills!” Keep your list up to date. Remove old medicines. Add new ones. Update any dose changes. Keep your list legible. Scrawled handwriting, multiple crossed-out lines with new information squeezed in with tiny writing in the margins or between lines are difficult or impossible to decipher. Learn why each medicine is prescribed. Ask your doctor what each treats if you are unsure. Some medicines are used for more that one condition. For example, Tegretol (carbamazepine) treats epilepsy, bipolar disease and trigeminal neuralgia.

Make a list of your allergies.

Again, ask for help from your pharmacist or provider if you are not sure.

Know what medical problems and surgeries you have had. Remember that even if your disease is controlled — such as blood pressure — it still belongs in your medical problem list. When we ask about surgery, remember that doesn’t include only recent surgery. The gastric bypass that you had 10 years ago may be more relevant to your care than the

you are at a medical facility. The mask must cover your mouth and nose and fit snugly enough to prevent gaping or falling off. It should be a surgical mask, a cloth mask with two or more layers of fabric and a nose wire on top, a KN-95, or an N-95.

Don’t use a mask with an exhalation valve. Bandanas, neck gaiters and crocheted or knitted masks are not be effective or appropriate. And please don’t roll your eyes when I ask you to wear your mask properly over your mouth and nose.

There is currently a shortage of medical personnel. Even if you are not worried about yourself, please don’t unnecessarily expose me and my co-workers to contagious diseases. There won’t be anyone to staff the urgent care if someone is out due to illness.

Stay safe out there, but when the unexpected illness or injury happens, the urgent care (or emergency room) is there for you.

benign mole removal that you had last month.

Many people don’t know the name of their primary care provider or the specialists that they see. If you can’t remember their names, ask for their business card or an appointment card, or write the information on your medication/allergy list.

I can’t count how many times people come in for a problem related to recent surgery and can’t remember who did the surgery or where their office is located. Or they can remember the doctor’s last name, but it’s a common last name, and they don’t know the first or office location. A quick Google search revealed at least seven medical providers with the last name Kim, and at least seven named Singh, in Onondaga County!

Even in 2021, different electronic medical records don’t communicate with one another. While your information may be all in your chart, the urgent care likely uses a different system and won’t be able to see your medical data.

Dress in clothes that you can remove easily if needed for an exam.

For example, if your knee hurts, avoid tight leggings that you must struggle to remove. If your back hurts, the doctor might ask you to remove your pants to check the sensation, strength, and reflexes in your legs. Remember to wear underwear if you are not comfortable changing into a gown without underwear.

Because we are in a pandemic, you will need to wear a mask when

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

WHEN IT’S URGENT we’re right at home.

When it comes to non-emergency injuries, illnesses, or symptoms, Oswego Health is right at home.

WHEN TO VISIT THE URGENT CARE ■

Cuts or wounds that may require stitches

■

Sprains, strains or deep bruises

■

Mild to moderate asthma attacks

■

Ear infections

■

Urinary tract infection

■

Dental pain

■

Upper respiratory infections

■

Coughs and congestion

■

Sore throats

■

Insect bites and rashes

■

COVID-19 testing

DOCTOR, LAB AND MEDICAL IMAGING ON-SITE!

SAVE TIME. Check-in online. Wait at home.

URGENT CARE oswegohealth.org/urgent-care Both centers are open daily, including weekends.

December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 13

Welcome to Our New Providers!

Lisa Beagle, PNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Lura Sharp School

Lauren Hehir, AGNP Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Danielle Rupert, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Parish

Kathleen Bosco, LMSW

Kourtney Darrow, PMHNP-BC

Annette Digby, FNP

Mikayla Fox, PA

Valerie Kyser, MD

Grace Nasri, MD

Joseph Nimeh, MD

Shawna Nutting, LMSW

Licensed Master Social Worker Mexico Elementary/ High School

Family Practice Physician Oswego

Richard Salvagno, DDS Dentist Pulaski

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Pulaski, Fulton

Family Practice Physician Pulaski

Zachary VanGorder, PA Physician Assistant Parish

Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Pediatrician Oswego

Physician Assistant Pulaski

Licensed Master Social Worker APW Schools

Jessica Vernooy, FNP

Edward Wolfe, PA Physician Assistant Pulaski

Family Nurse Practitioner Mexico

Your health is as important as ever.

Offering highly qualified and accessible providers at several locations nearby. Services available include family and internal medicine, pediatrics, dental, psychiatry and behavioral health.

Keep yourself and your family healthy, safe, and happy! Learn more at connextcare.org.

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Page 14 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

E

Rosemary Roasted Almonds

The skinny on healthy eating

Great Reasons to Eat More Almonds

very day, I eat a handful of almonds. While I’m certainly crazy about this nut’s yum-factor, I confess to being absolutely nuts about its impressive array of nutrients.

Almonds abound with vitamin E, a powerhouse nutrient that acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells. You know how rust can crop up on your car or bike? Well, a similar oxidation process and accelerated aging occurs in your body when cells are exposed to molecules called free radicals.

These toxic molecules weaken and break down healthy cells, and may also contribute to chronic health issues such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and more.

Although free radicals occur naturally in the body, lifestyle factors can accelerate their production, causing an unhealthy balance known as oxidative stress. Smoking, alcohol, fried foods and exposure to toxic chemicals, such as pesticides, have all been linked to an uptick in free radicals. An ounce of free-radical-bustin’ almonds—that’s 24 nuts—provides nearly half of our daily needs for vitamin E. Almonds are a boon for bones.

That one-ounce serving packs as much calcium as a quarter-cup of milk. On top of that, almonds are loaded with two minerals that also keep your bones healthy and strong: manganese and phosphorous.

Worried that almonds are fattening? Research has shown that eating almonds reduces hunger, lowering your overall calorie intake. High in both protein and fiber—two nutrients that take longer to digest—almonds increase feelings of fullness and satiety. A study of overweight women found that those consuming almonds lost more weight than those on a nutfree diet. Twenty four almonds have 160 calories.

And while almonds do have 14 grams of fat, it’s mostly monounsaturated fat—the good fat that helps protect your heart by maintaining levels of “good” HDL cholesterol while reducing levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. Show your ticker some love: eat almonds!

Another great reason to reach for almonds: They’re remarkably high in magnesium, an essential mineral that may help lower blood pressure levels, assist with blood sugar control, and possibly reduce symptoms of depression.

Turning 65 or just confused about Medicare?

Happy with your prescription coverage?

Happy with your copays?

Do you have extra $$$ set aside for burial expenses?

Do you know if you qualify for help paying for your prescriptions?

Helpful tips Buy raw or roasted almonds in their purest form possible: no salt, no oil, no other added ingredients. If buying in bulk, take a sniff: they should smell sweet and nutty, not sharp or bitter (a sign of rancidity). Store almonds in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark, dry place. Freezing or refrigerating almonds extends their shelf life by several months.

Adapted from sweetandsavourypursuits.com 2 cups raw almonds 1½ tablespoons maple syrup 1½ tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons dried rosemary ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon Kosher salt pinch of cayenne (optional) — Preheat oven to 325 F; place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

— In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, and spices. Add almonds and mix until well coated with the spice mixture.

Spread almonds onto the baking sheet in one even layer.

— Bake in the oven for 10 minutes; then stir and bake for about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool on sheet. Serve or store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum-

nist, 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.

Maintaining a Community Connection “Our mission is to provide nutritious meals to seniors, the homebound & the disabled in north Onondaga County...”

• Helping seniors and disabled individuals stay in their own homes and maintain their independence • Home delivered meals and a daily contact • From our kitchen to your home, delivered by caring volunteers • Over 40 years serving our local communities in the north suburbs.

AARON BALLARD President & Owner, Ballard & Associates, LLC.

