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APRIL 2021 • ISSUE 182

AUTISM Pandemic creates learning challenges for children with autism.

ALSO: Helping those with autism navigate the pandemic n The rise in autism spectrum disorder n Support for those on the autism spectrum n Meet Sally Leahy, who has taught special ed in Herkimer County for over 30 years. Starts on p. 12

INSIDE: ‘Alexa, Is My Heartbeat Healthy?’

COVID-19 & POLITICS & COVID-19 Starting in early summer last POLITICS year, analysis finds that states Starting in earlygovernors summer last with Republican had year, analysis finds that states higher case and death rates with Republican governors had higher case and death rates

HOW COVID-19 VACCINES STACK HOW COVID-19 UP VACCINES STACK UP Mona Chitre, chief pharmacy Mona chief BlueCross pharmacy officerChitre, at Excellus officer at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield talks about the varBlueShield aboutWhich the ious COVID-19talks vaccines. various COVID-19 vaccines. one is the best? See p. XX Which one is the best? See p.7

HELP WANTED: DO YOUHEALTH LIE TO MENTAL YOUR DOCTOR? PROVIDERS This new report may surprise you

Couples everywhere are having more twins. See why Page 5

‘Alexa, Is My Heartbeat Healthy?’

O

ne in four U.S. households use smart speakers to check the weather, play music and query search engines. But a new technology may soon have folks asking, “Hey Google, how’s my heart?”

Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, have developed a skill for Amazon Alexa and Google Home that allows the devices to check heart rhythms.

Like a bat using echolocation to hunt for food, inaudible sound waves

radiate from the speaker and bounce off the surroundings before returning to the device to paint a detailed picture of the space — so detailed, in fact, that the technology can differentiate between a person breathing and her heart beating. This phenomenon is possible because your heart actually creates a tiny movement in your chest wall every time it beats.

“The question we were asking is, ‘Can we transform these smart speakers into ways in which we can

do medical diagnosis?’” said researcher physician Shyam Gollakota.

He’s an associate professor in the University of Washington’s School of Computer Science & Engineering.

“Specifically, in the study, we showed that we can use a smart speaker like an Alexa or Google Home to figure out if you have irregular heart rhythm.”

For the technology to work, users must be one to two feet away from the speaker, the researchers said.

They tested the accuracy of their work using 26 healthy participants and 24 hospitalized patients with heart conditions, such as atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Then, the scientists collected all participants’ heart rhythms using their sound technology as well as a standard heartbeat monitor.

“This is similar to how Alexa can always find my voice even if I’m playing a video or if there are multiple people talking in the room,” Gollakota explained in a statement.

“When I say, ‘Hey, Alexa,’ the microphones are working together to find me in the room and listen to what I say next. That’s basically what’s happening here, but with the heartbeat.”

Of the 12,300 or so heartbeats the researchers collected from the healthy individuals, the smart speaker’s reported time between waves was within 28 milliseconds of the standard heart monitor. For the nearly 5,600 heartbeats collected from people with cardiac conditions, the speaker’s time differed from the monitor by 30 milliseconds.

The findings were published online March 9 in the journal Communications Biology.

“I think the exciting part of the study is that we actually evaluated this with patients with cardiac condi-

tions like heart transplants, irregular heartbeats and a variety of different heart conditions,” Gollakota said.

“And it was really promising that even not just for regular participants, but even people who are actually in the hospital with cardiac conditions, it was able to deliver the results. So, that’s actually pretty promising.”

The ultimate goal of the technology is to allow people to monitor their heart from the comfort of their homes, the study authors said.

“One of the things with cardiac conditions like, for example, irregular heart rhythms is that they don’t appear often,” Gollakota explained.

“So, having a solution which is nonintrusive, contactless and it’s just sitting by your desk and monitoring your heartbeat all the time, can be pretty promising,” he said.

“The second advantage is that as we have seen with COVID, a lot of the [medical] practice has actually gone online to telemedicine,” Gollakota added. “So, in this telemedicine set-up, if you want to monitor someone’s heart conditions, or figure out if they have irregular heartbeats, a tool like this can be pretty useful to perform tests and understand how the heartbeat of the person is.”

This latest smart speaker adaptation is just one example of how existing technology is being reworked to try to improve the health of users.

According to a survey conducted last year by the Pew Research Center, about one in five Americans have smart watches, and the medical capabilities of these devices are rapidly expanding. Fitbit CEO James Park, for example, told Axios in February that his company’s product can now help detect a coronavirus infection and depression in the early stages.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

Social Inclusion Grant Funding Available!

The Kelberman Center, with funding support from the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC), is accepting mini-grant applications now through May 21st, 2021 for businesses in Oneida County who are able to support individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities through socially inclusive programming.

A total of $105,000 will be awarded to agencies creating inclusive opportunities, anticipated to begin September 2021.

The experts at the Kelberman Center will work alongside mini-grant recipients to develop and implement programs that will serve some of our most vulnerable population during these socially isolating times.

For more information, visit

bit.ly/kelberman-inclusion

or email laura.mangano-smith@kelbermancenter.org

Past mini-grant recipient, The Fitness Mill in New York Mills, created the “Fitness for All” program.

April 2021 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 3

Meet

Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Why Cotton Masks Are Safer Masks

C

otton masks provide better protection against the new coronavirus than those made with synthetic fabrics, researchers say.

In a new study, investigators tested different mask fabrics under conditions that mimic the humidity of a person’s breath in order to assess how the fabrics perform in actual use.

Under humid conditions, filtration efficiency (a measure of how well a material captures particles) increased by an average 33% in cotton fabrics, according to the study published March 8 in the journal ACS Applied Nano Materials. That’s because cotton is hydrophilic, meaning it attracts water. By absorbing small amounts of exhaled water in a person’s breath, cotton fibers create a moist environment inside the fabric.

That makes them more efficient filters compared to masks made of synthetic fibers.

In general, synthetic fabrics performed poorly in comparison to cotton, and their performance did not improve with humidity.

Material used in medical masks was about as effective as cotton, but did not improve with humidity, the researchers said.

A previous study by the same team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute found that dual-layer masks made of tightly woven cotton fabrics with a raised nap, such as flannel, are particularly effective at filtering breath.

That study was conducted under relatively dry conditions in the lab.

“Cotton fabrics are still a great choice,” said Christopher Zangmeister, a research scientist at NIST, in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

“But this new study shows that cotton fabrics actually perform better in masks than we thought.”

While the researchers found that humidity doesn’t make it harder to breathe through fabric masks, breathing may become difficult if fabric masks get wet in other ways. They should be changed if they get wet due to weather.

The findings offer useful information for people who wear masks, as well as for scientists working to improve masks and measure their performance, the study authors said in an NIST news release.

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Kavittha M. Prezzano, MD HOACNY doctor talks about how radiation oncology treatments have become safer, less toxic, more convenient to patients Q: Cancer treatments are constantly evolving. Where does radiation oncology fit into the current mix of treatments?

A: You’re right that cancer treatments have been evolving very quickly, especially over the last decade. Radiation — a lot of it is the same as it was in the past. We use the same kinds of particles. What we’re trying to do is make the treatment safer and less toxic, and also more convenient for patients. So a good example would be a woman being treated for early breast cancer. If it were 10 years ago, she would have had to come in for five to six weeks of daily treatments. Now that’s closer to three or four weeks. For select patients it can be as little as five treatments.

Q: How effective is radiation and how well is it tolerated?

A: It really depends. Radiation is used for almost all solid malignancies from the brain, to the extremities, lungs, breasts, prostate, GI-tract — there are indications for all of these for radiation. It’s rarely cured with just a single modality of treatment.

You’ll rarely see someone treated with just radiation or just chemotherapy or just surgery. It’s usually some combination of each. I like to tell patients that radiation is closer to surgery in the sense that it’s a local or regional treatment. When you think of chemotherapy or immunotherapy,

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

it’s really a systemic treatment. It’s an infusion or a pill that’s going to go all throughout the body. With radiation we’re focusing precisely on a tumor and sometimes its regional lymph node bed. So side effects related to radiation is really where we’re treating the tumor. So for breast cancer, most of the side effects have to do with skin toxicity. In the abdomen or pelvis, they would be more likely to be bowel-related.

Q: How does radiation act on a tumor? What is it doing to it?

A: That’s a good question. So it can be a hard concept to think about relative to surgery, where you just cut something out and it’s gone. The way that radiation works is by causing DNA damage to cells. We mostly use X-ray radiation. X-rays don’t know the difference between cancer cells and normal cells, so they’re going to cause damage to any cells they interact with. The difference between normal tissues and cancer cells is that normal tissues have the ability to repair themselves from the damage caused by radiation. Tumor cells have lost that, so when they’re damaged, when they try to grow or divide they’re unable to, and then they die. Sometimes it can be a little less satisfying than, say, a case where you can just cut a tumor out of someone with lung cancer and it’s gone.

With radiation, we’d be following them over the course of months and slowly shrinking the tumor down until it’s just scar tissue.

