DISABILITIES:MAKINGADIFFERENCE Tania Anderson, ARISE’s chief executive officer, discusses the mission of her nonprofit and how it has made a difference in the life of her daughter. P XX WHY YOUWALNUTSGOSHOULDNUTSFOR Mammo Van to Visit State Fair, Zoo, YMCA, Other Locations. Uninsured May Qualify for Free ScreeningStory on page XX ALSO INSIDE Alzheimer’s Better treatments for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are on the horizon, say local experts. Grants Available for Local Nonprofits… P. XX U.S. Hospitals Are Getting Safer for Patients P. XX Just 8% Lack Health Insurance, a Record Low P. XX Caregiving: Providing care at home is always an overwhelming job Citicoline: A possible Alzheimer’s treatment See Alzheimers: Pages XX FREE CNYHEALTH.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 • ISSUE 273
Page 2 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 Find your rewarding career at Laboratory Alliance Laboratory Alliance has rewarding career opportunities in laboratory medicine. Laboratory tests are vital to assess wellness and to diagnose and treat illness and disease. As part of our team, you play a role in providing Central New York with the highest quality healthcare. Visit laboratoryalliance.com/careers. VascularBraReconstructionDisorders&ProsthesisNew Beginnings Mari with her assistant, Sophy! Mari CurryCertified Mastectomy Fitter Medical Compression Specialist 3232 Erie Blvd., Dewitt NY 13214 315.472.0707 • www.moprocorp.com MoPro Mobility, Healthcare Products and Footwear In Stock: Large variety of compression stockings & garments at
Dr. Jorge Alvarengo attended SUNY Upstate Medical University and recently completed his medical residency at the SUNY Upstate Family Medicine Residency Program. Focused on family care, Dr. Alvarenga sees and cares for patients of all ages; he also speaks fluent Spanish, an additional comfort and convenience for our Latina patients.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Alvarenga, call Fairmount Family Medicine at (315) 488-0996.
Dr. Larissa Luu our new family practitioner at the Plank Road Medical Group located in North Syracuse. Board certified by American Board of Family Medicine and passionate about family care, Dr. Luu attended medical school at Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies and completed her residency at St. Luke’s Family Medicine Residency, Bethlehem, PA. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Luu in North Syracuse, call (315) 458-8700.
Let our family care for yours! 315-472-1488 • fcmg.org FCMG is proud to welcome three new physicians to our family of care providers.
Dr. Joshua Jimenez attended SUNY Upstate Medical University and recently completed his medical training through the SUNY Upstate Internal Medicine Residency Program. Experienced with patients at all stages of life, Dr. Jimenez specializes in internal medicine and has joined the FCMG office located in Skaneateles at 783 Franklin Road. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jimenez in Skaneateles, call (315) 685-8988.
Three new doctors, one constant mission: Your family’s care.
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 3
Lifelines
A: When we talk allergies,aboutalot of people will have symptoms and get treated aboutwhensprays.orantihistamineswithnasalsteroidButyoutalkadvancedmanagement,abigpartofthatis figuring usuallyThenissue.thecausingwhat’sexactlyout
“On average, even when your coffee is a little bit sweet ened, it still seems to be poten tially beneficial and at least not harmful,” said physician Chris tina Wee, the journal’s deputy editor, who wrote an editorial that accompanied the study. Don’t rush out to order that caramel macchiato just yet, though — people in the study tended to add modest amounts of sugar to their brew, experts noted.On average, people put about 1 teaspoon of sugar in each cup of coffee, said Wee and Anthony DiMarino, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition.
Q: Do these surgeries generally have good outcomes? Are they easy things to fix?
Q: A lot of common ailments involve the ears, nose and throat. In what circumstances should a patient see you as opposed to primary care?
A: I came to Central New York and established an allergy practice. The St. Joe’s practice didn’t have much in the way of immunotherapy, so we’ve already started introducing that. We have shots available, sublingual treatments and biological therapy, which is leveraging your immune system against things like chronic itching and chronic sinusitis and things like that. We also now have the ability to do in-office procedures like balloon sinoplasty, which is a way to treat chronic sinusitis in patients who are good candidates for it. We have cryotherapy for people who have chronic running noses. So these are things that are minimally invasive that we’re introducing into this group to provide some more convenient forms of care to the patient. I like to treat soup to nuts, so I like being able to treat whole families at a time, because a lot of these issues run in families.
Q: What kind of impact do you want to have on your new practice? Is there anything different you plan to try?
Family: Husband, three children Hobbies: Church activities, reading, watching movies
patients soup to nuts. So when the patient comes into the office I like to talk to them and give them their time to understand what’s going on with them. I like to do full physical exams and endoscopies in office. I do allergy testing, allergy treatment, in the office. The nice part of ear, nose and throat surgery is that it’s hybrid between medical management and surgical management. I feel like that kind of gives you the whole package in terms of being able to treat a patient’s problems. I also do allergy shots and a lot of allergy treatment. All of this allows me to treat problems as a whole rather than getting into the mindset of when all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail. You’re able to put everything together to optimize care for a patient. So I like to split my time between both wings of my practice.
A: A lot of my referrals come from primary care physicians, and we have a lot of great ones in our area. It’s usually when a problem is severe, recurrent or not breaking that a specialist comes into play. If a toddler has one ear infection, a pediatrician can probably handle that. But if they’re having recurrent infections and not clearing their fluid, that’s when an ENT can be useful. If allergy meds and nasal sprays aren’t working or multiple rounds of antibiotics aren’t helping, that’s when you start to look into advanced
Meet Your Doctor
A: I split my time. Three days in the office and two days, more or less, in the myofcaretakelikeroom.operatingIto
Name: Haidy Marzouk, M.D. Position: ENT physician at St. Joseph’s Health Hometown: Staten Island Education: SUNY Downstate Medical University Affiliations: St. Joseph’s Health; SUNY Upstate University Hospital Organizations: American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy; American Academy Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery
A: If we’re talking about the more common things, I’m lucky in that sense because all of those things have a very good prognosis. No surgery is risk-free, but those surgeries generally have a very high success rate.
New ENT doctor at St. Joe’s: ‘I like to take care of my patients soup to nuts’ Haidy Marzouk. M.D.
Q: What kinds of surgeries do you perform?
A: When I talk to patients, I like to get down to root causes. So if you have an ear problem and a throat problem, it’s my job to get to how those may be connected by asking the right questions and using the right tools. That could be lab work, endoscopy, imaging. If I’m able to find the root cause, I can manage that rather than just shooting from the hip at the different components. I think patients appreciate it when you get to the bottom of their problems rather than just putting a Band-Aid on their symptoms.
advanced allergy management has three big limbs to it. One is environmental strategy to lower your allergen load. The second is medical therapy with different combinations of medication. And the third is immunotherapy, where we try to desensitize patients to the things they’re allergic to. We have a couple modes of doing that. Most people associate this with allergy shots, but we actually now also have sublingual immunotherapy, both approved and off-label, that you can use to desensitize patients without needing a needle on a regular basis. It’s basically just a tablet you put under your tongue and let it dissolve.
By Chris Motola
A: I’m a general ENT surgeon, so I do a wide breadth of cases. Probably the most common surgeries I do are ear tube, tonsillectomies, fixing deviated septums, sinus surgeries, removal of nodes, bumps, salivary glands. Things like that.
Q: What are the recovery times typically like for ENT surgeries?
Q: What does advanced care look like for allergies?
Q: What kinds of challenges does the interconnectivity of the ears, nose and throat present when it comes to diagnostics?
That Morning Cup of Coffee May Extend Your Life Folks who take their coffee with a little cream and sugar have reason to rejoice, health-wise.Anewstudy shows that coffee’s potential health benefits persist, even if you add a bit of sugar to your java. People who drink any amount of unsweetened coffee are 16% to 21% less likely to die early than those who don’t im bibe, based on data drawn from more than 171,000 British par ticipants without known heart disease or cancer. And even folks who take their coffee with sugar saw some health benefits, researchers found.Sweetened coffee drinkers who downed an average 1.5 to 3.5 cups a day were 29% to 31% less likely to die during an aver age seven-year follow-up than non-coffee drinkers, according to findings published May 31 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
A: I actually grew up in New York City. I did my medical training in Brooklyn. Shortly after I started my career, my husband and I wanted to move to a more rural, family-oriented area. So we came to the Syracuse area just about seven years ago with two small kids. I was originally full-time faculty at SUNY Upstate, and then I switched over to St. Joe’s a couple months ago, but I still maintain a faculty position at the university.
Q: What kinds of allergies are those available for? A: Grass, weeds, dust.
“This is roughly only 16 extra calories, which is not significant,” said DiMarino, who wasn’t involved with the study. “In contrast, most specialty coffees run hundreds of calories from sugars and fats.”
Q: How did you come to be at your current ear, nose and throat practice with St. Joseph’s Health?
Q: Is your practice mainly geared surgery?toward
Page 4 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
Participants were tracked for an average seven years to see whether coffee drinking affected their overall risk of death, as well as their risk of death from cancer or heartResearchersdisease. found that unsweetened coffee reduced par ticipants’ risk of death regardless how much they drank, with a “sweet spot” of maximum bene fit around 2.5 to 3.5 cups a day. Sweetened coffee also had health benefits, as long as the person drank fewer than 4 cups a day. Sweetened or unsweet ened, coffee also appeared to consistently reduce the risk of death from specific causes such as cancer or heart disease, the researchers found.
A: I would say the vast majority of surgery is outpatient surgery. If my patients do need to stay in the hospital, it’s usually only for one night. It’s rare that I have patients staying longer than that.
THEM.FIGHTLOTHAVEFLOWERSTHESEAOFIN2022Walkto
Join us at alz.org/walk End Alzheimer’sSyracuse, Onondaga Community College Sept. 25 | 11a.m. PRESENTING SPONSORS
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is full of flowers, each carried by someone committed to ending this disease. Because like flowers, our participants don’t stop when something’s in their way. They keep raising funds and awareness for a breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. It’s time to add your flower to the fight.
participants don’t stop when something’s in their way. They keep raising funds and awareness for a breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. It’s time to add your flower to the fight.
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September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 5
.S. hospitals became much safer places for patients over the past decade, with medical errors and adverse events declining significantly across the nation, feder al government data show. Between 2010 and 2019, patient safety dramatically improved among the four types of conditions for which people are most often hos pitalized: heart attacks, heart fail ure, pneumonia and major surgical procedures.Peoplehospitalized for those problems became less likely to suffer from medication errors, hospital-ac quired infections, procedure-related adverse events, pressure ulcers from being bedridden or serious falls that cause injury, researchers found.
• Adverse drug events, hospi tal-acquired infections, and general adverse events declined significantly across all patient groups, the findings showed. Events following a major surgery also declined.
Industry watchdogs will let us know if we will finally get the discounts that other countries have been getting for years. So, all is good, right? Well, not exactly. The bill allows Medicare to ne gotiate the price of just 10 drugs. Yep. Ten. The drugs selected must be on the market for several years and with no competition.Negotiations don’t start until 2026! That gives drug companies four years to jack up their prices ahead of negotiations. In 2027 Medicare gets to nego tiate a whopping 15 prices and then gets to negotiate 20 prices a year after that. Sounds to me like the drug lobby did its job and still controls Congress.ACEO of one of the largest and most profitable manufacturers was whining to congress about having to negotiate 10 prices. He’s fortunate to be negotiating ANY prices. Just ask a physician or hospital. are rising much faster than what CMS budgets. It seems like SNFs just can’t get ahead financially. The current reimbursement sys tem is gimmicky, confusing, divisive and, worst of all, consumes way too much of management’s valuable time, resources and attention. While there will always be legit imate cases of resident abuse, con sidering the overwhelming negative circumstances ranging from severe staffing shortages to totally inade quate reimbursement, most SNFs do a commendable job.
The new study relied on data gathered by the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring Program, an effort created in the wake of a landmark 1999 Institute of Medicine report that drew national attention to patient safety in hospitals, the study authors said in background notes.
Healthcare is a $4 trillion mar ket. Primary care is a $260 billion sub-market. Industry analysts pre dict giant retailers and new startups could grab 30% of the primary care market by 2030. There are a lot of negatives facing traditional primary providers including a shortage of physicians, increasing demand for digital and virtual medicine and the transition from volume-based fee for service to value-based care or even capitation.Onone side of the coin, deep pocket nontraditional upstarts like Amazon, CVS and Walmart are lick ing their collective chops. Amazon just bought fledgling One Medical for almost $4 billion. Although not profitable, One Medical operates around 200 offices in 30 markets. It has approximately 800,000 mem bers. Amazon will grow its online pharmacy and diagnostic services via this purchase. On the other side of the coin, cash-strapped tradition al providers like hospital systems continue to merge hiring more and more primary care physicians who are abandoning private practice. It remains to be seen which side of the coin will prevail in the delivery of primary care over the next several years.
The investigators found that for the four most common reasons a per son winds up in the hospital, safety has indeed improved:
Page 6 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
Shouldn’tnegotiating.the government be negotiating the price of just about everything it buys with our tax dollars? Fearing the passing of the bill, the huge drug lobby ran total ly misleading and threatening ads claiming government “price fixing” will lead to less drug development. First, negotiating prices is not “fixing” prices. Second, most manufacturers invest just 20% of income on research and development. The top 14 largest manufacturers spent $57 billion of income more on stock buy backs and dividends than R&D. The bill also includes a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks.
PhysicianAddressedShortage
Finally, Lower Drug Prices.
“In the last 10 years, the rates of those events overall have declined, so hospitals are becoming safer, at least as measured by this metric,” Meter sky said.Theresearchers credit the improvement in part to programs undertaken by hospitals to reduce harmful events like medication errors and infections.