Call me to set up in-person or over the phone consultation and let me help you, at no cost!!

315-374-1783

Meals on Wheels services are provided on a short-term or long-term basis: • While caregivers are away • To those who are rehabilitating at home, short-term or long-term • To those who are unable to shop and/or preapre their own meals • Those in need of a special diet • Elderly, homebound, permanently or temporarily disabled • Living in the towns of: Brewerton, Cicero, Clay, Salina, North Syracuse, Liverpool, Mattydale, and areas in Bridgeport and Baldwinsville

Insurance Made Simple www.ballardassoc.com • ballardassoc@gmail.com Aaron Ballard is a licensed Insurance broker representing all the top Medicare carriers in CNY & beyond!

413 Church Street, North Syracuse, NY 13212 315-452-1402 • www.namow.org December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 15

Parenting

By Melissa Stefanec

MelissaStefanec@yahoo.com

Zinc Might Help Shorten Your Cold or Flu, Study Finds

M

any people pop a zinc supplement at the first sign of a cold, and there’s new evidence supporting the habit.

Australian researchers found that the supplements appear to help shorten respiratory tract infections, such as colds, flu, sinusitis and pneumonia.

Many over-the-counter cold and cough remedies offer only “marginal benefits,” the researchers noted, making “zinc a viable ‘natural’ alternative for the self-management of non-specific [respiratory tract infections].”

The study was led by Jennifer Hunter, associate professor at the NICM Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University in Penrith, New South Wales. Her team published the findings Nov. 2 in the BMJ Open.

According to Hunter’s team, zinc as a nutrient has gained attention from researchers because it’s known to play an important role in immunity, inflammation, tissue injury, blood pressure and in tissue responses to any lack of oxygen.

To learn more about zinc’s potential, the investigators reviewed more than two dozen clinical trials that included more than 5,400 adults. All were published in 17 English and Chinese research databases up to August 2020. None of them specifically examined the use of zinc for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.

Lozenges were the most common form of zinc intake, followed by nasal sprays and gels, the research team said. Doses varied substantially,

• • • • •

depending on the formulation and whether zinc was used for prevention or treatment.

Compared with placebo, zinc lozenges or nasal spray were estimated to prevent about five new respiratory tract infections in 100 people per month, and the effects were strongest for reducing the risk of more severe symptoms, such as fever and flulike illness. However, these findings are based on only three studies, the team noted.

On average, symptoms cleared up two days earlier with the use of either a zinc spray or liquid formulation taken under the tongue (sublingual), compared with a placebo, the data showed.

Patients who used nasal spray or sublingual zinc were nearly twice as likely to recover during the first week of illness as those who used a placebo, the study authors noted in a journal news release. And 19 more patients out of every 100 were likely to still have symptoms a week later if they didn’t use zinc supplements.

Zinc was not associated with reduced average daily symptom severity, but it was associated with a clinically significant reduction in symptom severity on the third day of illness, Hunter’s team found.

No serious side effects were reported among zinc users.

All in all, zinc may be offered as a treatment option by doctors to patients “who are desperate for faster recovery times and might be seeking an unnecessary antibiotic prescription,” the researchers suggested.

Evaluations Detoxification Inpatient Rehabilitation Family Education Outpatient

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Page 16 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

A

Holidays 101: Overcoming a Toxic Relationship

s we embark on the most wonderful time of the year, I want you to think about something: my garbage can.

It’s a standard-issue trash can from a local waste-removal service.

It’s black, and I can cram a lot of trash in it.

Are you still with me?

Good.

Let me tell you more about my garbage can.

On Mondays, it sits at the end of my driveway waiting to be emptied into a giant truck. It waits outside of my well-kept, middle-class home.

From the outside, our garbage can is usually unremarkable. However, what’s inside that garbage can deserves to be noticed, because what’s inside reveals a very toxic relationship that exists inside my family’s home.

Before the holidays (and birthdays), the inside of my garbage can is full of perfectly good stuff. Stuff I can’t sell, consign or trade. Stuff I can’t donate or unload on community pages. Stuff my family and friends don’t want passed to them. Things that literally no one wants. Come November and December, my garbage can hides my family’s dirty secret: we are blessed to the point of having too much.

As we close in on the holidays, I spend much of my free time going through my kids’ rooms and the rest of my house looking for stuff to get rid of. What I can’t sell, donate or rehome, I end up throwing away. All this excess is bad for everyone. The clutter and mess are bad for my family’s psyche. It’s bad for my extended family’s bank accounts. It’s beyond dangerous for our planet.

And, yet, every year, we perpetuate this toxic relationship. We keep buying and gifting more stuff.

We keep engaging with things and then wonder why we feel depleted, disconnected and empty.

So, this year, I’m inviting all of us to try something a little different.

I recognize it’s not easy to end a toxic relationship overnight, but if we put our minds to it, we can make progress. As you start making your holiday shopping lists for the important children in your life, I encourage you to embrace three concepts: 1. Most of us have toxic relationships with things. We have too many and still want more.

2. Time is more important than money.

3. Time is love.

Sit with that for a moment. In our heart-of-hearts, we know these three concepts are true. However, year after year, we let commercialism and fear of missing out dictate our gift giving. We vainly hope giving things will show people how much we love

them. We hope giving things will make people feel valued. This year, we can give people what we should have been giving them all along— time.

This year, you can break the cycle. If you are buying gifts for the children you love, please consider some of these ideas.

• Movie night: Whether you want to bring the kids in your life to a movie theater or make a theater experience in your living room, this gift is sure to give kids something to look forward to.

• Game night: If you want to buy a little something for the kids in your life, consider buying them one or two board games they don’t already own. Then, make a date with the kids to play the board games.

• Arcade day: If the kids in your life are into arcades, buy them gift passes for an arcade and set a date over winter break to take them to that arcade. Play the games with the kids.

• Sledding/tubing: Kids love sledding. Pack up the kids’ sleds and head to a local hill. You can also buy passes for a business that offers tubing. Take the kids out for hot chocolate after.

• Skiing/snowboarding/snowshoeing: If the very important kids in your life are outdoor enthusiasts, consider buying them passes or lessons for winter sports.

• Baking day: If you know a budding chef or baker, buy the supplies and spend a day cooking or baking. You also get bonus points for helping a kid build life skills.

• Art class: Whether you host your own or buy one from a local vendor, art classes are a great way to enrich a child’s life. You also get to take the memory home with you.

• Zoo day: Most zoos are open year round. Bundle up and take your little animal lovers to a zoo. Avoid the gift shop and go out for a treat instead.

• A single book: If you are lucky enough to spend a lot of time with the important children in your life, buy a book and read it to them. Make it a long book and only let it be read by you.

So, to bring this article full circle, I want you to think about two things this holiday: the smiling faces of kids while they open gifts and garbage cans. Based on experience, I can promise you that half of what you buy will be in a trash can or a donation bin within 12 months. When you give the gift of your time or nurture a child’s passion, you build that child up in ways a thing simply cannot.

Beautiful memories are a lot less likely to end up in the trash bin.

HAPPY

Holidays

Gifts for Fitness Buffs From gift certificates to equipment there is a lot to choose from

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

f you have a few fitness buffs on your gift list, you have plenty of options that will encourage them in their wellness goals.

Suggestions from Jennifer Johnson, certified personal trainer, certified in exercise therapy, exercise recovery specialist, specialist in corrective exercise and owner of Fearless Fitness in Baldwinsville.

• “Foam rollers. Those are used as a self-massaging technique, usually on the floor to massage out stiff muscles. It’s like a deep tissue massage. If you’re a beginner, you can get a relatively soft one. Different ones have nubs on them to hit the muscle a little bit harder.