Q: It always was confusing to me that radiation — not the therapy, but radiation generally — can be both a cause and a cure for cancer.

A: Radiation-induced malignancies are actually very rare. There are some people who get nervous about radiation treatments because they may have concerns about conditions that make them more susceptible to secondary tumors. For the most part, aside from kids and patients who are still having a lot of growth and development, the rate of secondary cancers after radiation is extremely rare.

Q: Are there any new uses for radiation on the horizon?

A: As our understanding of the spectrum of metastatic disease has evolved, we’ve identified a subset of patients who we used to think were basically not curable, who had disease that started one place in the body and then metastasized somewhere else in the body. We now

think they may be curable with the use of both systemic and local therapies. So if they only have two or three sites of metastatic disease, can we use surgery and radiation therapy to treat all those sites and cure them before the disease gets out of control.

So that’s been a very exciting development because it’s brought more patients into having hope. In the past they wouldn’t have even been considered for local therapies.

Q: What got you interested in radiation oncology?

A: I think a lot of people who go into oncology have a family member or friend who had cancer. My uncle was going through his struggle with cancer at the same time I was taking this course about biochemistry and cancer. I knew I wanted to do medicine, but I wanted to be the best doctor I could be using my skills and understanding of the struggles they’re going through in addition to knowing what’s going on the cellular level.

Q: You’re also interested in DNA repair. What is it and how does it factor into your work?

A: The toxicities that we have from radiation have to do with tissue that’s been damaged at the time they’re getting radiation. Usually that gets better over time, but like everything we do, there can be long-term side effects from tissue that doesn’t repair quickly or correctly.

Q: How do you deal with that?

A: The best way is for it not to develop in the first place. So we try to be as precise as possible and avoid treating as much healthy tissue as we can.

Q: You’re originally from the CNY area, correct?

A: I’m so fortunate to be able to come back to where I grew up. My husband and I are both from Upstate New York. I think the thing that attracted me to Hematology-Oncology Associates is the mix of physicians, nurses and staff who, I believe, provide high-quality care without patients having to travel great distances.

Q: Do you think we’re getting closer to being able to reliably cure cancer? I know it’s a very complex disease, or not even really a single disease.

A: I would love to be out of a job. But it is more complex than one disease entity. We make incremental strides every year, but we still have a ways to go before we can say we cured cancer.

Lifelines

Name: Kavittha M. Prezzano, MD Position: Radiation oncology at Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central New York Hometown: New Hartford, New York Education: SUNY Upstate Medical University, medical degree; four-year residency training program in radiation medicine at Roswell Park in Buffalo, Affiliations: Crouse Hospital; St. Joseph’s University Organizations: American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO); American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) Family: Married Hobbies: Tennis, squash, skiing, outdoor activities, Buffalo Bills fan

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Couples Everywhere Are Having More Twins

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es, you really are seeing double — more twins are being born now than ever before.

There are a number of reasons why, according to a new study.

Since the 1980s, twin births rose by a third worldwide — from 9 to 12 per 1,000 deliveries. About 1.6 million twins are born each year and one in every 42 babies is a twin.

A big reason for all those twins is an increase in medically assisted reproduction, including in vitro fertilization, ovarian stimulation and artificial insemination.

Another reason is that women in many countries are having babies at older ages. The chances of having twins increases with age, according to the study published March 12 in the journal Human Reproduction.

“The absolute number of twin deliveries has increased everywhere except in South America,” said study author Christiaan Monden, a professor of sociology and demography at the University of Oxford in England.

“In North America and Africa, the numbers have increased by more than 80%, and in Africa this increase is almost entirely caused by population growth.”

For the study, the researchers analyzed 2010-2015 data from 165 countries with 99% of the world’s population. They also looked at 19801985 data from 112 countries.

They found substantial increases in twinning in many European coun-

Oneida, Herkimer In Good

and

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tries, in North America and in Asia.

In 74% of the 112 countries with data from both periods, the increase topped 10%. Asia saw a 32% increase and North America a 71% increase.

Only seven countries had a decrease of more than 10%.

“In both periods Africa had the highest twinning rates and there was no significant increase over time.

However, Europe, North America and the Oceanic countries are catching up rapidly. About 80% of all twin deliveries in the world now take place in Asia and Africa,” Monden said in a journal news release.

He noted that the twinning rate is so high because of the high number of twins born from two separate eggs. There has been little change in the rate of twins born from the same egg — which stands at about four per 1,000 deliveries worldwide.

The authors think rates of twinning may have peaked — particularly in Europe and North America — due to increasing emphasis in assisted reproduction trying to achieve singleton pregnancies.

It’s not clear if this is also the case in lower-income nations, and has important implications for the health of mothers and babies, as well as health care resources, according to the researchers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about having twins.

Visit www.healthychildren.com and type “twins” in the search bar.

Madison

TeleHealth is not a new concept at Bassett Healthcare Network, but now more than ever, we are focused on providing access and delivering great care to all of our communities. Stay connected to your primary care providers and healthcare specialists by video chat, phone call, or text message. No matter where you are, expect the care you can count on.

Bringing Care to Where You Are.

Look for the TeleHealth icon on your provider listings.

Bassett.org/TeleHealth

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 5

Spring Allergies: Here’s What Works to Fight Them ACAAI: Ditch Benadryl, choose non-sedating medications like Zyrtec, Allegra Allergy or Claritin

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or millions of Americans, sneezing, coughing, runny noses, itchy eyes and congestion are

sure signs that spring is on the way.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

(ACAAI) has advice for coping with these classic hay fever symptoms.

It recently published a guideline for health care providers caring for patients with these dreaded seasonal allergies.

“The guideline highlights the fact that cough is a common symptom of hay fever,” said academy president,, physician Luz Fonacier. “Many people aren’t aware of that, and especially as we face another spring with COVID-19, people should be aware that a cough isn›t necessarily a COVID-19 symptom — it can just be part of allergies.”

The guideline recommends avoiding first-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton). They can cause drowsiness and symptoms like dry mouth, dry eyes and constipation.

Instead, the college recommends non-sedating medications such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), levocetirizine (Xyzal), fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy), loratadine (Claritin) or desloratadine (Clarinex).

The guidelines say inhaled corticosteroids such as fluticasone (Flovent), mometasone (Asmanex HFA), budesonide (Entocort) and triamcinolone (Nasacort) are the most effective treatment if you have persistent allergy symptoms, espe-

cially if they’re affecting your quality of life. They may even help control symptoms that accompany eye allergies, according to the ACAAI. The oral decongestant pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) can help clear a stuffy nose, but is the main ingredient in methamphetamine (meth), the guidelines point out. As such, pseudoephedrine is only available by prescription or by special request from a pharmacist, depending on the state.

Pseudoephedrine has many side effects, including insomnia, loss of appetite, irritability, and heart palpitations. You should not use it if you’re pregnant, ACAAI cautioned.

A lack of adequate studies means that the college couldn’t make recommendations about alternative therapies such as acupuncture or herbal medications to treat hay fever.

It’s common for people who get tested for hay fever to be tested for food allergies at the same time, but this shouldn’t be done because food allergies don’t cause nasal symptoms, according to the guideline.

Hay fever testing should check for sensitivity to pets, dust mites, trees, grasses, weeds and mold, which are the most likely triggers for nasal allergies.

Do Patients Lie to Their Doctors?

Recent survey shows that 23% said they had lied to their doctor

By Barbara Pierce “How much do you drink?” the doctor asked my husband. “Oh, a couple of beers every now and then,” he answered, as I struggled to keep quiet.

After the visit, I suggested it might be in his best interests to give her more accurate information.

The next time the doctor asked, he answered honestly. She suggested he try to cut back; he did. Happy ending to the story.

I mentioned this to my sisterin-law, knowing she drinks most evenings, occasionally to the point of passing out. No, she’s never talked with her doctor about drinking, she admitted.

“I figure the blood work she’s always collecting tells her and she’s never mentioned it.”

When I said blood work doesn’t show the amount of alcohol you’ve had the night before, she was surprised. But I doubt she’ll mention her drinking to her doctor.

I’ve sat with my daughter while she lied to the doctor about how much she smokes, with my ex-husband while he lied about smoking pot.

I’ve not been totally honest with doctors either, maximizing the amount of exercise I do and stretching the truth to claim to eat a healthy diet nearly always.

TermLife2Go, a company that helps consumers buy life insurance, asked 500 people if they lied to their doctor. Twenty-three percent said, yes, they had lied to their doctor, lied about smoking, about their exercise habits, about drinking, and sexual partners.

Page 6

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Reasons they gave for lying: to avoid embarrassment, to tell the doctor what they think he or she wants to hear. Others, overwhelmingly female, say they lie to avoid discrimination because of gender, race, obesity, sexual orientation.

Why be honest with your health care professional?

