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AUGUST 2021 • ISSUE 186
BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL ISSUE ✓ REMOTE LEARNING is hurting students academically and emotionally ✓ BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANXIETY has skyrocketed. What can parents do to help their kids? ✓ HEAD SCRATCHER: What to do when your child has head lice ✓ BOOST IMMUNITY: There are a number of ways in which you can do this and you can start today ✓ CHILDREN AND MENTAL HEALTH: Is it just a stage?
Starts on P. 11
MEET YOUR DOCTOR Medical oncologist Santosh Kumar talks about career, new cancer treatments. P. 4
PRIVATE PRACTICES Fewer doctors are choosing to go into private medical practices. P. 18
DENTAL CARE Millions of American adults haven’t seen a dentist in at least a year. P. 7
Living to Age 130: New Study Projects It Could Happen
P. 2
Living to Age 130: New Study Projects It Could Happen H ow long can a human live? New research predicts there’s a chance that someone in the world will celebrate a 130th birthday in this century. There’s been a steady rise in the number of people living beyond 100
years in recent decades, with up to nearly half a million worldwide, researchers noted. The world’s oldest known person was Jeanne Calment of France, who was 122 when she died in 1997. Currently, the world’s oldest person is
118-year-old Kane Tanaka of Japan. Some experts believe that disease and basic cell deterioration limit human life span, but others believe there is no ceiling. University of Washington researchers used statistical modeling
to determine potential maximum life spans this century. “People are fascinated by the extremes of humanity, whether it’s going to the moon, how fast someone can run in the Olympics, or even how long someone can live,” said study author Michael Pearce, a doctoral student in statistics. “With this work, we quantify how likely we believe it is that some individual will reach various extreme ages this century,” he said in a university news release. Pearce and his colleagues concluded that by 2100, it’s nearly 100% likely that the current known record of 122 years will be broken. There’s a 99% probability that someone will live to 124, a 68% chance of someone making it to 127, and a 13% likelihood that a person will reach 130. It’s extremely unlikely that a person will live to 135 this century, according to the study published June 30 in the journal Demographic Research. While there are increasing numbers of long-lived people, the authors noted that the death rate flattens after a certain age, which means that a 110-year-old and a 114-year-old have about the same chances of living another year. “It doesn’t matter how old they are, once they reach 110, they still die at the same rate,” said study co-author Adrian Raftery, a professor of sociology and of statistics. “They’ve gotten past all the various things life throws at you, such as disease. They die for reasons that are somewhat independent of what affects younger people,” he explained in the release. “This is a very select group of very robust people.”
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
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Even Before Pandemic, OneThird of U.S. Adults Went Without Dental Care
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Millions of American adults haven’t seen a dentist in at least a year, a new U.S. government health survey reveals
I
n 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic made dental visits difficult, a third of adults under 65 hadn’t had a dental exam or cleaning in the past 12 months, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the problem was worse in rural America, the National Health Interview Survey showed. The authors suspect the reason is easy to explain. “It was beyond the scope of study, but we kind of assumed there are fewer health care providers in the rural areas, compared to urban areas, so there’s less access to dental care in rural areas,” said study co-author Robin Cohen, a statistician at CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Income and race also underpin the results, Cohen said. The survey found: • In 2019, 65.5% of U.S. adults saw a dentist in the past 12 months. • More adults in urban areas than rural areas saw a dentist (67% versus 58%). • In both cities and rural areas, women were more likely than men to have visited a dentist in the past 12 months. • In urban areas, white adults (70%) were more likely than Hispanic
Heidi S. Puc (MD,FACP,ABIHM) Heidi Baldwin (MS, RMT) Jeffery Roy (RPA-C)
adults (59%) or Black adults (62%) to have seen a dentist. • In rural areas, white adults (59%) were more likely than Hispanic adults (46%) to have had a dental visit. As income increased, so did the odds of seeing a dentist. And that was true in both rural and urban areas. Jane Grover is director of the Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention at the American Dental Association in Chicago. She said staffing shortages are a key contributor to access issues in rural America. “They may not have the staffing that many urban areas have — I’m talking about the number of dental assistants and dental hygienists,” Grover said. Cost is another barrier to care, Grover said. Low-cost clinics can help in urban settings, and some clinics charge on a sliding scale based on patients’ ability to pay. In rural areas, these clinics can be few and far between. Grover said more needs to be done to make dental care available to folks who can’t afford it, no matter where they live. This includes involving dental students who can help provide services at little or no cost.
SERVING ONEIDA, HERMIKER, & MADISON COUNTIES A monthly newspaper published by Local News, Inc. 20,000 copies distributed. To request home delivery ($21 per year), call 315-749-7070.
In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2021 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Riverside Drive, Suite 251, Utica, NY 13502 Phone: 315-749-7070 • Email: IGHmohawkvalley@gmail.com Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto Contributing Writers: Barbara Pierce, David Podos, Deb Dittner, Gwenn Voelckers, Steve Yablonski, Deborah Jeanne Sergeant, Megan Plete Postol, George W. Chapman, Anne Palumbo • Advertising: Amy Gagliano • Layout & Design: Joey Sweener Office Manager: Nancy Nitz No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement — not to take the place of — the recommendations of your health provider.
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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Meet
Suicide Prevention Walk Scheduled in Madison County County has one of the highest rates of suicide in NYS
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he Suicide Prevention Coalition of Madison County will host the annual STEPtember for Suicide Prevention Walk at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11at the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota. While this is the first year the walk will be held at the Great Swamp, Sept. 11 will also mark the second annual STEPtember for Suicide Prevention Walk. Prior to 2020, the coalition had partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to host Out of Darkness Walk at Jim Marshall Farms in Chittenango. This annual event takes place in September, which is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Community members are encouraged to donate to support these efforts. All donations benefit local suicide prevention (education and awareness), intervention, and postvention efforts in Madison County. Madison County, a predominantly rural area, has one of the highest rates of suicide among NYS counties. Compared to the NYS rate of 8.5 deaths for every 100,000 people, the suicide mortality rate in Madison County is 14.1. A single suicide loss is estimated to impact 115 people, according to NYS Department of Health data, 2009-2018). These statistics reflect a tragic loss of life and the need for prevention and postvention efforts in our community. The STEPtember for Suicide Prevention Walk is open to anyone and everyone. Registration is open throughout the month of August. Although the coalition is inviting those in Madison County to walk in-person, the participants are still encouraged to log their activity and donate throughout the entire month of STEPtember. Participants can register as individuals or as members of a team and log their movement each day throughout the month. Kathleen Liedka, member of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Madison County stated, “Step to it and join us on September 11, 2021 for the 2nd annual STEPtember for Suicide Prevention Walk.” To learn more, register, or donate, visit bridgesorvirtualsuicideprevent.godaddysites.com and visit our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/STEPtemberWalk.
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Your Doctor
By Chris Motola
Santosh Kumar, M.D.
Doctor with Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY specializes in the treatment of gastrointestinal, colon, pancreatic cancers. “There has been a lot of exciting treatment options,” he says about new cancer treatments. Q: What is your hometown? A: Jacobabad, a city in Sindh, Pakistan. Q: Why did you decide to become a physician? A: At a very early age, whenever I went to see my family physician for a fever or any other illness, I saw his dedication and how other patients loved him. I felt it would be a very noble profession to help take care of patients at difficult times of their lives and make them feel better. So, I also decided to become a physician. Q: Where did you get your training? A: I did my medical school in Pakistan and after completing medical school, I decided to move to the United States in 2004, for further education and training. After three years of internal medicine residency, I joined Dartmouth Hitchcock in New Hampshire as an attending physician for inpatient care. Q: Where else have you studied? A: I went to the University of Vermont for a post-doctoral research fellowship in hematology and oncology. There I participated in various research projects in gastrointestinal cancers and symptom management. For my fellowship in hematology and oncology, I joined the University of Rochester Medical Center. I feel fortunate to have learned from some of the best mentors in the field.
colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancers. Things like that. Q: How did you come to be a part of Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY? A: I joined Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY because I saw a team-based approach utilizing the best available medicine and advanced technology to provide the highest quality of care. I think what makes us unique is the ability to treat the whole patient and develop individualized treatment plans. I treat patients with cancers and blood disorders. I have been here four years now. We have three locations. Q: Cancer treatments are constantly evolving. Has there been any recent medical breakthrough that may be good news for cancer patients? A: There has been a lot of exciting treatment options. More options have become available over the last 10 years, which has significantly changed the way we treat the patient, today, 2021. There are a lot of offices, which is a good thing; patients have a lot of options and can choose where they go to get the best care for themselves. The incidences of cancer are increasing and I think we need more providers in our Syracuse area to take care of all the patients.
Q: Why did you enter the field of hematology/oncology? A: During my hospitalist physician years, I developed a love for hematology-oncology. The science behind each disease and discovery of new treatment options captured my attention. Despite passing through difficult times, I witnessed the strength of my patients. There was always a true connection between the patient and the oncologist. Q: What is the most common type of cancer you see? A: I see all types of cancer and blood disorders. I have particular interest in gastrointestinal cancer,
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
Q: In what way did the pandemic most affect your work and your patients? Did you notice many patients putting off treatment or cancer screenings?