• “A gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods, eBay or Play it Again Sports so they can pick out what they want.

• “Medicine balls and kettle bells. They can be used for cardio and strength training. There are all different weights and sizes. Medicine balls you can use with a partner to toss back and forth. They’re really easy to use. You can use kettlebells for walking lunges, kettle bell swings.

• “A gift certificate for a personal trainer. Unlike going to a gym, it’s more personal.”

Suggestions from Patrick DiBello, owner, Syracuse Fitness Center and certified personal trainer, Syracuse Fitness Center.

• “One of my big things for fitness equipment is gymnastics rings.

They’re portable and great because they help people work on pulling exercises. They’re straps that go

around the rings. You wrap the strap around a doorway pull-up bar or a pole. They’re good for core, strength training. You can take them to the gym, too.

• “I’m a big fan of resistance bands. It’s really easy if you’re working out at home. It’s hard to otherwise train your pulling muscles for training your back muscles. A lot of people are strong with their chest, shoulders and the front muscles, but lack muscles in the back and resistance bands help with that.

• “The exercise ball-physio ball.

I know they get stashed in people’s corners, but they’re really valuable for core exercises and stretching.

They’re very underrated in my opinion. They’re good for legs and core.

• “Yoga blocks to bring to a yoga class. To me, they’re the number one go-to tool to have for a home workout.

You can use them for stretching, balance and strength training. They’re a good prop for flexibility.

It helps you get stabilized as they’re six inches higher than the floor. It’s a great way to modify a lot of stretches.

• “Parallettes: mini versions of parallel bars but one and a half feet off the ground. If people have a hard time doing push-ups on the floor, you can put your knees on the ground or elevate your hands to make it easier. It makes dips more accessible.

• Yoga mat. It’s a little more cushion if you’re on a floor at your house and you don’t have a gym mat. It also solidifies a certain space.

It helps with the mindset.

• “The Acumobility ball. It’s

a ball designed for soft tissue work, replicating some of the work a massage therapist does. You can’t replace those techniques, but some soft tissue work can increase mobility, circulation.”

Suggestions from Jill Murphy, certified personal trainer and certified life coach, co-owner of Mission Fitness, East Syracuse.

• “Some things I think of are worth having in a home gym include Bowflex Select Tech dumbbells.

They’re stackable, so you pick the weight and when you pick it up, it’s that weight. It’s one big dumbbell so it doesn’t require a lot of room. You have a lot of different weight options to work with.

• “A Peloton membership. They have thousands of workouts, and some are live. There’s a lot to choose from. You don’t have to have the Peloton bike brand for the membership to work.

• “If someone has a road bike, you can get a bike trainer. You take off one wheel and it makes a bike into a stationary bike. It’s great for someone into road biking so they can stay active in winter.

• “If people like to work out outdoors, snowshoes or cross-country skis can be a great gift. You can go to a local park like Beaver Lake or Highland Forest.

• “An exercise ball is on the cheaper end. They can do abs and squats with it and a handful of other exercises.

• “A workout bench could also help someone, whether a chest press, triceps dip, or seated shoulder press.

Suggestions from Walter Walker, III, personal trainer and personal trainer manager at Train Hard Fitness, Liverpool.

• “Some type of smart watch or tracker, like a Fitbit or Apple watch.

You need accountability. That especially helps my weight-loss clients.

• “Proper footwear, whether running, cross training or lifting weights, it’s important. If your feet hurt, you don’t want to do anything.

• “New fitness gear like shirts and clothes. If you look good, you feel good and if you feel good, you perform good. It’s a big motivator.

• “Give dumbbells, a jump rope and a yoga mat. Most people have moved their working out into their homes.

• “If someone’s serious about fitness, gift them with a class package at a gym they’re at. Getting around others with like-mindedness is a good idea. It can help them stay motivated. It can kickstart their journey.

Or maybe upgrade their membership. It may only be $10 a month.

December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 17

HAPPY

Holidays

Stress-free, Festive Get-togethers 25 tips: With a little planning, you can survive the holidays

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

D

if you want to bundle up oes it seem like and do a family walk. every celebration Dress warmly and walk this season centers outside for 20 minutes around food and stress? and then turn around and Those extra calories concome back for cocoa.” sumed during the numer4. “Try snowshoeing. ous events can add up to You can rent snowshoes at tough-to-lose pounds in a lot of places.

January.

Those aggravating 5. “Go to Clinton discussions about politics, Square for ice skating. religion and personal 6. “Try downhill choices can raise stress skiing. levels among otherwise 7. “Meet up with a Walter Walker level-headed family friend at Barnes and Nomembers (“Aren’t you going to ever ble have a coffee instead of lunch. Try settle down?” “When are you two to find a few books and recommend having a baby?”). Plus, there are the books to each other. conflicting ideas about how to keep 8. “You could go to the mall and everyone safe from COVID-19. walk if the weather is bad.”

By planning events to enjoy with 9. “There’s the entertainment center at Destiny USA. They have an loved ones, you can eat less and escape room and all kinds of activistress less during the holidays since ties. you can focus on the activity.

10. “When I was 1. “We have a lot of growing up, we were big ugly sweater races. It’s into sports. My family and something to do with I were all competitive. your family that’s active.

Every holiday, we made 2. “There are active up some kind of sporting games and apps that get game. You can go outside you up and going. Heads and play football.

Up is one example. It’s a 11. “Try something trivia game to play with your family. Charades is really basic, like going for a good game as the whole a walk. You can bundle family is engaged. You up and go for a walk with your family. Walking is have to demonstrate the a form of exercise. Peomovements. ple neglect it seriously.

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You can go look at the Christmas lights and walk the dog with your niece you never have a conversation with. You’re not around a kitchen table, forcing a conversation.

Jill Murphy 12. “If you go bowling, you start to collaborate with the people you’re with, like what pin you should aim at. You’re talking about something more constructive than politics. I want to have better conversations than that.

13. “Maybe during a holiday movie, like Christmas Vacation, every time someone says “Merry Christmas,” do 20 jumping jacks with your family. Or 20 crunches every time someone throws a snowball.”

14. “Hit the local arcade at Dave & Buster’s.

15.

“Try the rock-climbing wall in Franklin Square. That could be a family event or you could keep it to Laurel Sterling adults.

16. “It doesn’t have to be centered around food but do a white elephant exchange.

17. “In Camillus, in Town Center, they do a Warrior Factory. You can sign up for classes or go for a onetime event to go through a whole circuit.

18. “Also doing Sky Zone is active and entertaining.

19. “Try something different. A good place to go is Pinterest. You can search ‘fun things to do indoors’ and you can find tons of games.

20. “Try Douglas Goldschmidt

snow tubing or sledding.”

21. “Host a Sip & Paint party.

22. “Hold a couples or friends movie night, craft night, or gift exchange.”

23. “The key thing is remembering that you do not have to react.

You get into huge arguments because people feel they must react and they often react in a way that puts the other person on the defensive. Like with masking, some will say, ‘How can you wear masks?’ and instead of counter attacking, say ‘From what I understand it’s safer and we have chosen to do that.’ The big discussions tend to go nowhere. Indicate why you do it.

24. “If people ask awkward questions, you can ask, ‘Why do you ask?’ Saying, ‘It’s none of your business’ would likely not end well.

No matter how you come back, be calm and non-confrontational. You can change the topic by saying, ‘This is something I don’t want to discuss.’

It’s OK to say, ‘I don’t want to discuss religion at dinner.’ There are a lot of topics to discuss, like ‘How’s school going?’ or talking about family news.

25. “Try to remain focused on being nonreactive and be aware some people are pushing buttons. Some have strong views they’ll not debate; they’ll say the same thing over and over. You don’t have to engage just because someone raises something.”

