in good
Meet Your Doctor
April 2016 • Issue 122
Meet SDMG’s Ahmed Rezk See Page 4
MVhealthnews.com
Change of Life
free
Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
Can positive attitude help take edge off menopausal symptoms? See Page 5
New hospital in Mohawk Valley in hands of state lawmakers
Women’s Health Special Edition
See Page 3
April is Autism Awareness Month See Page 13
Business Spotlight: Daughter for Hire
Kathleen Rutishauser, left, joins Denise Flihan at Daughter for Hire in Clinton. See story, Page 12.
Potent Portobellos This mushroom possesses unique array of nutrients.
See Page 10
Taking health in own hands
Female Viagra Is it the real deal? See Page 9
Is there an FNP in the house?
Jeff Percacciante shows that desire, discipline leads to winning results.
Colleen Smith of the MVHS talks about what it’s like to be a family nurse practitioner.
See Page 11
See Page 9
April 2016 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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CALENDAR of
HEALTH EVENTS
Got a health-related activity or event that you would like publicized? Call Lou Sorendo at 315-749-7070 or email lou@cnymail.com. Mondays
Support group for OCD sufferers The Central New York Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, Inc., a registered nonprofit agency, has offered OCD sufferers in the region a weekly support group since 1997. Brian’s OCD Support Group meets from 6:30-8 p.m. every Monday except holidays in the Sister Regina Conference Room, first floor, St. Elizabeth Medical Center, 2209 Genesee St., Utica. Meetings are professionally assisted the third Monday of each month. For more information, call founder Susan Connell at 315-768-7031, email her at info@cnyocf.org, visit www.cnyocf.org or check out Cen NY OCD Support Group on Facebook. A speakers’ bureau is available at no cost.
Women’s support group to get together A women’s support/therapy group is meeting weekly from 5:30-7 on Mondays. Groups will be held in a confidential location in New Hartford and group size will be limited to protect anonymity. Topics of discussion may include family issues, stress, anger, relationships, grief, and more. Clinical therapist Cynthia Davis, who has over 20 years of experience, will lead the group. To pre-register, contact Davis at 315-736-1231, 315-794-2454 or email cindycsw@yahoo.com.
Tuesdays
Insight House offers family support group Insight House Chemical Dependency Services, Inc. is offering a family support group meeting from 6:15-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Insight House, 500 Whitesboro St., Utica. The group is free and open to anyone who is concerned about a loved one’s relationship with alcohol, opiates/heroin, or other substances. For more information about the group, call 724-5168, ext. 265, from 8:30-4 p.m. weekdays. All calls are strictly confidential.
Wednesdays/Thursdays
Overeaters Anonymous plans meetings Overeaters Anonymous meets from 5:30-6:30 p.m. every WednesPage 2
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
day in Room 101 (first floor) at Rome Memorial Hospital, 1500 James St., Rome. It also meets from 7-8 p.m. every Thursday at Oneida Baptist Church, 242 Main St., Oneida. Participants are asked to use the rear door. There are no dues, fees, weighins or diets. For more information, call OA at 315-468-1588 or visit oa.org.
April 5
Chronic kidney disease program slated The Dialysis Center at Mohawk Valley Health System offers an educational program for those who have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. The program will take place from 1-3:30 p.m. April 5 in Weaver Lounge at the Faxton Campus, 1676 Sunset Ave., Utica. Registration is required as seating is limited. Contact Cindy Christian, CKD program coordinator, at 315-624-5635 or cchristi@ mvhealthsystem.org. According to the National Kidney Foundation, 26 million Americans have CKD and millions of others are at risk for developing the disease. Early detection and intervention helps to prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure, known as end stage renal disease.
April 8
Prohibition party to support SEMC upgrades The St. Elizabeth Medical Center Foundation and F.X. Matt Brewery will hold the eighth annual Prohibition Party from 6-9 p.m. April 8 at the historic F.X. Matt Brewing Co., 830 Varick Street, Utica. The event is sponsored by Theresa Flemma, CFP®, senior vice president of M. Griffith Investment Services Inc. Tickets cost $45 per person if purchased by March 25, and $50 per person if purchased after March 25. Admission includes Saranac beverages, hors d’oeuvres, live Fifty percent of the ticket price is a tax-deductible contribution to the foundation. Proceeds from this year’s event will be used to fund equipment, and patient programs and services at SEMC. A limited number of tickets are available and the foundation anticipates selling out early for the event. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.stemc.org/foun-
Continued on Page 19
New Digs
Senate, Assembly budgets restore $300 million for new hospital in Oneida County By Patricia J. Malin
T
he on-again, off-again state funding for a proposed new hospital in Oneida County is back in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget for now. Recently, local political leaders led by State Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-Rome), State Sen. David Valesky (D-Oneida) and State Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) announced the New York State Senate and Assembly are expected to restore $300 million for the hospital in their respective budgets. In the fall of 2014, the Mohawk Valley Health System began exploring the concept of a new, freestanding hospital for the community. The state supported this project by including $300 million in the 2015 New York state budget to create an integrated health care delivery system in Oneida County. “Assemblyman Brindisi, Senator Griffo and Senator Valesky have been working diligently to restore, through the legislature, the $300 million in the New York state budget,” said Scott Perra, president and CEO of the MVHS. “We also appreciate Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente and Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri for supporting their efforts. We are now hopeful that Gov. Andrew Cuomo will demonstrate his commitment to this project by approving the budget so we can move forward with the new hospital and significantly improve healthcare for our community.” Last September, the MVHS board of directors released its plan to build a brand-new hospital in downtown Utica that would replace the two current, but aging facilities: St. Elizabeth Medical Center on Genesee Street in Utica and Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare on Champlin Avenue in New Hartford. FSLH and SEMC have been affiliated as the MVHS since 2014. The MVHS board spent a number of months working with local development officials and consultants to research possible locations. Twelve potential sites within a five-to-10 mile radius of Utica were examined and two met the final criteria. The board of directors then chose a 17-acre
Scott Perra, left, president and CEO of Mohawk Valley Health System, joins Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri while fielding questions in regards to a proposed $300 million hospital in the city of Utica. downtown site by a unanimous vote. Despite some public criticism of the location, the board has not suggested it would reconsider its plan. Even last spring, the parties from the MVHS, Utica and Oneida County estimated the project cost to be between $500 and $600 million. They also noted that $300 million had been allocated to MVHS in the state budget for fiscal 2015-16. In January, officials from MVHS as well as state and local leaders including Picente and Palmieri expressed dismay at the elimination of funding for the new hospital in the proposed budget. During a press
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conference at Picente’s office, they said they would continue to petition Cuomo’s office to get it restored in the fiscal 2016-17 budget.
$300 million included and funded. Legislators are expected to vote on the state budget by April 1. Even if the state kicks in $300 million, it would be less than the entire projected cost of building a new hospital. And then, MVHS said, the entire construction process could take another five to six years to complete, with a potential opening in 2021. In the press release, Griffo said, “Initially, I was dismayed and disappointed that the executive budget had left out the state funding for a new hospital that the legislature had worked so hard to secure last year.” He added, “The Mohawk Valley Health System has shown its vision for a new state-of-the-art facility, and they’ve been doing their best to put together a budget, timeline, location analysis and re-use plan for the current facilities to ensure that this hospital project is well-thought-out and accomplished in the community’s best interest. But in order to move forward, the Mohawk Valley Health System must be confident that the state will fulfill its promise.” Valesky, who is vice chair of the Senate Health Committee, described funding for the new hospital as “a high budget priority.” Brindisi commented, “This funding is critical because we are in need of a new state-of-the-art hospital to better serve the healthcare needs of our community.” Palmieri said, “This announcement is a testament to bipartisan leadership and a result of everyone working together for the betterment of our community. We will continue to work with our partners in government, the MVHS board, business leaders and residents to ensure this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and transformational project comes to fruition.”
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April 2016 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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U.S. cancer death rate continues to fall
But there's concerning increase in liver cancer
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verall rates of cancer and deaths from cancer in the United States continue to decline, a newly released report says. However, an increase in liver cancer deaths is cause for concern, the report authors noted. An increase in hepatitis C infections is likely a major reason for the increase, they said. "The latest data show many cancer prevention programs are working and saving lives," physician Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a news release from the organizations that issued the report. "But the growing burden of liver cancer is troublesome. We need to do more work promoting hepatitis testing, treatment, and vaccination," Frieden added. The Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer is released each year by the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. Between 2003 and 2012, the overall death rate for all cancers fell 1.5 percent a year. There were decreases in cancer deaths for both men and women, and among all major racial and ethnic groups. During that time, rates of new cancer cases fell among men and remained stable for women. The drop in new cancer cases is largely due to progress in prevention and early detection, and the decrease in cancer deaths may also be due to improved treatments, the experts suggested. Tobacco control programs have contributed to lower rates of lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, along with other types of cancer, according to the report. While the overall news is good, liver cancer incidence and death rates rose sharply compared to other cancer types, the report revealed. Between 2008 and 2012, liver cancer cases rose an average of just over 2 percent a year, the findings showed. Liver cancer deaths increased nearly 3 percent a year among men and more than 3 percent a year among women during the same time. In all racial and ethnic groups, about twice as many men as women were diagnosed with liver cancer, the report noted. A major contributing factor to liver cancer in the United States is hepatitis C infection, which accounts for just over 20 percent of the most common liver cancers. People born between 1945 and 1965 have a six times increased risk of hepatitis C infection and the CDC recommends they be tested for it.