HealthcareinaMinute
Primary Care Upheaval
Uninsured Hits Low Record Thanks primarily to expanded Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, the US has achieved a record low of 8% uninsured or about 26.5 mil lion people without insurance. The continuation of ACA premium subsi dies for people making from 100% to 400% of poverty guidelines has been particularly instrumental in lowering the uninsured rate to 8%. Now, if we only had universal healthcare.
• Pneumonia (21%) had adverse events fall from 195 to 119 per 1,000 discharges.• Major surgical procedures (22%) experienced a decline from 204 to 130 adverse events per 1,000 discharges.
“There has been a precipitous, very important drop in the num ber of these events, which to me validates the idea that these were preventable,” said senior researcher Harlan Krumholz, a physician who serves as director of the Yale New Haven Hospital Center for Outcomes Research and Education in New Haven, Connecticut. “The status quo wasn’t written in stone. We have been able to actually make hospitals safer for those conditions.”
By George W. Chapman
But Wait… I t’s a victory, but don’t get too excited. After years of frustra tion, Congress has passed a bill allowing Medicare to use its massive purchasing power to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers. The drug lobby has managed to keep this bill from passing for decades, even though 85% of us sup port
Are Getting Safer for Patients, Study Finds
“There was a recognition that patients are being harmed in hospi tals, and we can’t determine if things are getting better without tracking them in a reliable, consistent way,” said co-researcher, physician Mark Metersky, a professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, in Farmington. The researchers analyzed the de-identified medical records of nearly 245,000 patients treated at more than 3,100 U.S. hospitals during the past decade, looking at a list of 21 potential harms that can befall a hospitalized person during their stay.
Just about every healthcare orga nization and association, including the AMA and AHA, has petitioned Congress to allow foreign medical students in the US to forego the visa requirement that they return home for two years before returning to the US toExpertspractice.are predicting a shortage of 45,000 physicians in just a few years.The Conrad 30 Waiver Program and Physician Access Reauthoriza tion Act would eliminate the twoyear visa wait if the student agrees to work in a designated physician manpower shortage area. This would be an immediate boon to rural and underserved communities.
Price Transparency As of July 1, 2022, all insurance companies and self-insured business es are required to post online what they paid for just about everything including physician services, hos pitals, surgery centers and skilled nursing facilities. This includes previ ously secretive negotiated rates. This is different from the law that requires hospitals to post their most common charges.
U
• Heart attacks (17% of hospital izations) had a reduction in adverse events from 218 to 139 per 1,000 discharges.• Heart failure (17%) had an ad verse event reduction from 168 to 116 per 1,000 discharges.
George W. Chapman is a healthcare busi ness consultant who works exclusively with physicians, hos pitals and consulting.com.atSyracuse.Consultingeratesorganizations.healthcareHeopGWChapmanbasedinEmailhimgwc@gwchapman
Nursing Homes Struggle
U.S. Hospitals
It seems like everyone has a horrific story about their or someone else’s experience in or with a skilled nursing facility (SNF). We all know bad news travels faster and further than good news. Some perspective is needed. There are currently about 15,000 SNFs in the U.S. More than 1,000 SNFs closed between 2015 and 2021 and another 400 will close this year. Most closed for financial reasons. There are 60 million people older than 65 (Medicare-eligible). This number is growing exponentially as baby boomers age. At any given time, there are about 1.3 million to 1.5 mil lion SNF residents. The average resident is 83 years old. About half of SNF residents die in six months with the average pass ing being in 14 months. Nursing homes are facing un precedented and dangerous staffing shortages, certainly exacerbated by the seemingly interminable pan demic. SNFs, like hospitals, are paid prospectively by CMS (Medicare and Medicaid.) In other words, payment rates are predetermined based on a patient’s acuity and need for thera py services. Higher acuity results in higherButreimbursement.prospectivepayment is based on budget neutrality. CMS budgets a fixed amount for SNFs every year. The theory (hope) is high er-than-average claims will be offset by lower-than-average claims which results in budget neutrality or breakeven. Of course, this never works as planned. The system basically encourages what critics call acuity creep. SNF costs and patient acuity
The number of Americans with out health insurance continues to drop, reaching 8% in 2022 — a record low. That leaves about 26 million peo ple living in America without health insurance.Theannouncement was made early in August by the U.S. Depart ment of Health and Human Services.
Those numbers may improve again after Congress passed the Democrats’ latest proposal, which would provide money for climate and health care, including extending federal subsidies for health insur ance.As part of their 725-page pack age, Democrats proposed spend ing $64 billion to extend those price breaks for three more years, the APBeforereported.lastyear’s decline, the rate of uninsured Americans was in double digits for decades, though it began dropping after the ACA was enacted in 2010. The ACA expanded Medicaid and offered health in surance to people who didn’t have health plans through their jobs.
About 2% of children in the United States are among those who remain“Weuninsured.knowthat access to qual ity, affordable health care is key to healthier lives, economic security and peace of mind,” HHS Secretary Xavi er Becerra said in a statement.
“Every American has the right to the peace of mind that comes with access to affordable, quality health care,” President Joe Biden said in a HHS statement, according to the As sociated Press. The significant decline began last year, helped by the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package approved by Biden and Congress. Federal subsidies for people buying private insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) helped more people afford coverage, driving the percent age of uninsured folks down to just under 9% in 2021. Also, premiums and out-of-pock et expenses were set at lower rates for new and returning customers.
Just 8% of Americans Lack Health Insurance, a Record Low
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 7 Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Steve Yablonski •Writers: Deborah J. Sergeant, Jim Miller, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Chris Motola, Melissa Stefanec, Eva Briggs (MD), Mary Beth Roach, Kimberly Blaker • Advertising: Amy Gagliano, Cassandra Lawson • Layout & Design: Kris Adams • Office Manager: Bernadette Driscoll A monthly newspaper published by Local News, Inc. 33,500 copies distributed throughout more than 1,000 high-traffic locations, including all Wegmans stores. In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2022 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 ONONDAGA, OSWEGO, CAYUGA & MADISON COUNTIES 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.
As summer transitions to fall, I welcome a respite from gardening. I’m ready to embrace the change of season, the crisp air and the savory scents of Septemberautumn.ismy favorite month of the year, and not just because it’s my birthday month (smile)! I love making my home warm and cozy in anticipation of chillier weather. And I’m already looking forward to cozy nights by my fire place with my rescue cat Little Merry and an historical novel on my lap. But each September also brings with it a cautionary memory. It was years ago on a Friday night around 10:15 pm. I returned home from a night out with friends and all was good — that was, until I walked through my front door. I could tell something was amiss the moment I stepped inside. Things were slightly out of place. The lid on one of my little decorative boxes was askew. A door was ajar. My dog was jumpy.Feeling uneasy, I poked my head into the living room and saw nothing unusual there. Whew! Then, I made my way upstairs and found some thing that took my breath away. My bedroom and spare room were completely torn apart: clothes and personal effects strewn every where, drawers yanked open and emptied in the middle of the rooms, closets ransacked. Even the lamp shades were crooked. It looked like a scene out of a scaryTrembling,movie! I called 911. A dis patcher told me to get out of the house immediately, cautioning that
If you are going out for the evening, do the following:
Page 8 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
If you are going away for an extended period of time, do the following:
• Again, make it look and sound as if you are still home with the help of automatic timers on lights and radios.•Give a spare key to a neighbor you trust, rather than hiding one outside your home or apartment. Let this same trusted neighbor know of your travel plans, itinerary and how to reach you.
To be extra cautious, ask your local police to keep an eye on your home.
• Consult a good locksmith to have high-quality deadbolts and oth er locking systems installed on your doors and windows.
Make long-term investments in home security:
• Stop mail and newspaper de livery. Better yet, have a neighbor or friend sign on for pick-up duty. Hav ing someone you trust making daily visits to your home when you’re not there offers added protection.
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www.tullyhill.com • Family Education • Outpatient • Intensive Outpatient • Evaluations • Detoxification • Inpatient Treatment • Professionals Program (315) 472-3171 www.ariseinc.org ARISE promotes the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the community by offering dozens of programs and services. ARISE Mental Health Clinic ‘It
Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone Live Alone & Thrive By Gwenn Voelckers
• In addition to your front and back porch lights, consider mo tion-detector lights outside your home or install a Ring-type system of video surveillance.
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• Make arrangements to have your grass mowed or snow shoveled depending on the time of year.
the waiting,toformyandleftmythat.thoughttive)!Holybemightburglarstillpresent.(expleIhadn’tofIgrabbedcellphone,thehouse,waitedinlockedcarthepolicearrive.WhileI called a friend and asked him to comeNeedlessover. to say, that experience was a wake-up call for me. Realizing I needed to pay closer attention to my safety and security at home, I talked with police, insurance con sultants, and other reliable safety advisers to put into practice multiple precautions to protect myself and my property.Ishare them with you here:
Creating a Safe Haven
By Gwenn Voelckers
• Make it look (and sound) as if you are still at home. Leave the TV on and use automatic timers on lights and •radios.Turn on interior and exterior lights. Light is your friend, and the enemy of those with misguided intensions.•Lock all doors and windows. You’d be amazed how many people don’t do this!
• Keep your purse, wallet, mon ey, jewelry and other valuables out of sight — at least out of view from a window.
• Eliminate hiding places outside your home. Cut back bushes and shrubs, especially those that hide windows.•Consider installing a security system, especially one with a loud alarm and flashing lights that will attract immediate attention. The door or lawn sign provided by your alarm company may help deter a break-in all byWhileitself.there are never any guar antees, using common sense and some simple precautions can reduce your risks of a break-in that could result in theft, property damage, or worse.Let’s face it, crime is a reality. Women and men who live alone need to take extra measures to protect themselves.Besafe, not sorry. Instead, be happy and content, knowing you have secured your home and well-be ing. 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 Route 80 Tully, NY 13159 696 6114 or ( 800)456 6114 was years ago on a Friday night around 10:15 pm. I returned home from a night out with friends and all was good — that was, until I walked through my front door.’
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 9 A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE | gethealthysjh.org © 2022 St. Joseph’s Health. © 2022 Trinity Health. All rights reserved. With expert clinicians and the latest technology, we’ll help your whole family get back on track.
Page 10 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 – Lisa Clemmons, RN, BSN, OCN “The ongoing relationships I am able to build with my patients at HOA are very special to me. Our patients and dedicated team members keep me coming back to work each day!” What’s so special aboutcancer care nursing? Shadow us & we’ll show you! Scan the code to learn why you’ll love joining the HOA nursing team! Registered Nurses, Nursing Assistants & Student Nurse Assistants Looking for a new opportunity? • Inclusive Culture • Supportive Work Environment • Generous Benefits • Incentive Programs SIGN-ON BONUS crouse.org/careers/RN
Nonprofits Urged to Apply for Excellus’ Health Equity Award Funding Deadline for award application is Sept. 15
C ORD B LOOD B ANK
For additional information and the online application, please vis it ty,www.excellusbcbs.com/communiscrolltotheHealthEquityAwards
When I was growing in my mommy’s belly, she made a powerful decision: that at my birth, she would donate blood left in the umbilical cord that had connected us for months.
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 11
Recognizing structural racism as a driving force of health inequities, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield invites nonprofit organi zations to apply for its Health Equity Awards.The awards help fund health and wellness programs that address racial and ethnic health disparities in Upstate New York. Deadline for the application is 11:59 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 15. “At Excellus BlueCross BlueSh ield, the health of our communities is at the center of everything we do. Together we can confront the crisis in health disparities, embrace and address long-standing gaps in care, and bridge health equity gaps in our underserved communities. That’s why we fund programs that improve access to care, advance specific health outcomes and support organizations in our community that share our mission,” said physician Gina Cuy ler, vice president health equity and clude clear, defined goals for reduc ing health disparities and improving health equity for people that face a higher burden of health inequities and social Organizationsdisadvantages.willbe required to specify how funding will measurably assist in improving racial and ethnic health equity outcomes. Health equi ty categories include:
The region’s only public cord blood center.
• Reducing health disparities in racial, ethnic, LGBTQ communities, people with disabilities, people living in rural or urban communities or other groups of people that may be at a higher health risk for: – Medical issues and conditions (chronic or acute) – Behavioral health or mental health conditions – Negative outcomes from the above, including death or suicide
Why? Because this precious cord blood contains cells that have the potential to save lives — many of themchildren — with cancers and 80 other diseases. I may be tiny, but my mom and I have shared our cord blood super powers. If you’re having a baby, become a life-saving hero, too.
UpstateCordBloodBank.com
EVERY BABY ISWITHBORNA SUPERPOWER Buffalo ~ Niagara ~ Rochester~ Syracuse (716) 463-2966 (585) 532-5558 (315) 530-1645 www.carepatrol.com
Practicing
– Avg. Annual Wage
• Regulations. New York has “a highly regulated practice environ ment with government and insurers interfering in the physician-patient partnership as we work together to get folks the best health outcomes possible,” he said. “For example, there are more than 20 unique phy sician medical practice mandates in the law, each of which carry the risk of severe civil penalties and license sanction for failure to document compliance.”
Page 12 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 By Eva Briggs, MDMy Turn
• Some antiquated mandates and regulations. These “remain on the books despite advances in medical knowledge. Business regulations and costs have made it nearly impossible for a new physician to start their own independent practice.”
indecades.YorkCentralpracticedwhoinNewforseveralShelivesMarcellus.
• High malpractice risk and insurance expenses. In New York, these are “far higher than any other state. Collectively, we pay twice the dollars but have only have half the population of California here in New York.” .