• Tips 1 to 3: Walter Walker, III, personal trainer and personal trainer manager, Train Hard Fitness, Liverpool; • Tips 4 to 8: Jennifer Johnson, certified personal trainer, certified in exercise therapy, exercise recovery specialist, specialist in corrective exercise and owner of Fearless Fitness, Baldwinsville; • Tips 9 to 13: Patrick DiBello, certified personal trainer and owner Syracuse Fitness Center, Syracuse; • Tips 14 to 20: Jill Murphy, certified personal trainer and certified life coach, co-owner of Mission Fitness in East Syracuse; • Tips 21 and 22: Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian, Carlson Labs in Canastota; • Tips 23 to 25: Douglas Goldschmidt, licensed clinical social worker in private practice in East Syracuse.

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HAPPY

Holidays 11 Ways to Handle Holiday Parties As you attend holiday celebrations, you can plan to make better choices.

1. Don’t sit near the food table.

“At a gathering, don’t stand near the food table and just eat. Grab a little cocktail plate. Just one cube of cheese is about 100 calories, for example, so eating them without thinking means those calories add up fast.

2. Practice mindful eating. “Food is all around us during this season, so mindful eating is important.

3. Full your plate with greens. “It’s healthful to fill 75% of your plate with [food-based] plants.”

4. Choose smaller portions of healthier dishes.

From Buffets to Parties to Food Gifts How can you enjoy the holidays guilt-free (it’s easier than you may think)

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

f you are watching your diet and trying to eat healthfully, the holiday season can seem a minefield of culinary hazards, from buffets to parties to food gifts. But it does not have to be.

You may enjoy a few more treats than normal—no one wants to eat like the Grinch all season. A few tweaks in how you eat can help you keep up the holiday spirit while not blowing your healthful eating plan.

Lisa Thomas, registered dietitian and owner of Lisa Thomas Nutrition Counseling in Syracuse, tries to emphasize finding balance by adding to meals plenty of fruits and vegetables, a source of protein and a carbohydrate to each meal.

“Typically, holiday meals are very high in carbohydrates,” Thomas said.

To bring better balance, she encourages serving appetizers that include a vegetable and a protein, and plenty of veggie-based side dishes with the meal, like roasted butternut squash and roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon parmesan topping.

“It’s about balancing those macro nutrients instead of creamy sauces in vegetables,” she said.

It’s also helpful to look at traditional dishes. If no one in your family likes a dish you’ve always done, Thomas said it may be time to try something else instead of making— and eating—something for no reason.

“It’s all about mindful eating,” said Kelly Springer, registered dietitian and owner of Kelly’s Choice in Skaneateles. “Food is all around us during this season, so mindful eating is important.”

Instead of drinking empty calories, Springer recommends diluting alcohol with spritzers.

“You’ll be better hydrated and

less prone to hangover,” she said.

“Use ice in your drinks.”

Try flavored seltzers garnished with pomegranate or “mocktails” with herbal tea and a little fruit juice offer a flavorful, festive beverage low in calories.

A few smart swaps can keep your veggies and fruits healthful.

For example, instead of the creamy green bean casserole with a family meal, she likes to roast green beans with balsamic vinegar, pecans and olive oil. Instead of canned cranberry sauce, look up a lower sugar recipe and fix your own. Green beans and cranberries both offer fiber and a bevy of antioxidants.

By offering a large variety of vegetables, you likely can increase your chances of loading up your plate with them.

“Brussels sprouts are high in fiber, vitmains and minerals,” said Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian with Carlson Labs in Canastota.

“Half a cup of cooked Brussels sprouts gives 137% RDI of vitamin K, 81% of RDI for vitamin C and 135 mg. of alpha-lipoic acid.”

She’s also a fan of cauliflower.

Offer raw cauliflower with hummus dip. One cup of the white veggie contains 77% RDI of vitmain C. It’s also high in fiber and provides 45 mg. of choline, vitmains, minerals and antioxidants sulforaphane and glucosinolates.

Consider skipping fatty roasts and ham for leaner sources of protein.

“Turkey is a healthful source of protein, rich in B vitamins and is high in selenium, phosphorus, and zinc,” Sterling said.

Swap out the simple carbohydrate dishes like bread-based stuffing and white rolls for whole grain

choices to increase fiber and help you feel full longer.

Instead of white potatoes, try sweet potatoes, which are nutritional powerhouses.

“Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals antioxidants and fiber,” Sterling said. “Sweet potatoes are incredibly rich in beta carotene, the antioxidant responsible for the vegetable’s bright orange color. Anthocyanins are antioxidants found in purple sweet potatoes.”

Another example of orange produce, squash offers “fiber, vitamins A, C and B6, folate, riboflavin and and minerals like magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

“Technically a fruit, one cup of butternut squash contains 457% of the RDA of vitamin A. Yellow squash is also rich in manganese. This mineral helps to boost bone strength and helps the body’s ability to process fats and carbohydrates,” Sterling said.

The dessert table can be dangerous territory during celebrations.

While they are all high in calories, serve more nutritious treats such as bite-sized truffles made with dark chocolate, a good source of antioxidants, and nuts and fruit. Truffles also help with portion control. Baked apples or pears sprinkled with cinnamon can also provide a sweet treat without as many calories as pie.

Sterling said that apples are high in fiber and pectin, a prebiotic and several vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants—polyphenols—like peicatechin are found in the peel.

“Pears are rich in vitamins C and K and in minerals potassium and copper. They’re filled with soluble and insoluble fiber. An excellent source of polyphenol antioxidants, pears are anti-inflammatory. There

5. Make most of your choices from the vegetables and protein choices.”

6. You can choose a little serving.

7. Enjoying yourself is priority.

“One day isn’t going to hurt anyone.

Have what you like.

8. Don’t hurt yourself. “Do you feel physically bad after you leave the party? If you do, why do you hurt yourself? Say to yourself, ‘I don’t have to have everything.’ What can you eat where you don’t feel sick afterwards? Stuffing yourself has become normalized in our culture.

9. Don’t arrive hungry. “A lot of times people don’t eat first and they’re hungry. They’ll eat many more calories than if they had breakfast and lunch.

10. Try to find a serving of protein, some carbs and some fruits and vegetables. Dietary fats are usually easy to find.

11. If it’s dish to pass, bring a fruit and veggie dish.

• Tips 1 to 3 from Kelly Springer, registered dietitian and owner of Kelly’s Choice in Skaneateles; • Tips 4 and 5 from Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian with Carlson Labs in Canastota; • Tips 6 to 11 from Lisa Thomas, registered dietitian and owner Lisa Thomas Nutrition Counseling, Syracuse.

are studies on pears’ effect on cancer.

Their anthocyanins lend a ruby red hue. Pears with a green skin feature lutein and zeaxanthin,” she said.

Cook up dessert recipes with pomegranate and cranberries. Sterling said that pomegranate provide antioxidants, vitmins C and K, folate and potassium. Tangy, tart cranberries are rich in fiber, vitamin C and other antioxidants.

“They have plant compounds concentrated in the skin, quercetin and myricetin,” Sterling said. “They can help prevent e. coli from attaching to the lining of the bladder and urinary tract and may increase HDL and lower LDL cholesterol.”

December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 19

HAPPY

Holidays

You Should Absolutely Take a Break Right Now You can’t pour from an empty cup

By Barbara Pierce

L

ife is busy. You work all day, eat lunch at your desk, get home to care for your partner and children, tackle the endless responsibilities that come with being an adult.

Unfortunately, powering through without a pause can do you more harm than good, psychologists say.

It’s important to sneak in some “mental health breaks” throughout the day.

Nourishing yourself first, to ensure that you’re not “pouring from an empty cup,” is a priority that will help you take care of everyone who counts on you, said wellness coach

Lisa Marie Chirico, founder of Care Planet, a website focusing on health and wellness.