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Meet
Your Doctor
Ahmed Rezk, DO
By Lou Sorendo
Ahmed Rezk, DO recently joined Slocum-Dickson Medical Group in New Hartford in the specialty of family practice. Recently, Mohawk Valley In Good Health Associate Editor Lou Sorendo interviewed Rezk regarding his career and outlook on health care. Q.: Why did you choose the specialty of family medicine? What motivated you into this particular field? Were there any influences that steered you in that particular direction? A.: I chose family medicine because I knew it would be the best way for me to help my patients. I am the first person a patient can come to for help with any problem. My motivation came from a course I took in high school called New Visions. I had the opportunity to shadow physicians in every different specialty. At that time, I knew family medicine was the right track for me. Q.: How does training to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine differ from that of a traditional physician? A.: Osteopathy offers an added level of training over traditional allopathic medicine. Osteopathic physicians are trained to provide hands-on treatments for common disorders that patients may have. It is an extra level of care that we can provide to help patients be as healthy as possible. Q.: Are family practitioners expected to diagnose and treat a broad spectrum of illnesses? A.: Yes we are. We are essentially the front line for diagnosing most medical conditions. Q.: What are some of the more gratifying aspects of returning to your hometown to practice medicine? What do you like most about the Mohawk Valley? A.: It’s gratifying to catch up with old friends I haven’t seen in a while. I also want to help provide care to a community that is in desperate need for primary care physicians. It is a great way to give back to the community. I would say the outdoor activities the Mohawk Valley offers are the main reason why I like the Mohawk Valley. It has some of the best trails, whitewater rafting and snow activities in the area. Q.: What are some of the more common illnesses and diseases that you diagnose and treat as a family practitioner? What age groups do you serve? A.: I serve patients aged 8 and up. I typically diagnose and treat obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Q.: What are some of the more common treatment protocols you employ? Have there been any major medical breakthroughs in your specialty that streamlines diagnosis and
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
treatment of patients? A.: The most common treatment protocols that I employ are for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Since these are silent killers, they have to be watched closely. I regularly check them with labs and in the office to make sure my patients stay healthy. There haven’t been any big breakthroughs in these areas of medicine, but there have been small things that help along the way. Many new diabetic medications are starting to come out. Also Hemoglobin A1c is a newer test that is now used to keep track of how a diabetic is doing with his or her blood sugars. Q.: What are the most challeng-
ing aspects of your job? How about the most gratifying? A.: The most challenging aspect of my job is trying to get patients to be compliant with their treatment plan to become healthy. Many patients have not seen a physician in many years, and they do not take it well when I tell them they have to be on a few pills and change their lifestyle. The most gratifying part of my job is when people genuinely thank you for the work you’ve done to help them. Nothing’s better than a simple thank you. Q.: What skill sets do you possess which make you an effective family practitioner? A.: Osteopathic manipulation sets me apart as a family practitioner. I have the ability to diagnose a problem, and provide hands-on treatment to help the patient while they are in the office. Q.: Is there a shortage of primary care doctors in the Mohawk Valley region and Upstate New York? If so, what is being done to remedy the shortage? A.: There is a definite shortage of primary care doctors in the Mohawk Valley region. There are incentive programs from the state for loan repayment, based on the area you are working, that is helping to attract physicians.
Lifelines Birthplace: Utica Current residence: Clinton Education: Doctor of osteopathy degree, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harlem; family medicine residency, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, Far Rockaway, and Palisades Medical Center, North Bergen, N.J.; Bachelor of Science in biology, with a minor in chemistry, Utica College, where he served terms as president and vice president of the Asa Gray Biological Society of Utica College Personal: Wife, Wafa Qamar, DO Hobbies: Racquetball, football, basketball, swimming
Women’s Health
Nature’s Way
A positive attitude goes a long way for women approaching, experiencing menopause By Barbara Pierce
M
enopause. Ugh! The thought of menopause usually calls to mind an array of unwelcome symptoms, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, thinning hair and sleep disturbances. The list is long and disheartening. But menopause can have a positive impact on your life as well. For one thing, not all physical changes caused by reduced female hormone levels are negative. For another, many of the emotional and social changes can actually be energizing. Read on to find out what many women have already discovered. In many ways, menopause can be a welcome change. “It’s a natural phenomenon,” said family nurse practitioner Colleen Smith of the Mohawk Valley Health System Medical Group. “It’s a hormonal thing. There’s really nothing to do but welcome it and stay as healthy as you can.” Yes, welcome it. Menopause can have a positive effect on your life. And if you think so, it will definitely help you get through the transition. “Embrace it in a positive way,” says Smith. Embrace it; be positive about the changes that will happen. “The attitude with which you embark upon this transition can have a tremendous impact on your experience of it,” says the North American Menopause Society on its website. There is growing evidence that the absence of positive thoughts has a greater negative impact on our health and well-being than does the presence of negative ones. “Negative beliefs? Predict a more difficult time,” Smith said. “Your symptoms will be worse if you don’t embrace it in a positive way,” stresses Smith. “Changes will happen to you, but they aren’t necessarily negative. “I was convinced that I’d turn into an old crone over night. It’s what we’ve all been made to think,”
Oneida, Herkimer in good
Uncomfortable symptoms
Madison
counties
A monthly newspaper published by Local News, Inc. 20,000 copies distributed. To request home delivery ($15 per year), call 315-749-7070.
In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2016 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing Address: 4 Riverside Drive, Suite 251, Utica, NY 13502 • Phone: 315-749-7070 Email: lou@cnymail.com
Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto Associate Editor: Lou Sorendo Contributing Writers: Patricia Malin, Barbara Pierce, Kristen Raab, Deb Dittner Advertising: Donna Kimbrell Layout & Design: Eric J. Stevens Office Manager: Alice Davis 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.
Smith. She recommends we exercise at least three times a week for 20-30 minutes. “Sedentary lifestyle in middle-aged women is associated with severe menopausal symptoms,” according to the NAMS. A recent study of more than 6,000 Latin American women showed a significant relationship between being sedentary and having worse symptoms. Women were considered to be sedentary if they reported fewer than three weekly sessions of physical activity that lasted 30 minutes or longer. The research also linked sedentary lifestyle with increased depression, anxiety, insomnia and obesity. Your risk of breast cancer increases when you reach menopause, added Smith. It is important to have a mammogram every year. Another caution from Smith: If you do begin spotting after not having your period for 12 consecutive months, make sure to talk to your doctor to rule out any serious conditions, such as cancer. “Have a positive outlook; life is really no different,” Smith said.
Present Tense Psychiatry
In addition to irregular periods, hot flashes are the most common complaint of many women. Other symptoms include vaginal dryness, sleep problems, mood changes, weight gain, thinning hair and dry skin. Remember the anxiety and apprehension you had when you began your periods as a 13 year old? Smith asks. Now you’re going through similar kinds of changes. You’re older and wiser; you don’t need to have the same anxiety and apprehension. “It is a big time in your life,” says Smith. “A time where things start to
and
Health MV’s Healthcare Newspaper
says 57-year-old Monica Troughton online. “In fact, exactly the opposite has happened. I’ve got more energy and more confidence than I’ve ever had before. And I’ve become so much more daring.” And think about this: No more periods and no more worrying about all the messy things that involves; no more pre-menstrual syndrome; sex with less worry. The symptoms of menopause aren’t hard to miss. They are related to a lowered production of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Symptoms vary widely because of the effects these hormones have on the female body. Your period may not be as regular as it used to be. You may bleed heavier or lighter than usual, and occasionally spot. Also, your period may be shorter or longer.
change. So be proactive.” Being proactive will decrease your chances of developing other problems that can go along with menopause. After menopause, women have an increased risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease, death from cancer, especially breast and colon cancer, and fractures due to osteoporosis, Smith explained. She recommends women going through menopause see their family health practitioner for a cholesterol check, diabetes screening, and blood pressure check to determine whether they are at higher risk than average for any of these problems, as their risk for all of these things rises following menopause. Smith advises us to continue to watch our weight, cholesterol and blood pressure. Also, eat a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. Inactivity does make the symptoms of menopause worse, said
Dr. Brady, DNP, NPP-BC Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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Rome Memorial affiliates with St. Joseph’s Health
Mission is to expand access to care for Central New York patients
R
ome Memorial Hospital’s board of trustees and St. Joseph’s Health of Syracuse announced a new collaborative relationship intended to expand patient access to needed services and technology. The announcement was made jointly by RMH board chair Chester Patrick and RMH President/Chief Executive Officer David Lundquist recently. Patrick said the two hospitals signed a transition service agreement. “The board has selected St. Joseph’s Health, a health care system that shares our commitment to providing patients with high-quality, coordinated care that is easily accessible,” he said. RMH and St. Joseph’s still need to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, RMH will continue to operate as an independent, separately licensed hospital with local
governance. “We are very excited about our relationship with Rome Memorial Hospital because it creates a seamless connection between our health care systems, improving patients’ access to the highest level of care,” said Kathryn Ruscitto, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health. “Ranked among the top hospitals in the nation for heart surgery, St. Joseph’s is also recognized for its focus on expanding community-based primary care to improve the overall health of the people it serves,” Lundquist said. Lundquist said the collaboration will make it easier for patients to navigate the health care system. “Whether they receive care here close to home or need more specialized care, they will be reassured knowing we have the resources within the collaborative network to provide the care they need,” he said.
Rome Memorial Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health announced plans to enter into a collaborative relationship in pursuit of mutual goals to expand patient access to needed services and technology in the community. Joining RMH President/Chief Executive Officer David Lundquist (center) are Darlene Burns, former interim president/CEO (left) and Kathryn Ruscitto, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health. Lundquist recently joined the RMH administration on March 1. Ruscitto added, “When open heart surgery or tertiary care is needed and a patient must come to
St. Joseph’s, our partners will have a direct connection to our services, which will help them provide their patients with the best care possible in their home communities.”
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
Women’s Health chi could Breast feed or formula? Tai be healthy Explore benefits, disadvantages before making decision By Malissa Allen
F
rom time to time, we hear controversy about mothers who breastfeed their babies in public. It’s a natural process that moms have done since time began. Most people understand that moms need to provide nutrition to their baby, but there are others who feel it is inappropriate when done in public. Often new moms have a hard time deciding whether to breast feed or use a formula and bottle for their new bundle of joy. According to Sandy Graichen, maternity nurse at Rome Medical Hospital, breast milk is the absolute best food for babies. However, this luxury doesn’t always come easily. “In the beginning, both mother and child, as novices, have to learn to master this natural human process,” Graichen said. “Most new moms today have no real role models to help them and encourage them to breastfeed.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, 75 percent of American moms are now breastfeeding. With a generation more concerned with health issues and using natural products without the added ingredients found in formula, breastfeeding has seen a surge in popularity. What are the pros and cons of breastfeeding and is it really the healthiest way to provide nutrition to an infant? On one side of the coin, mothers and health officials claim breast milk is by far the safest and healthiest means for feeding a baby. The reasons, according to Webmd.com and Lucieslist.com, include the following: • Availability • No cost • Contain natural white blood cells that actively fight infection • Offers nutrients such as carbohydrates, calcium, fat and protein • Breast milk is easier for babies to digest, which causes fewer tummy problems. There are negative factors that
play a role in breastfeeding as well: • Not all new moms can breast feed, leaving emotional scars and feelings of failure. • Breastfeeding can be painful. Often moms will experience sore, cracked nipples, often leading to bleeding. • Pressure on the mom as the only source of the baby’s nutrition can cause anxiety and stress. • Breastfeeding sometimes leads to painful blocked ducts, thrush and mastitis. • Breastfeeding and pumping can be exhausting on a new mother. Then there is added stress of knowing she must pump every few hours, which can be inconvenient. • Having no access to a pump when lactating: No matter what the working mother’s job is or if she finds herself on a business trip, needing to pump every three hours is a must. Good luck with that. Not all employers recognize the lactating
cycle and-or how often mom has to pump. Does this mean a new mom should want to breast feed over formula? Absolutely not. Formula companies have come a long way in making products as close as possible to mother’s milk. Formula feeding is usually pressure-free and much more convenient than breastfeeding. However, it can be quite expensive, according to experts. The cost of formula has tripled over the past two decades, which is one reason moms are returning to breastfeeding. Being in a society that is less accepting of a mother breastfeeding in public is a concern for new moms. Breastfeeding and formula feeding both have strong nutrient values, so the choice really comes down to what the mother feels is right for her and her baby. The most important thing is for the mom to become aware if she isn’t successful at breastfeeding, she must change to formula so her baby doesn’t go hungry. It is true that nothing beats the bond the mother and child create by breastfeeding. But make sure the mother’s schedule can accommodate it and she can be successful in the process before giving up on formula feeding. Whether you choose to breastfeed or formula feed your baby, the bottom line is, it’s your choice. Do what you feel is best for you and your nursing baby. There are support groups available in the Mohawk Valley and can be found at www.ocgov.net. Parents-to-be can learn about childbirth, newborns and other related topics by attending the upcoming Baby Care Basics program from 7-9 p.m. April 13 at Rome Memorial Hospital in the classroom.