Eva Briggs is a retired medical doctor
Would you eat a credit card worth of plastic? No? Actu ally, the average person may be consuming 5 grams of microplas tic everyThat’sweek.the amount found in a creditThecard.plastics industry began in the 1950s. Now plastics are found in all manner of products. Of the 8.3 billion tons of plastic produced since then, almost 80% is now in landfills or contaminating the natural envi ronment. Much of that plastic breaks down into microparticles, 0.001 to 5 millimeters in size, or nano particles less that 0.001 millimeter in diameter. These microplastics are found in the water and soil, and many are eventu ally taken up by organisms feeding in the water or growing in the soil. This is a pathway for mi croplastics to make it into our food supply. They’ve been found deep in the ocean, in Antarctic ice, in shellfish, table salt, drinking water and beer. When hot liquid is placed in a plastic food container, it sheds microplastics. For example, if parents shake hot formula in a plastic baby bottle, their child might consume more than one million microplastic particles every day. Microplastics are even drifting in the air we breathe. Because microplastics can be detect ed in soil and sediments, where they will become incorporated in the rocks and fossils of the future, scientists have proposed naming the current era the plasticene.
• Merging health insurance com panies. These business mergers cause companies to monopolize their areas of the state and “limit needed care for patients with prior authorizations, deductibles, co-pays, narrow practi tioner networks and other hassles im pacting both physician and patient,” Sellers said. He added that providers must hire more staff just to process required paperwork for insurers.
What exactly is in those microplastics? A whole host of chem icals. Some derive from the plastic itself: reinforcing fillers, plasticizers to increase moldability, antioxidants and UV stabilizers to prevent dam age from sunlight and environmental stressors, lubricants, dyes, flame retardants and more. And some substances are absorbed from the surrounding environment. What is all this plastic doing to our health? That’s still a big unknown. It’s difficult to know because mi croplastics have so many different shapes, sizes and chemical composi tion. We do know that certain plastics are harmful, for example, BPA. This chemical enables plastic to survive high heat (as in a microwave) and to withstand high speed collisions. These properties are valuable for food packaging. But alas, BPA is a hormone disrupter. It increases the risk for obesity, heart disease, repro ductive disorders and breast cancer. It is not banned in food containers, but you can by BPA-free reusable water bottles.Phthalates are another group of potentially harmful substances used to enhance plasticity, flexibility and elasticity. They are colorless and odorless. But they also are endocrine disrupters that can interfere with hu man and animal reproduction or pos sibly cause cancer. Eight phthalate chemicals are banned in children’s toys and child-care items. However, they are still allowed in other vinyl plastic items and adult personal care items. Most worrisome are nanoplastic particles. They may be able to get inside of individual cells. Their tiny size makes them difficult to detect and measure.Human studies of the effect of most microplastics are lacking. We aren’t yet sure whether they harm via irritation, or via chemical effects on metabolism, or by accumulating in our tissues.Whatever the effects on human health may be, it will likely become worse over time as more plastics accumulate in our environment. But plastic pollution can be reduced by reusing items when feasible, switch ing to alternative materials and beefing up plastic recycling. Measures that you can take include avoiding single-use plastic water bottles. Drinking filtered tap water cuts the amount of ingested plastic particles in half compared to bottled water. Microwave your food in a ceramic container rather than plastic. Synthetic fibers release plastic nanoparticles when washed, so switch when possible to natural fibers such as wool, silk, cotton, and hemp. Avoid plastic packaging in food and other purchases when possible.
• Lower payments in Upstate. Sellers said this includes private and government payors. “The reim bursement from the state Medicaid program in New York is the fourth lowest in the USA as a percentage of federal Medicare payments,” Sellers said.•
Closing hospitals. The effect limits “physicians’ and patients’ access to timely and local care and is likely contributing to the increasing disparities in health status and out comes,” he said.
The report included: in New York (1=Best, 25=Avg.):•47th of Physicians (Adjusted for Cost of
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Personal finance site WalletHub recently released its annual report on “Best & Worst States for Doctors.” The report uses 19 key metrics to compare the states, includ ing average annual wage, number of hospitals per capita and the cost of liability insurance. New York ranked second toJosephlast. Sellers, president of the Medical Society of the State of New York, has practiced with the Bassett Medical Group in Cooper stown for the past three decades. A lifelong New Yorker, Sellers grew up in Buffalo and attended college in Rochester. Though he attended medical school in Washington, DC, he returned to New York to complete his internal medicine and pediatrics residencies in Albany. He believes that the physician shortage underscores many of the problems the state’s doctors face. “Family, patient and com munity ties have kept me here, but across the state we are facing short ages of physicians as baby boomer doctors retire and newly trained phy sicians choose to locate to practice in friendlier states,” Sellers said. “The result of the well-earned reputation as a difficult state in which to prac tice medicine is putting New York at a competitive disadvantage in competing for the next generation of physicians.”Helistsas issues in New York:
The Danger of Ingesting Plastics
Living) • 16th – Avg. Monthly Start ing Salary of Physicians (Adjusted for Cost of Living) • 50th – Hospitals per Capita • 28th – Projected % of Popu lation Aged 65 & Older by 2030 • 48th – Projected Physicians per Capita by 2028 • 51st – Malpractice Award Payout Amount per Capita • 50th – Annual Malpractice Liability Insurance Rate For the full report, and-worst-states-for-doctors/11376.https://wallethub.com/edu/best-visit:
• High taxes. “Taxes on income, property, purchases and anything else the government can think of to tax are much higher in New York than other states. When recruiting new physicians to join us in prac tice, we cannot compete with lower tax states.” While just one metric of quality of life, high taxes presents a financial challenge to newly minted doctors facing mountains of school loan debt.
New York: Second Worst Place for Doctors New York at ‘a competitive disadvantage in competing for the next generation of physicians’
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 13 Your health is as important as ever. ConnextCare is here to help! Say Hello to Healthy! ConnextCare offers highly qualified and accessible providers at several locations throughout Oswego County. Keep you and your family healthy, safe, and happy with convenient, compassionate and comprehensive care right in your neighborhood. • Over 70 dedicated healthcare providers across our network • Acute care treatment with same-day appointments • Services include family medicine, pediatrics, dental, psychiatry, chronic condition treatment, behavioral health, and more. Say hello to the ConnextCare Oswego and Fulton team. Call today. Oswego 10 George Street, Oswego, NY 13126 (315) 342-0880 Fulton 510 S. 4th Street, Ste. 300, Fulton, NY 13069 (315) 598-4790 Other Locations Pulaski, Mexico, Parish, Phoenix, Central Square Meet our Oswego and Fulton Providers Like us on Facebook! Beverly Aubin, FNP Family OswegoPractitionerNurse Alex Filipski, DO Family Oswego,PhysicianPracticeFulton Katie Beebe, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Oswego Joy Magsino,DoloricoMD Internal OswegoPhysicianMedicine Shannon Dwyer, FNP Family OswegoPractitionerNurse Scott VanGorder, DO Family OswegoPhysicianPractice Joseph Nimeh, MD OswegoPediatrician Melissa Noel, DDS FultonDentist Jess Overton, RDH Registered Dental FultonHygienist Melissa Parkhurst, LMSW Master Social Worker Oswego, Fulton Julie Hogle, LCSW-R Clinical Social Worker Oswego, Mexico, Pulaski Valerie Kyser, MD Family OswegoPhysicianPractice Lori Marshall, FNP Family FultonPractitionerNurse Farzana Chaudhary, MD Pediatrician Fulton Anne Filipski, MD Family FultonPhysicianPractice Marie Desravines, MD Family FultonPhysicianPractice Kourtney Darrow, NP Clinical Social Worker Fulton Michael Miller, MD Family FultonPhysicianPractice Linda Troia, PA-C, LCSW-R Physician Assistant, Psychiatry Phoenix, Fulton, Pulaski Patricia Bendura, DH Dental Hygienist Fulton Anna Gofman, DDS FultonDentist Diane Plumadore, NPP Oswego www.connextcare.org
he McMahon Ryan Child Ad vocacy Center is ramping up its counseling efforts, especially in terms of helping youth impacted by gun violence, with its new mobile unit.The center has long served On ondaga County, and its counselors see between 1,400 to 1,500 children every year who have been victims of child abuse, according to Colleen Merced, executive director of the center. That number jumps to 3,500, if one includes secondary victims — parents, guardians or siblings that come in with them — since they too can be affected by the trauma that the children experience, she added. This new 33-foot long Winneba go allows the center to provide ser vices to those who might not be able to get to the center on East Genesee Street.“We want to be able to go into the community,” she said. “There’s such a lack of services when it comes to mental health. We provide out reach education in the schools. We’d like to provide more in the commu nity.” Those staffing the unit will be specially focused on those young people impacted by gun violence. Merced said the center realized it had to better reach youth that have been affected by gun violence. “They’re traumatized. We want ed to be able to recognize that and be able to work with that population as well,” she Statisticsexplained.fromthe Syracuse Police Department underscore the need for such services. Locally, from January through June 1 of this year, there have been 10 juvenile victims of gun violence in the city of Syracuse. This compares to 19 in 2021. If this pace continues, the city could exceed that number this year. Syracuse Deputy Police Chief Richard Trudell sees three different populations of youth who are nega tively impacted by the gun violence in the city — the suspects arrested, the direct victims and the youth that are indirect victims. “In my mind, the largest popu lation, are the juveniles that are the indirect victims of gun violence who have strong connections to friends or family members that have been shot or arrested for gun violence,” Trudell said. “The school friend of the 13-year-old who is shot or the son or daughter of the adult homicide or shooting victim. This population is subject to significant trauma and is in need of attention from the communi ty and programs.”
REACH
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This new 33-foot long Winnebago allows The McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center to provide services to those who might not be able to get to the center on East Genesee Street in Syracuse. Those staffing the unit will be specially focused on those young people impacted by gun violence.
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Page 14 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
New Mobile Unit to Address Gun Violence Trauma Among Youth New outreach effort by The McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center
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To better reach those young people, the center has tapped a key resource, Timothy Jennings-Bey, the CEO of the Street Addiction Insti tute Inc., and one of the founders of the trauma response team, estab lished about 12 years ago. The TRT responds to gang-related neighbor hood homicides in Syracuse and its members are dispatched to the scene to assist with any crowds that might gather, help at local hospital’s emer gency rooms and provide support to the families. Because many of the members of the TRT have grown up in some of the areas in the city that sees the most turmoil and because they are familiar with the residents, they will have often have a better connection.Overthe years, Jennings-Bey has been able to create a “relation ship when it comes to gun violence between gangs in different neighbor hoods. He has the expertise and the knowledge,” Merced said. And, he will certainly bring that expertise and perspective to this new initiative.“Wehave to do something about these young people being exposed to this level of violence. In that dynamic, it can change the trajecto ry of your family for at least three generations. The mobile unit gives us the opportunity to put more boots on the ground to promote healthy lifestyles,” Jennings-Bey said. If an incident occurs in a neigh borhood, the mobile unit can get to the location, and staff can have, what Jennings-Bey called, “that real-time conversation on the ground. I think that’s what’s missing. I think we sell our citizens short by not giving them the opportunity to articulate the experience that they live day in and day Oftenout.” people cannot fully com prehend the pain these young people are in.“We don’t realize all the trauma that they’ve endured and how it af fects their school day,” Merced said. The center staff would like to be able to offer services to the youth, but also help prepare school personnel as to the behaviors they might be seeing among their students and why they’re seeing them. They want to be able to not only offer these youth services throughout the day, but also provide school per sonnel with some insights as to what behaviors they might see students exhibit and Initially,why.thevan will be staffed with two counselors, but the longterm goal is to have a group of coun selors on a rotating basis to provide services. Merced emphasized that the van is not where kids can come and say what they’ve seen, but for pro viding services to the community.
The $250,000 van was made possible due to a grant through the U.S. Department of Justice and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. Merced said that 15 similar units were awarded to communities across the country about the same time the McMahon Ryan Center received its vehicle. “The McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center has long provided crucial services and education for our community and for our children. With the mental health fallout from the pandemic and record-breaking gun violence, these services are needed now more than ever,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “I thank the McMahon Ryan team for its deep commitment to providing relief to those experiencing trauma as a result of this nationwide crisis.”
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A: Our budget is about $23 million. Staff full-time varies, but we’re around 700 people, and if you include information and referrals in our client numbers, we serve about 5,000 people a year.
Q: How many employees and clients does ARISE have and how big is your budget?
A: ARISE has always been focused on delivering the highest quality service possible and really advancing the independent living philosophy. I think we’ve been large ly successful because more and more our society is recognizing the value that people with disabilities bring to our community, that they’re not a group that is “other.” It is a group with diverse talents and contribu tions that should be fully included in our society, whether it’s physical access or employment or education, or whatever the facet might be. I think we will continue to build on that success into the future. I’m really interested in the ways that ARISE is collaborating with other human service agencies in our community because working together we are stronger and we will we delivering better service to the whole communi ty. There’s a lot of inter-related need in our society and complex need in our society, and ARISE offers a broad array of services, but we don’t offer everything. We’d like to be able to partner as much as possible so that we fill gaps and no one falls through the cracks.Q:Are there are areas in our community where you’d like to see moreA:inclusion?Ithinkwhat comes to mind first is accessible housing. We have staff that help locate accessible housing for people that connect with us. In our country, in general, there’s a housing shortage. When you talk about accessible housing, that’s a need that’s even more critical, not just people with disabilities, but people who want to age in place so that’s a really critical need in our community.Q:What is your most favorite part of the job? A: My most favorite part of the job is that I get to see first-hand the positive impact of ARISE. My daughter has a disability, and she has received services from ARISE for almost her entire life and I can attest, first-hand, about the high quality and the impact it has had on her life. And that’s just multiplied across thou sands of lives.
A: One of our largest programs is our mental health clinic and that involves our main clinic at 635 James St., as well as a number of satellite clinics in Fulton, in many of the Syra cuse city schools, in other area school districts in Onondaga and Oswego counties.Another really important pro gram involves our services for people with developmental disabilities. Those programs are all based in the community and are geared around helping folks with a developmental disability to learn more independent skills or support them in an em ployment setting. We’re well known for our advocacy, and that’s part of the independent living better. We have education advocates that help families and students navigate the complex special ed system. We also advocate for individuals in terms of them accessing supports and services for which they might be entitled from the government, and we do systems advocacy, or we might advocate for accessibility in a public building so that everyone can use it, advocate for better bus service, which would ben efit not just people with disabilities, but the broader community. We have a whole category of programs that we call our gateway programs, which many people know ARISE for. That includes ARISE at the Farm, ARISE and Ski, our adaptive design program, our ramp program. They act as a gateway to introduce folks to all of the support that ARISE has to offer.