Taking the time to work mental health breaks into your day is a part of this. Your brain can’t focus all the time. If you try to force it into the focus mode for too long, it loses its ability to do that.

“After I’ve worked steadily for several hours, I lose it,” said office manager Christine Mason of Pearson, Florida. “I try to Google something and I can’t even remember what I was looking for. When I take a break and do something else for a few min-

utes, the juices come flowing again.”

Simply put, a mental health break is anything that allows you to step back, relax, and recharge your brain, so the juices coming flowing again. Mental health breaks can look different for everyone. Some mental health breaks may only last a few minutes. Others may include a weeklong vacation.

Ideal is a mixture of the two, smaller breaks to keep you going throughout the week, along with longer breaks to help perform a deeper reset.

“No activity is too trivial or small,” suggested Chirico, who has written two self-help style books .

These small moments can help you ground yourself, boost your mood, improve focus, improve productivity and decision making, and make you happier in your job.

You may have a good idea of what a mental health break would look like for you, but here are a few ideas of how to spend that break time.

• Walk outside with work mates, or by yourself, during your lunch hour, advised Chirico.

“Research proves that time spent in nature nourishes our bodies and minds on several levels,” she said.

Walking with others increases the chemicals in your brain, the key to feelings of well-being.

Also, the movement caused by walking increase circulation, makes you more alert, and helps to decrease tension in your body.

• Stretch: If you are like many who sit behind a desk for hours, get out of your chair at least once an hour to walk around and stretch your arms and legs.

Sneak in a few stretches, that can be as simple as gently rotating your neck, doing shoulder or ankle rolls, lifting your hands above your head or bending down to touch your toes.

• Take screen breaks throughout the day. Five minutes in every hour should be spent away from the screen. It’s also important to make sure you change posture regularly.

For your eyes, try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look up from your screen at something about 20 feet away for about 20 seconds, to give the muscles in your eyes a chance to relax.

• Connect with friends and family: Improve your mood throughout the day by checking in with those you care about. Connecting with others raises the level of the chemicals in your brain which produces feelings of well-being and helps alleviate stress.

“Contact an old friend that you haven’t spoken to in a long time, phone your parents during your commute to work,” suggested Chirico. Or make a coffee or lunch date with your partner or with work mates.

How do you know when you need a break? Listen to your body.

Do your eyes hurt from looking into the computer screen? Are your legs stiff from sitting in the same position for too long? Are you yawning every 90 seconds?

These are just a few of the signals your body is sending to tell you it’s time for a break. Too often, though, we ignore these signals because we think that a break will cut into our productivity. But, actually, a few minutes away from your work will enhance your capacity.

Our bodies go through cycles each day where energy peaks and then subsides. Most of us have more energy in the morning, but get tired in the middle of the afternoon. Plan a break during this natural down cycle when your body is tired and needs a recharge.

The bottom line is: a mental health break can be anything you want it to be. Whatever it is, just make sure it’s something that leaves you feeling relaxed and recharged.

“In the middle of our busy lives, we need to remember that, just like plants, we need air, water and love to thrive,” Chirico said.

Chirico can be reached at lisa@ careplanet.co. Or see https://careplanet.co/

if your tires are slipping.

• Don’t stop going up a hill. It can be difficult to drive up hills when it’s snowy or icy, so try to get a little inertia going before the hill to help carry you to the top. Once you reach the top, reduce your speed and go downhill slowly, but avoid slamming on the brakes.

• If you get stuck, try clearing a path several feet long in front of your wheels by driving forward and backward or by shoveling. Point your wheels straight and gently press the gas to avoid spinning the tires. Spinning the tires generally just digs the vehicle deeper into the snow or ice.

Safe Winter Driving Tips About 46% of auto crashes involving bad weather happen in the winter

By Ken Sturtz

W

hen motorists head out on the roads during winter it’s important to be extra careful. After all, approximately 46% of crashes involving bad weather take place during winter, according to AAA of Western and Central New York.

With that in mind follow these tips from AAA to make sure you get where you’re going safely.

• Stay inside. If there’s inclement weather and you don’t absolutely have to venture out on the roads, consider staying put. Even if you follow best practices for safe driving, that doesn’t mean everyone else on the road will.

• Slow down. It may seem obvious, but many winter drivers make the mistake of assuming that their vehicle will handle the same on snow

or ice as it does on dry pavement.

Reduce your speed and apply the gas slowly to avoid spinning your tires or skidding.

• Increase your following distance. On a normal day you should maintain a following distance of 3-4 seconds. In bad winter weather, however, you want to increase that following distance to 8-10 seconds.

That leaves you a longer distance to stop.

• Avoid braking and turning at the same time as it can cause your vehicle to lose traction and skid out of control.

Brake first and then turn if necessary.

The preferred way to stop is by using the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake.

• When road conditions are poor, don’t use cruise control. It can reduce traction and prevent you from feeling

Page 20 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

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T

he advances in care options and outcomes for HIV patients have improved dramatically since the early 1980s. A diagnosis of HIV has transitioned from a veritable death sentence to an infection as manageable as diabetes.

“For the past five years, the number of new cases of HIV reported to Onondaga County Health Department is still high, but has stabilized mostly in the low 20s for four out of five recent years: 24 cases in 2017; 20 in 2018; 32 in 2019; 18 in 2020; and 22 year to date in 2021,” said physician Quoc Nguyen, with Onondaga County Health Department.

Nguyen attributes the stabilization to the two-pronged approach of effective treatment of each case and preventing the spread of HIV to uninfected close contacts.

“The universal adoption of effective antiretroviral treatment has played a major role in limiting the transmission of HIV to uninfected individuals,” he added. “Onondaga County Health Department, by providing sexually transmitted infection services to all cross sections of county residents, has contributed significantly to the prevention of HIV transmission by early diagnosis of HIV cases and referral to treatments. We also manage an active and robust PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis] service to prevent the spread of HIV to uninfected contacts of HIV patients.”

The first drug developed to increase longevity in HIV patients was AZT, which was introduced six years into the epidemic. By the mid-‘90s, a “drug cocktail” of three medications became the standard protocol. That’s when providers began to see real change. They could also measure the viral load to test how effective the drugs were in individual patients.

Today, newly diagnosed HIV patients can expect to live close to if not a completely normal lifespan.

However, that relies on seeking treatment early and remaining consistent in managing their health.

“Things are going tremendously much better,” said physician Elizabeth Asiago-Reddy, associate professor of infectious disease and medical director of Inclusive Health Services at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

“A few things have happened over the past 15 years. I started working in HIV care around that time. It’s dramatic how things are. The drugs have become much easier to take

and much better tolerated and more effective.”

If patients skip even a dose, that can promote virus resistance. Since current drugs are better tolerated, patients are less likely to miss doses.

Most insurers cover HIV medication, which helps more people gain access to them.

To reduce stigma and increase testing, some providers think that HIV testing should be normalized instead of intended only for those identified as in high-risk groups. HIV is spread through sexual contact or shared needles involving someone with an infection.

HIV patients whose infections are well-managed and who have an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV sexually.

In recent years, injectable drugs have been introduced to free patients from having to remember to take a daily pill. Every one to two months, a healthcare provider administers the injection. That can help people who struggle to not miss a dose. An implantable medication, similar to the contraceptive Norplant, is currently being studied.

The variety of drugs—numbering 40 instead of just a handful—has proven an important part of the war on HIV. If the virus develops resistance to one medication, a patient can shift to something different.

In addition to monitoring their infections, providers also keep close watch on other indicators of health. For this reason, someone with well-managed HIV may outlive someone without it who doesn’t manage their health.