move for your heart
T
ai chi and other traditional Chinese exercises may benefit people with heart disease, researchers report. The new review of 35 studies included more than 2,200 people in 10 countries. The investigators found that, among people with heart disease, these types of lowrisk activities appeared to help lower blood pressure and levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and other unhealthy blood fats. Tai chi, qigong and other traditional Chinese exercises were also linked to improved quality of life and reduced depression in heart disease patients, the study authors added. But the exercises did not significantly improve heart rate, aerobic fitness levels or general health scores, according to the report published March 9 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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Health Professions Clinical Social Worker
Helping those in crisis features both challenges, gratification By Barbara Pierce
”
Wow! What a gift you gave me!” said tiny, wrinkled Ruth. As a clinical social worker, I had seen her for the first time last week. She described growing up with an abusive father: “On Christmas, he sat with a rifle, ready to shoot Santa.” “But what I remember most was the eyes, those cruel eyes, staring at me,” she had continued. “Bad things always happened.” To get away from the eyes, she drank. Years later, she went to Alcoholics Anonymous and got sober. But the eyes haunted her and caused severe anxiety. I suggested some things to try when the eyes came into her mind. She tried; they worked. Like Ruth, many of the persons I got to know in my career as a licensed clinical social worker still have a place in my heart: • The young women who dropped out of college and each
morning considered whether this would be the day she killed herself. • The incarcerated 17 year old — tears streaming down his face as I validated for the first time that he got handed a pretty rotten life. • The middle-aged man who felt he couldn’t go on without the wife he had lost. I sat with many people in great pain. Sometimes such great pain it overwhelmed the room. I loved my work. I never earned much, never got much glory for it; but that was OK. Loved it because the glory came when I helped folks find their way out of the pain. When I collaborated with them to find the path they needed to follow, so that if they got lost in the future they could get back on that path. Like helping Ruth conquer a lifelong anxiety; the college girl get her life back, and the man create a life without his wife. “For me, a career in social work
is a vocation of true meaning. It’s one of the few careers where you have the privilege of being able to work closely with some of the most vulnerable people, to build on their strengths and truly contribute to an improvement in their lives,” said Chris Martin online. A master’s degree in social work opens the doors to a variety of opportunities. I found my purpose in mental health, mostly outpatient clinics, with some in-patient. Also, I worked with teenage boys in the juvenile justice system, persons leaving their abusers, persons with developmental disabilities, persons with dementia, and medical social work.
Diverse settings for LCSW
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
Clinical social workers can work in a variety of settings, assisting people who are going through the most challenging experiences in their lives, the illness or death of a family member, divorce, child custody issues, incarceration, unemployment, substance abuse, and domestic violence. They work in schools, hospitals, jails and clinics. Clinical social work is a unique field as it combines an in-depth knowledge of how mental and emotional disorders develop and are treated, with an understanding of how socioeconomic, cultural and familial forces impact the well being of individuals. — Training: Becoming a clinical social worker requires a master’s degree in social
work that includes considerable time in an internship. While becoming licensed is not required, it opens doors, increases your salary, and is required for private practice. Becoming an LCSW in New York state requires a master’s degree in social work, plus at least three years experience, being of good moral character and passing an exam. — Qualities needed: To be successful as an LCSW, an immense ability to empathize, to really understand what it must feel like to be in this person’s life, is necessary. And to not judge, no matter what comes up. The LCSW collaborates with his clients, to empower them, to help them figure out what they need to do and how to do it. He rarely gives advice. He creates a good working relationship with his clients, supporting and encouraging them to make changes. These words, from “Advice to a Therapist” by Ruth Harriet Jacobs, served as my guide over the years: “What I need from you is support for my strengths rather than reminders of my flaws. What I crave from you is an unconditional caring. What I expect from you is that my pain and terror will not make you turn away or offer unwanted palliatives. “What I want is that you recognize I have surmounted huge obstacles and have reservoirs of strength. What I desire is your wisdom gathering strength to go on imperfectly in an imperfect world.”
Pedestrian deaths projected to jump
W
alking in the United States appears to be more hazardous than ever. A new report projects a 10 percent surge in pedestrian deaths between 2014 and 2015 — the largest annual rise on record. While no one cause is apparent, the rise in pedestrian deaths could reflect increased traffic volume, growing cellphone use by drivers and walkers, and more people walking for health, economic or environmental reasons, according to the report from the Governors Highway Safety Association. "We are projecting the largest
year-to-year increase in pedestrian fatalities since national records have been kept, and therefore we are quite alarmed," said report co-author Richard Retting, of Sam Schwartz Consulting. Researchers made the estimate by comparing preliminary data on the number of U.S. pedestrian deaths in the first six months of 2014 (2,232) and the first six months of 2015 (2,368). Twenty-six states and Washington, D.C., reported increases in pedestrian deaths, the researchers said.
Health Professions Family Nurse Practitioner
Face of health care environment in flux as nurse practitioners pick up their game By Barbara Pierce
A
“make-you-feel better” career is how Colleen Smith describes her career as a family nurse practitioner. “It’s a wonderful career. It’s a great career for anyone who has a love of working with others,” she said. As a family nurse practitioner with the Mohawk Valley Health System Medical Group, Smith works with patients much like Smith a family doctor. “As a nurse practitioner, I was trained to work with patients throughout their lives — from infants to geriatrics,” she explained. Family nurse practitioners have a graduate-level education, as well as clinical training in family medicine, so they are qualified to diagnose and treat complex health conditions. They treat everything from mild ailments to serious conditions affecting any member of the family. Smith performs comprehensive physical examinations, treats illnesses and injuries, provides immunizations, and manages chronic health problems. She orders and interprets diagnostic tests such as X-rays and EKGs, as well as laboratory tests.
Smith prescribes all medications that her patients need. She also prescribes therapies and performs procedures. She educates and counsels patients and their families regarding healthy lifestyles and health care options. Like many NPs, Smith’s path to becoming one was through working as a registered nurse. For 37 years, she worked in a hospital setting, first as an RN, then in a managerial position. When the hospital reorganized and her position changed substantially, she was motivated to change. “It was time for me to spread my wings,” she said. “I needed more autonomy and flexibility in this profession. It was time to take my career a step further.” As she had an RN degree, which had taken her four years, it took two additional years in an NP practitioner education program to become an NP. Following the NP program, she had to pass the state board exams. To become specialized in family health as an FNP took advanced study. FNPs work in a variety of settings, including doctor’s offices, clinics, private homes, schools and hospitals. Their advanced training and education qualifies them to serve as hospital and clinic administrators and policy makers. Smith recently began working for the MVHS Medical Group in Boonville and Waterville, serving persons of all ages. Until recently, she special-
ized in gynecology and obstetrics. “Now I’m in a rural setting in family practice. I had to do a lot of brushing up to prepare for this position,” she added.
She prefers NPs
“I’ve seen a lot of physicians and I’ve seen some nurse practitioners,” said Jennifer Mason, 72, of Naples, Fla. “I’ve gotten much more help with whatever my problem was from the nurse practitioner than I did from the doctor. Generally, I’d rather see the nurse practitioner than the doctor.” Smith says many of her patients agree with Mason. “It’s because our basic background is nursing,” she explained. “We’re bedside nurses. We sat by sick beds and emptied bedpans. We have a different perspective.” There is a desperate need for nurses and NPs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 23 percent increase in overall nursing jobs between 2008-2018. There is a looming shortage of primary care physicians in the United States. Therefore, a career as an FNP is being encouraged. There is a gradual increase in the number of NPs providing primary care. The job market for NPs is steadily rising. NP programs have been
ranked among the top-10 for potential job growth, according to CNN Money. Nursing is the fastest-growing occupation in the U.S; doctors’ offices will need the most nurses. The first step to a career as an NP is to earn your credentials as an RN. To do this, you need an associate or bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or a diploma from an approved vocational training program. As many employers in the health care sector now require clinician employees to have a college degree, these diploma programs are becoming less popular. Another way to achieve a career as an NP is to earn a bachelor’s degree, majoring in nursing, and then earn a graduate degree. Many graduate schools require students to gain a few years of nursing experience before being accepted into their NP program. Nursing school is expensive, but there are many grants, loans, scholarships, work-study and loan forgiveness programs available; you just need to know where to find them. New York state offers tuition assistance programs. For more information, go to www.hesc.ny.gov/payfor-college/apply-for-financial-aid/ nys-tap.html.
‘Viagra’ for women pill may not be worth it Researchers: Addyi carries host of serious side effects without delivering more sexual satisfaction
T
he much-touted "female libido" pill — also known as “Viagra for women” — seems to cause a host of serious side effects while failing to spark much additional passion in a woman's life, a new review suggests. Addyi (flibanserin) quadruples the risk of dizziness and sleepiness, more than doubles the chances of nausea, and increases the risk of fatigue by more than half, according to the analysis. For all that trouble, a woman taking Addyi can expect to gain one-half of one additional satisfying sexual event per month, on average, according to the report. It was published online Feb. 29 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. "We found women had, on aver-
age, 2.5 satisfying sexual events per month before entering the study, and flibanserin added one-half additional satisfying sexual events per month," said senior study author Ellen Laan, a professor of sexology and psychosomatic gynecology at the University of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. The side effects are troubling, said physician Mamta Mamik, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine in New York City. "The article is pretty comprehensive in addressing the issues. They raise valid concerns," Mamik said. "I think we have to be careful when a drug is marketed before its safety profile is approved and proper trials have been conducted."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Addyi last year after a contentious review process, making it the nation's first drug designed to help women with low libido. Only 227 prescriptions for the drug were filled in its first few weeks on the market, Bloomberg reported. In the new review, Laan and her colleagues reviewed eight clinical trials conducted with Addyi, including five published and three unpublished studies involving almost 6,000 women. The combined evidence showed that Addyi provides marginal benefit for women who are suffering hypoactive sexual desire disorder, a condition involving a persistent or recurrent lack of interest in sex.