A: We were open, but patients were cautious due to the pandemic. They were afraid of going out and becoming infected. We started seeing some patients virtually. Now, they are starting to come back to our office. Q: How do you handle patients asking what their life expectancy is? A: Obviously, it is a delicate question and no one really knows those answers. Based on their stage and any other underlying medical problem … we can give them an approximate idea of how long the patients usually live. But, everybody’s different. It is also how they respond to their treatments. Q: I understand you work with a nurse navigator regarding gastrointestinal cancer. Can you tell me more about that? How does that benefit your patients and your practice? A: Oncology nurse navigators offer individualized assistance to our patients throughout the cancer care continuum, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and end of life. They are also very helpful bridging the communication between patient and doctor; there is a lot going on with a patient with a diagnosis of cancer. The navigator makes sure the patient is kept informed about things, even if the doctor isn’t available. Q: How often do you see a patient? A: It depends on the patient, once a week, once every two weeks. Every different cancer, every different patient receives different care; depending on their symptoms, the type of treatment they are receiving, they need to be seen at different intervals. We monitor them all to ensure they are receiving treatment in a safe and effective manner. Q: How important is early detection of cancer? A: Early detection is very important in all of the cancers. Treatment depends on the stage at diagnosis. So if a cancer is found at an early stage it is much more treatable. But if a patient is diagnosised with an advanced stage, there are treatment options, but they may not be as successful. We have seen some patients with advanced cancers now because they didn’t come for a checkup during the pandemic. Q: You’re in a stressful line of work. What do you do to relax? A: During my time away from work, I spend time with my family, visit parks and enjoy food at different restaurants. I enjoy trying different foods; my favorite is Italian.
Lifelines
Name: Santosh Kumar, MD Position: Medical oncologist at Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY, which has offices in Auburn, East Syracuse and Onondaga Hill (Syracuse) Hometown: Jacobabad, Pakistan Education: Board-certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology Affiliations: Crouse Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Auburn Community Hospital Family: Married, with two children Hobbies: Spending time with family, visiting parks and enjoying meals at different restaurants
IMMUNIZATION FAST-FACTS Vaccination is a highly effective and safe. Vaccination is an easy way to keep your family healthy. The immunization schedule is designed to provide immunity early in life. Vaccinations helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. All individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. It is especially important for patients with chronic health conditions to be up-to-date on recommended vaccinations.
Every year thousands of adults in the U.S. become seriously ill and are hospitalized because of diseases that vaccines can help prevent. Flu can be more serious for pregnant women. Ask your doctor about vaccines you may need for your age, health conditions, job, or lifestyle. Anyone can get sick with flu (even healthy people), and serious problems related to flu can happen at any age, but some people are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications if they get sick. This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women and children younger than five years-old, but especially those younger than 2 years-old.
ONEIDA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 406 Elizabeth St., Utica, NY 13501 / 300 W. Dominick St., Rome, NY 13440 | 315-798-5748 | https://www.ocgov.net//oneida/health/ImmunVaccines
Healthcare in a Minute By George W. Chapman
Hospital Pricing: Uninsured Charged a Lot More for Same Services
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he recent requirement for hospitals to post their prices for 300 “shoppable” services, discussed here in earlier columns, has revealed uninsured consumers are charged far more than insured consumers. (They always have been). A recent survey of 1,550 hospitals by the Wall Street Journal revealed that uninsured patients were billed 3.6 times the negotiated rate with Medicare Advantage plans. Using their purchasing power, insurance companies typically negotiate volume based discounted prices with hospitals. In the past, the largest carriers in a market would often insert “favored nation” claus-
Impact of Vaccines: 279,000 Lives Saved A study by the Commonwealth Fund and the Yale Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis estimates the vaccine rollout has prevented around 1.25 million hospitalizations and 279,000 deaths. The study looked at what would have happened without the 328 million doses being delivered. An Aetna Foundation study found healthier communities tend to have far less vaccine hesitancy among residents. Traditionally less healthy states, clustered in the southeast part of the country, also have the lowest vaccination rates and highest hesitancy rates. In June, unvaccinated people accounted for 99% of deaths due to the virus. The CDC wants to get more vaccines to family medicine
es in their contracts, which meant should the hospital offer a deeper discount to a competitor; the favored carriers would automatically get the same discount. Clearly an individual cannot negotiate a volume-based discount like carriers do, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be charged the highest price. In the past, hospitals feared that if they offered a deep discount to an uninsured indigent patient, it would trigger the favored nation clause. That no longer being an issue. Hospitals today are far more willing to discuss and negotiate fees in advance. practices as they are highly trusted by the vaccine hesitant.
Demand to Decrease Healthcare analytics firm Trillant is predicting demand for healthcare services will flatten out or even decline post pandemic. That coupled with an increase in suppliers of services from industry upstarts like Amazon, Walmart and various drug chains means that an industry that has avoided the inevitability of supply and demand, is in for a rude awakening. Does this mean there will actually be real price competition? Trillant is basing their predictions on 70 billion claims for 309 million visits. Telehealth is already down 37% from pandemic highs. Annual surgical services growth, hospital
bread and butter, is now projected to be in the 1% to 2% range versus historical 3% range. Overall, demand will be down. Population shifts to states with lower taxes like Texas, Florida and Idaho will cause demand to increase there but be offset by demand decreases in states losing population like New York, California and Pennsylvania.
Push for Home Dialysis Reform Thirty-seven million Americans suffer from kidney disease; 550,000 of them require dialysis. Having to travel to a kidney dialysis center three times a week is a tremendous emotional, logistical, time, transportation, access and quality of life burden, especially is rural areas. Several industry players including home dialysis machine manufacturers, the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society for Nephrology are lobbying congress to remove antiquated or outmoded federal regulations that make it hard for patients to get home dialysis. The coalition’s goals are to modernize conditions for coverage, empower patients and provide a better quality of life.
Ban on Surprise ED bills Part of the Affordable Care Act is a “no surprise” provision. It prohibits insurers from retroactively denying emergency department claims for services considered not emergent. These denials virtually stick an ED with unexpected collection issues and the consumer with unexpected out of pocket bills. Insurers claim retroactive denials serve as incentives for their members to receive, what they deem to be primary or urgent care, in less costly settings like a physician office, health center or urgent care facility. Most EDs do triage non-emergent patients to their “fast
August 2021 •
tracks,” but the bills are still much higher than they would be if care was delivered at a physician’s office or urgent care facility. The rapid expansion of urgent care facilities with their extended hours of operation has drastically reduced unnecessary ED use. However, in many rural areas, the hospital ED is often the ONLY alternative for non-emergent care after 5 o’clock, on weekends and holidays.
Drug Prices Once again, congress is pushing a bill that would allow Medicare to use its enormous purchasing power to negotiate prices with drug manufacturers. The ubiquitous drug lobby has long argued or threatened that lower prices will negatively impact research and development. A recent report from the House Oversight committee reveals 14 of the largest manufacturers spent an outrageous $577 billion on stock buybacks and dividends from 2016 to 2020. That is $56 billion more than they spent on research and development those years. The argument that lower prices curtail R&D is totally debunked. There is no valid reason preventing Medicare from negotiating drug prices, especially considering Medicare sets prices for physicians and hospitals. This is one of the most obvious tools available to Medicare to finally lower drug prices. George W. Chapman is a healthcare business consultant who works exclusively with physicians, hospitals and healthcare organizations. He operates GW Chapman Consulting based in Syracuse. Email him at gwc@gwchapmanconsulting.com.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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By Gwenn Voelckers
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
W
ith the worse of the pandemic behind us and with summer in full swing, restaurant traffic is booming. And it’s no wonder. After being cooped up for so long, people are ready to hang up their aprons, get out of the house and enjoy dining out – like ol’ times. I know I am! It’s great to spend time with friends in a new place, soaking up the atmosphere, and trying new foods. But a steady diet of eating out is not possible for me, nor would it be my preference. Among other things, it would gobble up my budget! I enjoy preparing simple, healthy meals at home and taking myself “out" to eat at my kitchen counter, dining room table, or back patio. But this hasn’t always been the case. After my divorce, I found dining alone at home to be one of my biggest challenges. While living alone gives you the freedom to dine as you please (one of its many benefits!), I don’t recommend eating breakfast for dinner or munching through a bag of Cheetos as a substitute for a healthy, well-balanced meal. When it comes to eating alone at home, treat yourself as you would treat a good friend you are having over for dinner. Why? Because you are worth it. When you prepare and enjoy a good meal on your own, you’ll be sending yourself a valuable message: It’s important to take good care of myself and to treat myself with respect. I matter enough to nurture—and feed—myself with care. Eating well and right has all kinds of benefits. And what better way to start enjoying those benefits than by creating an inviting table for one in your own home. Below are a few tips to help you get started: • Stock your kitchen with healthy food. It’s so much easier to put a healthy meal on the table when the good stuff is plentiful and the junk food is in short supply. I’m fully aware of my own downfalls (ice cream, nuts, cookies, chips) and don’t regularly stock these items in my kitchen. Instead, I have on hand a good supply of frozen and fresh vegetables, prepackaged salad greens, fruits in season, and single-serve portions of frozen meat and fish. You’ll also find plenty of grab-andgo power bars in my pantry for when I’m on the run. • Indulge your senses. Stimulate your appetite by preparing something that produces a wonderful, delicious aroma. My
go-to appetite stimulant? I love the scent of sautéed garlic and jump-start many a solo dining experience with a little butter and garlic in my stove-top skillet. The aroma invites me into the cooking process and in no time, I’m focused on cutting and chopping instead of the worries and stresses of my day. To keep things interesting, I also try to incorporate colorful fruits and vegetables into each meal, which is recommended by nutrition experts. The colors often correspond with important nutrients that may provide health benefits. • Select the best seat in the house. While eating in front of the TV may be the perfect choice on some occasions, I encourage you to find dining spaces inside or outside your home that may offer more inspiration. Chances are, you’ll appreciate the change of scenery. Consider that special nook where the sun filters in or that table by the window with the great view. Mix it up, experiment with different settings, and discover what feels best in the moment. • Set the stage. Create a pleasing table setting and mood that feels comfortable for you. I like to put down a placemat, use a cloth napkin, turn on some enjoyable music and position a good book, magazine, or iPad within reach. You might even light a candle. I do, especially in the evening. Its warm glow gives me a good, comfy feeling. If you’ve never set the stage like this before, it can feel contrived at first, but stay with it. Over time, I’m confident you’ll find it as enjoyable and relaxing as I have. • Enjoy your own company. When you eat alone, you’re in the company of someone special − yourself! You are with someone who approves of your meal choices and cooking techniques, appreciates the candle you lit and knows that life and good food are to be savored and enjoyed. Creating a pleasant “table for one” is a great opportunity to focus on yourself and to nourish your body and spirit at the same time. So, pull up a chair, say a few words of gratitude and enjoy your meal. Bon appétit!