Jennifer Kohler MS, their client and bring them to their counseling space and observe them in settings, like the cafeteria. It allows for better scheduling for the kids so that they don’t lose time in school and it’s a more natural setting.
A: ARISE was one of the pioneers in terms of accepting assignments in the schools and this has been a successful model that has increased. COVID-19 and the stress that kids in particular were under because of COVID-19, just made it more ap parent that it makes a lot of sense to have a trained mental health profes sional in the school setting because that’s where the kids are. It’s easier for them to access the services. It removes barriers, like transportation, because the clinician can literally just walk down the hall, connect with
Q: Why has there been that need?
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 15 Q & A
A: ARISE is an independent living center and that’s a very special designation. We’re the only indepen dent living center for the counties of Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cayu ga and Seneca. What that basically means is that we serve people of any age and any disability, and all of our services are based in the community and centered on making sure that we do everything we can so that people can thrive and succeed. We endorse the independent living philosophy, which means that the person with the disability is in charge. They express their goals, their dreams and our job is to get the services and supports to achieve those goals.
Q: Can you give our readers an overview of ARISE’s mission?
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Q: In the future, what would you like to see ARISE implement or take on?
Q: What are some of the pro grams and initiatives that ARISE offers its client base?
Nonprofit’s goal is to help people with disabilities thrive and succeed in the community, says ARISE’s chief executive officer
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Q: Have you, in the past couple of years, been able to introduce any new programs or projects or enhance what you already have? A: We’re always bringing new projects online. Most recently, we ex panded our summer programming at ARISE at the Farm from four weeks to the full summer of nine weeks. We increased the number of schools we were in over the last several years. So that has been an expansion that’s been organic in terms of our busi ness, but it’s related to COVID-19 in that officials are recognizing the increased need for mental health services in the community and in the schools, in particular. There has been specific funding to support expan sion of our mental health services in the schools. That’s true not just of ARISE, but of other providers that are in the schools.
1. The person feels “stuck” or hopeless, possibly evident in more negative speech, or themes of death in creative activities, such as art or poetry.2.The person is disconnected or withdrawn from others and possibly spending more time alone. Increased use of alcohol or drugs can be a sign of disconnection and a sign that the person is stressed and trying to self-medicate.3.Theperson has had a recent painful event, especially those having to do with losses such as the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, a recent break-up or permanent loss of func tioning from an injury. The pain does not have to be emotional but can also be physical from a chronic illness.
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4. A more imminent sign of impending suicide is giving away treasuredAnyonebelongings.whofeels a friend or loved one is in immediate danger should call 911 or transport the person to the emergency department. For others, it may be only a consider ation at this point, but nonetheless it needs to be addressed.
Page 16 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
Suicide Prevention Begins with Connections
Death rates have gone down but suicide is still a leading cause of death in the United States
Resources Anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide or who knows someone who is struggling should call 988 or 211 or if an emergency 911. For people between the ages of 14 and 40 years, contact Upstate’s Psychiatry High Risk Program at 315-464-3117 or the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI – Syracuse) at 315-487-2085. 800-858-8109
“In the moment, you think something like this could never hap pen to your loved one,” she said. Sixteen-year-old Stack loved making music. Leszczynski said he gave his favorite guitar to his best friend. He also said goodbye to people.“They thought he was kidding,” she recalled. “The stigma around mental health is real. You don’t have to be a doctor to make a difference. By simply being kind to someone, whether someone you love by get ting them to resources or opening a door for a stranger or compliment ing them. That little bit of sunshine could be all they need to be here for one more Feelingday.”alone in their pain cre ates a dark and dangerous mindset, according to physician Robert Grego ry, professor of psychiatry at Upstate Medical University and director of the Upstate psychiatry high risk program. “One way to think about suicide is that it stems from a sense of being stuck alone with overwhelming pain.”Gregory lists the following signs of suicide ideation:
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Jamie Leszczynski Omar Colon, MDRobert Gregory Sept. 10 is World Suicide Preven tion Day. Nearly 46,000 Ameri cans died by suicide in 2020 or about one death every 11 minutes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and AlthoughPrevention.ratesdeclined in 2019 and 2020, it is still a leading cause of death in the United States. The CDC states that about 12.2 million adults considered suicide, 3.2 million planned an attempt and 1.2 million attempted. In 2020, it was one of the top nine leading causes of death for those aged 10 to 64 and the second leading cause of death for those 10-14 and 25-34. Jamie Leszczynski, senior direc tor of communications for Oswego Health, lost her brother, Ryan Stack, to suicide 20 years ago.
“The single most important intervention is to ask your loved one about it, ‘Have you been struggling at all with thoughts of death or sui cide?’” Gregory said. Talking with people about sui cide will not cause them to attempt it. In fact, Gregory said that the opposite is true. Asking helps suffering people talk about their pain. “It’s hard to give blanket in structions because mental health is dynamic,” said Bryan Asher, licensed clinical social worker and suicide prevention program manager at Syracuse VA Medical Center. “Being supportive, checking in and when dealing with vets at risk for suicide, ask those questions directly. Be di rect, present and stay with them.” “We should try to ask what’s going on and get them help as soon as possible,” said physician Omar Colon, medical director of Oswego Behavioral Health Division at Oswe go Hospital.Somepeople may only need a little more emotional support from friends; others will need professional help.Distinguishing between the two can feel tricky. Most people who are not considering suicide would rather know their friends cared enough to notice they are down ask.
“If we notice a change, we should ask what’s going on,” Colon said. “If we don’t ask, people tend to do things.”Talking about suicide frank ly and without minimizing their concerns can represent the first step towards seeking professional help, whether making an appointment with a mental healthcare professional or emergency care, according to the people interviewed for this story.
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice salt & pepper to taste Walnut Taco Meat
2-3 cloves garlic
Helpful tips Since walnuts go rancid when exposed to warm tem peratures for long periods of time, it’s best to keep them cold. Store walnuts in their original packaging (or airtight container) in the fridge or freezer. If your walnuts smell like paint thin ner, they’re rancid and should be tossed. For best flavor, wait to shell, chop or grind walnuts until ready for use.
The skinny on healthy eatingBy Anne Palumbo Why You Should Go Nuts for Walnuts
3 cups roughly chopped white mushrooms
Walnut Mexican Tacos with Corn Adapted from walnuts.org Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1½ teaspoons chili powder
Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum nist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing avpalumbo@aol.com.touchSmartBites,andfordishes.calorie-consciousnutritious,SheishungryyourquestionscommentsaboutsobeinwithAnneat
½ cup low-fat sour cream
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
12 mini or 6 (6”) flour or corn tortillas
1½ tablespoons olive oil, for cooking Tacos
Eat more walnuts and you just may live That’slonger.themessage from a recent study at Harvard that explored the link between walnut consumption and longevity. According to Yanping Li, senior research scientist at Harvard, “What we’ve learned from this study is that even a few handfuls of walnuts per week may help promote longevity, especially among those whose diet quality isn’t great to begin with.”
First of all, walnuts do a heart good — in more ways than one. Along with “good” fats that may lower your LDL or “bad” cholester ol and triglyceride levels, walnuts contain more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than any other nut. These fatty acids, together with a walnut’s special form of vitamin E, may help prevent the buildup of plague in arteries, as well as lower blood pressure.Despite being high in calories, walnuts actually support weight control. Maintaining a iesNumerousacontributemaylaterpeciallyweight,healthyesinyears,alsotolongerlife.studshowthatnuts are not associated with weight gain and, in fact, may contribute to weight loss because they are so satiating.
1 teaspoon ground cumin
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 17
*Note: Toast raw walnuts in a 350 F oven for 8 minutes; let cool. HILL Hometown Pharmacy 2949 State Rte. 370, Cato, www.pinehillpharmacy.com315-626-3161NY
1 cup crumbled cheese, cotija or goat ½ cup fresh cilantro lime wedges
SmartBites
1½ tablespoons hot sauce of choice (I used Sriracha)
1½ cups toasted chopped walnuts*
There are several reasons why walnuts promote longer lives.
PINE
1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
“When people eat nuts, they tend to compensate by eating less during others times of the day and offsetting a good portion of the energy,” says Richard D. Mattes, professor of nutri tion science at Purdue University. Another way walnuts champi on longevity? They’re loaded with polyphenols, plant-based com pounds that may reduce the risk of certain cancers (breast, prostate and colorectal) by quelling inflammation and by blocking hormone receptors in the body. Results of a recent study, conducted at Marshall University, showed that eating two ounces of walnuts a day for about two weeks slowed breast cancer growth or reduced the risk of developing the disease. While more studies are needed to confirm walnuts’ affect on cancer, the data so far is promising.Ahandful of walnuts (about ¼ cup) has 190 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 4.5 grams of protein and 18 grams of (most ly) good fats. Low in choles terol and sodium, walnuts are rich in a variety of vita mins and minerals, especially copper and manganese. Stir together hot sauce ingredi ents. Refrigerate until serving. Mince garlic in large food proces sor, then add the roughly chopped mushrooms and gently pulse a few times until mushrooms are evenly chopped to the size of a popcorn kernel. Scrape contents into medium bowl.Place walnuts in processor and pulse in a similar fashion to mush rooms. Add walnuts to mushroom mixture, along with spices, soy sauce and lime juice, and gently combine. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a non-stick skillet. Add wal nut mixture and cook for 8-10 min utes, stirring until it releases some liquid and begins to turn dry and browned. Stop whenever the crumble texture suits you. Adjust seasonings. Spoon walnut taco meat over tortillas; top with corn, cheese, hot sauce, cilantro and lime wedges.
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1 cup corn, drained or fresh cooked
“Every day can be a different day for caregivers,” said Cathy James, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association Central New York Chapter in Syra cuse. “For many caregivers, that can be a challenge. ‘This strategy worked well yesterday; why isn’t it working for me today?’ You can do all the same things in the same way and it can be the perspective and how the patient is perceiving their environ ment that day.”
“If you can take care of yourself, you’ll be better and stronger to take care of your loved one,” said Susan Spina, licensed clinical social worker consults for Nascentia. “Self-care is very important. I can’t tell you how many folks do it on their own. They may have an elderly spouse. They never want to put them in a nurs ing home and they themselves are getting worn down. Sometimes, they really just don’t know where to turn and on occasion, the caregiver breaks down.”
The services at an adult daycare program can offer a regular place for people with dementia to enjoy engaging activities, socialize and get out of the house. Companion services at home can also bring some of these benefits and can include help with personal care. “It’s important for someone with dementia to feel they have a purpose and are contributing in some way,” Koenig said. “It can be hard to find activities. When you can do so, it’s so helpful, even if it’s, ‘Help me with the green beans’ or ‘Set the table’ or ‘Fold towels.’ Everyone wants to feel like they’re making a difference. That urge never Caregiversends.”need breaks, both reg ularly for short periods and occasion ally longer periods.
Some people with dementia can struggle sleeping at night, which can be difficult for caregivers. Alzheimer’s Association pro vides a 24/7 helpline, 800-272-3900, online information, support groups and educational programming.
“Citicoline is part of every cell in our body and an important part of the neurotransmitter process,” said Erin Palma registered dietitian at Kelly’s Choice who provides consult ing at Natur-Tyme in Syracuse. “It helps increase the energy in the body and energy to the brain. It protects against foreign substances that can cause Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”
“A lot of times, we don’t focus on the caregiver but the person in need of assistance,” said Andrea MacDonald, registered nurse, clinical operations manager for Nascentia Health, which operates in Syracuse, Rome, Rochester, Buffalo and Albany. “Caregivers seldom call until they reach that crisis or point that they can’t do it any longer or their health is suffering.”Sheencourages caregivers to seek respite programs, whether a few scheduled in-home hours per week or as temporary stays at a long-term care facility, so they can run errands, engage in personal care or take a vacation. Families can also schedule care with a home health aide through Nascentia Health or other organiza tions. MacDonald also mentioned day programs, which gives patients a regular place to go for supervised care, activities and socialization. She also encourages families to enlist friends, neighbors and their church’s social circle who may want to help. MacDonald recommends the Nascentia booklet available at https://nascentiahealth.org (type “caregiver-booklet” in the search menu) for tips on preventing burn out.
In addition, maintaining a healthful weight, exercising regular ly, socializing and staying mentally engaged can also promote good health.
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
The organization’s resources can help caregivers find local resources, find answers to their challenges, connect with caregiver peers online or inperson for one-on-one or in support groups. Many caregivers become so busy with providing care that other relationships take a backseat. Some friends and family members become distant because they do not know how to respond to the caregiver’s role. “If you know someone who’s caregiving for a family member with Alzheimer’s, one of the best things is, ‘I’m going to the store; could I pick up some things?’ or ‘Could I stay with so-and-so if you want to get out?’ rather than, ‘Call me if you need help,’” James said. “The person isn’t likely to reach out.” She added that just a couple hours’ assistance or a few small er rands can make a big difference.
“Eat blueberries, turmeric, coffee, green tea and dark chocolate,” Ster ling added. All of these are rich in flavonoids that can promote brain health.