April 2016 •
For example, women taking the drug scored just 0.3 points higher on a 5-point sexual desire scale and experienced a minimal increase in satisfying sexual events each month, the review authors found. However, Mamik noted that it's hard to judge how well Addyi performs because female desire is difficult to assess. "When you try to judge efficacy for a drug without an accurate measure of what the drug's supposed to do, it becomes fairly difficult," she explained. "It's not like blood cholesterol levels, where there's a number. How do you measure it? That's where the problem lies."
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SmartBites
The skinny on healthy eating
Surprising Benefits of Earthy Portobellos
P
ortobellos are unlike any food you’ll encounter in the produce section. This mushroom, in fact, possesses such a unique and vast array of nutrients, it’s hard to know where to begin. But first: What exactly is a portobello? Neither a fruit nor a vegetable, this large, flavorful fungus — known for its meaty texture — is really just a mature dark-button mushroom. Indeed, portobellos are simply creminis that have been left to grow until their caps reach diameters of up to six inches. That portobellos are low in fat, calories, sodium and cholesterol may not come as a big surprise. Most produce is known for being attractively low in all of the above. What may come as a surprise, however, is that portobellos deliver a decent amount of muscle-building protein (a little over 5 grams per large cap) and a good helping of heart-healthy fiber (about 3 grams per cap). What may also raise eyebrows is that portobellos are a mineral superstar — with more potassium than a banana, nearly half of our daily copper needs, and enough selenium to make top-10 lists of foods highest in this mineral. Potassium helps to control blood pressure; copper is needed for energy; and selenium helps to protect cells from free-radical
damage. Another big eye-opener: Portobellos may help prevent cancer, especially hormone-dependent breast cancer. Due to a unique fatty acid in portobellos that helps to lessen the production of estrogen, this mushroom may actually lower the risk of this breast cancer type. And the icing on the cap: Eating mushrooms such as portobellos may be associated with reduced inflammation and a stronger immune response, according to researchers at Arizona State University and Penn State University. Translation? The humble portobello may reduce the risk of health problems associated with chronic inflammation, such as heart disease, certain cancers, and Type 2 diabetes. Lastly, while mushrooms are often touted as being a good source of vitamin D, the particular form found in mushrooms has led experts to agree that you cannot count on mushrooms to be helpful with your vitamin D requirements.
Helpful tips
When selecting mushrooms, avoid mushrooms with bruises or that feel slimy, and go for those that smell earthy. If there’s any hint of ammonia or another odd odor, then you know the mushroom has
spoiled. Store unwashed mushrooms in a brown paper bag (plastic traps moisture and encourages sliminess) and place in refrigerator for up to a week. Clean with a soft brush or a damp paper towel or by a super-quick dunk in water.
Grilled Portobello Burgers with Rosemary Mayo Adapted from Bon Appetit Serves four Rosemary Mayo ½ cup fat-reduced mayo 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed 1 garlic clove, minced ¼ teaspoon each: coarse black pepper, salt Balsamic marinade 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup water 2 teaspoons sugar 1 garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 2 tablespoons olive oil Portobello burgers Nonstick vegetable oil spray 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed
4 whole wheat buns lettuce, sliced onions (optional) Place cleaned and trimmed mushrooms in a glass dish, stem (gill) side up. In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Drizzle marinade over the mushrooms; cover and place in refrigerator for about an hour, turning mushrooms once. While the mushrooms are marinating, mix mayo, mustard, rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. To cook: Spray grill rack with nonstick spray, then prepare barbecue (medium heat). Grill portobellos until tender, turning once or twice, about 8 minutes per side. Baste with marinade to keep from drying out. Place each mushroom on a bun and top with rosemary mayo, lettuce and onions (if desired). Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle columnist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.
Correction: Last month’s bok choy recipe should have also included “1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted.”
Lawn mowers cause severe injuries to youngsters
Study found that more than half of accidents required amputation
KIDS Corner
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espite long-standing safety guidelines, U.S. children continue to suffer severe injuries from both regular power lawn mowers and ride-on mowers, a new Pennsylvania-based study finds. In more than half of such cases, children required an amputation, the research showed. "People don't realize how dangerous lawn mowers are," warned senior
study author Douglas Armstrong. He's a physician and professor of orthopedic surgery and division head of pediatric orthopedics at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa. "All lawn mowers have a tremendous amount of kinetic energy given off at the tip of the lawn mower blade. It's higher than a bullet leaving the muzzle of a 357 Magnum, which means that the injuries we see are not just lacerations, they're the result of something more like an explosion or blast injury," he explained. The researchers looked at information from all children with lawn mower-related injuries treated at Pennsylvania trauma centers between 2002 and 2013. The investigators found an average of about 16 accidents a year. In all, the study found that nearly 200 children under the age of 18 were injured because of a lawn mower. The majority of those injured (81 percent) were boys, and the average age was 8 years. Nine in 10 accidents occurred during warm weather months (April through September), according to the study.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
More than half of the cases (55 percent) involved "ride-on" lawn mowers, the investigators found. Ride-on lawn mowers are small vehicles outfitted with a seat, versus standard lawn mowers you need to walk behind and push. The researchers said nearly twothirds of the injuries involved the lower extremities. Slightly more than half of the kids had to have an amputation because of the injury. One child (age 1) died due to an incident involving a ride-on lawn mower, the study authors reported. "The vast majority of the injuries could have been prevented if safety guidelines had been followed," Armstrong said. Those guidelines, outlined in 2001 by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommend that no child under the age of 16 should operate a ride-on mower, while no child under 12 should operate a powered or non-powered push mower. The advisory further cautions parents to keep all children under the age of 6 indoors when any mower is in operation.
The Social Ask Security Office
From the Social Security District Office.
Discover courageous faces of disability
S Jeff Percacciante, left, accepts the Olivari Lifestyle Change Award from Jonathan Batson of The Sovena Group at the conclusion of America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk at Utica College recently. For related story, see Page 20.
His loss a personal gain
Olivari Lifestyle Change Award winner driven to self-improvement By Patricia J. Malin
T
hroughout most of his life, Jeff Percacciante battled obesity and fatigue, which later contributed to depression, anxiety and panic attacks. “I was always obese from the time I was in third grade,” he said following America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk held recently at Utica College. For years, he put up with the taunting from his classmates. His mother Rosemarie passed away in 2012 at the age of 58. His father had suffered a massive heart attack several years earlier, but survived following surgery. By 2009, Percacciante’s weight had ballooned to 230 pounds. Frightened by the prognosis for his own wellbeing and fed up with his appearance, Percacciante finally figured out a way to take control of his life. He began a fitness program. He started practicing yoga and combined it with healthful eating and consistent exercise. Thanks to his disciplined workouts, he lost 60 pounds within a year. That wasn’t the end of his quest. He kept pursuing yoga, first as a dedi-
cated student and then enrolling in a teacher-training program. Now 27, Percacciante is a lean and fit 170-pound instructor at In Bloom Yoga, 4752 Commercial Drive, New Hartford, and was awarded the Olivari Lifestyle Change Award at the closing ceremonies of the Heart Run and Walk. The award honors someone who has made significant, positive changes in an effort to live longer and healthier. The Utica chapter of the American Heart Association presented The Lifestyle Change Award, sponsored by Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil. Olivari is packaged and distributed by The Sovena Group USA, headquartered at Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome. Percacciante was one of two finalists vying for the award. Nominations were submitted by friends, co-workers or relatives and were chosen by a panel of judges. America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk, which included a run and walk at Rome Free Academy in February, and indoor walks in New York Mills and New Hartford as well as a two-day telethon, drew 7,100 participants this year and raised $1,011,787. • For related story, see Page 20.
Advertise with In Good Health! Call 749-7070 today!
ocial Security is committed to the principles and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which improves the lives of our beneficiaries and our employees who have disabilities. We are proud to say that we’ve been helping people with disabilities for over 25 years. We also want you to see and hear from the people who rely on Social Security disability benefits to not just survive, but thrive, as active members of our communities. Our Faces and Facts of Disability website highlights the real life stories of people who have disabilities. The address is www.socialsecurity.gov/ disabilityfacts. The newest person we are featuring on our Faces and Facts of Disability website is Lynne Parks. She is an artist from Baltimore, Md. First diagnosed with metastatic fibrosarcoma at age 14, she has lived with this illness for nearly 35 years. It started in her face and moved to different parts of her body, including her abdomen and leg. She also has various tumors on her shoulder and arm. Inflammatory responses, infections, and new tumors are complications that Lynne deals with every day. “Because of the tumors, I have limited use of my left arm,” Lynne said. “I have weakness in my legs.
There's fatigue because my immune system has taken such a big hit from the cancer and the cancer treatments. I get sick all the time. There might be a day that I can be at home and resting and I'll try to make the best of it. I'll wake up, fix breakfast and eat, and that takes a while because of my physical limitations, but also because of my first tumor that was in my face.” Having been helped by Social Security, Lynne tries to help others. “I'm also helping people who have issues learn to cope with them, because they see in me someone as a role model, essentially. Life without Social Security benefits, it's a horror story, because I imagine myself on the streets.” The disability benefits Lynne receives are a crucial resource for her quality of life. Our disability programs continue to be a mainstay in the lives of many people — people just like you. Social Security disability beneficiaries are among the most severely impaired people in the country. It’s something that can happen to anyone when least expected. We invite you to learn the facts about the disability insurance program, and see and hear these stories of hardship and perseverance at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityfacts.