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 Voelckers to speak, visit www.aloneandcontent.com
A
my Bowerman is the executive director for Home Care Services for Mohawk Valley Health System. It consists of three companies, Visiting Nurse Association of Utica and Oneida County, Mohawk Valley Home Care and Senior Network Health. It has 49 clinical staff and an annual budget of $12 million. She has been executive director since 2020. Q: What services are offered through the Visiting Nurse Association? A: We have a comprehensive line of services that we offer to patients in their private residence. We have skilled nursing, rehabilitation services which offers many types of therapies such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and respiratory therapy. We also have medical social workers that come into the home and help with counseling, as well as health aides that provide personal care and daily activities.
Q A &
with Amy Bowerman
Executive director talks about the mission of Visiting Nurse Association of Utica and Oneida County By David Podos
Childhood Obesity: A Pandemic The best way to fight this pandemic is to begin at home By Barbara Pierce
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startling 57% of the nation’s children will be obese by age 35 if current trends continue, reports a sobering new study. The research goes beyond the fact that overweight children become overweight adults. It suggests that obese children face substantial peril in a world where obesity could soon be the new normal. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer D’Onofrio childhood obesity rates drastically increased, both locally and nationally,” said family nurse practitioner Jennifer D’Onofrio, of the Mohawk Valley Health System Whitesboro Medical Office. “Childhood obesity has been a growing pandemic on its own over the last several years. COVID-19 only exasperated the problem,” she added. “During the pandemic, children lost access to the nutritious meals and daily physical activities of school. Many families stocked their pantries with processed high caloric food, resulting in poor diets for everyone.” The lifestyle changes that were necessary during the pandemic—staying home, loss of access to nutritious food at school, regular rou-
tines—especially impacted children, stressed physician Daniel Gilmore, the director of health for Oneida County Health Department. “In recent years, Oneida County has seen an improvement in the percentage of children and adolescents with obesity,” Gilmore added. “But, because of the changes the pandemic brought forth, we expect some challenges to these gains made in the recent past.” Prior to the pandemic, the decrease in obesity in children and adolescents resulted from initiatives developed by Oneida County Health Department that focused on nutrition and physical activity. The goal to reduce obesity in our children and adults was perhaps in part prompted by a 2015 Gallup Well-Being Index that found the Mohawk Valley to be one of the top 20 fattest areas in the U.S. According to the CDC, the percentage of children affected by obesity in the U.S. has more than tripled since the 1970s. Data from before the pandemic shows that nearly one in five school-age children was obese. Current data is not known. Factors contributing to childhood obesity include genetics, eating, level of physical activity, metabolism, lack of sleep and negative childhood events.
Why is this important? Childhood obesity can lead to several health-related conditions that
if that is the case we then can provide our services. They must also be under the care of a personal physician. The care we give is short-term and intermittent as we want to see our patients get back on their feet and be as independent as soon as possible for their well being. We accept most all private insurance coverages as well as Medicaid and Medicare coverage. Q: How is the organization funded? A: That is based primary on insurance reimbursement. However, we do have some patients that are private pay. Q: How do the services you provide contribute to the emotional, psychological and physical well being of your patients? A: Well, I think most people want to be in their own home. That’s where they are really comfortable. So most patients are really receptive to receiving care in their homes because that is where they want to be. That is where they heal the best.
Q: What criteria have to be met for a person to receive assistance from the Visiting Nurse Association? A: We are an extension of acute care. So a lot of times when a patient is coming home from the hospital and not able to access services that they need to improve as an outpatient, we provide those services. So, we generally require that a patient would have difficulty leaving their home for continued therapy services;
Q: You provide your services in Oneida County, are there considerations to offer those services to adjacent counties? A: We are always looking for growth and development in our surrounding counties. There is always a potential for that.
involve multiple systems of the body, explained D’Onofrio. It can cause high blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol and other fats that cause narrowing of the arteries, and place the child at an increased risk for heart disease as an adult. Obesity creates an increased risk for diabetes, prediabetes, and can lead to fatty liver disease. Additionally, children who struggle with obesity can have psychological difficulties, including social isolation, anxiety, depression and can be victimized by bullying, D’Onofrio added.
What can the community do?
What can parents do? “The best way to reverse the obesity trend and lower the risk for chronic health conditions begins at home,” said D’Onofrio. “Parents need to do everything they can to provide healthy food options. I encourage parents to start educating their children by setting healthy boundaries on snacking, meals, portion size and caloric intake.” Limit calorie-rich temptations, as well as the consumption of sugar and saturated fat. Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. Use low-fat milk and dairy products. Instead of juice or soda, encourage your family to drink water. “Monitoring food intake alone isn’t enough,” continued D’Onofrio. “Children need at least 60 minutes a day of physical activity.” Today, children have multiple options for electronic diversion. On average, children spend four and a half hours each day in front of a screen. “Trying things like family activities without electronics and making children earn their screen time through exercise are great ways to create healthy lifestyles,” said D’Onofrio.
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For more information on VNA of Utica and Oneida County, call 315- 6248903.
Genetic factors cannot be changed. However, people and places can play a role in helping children achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Changes in the environments where children spend their time — like homes, schools, and community settings — can make it easier Dan Gilmore for them to access nutritious foods and be physically active. Schools can adopt policies and practices that help children eat more fruits and vegetables, eat fewer foods and beverages that are high in added sugars or solid fats, and increase daily minutes of physical activity. “In an effort combat childhood obesity in past years, the Oneida Health Department has worked with the community through specific initiatives focusing on both nutrition and physical activity,” said Gilmore. “Looking ahead, the health department will continue to work with community partners to increase awareness of nutrition and physical activity.” No challenge is more urgent than protecting the health and safety of our children — now and as they grow. The fight against childhood obesity can start in the home, but also requires the support of communities. The results last a lifetime. All children deserve a healthy start in life; it’s our responsibility to make that possible.
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Kathleen E. Dyman, executive vice president of the medical society that covers Oneida and Herkimer counties: “They owe a lot of money in medical school debt and can’t afford to open their own practices,” she says.
Fewer Doctors Go Into Private Medical Practices By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
A
n American Medical Association survey shows more doctors are now working in larger health systems, such as hospitals, than in private practice. Of 3,500 physicians who responded to the survey, only 49% reported working in private practices. This is the first time the number has fallen below 50% and the trend will most likely continue, according to the medical association. A few different factors play into this shift from the physician working at a privately owned and operated practice to working at a facility owned by a hospital system, national chain such as CVS or Walmart or federally funded clinic. One reason is that fewer newly minted doctors can or want to operate their own facility. “They owe a lot of money in medical school debt and can’t afford to open their own practices,” said Kathleen E. Dyman, executive vice president of the medical society that covers Oneida and Herkimer counties. As the cost of entrepreneurship has increased in many ways, including labor, real estate and supplies, the cost of medical malpractice insurance has also increased. Dyman said that many new physicians are joining hospital systems to work as a hospitalist or at another facility to avoid footing this expense. According to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., a medical malpractice insurance brokerage in Houston, the average annual cost of the malprac-
tice insurance is $75,000 for a family practice physician in New York state. Although medical malpractice insurance is not required, most physicians want it to avoid financial ruin in case of litigation. For mid-career independent doctors, the additional rules added by changes such as the institution of electronic medical records has proven too onerous. Instead of spending most of their time caring for patients, they find that recordkeeping and documentation devours much of their day. “They’re tired of the federal rules and the cost of federal rules,” Dyman said. “They want to get rid of all the paperwork.” She added that independent physicians must rely heavily on a good manager and administrative staff to ease these burdens. At a hospital, documentation, billing and collections are all handled by the health system. A doctor may enjoy better quality of life since the system may be able to better staff than an independent practice. Providers may face financial instability while establishing a new practice, along with long hours. The “business” side also challenges many new physicians. According to the Harvard Business Review, “most doctors in the U.S. aren’t taught management skills in medical school. And they receive little on-the-job training to develop skills such as how to allocate short- and long-term resources, how to provide developmental feedback,
FDA Approves First Lymphoma Drug for Dogs The first full approval of a drug to treat lymphoma in dogs has been granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “While canine lymphoma affects fewer than 70,000 dogs in the U.S. annually, it accounts for up to 24% of all cancers in dogs, making it one of the most significant canine cancers,” Steven Solomon, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said in an agency news release. “For the first time, dog owners have the assurance of a treatment that has fully met the FDA’s stanPage 8
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dards for effectiveness in dogs.” Tanovea had previously received conditional approval under the FDA’s minor use and minor species program. At the time, the agency concluded that the drug was safe and had a “reasonable expectation of effectiveness” for treating rare cases of lymphoma in dogs. Conditional approval allowed drug maker VetDC Inc. to market Tanovea while collecting additional study data for full approval. The study included 158 dogs
or how to effectively handle conflict–leadership skills needed to run a vibrant business.” These educational shortfalls can make starting an independent practice very challenging. “There’s an economic certainty getting a paycheck every two weeks that’s attractive,” said Ken Schoetz, vice president of Health Care Association of Western and Central New York, (HAWCNY), which includes member hospitals Oswego Health, Auburn Community Hospital, Upstate University Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health among its members. One of the challenges of working independently is the difficulty in negotiating sufficient reimbursement from payors. Larger organizations’ volume enables them to obtain better reimbursement from drug manufacturers and insurers, just as a big box store orders goods from manufacturers at a much higher volume than a small store and can receive volume discounts on the items. “It’s more beneficial to the physician than the hospital as scale moves the entire economy, including health care,” Schoetz said. “Better pricing benefits the provider and the patient.” The physician has a few personal “costs” by working for a larger health system, including the sacrifice of some freedom. Unlike the entrepreneurial model of the independent practice, the physician is not the boss. “You’re not running your practice the way you might want to,” Schoetz said. “You have to follow the with lymphoma who received either Tanovea (120) or a placebo (38). Their ages ranged from 1 to 15 years in the Tanovea group and from 3 to 16 years in the placebo group. Overall, the drug extended median survival by 61 days. For dogs with a complete response to the drug, median progression-free survival was extended to 168 days, the findings showed. The approval of Tanovea “shows that drugs to treat rare animal diseases, like canine lymphoma, can go through the FDA’s conditional approval pathway to reach full approval. This gives veterinarians another important tool to help extend the quality of life for dogs with lympho-
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
hospital’s rules and use their technology, which you might not like. They may say to start the day at 8, not 10.” Physicians also have less say over who works under them. They also cannot determine their own salary, compared with if they start a practice and manage it well. Patients may also experience a few drawbacks. Perception is a big one. “Sometimes, I think that anything that’s big, whether it’s AT&T or Wegmans or Ford Motor Company, there can be some impersonality,” Schoetz said. “People still like the idea of a provider knowing who they are. They want a close, personal relationship. Doctors who go into these arrangements try to keep these relationships.” But the health care system may be able to provide a better level of care with the additional physicians on staff than without them. With more physicians, they can expand capacity to treat more patients, which can improve their finances and offer more specialized care. Patients needing multiple specialists may also enjoy a “one-stopshop” experience versus traveling from office to office. “Anytime a provider can reduce costs and by having the economic scale of a larger facility, patients benefit in terms of cost and the care they would receive,” Schoetz said. He added that this is a trend he does not foresee going away in the short-term or long-term. “There will be differences from what it used to be,” he said. “The hope is, you will get better care and make hospitals better able to withstand the challenges. The ultimate outcome will be better patient care.”