“We’re not judging you,” said William Ryan Jr., primary care medical director for the Mohawk Valley Health System. “We ask questions about drug and alcohol abuse, sexual activity and exercise habits, because we need that information to guide our decisions on the best possible ways to improve your overall health and well-being.”

“My decisions are based on a combination of diagnostic testing, physical examination and information the patient provides. If a patient isn’t forthcoming, it takes away a key factor in my ability to make a proper diagnosis and recommendation,” he added.

“Failing to provide your physician with the truth can result in an improper diagnosis or improper medications being ordered, which can end up being detrimental to your health,” he continued.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

A patient’s social history includes questions about exercise, smoking, alcohol, drug and substance use and sexual practices, said Amy Grace, a primary care physician with Bassett Healthcare Network. “This is a very important part of your medical history.”

“It’s important to be honest with your provider about these items because we make important determinations about managing your health care based on your answers,” Grace said. “For example, if you’re a smoker, we can discuss options to assist with cessation, and offer lung cancer screening when appropriate.”

More men than women lie about their use of alcohol. Excess alcohol consumption can have a detrimental effect on your overall health and wellbeing, she explained. It also may impact which medications are safe for you to take.

More women than men lie about their sexual practices. Being honest about sexual practices is essential, so that we can discuss whether you need birth control, and we can address sexually transmitted infections, Grace added.

“Sometimes these topics are difficult to be honest about. But, it is so important because without honest answers we could be missing opportunities to help guide you to a healthier and longer life,” she said.

Being honest and accurate about all the medications you’ve taken, those prescribed, those over-thecounter, and those illegal, is critically important. Many ER visits and hospital admission happen because a physician prescribes a medication that interacts with the medications

Physician Amy Grace of Bassett Healthcare Network: “It’s important to be honest with your provider.” or substances already in your body, family medicine physician Clark Madsen, Ogden, Utah, told researchers.

“It’s important to understand that your doctor has no other motives than to help you,” he said. “We don’t work for the government trying to find misdeeds. The only time law enforcement is involved is when the patient is a harm to themselves or others. We have the patient’s best interest at heart.”

“If you aren’t honest with your doctor, you’ve wasted the main benefit of seeing us and the copay you paid to be there,” he said.

“The relationship between the provider and their patient is a partnership which needs to be rooted in mutual respect, honesty and trust.”

Ryan said.

If you feel like you can’t be honest with your health care professional, for whatever reason, it might be time to consider a change. Having a primary care provider with whom you feel comfortable, connected and confident is essential for your health.

How COVID-19 Vaccines Stack Up

M

ona Chitre is the chief pharmacy officer at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. As such, she leads Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s pharmacy strategy and is responsible for driving affordability, innovation and operational excellence. She completed her undergraduate and graduate training at Rutgers University and her post-doctoral primary care residency at the VA Hospital in Buffalo.

The Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine is the third COVID-19 vaccine being distributed in the U.S. Is it safe? Why do we need a third vaccine option?

All vaccines have the same goal — to protect us. The J&J vaccine was tested thousands of times to ensure safety and is authorized for use in the U.S. It’s important that everyone who wants the COVID-19 vaccine can receive it. In addition to the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, the J&J vaccine is another way to help increase protection against the COVID-19 virus. Since all three vaccines are safe, the best vaccine is the one you have access to.

How does the J&J vaccine differ from Moderna’s and Pfizer/BioNTech’s?

The J&J vaccine is a single dose which offers maximum protection quicker than Moderna’s and Pfizer/ BioNTech’s vaccines. The J&J vaccine has proven to be 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe cases of COVID-19. With all three vaccine options, no fragment of the live

virus is in the vaccine so the vaccine itself cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

Should we be concerned with a less effective rate?

No, there is no need to be concerned. The only way to accurately compare the effectiveness of these vaccines is by direct comparison in head-to-head clinical trials, which did not happen across the three vaccine options. Testing took place in different regions, at different points in time, and with varying COVID-19 occurrences. It is best not to compare the effective rates between the vaccines.

The data proves that the J&J vaccine is 85% effective against severe COVID-19 cases, and 100% effective at preventing death from COVID-19.

Based on the data, the J&J vaccine is a very safe and effective option.

There is mention of a booster vaccine to help protect against the COVID-19 variants. What information is known or suggested about this?

Scientists are currently looking into if a booster dose is needed to address variants. It is emerging science at this time, but it is still recommended that you get your vaccine as soon as it is available for you.

How do we know that these vaccines are safe when they are so new?

COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same rigorous safety and efficacy standards as all other vac-

COVID-19 & Politics Starting in early summer last year, analysis finds that states with Republican governors had higher case and death rates

T

he per-capita rates of new COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 deaths were higher in states with Democrat governors in the first months of the pandemic last year, but became much higher in states with Republican governors by mid-summer and through 2020, possibly reflecting COVID-19 policy differences between GOP- and Democrat-led states, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins

Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Medical University of South Carolina.

For their study, the researchers analyzed data on SARS-CoV-2-positive nasal swab tests, COVID-19 diagnoses, and COVID-19 fatalities, for the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. After adjusting for confounding factors such as state population density, they found that Republican-governed states began to

Mona Chitre is the chief pharmacy officer at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. cines — and have been tested thousands of times to ensure safety. The scientific technology used to develop the first COVID-19 vaccines is called mRNA. mRNA has been studied for decades and looks at the genetic makeup of the virus, and then uses that genetic code to teach our cells how to trigger an immune response to combat the virus. The platform that is being used to produce this vaccine has been studied and used for over a decade, and we had a jump-start on the COVID-19 vaccine because it’s a coronavirus which we’ve studied in the past. have consistently higher rates of positive swab tests in May, of COVID-19 diagnoses in June, and of COVID-19 mortality in July.

The results, published online March 10 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, suggest that policy differences between Republican- and Democrat-governed states, including mitigation measures such as mask mandates and social distancing requirements, may have led to systematic differences in COVID-19’s impact on public health, the researchers say.

“Governors’ party affiliation may have contributed to a range of policy decisions that, together, influenced the spread of the virus,” says study senior author Sara Benjamin-Neelon, Ph.D., professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health, Behavior and Society. “These findings underscore the need for state policy actions that are guided by public health considerations rather than by partisan politics.”

The analysis covered March 15 to December 15, 2020, and included the number of SARS-CoV-2 tests, positive tests, COVID-19 case diagnoses, and COVID-19 fatalities. The researchers used a sophisticated statistical tool called a Bayesian negative binomial model to estimate, for each day in the nine-month study window, the relative risks or chances of getting tested, testing positive, getting COVID-19, or dying of COVID-19, for people in 26 GOP-governed vs. 25 Democrat-governed states. Washington, D.C. was treated as Democrat-governed.

The researchers were aware that

April 2021 •

Are you saying that getting the COVID-19 vaccine cannot make a person get COVID-19?

Exactly. The COVID-19 vaccines that are being distributed in the U.S. do not use any fragment of the live virus and cannot make you sick with COVID-19. The vaccines teach your body how to recognize the virus and then create defenses against it.

What about the side effects of the vaccine?

Side effects are possible with any type of vaccination. The most common issue is a sore arm, which can happen with most vaccines. Other reactions include fatigue and headache.

It is important to note that the vaccine is not making you sick, but this is the body’s natural immune system response. Also, I know many people with seasonal allergies are concerned with taking the vaccine. If you have seasonal allergies (e.g., pollen, dust, ragweed, etc.), the vaccine should not cause any issues. But anyone with allergic reactions to other vaccinations should talk with your doctor to see what is best for you.

We know that vaccines were given to high-risk groups first. The data suggests that the number of deaths in nursing homes is going down by more than 60%. Do you feel this is because of the vaccine?

Absolutely. Nursing home residents were among the first people to receive the vaccine. The data shows how powerful the vaccines are against the virus, which is encouraging to hear. Reports like these make me so hopeful as the vaccines continue to rollout. I’m excited for my children to be reunited with their grandparents. I’m optimistic about the future.

“Governors’ party affiliation may have contributed to a range of policy decisions that, together, influenced the spread of the virus.” many other factors, including the natural progression of the pandemic from early waves in urban areas, such as New York City and Seattle, to later waves in rural areas, might have contributed to differences between Republican- and Democrat-led states.

However, they attempted to correct for these confounding factors in their analysis.

Their findings, even when factoring in these confounders, revealed a clear pattern in which Democrat-led states were hardest-hit early in the pandemic, but after a few months Republican-led states on average began to have more positive tests, COVID-19 cases, and more COVID-19 deaths. The transition occurred for testing-positivity on May 30, for COVID-19 case diagnoses on June 3, and for COVID-19 deaths on July 4. The differences between the two groups of states peaked in the period from late June to early August—for example, on August 5 the relative risk of dying of COVID-19 was 1.8 times higher in GOP-led states.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 7

Life Expectancy Continues to Drop in U.S. For much of Oneida County, life expectancy is 78.36, compared to New York state as a whole, which is 80.50.

By Barbara Pierce

F

or the first time in the history of our country, we’re raising a generation of children who may live sicker and shorter lives than their parents.