Q&A Q: What is a Social Security Statement, and how can I get a copy? A: Your online Social Security Statement gives you secure and convenient access to your earnings records. It also shows estimates for retirement, disability, and survivors benefits you and your family may be eligible for. You can get your personal statement online by using your own My Social Security account. If you don’t yet have an account, you can easily create one. To set up or use your account to get your online statement, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. We also mail statements to workers attaining ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and older, three months prior to their birthday, if they don’t receive Social Security benefits and don’t have a My Social Security account. If you don’t want to wait for your statement, you can access it online, whatever time of year you need it. Q: I own a business. What should I do if an employee gives me
April 2016 •
a Social Security number but cannot produce the card, or if the employee is waiting to receive a Social Security number? A: Seeing the card is not as important as putting the correct information on the worker's Form W-2. You can verify employee Social Security numbers by using our Social Security Number Verification Service. Just go to www.socialsecurity.gov/ bso. This online service allows registered employers to verify employee Social Security numbers against Social Security records for wage reporting purposes. If the employee recently applied for a Social Security number, but does not yet have a card when you must file the paper Form W-2, enter the words “Applied for” on the Form W-2. If you are filing electronically, enter all zeros (e.g., 000-00-0000) in the Social Security number field. When the employee receives the card, file Copy A of Form W-2C, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement with Social Security to show the employee's number.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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Business Spotlight
Daughter for Hire LLC
Service provides assistance to elderly in need By Patricia J. Malin
A
woman’s work is never done. They spend their lives raising their families and nurturing succeeding generations, sometimes sacrificing their own careers. But when grandmothers, mothers, aunts and sisters (even our grandfathers and fathers) in turn become aged and infirm, it falls to their children, generally their daughters, to step in and take care of their needs. In some cases, however, there are no children or family members living nearby. In Rutishauser many instances, the elderly person who lives alone then becomes confined to an assisted living facility or a nursing home. This is a problem that has bothered Kathleen Rutishauser and Denise Flihan. They decided to start a business, Daughter for Hire LLC, to provide a solution for seniors in the Mohawk Valley who value the idea of being independent and remaining in their homes. Originally based at Rutishauser’s home in Whitesboro, the business has grown in the last year. Daughter for Hire officially opened its office on 6 Williams St., Clinton in November.
Rutishauser and Flihan realized many seniors need a helping hand with daily, non-medical activities, perhaps a ride to the grocery store, doctor’s and lawyer’s appointments, hairdressers, the bank or to church. Some seniors may need help with errands, such as bill-paying, laundry, meal preparation, taking prescriptions safely, light housekeeping, gardening, lawn mowing, shoveling snow, caring for pets or companionship. Daughter for Hire offers a variety of these services around the clock, seven days a week, for a reasonable rate and with an unconditional guarantee. Flihan The company and its 38 caregivers are bonded and insured to ensure security for clients. The majority of caregivers are women, but a few men have opted to help out, they said. “It’s basically a service that allows seniors to stay at home and get help with things around the house,” Rutishauser said. “Helping around the house is the most common (task).” “I started the business at my home four years ago,” she added. “I started with helping 15 or 16 individuals and then it doubled in the first 12 months. We have well over
200 clients now. The average age is 86. Some are in their 70s and some in their 90s.”
Compassionate approach
Daughter for Hire’s website (www.daughter-for-hire.com) explains that it focuses on providing a skilled and compassionate workforce, all of whom are carefully screened in personal interviews, reference checks and a national criminal background check. Employees are actively managed and follow Daughter for Hire policies and procedures. “They are all vetted and hired by us,” Rutishauser said. “Our calling card is the warmth, dependability and effectiveness of our employees,” the website adds. ”Our core criteria for hiring our caregivers are honesty, integrity, patience, caring nature, compassion and a pleasing personality. Our focus has been to build a team that represents the kind of people that you’d like to have in your own home.” “Kathleen and I have extensive ties in this area,” said Flihan. “We’re so different from other area companies. We feel our clients are so closely tied to our own families. “The second part of what we do is to bring peace of mind to the families so they can concentrate on their jobs. A lot of the time, we consult with the families. It helps us determine both the needs of families and clients. Whether it’s a little help
or a lot, we work with our clients to determine their needs.” One individual who lives out of state phoned Daughter For Hire recently and asked them to check on his sister who was leaving the hospital and to deliver flowers. Flihan and Rutishauser have been friends and business acquaintances for 20 years and combined their careers in finance and banking, respectively, in starting Daughter for Hire. Flihan worked with the Small Business Development Association and was active with the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign. Their business backgrounds have been essential in helping some of their elderly clients. As Rutishauser noted, “We advocate for our clients. We can call the insurance company for them and we can hire attorneys. We have reliable resources we work with and trust, like those who do household maintenance. We know they will get the work done and not take advantage of our clients.” Daughter For Hire is located just a few steps from state Route 12B and opposite the village green in Clinton. Rutishauser and Flihan — whose own mothers live out of the area and sometimes need assistance, are considering getting a trademark for their business so it can be franchised. With this company’s reputation spreading, you can say a daughter’s work will never be done.
More people undergoing surgery, taking opiates to treat back pain
M
ore people are undergoing surgery, taking opiates to treat back pain More Upstate New Yorkers with back pain are undergoing surgery and taking prescription medication — including opiate painkillers — even though noninvasive treatments such as simple exercises and overthe-counter drugs usually work, according to a recent Excellus BlueCPage 12
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ross BlueShield report. “If patients receive the wrong care at the wrong time, it could actually lead to worse outcomes,” said Brian Justice, a chiropractor and medical director at Excellus BCBS. “Back pain is not a disease in search of a cure. It’s a part of life that needs to be managed.” According to the report, “Spine Care in Upstate New York”:
• Surgeries for the treatment of back pain among Upstate New York adults saw a 10 percent rise in utilization from 2010-2013. • There was nearly a 14 percent increase in spine patients who were prescribed a medication within the first six weeks of diagnosis from 2010-2013. • In 2013, almost half of patients treated for spine pain received a pre-
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
scription for medication to treat the condition within the first six weeks of diagnosis. More than half of patients who were prescribed medications received a prescription for an opiate. • In 2013, 626,000 Upstate New York adults aged 18 and older received back or neck pain care that added nearly $1 billion to total, direct health care costs in the region.
Autism Awareness
‘Little Boy Blue’
Autism strikes the most innocent among us By Malissa Allen Editor’s note: April is Autism Awareness Month.
I
have a son with autism. There, I said it. However, there are days when I want to scream at how much I hate autism because of what it has done to my life, my relationships, and mainly to my beautiful “little boy blue.” Life changed when my boy was born. All I ever remember wanting in my life was to be a mom. It had finally happened. With him came tokens of blue things: a baby room covered with diapers, newborn clothes by the dozen and anything else we and others thought we must have for a new baby. “Little boy blue” was an active boy as he grew past his first birthday, and was perfectly on target when he hit his second birthday. His milestones were like all toddlers his age. Then came time for his mercury, measles and rubella immunization. Like all parents, we listened to our pediatrician discuss the safety of these shots. However, within a matter of
days following the immunization, he began to change into a not-so-happy little toddler. Right before our eyes we saw our baby boy turn into a totally different child. Then the day came when we sat across the desk from a doctor and was told what many parents dread: “I guess it’s not going to surprise you to learn your son has autism,” he said. Nighttime was horrible. Getting him to sleep and keeping him asleep was such an impossible task. He would jerk hard side-to-side, mumbling noises for hours until he finally wore himself out and fell asleep. He didn’t talk using short sentences — only single words. He never played with other kids at birthday parties or at home. He wandered all alone around the fence in our back yard mumbling. He wanted no interaction with people. Parents of autistic children learn to live a life of seclusion because you get tired of seeing other parents’ children playing happily. Our boy became obsessed with objects and would search the house until he found everything he possibly could carry and line up the objects in a perfectly straight row. He understood this was his way
in his world, creating organization because there is none in “his” world. Our world confused and scared him.
Sensory overload
He began to flap his hands — called stimming — when he got over-stimulated and covered his ears when sounds bothered him. Sensory overload confronted him everywhere and there is nothing a parent can do, except to keep him away from all things in “our” world that turned his world upside down. He had no sense of pain or fear. In order for him to understand fear, it had to happen to him. In other words, a car would have had to hit him in order for him to understand he could not run into the street. He tried to run away twice, which turned our home into Fort Knox with alarms and locks. He would sit for hours and flip a handle up and down for entertainment. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to watch “Baby Einstein” movies with him, over and over. That was then. After years of therapies, diet changes, expensive doctors and hard work and determination on our part, he is in the sixth grade. He never stops talking. He is
absolutely mind-blowing intelligent, and he loves to play with others. The autism hasn’t gone away. It still shows its ugly head when something or someone makes sudden changes. When he has a bad autism day, we all have a bad day. He tries so hard to make conversation with other kids. However, they usually just stare at him when he walks up and asks them something about a video game he has stuck in his mind. It breaks my heart to watch him when I drop him off at school. He tries to make friends, but they just do not understand “his” world. I worry about his future and his feelings when people pick on him or there is something that he just cannot understand. His is the funniest person I know and loves hugs and kisses. He loves his little sister, Minecraft video games and anything he can learn on YouTube. He has a memory unlike anything I have yet to see and a beautiful voice when he sings. Autism didn’t win — our son won. He will be somebody amazing someday, I know. • Malissa Allen is a contributing writer for Mohawk Valley In Good Health.
NOT TAKING YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS AS DIRECTED?
YOU’RE TAKING
A CHANCE.
If you have a chronic condition like high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, taking your prescriptions as directed is essential to healthy living. So remember:
If you’re not taking your prescriptions as directed, you’re taking a chance. To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com/TakeAsDirected. #TakeAsDirected
April 2016 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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Page 13
Between You and Me
By Barbara Pierce
The Time is Now
Get out of your ‘comfort zone’ and do the things you’ll regret not doing
“
Not saying ‘yes’ to things.” “Staying in my comfort zone.” “I’m living ‘Plan B.’” A blackboard stood in the middle of New York City asking passersby to write down their biggest regrets, and these were some of their comments. At first, each regret seemed different. After all, everyone has a different story. But as the board filled up, it seemed that all of the responses had one alarming thing in common. They were about chances not taken, dreams never pursued. “Every day is a clean slate: Do the things you will regret not doing,” concluded the makers of this YouTube video. Pierce I’ve generally lived my life by taking risks based on what I have to gain, not what I have to lose. And it’s generally worked pretty well for me. I’m glad I don’t have these regrets about chances not taken. For example, I had the adventure of my life when I moved onto a sailboat and lived and traveled on that boat for 15 years. When I met Bruce, the man who would take me on the adventure of my life, I had no idea how this meeting would totally change my life. Divorced several years, discouraged about ever finding a good man, I knew I had to leave my comfort zone. I went to a singles group for the first time and met a man with twinkling eyes and a warm smile. On our first date, I hopped into his beat-up Dodge van, surprised at what I found. Guitar music like you’d hear on a tropical beach; on the dashboard, a tiny hula dancer swayed under a plastic palm tree; a photograph of a tropical beach, a cocktail umbrella from a Mai Tai. What’s up with this guy? I wondered. Our date on a friend’s boat went well. Though I nearly always got seasick on a boat, the water was calm, the boat steady, and I didn’t get seasick. As we drove home, he gestured to the dashboard: “I can’t get involved with anyone right now,” he explained. “My dream is to be a cruiser — to live on a boat and sail around the world. Most people think it’s crazy.” Didn’t seem like that would happen soon. I thought to myself, “So far, I really like this guy. I’ll just date him for now and not plan any future Page 14
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with him.”