ma, and potentially give them and their owners more time together,” Solomon noted. The most common side effects in dogs treated with Tanovea included diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss and neutropenia (a decrease in a type of white blood cell), the FDA said. The most serious adverse events included pulmonary fibrosis and skin problems such as infection, ulceration and skin peeling. Veterinarians should warn pet owners about the possible adverse events and side effects before giving the drug to dogs, and provide owners with the client information sheet for the product, the FDA said.
Health Career
How to Become a Physician’s Assistant
Mohawk Valley In Good Health newspaper senior staff correspondent Barbara Pierce spoke with physician assistant Jeffery Roy of Integrative Medicine of Central New York in Chittenango Q: How did you become a physician assistant? A: When I joined the Army in 1986, I became a medic. As a medic, I had much exposure to physician assistants because the military makes much use of them. In fact, the position was designed by the military in World Word II, when there was such an extreme shortage of physicians that they had to fast-track the training. After the war, PAs were developed to address healthcare needs in underserved rural areas, as well as provide career opportunities for returning military corpsmen. In 1965, Duke University established the first program to formally educate PAs. My work with PAs in the Army created my interest in working towards this profession. When I left the military, I had a wife and a child on the way, so I worked as a licensed practical nurse for six years while I studied to become a PA. Q: What training was necessary? A: After completing my fouryear degree, I applied to Le Moyne
College in Syracuse. They had just recently begun their PA program; I was in the fourth-year class. Out of 750 applicants, 30 of us were chosen for the two-year program. The first year of the program is strictly classroom, eight to nine hours a day in class. The second year is clinical rotation: I spent one month working with a cardiologist, one month in an emergency room, one month with a gynecologist, etc. for 12 months. This gave me a broad exposure to a variety of medical settings. There are different paths to earning a PA degree. Generally, you need two years of post-graduate education after completing a four-year degree. Most programs are now Master’s degree programs. After earning my PA degree, I became certified and have worked as a PA for 20 years. I recently began working with Dr. Puc at IM of CNY. Q: What attracted you to Integrative Medicine? A: I’ve been interested in alternative medicine for quite a few years. Western medicine typically waits
until you’re sick, then intervenes. IM intervenes to prevent you from getting sick. For example, if you have pre-diabetes, what can we do to stop the process so you don’t become diabetic? I like that approach better. Also, I’m interested in chronic disease — working with patients who have been sick a long time, with pain or chronic illness. I like figuring out what’s wrong and making it better, so that the patient has a better quality of life. There are many patients that Western medicine has given up on, as their condition has been going on for decades. They’ve seen multiple doctors, gotten multiple diagnoses, but they’re no better. We start working with them and find they have an underlying disease, like Lyme; their body is rebelling and causing many different symptoms. We work with them to get the underlying disease under control. For me, this is one of the most rewarding things I do. Seeing someone who’s been ill for years, working with them, and they get better; their level of functioning increases so that they’re able to go on vacations and do activities they haven’t been able to do for years. I find that very rewarding. Q: How does Integrative Medicine differ from traditional medical practices? A: At IM, we’re a combination of both traditional medicine and alternative medicine. We use traditional medication, but might add a supplement to boost the immune system. For example, if you go to urgent care, they give you an antibiotic and send you home. If we prescribe an antibi-
Jeffery Roy otic, we’ll supplement it with probiotics, to booster the good bacteria. We look at the patient as a whole, and evaluate all the factors in his/ her life that affect health and well-being, such as stressors at home and at work, diet, lifestyle, level of physical activity, sleep and social and community connections. We may or may not give you a prescription. We may help you make lifestyle changes, suggest herbal or other supplements, mind-body or energy therapies. Q: You have extensive experience in pain management. How do you help patients with pain? A: I avoid opioids, instead use a multi-faceted approach to managing pain. Many patients I see have been in chronic pain for years, because of a spinal injury, bad back, arthritis. Chronic pain is a disease of the nervous system. Getting that under control decreases pain and increases quality of life. Medication, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage are some things that help; I find what recipe works best for this person.
New Specialist: Dr. Asad Khalid
Sports Injuries & Joint Pain Orthopedic Specialists
357 Genesee Street, Oneida • 315-363-4651 • www.oneidahealth.org August 2021 •
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SmartBites By Anne Palumbo
The skinny on healthy eating
4 Reasons to Eat More Blueberries
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hen it comes to superfoods—foods that abound with compounds considered especially beneficial to a person’s health—blueberries always make the top 10 list. What gives blueberries this nutritional edge? And why should we eat more of this powerhouse fruit? Let’s take a look at four good reasons.
1. Longevity Promoters
Research shows that blueberries may have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all common fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants protect your body by neutralizing free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells and contribute to aging and diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes. Although free radicals are naturally produced by the body, lifestyle factors—such as smoking, alcohol, fried foods—can accelerate their production, resulting in an unhealthy balance.
2. Brain Boosters
Blueberries, which teem with flavonoids, a particular plant compound with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,
appear to reduce cognitive decline in the elderly, according to research published in Annals of Neurology. The study suggests that cognitive aging could be delayed by up to 2.5 years in older adults who consumed greater amounts of this nutrient-dense berry. Studies have also found that blueberries may improve a person’s short-term memory and motor coordination.
3. Blood Pressure Reducers
Concerned about high blood pressure? Eating just one cup of blueberries a week may cut your risk of developing hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease. Anthocyanins—the pigments that give red, purple and blue fruits and vegetables their rich coloring—seem to protect against high blood pressure, says a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. While there is no cure for hypertension, making lifestyle changes—such as eating more berries—may lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and more.
4. Bone Builders
Blueberries contain a unique mix
of minerals and vitamins that contribute to bone health, most notably vitamins C and K and the mineral manganese. While vitamin C is essential to the formation of collagen (the foundation that bone mineralization relies on), vitamin K helps to make various proteins that are needed for the building of bones. Manganese may help promote strong, dense bones when combined with calcium and vitamin D.
Healthy Blueberry Parfait with Granola 1 cup blueberries, washed and dried 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or yogurt of choice) ½ cup granola Spoon ½ cup yogurt in the bottom of a glass and smooth the top. Add ¼ cup granola and ½ cup blueberries. Repeat the layers and eat right away, or chill in fridge until ready to eat.
Helpful tips Shake the blueberry container before purchase, noticing whether the berries move freely: if they do not, this may indicate that they are old, soft, or spoiled. Before storing, remove any crushed or moldy berries to prevent the rest from spoiling. Place in covered container and store in refrigerator for five to seven days. Don’t wash blueberries until right before eating as washing removes the bloom that protects the berries’ skin from degradation.
Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum-
nist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
BACK TO SCHOOL
Dealing with Back-toSchool Anxiety: What Can Parents Do?