Life expectancy in the U.S. dropped to its lowest level in 15 years during the first half of the coronavirus pandemic. It declined one year — it was 78.8 in 2019, now it’s 77.8. And probably will continue to decline before the pandemic is behind us.

It’s been going down for the past three years; then the virus sent it spiraling down. A surge in drug overdose deaths is a part of the reason for the decline, also.

In fact, for the past 60 years our life expectancy has dropped in com-

parison to other rich countries, even though we spend more on health care than any other country.

Life expectancy at birth for non-minority babies born today in the U.S. is 77.8 years. For males, 75.1, females 80.5, lower for Blacks and Hispanics.

But that number doesn’t tell the whole story. Genes, gender, lifestyles and luck all play an important part.

A growing body of evidence suggests it may be where you live that has the most impact.

Not everyone in America has the same opportunities to be healthy.

Researchers found that life expectancy estimates vary greatly from block to block. They found that the lives of some people are expected to be at

least 20 years less than those in other neighborhoods, even if they’re just blocks away.

For example, Philadelphians in an affluent zip code live an average of 20 years longer than those who live four miles away in East Philadelphia, where the poverty rate is higher. In Chicago, the city with the largest disparity, life expectancy varied by up to 30 years from one zip code to another.

Google “life expectancy by zip code” to find life expectancy for where you live. For much of Oneida County, it is 78.36. For New York state as a whole it’s 80.50. Piermont, in Rockland County, one of the highest in our state, is 88.1.

Where you live directly affects your health in many ways, from exposure to air pollution and toxins to accessibility of healthy food, green space and medical care.

More important, ethnicity, income and education also affect life expectancy. The cities with the widest gaps in life expectancy, researchers found, were those that were most segregated, with predominantly minority neighborhoods facing obstacles—like poverty, high cost of housing, food insecurity, unemployment—that didn’t affect mostly white neighborhoods to the same degree.

Improving health and longevity starts with ensuring access to healthy food, good schools, affordable housing, and jobs, the things that keep us from getting sick.

Education plays an important role in determining future health — people with a graduate degree can expect to live at least 12 years longer than those with less than a high school education. People with more education are more likely to participate in healthy activities like exercising and seeing their doctor regularly, less likely to participate in unhealthy activities, such as smoking. Education also tends to lead to higher-paying jobs with health insurance.

Your income has an effect on your health. People with higher incomes tend to be healthier and live longer than people with low incomes. They’re more likely to live in safe neighborhoods with access to healthy foods, safe spaces for physical activities, and medical care. Their neighborhoods are free from violence, crime and pollution.

A thriving neighborhood also offers employment, transportation, and good schools. Being surrounded by all of these things helps you live a healthier life.

How easy it is for you to access health care is a big determinant of your health. If you have health insurance, you’re more likely to visit your doctor on a regular basis, which can help you from developing a chronic disease. Not being able to get health care can have a huge impact on your health.

We have many agencies in the Mohawk Valley providing services that help level the planning field for those who need it.

Promoting better education for students is the mission of Connected Community Schools of Rome. “Our mission is to ensure that each and every student have their basic needs, in order for each student to be able to engage in their educational opportunity,” said Melissa Roys, executive director.

Needs are met using a system that engages organizations, business, and resources within the community to support the student and family.

“When students’ basic needs are met – such as food, housing, mental health resources, dental, clothing – their school performance greatly improves,” she said.

The YWCA Mohawk Valley provides support to families with advocacy, education, connection to services, and more, said communications specialist Allison Flanagan.

“Our services are available 24/7, free-of-charge, and confidential.”

Which Americans Live Longest? This Matters Most New study led by Nobel Prize-winning economist show people with college degrees live longer

A

four-year college degree is becoming the key to living a longer life in the United States, a new study argues. In fact, education appears to be a more potent factor in determining lifespan now than race, researchers say.

In the study, white and Black people who earned a bachelor’s degree experienced an overall increase in their average adult life expectancy between 2010 and 2018.

On the other hand, people without a college degree tended to have fewer expected years left to them.

This “education gap” in life expectancy more than doubled between 1990 and 2018 for both Black and white Americans — at the same time that race-based differences in life expectancy decreased by 70%, researchers said.

About one-third of Americans Page 8

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have a four-year college degree, and they are living longer and more prosperous lives while the rest face rising death rates and declining prospects, said researcher Angus Deaton, a professor at the University of Southern California’s Center for Health Policy and Economics.

“The importance of having a BA has been increasing, while the importance of the color of your skin seems to be diminishing,” Deaton said. “The gap between Blacks and whites is narrowing, and the gaps between people who do and do not have a four-year college degree are widening.”

Deaton places the blame for the education gap on diminishing economic opportunities afforded to people who don’t go to college.

Wages for people without a BA continue to decline, and automation

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

and globalization have narrowed their career prospects, Deaton said.

They also are more vulnerable to suffering a death of despair, either by suicide, drug overdose or addiction-related illness.

“The problem here is not so much that everybody doesn’t have a BA,” Deaton said. “There are lots of people who don’t want to have a four-year college degree, and shouldn’t. What we really need to do is make good jobs for people who don’t have a BA.” Without a four-year college diploma, it is increasingly difficult to build a meaningful and successful life in the United States, added Deaton, a Nobel Prize-winning economist who retired after 33 years at Princeton University.

For this study, Deaton and his colleagues looked at what they refer

to as adult life expectancy, or the life expectancy of people between ages 25 and 75. They combined U.S. federal death certificate data with population survey results to calculate mortality rates.

They found that Black people with a BA tended to have 3.6 more expected years of life in 2018 than those without, compared with 1.4 years in 1990.

A similar advantage held for white people with a college degree.

They had 3.5 more expected years of life in 2018 than those who don’t hold a degree. In 1990, the difference was 1.6 years.

The findings were published March 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Rome Health Has New CEO

A

Q A &

With Blake Arcuri

The Utica Center for Development: Enriching Veterans’ Quality of Life

By David Podos

C

entral New York Veterans’ Outreach Program is a nonprofit business located in Utica that assists veterans and their families with a multitude of services.

The outreach program works under the auspice of The Utica Center for Development, its mission is to enrich the veterans’ quality of life by providing supportive comprehensive services to all veterans in need.

The Utica Center for Development has a budget of about $1 million and have a staff of between 12 and 15, which includes personnel in offices in Watertown and Stamford.

Blake Arcuri is the program manager for the agency and during a recent interview he talked about the program and its impact.

Q. Describe your main services and who are your principle beneficiaries?

A. For immediate services we offer veterans a food pantry, medical transportation and legal services. For any other issues and concerns that we do not provide here, we contact local agencies and work with them through a referral process to provide that service. In regards to more long-term services we offer case management as well as housing for homeless vets and or vets that are facing situations where they might become homeless. We handle approximately 70 homeless vets a year who we work to provide housing. Our main beneficiaries from our services are veterans and their families.

Q. What are some of the challenges the agency faces?

A. Some of our services particularly our long-term services are based upon income of the person seeking

those services to be eligible. So it can be a challenge for us if a vet comes in seeking help but his or her income is above a certain threshold. However, regardless of income levels we can provide our veterans all of our shortterm services.

Q. Besides the federal grants the agency receives to run your operation what other ways do you search for additional revenue?

A. We are always fundraising and accept monetary donations from the community. We do bottle pickups and scrap metal pickups as a way to increase revenue. One of the most recent fundraisers we had was called a lot of Love – a Valentines for Veterans. The community would donate at least a dollar for a heart. We then would distribute those hearts to our vets. We raised some money for the organization and in return we made A lot of veterans happy. Of course we are always looking to come up with new ideas in regards to fundraising throughout the entire year. We also have a 5K run that supports our efforts, which is held in the summer.

But, due to the COVID-19 pandemic we had to put a stop to that for the time being.

Q. Where do you see the agency in five to 10 years from now?

A. In the next five to 10 years, we see us owning a few more properties here in Utica. These properties would be renovated and used to house our vets and their families.

For more information about the Utica Center for Development, call 315-7650975 or visit www.ucdevelopment.org.

nneMarie Walker-Czyz, a address the needs and care for the nurse by training, has been community. selected as Rome Health’s full- “I am honored to have been selected time president and chief executive for the role of president and CEO of officer. She succeeds Mark E. MurRome Health,” said Walker-Czyz. phy, who has served as CEO “Building on its rich since November 2019 will history, the hospital has return to St. Joseph’s Health transformed into a comand resume his role as vice prehensive health system. I president, chief strategy am very pleased to be part officer. of Rome Health’s future as “Last September, we we welcome new providers welcomed AnneMarie to the and introduce new services senior leadership team as a for the health and well-beconsultant to provide addiing of our community.” tional operational support Employed at St. to the hospital to position us Joseph’s Health Hospital for long-term success,” said Walker-Czyz since 1997, Walker-Czyz Rome Health Board of Trustearned her nursing deees President Ankur Desai, a physigree from the St. Joseph’s College of cian. “With her demonstrated leadNursing and completed her Bachelor ership, we are pleased that she has of Science degree in nursing from the accepted her new role as president SUNY Upstate Medical University. and CEO. She has a proven track she also holds a Master of Science, record for building strong teams to and clinical nurse Specialist degree. advance patient-centered care and from Upstate Medical University. deliver strong business results.”