“We recognize how much sooner in the course of illness HIV should be treated: ASAP,” Asiago-Reddy said.

“We used to worry about medication toxicity. We’d wait until their immune system was low. Over time, data accumulated from clinical trials to show that was a failed strategy, especially in the era of modern medicines. The sooner they start medications, the better they are. Life expectancy approaches normal.”

She added that in 2019, healthcare providers saw a significant drop in the number of new HIV cases.

She attributes this trend to the use of PReP, needle exchange programs, condom use and the medications that can help keep the virus load to undetectable and therefore non-transmittable levels.

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Suicide Rates at Alarming Levels Madison, Oswego countiens show rates higher than the state average

By Aaron Gifford

T

wo Central New York counties struggled with alarming suicide rates even before the pandemic struck.

According to the New York State Department of Health, the latest reported suicide rate for Madison County was 14.1 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to the state average of 8.5 per 100,000.

Oswego County’s was even higher, at 15.1 per 100,000.

These figures were for the year ending 2017, the most recent year available. Madison County actually has less than 100,000 people, so the rate, based on increments per 10,000, is correlated to the trend line based on the population of 70,000.

Both counties are economically diverse, with more populated and middle-class communities closer to the Onondaga County suburbs, along with small cities (Oneida, Fulton and Oswego) struggling farms and small businesses as well as pockets of generational rural poverty.

As for the other two Central New York counties, Onondaga was 9.7 per 100,000 and Cayuga was 11.3 in 2017, according to the New York State Health Department.

Nationwide, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in 2017, with 49,000 people taking their own lives that year. New York state, whose suicide rate increased 28% from 1999 to 2016, was No. 6 on that list, behind California, Texas and Ohio. Comparatively, rural areas across the United States have experienced higher rates of suicide than urban communities.

The disturbing statistic promoted human service agencies in both

counties to form suicide prevention coalitions and reach out to the most vulnerable populations. And even though more current suicide rates are not available yet, human service workers in both counties have reason to believe the events of COVID-19 have only made their situations worse.

“People even without mental illness are feeling this pressure,” said Tyler Ahart, project manager for Oswego County Suicide Prevention Coalition. “We are still in this. There are just so many factors.”

“We do know that the calls to the hotlines as well as to the Syracuse VA hospital grew exponentially during COVID,” said Maureen Campanie, executive director of BRIDGES, Madison County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, a key agency in local suicide prevention efforts. “It made sense to bring partners to the table.”

According to the report published by Madison County’s coalition, “Suicide in Madison County 2020,” contributing factors to the local suicide rate for those younger than 18 years old include sexual abuse (5% of children under 18 have been victimized), physical abuse (11%), divorce (the rate is 94 per 100,000) and foster care (52.1% per 100,000). In addition, the rate of complaints to Madison County’s protective services office was 324 per 100,000 people, compared to the state rate of 248.7. These statistics are based on the year 2020 and may not correlate directly to the 2017 suicide rates, but officials believe all of these factors have always played a role in suicide rates.

For adults, notable factors are financial problems, social isolation, alcoholism and illegal drug use, to include opiates.

“I think that the key thing to remember is that suicide is often an

intersection of many different issues, whether abuse, alcohol, job loss or a combination of so many other things,” Campanie said.

According to the Madison County report, 11.7% of adults in that county report feeling distressed, depressed or mentally unstable an average of 14 days per month in 2020. And yet, only 14 adults out of 100,000 visited a hospital for mental health issues, compared to the state rate of 40.5 per 100,000.

The report also said that Madison County’s suicide rate is two to three times higher for three specific age groups — those younger than 35, those between 45 and 54 and those 85 and older. It also noted that 47% of suicides involved a firearm, with asphyxia the second most common method at 37%, followed by self-poisoning at 12% and then blunt force trauma at 3%.

In rural communities, there are fewer social networks, fewer job opportunities, and a strong sense of self-reliance where many people are reluctant to ask for help. The cost of health care for any types of service is an issue. Moreover, the stigma of having a mental health problem is an obstacle to obtaining professional help.

Oswego County’s suicide rate increased by 36% from 2010 to 2015.

About 17% of the total suicides in Oswego County between 2010 and 2016 were young adults between the ages of 18 and 27, though the coalition has identified vulnerable populations ranging from grade school children, to adults, to senior citizens.

There’s an additional emphasis on reaching out to military veterans, members of the LGBT community and folks who are not comfortable attending any meetings or awareness events in person, Ahart said.

“We are working to reduce the stigma of mental health,” he said.

New York: 18th Happiest State

D

espite an unfavorable suicide rate, New York fared much better in WalletHub’s “Happiest States in America” rankings.

The list, which was published earlier this year and is based on WalletHub’s analysis of existing date from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and various other agencies, places the Empire State at No. 18 in the nation.

New York scored 57.19 (out of 100) in a measurement of three categories – emotional and physical well being, work environment and community and environment.

“With that, we have to create the presence everywhere that there is support. That includes making people feel comfortable and supported in this virtual world.”

Outdoor events to raise awareness about suicide took place in both counties earlier this fall. Both counties also have grief support groups for those who lost a loved one to suicide. Human services agencies are working with schools, churches and even various types of business to get the word out that help is available to anyone who may be thinking about taking their own life.

“We’ve even reached out to income tax preparers who come into contact with people who have financial concerns,” Campanie said. “We want to empower others to offer support and help people get upstream from this.”

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Page 22 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

look. As patients age, they tend to metabolize drugs more slowly, meaning the dose that was perfect five years ago may now be too high, perhaps causing dizziness and falls.

Doses need to be continually adjusted with age, and most of the time that doesn’t happen.

Get a Drug Review

By Jim Miller

How to Help Your Overmedicated Parent Dear Worried, Unfortunately, millions of older Americans are taking way too many medications today, which raises their risk of dangerous side effects and

Dear Savvy Senior, My 75-year-old mother is currently taking 16 different prescription and OTC medications and I’m worried she’s taking way too many drugs. Can you suggest any resources that can help us?

— Worried Daughter

drug interactions.

According to the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, people aged 65 to 69 take an average of 15 prescriptions a year, and those aged 80 to 84 take 18 prescriptions a year. And that’s in addition to the myriad of over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies, vitamins and minerals they may take, any of which — alone or in combination — could cause more problems than they cure.

Even when older patients are taking only necessary and effective drugs, the dosages need a second

If you have concerns or questions about the medications your mother is taking, gather up all her pill bottles, including her prescription and overthe-counter drugs as well as vitamins and supplements, put them in a bag, and take them to her primary physician or pharmacist for a comprehensive drug review.

Medicare provides free drug reviews with a doctor during annual “wellness visits,” and many Medicare Part D prescription-drug beneficiaries can get free reviews from pharmacists, too.

At the drug review, go through each medication and find out if there are any duplicate meds or dangerous combinations your mom is taking, and if there are any drugs she could stop taking or reduce the dosage.

Then, make a medication master list and keep it updated so it can be easily be shared whenever your mom sees a doctor.

To help with this, AARP offers a free “my personal medication record” form that you can download and print at AARP-medical-record-form.pdffiller.com. Or, if your mom uses a smartphone, she can use a pill tracking app like Medisafe – Pill & Med Reminder (MyMedisafe. com).

Other Tips If possible, your mom should also use a single pharmacy to fill all her prescriptions. The software that pharmacies use to manage patient prescriptions is designed to cross reference all medications a patient is taking to ensure that there are no drug interactions that could cause harm.

Also, the next time your mom’s doctor prescribes a new medication, she should ask about nondrug treatment options that might be safer.

If the drug is indeed necessary, she needs to find out how long she’s supposed to take it and the side effects it can cause.