Prepare your kids for what it will be like going back to school Megan Plete Postol
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ack to school can be a stressful time for school-age children under normal circumstances. But, this September could bring waves of anxiety in even the most resilient students. The COVID-19 pandemic has made last two years unpredictable. Changing guidelines, fear of illness and hindrance of interactions has stripped students of many of the social benefits that school once provided. Parents can play an important role in helping students navigate the
stress of going back to school. Jodi Ann Mullen, a professor at SUNY Oswego in the counseling and psychological services department, is the coordinator of the mental health counseling program and graduate certificate program in play therapy. She is also the director of Integrative Counseling Services, with various locations in Central New York. The best way for parents to help children feel calm in an unstable world is to provide stability at home, Mullen said.
Remote Learning Hurt High School Students Academically, Emotionally
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here were academic, social and emotional consequences for U.S. high school students who attended classes remotely during
the COVID-19 pandemic, new research shows. The study included more than 6,500 students in Orange County
“Transitions are stressful regardless of what age you are,” she said. “The best way for parents to minimize the stresses of going to school or back to school in the fall is to prepare them for what it will be like.” Start talking about the back to school transition long before it arrives. Think about the big changes and the small changes that will occur in the student’s life. Make space in the child’s life for the changes the season will bring. “Parents can start talking to their children during the summer about what they can expect before school, during school and after school,” Mullen said. “Routine, stability and consistency are the anecdotes of stress which is one of the reasons the pandemic radiated so much anxiety. I encourage parents to build consistency into the way their family functions year round and especially when things are less predictable during transitions.” Nicholas J. Westers, a clinical psychologist at Children’s Health, provided more tips on childrens.com. Help children focus on tangible actions, he suggested, such as hand washing, wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing. This provides an element of control in a mostly uncontrollable situation. Support children’s physical health by ensuring they get enough sleep, are active and eating healthy food to support both a healthy body and healthy mind. Encourage kids to do activities that they enjoy, such as sports, reading, playing games or whatever their personal favorite activities are. People, children included, exhibit stress and anxiety in different ways. Parents know their children best, so they should be on the lookout for changes in behavior. Anxiety (and depression) frequently look like irritability in school-aged children, Mullen said.
“If your child seems more moody, ‘off’ or shows regression behaviors like being clingy or using baby talk; check in with them,” she said. “Rather than asking what’s wrong, ask how you can help. If they become impaired in peer or family relationships, academics or activities it’s time to consult a mental health professional.” Other signs that caregivers can look out for are increased defiance or irritability, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, struggling to concentrate on tasks, sadness, crying, physical manifestations such as nausea, muscle tension or dizziness, less energy, and refusal or reluctance to go back to school. Provide children with stress management tools. Teaching them breathing exercises can be beneficial. They can learn to do the breathing exercises if (or when) they feel anxious, whether that is at school or anywhere else. Many anti-anxiety breathing technique tutorials can be found online. Mullen provides an abundance of guidance and tips on her podcast, which can be accessed at www.blogtalkradio.com/freakishlywellbehavedkids, and in her book “Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs,” which can be ordered from her website, www. integrativecounseling.us/product-page/raising-freakishly-well-behaved-kids-20-principles. She also suggests that parents check in on their own mental health and practice self-care. Children can feel tension in caregivers and it can cause them to act-out. “Be sure to give enough time for your child to adjust,” she said. “If you are anxious and stressed your child will pick up on that, take care of yourself so you can care for them as well as modeling valuing self.”
Public Schools in Florida, who were surveyed in October 2020, when twothirds were attending school remotely and one-third were attending in person. On a 100-point scale, in-person students scored higher than remote students on social well-being (77.2 vs 74.8), emotional well-being (57.4 vs 55.7) and academic well-being (78.4 vs 77.3). This “thriving gap” was consistent across gender, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, according to the study published online July 13 in the journal Educational Researcher. “Notably, the thriving gap was larger among students in 10th through 12th grades than it was among ninth graders,” study co-author Laurence Steinberg, a professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, said in a journal news release. While the differences between the two groups of students aren’t large, even small effects are significant when they impact millions of people, the researchers explained. “Many news stories have reported on individual stories of teenagers who have suffered from anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges during the pandemic,” said study author Angela Duckworth, a professor at the
University of Pennsylvania and the founder and CEO of Character Lab. “This study gives some of the first empirical evidence of how learning remotely has affected adolescent well-being,” Duckworth added. Social well-being was assessed by asking the students about fitting in at school, whether there was an adult in their school who could offer support or advice, and whether there was an adult in their school who always wanted them to do their best. For emotional well-being, the teens were asked how often they felt happy, relaxed and sad, and how they felt overall about their life. For academic well-being, the students were asked how interesting they found their classes, how important they felt it was for them to do well in their classes, and how confident they were that they could succeed in their classes if they tried. “As policymakers gear up for national tutoring and remediation programs — which we agree are urgent priorities — we must recognize that our nation’s students are not just lagging as performers, they are suffering as people,” Duckworth said. “Meeting their intrinsic psychological needs — for social connection, for positive emotion, and authentic intellectual engagement — is a challenge that cannot wait,” she added.
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The Balanced Body
By Deb Dittner
Boost Immunity and be Healthier There is much you can do to live a healthier and happier life
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hen you look at the healthcare system today, you see mostly the use of Western medicine. There is definitely a time and place for Western medicine but it doesn’t always answer your questions and concerns. It is often best to look at the root cause of a symptom. For example, say you have a headache. Does that mean you have an analgesic deficit? Of course not. You may have a headache due to lack of sleep, dehydration, or eye overuse. Might an analgesic help? Yes, but proper sleep, drinking water, or not staring at a computer screen for long periods may be what is necessary. The same adage goes for our immune system. If you become ill, you may need medication to aid in the symptoms. But if you take care of your body, mind and spirit on a daily basis, you may fight off the illness or not acquire it all together. The most important way for you to be healthier is to boost your own immunity. There are a number of ways in which you can do this and you can start today. Boosting your immune system will help you get through stressful times. It will help you get through times when those
around you may not be well. It will help you to live a full life and a life full of those things you most desire. To start…you can’t fix your health until you fix your nutrition. 70% of the immune system resides in the gastrointestinal tract therefore eating whole nutrient dense foods is what the body needs. What are whole nutrient dense foods? Foods that are whole such as broccoli, kale, blueberries, wild caught salmon, nuts, seeds (chia, flax, hemp), cabbage, garlic, onions, beets, legumes, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, avocado….and the list goes on. Well, you get the idea, right? Foods that basically have one single ingredient, meaning the specific food itself. You want to avoid as much as possible highly processed foods, those “meals” that come in a box with lots of ingredients, and those that contain dyes, added sugars and other toxins. By eating iron-rich foods (spinach, kale, broccoli, celery, apples, bananas, lean proteins such as eggs, chicken and fish) you will also boost the oxygen levels in your blood. Iron is needed for your red blood cells and the transportation of healthy blood throughout the body. Hydration is also necessary to
boost immunity. More than 70% of your body is made of water which needs to be replaced on a daily basis. By drinking half of your body weight in water will do the trick. You lose an average of about two cups of fluid daily through sweat, breathing and other bodily functions, so replacement is needed to oxygenate the blood and remove carbon dioxide therefore hydrating the lungs. Physical movement causes you to breathe more heavily and deeply as your lungs absorb more oxygen creating more energy in your cells. The more you move using the muscles in your body, the increase in overall endurance. The more endurance you obtain, the better you will feel. Pick a form of physical movement that you enjoy. You can start with walking, yoga (chair yoga), or tai chi and progress to lifting weights (even soup cans or water bottles). There are so many options out there and plenty of apps to choose from as well. Down Dog is one of my favorite apps for yoga and has added HIIT (high intensity interval training) and meditation apps. You choose! If walking (then maybe jogging to running) is the direction you choose and you are outdoors and not on a treadmill, you will also obtain additional amounts of oxygen to the lungs. Be cautious though if you live in more polluted areas. It is necessary to avoid smoking and excess alcohol intake in order to boost your immunity. Smoking decreases the lung’s capability to take in oxygen therefore damaging the lungs and respiratory system. To aid in the respiratory system boosting immunity, slow and deep breathing exercises will increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. A simple four count breathing technique (inhale
for the count of four, hold for the count of four, exhale for the count of four for a minimum of four rounds) will aid in relaxation, decrease stress levels, and improve your oxygen intake. Breathing through the nose is recommended versus mouth breathing as the nose can filter out allergens and dust, add moisture to the air you breathe in and produces nitric oxide to dilate blood vessels distributing oxygen to your body. A restful night’s sleep of seven to nine hours will also increase immunity. Create a bedtime routine that will allow for the sleep you need. Avoid stimulation (watching TV, computer or exercising) for a minimum of one hour before bed as these are stimulants for the brain not allowing it to shut down appropriately. Consider a soothing cup of tea, an Epsom salt bath with therapeutic grade essential oils added or reading a book. By integrating the above suggestions into your daily routine of care will allow you to boost your immunity and live a healthier and happier life.
e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction in the U.S. and shows why the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] and other policymakers must act now to eliminate all flavored e-cigarettes,” said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. To get around bans on e-cigarettes sold to kids, there was a dramatic shift to fruity-flavored disposable e-cigarettes, such as Puff Bar, and pre-filled menthol cartridge products, which were left on the market by loopholes in U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, he said. “It’s alarming that over 7% of high school e-cigarette users wrote in Puff Bar as their usual brand, although it was not named in the survey,” Myers said. For the study, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed more than 14,500 middle and high school students about their use of e-cigarettes. In 2019, 27.5% of high school students and 10.5% of middle school students said they used e-cigarettes. In 2020, those numbers dropped to 20% of high school students and 5% of middle school students. The
preferred brand of e-cigarettes was JUUL, which was used by 25% of high school vapers and 35% of middle school students. Most users got their e-cigarettes from a friend (57% of high school students and 59% of middle school students), reported the researchers, who were led by Teresa Wang, from the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. Flavored e-cigarettes were preferred by far among by both high school and middle school students (85% of high schoolers and 74% of middle schoolers). Fruit-flavored e-cigarettes were the most popular, followed by mint-flavored e-cigarettes. Also, many students switched to disposable and refillable e-cigarettes, the researchers noted. “The evidence is clear that as long as any flavored e-cigarettes remain on the market, we will not end this youth epidemic,” Myers said. “The FDA must act to clear the market of all flavored e-cigarettes. And it should reject JUUL’s application to keep selling its products, given the unquestionable evidence that JUUL drove the youth e-cigarette epidemic and remains highly popular with kids.”