In 2015, Walker-Czyz graduated Walker-Czyz has been with St. from St. John Fisher College earning Joseph’s Health in Syracuse for over an education doctorate degree in two decades. In addition to her role executive leadership. Research areas as chief nursing officer, Walker-Czyz of interest have been in the impact of served as the vice president of clininnovation adoption on quality and ical and educational services and cost in nursing care. Walker-Czyz chief operating officer at St. Joseph’s is also certified as a nurse executive Health. from the ANCC. According to a hospital news Her passions lie in the promotion release, her experience in leading a of shared governance and promotnationally recognized team of nurses ing nursing leadership at the point and health care colleagues in the day- of care delivery, transforming acute to-day delivery of compassionate pa- care services to be consistent with tient care will assist Rome Health in the overall strategy for health care its mission to deliver quality healthreform and developing multidiscicare with compassion. Walker-Czyz plinary teams to achieve higher qualwill continue to foster strategic colity, safety, and patient engagement at laboration between Rome Health and a lower cost.

St. Joseph’s Health to collaboratively

UC Adjunct Publishes Second Book on Dementia

C

atherine Cominsky of Old Forge, also known by pen name Kate Hanley, longtime adjunct professor of education at Utica College, has written her second book titled “Reframing the Conversation About Dementia Care.”

This book dives into what dementia truly is and how it affects the brain, as well as how to understand and process it as a caretaker. Beginning with the basics of what dementia is and how to understand the warning signs, as well as information about its prevalence today, the book offers advice on how to reduce the stress associated with the disease for both the person affected and the people closest to them.

The main focus of the book is around reframing the conversation and concerns in order to best help care for a loved one with dementia.

Cominsky describes this book as a guide for the care partners doing their best to manage. She brings her knowledge and experience caring for her own mother in hopes of helping others on their journey dealing with the disease.

This is Cominsky’s second book focusing on dementia. Her first, titled “Breakfast Memories: A Dementia Love Story,” shares the reality of life with a loved one having dementia, and offers a bit of hope as she discov-

April 2021 •

ers the love notes her father wrote her mother. These notes help keep the author grounded, gently reminding her who her mother once was.

“Reframing the Conversation About Dementia Care” can be purchased at www.breakfastmemories.com. Additional copies can be purchased by contacting katehanleyauthor@gmail.com. A portion of all book sales are donated to dementia research organizations.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 9

9

Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight There are many factors to consider when trying to lose weight

By Barbara Pierce

M

any of us have packed on some extra pounds we’re trying to get rid of.

We’ve done all the right things: dieted, exercised and drank more water. We blame the pandemic, the holidays, and the cold weather that the weight isn’t going anywhere.

We asked registered dietitian Crystal Hein of Crystal Clear Nutrition in Herkimer what might be sabotaging efforts to lose those extra pounds and how to work around them.

7.

1.

Your gut could be the cause Your gastrointestinal tract contains bacteria that influence your overall health and total body balance, said Hein. There are many different strains of bacteria.

The link between them and weight gain is not clear and needs more study.

What to do: “The use of probiotic and prebiotic supplements has been shown to prevent weight gain,” said Hein. “But you need to understand the different types of bacteria, the appropriate doses, and suitable regime of supplementation. There are many prebiotics and probiotics to choose from. To make sure you’re correctly using a safe supplement, always consult with a registered dietitian or your physician.”

2.

Maybe it’s your meds “Many medications have a variety of side effects,” said Hein. “Weight gain or increased appetite are possible side effects of anti depressants, anti-inflammatory steroid medications (prednisone), and beta blockers (blood pressure medications).”

What to do: Medications affect your weight differently, whether it’s by causing you to retain fluid, increasing your appetite, or slowing your metabolism, she added.

gain, she said. Poor sleep results in an increase in the hormones that increase your appetite and lowers the hormone that makes you feel full.

What to do: To get a good night’s sleep, do things to help you relax before bed, she suggested. Stop using your phone at least an hour before bed; use aromatherapy (lavender); take a hot bath before bed. Don’t drink alcohol -- despite popular belief, alcohol disrupts good sleep. Try to keep a schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Be physically active during the day; try to get some exercise.

Don’t become dependent on caffeine, as it can disrupt sleep hours later.

Registered dietitian Crystal Hein of Crystal Clear Nutrition in Herkimer.

Sometimes the weight gain that comes when you’ve started a new medication could be due to the fact that you’re feeling better and therefore have an increased appetite, she explained.

3.

What to do if you suspect your medication “You never want to change or stop medications without consulting with your doctor,” she cautioned. “You definitely don’t want to stop steroid medications abruptly.”

Ask your doctor for options; some alternative medications may even be associated with weight loss.

4.

It could be depression or stress “Depression or stress can increase your appetite and cause weight gain,” she said. “Often, we turn to ‘comfort foods’ when we’re feeling sad or depressed. It can be easy to reach for a sugary pick-me-

up when feeling down in the dumps.

And elevated levels of stress hormone can make the body store fat.”

What to do: “Do something else to relieve the stress – go for a walk, listen to music, read a book, meditate, deep breathing or call a friend,” she recommended.

5.

When you eat is just as important as what you eat: Grazing at night can cause weight gain. Not eating enough during the day will increase your cravings in the evening and you may end up making poor food choices and eating more calories than your body needs, Hein suggested.

What to do: Don’t skip meals during the day. Don’t eat a big meal at the end of the day, as your body will not have time to burn it off.

6.

Are you sleeping enough?

Lack of sufficient sleep has been linked to weight

Are you making poor food choices?

Making poor food choices can be a cause of weight gain, she said. Over the past decades, portion sizes at restaurants have become larger; you may be consuming more calories than you think. Portion control is important in weight loss.

Also, be mindful of the types of foods you chose; low-fat foods may not be healthier; they may have more calories and sugar.

What to do: Be sure to include foods high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. This means including low fat dairy, lean protein sources, fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Drink plenty of water. Limit alcohol and caffeine intake.

8.

Are you working from home?

As you have easier access to food and may not be moving around enough, working from home can cause weight gain.

What to do: Keep a schedule, fit in activity breaks during your day. Eat snacks high in protein.

9.

Your thyroid may not be functioning properly: Your thyroid gland does have a major impact on your body; an under active thyroid can make it difficult to lose weight.

What to do: See your health care provider for an assessment.

©

Are you having trouble losing weight and keeping it off? Do you have diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart/cholesterol problems, or other medical conditions associated with extra weight? If so, learn how weight loss surgery can improve your life.

William A. Graber, MD, PC – Weight Loss Surgery is an experienced team dedicated to helping people achieve their weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals.

Our board certified bariatric surgeons specialize in laparoscopic and robotic assisted weight loss surgery and have performed thousands of procedures.

Working together with expertise to promote a supportive and safe environment for our patients as they strive to restore health and quality of life.

Offices in Utica and Syracuse

Visit DrGraberMD.com or call 877-269-0355 Page 10

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

This outpatient rehabilitation facility focueses on occupational and physical therapy disciplines to help promote health and wellness in everyday life.

505 Roberts Street, Inertiawellnesscenter.com Utica NY 13502

315-790-5392

SmartBites

The skinny on healthy eating

Popcorn Is Popping Good for You!

M

y love affair with popcorn began after my first child.

Desperate to shed pregnancy pounds, I reached for the puffy stuff daily. Oh, the satisfaction! It filled me up, I lost weight, it became my BSF: Best Snack Forever.

The main perk of popcorn is that it’s a whole grain snack. Unlike refined grain snacks that have been stripped of some nutrients, popcorn, with its entire seed intact, boasts a slew of health benefits.

As with other whole grains, consuming popcorn may reduce

inflammation, lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and some forms of cancer.

A three-cup serving of popcorn provides a whopping 3.5 grams of fiber, which is about 14% of the recommended daily intake of fiber for women and about 12% for men.

These days, with my finicky digestion and high cholesterol, all that fiber makes me deliriously happy, not to mention, remarkably full. A recent study, in fact, found that 15 calories of popcorn was just as satisfying as 150 calories of potato chips.

Beyond its fiber, popcorn is a good source of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that have been linked to better circulation, improved digestion and a reduced risk of certain cancers and age-related diseases.

Looking to lose some weight?

Popcorn is a dieter’s best friend. It’s

super low in calories (a three-cup serving of air-popped popcorn has fewer than 100); it provides prolonged satiety because its complex carbohydrates take longer to digest; and it has scant fat and salt.