Page 18 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 Alzheimer’s
Anthocyanin is a flavonoid is known to reduce inflammation, reduce oxidative stress and protect against neurodegenerative disease. Broccoli is also full of anti-in flammatory compounds with similar effects.“It has fat soluble vitamins like K, which are generally hard to get in the diet,” Palma said. “It has a number of compounds that are anti-inflammatory. It’s one of the few vegetables that contain some protein in it.”Seasonings also add nutrients to the diet. Turmeric, a staple of curry and many other Indian dishes, is one of Palma’s go-to spices. “I try to include turmeric, which is anti-inflammatory, to help improve the memory of people who already have diagnosed Alzheimer’s,” she said.To support brain health, Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian, nutri tionist and educator with Carlson Laboratories in Canastota, encourag es consuming as part of a balanced diet fatty fish, such as mackerel, herring and salmon, as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts and seeds are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, along with flaxseeds and chia seeds.
Providing Memory Care at Home: Always an Overwhelming Job By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Sooner or later people with Alz heimer’s or another dementia will require support to live at home safely. “I don’t think most people know what they’re getting into,” said Mary Koenig, administrator at The Heri tage Memory Life Community. “They start out at home. It becomes a 24/7 job. That’s what people don’t realize. You can’t leave that person alone at all.”She added that 60% of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will eventually wander. But many people in the early stages will need help with activities of daily living. Most have difficulty in communicating and challenging behaviors such as paranoia, aggression and hallucina tions.“You have to dementia-proof your home,” Koenig said. “There are a lot of supports available in the community. What we usually see is people start at home, maybe use adult daycare or bring in compan ion services. Ultimately, they seek assisted living or memory care when it becomes too much.”
Citicoline: A Possible Alzheimer’s Treatment
Afew small studies have found that supplementation with citicoline, a choline derivative, may be useful to limit neurologic damage in stroke patients. Citicoline occurs naturally in the body as part of cell membranes. Because no randomized control trials have been conducted, it remains un clear whether citicoline could be used in the treatment of dementias.
Since an RDA has not been es tablished for citicoline, Palma added that the therapeutic range is 250 mg. to 1,000 mg. twice daily. Citicoline rich foods include organ meats, seafood, wheat germ, eggs, chicken, salmon, shrimp, oysters and roasted soybeans.Ashelpful as citicoline may be, it is also used as an ingredient in some energy drinks. Palma is not a fan, as these drinks are typically loaded with sugar, caffeine and numerous additives.“Some of the marketing of energy drinks has been such that it’s skewing people’s understanding of enhancing cognitive performance through a sugary beverage,” Palma said. “That’s a really big problem, es pecially among younger people that have digestive issues resulting from theseFordrinks.”generally supporting brain health, “think of things that offer quality fats, like olive oil, flax, chia seeds, walnuts,” Palma said. Limit consumption of fat that is solid at room temperature such as butter and lard. “Eat dark, leafy greens,” Palma added, “and anything in the carot enoid family like carrots and sweet potatoes. Blueberries have great levels of anthocyanin.”
Koenig lost her father to Alz heimer’s two years ago. He enjoyed playing and watching golf. Eventu ally he could no longer follow what was happening to enjoy viewing golf. “It was very difficult spending time with him as he couldn’t real ly communicate and make much sense,” Koenig said. “It can be very trying. We’d listen to music or I’d read him a story but it’s hard because people don’t always like to do what they did before.”
“There are places like Heritage for when they need respite so they can go on vacation or have a break,” Koenig said. “It’s a temporary stay. It helps keep their loved one at home if they can take a break.”
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 19 In-Person Place: Ramada by Wyndam 441 Electronics Parkway, Lipverpool,NY Time: 8:30 AM -2:30 PM Date: Friday September 30, 2022 Registration Required Registration Open August 15th -September23rd Register here: https://empowerparkinson.org Joanne SpotoDecker • Commissioner Executive Director Onondaga County Office of the Aging Dr. Dragos Mihaila • What is on the horizon • Newest meds • Changes in DBS • Clinical trials Dr. Fahed Saada • Managing PD Symptoms • Incontinence, constipation, and treatments Kelly Ulen, PharmD • Utilizing your pharmacist • Best way to take meds • How to evaluate meds • Meds when you are in the hospital Abigail Lyon PsyD • Psychiatric complications of PD--anxiety, depression, apathy & hallucinations Jill Weldum, LMFT • When Parkinson’s Disease Comes to Dinner… and stays Exhibitor ResourceGallery Place: Ramada by Wyndham 441 Electronics Parkway, Liverpool, NY
Alzheimer’s
Annie Andresen: The Younger Face of Alzheimer’s
Annie Andresen, a 65-year-old resident of Port Charlotte in Florida, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s this past winter. “When I heard [the doctor] say that, my heart just stopped,” she said. “I couldn’t breathe.”
Disease
Page 20 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
By Barbara Pierce
Last August, if you went into the VFW bar in Port Charlotte, Flor ida, on a hot night, you might have seen a tall attractive woman sitting at the bar, those around her laughing at something she’d said. Annie Andresen was the center of attention — talking and laughing, maybe dancing with joy. This August, just a year later, instead of enjoying that life, 65-yearold Andresen spent the hot summer nights in her apartment in an assist ed living facility in Port Charlotte, watching “Law and Order” episodes with her Jack Russell terrier, Missy, cuddled up next to her. During the winter, she’d been di agnosed with Alzheimer’s. A friend moved her into assisted living, where I met her. I lead groups at the facility, groups designed to help residents connect with each other and to slow the progression of the dementia which most Andresenhave.came tentatively into the activity room her first day. I thought she was a staff member, as she appeared much younger and more vibrant looking than a resident. Most are in their 80s and 90s, shuf fling along, pushing a walker. “Don’t tell me your names. I won’t remember them! I have de mentia!” she said. “And I for sure don’t want to be here!” she added as she stomped out of theAgeroom.isthe biggest risk factor for dementia, but younger people do develop it. It’s called early-onset Alzheimer’s. It’s uncommon, but is becoming more common. Experts haven’t figured out why. Andresen caught my interest. Not only was she young, I admired the way she boldly announced she had dementia. To me, that’s a good way of dealing with it. I’d never heard anyone acknowledge they had it. Most residents try hard to hide it, or, for whatever reason, don’t openly acknowledge they have it. “I’ve never been good at remembering names,” they might say. Or, “I can’t get interested in reading these days,” or “Card games, they’re not for me.”
“I can’t get motivated to sew like I used to. Thank God for Missy; she keeps me company. I used to love to read. I can’t get interested in books now,” she added. As dementia progresses, victims gradually loose their ability to under stand the plot of a book, or TV show; games become too complex. One’s life becomes more and more limited. The thing Andresen finds most difficult about her life now: “My life is controlled by others. I don’t like being controlled. Who does?” She’s become content with where she lives. “Most of the caregivers are really nice and I like the other residents,” she said.When I asked her about happy memories, she replied: “I don’t want to think about memories because they make me cry.” But she goes on to tell me about her husband and how happy they were for many years, until his death. Andresen, a basically happy person, is coping with her dementia. Coping by getting through, hour by hour, trying hard not to think about how her life has gone so off track. She finds joy in the moments. In sitting in the sun with her dog; in her giant cup of coffee in the morning; in laughing with others. We all could benefit from the wisdom of behaving more like that.
Toward the end of the pandem ic, a close friend became concerned about Andresen. When she dropped by her house, she noted bills stacked up in piles, unpaid for months. There wasn’t much food in the refrigerator. Andresen mentioned loaning a large amount of money to her brother, none of which he paid back. And she often forgot the plans they made to get together.Whenthe friend confronted her, Andresen admitted she did have concerns that her memory wasn’t so good. For some time, she’d been increasingly troubled about it. Her grandmother had had dementia—she feared becoming like her grand mother.The friend took her to see a psychiatrist who diagnosed her with Alzheimer’s.“WhenI heard him say that, my heart just stopped,” she said. “I couldn’t breathe. In my mind, I saw the wreck my grandma became. Would that be me?” Tears poured down as she spoke of being the caregiver for her grand ma. As a child, she slept in the same bed with Grandma, to keep her from wandering during the night. In the morning, she got her up, dressed her and fed her before heading to school. “I didn’t have much of a child hood,” she said. “And now I’m going to be just like her! That’s not the life I planned!”Andresen’s biggest fear: “I hope I die before I have to go to memory care. I don’t want to live like that.” The memory care unit cares for those in the last stage of dementia, those who need round-the-clock supervision.Inassisted living, Andresen lives in her own apartment, is free to come and go around the building, or offsite with others. She eats meals with other residents. Many activities are available, but she chooses not to go to any.Staff doles out her medication. She mostly hangs out on one of the benches in front of the building, sitting in the sun, talking to whomev er comes by. These are her moments of joy.Her biggest challenge: “I have to keep busy, and there’s not much to do. I’m not a card player or a bingo player,” she said. She doesn’t go to any activities the facility offers.
Despite having a devastating condition, Andresen seemed happy. She talked to everyone, laughing often. I’d heard the stories of how she met her husband, and the hurricanes she’d lived through in her home in Port Charlotte, Florida. I’d heard the stories over and over, described with her self-deprecating sense of humor. I laughed with her each time. Like most of us, I fear developing dementia. I was curious to know how Andresen seemed to be coping with it so well; how she seemed happy in the face of what she’s confronting. As I heard her story, I cried with her; it was heart-breakingly sad. Before the pandemic, Andresen had worked for as a property ap praiser for the county. “I specialized in condos,” she explained. “I went all over the county, measuring buildings, draw ing outlines of the buildings. I loved that job! Before that, I’d worked at a bank. I helped them develop their computer system. I also really en joyed tending bar in the evenings.”
It’s not just a nursing home. Options range from various types of inhome care and supports to agein-place and independent living communities with or without care supports. Independent living communities offer various amenities, making life easier and more enjoyable than one might have living on their own. These communities can offer the opportunity for couples with different care needs to reside together. Beyond independent living communities, the next level of care is in assisted living communities. These communities can offer various levels of care, memory care and enhanced care services. Assisted living communities come in many different styles: room style, studio and apartment styles with unique amenities and services to meet care needs.
• When a caregiver is overwhelmed and unable to continue providing all the care for the •senior;When memory impairments become a safety concern;
Your Partner in Senior Care Solutions
• When multiple falls are occurring.Don’t wait for a crisis situation. Reach the team at CarePatrol today to begin your no-cost senior living journey. find care and living options at no cost
The options are overwhelming Senior living is not one size fits all. Whether a senior is looking to age in place at home as long as possible, needs skilled medical care daily, needs memory care supports or just wants more amenities, there are a variety of options to fit the bill.
The expert team at CarePatrol has not let the pandemic get in the way of helping seniors find the best care and living options. CarePatrol provides a no-cost service for seniors and their families navigating the complexities of care transitions when more help is needed. CarePatrol helps explore in-home care, independent living, assisted living and memory care options available locally and nationally.
CarePatrol offers an in-depth care discovery process where they take a person-centered approach to understand the senior’s needs, desires, geographic preferences and budget. The CarePatrol team uses their decades of legal, healthcare, social work, life enrichment and senior living experience to identify a handful of curated options to meet their specific care and living needs. They walk families through the appropriate options and facilitating the option of choice. CarePatrol educates families regarding options for paying for care such as reviewing all of their available assets, exploring the availability of Veterans’ benefits, selling a home, reversing a mortgage, other government benefits and more. CarePatrol is able to connect families to a variety of elder care services to support every step of their journey. Now is the time CarePatrol can help at any time, day or night, weekday or weekend. Planning ahead for long-term care should be a priority for any senior. However, most families reach out when concerns or challenges arise:
Local business helps seniors
• When hospitalization occurs and it is no longer safe to go home;
September 2022 • – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 21
• When a senior ends up in subacute rehab and needs to have a safe discharge plan to go home or to a senior living community;
315-530-1645 • www.carepatrol.com • www.facebook.com/CarePatrolRochester
Navigating the options
CarePatrol of Rochester-Syracuse Meet Your Provider
Julie Whitbeck-Lewinski, OTD, OTR/L, CDCS, CFPS, is the owner-senior care consultant of CarePatrol of RochesterSyracuse.
By Julie Whitbeck-Lewinski
Begin the process from home by viewing our online informational video. Then consult with our bariatric team via telemedicine visits to start your journey. It’s time — and now easier than ever.
Start today at crouse.org/weightloss or call 315-470-8974 college on a presidential scholarship. After my freshman year, I couldn’t live off campus or stay in the dorms. I had to go home for the summer. I stayed in my father’s vacant house while he worked to sell it. I had one dinner plate, one glass, a dresser, a bed, a laptop and a cardboard box I used as a desk. I worked three jobs. I also had a boyfriend. I met him at college. He was six years older than me. He wasn’t particularly smart or impressive. He also wasn’t bad to me. He didn’t say or do mean things. He was fine. I kept up my birth control throughout the summer. Then, my period didn’t come on time. The days ticked by and I panicked. I called my boyfriend of almost a year to tell him I might be pregnant. He called back 30 minutes after that conversation and ended things with me. Turns out, he was despica ble. I might or might not have had an abortion.
Reason 3: Coping with pain After that guy, I pretty much had the same boyfriend for the rest of col lege. That poor soul suffered several great losses while we were dating. He was in a terrible place. He wasn’t coping with these losses in a healthy manner. I was in a slightly better place, but not by much. I wanted so badly to save him, but at that point it wasn’t clear that I could save myself. He finally ended things with me, but we were on and off again for a while. It was such an unhealthy cycle. I always took my birth control, but sometimes birth control fails. I might or might not have had an abortion.
By Melissa Stefanec MelissaStefanec@yahoo.com
Weight Loss Surgery
Crouse’s bariatric surgery program offers a dedicated team of physicians and providers, as well as psychological and nutritional counseling — all with the expertise to support you every step of the way.
Reason 2: Hidden traits My high school boyfriend and I didn’t tie the knot. I went to a state
Reason 4: My husband and I wanted children. After years of working on myself and improving my lot in life, I found myself married to a man I loved (and whom I still love). After quite a few years together, we decided we wanted to have children. How ever, we knew that conceiving and bringing life into this world wasn’t always easy. Sometimes, there were complications. Sometimes, couples were faced with impossible odds and impossibleConceptiondecisions.doesn’t always guar antee birth. Terrible things happen. I might or might not have had an abortion.