Deborah Dittner is a family nurse practitioner and health consultant. Her mission is to transform as many individuals as possible through nutrition and lifestyle changes. For more information, check out her website at www.debdittner.com or contact her at 518-596-8565.
BACK TO SCHOOL
Youth Vaping Rates Decline But one in five U.S. teens still uses e-cigs
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lthough the number of teens who use e-cigarettes has dropped significantly, new research suggests that vaping
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rates are still too high. “This study underscores that flavored e-cigarettes, especially JUUL, have caused the epidemic of youth
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
BACK TO SCHOOL Children of this age often play together closely and with more hair-tohair contact. They may share brushes, hats, hair clips, etc. Adults who live with children have a higher risk of getting head lice. Lice cannot jump or fly; they can only crawl. • Symptoms of head lice: They are pure annoyance — a lot of itching on the scalp, behind the ears, around the hairline, and the back of neck. There can be sleepless nights for some. However, skin infections can result from repeated scratching, so parents should be on the lookout.
Head Scratcher: What to do When Your Child has Head Lice The good news is lice don’t carry disease By Barbara Pierce
F
ew things fill parents with dread more than learning that their child has been exposed to head lice. There is no need to panic, though. It’s treatable. People fear head lice more than spiders, bed bugs and even serious health concerns like Lyme disease and influenza. Head lice is common, especially in children aged 3 to 11, said physician Krista Lauer, online at www. nyssba.org (New York State School Boards Association). “This often results in school absences, lost time from work for parents or caregivers, and social isolation for the affected child and their extended family.” • What are head lice: Head lice have been around for many centuries. Highly infectious,
they are not a sign of poor hygiene. They affect children across all levels of income, social class and cleanliness. The bugs can survive underwater for up to six hours, so kids who bathe regularly are just as vulnerable. The good news is lice don’t carry disease. • Are head lice a serious health threat? “No,” said Lauer. “Head lice do not transmit infections and they are not a communicable disease.” They are an annoyance, an inconvenience, not a major health concern. They do not make your child feel sick. They are transferred most easily by head-to-head contact. Head lice are most common in young children who go to day care, preschool, or elementary school.
lice:
• What to do if my child gets head
Head lice can be treated at home. With treatment, all lice and nits (eggs) are usually killed and there are no lasting problems. The first thing to do after you learn of the exposure is to sit your child down and go through their hair with a fine-toothed comb, section by section, to look for live lice. Combing through wet hair is an ideal way to spot an infestation. They are tiny crawling bugs that you can see. They cling to the scalp and neck and are about the size of a sesame seed. Nits are glued onto hairs near the scalp; they look like dandruff. Removing the dead nits is not essential or urgent. However, it prevents others from thinking your child still has untreated lice. If you do detect an infestation, purchase Rid or Nix (over-the-counter), or call your doctor to discuss treatment options. Your doctor may recommend a prescription medicine. “Get a prescription from your child’s doctor,” recommended a pharmacist in New Hartford who wished to remain anonymous. “We do have specific medication for head lice. It’s covered by most insurances and you’ll save money.” Follow the directions for the
August 2021 •
medication. Medication should always be applied by an adult. Check with your health care provider before starting a second or third treatment. Wait 10 days before beginning a new treatment. You should also ask your health care provider before using medicine on a child 2 years or younger. Most treatments need to be repeated after seven to 10 days because they kill live lice and not nits. If you use Rid or Nix and still see live bugs in your child’s hair a few days after you’ve treated them, call your pediatrician for prescription medication. • Can my child go to school with head lice? Despite the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics that schools allow students with lice to attend, schools have their own policies, which differ from district to district. Check with your local district to be sure that you have the most up-to-date policy. • How to prevent spread If you find lice or nits on one family member, check everyone. Treat everyone who has been infected at the same time. The affected child or adult should avoid close contact with others until after the first treatment. As important as carefully following the directions for the lice treatment you choose is to decontaminate appropriate household items to prevent reinfection. Lice can’t live for more than 24 hours off the human body. Vacuum your child’s room, and soak hair brushes for one hour in anti-lice shampoo. Wash your child’s sheets, blankets, pillow cases and clothes worn in the past two days in hot water. Call your doctor if the skin becomes red, swollen and painful or the lymph nodes in the neck become tender. These may be signs of a skin infection.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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Page 13
Between You & Me
By Barbara Pierce
There’s a Better Way to Parent: No Yelling, No Praise We’ve kind of gotten off the track in terms of parenting in the U.S.
A
t least that’s what NPR correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff believes. When she met parents from around the world, she encountered millennia-old methods of raising good kids that made American parenting seem bizarre and ineffective. In her book “Hunt, Gather, Parent: What ancient cultures can teach us about the lost art of raising happy, helpful, little humans,” she shares what she learned. She determined that we, as parents, could learn much about parenting from ancient cultures as she traveled with her 3-year-old daughter to live with a Mayan family in Mexico, then with an Inuit family in the Artic, and in a community of hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. There she encountered parents who raise children in a totally different way than we do — and raise extraordinarily kind, generous, and helpful children without yelling, nagging, or timeouts. These cultures don’t have the same problems with children that we do. Most strikingly, parents build a relationship with young children that is vastly different from the one many of us develop — it’s built on cooper-
ation instead of control, trust instead of fear. “It single-handedly changed my life,” she concluded. “It transformed my whole sense of what parenting could be. This approach is really about minimizing conflict and tension and really maximizing cooperation.” Kids have few toys and no child-centric activities and child-centric spaces (like Chuck E. Cheese, children’s museums). Instead, children spend their time simply inhabiting the same world as grown-ups — playing alongside them, learning to use their tools, helping with their responsibilities. Moving from “how to entertain my child” to “how to just embrace them” as a family member who has value and is important right from the beginning. For example, children have an innate desire to be helpful; they often don’t know how to help and seem incapable or clumsy. However, never discourage them from being helpful; shooing a child off can extinguish their motivation to pitch in. Children have a strong motivation to work as a team with their family, to cooperate. Child-centered
Children and Mental Health: Is it Just a Stage? By Barbara Pierce
A
s I talked with my client, Diana, her 4-year-old daughter, Brianna, was intrusive and annoying; our interview was going nowhere. Though Diana repeatedly told Brianna to sit down and play with the stuffed hippo she had brought, Brianna ignored her mother, insisting on her full attention. “They say she’s got bipolar disorder,” Diana apologetically said to me. I was dismayed that a mother had been told that her 4-year-old had a major mental illness. I worked with adults, diagnosing them with major mental illnesses. But a 4-year-old? This family has had loads of stress. Diana is overwhelmed, is meeting with me to sort it out. It’s reasonable to expect that her young daughter shows signs of emotional distress. Raising a child can be challenging. Even under the best circumstances, their emotions can change frequently and rapidly. All children are sad, anxious, irritable, or aggressive at times, or occasionally find it challenging to sit still, pay attention, or interact with others. In most cases, these are just typical developmental phases. However, such behaviors may indicate a more serious problem in some children. But how serious? Serious enough to give them a label that stigmatizes
Page 14
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them for life? According to the CDC online, mental disorders among children are described as “serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave or handle their emotions, which cause problems getting through the day. Many children occasionally experience worries or display disruptive behaviors. If symptoms are serious and persistent and interfere with school, home, or play activities, the child may be diagnosed with a mental disorder.” And that’s what happened with Brianna. Her symptoms are serious and persistent and interfere with normal life. So, a professional diagnosed her with a serious mental disorder. As a result, her mother treats her differently; her pre-school probably does, also. And that will surely affect her future in a most negative way. Probably way more than the chaos they are going through now. I prefer the way Eric Manheimer described it in his book “Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital” (which inspired the TV drama “New Amsterdam”): “Kids in the developmental period have nonspecific symptoms. Their brains are growing and maturing like crazy. They don’t have symptoms like adults. Depression in kids does
activities, designed for kids, erode this motivation. When we include children in adult activities, we amplify their motivation to cooperate and do what the family is doing. “I think we underestimate what children can do — there are children I met who were 12 years old, making meals and taking care of younger children. It’s because they’re given opportunities all along to learn those skills,” she said. The idea that parents are responsible for entertaining a child or “keeping them busy” is not present in the vast majority of cultures around the world, and definitely not throughout human history. In the vast majority of cultures around the world, parents do not constantly stimulate and entertain children. This mode of parenting is exhausting and stressful both for the child and the parents. Instead, minimize child-centered activities. Be sure children have access to your life and work; be sure they’re around while you do chores and other adult activities. Minimize distractions such as screens and toys. The fewer entertainment items a child has, the more attractive your world becomes. Maximize exposure to the adult world. Go about your business and bring the child with you. Doucleff noticed that she never heard these parents praise their children. They don’t say “Good job” or things like that, like we do much of the time. They may use facial expressions to show their approval. “When a child’s every positive action garners a ‘Good job,’ then
praise can undermine their intrinsic motivation,” she said. To motivate a child without bribe or threats, the child needs to feel connected to you, like they are making the choice to do the task, no one is forcing them, like they are competent and their contribution will be valued. Resist the urge to correct a child, especially when they’re pitching in and helping the family. Step back and let a child perform a task without interfering, even if the child isn’t executing the task as you wish. Help them learn a task by letting them practice that task. In other cultures, parents get a lot more help. They rely on neighbors, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends to raise children. It’s expected and encouraged. “Our children need many relationships, not just the one or two in the nuclear family,” she said. Yes. This book offers many eye-opening looks at how ancient techniques can benefit us today as parents.