Of course, popcorn can quickly become an unhealthy snack if it’s doused with oil or butter, salt or sugar. A big tub of movie theater popcorn, for example, can inflict over 1000 calories and several days’ worth of salt and fat. So, mindful preparation is key. Air-popped popcorn is your healthiest bet because it provides some control over the seasonings added afterwards. Microwave popcorn can be a healthy choice, too, especially since most brands have removed trans fats and the chemical linked to “popcorn lung” — the wheezing disease that resulted from fumes inhaled when a bag was opened.

Helpful tips When buying microwave or popped popcorn, read labels carefully. You might be surprised by the calorie and sugar counts of kettle corn, as well as the calorie and salt counts of cheddar cheese popcorn. Pop your own kernels in the microwave using a brown paper bag or (my favorite!) a silicone BPA-free popcorn popper. pinch of cayenne (optional) ¼ teaspoon salt Pop the popcorn kernels: in the microwave (using a folded-over brown lunch bag or a silicone popcorn popper) or in an air popper. If using a microwave, cook until there are 2 to 3 seconds between pops, about 3 minutes. Transfer the popcorn to a big bowl.

In a small glass bowl, mix together the olive oil and all the spices, then microwave for 20 seconds and stir again. Drizzle the oil mixture over the popcorn, tossing with your hands. Enjoy!

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum-

Fajita-Flavored Popcorn ¼ cup popcorn kernels 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil ½ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

nist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.

We did it.

Twice.

Oneida Health is ranked among America’s Top 2% of Hospitals for Patient Safety & Experience

Visit oneidahealth.org/awards to learn more

April 2021 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 11

Autism Awareness

Helping Those with Autism Navigate the Pandemic The Kelberman Center has continued to provide services to clients

By Megan Plete Postol

W

hile the pandemic raged and ravaged lives both locally and globally, agencies responsible for helping those with autism stepped up to guide their clients through uncharted territory.

Recent research published by the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that the majority of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder experienced significant, ongoing disruption to their daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many individuals with ASD share similar characteristics of sensory sensitivity, social and communicative differences, and a preference for routine, making the closure of schools, clinics, and community programs especially troublesome.

“Throughout the pandemic there have been multiple challenges facing our agency and the children, adults and families which we support,” said Tara Costello, executive director of The Kelberman Center. “The Kelberman Center has continued to provide services to children, adults and their families either through in-person or telehealth appointments.”

The Kelberman Center is the leading provider of autism services for children, adults and families in Page 12

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the Mohawk Valley and Central New York. It provides comprehensive programming and services for people throughout all phases of life, from early childhood through adulthood.

The programs and services cover the full range of human experience, including home and community-based services, education, clinical, residential services and recreation.

“Our goal is to meet people and families where they are in life and to support them every step of the way on their journeys navigating autism,” Costello said. “The expert staff at The Kelberman Center empowers the people we support with specialized, one-of-a-kind programs, resources, support and wrap-around services, creating a fulfilling, life-enriching experience for people and families.”

All levels of The Kelberman Center’s programs were affected by the pandemic, including the Promise preschool program.

“Our youngest learners and their amazing teachers and classroom staff, like many other schools nation-wide, were made to pivot quickly and transition to hybrid and remote learning,” Costello said. “Our staff and parents rose to the challenge to the best of their abilities, however.

They worked together to make this change feasible for our students so that they would still be able to access these critical preschool and therapy services throughout the pandemic.”

The Kelberman Center’s Clinic program also experienced challenges due to restrains of the pandemic.

People requiring services were able to access them through telehealth, which Costello said has been a great opportunity for staff to continue to provide ongoing services for families despite these challenges.

The staff at The Kelberman Center also experienced challenges in working with people who require help understanding how to access their community safely.

“As many of our individuals either live alone or in a residential setting, we have helped them to safely access these services such as medical care, groceries, etc.,” Costello said. “Overall, while the challenges have been difficult for our children and adults adjusting to the drastic changes and expectations of the pandemic, we have and continue to work through each obstacle to ensure that services stay as ‘normal’ as possible for the people we support.”

Keeping clients’ lives running as smoothly as possible while still keeping them safe has been the top priority.

“Families who felt comfortable continuing with face-to-face services such as evaluations, vocational and mentoring programs were able to do so thanks to our dedicated staff who made sure they took the extra precautions in order to be able to provide those in-person services,” Costello said. “Other clients choose to receive their services via telehealth, where they were still able to work one-on-one or in group settings

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

with staff members on social skills or other counseling or educational services. We are proud that throughout the toughest time, the people we support were still able to receive services, reinforcing the continuity of care that The Kelberman Center provides.”

Costello is proud of the way her staff has risen to meet and exceed expectation during this time of challenge.

“The sheer imagination of our staff during this time has not surprised me, as they have always been outstanding in their care and support of the children and adults. But, their creativity was really taken to the next level during this time,” she said. “As our individuals were no longer able to go on outings into the community for shopping, dining, volunteering and socialization, our staff invented some pretty amazing opportunities for them right in their homes or through telehealth. Walks and activities outside, games and artistic creations, talent shows, movie nights, etc. all arranged by our dedicated residential staff, really showcased their ability to go way above and beyond in handling the challenges facing the people we support.”

The Kelberman Center 2021 virtual Walk for Autism is taking place throughout the month of April. This is an opportunity for community supporters, businesses, families and friends to raise money to support programs and services at The Kelberman Center, so they can continue to make a life-changing impact on children and adults with autism and their families into the future. To learn more about The Kelberman Center or the 2021 virtual Walk for Autism, please visit kelbermancenter.org.

The Balanced Body

By Deb Dittner

The Rise in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research today is looking at how environmental exposures play a role in the development of ASD

contain ammonia, bleach, chlorine, dyes, diethanolamine, formaldehyde, fragrance, hydrochloric acid, imidaolidinyl urea, isopropyl alcohol, lye, mineral oil, monoethanolamine, naphtha, nitrobenzene, parabens, petroleum, perchloroetylene, sodium laurel sulfate, sodium laureth sulfates, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, trichlorethane, triclosan, triclocarban, triethanolamine and toluene.

• Also avoid bisphenol A and phthalates as these disrupt hormones.

• Use fluoride-free and SLS-free toothpaste.

• DIY cleaning products using baking soda, lemons, therapeutic grade essential oils and vinegar.

• Cook in glass or ceramic containers. Avoid aluminum and nonstick pots and pans.

• Prevent the build-up of mold using proper ventilation and dehumidifiers.

The previous steps may seem daunting to incorporate into your daily routine but are necessary interventions for a happy and healthy family. Start with a few items at a time and add a new one every couple weeks. Read as much literature as you can and join parent discussion groups. Preparation is important in every aspect of your life.

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Page 13

Autism Awareness

Support for Those on the Autism Spectrum There are a number of options available to those seeking help

By Barbara Pierce

T

wenty-three-year-old Josh Davila of Utica is happy with his life and was eager to share it with me.

“I like my work. I like it a lot. I’m an intern, doing dishes in the kitchen.

I’m getting good work experience, especially in communicating with my co-workers,” he explained.

He was polite, talkative and enthusiastic about talking with me.

“I live with my mom and dad, my sister and brother. My mentor drives me back and forth to work,” he said.

“When I’m not working, I enjoy coloring, dancing or listening to my songs. I do have friends. But, I don’t have a girlfriend; I’m waiting for the time to be right,” he added.

“Sylvia’s a good person. She coordinates things for me, teaches me about the work ethic and teaches me how to communicate.”

Sylvia Jaikin-Postal is his vocational instructor at the Kelberman Center.

The Kelberman Center has been providing support to Davila and his family for several years. The center, with locations in Utica and Syracuse, provides state-of-the-art programs and services for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and their families.

Autism is a complex developmental disability. It’s not a single condition; it’s a spectrum of disorders – a wide range – from some who can’t communicate at all, to those who are so functional you may not know they are on the spectrum.

“We provide a robust number of services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Kelly Butters Mullin, vice president

of program development.

From early childhood evaluations, preschool, and social groups, to teen and young adult social groups, to adult programs, such as the one Josh is in, that provide work experiences and teach life skills.

“Our virtual walk for autism will take place all April, said Mullin. “We’re heavily dependent on it for support. We encourage family, friends, and organizations, to form ‘virtual’ teams. See our website for details.”

• For more information, visit www.kelbermancenter.org or call (315) 797-6241.

Neurofeedback another option A valuable new offering for those on the autism spectrum is neurofeed-

back through Integrative Medicine of Central New York, Chittenango.

“For those on the autism spectrum, neurofeedback works in conjunction with other therapies.

Families are adding another tool to their tool box,” said neurofeedback Program Manager Gillian Brod.

Early studies have shown that significant improvements in social, emotional and behavioral functioning for children and adults on the autism spectrum can be made with neurofeedback training.

“It’s incredible — the results we’ve seen so far with our patients have been great,” said Brod. “Though we haven’t yet worked with patients on the spectrum, we have seen remarkable results overall and expect the same for those with autism.”

“We’ve seen clients from ages 8 through 80,” she added. “We’ve helped many with anxiety, dementia, and support our current oncology and Lyme patients experiencing brain fog and memory problems.”