Another good resource that can help keep your mom safe is the American Geriatrics Society, which has identified 10 different types of medications that people 65 and older should almost always avoid because of the risk of serious side effects.

They include the anti-anxiety drugs diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax), and sleep drugs such as zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta). To see the complete list, visit HealthInAging.org and search “10 medications older adults should avoid.”

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 23

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If you rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and want to start or return to work, we can help.

Ticket to Work (ticket) is a program that supports career development for SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients who want to work and progress toward financial independence. The ticket program is free and voluntary. Learn more about the Ticket to Work program at www.ssa. gov/work or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. In addition to the Ticket to Work program, the Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) program also helps people with disabilities return to work. A PASS allows you to set aside resources and other income besides your SSI for a specified period.

With a PASS you can pursue a work goal that will reduce or eliminate your need for SSI or SSDI benefits.

How does a PASS help someone return to work?

• We base SSI eligibility and payment amounts on income and

Q&A

Q: What should I do if an employee gives me a Social Security number but cannot produce the card?

A: Seeing the card is not as important as putting the correct information on the worker’s Form W-2. You can verify employee Social Security numbers by using the Social Security Number Verification Service. Just go to www.ssa.gov/bso.

This online service allows registered employers to verify employee Social Security numbers against Social Security records for wage reporting purposes.

Q: When a person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, are benefits payable on that person’s record?

A: Social Security survivors benefits can be paid to: • A widow or widower — unreduced benefits at full retirement age, or reduced benefits as early as age 60.

• A disabled widow or widower — as early as age 50.

• A widow or widower at any age if he or she takes care of the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled, and receiving Social Security benefits.

• Unmarried children under 18 or up to age 19 if they are attending high school full time. Under certain circumstances, benefits can be paid

resources (items of value that the person owns).

• PASS lets a person with a disability set aside money and items they own to pay for items or services needed to achieve a specific work goal.

• The objective of the PASS is to help people with disabilities find employment that reduces or eliminates the need for SSI or SSDI benefits.

You can read all about the PASS program at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN05-11017.pdf.

The PASS must be in writing and we must approve the plan. To start, contact your local PASS cadre or local Social Security office for an application (Form SSA-545-BK). You can also access the form at www.ssa.gov/ forms/ssa-545.html. Ticket to Work service providers, vocational counselors, or a representative or relative can help you write a PASS. For more information about PASS, read "The Red Book – A Guide to Work Incentives" at www.ssa.gov/ redbook.

Your job isn’t just a source of income — it can be a vehicle to independence or the beginning step to fulfilling your dreams. Let our Ticket to Work program or PASS program help you achieve your goals.

to stepchildren, grandchildren, or adopted children.

• Children at any age who were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled.

• Dependent parents aged 62 or older.

Even if you are divorced, you still may qualify for survivors benefits. For more information, go to www.ssa.gov.

Q: What is the earliest age that I can receive Social Security disability benefits?

A: There is no minimum age as long as you meet the Social Security definition of disabled and you have sufficient work to qualify for benefits. To qualify for disability benefits, you must have worked under Social Security long enough to earn the required number of work credits and some of the work must be recent. You can earn up to a maximum of four work credits each year. The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on the age you become disabled. For example, if you are under age 24, you may qualify with as little as six credits of coverage. But people disabled at age 31 or older generally need between 20 and 40 credits to qualify, and some of the work must have been recent.

For example, you may need to have worked five out of the past 10 years.

Learn more at www.ssa.gov/disability.

Health News Rural Health Network Honors Oswego County Healthcare Workers

E

ach year in celebration of National Rural Health Day (Nov. 18), the Rural Health Network (RHN) of Oswego County recognizes healthcare providers with the Rural Health Champion Award for their exceptional leadership and their work as advocates for Oswego County health providers and residents.

Rural Health Network Coordinator Leanna Cleveland felt that given COVD-19 and the extraordinary circumstances the community lived through it was important to honor Oswego County’s entire healthcare workforce.

“The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world more than one year and a half ago,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang.

“Since it started, Oswego County as a community has worked together to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on the community and achieved mitigation goals. The COVID-19 vaccine’s roll out was a game changer. Since last December, all healthcare providers, including retired physicians and nurses, stepped up to promote and administer the vaccines.”

Healthcare champions: Oswego County Opportunities Rural Health Network recognizes the entire Oswego County healthcare workforce, especially the vaccinators, for their extraordinary efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. They received the Rural Health Champion Award.

“The Rural Health Network would like to recognize and thank the healthcare workforce and COVID-19 vaccinators in Oswego County for their unwavering dedication to the health and wellbeing of our community,” said Cleveland.

“We are proud of our healthcare workforce, especially the COVID-19

From left: Nancy Deavers, chief nursing officer and senior vice president at ConnextCare; RoseAnn Jarrett, ConnextCare board member; Katie Smith, scholarship recipient; Beth Hallinan, secretary of the ConnextCare board of directors; Tricia Peter-Clark, president and chief executive officer at ConnextCare.

Kathy A. Ellis Scholarship Goes to Katie Smith

ConnextCare awards scholarship and grant funds in memory of Kathleen A. Ellis, the first nurse practitioner in New York state. Ellis was well known in Oswego County. She worked at NOCHSI, now ConnextCare, the Pulaski Health Center, and spent four years working at NOCHSI’s Mexico facility. The community mourned when Ellis lost her battle with cancer and died in December 1996 at the age of 52.

The Kathy A. Ellis scholarship and grant funds are awarded to individuals entering a program or continuing their education in the field of nursing. In order to qualify

to apply, the candidate must be enrolled or have been accepted into an accredited licensed practical nursing, registered nursing or nurse practitioner program.

The recipient for 2021 is Katie Smith. She is currently enrolled at Nazareth College nursing program and is expected to graduate in May. ConnextCare operates health centers in Fulton, Mexico, Oswego, Parish, Phoenix, and Pulaski. It also operates seven school-based health centers located in APW, Mexico, Pulaski, Fulton and Sandy Creek school districts. ConnextCare is accredited through the Joint Commission and is recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a patient-centered medical home.

vaccinators. We thank them for their tremendous contributions to our community during the pandemic.

They are more than deserving of this recognition and we are grateful for dedication to caring for our community and the way they have, and continue to, respond with a tremendous effort to combat the COVID-19

pandemic by showing up to work every day despite everything happening around us.”

Operating under the auspices of Oswego County Opportunities, the Rural Health Network is a consortium of health care providers and human service providers in Oswego County.

Excellus has new general counsel and senior VP

ance and management.

A graduate of Ithaca College, Rigas earned her Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law. She serves on the board of directors for a local, nonprofit skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility and is active in the Marietta and Marcellus communities where she resides with her husband and two daughters.

Brenda Rigas has been appointed general counsel and senior vice president at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

Over the past 14 years, Rigas has been the primary legal support for compliance and regulatory affairs at the Brenda Rigas organization and has managed the organization’s response to various high-profile matters.

“Brenda has been managing the legal team for two years and has worked to better align the team’s resources with our business needs,” said Jim Reed, Excellus BCBS president and CEO. “She has developed trusted, collaborative relationships across the organization and with key outside counsels and regulators — we are proud to announce this appointment and have Brenda on our team.”

In her new role, Rigas is chief legal officer and advisor for the organization, managing the full range of legal services and matters for all corporate operations and activities.

Prior to joining Excellus BCBS in 2007, Rigas worked as counsel to the chair of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, where she actively participated in regulatory and administrative reform initiatives.

Following eight years with New York state, Rigas provided consulting services to large, self-funded employers on workers’ compensation compli-

Family Resource Center of Oswego County has new director The Family Resource Center of Oswego County has undergone many changes within the last year. One of which included welcoming Catalina Fierro to its team as the new executive director.