not look like it does in adults…irritability is the hallmark symptom…” “Kids’ psychiatric illnesses are pretty undifferentiated and sometimes hard to tease out... The worst mistake is to assume these little humans are little adults. Adult rules do not apply here.” Children do have mental health problems. Those problems are not like those of adults. But they’re real, common, and treatable. One in five children has a mental health problem, said the CDC online, like anxiety or depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, disruptive behavior disorder or Tourette syndrome. Children with these disorders benefit from treatment. Unfortunately, only about 20% of them receive treatment, said CDC. Untreated mental health problems can disrupt children’s functioning at home and in school. Without treatment, children with mental health issues are at increased risk of failing in school, ending up in the criminal justice system, even suicide. Parents are usually the first to notice if a child has problems with emotions or behavior. Things like decline in school performance, constant worry, refusal to go to school, hyperactivity, nightmares, persistent disobedience or aggression, frequent tantrums, sadness. How can you tell the difference between emotions that are a normal part of growing up and those that are cause for concern? In general, consider seeking help if your child’s behavior persists for a few weeks or longer; causes distress for your child or your
family; or interferes with your child’s functioning at school, at home, or with friends. If your child’s behavior is unsafe or if your child talks about wanting to hurt themselves or someone else, seek help immediately. Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center in Utica provides mental health services to children at Pinefield Children and Youth Services, an inpatient unit for children 5 to 17 years of age, said James Plastiras, director of public information with the New York State Office of Mental Health. “Receiving appropriate treatment through community-based providers should be considered before the more intensive inpatient unit,” he added. In an emergency, children are admitted to Pinefield via the emergency department of a hospital, he explained. “When an emergency department evaluates a youth and feels that a referral is warranted, they refer the youth to Pinefield,” he said. “Referrals are evaluated to determine if admission is medically necessary. There is currently no waitlist for Pinefield and it is rare that all beds are full.” As the stay at Pinefield is designed to be short-term, acute intervention, a discharge plan is developed at admission, to support the child to find success at home and school after discharge, he said. If you’re concerned about your child, the best thing you can do is talk to your pediatrician. They may recommend a child specialist to do an in-depth evaluation.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker with many years of experience helping people. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book, “When You Come to the Edge: Aging” or if you have questions for her, contact her at barbarapierce06@yahoo.com.
Barbara Piece is a retired licensed clinical social worker.
Breastfeeding Week: Local Services and Support Mothers, as well as babies, can benefit from breastfeeding, experts say Megan Plete Postol
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orld Breastfeeding Week is marked annually from August 1 to 7. The goal is to inform, anchor, engage and galvanize action on breastfeeding and related issues. Nurse Anna Mroczek is the president of the Mohawk Valley Breastfeeding Network and the owner of Mohawk Valley Lactation. “Breastfeeding is a physiological norm for mothers and babies that simply can’t be replicated by other modes of feeding,” Mroczek said. “Breastfeeding is so much more than just a perfect food for a newborn baby. Breastfeeding enhances a newborn baby’s physiological, psychosocial and neurological development. Breastfeeding is about security, safety, bonding, trust. Mother’s chest is infant’s habitat when all of their needs are being met. Mother’s milk is a living fluid that constantly changes and adapts to changing needs of her baby.” Breastfeeding has many well-documented benefits. “We are only beginning to understand breastfeeding’s profound impact on the health of mother and baby,” Mroczek said. Studies have shown that breastfeeding reduces an infants chance of many illnesses, including diabetes, atopic dermatitis, gastroenteritis, asthma, certain allergic diseases, respiratory tract infection, obesity, necrotizing enterocolitis, certain cancers, and sudden infant death syndrome.
The Cleveland Clinic reports that breastfed babies have stronger immune systems, less gastrointestinal issues, fewer colds and respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus and whooping cough, fewer ear infections, fewer case of bacterial meningitis, better vision, lower rates of infant mortality, less illness overall and less hospitalization. Benefits extend to nursing mothers, too. Mothers that breastfeed have a reduced chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and certain cancers, such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Breastmilk contains many compounds not found in formula milk, that are impossible to replicate outside of human body, Mroczek said. These are hormones, growth factors, immune factors, anti-inflammatory compounds, anti-viral factors, anti-bacterial factors, digestive enzymes, and transporters. Mroczek suggests that mothers take time before the birth to think about what breastfeeding will entail and how to ease the transition. “I would encourage mothers to consider what is important in breastfeeding for them individually,” she said. “What are her short-term and long-term goals, what are some challenges that she might be faced with? Will she be returning to work? Is she in the middle of house remod-
Nurse Anna Mroczek is the president of the Mohawk Valley Breastfeeding Network and the owner of Mohawk Valley Lactation. eling, moving? Can she count on her family’s support? Did she have the conversation with her loved one about the support she is looking for during birth and postpartum? What are her strengths and what can she do today to make breastfeeding possible, easier?” Mothers can make the breastfeeding experience easier by seeking support. “I would encourage mothers to surround herself with other breastfeeding mothers and talk about their experiences,” Mroczek said. “This can be done by attending one of the local Susie’s Breastfeeding Café. This is the mother’s support group that currently meets four times a month via Zoom and in-person at Faxton hospital. I would encourage them to learn about physiological birth and empower themselves to go into labor and breastfeeding with confidence rather than fear. Up-to-date information on all the meetings we offer can be found on the Susie’s Breastfeeding Café Facebook page and in the Breastfeeding Café by Mohawk Valley Breastfeeding Network Facebook group.” There are many avenues for support in Central New York. Mroczek suggests the following: • Susie’s Breastfeeding Café— Support group for pregnant and nursing mothers, Facebook group, in person meetings, virtual meetings through Zoom. • Mohawk Valley Lactation—Private virtual, in person at home, (soon in office) lactation consultations and classes. Insurance coverage through Lactation Network. • Milk@Faith—Variety of services to help with breastfeeding, birth, and parenting needs.
• Manger Born Doula—Breastfeeding counseling, birth education and doula supports. • Nascentia Health—Provides comprehensive home care services to expectant mothers and children throughout Central New York. • WIC—Nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals and a variety of nutritious foods to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum women, infants and children up to age five to promote and support good health. • MVBN Mohawk Valley Breastfeeding Network—Non-profit organization whose focus is on promoting, encouraging and educating families and healthcare professionals about the importance and value of breastfeeding. • ICAN Healthy Families—provides individualized and non-traditional services and care to the highest risk individuals and families with social, emotional, mental health and behavioral challenges. Healthy Families of Oneida County services are home-based and are designed to support expectant families and parents in making a healthy home as they experience pregnancy and anticipate the birth of a new child. • Neighborhood Center—Community Health Worker is a free home visiting program serving Oneida and Herkimer counties. They work with women before having a baby, during pregnancy, after pregnancy or between pregnancies. Mothers can also attend breastfeeding classes offered by local hospitals. MVHS offers a free monthly class open to public on the first Saturday of each month. Parents can register by calling 315-624-4782. Mothers seeking a private, one-on-one prenatal session can schedule one with a local lactation consultant or breastfeeding specialist. Currently these are being offered locally by Mroczek through her business, Mohawk Valley Lactation, or with Jocelyn Sample of Milk@Faith, or Ashley Angram of Manger Born Doula. “Becoming a mother is a life-changing experience and often mothers and babies just need time to recover and learn to understand each other and discover instincts that they didn’t know existed,” Mroczek said. “Initially mother might need to adjust her expectations and learn what is physiologically normal for her and the baby. Infant behaviors can seem confusing at first and mothers are left doubting if all is OK with her body and her baby. This is the time when a mother needs emotional support and care.”