Dream fulfilled
Through several months of dating, he obsessed about being a cruiser. His dream was to get a boat and sail around the world. My dream was to find a caring man with a twinkle in his eyes and a warm smile. I began to love him; he was all I wanted in a man. I was sure I wanted him in my life forever. But I didn’t want the boat part. I got seasick just looking at a boat. The idea of getting on one terrified me. Though they were a package deal. How could this ever work? Gradually, I began to think maybe his plans weren’t so crazy. I had a successful career; but not working did sound inviting. My daughter was grown. So maybe, just maybe. So, at the age of 53, I married the man of my dreams. We bought a sailboat and prepared to take off. Though I went through the motions, I was scared of taking off. I didn’t want to. I was only going through the motions because I loved Bruce. Then, one night, I got out of bed to pee. Got out of bed, collapsed on the floor. “Something serious is wrong with me, really serious,” I said to myself. I knew the symptoms of a stroke. I knew I’d had a stroke. “You can’t go on a boat,” said my doctor as I recovered. “Absolutely not.” “I’ll give up our plans,” said Bruce. “We won’t go cruising.” And he was ready to give up his dream, to live with me on land. I’d been ambivalent. I hadn’t wanted to live on a boat. I was going along with the plan only because I wanted to be with him. Now I had an out. My life could continue as it was. Being told this was something I couldn’t do ended my ambivalence. I decided that I did want to go live on our boat, and I did want that boat to leave the dock. My recovery continued the next few years, as we moved onto the boat, loaded up with provisions, and took off for Mexico. For 15 happy years, we lived on our boat. I’m so glad I overcame my fears. Do the things you’ll regret not doing — Absolutely!! • Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker with many years’ experience in helping people. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book “If I’m so Fantastic, Why am I Still Single?” or if you have any concerns you would like her to address, contact her at BarbaraPierce06@yahoo.com.
By Jim Miller
How to avoid Medicare mistakes when you’re still working Dear Savvy Senior,
Should I enroll in Medicare at age 65 if I’m still working and have coverage through my employer?
Almost 65
Dear Almost,
The rules for enrolling in Medicare can be very confusing with all the different choices available today. But when you postpone retirement past age 65, as many people are doing, it becomes even more complicated. First, let’s review the basics. Remember that original Medicare has two parts: Part A, which provides hospital coverage and is free for most people. And Part B, which covers doctor’s bills, lab tests and outpatient care. Part B also has a monthly premium of $104.90 in 2016 (though it’s higher for individuals earning $85,000 or more a year). If you are receiving Social Security, you will be enrolled automatically in parts A and B when you turn 65. If you aren’t yet receiving Social Security, you will have to apply, which you can do online at SSA.gov/medicare, over the phone at 800-772-1213 or through your local Social Security office. If you plan to continue working past the age of 65 and have health insurance from your job, your first step is to ask your benefits manager or human resources department how your employer insurance works with Medicare. In most cases, you should at least take Medicare Part A because it’s free. But to decide whether to take Part B or not will depend on the size of your employer.
Small employer
If your current employer (or spouse’s employer if it’s providing your coverage) has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare will be your primary insurer and you should enroll in Medicare Part B during your initial enrollment period. This is a seven-month period that includes the three months before, the month of, and the three months after your 65th birthday. If you miss the seven-month sign-up window, you’ll have to wait until the next general enrollment period, which runs from Jan. 1 to
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
March 31 with benefits beginning the following July 1. You’ll also incur a 10 percent penalty for each year you wait beyond your initial enrollment period, which will be tacked on to your monthly Part B premium.
Large employer
If your employer has 20 or more employees, your employer’s group health plan will be your primary insurer as long as you (or your spouse if the coverage is from his/ her employer) remain an active employee. If this is the case, you don’t need to enroll in Part B when you turn 65 if you’re satisfied with the coverage you are getting through your job. But if you do decide to enroll in Medicare, it will supplement your employer insurance by paying secondary on all of your claims. Once your employment (or group health coverage) ends, you will then have eight months to sign up for Part B without a penalty. This is known as the Special Enrollment Period.
Drug coverage
You also need to verify your prescription drug coverage. Call your benefits manager or insurance company to find out if your employer’s prescription drug coverage is considered “creditable.” (Creditable prescription drug coverage is one that is considered to be as good as or better than the Medicare prescription drug benefit.) If it is, you don’t need to enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. If it isn’t, you should purchase a plan (see medicare.gov/find-a-plan) during your initial enrollment period or you’ll incur a premium penalty (1 percent of the average national premium for every month you don’t have coverage) if you enroll later. For additional help, visit Medicare.gov or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at Shiptacenter.org. The Medicare Rights Center also offers a free helpline at 800-333-4114. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
Health Volunteers Health assistance on wheels Volunteer Charlie Imler provides valuable transportation service By Barbara Pierce
I
f you live in Rome and need a lift to your doctor’s appointment, and if you’re lucky, you’ll meet Charlie Imler. As a volunteer, Imler drives those who are no longer able to drive themselves to their medical appointments. “People who don’t have transportation to their doctor can call for help getting there,” Imler explained. “I pick them up, take them to their
doctor, wait for them, then drive them home.” Imler is a volunteer through with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, located in the Parkway Senior Center. One of the many things RSVP offers is a medical transportation service that provides for seniors in Oneida County. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction,” said Imler. “I enjoy what I do — taking older people to their doctors. They really do need to go; they aren’t just going out for recreation.”
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“I live in Rome,” said the 71 year old. “I usually pick up people in Rome and around the area; usually they go to Utica to see their doctor.” Imler said either there is no bus that will take them where they need to go, or getting on and off the bus would be too difficult for them to do. And the cost of a taxi is beyond their means. For 32 years, Imler, a teacher for the state of New York, taught children at Marcy State Hospital in Utica. After Marcy closed, he retired. Not long after, he returned to work as a substitute teacher at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center in Utica. He taught math, science and history to children who resided in the treatment facility until he retired a few years ago. “After I retired, I needed something to fill my time,” he commented. “Winters are very long here, and I didn’t have any hobbies.” Imler’s wife saw an ad at the Ava Dorfman Senior Center in Rome stating that it needed drivers. “I called and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he said. He provides transportation to seniors one to three times each week. People who need transportation to a medical appointment call Mary Ann Schloop, volunteer program coordinator at the Parkway Senior Center. Schloop then calls Imler or one of the other volunteer drivers to find out whether he is available. “I definitely recommend this as a good volunteer job for others,” Imler said. “I get to know many people. I hear their life stories; it’s very gratifying.” “He’s such an asset to us,” Schloop said. “He’s always been great to work with. He’s available when we need him and is willing to drive where we need him to drive.” “We need many, many more volunteers like him,” she continued. “The need is overwhelming. There is a great need for transportation to medical appointments.” “Volunteers take people to their doctor’s appointments, for kidney
April 2016 •
Charlie Imler dialysis, and to other medical appointments. We go outside of Oneida County, even as far as Syracuse or New York City,” she explained. There is no charge for the transportation service; riders may make a donation for the service. The program relies on volunteers and donations to continue its services. “We definitely need more drivers,” Schloop added. Volunteer drivers can transport people just within Rome if they wish, or drive wherever and whenever they are available. RSVP provides volunteer opportunities for people aged 55 and over with a myriad of experience and interests from all economic, educational and social backgrounds to serve on a regular basis in a variety of settings throughout their communities. RSVP volunteers provide services that utilize their own talents and interests and present their communities with a rich array of options for addressing the full spectrum of community needs. If you are interested in volunteering as a driver, or are interested in other volunteer opportunities, contact Schloop at 315-223-3973.
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H ealth News St. Johnsville has new nursing director Sally Hoffman is the new director of nursing at St. Johnsville Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Hoffman started her career in 1990 at St. Johnsville as a certified nursing assistant. After three years, she went on to earn her LPN license through Herkimer BOCES. In 1994, Hoffman returned to work as a charge nurse. In 2002, she took on the roles of minimum data set collector and then MDS coordinator. Hoffman received her degree as an RN in 2015 at St. Elizabeth’s College of Nursing.
CABVI announces recent promotions The Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired recently promoted seven employees. • Dennis Webster, a CABVI employee for nearly 17 years, has been promoted to senior vice president of production and operations. Webster has a Bachelor of Science degree in business Webster management from Utica College and received his Master of Business Administration from SUNY Poly. At CABVI, he started out as a coordinator and worked his way through various positions to get where he is today. • Katie Humphreys, promoted to vice president of products and distribution, has been a CABVI employee for 10 years. Humphreys received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Humphreys Arcadia University, Glenside, Pa., and her MBA with an emphasis on marketing from SUNY Poly. She began as the sales and marketing coordinator and then became the new product development manager before taking on her new position. • Jessica Watson has been with CABVI for five years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Oneonta in childhood education and received her MBA online from Kaplan UniWatson versity, Davenport, Iowa. Watson started out as a call center manager at CABVI. Page 16
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• Julie Byrne, now vice president of human resources, has worked in the human resources field for 15 years and has been an employee of CABVI for 10 years. Byrne’s career at CABVI started Byrne as a human resources assistant. She also served as human resources manager and director before her recent promotion. Byrne received her professional in human resources certification through the Human Resource Certification Institute in 2011 and maintains the certification standards and knowledge with continuous experience, education and training. • Robert Porter, recently promoted to the director of ISO and public policy, has been with CABVI for 11 years. Porter received his bachelor’s degree in Porter economics from Hamilton College and his MBA in marketing and operations management from Syracuse University. Porter worked for CABVI from 1990-1995 but left to work with his family business for the next 14 years. He returned to CABVI six years ago. Porter’s new position will entail making changes to the quality management system and supporting more coordination between top management and production. • Angela Walker has been with CABVI for 18 years and was recently promoted to director of customer service. She received her associate degree in business administration from Walker the Utica School of Commerce. • Kathleen Abruzzese, director of warehouse and distribution, has been with CABVI for six years. Abruzzese has her Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Empire State in business administration. She is looking forward to the opportunity to manage scheduled import containers as CABVI receives 500-to-600 per year.