From Reno, Nevada, Catalina Fierro she is looking forward to the impact she can make within the walls of the FRC and within the community.

Fierro is married to her high school sweetheart of 24 years and they have four children. In Nevada, she worked with youth in the public school setting and was involved as a volunteer in youth and family ministries for over 15 years.

She started at FRC as a volunteer peer counselor in the fall of 2020, counseling and encouraging new mothers and fathers, and by May of 2021, Fierro was asked to consider

Continued on pg. 26

December 2021 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 25

Health News Continued from pg. 25 the executive director position. “After much prayer and the guidance of friends, I humbly accepted the position. I am very excited to be a part of the FRC family and I am so very excited to see how God’s plan unfolds through us. The impact we can make on the community is endless,”

Bar Association working on government relations and as the association’s deputy general counsel. He started his career as the legislative counsel at the New York State Department of Labor.

IHA is a regional healthcare trade organization representing 50 hospitals and health systems in 32 counties of Upstate New York.

College where she earned both her Bachelor of Science in biology in May 2019 and Master of Science in physician assistant studies in August 2021.

St. Joe’s recognized for mitral valve repair procedures

Iroquois Health Alliance (IHA) has hired Kevin Kerwin to serve as its new deputy vice president of advocacy and government relations.

Kerwin brings a wealth of legal and policy experience, as well as Kevin Kerwin experience with legislative program development and advocacy activities at both the state and federal levels, along with emergency preparedness in the healthcare field.

Prior to joining IHA, he was the vice president for public policy at the New York State Association of Health Care Providers (HCP). He spent 12 years on staff at the New York State

Oswego Health welcomes Valerie Pirro to the healthcare system as a new physician assistant for the center for cardiology. There she will provide comprehensive cardiac care alongside cardiologists and other professionals.

Pirro previously was an EMT-basic for the Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps, where her passion and drive for helping others began.

Pirro is well-rounded in cardiology and had clinical rotations in pediatrics, internal medicine, behavioral medicine, emergency medicine, women’s health Valerie Pirro and general surgery. She studied at Le Moyne

St. Joseph’s Health has received the Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award from the American Heart Association and the Mitral Foundation for a demonstrated record of superior clinical outcomes resulting from evidence-based, guideline-directed degenerative mitral valve repair.

The Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award was developed to identify, recognize and promote the nation’s recognized medical centers for mitral valve repair surgery. St. Joseph’s Health earned the award for demonstrating adherence to evidence-based treatment guidelines as well as an ongoing commitment to reporting and measuring quality and outcome metrics specific to mitral valve repairs.

“We are honored to receive the Mitral Valve Repair Reference Award for a second consecutive year,” said physician Philip Falcone, chief medical officer at St. Joseph’s Health. “Our passion for achieving the best outcome for our patients is rooted in our belief that every beat matters. This prestigious award speaks to our unwavering commitment to quality

Excellus Announces Recipients of 2021 Health Equity Awards

we serve. This work furthers our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, which guides us in all we do.”

Last August, Excellus BCBS invited organizations to apply for awards of up to $30,000 each to help fund programs to improve health equity in communities of color, especially within Black and Latino communities. These segments of our community continue to suffer from health care and social disadvantages due to racism and discrimination.

Award categories include improving the community’s physical health and mental health, reducing social disparities in health care and ensuring access to health care services.

The funding from Excellus BCBS will support 18 nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations across 39 counties of Upstate New York. With more than 150 applicants, a comprehensive review process included input from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to assess each proposal. Grant recipients were selected based on clear, defined goals and measurable results for reducing health disparities and improving health equity.

“We are a nonprofit health insurer with more than 4,000 employees who call Upstate New York their home,” said Mark Muthumbi, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Central New York regional president.

“Improving the health and quality of life in the communities we share with our members supports our mission.

By funding these local initiatives, we will improve access to care and advance specific health outcomes and improve health equity.”

In the Central New York region, $80,000 is being awarded to support Mark Muthumbi the following initiatives: • Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca — Community Health Advocates for Racial Equity (CHARE): CHARE’s goal is to improve health literacy, identify healthcare gaps and reduce barriers within Black and Latinx communities in Tompkins County, using a community health advocate training program approach. By utilizing a train-the-trainer model, this program will advance individuals’ personal health literacy, their ability to share information with their community and social networks, and their ability to advocate for equitable care.

• United Way of Central New York / Early Childhood Alliance of Onondaga —

Physician assistant joins IHA hires new government center for cardiology at Oswego Health relations official

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently announced the recipients of its 2021 Health Equity Awards. The awards represent more than $388,000 in financial support the nonprofit health insurer is providing to community programs that address racial and ethnic health disparities across its Upstate New York service area.

“Through these Health Equity Awards, we are honoring our pledge to invest in organizations that strive for equitable treatment and the elimination of discrimination for all people so they may have an opportunity to live healthier and more secure lives,” said Excellus BlueCross James Reed BlueShield President and CEO Jim Reed. “We believe we have a duty to lead by example and inspire positive change within our company, our industry, and broadly in the communities

Page 26 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • December 2021

care, further proving that St. Joseph’s Health is one of the foremost heart health systems in the country.”

The recommended treatment for degenerative mitral valve disease is mitral valve reconstruction, as opposed to valve replacement with a bioprosthetic or mechanical valve, because valve repair is associated with improved survival and fewer long-term complications. Many patients who would benefit from repair receive replacement valves, with higher rates of death or complications within five years after surgery.

St. Joseph’s Health earned the award for meeting specific quality achievement measures at a set level for a designated period. Participating in this recognition program demonstrates adherence to evidence-based treatment guidelines as well as an ongoing commitment to reporting and measuring quality and outcome metrics specific to mitral valve repairs.

“Receiving this recognition again is a testament to the skill and dedication of our entire cardiac surgery team,” said physician Charles Lutz, program director of cardiac surgery at St. Joseph’s Health. “The Mitral Valve Repair Reference Award is a highly selective award and it sets our cardiac surgery team apart from other hospitals in our region and across the country.”

Act Early Onondaga: This program will address disparities in the access rates of Black and Latino children with the early intervention and preschool special education programs; additionally, it will deepen caregiver and parent knowledge about child development and social emotional development by utilizing a developmental screening strategy. The goal is to actively support parents in deepening knowledge around child development and social emotional development and help prevent gaps in health outcomes for at-risk children and communities.

• The Upstate Foundation — She Matters: She Matters is a peer-to-peer community outreach program of the Upstate Cancer Center designed to reduce health disparities by making annual breast cancer screening a priority among low-income, primarily Black and Latinx women. This initiative will address the issue of higher breast cancer deaths and incidences in the Black and Brown communities through a multi-level approach to eliminate barriers, increase access and educate residents on breast cancer screening and care.

For the latest information on the health plan’s community investments and partnerships, members, providers and employers are encouraged to visit www.excellusbcbs.com, then type investment partnerships in the search menu.

AN EASIER MOVE TO MEDICARE. That’s the Benefit of Blue.

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1-877-406-8562 TTY: 711 Open hours: 8:00am – 8:00pm, Monday – Friday

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is an HMO plan and a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Excellus BlueCross BlueShield depends on contract renewal.

Our Health Plan complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-883-9577 (TTY: 711). 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-877-883-9577 (TTY: 711)。 A nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

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SOME OF THE HEADLINES • To watch Alfred Jacques craft a lacrosse stick in his Onondaga Nation barn is to witness an artist at work; • Kerner and Merchant Pipe Organ Builders are in the business of making music sound better; • ‘Jay’ O’Hern is a lover of all things Adirondacks, and has 17 books and counting published to show for it; • New York’s top winter getaways; • Auburn native Mike Chamberlain discusses donating his father’s World War II photos to Veteran’s History Project; ...and so much more!

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