IS PROUD TO WELCOME
MAX R. GREENKY, MD
Specializing in Joint Replacement Surgery
Dr. Max R. Greenky is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint replacement surgery of the knees and hips. He is joining our team of specialty trained joint replacement surgeons this August and is now accepting new patients. Request an appointment on sosbones.com or call 315.251.3100 - Option 4, Option 2 August 2021 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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What Did You Earn at Your First Job?
ver wonder what you earned the year you worked your first job? Or perhaps any other year you worked? We can tell you. Your earnings history is a record of your progress toward your future Social Security benefits. We keep track of your earnings so we can pay you the benefits you’ve earned over your lifetime. This is why reviewing your Social Security earnings record is so important. While it’s your employer’s responsibility to provide accurate earnings information to us, you should still review your earnings history and inform us of any errors or omissions. This is so you get credit for the contributions you’ve made through payroll taxes. You’re the only person who can look at your lifetime earnings record and verify that it’s complete and correct. If an employer didn’t properly report even just one year of your earnings to us, your future benefit payments could
Q&A
Q: I got an email that says it’s from Social Security, but I’m not so sure. They want me to reply with my Social Security number, date of birth, and mother’s maiden name for “verification.” Did it really come from Social Security? A: No. Social Security will not send you an email asking you to share your personal information, such as your Social Security number, date of birth or other private information. Beware of such scams — they’re after your information so they can use it for their own benefit. When in doubt, or if you have any questions about correspondence you receive from Social Security, contact your local Social Security office or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800325-0778) to see whether we really need any information from you. Q: My same-sex partner and I recently married. Will we qualify for Social Security benefits? A: You may be eligible to apply for Social Security benefits. Many factors affect your eligibility for benefits, including how long you worked and your age. Social Security is now processing more claims in which entitlement or eligibility is affected by a same-sex relationship. We encourage you to apply for benefits right away, even if you aren’t sure you’re eligible. Applying now will protect you against the loss of any potential
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2021
be less than they should be. Over the course of a lifetime, that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in retirement or other benefits to which you are entitled. It’s important to identify and report errors as soon as possible. As time passes, you may no longer have easy access to past tax documents. Also, some employers may no longer exist or be able to provide past payroll information. The easiest way to verify your earnings record is to visit www.ssa. gov/myaccount and set up or sign in to your personal my Social Security account. You should review each year of listed earnings carefully and confirm them using your own records, such as W-2s and tax returns. You can find out how to correct your Social Security earnings record by reading our publication How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN05-10081.pdf. Let your friends and family know they can access important information like this any time at www. ssa.gov and do much of their business with us online.
benefits. You can apply safely and securely at www.ssa.gov/applyonline. Learn more about Social Security for same-sex couples by visiting www. ssa.gov/same-sexcouples. Q: I heard there is a Social Security video available in American Sign Language (ASL). Where can I find it? A: Yes, it’s true. The video is called “Social Security, SSI and Medicare: What You Need to Know About These Vital Programs.” The video is available in ASL and it presents important information about our programs. You can watch the video now at www.ssa.gov/multimedia/video/ asl. The video is a part of our larger collection of on-demand videos and webinars available at www.ssa.gov/ webinars and at www.YouTube.com. Q: I run a bed and breakfast. By this time every year, I am tired of all the paperwork involved with filing taxes. Is there an easier way for small businesses to file W-2s for their employees? A: Absolutely. If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur, you should check out Social Security’s Business Services Online (BSO) website. There, you can file your employees’ W-2s and W-2cs electronically and print out the W-2s to provide paper copies to your employees. You also can verify the Social Security numbers of your employees. Our online services are easy to use, fast, and secure. Visit our BSO page at www. ssa.gov/bso.
HOW CAN NY CONNECTS HELP? Free, easy, local access to information and assistance about long term care services and supports… regardless of age, income, or payor source. Get help with community services/supports designed to help people remain healthy and independent for Older Adults, Adults or Children with Disabilities as well as their Families and Caregivers.
By Jim Miller
The Hidden Dangers of Sleep Apnea
For answers to all your questions Contact us at 800-342-9871 or call one of the NY Connects partnering agencies at 315-697-5700 (Madison Office for the Aging) or 315-427-3122 (ARISE). You may also look for services and support at www.nyconnects.ny.gov
of
Dear Savvy Senior, How can you know when someone has sleep apnea? My husband has become such a terrible snorer that he wakes himself up at night, and he keeps me up too. Tired Teri
Dear Teri,
MADISON COUNTY
(800) 342-9871 (315) 427-3122 (315) 697-5700 several diagnostic tests he can take at SleepApnea.org/treat — click on “Test Yourself.” If the screening indicates that he may have sleep apnea, make an appointment with his doctor or a sleep specialist who will probably recommend an overnight diagnostic sleep test called polysomnography, which can take place at a sleep center lab (see SleepEducation.com), or at home This will appear usingad a portable device. at the classification of:
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Health News Excellus named to the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has been named to the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion after receiving a top score of 100% on the 2021 Disability Equality Index (DEI), a national benchmarking survey by Disability:IN and the American Association Sady Fischer of People with Disabilities. The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.” “We are excited about this significant ‘first’ for our company as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion. This top score is a testament to the culture of inclusion we are building collectively. We also recognize that that our effort towards advancing inclusion for people with disabilities is not finished. We have been taking intentional actions toward inclusion for years and this is simply another step toward improving as a company. When it comes to DEI, our work is never done,” said Sady Fischer, corporate director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.
Medical director, ED at MVHS receive awards The Mohawk Valley Health System’s (MVHS) emergency department (ED) on both the St. Luke’s
and St. Elizabeth campuses has been named one of the top response teams in the Northeast by TeamHealth for its work through the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, physician Afsar Khan, medical director of the MVHS EDs, has been awarded the 2020 Northeast Group Medical Director of the Year by TeamHealth for his role in leading the MVHS team this past year. In his role as medical director, Khan oversees the day-to-day operations of the ED on both the St. Elizabeth and St. Luke’s campuses as well as providing direct patient care. He was honored for providing high quality patient care throughout the pandemic as well as outstanding leadership to his team. “We are so proud of Dr. Khan and our emergency department team for the role they have played throughout the pandemic and the critical service they provide to our community every day,” said Darlene Stromstad, president and CEO of MVHS. “Dr. Khan is very deserving of this recognition. He has been a shining example of leadership, strength and consistency through an incredibly difficult year.” TeamHealth, which provides staffing for the ED at MVHS, is an organization comprised of over 16,000 affiliated healthcare professionals and advanced practice clinicians. The company offers emergency medicine, hospital medicine and more to approximately 3,100 acute and postacute facilities and physician groups nationwide. Khan sees the awards as reflections of the support, teamwork and strength shown by the organization and community through an unprecedented time in healthcare. “It was a difficult year with all of the stress that the COVID pandemic put on the healthcare system across the country,” Khan said. “I am personally grateful for all of the support shown to the department from the hospital’s administration, staff and the especially from the community.”
From left, Shayna Keller, Excellus BCBS community investments and partnerships manager; Gail Huber Rochette, Little Falls Community Outreach program coordinator; Tamara Razzano, Little Falls Community Outreach executive director; Eve Van de Wal, Excellus BCBS regional president.
Little Falls Community Outreach Receives Excellus Community Health Award Page 18
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Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently awarded Little Falls Community Outreach LLC a Community Health Award of $1,000 to support their food backpack program. This program provides backpacks filled with food to area children and their
Church installs hearing loop in its sanctuary St Joseph’s & St Patrick’s Catholic Church on Columbia Street in downtown Utica has become the first church in the city to have a hearing loop in their sanctuary, according to a news release. The system was installed in June by Hamilton-based Upstate Hearing Loops. With a hearing loop, the spoken word bypasses the PA speaker system and is broadcast directly into hearing aids or cochlear implants via the hearing loop. The purpose of the installation is to help parishioners with hearing loss who attend mass, weddings or funeral services, the ability to hear only the priest or the person speaking. The hearing loop provides them the enhanced clarity necessary to hear each word and to fully enjoy the services without reverberation or ambient background noise. “For people with hearing aids equipped with T-coils this is quite an amazing experience,” said Robert Bishton of Upstate Hearing Loops. “It’s like the person is speaking into your ears. Even non hearing aid users with difficulty hearing can use the hearing loop system with “Loop Listeners” that are provided by the church.
Romancik has been in the insurance industry more than 15 years. He began his career at Excellus BCBS in 2014 as a small group account consultant and most recently served as regional sales manager for the company’s eastern region, where he managed community-rated commercial sales and retention. Previously, he was an account executive specializing in employee benefits with a Central New York broker agency. Romancik is a volunteer and supporter of Clear Path for Veterans. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Canisius College in Buffalo. Romancik and his family currently reside in Central New York.
Book by local authors discusses spiritual practices
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has announced the promotion of John V. Romancik to regional director of sales in the company’s Central New York and Utica/ North Country regions. His responsibilities in this new role include managing mid-segment commercial sales and retention efforts. John Romancik
Dave Roberts, a social worker who works as adjunct professor of psychology and psychology child life at Utica College, has co-authored a book with Rev. Patty Furino titled “When The Psychology Professor Met The Minister.” Published on March 1, the book describes Roberts’ spiritual awakening guided by Rev. Patty, an interfaith minister from Long Island. Roberts’ experience ultimately helped him find peace after his daughter Jeannine’s death. A sampling of conversations from their friendship over the past 10 years is also included in the book. The authors provide a framework for how spiritual practices can be integrated with psychological interventions, empowering individuals from present and future generations to navigate various life challenges and create greater awareness about themselves and their relationship to the world around them. The book is available for purchase on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats. Questions about the book can be directed to the authors via email at psychologyprofessorandminister@gmail.com or by phone at 315-269-4522.
families who are experiencing food insecurity. “We believe that the community is only healthy and strong when all its residents are healthy and strong,” explained Little Falls Community Outreach Executive Director Tamara Razzano. The program provides meals seven days a week throughout the school year as well as during the summer months. Included among the food items are fresh vegetables from the First Presbyterian Church Community Garden. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an even greater need within the community. “Food from our backpack program is sometimes the only food in their homes,” stated Razzano. “We deliver food directly to the students, avoiding any stigma associated with food insecurity.” Little Falls Community Outreach strives to serve the needs of the community by providing resources, programs, and engagement. It operates several programs including
Banana Splits, tutoring, senior lunch and learns, and the Rainbow Club. Through a competitive application process, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Community Health Awards help fund programs that improve the health or health care of a specific population, programs that aim to improve the health status of the community, closes the gaps in health disparities, reduces the incidence of specific diseases, promotes health education and assists our communities in dealing with COVID-19. “The company’s Community Health Awards demonstrate a corporate commitment to support local organizations that share our mission as a nonprofit health plan,” said Eve Van de Wal, Utica regional president of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “We recognize that the pandemic has created an even greater need for programs such as the food backpack program that address social issues that impact the health and wellbeing of our communities.”
John Romancik promoted at Excellus BCBS
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