Family medicine center names nurse manager Suzanne Chabot has been named nurse manager at the Sister Rose Vincent Family Medicine Center, a site of the Mohawk Valley Health System Medical Group. In this position, Chabot is re-
UCHC, Rome Memorial receive grants to modernize facilities Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) visited the Utica Community Health Center office on Oneida Street recently to announce it will receive $1,457,364 in funds from New York state to modernize its facilities. Celebrating the occasion are, from left, Joe Cirasuolo, human resources manager; Janine Carzo, chief operating officer; Brindisi, and Diane DiMeo, practice manager at UCHC. Rome Memorial Hospital and the UCHC received funding through the state’s Essential Health Care Provider Support Program. RMH is receiving $16,538,140. The $355 million Essential Health Care Provider Support Program provides assistance to help health care facilities restructure and modernize to provide more efficient health care, as well as to help improve health care options for residents in areas of the state that are underserved. sponsible for the daily operations of the outpatient clinic, including assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of staff, patients, departmental, and clinical organizational needs. Chabot Chabot has been a staff registered nurse at the SRVFMC as well as a staff therapist at the Clinton Testing Center in Clinton since 2013. Previously, she worked as an RN at the NYS Psychiatric Institute in Manhattan. Chabot received a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and religious studies from Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass., an associate degree from St. Elizabeth College of Nursing in Utica, and a master’s degree in marital family therapy from Hofstra University, Hempstead. She is continuing her education in the bachelor’s degree program in nursing science from the SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Marcy. Chabot is licensed by the state of New York as a registered nurse and in marriage family therapy. She is a member of the American Association of Marriage Family Therapists as a clinical fellow.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
Church raises $250 for Breast Care Center Members of the Church of the Annunciation in Clark Mills recently raised $250 for the Breast Care Center at the Mohawk Valley Health System. Money was raised during several fundraisers to benefit the community including a fall ham dinner, winter pork dinner and a Palm Sunday breakfast. “We try to give to several charities a year to support our community and a number of our members have been affected by breast cancer so we wanted to give a donation in their honor,” said Nina Nelson, Church of the Annunciation member. Donations made to the Breast Care Center are raised through the Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation. If you are interested in learning how you can make a difference, call the foundation at 315-624-5600 or visit www.faxtonstlukes.com/foundation.
MVHS hospitals join the AJRR In its continuing mission to provide the best patient care possible, Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica have recently become participants of the American Joint Replacement
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H ealth News Continued from Page 16 Registry. The AJRR serves as a central clearinghouse for data on total hip and knee arthroplasties at FSLH and SEMC and other participating sites throughout the country and aims to carefully monitor and track the implanted devices used in these procedures. “We’re participating in AJRR as a quality initiative in orthopedics,” said Albert D’Accurzio, senior vice president-chief quality officer for FSLH and SEMC, both affiliates of the Mohawk Valley Health System. “By sharing data about performance and physician and patient experiences, we will be optimizing our own patients’ experiences here at MVHS.” Healthcare professionals accessing the AJRR Demand Reporting & Electronic Dashboard System can view reports on their data as well as compare it to national benchmarks and use that information to help them make more informed recommendations to their patients, ultimately improving patient care. More than a million hip and knee replacements are performed each year in the U.S. That number is expected to increase as more men and women remain active as they age.
County coroner to seek reelection Vincent A. Enea, owner and president of the Vincent A. Enea Funeral Service LLC, will seek reelection as the District 3 Herkimer County Coroner in the Nov. 8 general election. Having served as the county coroner since 2011, Enea is heading into the 2016 election cycle ready to represent the people of the town and village of Enea Herkimer, town and city of Little Falls, and the towns of Warren, Schuyler, Stark and Danube. Enea is a registered Republican. “Having worked and operated my own businesses in both the village of Herkimer and the city of Little Falls for many years of my life, I know firsthand the needs and concerns of my community members,” said Enea. The position of county coroner requires investigation of unattended, accidental, sudden, violent and unexpected deaths and works closely with local funeral directors, law enforcement and county officials to be sure a final cause of death is determined. The position requires the individual to be on-call 24/7. Enea is a life-long resident of Herkimer and has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer since May 1982.
Little Falls Hospital recognized by AHA Little Falls Hospital, an affiliate of the Bassett Healthcare Network, has been recognized as a gold-level fit-friendly worksite by the American Heart Association for helping employees move more, eat better and provide greater access to opportunities to improve lifestyle. Gold-level employers offer employees physical activity options, increase healthy eating options, and promote a wellness culture in the workplace.
dotcalm creates Fluid Moves Massage website Website and print design company dotcalm has created a new website for Fluid Moves Massage in Utica. Alice Kenly owns Fluid Moves Massage. She opened the practice in 2001 in Clinton and then moved to Utica in 2008. The new website at www.fluidmovesmassage.com includes sections on the benefits of massage, what to expect at a session and descriptions of the therapies Fluid Moves Massage offers. These include Swedish massage as well as post-surgery massage following a mastectomy and lumpectomy, and lymphatic drainage for fluid reduction. It also offers craniosacral therapy that uses delicate touch to relieve pain and dysfunction. Formed in 2003, dotcalm is owned by Veronika Freeman, who has won awards for marketing collateral, business plan development and volunteerism. For more information, visit www. stressfreedesign.com.
Chairman set for ‘17 Heart Run & Walk Daniel Jones, wealth management adviser and managing director at Northwestern Mutual, was recently named chairman of the 2017 America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk, according to the American Heart Association-American Stroke Association. Jones will lead the fundraising efforts for the Heart Run & Walk in the Greater Utica-Mohawk Valley area to help achieve the AHA’s 2020 impact goal: to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20 percent. Money raised at events like the Heart Run & Walk goes toward lifesaving research, advocacy, and education programs, as well as local community impact grants. “My family is why I’m proud to be the next chairman of America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk,” said Jones. “My nephew had heart surgery at 4 months old. Because of my family’s experience, I understand how important it is to help save lives and prevent heart disease and
Church group donates blankets to St. Luke’s Campus Pediatric Department Seven students from the confirmation class of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in New Hartford recently donated blankets to the St. Luke’s Campus Pediatric Department of the Mohawk Valley Health System. The girls donated material to create three blankets each as their class service project. Spearheading the effort are, kneeling from left, Alexis Falvo, Jordan Restivo and Kayla Wratt; standing from left, Sidney Restivo; Alyssa DuRoss; child life specialist Melissa Racioppa, Hannah Russo and Hailey Grisham. stroke.” Jones is a member of the Greater Utica American Heart Association-American Stroke Association advisory board, as well as serves on the Utica College Board of Trustees, the Fort Schuyler Club board and as the Mount Markham Area Youth Association treasurer. Jones is a graduate of Utica College and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 1998. The 2017 America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk will be held on March 4 at Utica College. Earlier this month, the 2016 event raised $1,011,787 with help from more than 7,100 runners and walkers.
ing in the emergency department of the hospital. Davis plans to occasionally provide nursing care in the emergency department whenever necessary. Davis and her husband Mike and their two dogs Davis recently moved to Rome from Lee Center so that she can be closer to the hospital.
Kimberly Davis has been appointed nurse manager of the maternity department at Rome Memorial Hospital. Davis began her career at the hospital in 2003 as a nurse’s aide in the maternity department. She continued to work in maternity while earning her degree in nursing from SUNY Morrisville. In addition to her extensive maternity nursing experience, over the past two years Davis has been work-
quality, affordable maternity care, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield announced that Rome Memorial Hospital and Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare have been designated among the first hospitals to receive the Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care designation, a new designation under the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Nearly four million babies are
RMH, FSLH Blue gain Nurse manager named for maternity designation In an effort to help prospective RMH maternity parents find hospitals that deliver
April 2016 •
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H ealth News Continued from Page 17 born in the United States annually, making childbirth the most common cause of hospitalization. This new Blue Distinction Centers+ for Maternity Care program evaluates hospitals on several quality measures, including the percentage of newborns that fall into the category of early elective delivery, an ongoing concern in the medical community. Compared with babies born 39 weeks or later, early term infants face higher risks of infant death and respiratory ailments such as respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, and respiratory failure, among other conditions. These babies also have a higher rate of admission to neonatal intensive care units. In addition, hospitals receiving a Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care designation agreed to meet requirements that align with principles that support evidence-based practices of care, as well as having initiated programs to promote successful breastfeeding. Last year, 575 babies were delivered at Rome Memorial Hospital by the hospital’s obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives. In 2015, nearly 2,000 babies were born at FSLH. For more information about the program, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
Accredited for digital mammography services Rome Memorial Hospital has again been awarded a three-year accreditation by the American College of Radiology for its digital mammography services, announced medical imaging department director Sharon Carson. “This accreditation status assures our patients that they are receiving the best possible images, using the latest technology,” Carson said. “ACR accreditation also highlights our radiologist’s skill in interpreting mammography images, which is a key factor in early diagnosis.” “This accreditation exemplifies the hospital’s quest for excellence, and takes us well beyond the minimum standards of practice,” added Mark Snyderman, vice president of outpatient services. “Having this level of oversight and validation is testimony to the commitment we show to each of our patients.” RMH’s Medical Imaging Department also holds accreditations for ultrasound, breast ultrasound, MRI, CT and nuclear medicine imaging. The ACR is the principal organization of radiologists, radiation oncologists, and clinical medical physicists in the United States.
Nicolette said she heard the board was looking for someone with an LPN background, so she applied. “I felt it would be beneficial,” she said. “The nursing board has a very positive outlook on the LPN profession.” Nicolette has an extensive LPN background including being initially trained as an LPN, earning her LPN license, teaching LPNs at Herkimer BOCES and continuing to practice registered nursing while working with LPNs. “LPNs are a valued member of the healthcare team, and as such are represented on the nursing board,” she said. Her five-year appointment to the New York State Board of Nursing, which comes up with policy and recommendations, was made official last fall. She will travel to Manhattan four times a year for the board’s meetings.
VHS CEO honored with WCNY award Lisa Betrus, CEO-administrator of Valley Health Services in Herkimer, was one of 10 women honored during the fourth annual WCNY’s “Women Who Make America” awards ceremony recently. The event was held in the Wesley Chapel of Betrus the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, the site of the first women’s rights convention in 1848. The award is presented to women who have served as a catalyst in their communities, inspiring others and succeeding in making the world a better place, according to Debbie Stack, WCNY director of education and community engagement. During her acceptance speech, Betrus said, “Our aging citizens truly ‘made America.’ I am honored and humbled to accept this award on their behalf. It is my challenge — our challenge — to care for this growing number of older adults who have contributed so much to our communities and have shaped them for the lives we lead today.” Betrus was recognized for her work supporting the elderly at VHS, bringing palliative care to those of the greater Herkimer area, as well as opening the first licensed assisted living facility in Herkimer County. During her tenure at the facility, Betrus has also expanded both the rehabilitation and adult day health care programs and added outpatient cardiac rehabilitation.