Neurofeedback makes use of the brain’s capacity for change to reshape brain networks. It is a way to directly train the brain to function better.

Although the technology is complex, the process is simple, painless and noninvasive.

“For the first step, we get a reading of the brain that shows the pattern of brain waves,” she said.

“We then review the findings with the individual and make a training plan.”

The session is noninvasive. There is nothing required of the individual.

It works by realigning brainwaves while you are engaged in a movie or music, explained Brod.

During a training session, the

Gillian Brod, neurofeedback program manager at Integrative Medicine of Central New York in Chittenango. computer is monitoring your brainwaves, looking for any that are out of the normal range. When it finds one, the system triggers a response that changes the movie or music.

This change is not annoying, but it is subtle enough to get your attention and make you focus more. Refocusing corrects the irregular brainwaves, which then move into the normal range. Over the course of multiple sessions, the brain eventually learns to make healthy patterns on its own.

Given the gentle nature of this training, there are no known side effects, she said. The program is tailored to meet each client’s individual needs and is designed to provide the best possible outcomes.

Research shows that, with neurofeedback, individuals on the autism spectrum are generally calmer, don’t get overwhelmed as easily and have more patience.

“We’re open and excited to help everyone, including those on the spectrum,” she added.

• For more information, visit www.imofcny.com/im-of-cny-neurofeedback, or call 315-741-5774.

Vitamin D: Good for Health, Fights COVID-19 V itamin D is an essential nutrient, and recent research has suggested it may also help guard against severe COVID-19.

But how much is enough, and how hard is it to get the right amount of vitamin D? “We know that a large percentage of the population has suboptimal levels of vitamin D. In fact, as many as half of the U.S. population may be deficient in vitamin D,” said Kristin Gustashaw, clinical dietitian at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “This can possibly lead to symptoms including fatigue, tiredness, hair loss, delayed wound healing, decreased immune health, muscle pain and more, with no other known causes.

“Part of the difficulty of maintaining vitamin D levels is because there are not a large variety of foods that contain much vitamin D,” Gustashaw added in a medical center news release.

Page 14

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The vitamin is accessible to people through some foods, supplements and even sunshine.

Food sources include egg yolks, milk, cheese, beef or calf liver and certain fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines. Other foods are fortified with vitamin D, including certain cereals, breads, soy milk and orange juice.

Gustashaw also recommends that people should get out in the sun for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day, but says they should be sure to get a constant source of the nutrient from their diet and supplementation.

Adults should get a minimum of 600 IU of vitamin D each day and 800 IU if over age 70. Children should get 600 IU each day. And infants up to the age of 12 months should get 400 IU per day. Gustashaw says you can determine your vitamin D levels through a blood test.

If you do have low levels of vitamin D, it’s always best to talk to your health care provider or dietitian about the best way to boost your intake, Rush University experts said.

Certain medications can affect vitamin D absorption. These include steroids, the cholesterol-lowering drug cholestyramide, and the seizure medications phenobarbital and phenytoin.

While vitamin D toxicity is rare, there’s no proof that taking more than the upper limit of the recommended dosage is beneficial, the experts said. In some

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

cases, excess amounts of vitamin D can lead to renal failure, calcification of soft tissues throughout the body, including in coronary vessels and heart valves, cardiac arrhythmias and even death.

Autism Awareness

Sally Leahy Has Taught Special Ed for Over 30 Years She says she has seen many changes but the pandemic brings new challenges

By Megan Plete Postol

S

ally Leahy has been a special education teacher for more than 30 years. In that time she has not only seen her students struggle, but she’s helped them learn to triumph over their obstacles.

She has been teaching at Poland Central School for 32 years. Before that, she taught at Franklin- EssexHamilton BOCES in Malone.

Throughout her three decades of experience, her industry has evolved quite a bit.

“It seems like everything has changed,” she said. “When I started my career, special education services were referred to as Option 1, Option 2, Option 3, Option 4, now they are called 12:1:1 [which means up to 12 students with 1 teacher and 1 teaching assistant]. Early in my career, students received all special education services outside the general education classroom. Now the focus is to look at the necessity of leaving the general education classroom for services. It is becoming more common for the special education teacher to support students in their general education classroom, which I find very helpful in most cases.”

Advancements have helped her students to adapt and thrive both

in the classroom and beyond the classroom.

“With the changes in technology over time, there are better ways for students with disabilities to be more independent in a more natural way,” she said. “For example, Siri — just talk to her to dictate a reminder or to write an essay, or ask her the meaning of a word. Computers help anyone that is not a strong speller, to get the word spelled correctly. Computers also have features to read text to you, which are very helpful for a weak reader.”

Other changes Leahy has witnesses include societal viewpoints and the way students with disabilities are supported.

“Autism awareness, a designated time for awareness, and the symbol of the puzzle piece,” she said. “This is fantastic progress in acceptance of others.”

Unfortunately, though, sometimes Leahy still sees her students struggle with not always being accepted by others.

“There is still exclusion of people with disabilities, to varying degrees,” she said. “Sometimes it (a diagnosis) changes friendships among students, or incorrect conclusions are drawn.

For example, a person that does not have normal speech articulation is considered to not have normal intelligence. This is not always the case, and these students, adults are excluded from opportunities.”

Leahy encourages her students to get involved in extracurricular endeavors.

“As a special educator, most of the students I work with struggle with academics,” she said. “They work very hard to earn passing grades, but sometimes, school is not a happy place for them, or it feels like a place where they do not feel smart.

I’ve tried to encourage them to join activities where they can feel happy at school and contribute to a school event. Maybe it is being a part of a drama club performance, on stage or helping backstage, or joining an athletic team, or chorus/band, or Kids Against Pollution, Poverty, Prejudice (KAP).”

Leahy makes it a point to chaperone athletic games, help with drama productions, and volunteer as advisor for clubs where she will have an opportunity to see her students succeed, or as she says, “shine.”

Her favorite moments of her career have centered on developing bonds with her students’ families and sharing activities and events that are not based upon academics.

When one of her students needed a particular surgery to remove a tumor, she was able to build a connection to offer support.

“My student’s mother found a doctor in Texas that offered the most promising outcomes for the surgery,” Leahy said. “My aunt, uncle, and cousins lived near that hospital.

They invited the family to church when they arrived in Texas before the surgery. This family was ‘adopted’ by my aunt, uncle, cousins’ church family. The pastor went to the hospital and prayed with the student’s family before surgery, they sent flowers and balloons and visited. While they were so far from their own family during a stressful time, I was able to make a connection for them so they felt like they had extended family around them during this stressful time. By the way, that student is healthy and has earned a college degree.”

COVID-19 has presented unique challenges to special education teachers over the past year, including Leahy.

“Learning virtually was challenging,” she said. “Many students I work with need verbal and non-verbal prompts to help them stay focused during instruction. Without being in the same room as them when learning virtually, it was very difficult to determine if they were on task or not, and my ‘little bag of tricks’ I use throughout the day, simply didn’t work as well virtually.”

Leahy’s husband is a retired technology education teacher from Adirondack Central School. She has two adult children, Patrick and Kaitlyn. Patrick and his wife, Reba, live in Rotterdam, and Kaitlyn and her husband, Sean, live in Derry, New Hampshire.

Outside of work, Leahy stays active. She enjoys camping, quilting, kayaking, boating, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and she also serves as an adviser to the New York State American Baptist Youth Cabinet.

April 2021 •

Backyard Chicken Coops Pose Threat of ‘Viral Spillover’ to People

R

aising chickens in your backyard — a popular trend during the COVID-19 pandemic — holds risks that can come home to roost in an unwelcome way.

It’s already well known that poultry can spread the salmonella bacteria to human handlers. But chickens cooped up in backyards could also be breeding grounds for viruses that pose an even bigger public health threat, according to Sonia Hernandez, a professor of wildlife disease at the University of Georgia, in Athens.

“As a researcher who studies pathogen movement along different groups, I see backyard chickens as a potential interface where pathogens can spill over into wild birds, or vice versa, and even into people,” Hernandez said in a university news release.

“Owners need to seek information and medical care for their animals to minimize those risks,” she said.

The biggest threat comes from household chickens’ potential as a reservoir for mutations in the so-called avian flu («bird flu”). These viruses can infect commercially produced poultry and devastate those industries.

But humans could be directly affected, too.

“Historically, most highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses only affected chickens in commercial operations,» Hernandez said, «but recently, we have seen that they can — in rare cases — move into people, and there are increasing reports of it affecting backyard chickens and wild birds.»

Bird flu outbreaks could spread to humans, something that’s on scientists’ minds in a year dominated by a global pandemic of coronavirus. Most experts believe that SARSCoV-2 originated from an animal-to-human “spillover” event occurring somewhere in China.

“People need to recognize that they have to take some responsibility for their health and the health of their animals,” Hernandez said. “Also, we’re living in a pandemic at the moment because of a spillover event, plain and simple.”