Reason 5: Then my husband and I didn’t want children As fate would have it, my hus band and I produced two beautiful children. We felt complete. This was the family we wanted. After years of dealing with endometriosis, I had a uterine ablation. These ablations greatly increase the chance of an ec topic pregnancy. So my husband had a vasectomy. However, vasectomies have a failure rate of one in 2,000. Thus, we weren’t perfectly infertile. I might or might not have had an abortion.Inclosing, there are so many rea sons women should have the right to choose parenthood. We need to listen to each others’ stories. Because, the truth is, abortion has improved the lives of so many people. It has been a strange kindness to women when they need it the most. Some of us wouldn’t still be around if we hadn’t had access to safe abortion
Parenting
It’s about more than just weight loss. It’s about reducing your risk for serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes — and regaining the stamina, mobility and confidence to take on every day.
Page 22 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
Maybe I Had One. Maybe I Didn’t.
As a woman and a parent, the last couple of months have been a dark time. I’ve felt hopeless, powerless, betrayed and infantilized.TheU.S. government told wom en they don’t have the right to choose when to become a parent. Now there is a fury inside me I can’t extinguish. Becoming a parent is the most beautiful and difficult thing I’ve ever done. When my husband and I decided to have kids, I knew I was as ready as I would ever be to bring life into this world. I had enough stabil ity, strength and self-love to support another life. I knew I was ready to be a goodHowever,mom. there were many times in my life where being forced to have a child would have destroyed me and that child’s wellbeing. I’ve been fertile for 27 years and those years have brought many hardships. I’m thankful that one of those hardships was not being forced into parenthood because I had sex. This month, I’m going to share all of the reasons I might have had an abortion during my life. Maybe I had one. Maybe I didn’t. The point is I became a parent on my own terms and am thankful for that with every ounce of my being. Reason 1: Poverty and love I grew up relatively poor. From a young age, I knew my only way out of poverty was to get a college education. I did all the right things in high school. I was on high honor roll. I was in practically every club. I played sports year-round. I had a part-time job. I was going to break the poverty cycle and go to college. But when I was in high school, I decided to have sex with some one whom I really loved (and who really loved me). We waited almost two years. I had been responsibly taking my birth control (thank you, Planned Parenthood). My boyfriend wore protection every single time. But we were both in foreign territory. We were hardly contraceptive pros. A pregnancy could have ruined all I’d worked for. I would have been trapped for having protected sex in a loving relationship. I might or might not have had an abortion.
Upstate’s Mammography
• Sept. 7: North Area Family YMCA, Liverpool • Sept. 9: Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse • Sept. 13: The Medicine Place, Phoenix•Sept. 16: Syracuse Community Connections, Syracuse • Sept. 22: Town of Webb Offices, Old •ForgeSept. 27: Cleveland Village Hall,•ClevelandSept.29:Sullivan Free Library, Chittenango•Sept.30: Kinney Drugs, Liver poolTo be eligible for a mammo gram on the van, women should be 40 years and older; not have had a mammogram in the past 12 months; and not be experiencing breast prob lems.The mobile mammography pro gram was started through New York State’s “Get Screened, No Excuses” Breast Cancer Initiative, and con tinues with the support of Upstate University Hospital. More than 2,000 women have been seen in the three years the van has offered screenings. The program aim is to get rid of obstacles to breast cancer screening for women in New York. The average rate for screening mammography in New York is 81%. The mammography van is equipped with a state-of-the art 3D digital mammogram system, private exam room, dressing rooms and a waitingBreastroom.cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, effecting one in 8 women. It’s also one of the most treatable cancers when detect ed early. Mammograms—X-rays of the breasts—are the most effective screening procedure for the early signs of breast cancer. For information, contact: Wendy Hunt at 315-492-3353. Call me to set up in-person or over the phone consultation and let me help you, at no cost!!
www.ballardassoc.com •
ballardassoc@gmail.comAARONBALLARD
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 23
Other Locations
President & Owner, Ballard & Associates, LLC.
Upstate University Hospi tal’s Mobile Mammography Program will be starting the month of September helping women from all over get screened for breast cancer by offering screening mam mograms at The Great New York State Fair. The Mammography Van will be set up between the NYS Fairgrounds’ gate 2 and gate 3 to do screenings from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 1 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept 2. The Mobile Mammography Program’s registered nurse will also be at the New York State Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 31st as part of Women’s Day. She will be in the Art & Home Center between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. with information on breast health and will be able to help wom en sign up for any available screen ing appointments.Toschedulean appointment for a mammogram, women should call 315-464-2588. Appointments can also be requested online at: www.upstate. edu/noxcuses. The screening is free to those without insurance who qual ify for the program. The program will continue offer ing screenings throughout the region, with additional public clinics in Sep tember at the following locations:
Happy with
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people smoke. A supportive envi ronment at home and work can also promote success.
Page 24 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Rizzo said that 80% of lung cancers are related to smoking. In addition to allowing carcinogens into the lungs and subsequently other tissues, smoking compromises blood flow, which adds greater risk for bad outcomes to people with many health conditions, including car diovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.
In addition to the increased risks for health issues that both genders experience, smoking also raises risks exclusive to men, including erectile dysfunction, impotence, lower sperm count and greater risk of recurrence and dying for those diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“Most have to try 10 to11 times before they’re successful,” Rizzo said. “They need a strong support group of family friends and counseling. They need support from those they live with. If your wife or husband smokes, it’s a great time for both of you to Thequit.”American Lung Associ ation’s Freedom from Smoking program has proven helpful for many people who want to quit. It “uses techniques based on pharma cological and psychological princi ples and methods designed to help tobacco users gain control over their behavior and break their addiction,” according to the website. “Because no single quit method is effective for all tobacco users, the program includes a comprehensive variety of evidence-based, proven-effective cessationKristentechniques.”Richardson, director of Community Engagement with CNY Regional Center for Tobacco Health Systems with St. Joseph’s Health, said that going it alone when seeking to quit is tough. “We know that quitting smoking or vaping is hard, but smokers can increase their chances of success with help,” Richardson said. She directs would-be quitters to the New York State Quitline (1-866-NYQUITS or 1-866-697-8487 or visit www.nysmokefree.com) for free, confidential coaching for people who smoke or use vaping devices. They can also receive free starter kits of replacement therapy if eligible “to help them break their dependence on smoking or vaping tobacco,” Rich ardson said.
Heart disease remains the lead ing cause of death in the US, fol lowed by cancer and in fourth place, stroke.Of American men aged 18 and older, 14.1% smoke cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Some studies I’ve run across show there may be differences relat ing to sex,” Rizzo said. Some theorize that overall, men may be affected by cigarette smok ing worse than women because they smoke more often, inhale deeper or smoke longer in duration than women.The psychology behind smoking matters when it comes to cessation. Although many women began smok ing to stay slim — smoking can de press appetite — or deal with stress, men tend to smoke for different, more complex reasons that are harder to shake. Embracing a healthful diet and exercise regimen can help con trol weight and engaging in self-care can help manage stress. Advertising campaigns for cigarette companies have made smoking appear rugged, manly and appealing to men; such as the long run of the Marlboro Man. The self-image of rebellion and independence hooked many men decades ago and made quitting more difficult. Smoking became part of their“It’spersonality.anaddiction, one of the strongest known of and rather than giving lip service to the fact that it’s a bad habit that will kill you, what will we offer can help you quit,” Rizzo said.He recommends checking into the seven FDA-approved cessation medications to support an effort to quit, along with counseling to address the psychological reasons
In addition, smoking “is a caus ative factor in not only lung diseases but cardiovascular diseases,” said Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. “It affects the circulatory system and contributes to heart attacks.”
Cardiovascular Group WE’VE DOUBLED OUR HEART TEAM Our united exper tise brings you advanced technology and streamlined care. As par t of the Upstate Hear t Institute, we provide connec tions to research and surgical care THE CARDIOVASCULAR GROUP OF SYRACUSE JOINED UPSTATE CARDIOLOGY FACULTY PHYSICIANS FROM TOP LEFT: Dana C Aiello, MD Larr y S Charlamb MD Mark J Charlamb, MD Christopher A Nardone, MD Matthew S O’Hern, MD Charles Perla, MD Theresa Waters, DO Andrew M Weinberg, DO UPSTATE PHYSICIANS FROM LEFT: Timothy D Ford, MD Rober t L Carhar t, Jr , MD Debanik Chaudhuri, MD Hani Kozman, MD Sakti Pada Mook herjee, MD Amy Tucker, MD Daniel Villarreal, MD O U R OF F I C E LO C AT I O N S 5112 WEST TAFT ROAD Liverpool • 315-701-2170 510 TOWNE DRIVE Fayetteville • 315-663-0500 90 PRESIDENTIAL PLAZA Syracuse • 315-464-9335 208 TOWNSHIP BLVD Camillus • 315-488-2372 102 WEST SENECA STREET Manlius • 315-464-9335 138 EAST GENESEE STREET Baldwinsville • 315-720-1305 Smoking Cessation Matters Even More for Men Men’s Health
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 25 SAVE CHECK-INTIME.ONLINE. DOCTOR, LAB AND MEDICAL IMAGING ON-SITE! URGENT CARE oswegohealth.org/urgent-care 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 Urgent Cares located in Fulton and Central Square are open daily, including weekends A nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association CARING FOR THE WHOLE YOU. BODY AND MIND. Now more than ever, your emotional wellbeing is key to overall health. Having meaningful connections with others is important for both physical and mental health. CONNECT Spend time with family and friends. Connections and support are important for your emotional health. EXERCISE You don’t have to pump iron or run a marathon. Short walks around the block throughout the day have big benefits. TRY SOMETHING NEW Find a new hobby or old one. Or sign up to volunteer somewhere. You’ll give your brain and mood a boost. Check out our podcast episode, “An Honest Conversation About Mental Health” in the Community Check-in. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
How to Help Someone with Alzheimer’s Disease Cope with Depression
As administrator and case manager at The Borer Memory Life Community, I see first hand the impact that daily activities and en vironments can have on a resident’s mentalHerehealth.area few ways to alleviate depression among those who are living with dementia:
Q. My spouse died recently and my neighbor said my children and I might be eligible for survivors benefits. Don’t I have to be retirement-age to receive benefits?
Q. Do Members of Congress have to pay into Social Security?
A. Yes, we do. You can find them at www.ssa.gov/pubs. Some of the publications available include “What You Can Do Online,” “Work ing While Disabled — How We Can Help,” “Apply Online for Social Security Benefits” and “Your Social Security Card and Number.” You can listen now at www.ssa.gov/pubs.
By Mary Wassel M E E
Q. I suspect that someone I know is col lecting Social Security disability bene fits when they shouldn’t be. What is the best way for me to report fraud? A. You can report fraud online at www.oig.ssa.gov/report or call the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271. Social Security has zero tolerance for fraud and uses many proven tactics to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Our Office of the Inspector General is relentless in its pursuit of people who conceal work activity while receiving disability benefits. We investigate and seek prosecution for people who receive benefits for a child or children who aren’t under their care, or who fail to notify Social Security of the death of a beneficiary and continue to receive and cash checks of the deceased. We also depend on you to help stop fraud.
A. Yes, they do. Members of Congress, the president and vice president, federal judges and most political appointees have paid taxes into the Social Security program since January 1984. They pay into the system just like everyone else, no matter how long they have been in office.
• Publications of interest, depend ing on the claim and current step in the process. Use your personal “my Social Se curity” account to instantly check the status of your application or appeal at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.Ifyouhavequestionsabout retirement, disability, Medicare, or survivor’s benefits, as well as Sup plemental Security Income, visit our webpage at www.ssa.gov/benefits.
A. No. As a survivor, you can receive benefits at any age if you are caring for a child who is receiving Social Security benefits and who is under age 16. Your children are eligi ble for survivors benefits through So cial Security up to age 19 if they are unmarried and attending elementary or secondary school full time. Keep in mind that you are still subject to the annual earnings limit if you are working. If you are not caring for mi nor children, you would need to wait until age 60 (age 50 if disabled) to collect survivors benefits. For more information about survivors benefits, read our publication Survivors Bene fits at www.ssa.gov/pubs.
• Stay Informed! Our blog is the place to be for Social Security news. We feature messages and information direct from our acting commissioner and other experts. When you sub scribe, you’ll get an email each time we post a new blog so you can stay informed. Visit blog.ssa.gov. Our online resources don’t end there. If you didn’t see what you need in the list above, visit us at www.ssa.gov/onlineservices. Please share these pages with your friends and •family.Servicing office location.
From Social Security Online Musts
the Social Security District Office The Social Security Office Q&A Three
• Calming Environment: To reduce frustration and depression, it can be helpful to create an environment to support the new needs of your loved one. Some simple but very impactful options include adding more natu ral light inside the home or creating garden areas where older adults can work with their hands or simply sit and enjoy the beauty of nature. At Loretto’s Borer Memory Life Com munity, we offer a welcoming neigh borhood concept and open spaces to give residents a sense of freedom in a safe environment and specialized decor to help them recognize their surroundings.• Social Interaction: Feeling isolat ed can be a contributing factor to de pression. Creating opportunities for your loved one to interact, whether through a communal activity such as gardening, an exercise class, or even a support group, can help to reduce theirAsloneliness.acaregiver, it is vital to take care of your own mental health and remember you don’t have to care for your loved one alone. Loretto’s resi dent-centric focus, stimulating envi ronments, and positive energy will enhance your loved one’s quality of life and optimize your time together.