LPN coordinator named to nursing board SDMG names employee of Sara Nicolette, licensed practiquarter cal nursing program coordinator at Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES, was recently appointed to the New York State Board of Nursing. Page 18
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Slocum-Dickson Medical Group PLLC in New Hartford has named Cassie Sweeney as its employee of the first quarter of 2016.
Utica Curling Club raises $335 for Breast Care Center at the MVHS Utica Curling Club members recently raised $335 for the Breast Care Center at the Mohawk Valley Health System. Money was raised during “Pink Drink Week,” where members could purchase pink drink specials and donations were also accepted. The donation will be used toward new technology to help diagnosis patients in the Breast Care Center. Celebrating the occasion are, from left, Nancy Butcher, executive director of the MVHS Cancer Center, with Utica Curling Club members Peggy Rotton and Jacquelyn Schmidt. Donations made to the Breast Care Center are raised through the Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation. If you are interested in learning how you can make a difference, call the foundation at 315-624-5600 or visit www.faxtonstlukes.com/foundation.
Sweeney
Sweeney began her career with SDMG in 1997. She primarily cares for patients in the pain management department under the direction of Dr. Nathaniel Gould, but also provides coverage in the neurology depart-
ment and other areas when needed. Co-workers and providers she assists nominated her for the honor. Among her notable attributes are her professionalism, helpfulness and friendliness, an SDMG spokesperson said. Sweeney graduated from Herkimer County BOCES as an LPN and is responsible for many of the dayto-day tasks involved in providing high-quality patient care.
YMCA ‘Changing Lives’ celebration set
T
he Rome, Oneida and New Hartford YMCAs, the YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley, has announced a special guest appearing at its annual Changing Lives Campaign Determination Celebration April 9 at Vernon Downs. The Y annually hosts the event, in memory of long-time member Don Connelly, an Oneida resident, who suffered from post polio syndrome and came to the YMCA regularly despite his limitations to overcome odds. Connelly passed away on March 27, 2004 and the organization has highlighted members at all three branches who have used the Y to achieve significant goals like Connelly. This year, the Y will highlight 10 recipients, including Larissa Car-
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
penter, Mary Lou Conners, Albert Cukierski, Michel DeBottis, Linda Dixon, Eva Ferguson, Laurie Ferris, Bernard Galster, Karen Martin, Julie Sterling and Christina Vinci. The guest speaker will be Loretta Claiborne, a world-class runner and motivational speaker who also happens to be a Special Olympics athlete and a person who has an intellectual disability. The event price is $35 per person, and all proceeds help support the YMCA’s Changing Lives Campaign, which provides financial assistance to those who cannot afford membership and programs. For more information, visit the YMCA at www.ymcatrivalley.org or call Jennifer Cossette, director of development, at 363-7788.
Health CALENDAR of in good
HEALTH EVENTS
Got a health-related activity or event that you would like publicized? Call Lou Sorendo at 315-749-7070 or email lou@cnymail.com. Continued from Page 2 dation, call 315-801-4441 or email asquires@mvhealthsystem.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the SEMC Foundation office, 2209 Genesee St., Utica, or the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. gift shop/tour center, 830 Varick St., Utica.
April 9
Kelberman Center hosts Walk for Autism Autism now affects one out of every 68 children in the United States. Autism Awareness Month is celebrated throughout April and the Kelberman Center will host its annual Walk for Autism April 9 in Boonville (V.F.W.) and the Mohawk Valley (SUNY Polytechnic Institute); on April 16 in Oneida (Oneida High School) and in Cooperstown (Glimmerglass State Park); and on April 30 at Hamilton College (Taylor Science Center). The Boonville and Cooperstown events will feature both a walk and run. All walks and the Cooperstown Run begin at 10:30 a.m. with registration beginning at 9 a.m. The Boonville Run begins at 10 a.m. The Walk for Autism is the initiative of a group of parents heightening autism awareness in local communities and raising funds that will remain in Central New York. Sites will feature music, refreshments, activities, prizes, and the opportunity to socialize with those united by this common cause. Visit the Kelberman Center’s website at kelbermancenter.org to download pledge forms or to create an online fundraising page. For more information on the Walk for Autism, including pre-registration date and locations, contact the Kelberman Center at 315-797-6241, visit online, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or e-mail at walkforautism@ kelbermancenter.org. The Kelberman Center is a regional center for excellence for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and related learning challenges.
April 11
Support forum for patients, cancer survivors The Mohawk Valley Health System’s Cancer Center’s monthly
support forum for patients and cancer survivors will be held at 6 p.m. April 11. The cancer support forum meets at 6 p.m. the second Monday of every month in the Cancer Center’s fireplace lounge on the main floor of Faxton Campus, 1676 Sunset Ave., Utica. The forum, led by the Cancer Center’s social worker, offers support to anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis. Light refreshments will be served. For more information or to RSVP, call 315-624-5241.
April 13
Baby Care Basics program helps parents Parents-to-be can learn about childbirth, newborns and other related topics by attending the upcoming Baby Care Basics program from 7-9 p.m. April 13 at Rome Memorial Hospital in the classroom. Sandy Graichen, a maternity nurse at the hospital, will teach the free educational program. No advance registration is required for the free program. Refreshments will be served. Participants are asked to meet the instructor in the hospital lobby, North James Street entrance. For more information, call 3387143.
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April 25
Root Farm features riding academy The Root Farm Academy is holding registration for a weeklong equine experience covering the most important fundamentals of horseback riding. These include riding instruction, overview of basic horsemanship, horse care and knowledge of safety and equipment. The academy will run from 9 to noon April 25-29 and is for anyone between the ages of 9-13 who is interested in horses. Call 315-520-7046, email info@ rootfarm.org or visit rootfarm.org for more information. The Root Farm is home to a therapeutic horseback riding program, studio art program and horticulture center located in Sauquoit. The horseback riding program provides therapeutic benefits for individuals of all ages.
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Heart Health
The Beat Goes On
Greatest Heart Run and Walk in Utica surpassed $1 million in donations By Patricia J. Malin
G
ene Allen admired his father’s skills as a mechanic and allaround handyman. His father, Alfred, spent 30 years working at the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, as a painter and foreman in the machine shop. Even after his retirement in 1988, the elder Allen enjoyed tinkering while working with his hands. “Nothing ever slowed him down,” Gene Allen recalled. “Even into his 80s, he would come over to the house and help me with renovations. He taught me carpentry, painting, plumbing and electrical.” If his father passed on an appreciation for precision and craftsmanship, his son also inherited some of his Alfred’s health problems. From 2000-2005, Alfred Allen had two operations to put stents in to alleviate pressure on his heart. He died of a massive heart attack in November 2007. Gene Allen looks back and wonders if he could have done anything to prevent his father’s heart attack. He said he is also concerned about his family’s genetic tendency to disease as well as his own sedentary lifestyle. “When my doctor asked me about my family’s history, he considered me a ‘moderate’ risk’,” said Allen, now 62. “Around the time my father had the stents put in, my doctor had me on Lipitor, but when I read all the side effects I stopped taking it after two years. My blood pressure has usually been in the acceptable range, so I have not been overly worried about heart problems. I’m more concerned with cancer — several of my aunts and uncles have died from cancer and I have a cousin in stage 2 now.” For the last two years at least, Allen has taken small steps in the right direction. He has participated in America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk in Utica, which helps fund the American Heart Association’s research into heart disease and stroke, while also aiding his own health. Allen set a goal of raising $150 this year, but ended up with $350 in contributions from family and friends. He then donated the funds to the Utica Police Department’s team, which raised a total of $4,000 overall. Allen, who works in marketing for the city of Utica, was cajoled into walking with the UPD team in the Heart Run/Walk recently at Utica College. He isn’t necessarily fond of exercise, but he realizes it’s never too late to change his bad habits. He started with improving his diet, eating more salads and reducing fats. Also by observing Lent, he gives up sweets, snacks and alcohol. “I torture myself for six weeks so I can go back to all the bad things,” he joked. Page 20
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Gene Allen, far left, helped raise $350 in memory of his late father, Alfred, and contributed the donation to the Utica Police Department team at America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk recently. “I am really bad about going to the doctor and haven’t been to one in about four years,” he admitted. “I don’t even have a personal doctor at this time because my last doctor retired. I’m looking for one now at least for a general check-up because I am contemplating running the Boilermaker for the first time.” Like the Heart Run/Walk, the Boilermaker offers several divisions for runners (15-kilometer/9.6 miles and 5K/3.2 miles), as well as walkers of all ages (5K). The 2016 Heart Run/Walk raised $1,011,787 with help from 7,100 runners and walkers.
Pylinski remains top fundraiser
Meanwhile, this year’s chair of America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk, Albert Pylinski Jr., executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of New York Central Mutual Insurance of Edmeston, was the top individual fundraiser with $64,421. In addition, his team of 135 members from NYCM, led by captain Kathleen Crossett, donated $80,371 and was the top Heart Run/Walk team of 2016 in Utica. “All of you helped me break records in fundraising and team goals in 2015, so let’s do it again!” Pylinski
Walkers and finishers gathered in front of the Utica College gym at the conclusion of America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk recently.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2016
wrote on his Facebook page. Pylinski raised $46,375 last year and was the top individual fundraiser in 2014 as well. Other top teams and their captains were M. Griffith (Theresa Flemma), $29,609; Team Stasaitis (Jim Stasaitis), $27,115; Bassett Healthcare Network (Kate Reese), $20,004; Metlife (Susan Garcia), $13,607; Team Victoria (Theresa Swider), $10,879, and AmeriCU (Sonya Ezell), $10,142. Swider, who is a member of the Heart Run/Walk committee, explained at the closing ceremonies at Utica College that this was the first time her daughter, Victoria, was absent from the event. Swider started the team in 1995 when Victoria was an infant. The baby underwent heart surgery when she was just 13 hours old. Nevertheless, she grew up with few problems and competed in sports throughout her high school years. Victoria is now 21 years old and attending college out of town. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association recently named Daniel Jones, wealth management adviser and managing director at Northwestern Mutual, as the chairman of the 2017 America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk. Jones will lead the fundraising efforts for the Heart Run & Walk in the Utica/Mohawk Valley region. Money raised at events like the Heart Run & Walk goes toward lifesaving research, advocacy, and education programs, as well as local community impact grants. The AHA/ASA is in every school, grocery store, hospital, and cardiologist’s office in the Utica area with programs, advocacy efforts, and medical breakthroughs.