It’s never been easier to do busi ness with us online. Often there is no need to call or visit an office. Here are three webpages that can make your life easier:
Q. I prefer reading by audio book. Does Social Security have audio publica tions?
• Pet Therapy: Visits from animals that are part of a pet therapy pro gram can be a perfect way for people to receive the mood-boosting benefits of pet companionship when they are unable to have their own pets fulltime. Spending time with an animal can be calming and reduce feelings of sadness and loneliness.
• Music Therapy: The right music can help reduce anxiety and agitation while supporting the ability for older adults with dementia to reminisce, whether they are able to recall spe cific memories or they simply enjoy a “feeling” that certain music cre ates. We incorporate music through activities such as live performers, sing-alongs, and music trivia at our memory life communities.
Mary Wassel is administrator and case manager at The Borer Memory Life lorettocny.orgofourandLifeLoretto’sLearnCommunity.moreaboutMemoryCommunitiestherestofcontinuumcareathttps://
T I N G Y O U W H E R E Y O U A R E To advertise with In Good Health CNY Healthcare Newspaper, call 315-342-1182
Page 26 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 Ask
• Create Your Personal my Social Security Account. Did you know you already have access to much of your Social Security information? All you need to do is create or sign in to your personal my Social Security account. You can verify your earnings, get future benefit estimates, instantly get a benefit verification letter, and more, with your own personal my Social Security account, at www.ssa.gov/ myaccount.• File for Your Retirement Online. Planning for retirement? Or looking to retire now? You can complete and submit your online application for retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes at www.ssa.gov/retirement.
September is World Alzheimer’s Month. More than 6 million Americans are living with Alz heimer’s disease, a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior.Didyou know it can affect mental health, too? According to the Alzheimer’s Association, up to 40% of people with Alzheimer’s disease have “significant depression.” Fortunately, there are ways to help enhance their quality of life and improve these symptoms.
• Scheduled hearing date and time, if applicable.
By Jim Miller
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.
— Penny Pincher Dear Penny, For many seniors, like yourself, who only want a simple basic cell phone for emergency purposes and occasional calls, there are a number of super cheap plans available from small wireless providers you may have never heard of. Here are some of the best deals available right now.
Cheapest Basic Plans: For extremely light cell phone users, the cheapest wireless plan available is through US Mobile (USMobile.com), which has a “build your own plan” that starts at only $2 per month for 75 minutes of talk time. If you want text messaging capabilities, an extra $1.50/month will buy you 50 texts per month.
Cheap Basic Cell PinchingPlansPhoneforPennySeniors
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 27
I only need a simple cell phone (no data) for emergency calls when I’m away from home.
US Mobile runs on Verizon’s and T-Mobile’s networks and gives you the option to bring your existing phone (if compatible or unlocked) or purchase a new device, while keep ing your same phone number if you wish. If your flip phone is becoming obsolete, as you mentioned in your question, you’ll need to buy a new device, which you can do through US Mobile if you choose their plan. They offer the NUU F4L flip phone for $39 for new customers. Or you can purchase an unlocked phone through retail stores like Walmart or Best Buy or online. One of the best value flip phones right now is the (unlocked) Alcatel GO FLIP 4044 4G LTE, avail able at Amazon.com for $80.
Senior-Targeted Providers: In addition to these super cheap plans, there are several other wireless com panies that cater to older customers and offer low-cost basic plans and simple flip phones. One of the least expensive is through TracFone (Trac fone.com), which offers a 60-minute talk, text and web plan for $20 that lasts for 90 days. That averages out to $6.66 per Threemonth.otherproviders that are popular among seniors are Snapfon (Snapfon.com), which offers a 100 minutes and unlimited texting plan for $10. Consumer Cellular (Con sumerCellular.com), which provides an unlimited talk plan for $15 per month. They also give 5% discounts to AARP members. And Lively (Live ly.com), maker of the popular Jitter bug Flip2 senior-friendly flip phone. Their cheapest monthly plan is 300 minutes of talk and text for $15.
Subsidized Plans: You also need to know that if you’re on a govern ment program such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income or food stamps/SNAP, or, if your annu al household income is at or below 135 percent of the federal poverty guidelines – $18,347 for one person, or $24,719 for two – you might also qualify for free or subsidized wireless plans from various carriers via the federal Lifeline program. To find out if you’re eligibility or to apply, visit LifelineSupport.org.
September 15, 2022 9:00am 1:00pm CNY Regional Market E Shed 2100 Park St., Syracuse JOIN US! CNY Senior Housing & Care Expo Enjoy the music and food while you plan your next adventure in living, discover how to stay in your home as long as possible, or find programs and information you didn’t even know you wanted. Easy free parking, door prizes, and giveaways...Brought to you by: Your Medicare Specialist and Independent Agent Ser ving New York State’s Medicare eligible population since 2008! Why Call a 1-800 number when you can get personalized ser vice with face-to-face consultation & Enrollment. Theresa Cangemi, CSA, CLTC Medicare Made Simple, LLC 3 years October 2021 Your Medicare Specialist and Independent Agent Ser ving New York State’s Medicare eligible population since 2008! Why Call a 1-800 number when you can get personalized ser vice with face-to-face consultation & Enrollment. Medicare Advantage • Medicare Supplement • Prescription Drug Plans Long Term Care (CLTC) • Life Insurance • Final Expense (Burial) • Dental Plans Travel Insurance Coverage www MyMedicareMadeSimple com “Commissions Paid by the Carriers, Not Fee Based” DO YOU HAVE PROPER MEDICARE COVERAGE? FIND OUT Theresa Cangemi, CSA, CLTC 315-727-4933 • tcangemi@MyMedicareMadeSimple.com www.MyMedicareMadeSimple.com “Celebrating 14 years in October 2022!” Inviting one bedroom apartments close to essential services and stores, as well as emergency and health services for Seniors (over 62) or receiving SS with a permanent mobility impairment within income guidelines Inviting one bedroom apartments close to essential services and stores, as well as emergency and health services for Seniors (over 62) or receiving SS with a permanent mobility impairment within income guidelines Stoneleigh Apartments 400 Lamb Ave, Canastota • 697-2847 Where your neighbors are like family! Stoneleigh Apartments 400 Lamb Ave, Canastota • 697-2847
Dear Savvy Senior, A few months ago, I read a column you wrote on extremely cheap smartphone plans for bud get-conscious seniors. Can you do a similar column for those of us who still use basic flip phones? My old 3G flip phone is about to become obsolete, so I’m looking for the cheapest possible replacement.
Both Ultra Mobile PayGo and Tello also run on T-Mobile’s network and will let you use your existing phone (if compatible or unlocked) or buy a new one.
Some other super cheap wireless plans worth a look are Ultra Mo bile’s “PayGo” plan (UltraMobile. com/PayGo), which provides 100 talk minutes, 100 texts for only $3 per month. And Tello’s (Tello.com) “build your own plan” that starts at $5 per month for 100 talk minutes and unlimited texting.
Page 28 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 Health News
“Yuri has extensive experience and years of service at St. Joseph’s Health,” said Meredith Price, senior vice president of acute operations at St. Joseph’s Health. “During those years, he advanced in the scope of his responsibilities. His relationships with physicians, staff and patients have made him a very effective lead er. Over the past few years, Yuri has been involved in several leadership development processes to prepare him for this role. We are absolutely confident he will succeed well into the future.”Inaddition to nursing, Pashchuk is experienced in disaster medical assistance and emergency prepared ness. He earned his master’s degree in nursing from Liberty University, his bachelor’s from Keuka College, and his associtate’s degree from the St. Joseph’s College of Nursing. Pashchuk is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, American Organization for Nursing Leadership and several committees at St. Joseph’s Health. In the community, he is an active member at Northside Church and is passionate about his involvement with UMANA, supporting Ukrainian medical relief during war time. He raised more than $10,000 and more than $250,000 in medical supplies for Ukraine.Pashchuk and his wife, Sarah, who is also a nurse at St. Joseph’s Health, have two boys and reside in Baldwinsville.
St. Joseph’s Health recently appointed Yuri Pashchuk as its new chief nursing officer (CNO). He has been with St. Joseph’s Health for nearly 20 years and has a wealth of experience as a flight nurse, out reach specialist, nurse manager and, most recently, clinical director. Pashchuk started his career at St. Joseph’s Health in 2002 as a student tech in the emergency room. By 2006, he had become a registered nurse in the critical care and ER setting.
The pilot includes 88 cancer care sites and nearly 500 oncologists from 12 participating practice groups and health systems in a variety of set tings. HOA’s three locations are part of the pilot program.
Pete MaryCullinanAnnDrumm
St. Joseph’s names new chief nursing officer
The Oswego Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the health system, has recently announced changes to leadership within its board of directors. • Pete Cullinan has been ap pointed as board chairman. A lifelong native of Oswego, he recently retired from Exelon. Before his retirement at the end of 2021, he worked in the emergency plan ning field with a focus on nuclear plant planningemergencysince 1990, first with Oswego County and most recently with Exelon at the James A. FitzPat rick Nuclear Power Plant. Cullinan is a 1988 graduate of the SUNY Col lege of Environmental Science and Forestry with a Bachelor of Science in forest biology. In addition to Os wego Health, he has been involved with the American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, Operation Oswego County, and the town of Minetto zoning board of appeals. In addition to serving as chairman of the Oswego Health Foundation board, Cullinan also serves as secre tary of the Oswego Health board of directors.
Lab Alliance names director of laboratory operations Laboratory Alliance of Central New York has named Jodi Lippke as director of laboratory operations. She returns to Laboratory Alliance with more than 10 years of experience in clinical laboratory testing and leadership. Lippke super vised Laboratory Alliance’s central receiving department at the opera tions center from 2013 to 2018. Most recently she was manager of labora tory and pathology medicine services at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. She brings significant pointof-care programsupervisedexperience,testinghavingthePOCatUpstate Medical Center. Lippke earned her Bachelor of Science in medical technology from SUNY Upstate Med ical University in 2010. Lippke will replace Maria Dillon, who plans to retire later this year after nearly 25 Laboratoryyears.Alliance, established in 1998, provides all inpatient and outpatient clinical and anatomic pathology testing for Crouse Hospi tal and St. Joseph’s Health and for regional hospitals, long-term care facilities and healthcare practices in a 16-county region in Central New York.
“I have been blessed to see the way in which my family was wel comed by our community when we immigrated from Ukraine in 1989,” said Pashchuk. “I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as the chief nursing officer at St. Josephs Health. It will allow me to give back to our community and an organization that I call my second family. I look forward to building on the 150-year legacy of those who came before me and help lead us into an exciting new future.”AsCNO, Pashchuk will provide clinical and administrative leader ship for planning, organizing, direct ing, monitoring, and evaluating safe high-quality patient care to advance the mission of St. Joseph’s Health. He is responsible for the nursing work force, quality outcomes, regulatory compliance, several allied health departments, organizational projects, and strategic initiatives.
“We are dedicated to provid ing the highest quality cancer care through this prestigious certifica tion,” said Chief Clinical Officer Jennifer Pichoske. “We will con tinue to succeed in a value-based, high-quality system delivering evidenced–based care which trans lates to a stronger foundation for providing cancer care in the CNY community. Patient-centered care is at the heart of our goal to offer the highest level, state-of-the-art technol ogy and treatments, while meeting the emotional needs of our patients and their families.”
• Mary Ann Drumm will serve as vice chairwoman. She is the chief executive officer for CRA Medical Imaging. Since 2002, CRA has been responsible for overseeing the ra diology services at the hospitals they service, including Oswego Hospital, Crouse Hospital, along with inter ventional services at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Syracuse. Drumm is involved in multiple community organizations including the Susan G. Komen Foundation, CNY Chapter of Medical Assistants, Medical Group Management Association, as well as the Radiology Business Manager Association. She holds credentials for radiology certified coder with American Health Information Man agement Group, as well as credentials for certified coding specialist, cian-based,physiand certified ICD 10 trainer. As a cancer survivor, Drumm is a mentor for Cancer Connects and a strong advo cate for the Ronald McDonald House and Samaritan Center of Central New York.
Auburn recognizedCommunityforstroke care Auburn Community Hospital ha s received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines–Stroke Quality Achieve ment Award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment accord ing to nationally recognized, re search-based guidelines.
Oswego leadershipannouncesfoundationnewboard
Hematolgy Oncology Associates achieves certification through ASCO Hematology-Oncology Asso ciates of CNY (HOA) has achieved certification through the Association for Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) Pa tient-Centered Cancer Care Certifi cation pilot based on its adherence to oncology medical home standards, which are a single set of comprehen sive, expert-backed standards for patient-centered care delivery. HOA is among just nine oncology group practices in the United States achiev ing this designation by meeting rigor ous, expert-backed oncology medical homePublishedstandards.by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Community Oncology Alliance, these standards focus on seven different domains of cancer care: • patient engagement; • availability and access to care; • evidence-based medicine; • equitable and comprehensive team-based care; • quality improvement; • goals of care, palliative and end-of-life care discussions; • and chemotherapy safety.
Yuri Pashchuk
Auburn Community Hospital earned the award by meeting spe cific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most upto-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for strokeBeforepatients.discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health; get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care tran sition“Ourinterventions.hospitaland the team of heath care professionals is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Stroke initia tive,” said physician Michael Wilson, chief medical officer. “The tools and resources provided help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient out comes.”“Auburn Community Hospital provides our community with the highest level of quality care with a commitment to making sure patients get the proper diagnosis and treat ment in a timely fashion. This stroke
Jodi Lippke
Beth Bivens promoted at Oswego Health Oswego Health announced the promotion of registered nurse Beth Bivens, to director of community health.Bivens started her career in healthcare working as a certified nursing assistant while attending nursing school at Cayuga Communi ty College, graduating in 2006 with an associate’s degree in nursing. She went on to pursue her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Le Moyne College, graduating in 2009.That same year she joined the team at Oswego Health as an RN in the medical surgi cal unit transitioningbeforeto occupational health in 2012. Bivens became the occupational health ser vices coordinator in 2018. In this new role as director of community health, Bivens will be responsible for the management of occupational health, health educa tion, employee health services and health education throughout the community.
Dentist Benjamin Fruce, left, has joined Advanced Dental Arts in Fulton, a practice owned by his father, Frank Fruce.
Sady
September 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 29 Health News
Dentist Benjamin Fruce has recently joined Advanced Dental Arts (ADA) in Fulton as a full-time dentist. The practice is owned by his father, dentist Frank J. Fruce. “I am extremely pleased to welcome my son, Ben, to our family practice,” Fruce said. “Patients are enjoying his friendly manner, youth ful energy and total focus on their care. His mom, Gabriela, also works at the practice and we both couldn’t be moreBenjaminproud.”Fruce, a Fulton native, earned his bachelor’s degree in biol ogy from LeMoyne College in 2017 and his DDS from the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in 2021. He completed a one-year general practice residency at Bellev ue Hospital in Manhattan, which encompassed all phases of dentistry, including cosmetic, endodontic, pe diatric, periodontal, oral surgery and implant dentistry. He has also completed the advanced implant program spon sored by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, (AAID), which encompasses all aspects of implant surgery, including implant resto rations and management of implant complications.Heisanassociate fellow with the AAID and a member of the Ameri can Dental Association and the NY State Fifth District Dental Society. He also enjoys being outdoors, hockey, cooking, and spending time with his family.Frank Fruce, a Fulton native with more than 25 years of experience in dentistry, received his doctorate from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. He is a mem ber of the Oswego County Dental Society, American Dental Associ ation and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He is also an attending dentist at St. Joseph’s Hos pital Health Center and volunteers at its dental clinic where he teaches and mentors first-year dentists in the residency program.
Clarissa Del BernardoLeandroRosarioAntonio
St. Joe’s named ‘Best Regional Hospital’ St. Joseph’s Health Hospital has been recognized as a Best Regional Hospital for 2022-23 by U.S. News & World Report for the eighth consec utive year. It was also ranked No. 1 in Syracuse and No. 17 in New York state.The annual best hospitals rank
Excellus named to ‘Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion’ Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has been named to the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion after receiving a top score of 100% on the 2022 Disabili ty Equality Index (DEI), a benchmarkingcomprehensivewithciationAmericanability:INsurveybenchmarkingnationalbyDisandtheAssoofPeopleDisabilities.TheDEIisatool that helps companies build a road map of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve dis ability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclu sion.”“Being named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for a second year reflects the dedica tion, passion, and work of so many throughout the health plan — guid ed by a commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. While we celebrate this designation, we recognize our work is never done and will continue to drive positive change for our employees, members, and the communities we live in and serve,” said Sady Alvarado-Fischer, corporate director of diversity, equity & inclusion for Excellus BCBS.
Fischer
ings and ratings, now in their 33rd year, are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive quality care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures. St. Joseph’s Health Hospital was also recognized as high performing in the following 12 procedures and conditions: babdominal aortic an eurysm repair, aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, heart attack, colon cancer surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary dis ease (COPD), pneumonia, diabetes, hip replacement, knee replacement and kidney disease
The DEI is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation’s largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the global busi ness disability inclusion network, to collectively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Hospitalists return to Oswego Health to provide local care BernardoLeandroPhysiciansAntonioand Maria Clarissa Del Rosario are returning to Os wego Health as incareinwhoarehospitalists.Hospitalistsphysiciansspecializemanagingtheofpatientsthehospital. The hospitalists at Oswego Hospital coordinate consultations, order tests and procedures, and personally pro vide a consistently high level of care throughout the hospital stay.
viding high-quality healthcare in this community, where I knew I’ll make an impact.”DelRosario previously worked for Oswego Hospital between 20142017. Since then, she has worked as a senior hospitalist at Newark Wayne Community Hospital and Geneva General Hospital. Rosario complet ed her fellowship in nephrology in 2010 at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Her internship and residency in internal medicine was completed in 2007 at Winthrop University Hospi tal; externship in internal medicine from Providence Hospital in 2003; post graduate Internship in 2002 from Far Eastern University Center in the Philippines, before earning her doctor of medicine, cum laude, in 2001 from Far Eastern University Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation Institute of Medicine.
Beth Bivens
award is recognition of the care our team provides on a daily basis,” said Scott Berlucchi, president and CEO, Auburn Community Hospital.
Son joins father’s dental practice in Fulton
Maria
Bernardo previously worked for Oswego Hospital between 2012-2017. He served as chief of the department of medicine in 2017. Since then, he has worked as a senior hospitalist at Newark Wayne Community Hospital and Geneva General Hospital. Bernardo earned his Doctor of Medicine, cum laude, in 2005 from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. He then com pleted his internship, residency and chief residency in internal medi cine at Good Samaritan Hospital of Maryland, an affiliate of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 2011. He subsequently did a fellowship in nephrology at Saint Louis University School of Medi cine in sivecent“The2012.reprogresgrowth of Oswego Heath influenced by new leadership is what inspired me to come back.” said forwardmuch“AndBernardo.Iamverylookingtopro
continuing
Living Like Loretta Starts with Loretto. As one of Central
programs and
Nurses at Mexico Clinic review lab results at Farnham Family Services new clinic in Mexico. From left are nurses Haley Baker, Crystal Arnold and Kari Firenze.
ConnextCare Receives $27,000 to Support Access to Dental Care in Oswego ConnextCare has been awarded a $27,000 grant through Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California, making it possible to ex pand dental services to the Manor at Seneca Hill, a skilled nursing facility in the city of Oswego. The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation strives to increase access to oral health care, fund oral health education and support orga nizations that serve vital needs in communities across the country.
Through
Farnham Family Services, a non profit organization that helps people with substance use and behavioral health disorders in Oswego County, has recently opened a new clinic in Mexico. The clinic will make it easier for residents in the northern and eastern parts of the county to access Farn ham’s life-saving opioid treatment program (OTP), according to the organization.Farnham’s OTP offers a combi nation of medication and therapy to help people maintain abstinence from illicit opioids such as heroin and fentanyl as well as address other areas of their life be it mental or physical health or vocational assis tance.“The ability to access our opioid treatment program in Mexico is a tremendous benefit to those seeking treatment for opioid use disorder,” said Mark Raymond, director of Farnham’s opioid treatment pro gram. “Prior to bringing our opioid treatment program to Mexico, people living in Mexico and the surrounding areas may have had to travel outside Oswego County to access similar ser vices. Those individuals are now able to access those same services much closer to home in a more comfortable and familiar setting.”
to continue living their best life, Like Loretta. Want to live like Loretta? LiveLikeLoretta.orgAssistedLivingSkilledNursingIndependentLiving Loretta Ad_In Good Health_9.75x6.69_AUG22.indd 1 7/26/22 8:45 AM
Farnham Family Services Brings Services to Mexico Area
In January 2020, ConnextCare was approached about the oppor tunity to serve the residents at The Manor at Seneca Hill. These founda tion grant funds made it possible for ConnextCare to purchase the dental supplies needed to bring these ser vices to the facility. The ConnextCare team will work on-site to provide a number of services, including routine pre ventive oral healthcare. Following dental exams at the facility where decay is noted requiring further treatment, ConnextCare will work with the nursing facility leadership to schedule follow-up services at the main dental site conveniently located about five miles away.
“We are proud to partner with ConnextCare to support their im portant mission of providing benefi cial health care and preventive care services to adults in need throughout Oswego and surrounding counties,” said Kenzie Ferguson, vice president of foundation and corporate social responsibility for Delta Dental.
SIMEON DEWITT 150 E. 1st St. Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0440 TOWPATH TOWERS 100 Rochester St. Fulton, NY 13069 315-598-4700 SPRINGBROOKAPARTMENTS 4920 N. Jefferson St. Pulaski, NY 315-298-610113142 SENIOR CITIZEN HOUSING The following services are included in your rent • Trash Collection • Free Wi-Fi • Bus for shopping/groceries • Heat, Electricity & Hot Water • Snow Removal & Lawn Care • Planned Activities • All repairs & maintenance Applications are now being accepted! 62+ No smoking! Preference given for veterans & spouses of veterans. Equal Housing Opportunity Supervised by NYS DHCR
Page 30 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022
The clinic is located at 111 Ham ilton St. New York’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare organizations, Loretto delivers personfirst, affordable adult care. our 19 specialized communities, we empower each resident and patient
Oswego Health’s multi-organ blood analysis will be held at par ticipating Oswego Health lab draw stations throughout Oswego County during
CALENDAR
ForSeptember.only$45,you will receive a test that regularly costs more than $761 as a way to improve your and your family’s health. For an addi tional charge, the hospital can run PSA and vitamin D tests. Optional $20 PSA test is available for men. The optional $20 vitamin D test is available for anyone. A 12-hour fast is required.Locations where the tests are available:•Oswego Health Services Cen ter: Monday to Friday, 7:30-11:30 a.m.
• Port City Family Medicine (Schuyler Street): Monday to Friday, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. The hospital asks people to bring exact cash or check payable to Oswe go Health to the appointment. Sept. 15 CNY Senior Housing & Care Expo in Syracuse Community Living Advocates has teamed up with Loretto and PACE CNY to bring you the first CNY Senior Housing & Care Expo at the Regional Market, 2100 Park St., Syracuse. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 15 in the E-Shed of the market. This event is free and open to ev eryone 50 years of age and older and those looking to find resources and services for their older loved ones. Various representatives from all over Onondaga County will be available. The PB&J lunchbox will be on site with delicious breakfast and lunch food. Power of Two will provide acoustic classic rock, country and originals from many genres of music. Please find the registration table inside the entrance and sign in to receive your free bag and passport to facilitate your chance to win door prizes throughout the event. For more information go to: housingexpo2022munitylivingadvocates.com/seniorwww.comCommunityLivingAdvocatesis
Nov. 11, 12, 13 Free doula training scheduled for Madison County
of
The Madison County Rural Health Council in Morrisville has been working in collaboration with Cayuga Community Health Net work and Seven Valleys Health Co alition to bring a doula partnership to Cayuga, Cortland and Madison counties to promote and provide doula services for pregnant persons who qualify as low-income or may have challenges accessing prenatal, birth and postnatal support. A doula is a trained, nonclinical professional who provides physical, emotional and informational sup port to a pregnant person before, during, and after childbirth. The three-day comprehensive training is the foundation toward certification as a birth doula. This training will prepare participants to support pregnant persons at all stages: prenatal, labor and delivery, and Thepostnatal.training will be held in-per son from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 11, 12 and 13 at The Hampton Inn in Ca zenovia. This is a DONA-approved birth doula training and will be led by Beautiful Birth Choices. Atten dance all three days is required. A light breakfast, snack, lunch, and beverages will be provided each day. The program is offered free of charge.For more information, call 315-825-9233 or email 313-4399.com/222023480605142online.,mcruralhealthcouncil.org.henry.s@Toregistergotohttps://form.jotform.orcall315-
HEALTH EVENTS
September – All month Oswego Health offers multi-organ blood analysis
dedicated to providing area seniors with opportunities to find resources and services available in the Central New York community. For more information, send an email to vocates.comnancy@communitylivingadorcall315-409-9361.
• Pulaski Draw Station: Monday to Friday, 7:45-11:45 a.m.
• Central Square Medical Center: Monday to Friday, 7:30-11:30 a.m.
Sept. 17 CNY Pagan Pride Day resumes after 2-year After a two-year hiatus, the 21st Pagan Pride Day festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at Long Branch Park in Onondaga County. The event offers live music, dancers, drumming, workshops on pagan culture; vendors offering a wide variety of unique and hand crafted items; children’s activities; food; and lots of good family fun. There is an autumn equinox cere mony that visitors can observe or, if they wish, choose to partake in. Through education, activism, charity and community, this festival promotes tolerance and understand ing between people with differing beliefs. Pagan guests find pride, knowledge and a chance to meet like-minded others. Non-pagans can better understand their friends, co workers, and family members who follow an Earth-centered spiritual path.Admission is free, but guests are requested to bring a nonperishable item to be donated to the Food Bank of Central New York. For information on this event, contact Kurt Hohmann at 315-4023571 or cnyppd@gmail.com, or visit www.cnyppd.org. You can also find the organization on Facebook (@ CNY Pagan Pride Day) and Insta gram (@cnyppd).
• Lake Ontario Prompt Medical Care (Route 104 East): Monday to Friday, 7:30-11:30 a.m.
• Fulton Medical Center: Mon day to Friday, 7:30-11:30 a.m.
Page 32 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • September 2022 Acupuncture Center USA 7th Generation Rui Wang, LLC Northeast Medical Center, Suite 209 4000 Medical Center Dr., Fayetteville, NY 13066 Tel1: 585-358-6186; Tel2: 315-378-5556; Tel3: 607-372-2082 Ancient Wisdom Integrated with Modern Medicine LIFE CHANGING MEDICINE, MOVING MEDICINE FORWARD ONE OF THE BEST ACUPUNCTURE CENTERS IN THE WORLD Acupuncture is a general practice alternative medicine, it can help a wide range of health problems at different extents. Ask for professional, confidential, personalized evaluation / consultation appointment before starting any treatment Balance Immune System Build Stronger 7thwww.AcupunctureCenterUSA.comImmunityGenerationMedicalAcupunctureRuiWang,MDofChina,L.Ac. Featuring RUI Anti-Inflammatory Acupuncture, Medical Oncology Acupuncture, and Neuromedicine Acupuncture Pain? And Hard to Relieve? Autoimmune Diseases? Neuropathy? Arthritis? Cancer Care? Post-COVID-19 Conditions? Experienced in both Western Medicine & Traditional Chinese Medicine Experienced in both Academic & Private Practice Experienced in both Basic Science & Clinical Science Experienced in Cancer Research at Major Medical Centers in USA THE WORLD’S GREATEST TREASURE OF MEDICINE