Hernandez reminded the public that, besides the potential threat from viruses, chickens can easily spread salmonella to people.

“It can become especially dangerous if you mix little chickens with little people — young chickens that are shedding a lot of salmonella with small kids that don’t have the best hygiene practices,” she said.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 15

Between You & Me

By Barbara Pierce

Dealing With Difficult People

Y

our complaining co-worker who blames everyone else for things that go wrong, your mother-in-law who blows up easily so you walk on eggshells around her, your sister who is so negative about everything.

We all have difficult people in our life — they drain us, they drive us nuts!

You can’t avoid them.

They’re frustrating and exhausting and cause a huge amount of stress.

As a mental health professional, I dealt with many difficult people who came Pierce to see me because they couldn’t keep a job, a relationship or friends, and recognized they needed help to make their life work better. And I helped many.

Difficult people have a personality disorder. We’re born with much of our personality. Then it’s influenced by the family environment we grow up in and the experiences we have.

Those influences shape the way we view the world and the way we relate to others.

Phyllis was a 48-year-old woman who came to see me because she was very uncomfortable around people. As a clerk in T.J. Maxx, she was expected to help customers. But she hid in the stock room as much as possible, avoiding customers.

She told me of being a young child hiding behind the sofa when her father came home drunk. If he found her, he beat her. Her mother left the family when Phyllis was just 3 years old. Kids at school made fun of her dirty clothes, messy hair and bad smell. She was born with a tendency to be shy and her experiences reinforced the need to avoid others.

As a young child, she learned people were cruel and there was nothing likeable about her. This shaped her view of herself and others.

Think of your personality traits as being on a scale. For example, everyone gets angry with the right provocation. Everyone feels jealous, or feels hurt at times. But when these traits are extreme and cause problems, that might be a personality disorder.

For Phyllis, her distrust of people and her ability to interact with them was extreme and caused problems; she had a personality disorder.

Elsy, my sister-in-law, feels she’s special, better than anyone else.

Growing up wealthy in South America, servants met her every need, parents treated her like a princess.

Today, she exaggerates her achievements and brags about how desirable she is. She a deep need for admiration, and lacks empathy for others.

She has a personality disorder.

People with personality disorders and other mental health issues are diagnosed through the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a reference used by mental

Are You a ‘Super Ager’? Keep Your Mind Dementia-Free

R

esearchers may have uncovered a key reason some people remain sharp as a tack into their 80s and 90s: Their brains resist the buildup of certain proteins that mark Alzheimer’s disease.

The study focused on what scientists have dubbed “super agers” — a select group of older folks who have the memory performance of people decades younger.

Compared with older people who had average brain power, super agers showed far less evidence of “tau tangles” in their brains, the researchers found.

Page 16

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Tau is a protein that, in healthy brain cells, helps stabilize the internal structure. But abnormal versions of tau — ones that cling to other tau proteins — can develop as well.

In people with Alzheimer’s, the brain is marked by a large accumulation of those tau tangles, as well as “plaques,” which are clumps of another protein called amyloid.

For years, amyloid plaques have gotten most of the attention as a potential target for Alzheimer’s treatment, said researcher Tamar Gefen, who led the new study.

But a body of evidence tells a

health professionals.

There are numerous types of personality disorders. I think it’s interesting how they fall into recognizable patterns. They are grouped into three clusters based on similar characteristics and symptoms: • Those who are suspicious, paranoid, distrustful of others, have little or no interest in personal relationships, don’t pick up on normal social cues.

• Those who are dramatic, overly emotional and impulsive, sometimes engage in risky behavior, may feel empty and abandoned, or have a grandiose sense of self-importance.

• Those who are anxious, or heavily dependent on others, have feelings of inadequacy, discomfort around others, or are obsessive compulsive.

Six tips to deal with difficult people 1. Don’t take their words or behavior personally: This can be hard to do. We tend to read way too much into another’s words or behaviors, and believe it is directed at us. Recognize the other person has issues. Not you. This behavior is just them being how they are; it probably has nothing to do with you. Even if it does, ignore it.

2. Try to understand where they’re coming from, what drives their behavior. What is the underlying reason motivating them to act this way?

different story: It’s the buildup of tau — not amyloid — that correlates with a decline in memory and thinking skills, said Gefen, an assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago.

These latest findings on super agers, she said, are in line with that research.

It’s not clear how many super agers are out there. One reason is that there’s no single definition of the term, said Claire Sexton, director of scientific programs and initiatives at the Alzheimer’s Association.

This study involved people aged 80 and older. But other research, Sexton said, has narrowed the focus to unusually sharp 90-somethings, or even centenarians.

The million-dollar question is: What does it take to be a member of this elite group?

It’s likely super agers have genetics to thank, in part, according to Sexton.

But in all probability, she said, it’s a mix of good genes, lifestyle factors and exposures over a lifetime, from physical activity, to social engagement, to mentally stimulating experiences.

In fact, previous research at Northwestern has shown those are common habits of super agers.

Gefen and her colleagues have also found brain differences between super agers and their peers with typical brain power: For example, super

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

How can you help to meet his or her needs and resolve the situation?

3. Don’t try to change them: Our instinct is to try to change people, to encourage a negative person to be more positive, a dependent person to think for themselves. This never works! In fact, when you try to change someone, they tend to resent you, dig in their heels, and get worse.

4. Losing your temper, arguing and flaring out at the other person won’t do any good. Find some truth in what the other person is saying, even if they are totally wrong or unreasonable, find something to agree with.

5. Most importantly, believe that a person not being difficult for the sake of being difficult. They are not aware of what they are doing, because, if they truly felt the impact of their behavior, they wouldn’t behave that way. They have little or no idea of how they contribute to their problems. Or, they don’t know how to change.

6. Psychotherapy can help. A trained professional working with people to identify and change their negative thinking and behavior patterns can help.

Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker with many years of experience helping people. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book, “When You Come to the Edge: Aging” or if you have questions for her, contact her at barbarapierce06@yahoo.com.

agers have more tissue volume in a brain region involved in processes like motivation and decision-making. Super agers also show a greater density of cells called Von Economo neurons, which are linked to social intelligence.

For the current study, Gefen’s team analyzed brain tissue from seven super agers — all women — who had died in their 80s or 90s. The results were compared with brain studies from six elderly adults who’d had normal thinking skills before their deaths.

The super agers had all taken standard memory tests, and scored at or above the norm for people 20 to 30 years younger.

The researchers found that both super agers and their peers harbored similar amounts of amyloid plaque in the brain.

They differed, however, when it came to tangles: People with average memory and thinking skills had three times the amount of tau tangles in a memory-related brain region called the entorhinal cortex.

Sexton agreed the findings align with other evidence on the importance of tau.

“It’s been understood for a while that tau tracks better with cognitive performance than amyloid does,” she said.

These findings, Sexton said, suggest a role for tau in the “secrets” to super-aging.

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- Rome Sentinel, 1/24/2021

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Dear Viagra, It’s true. If you’re age 62 or older and are still raising young children, there’s a Social Security benefit strategy that can put some extra money in your family coffers.

Here’s how it works.

When you file for Social Security retirement benefits, your minor children can get money on your work record equaling half of what you would receive at full retirement age, now gradually rising from 66 to 67.

Even if you were to take a smaller benefit by claiming earlier, your kids will still get half of your full-retirement age amount.

To qualify, your daughter — whether she’s biological, adopted or a stepdaughter — must be unmarried and under age 18. Kids who are over 18 but still in high school, can collect too until they graduate or turn 19, whichever comes first. (Other rules apply to kids that are disabled.)

But that’s not all.

Because one of your children is only 14, your wife (if you’re married) can collect Social Security benefits on your work record too, and it doesn’t matter if she’s just 40 years old. The minimum age requirements to collect retirement benefits (62) or survivor benefits (60) does not apply when it comes to collecting benefits as the caregiver of a young child. The spouse’s benefit, which is also worth up to half of your benefit, will stop when your daughter turns 16.

But note that there are limits to the amount of money that can be paid to a family. The Social Security “family maximum payment” is determined by a complex formula and can range from 150% to 180% of your full retirement benefit amount. If the total exceeds that, each person’s benefit, except yours, is cut proportionately until it equals the maximum.

Here’s an example of how that’s figured. Let’s say, for example, that your full retirement age benefit is $2,400 per month. That would make your family maximum benefit (according to the Social Security formu-

la at SSA.gov/oact/cola/familymax. html) roughly $4,200 per month.

Subtract your $2,400 benefit from the $4,200 family maximum benefit, which leaves $1,800. That’s the monthly amount that can be split between your two children — $900 each. If your wife wants in on it too, the individual checks are smaller, at $600 a piece, but the family amount is the same.

You should also know that minor children can collect up to half of a disabled parent’s Social Security disability benefit. And if the parent dies, they will get a survivor’s benefit, which is up to 75% of the deceased parent’s basic Social Security benefit.

To learn more, see the SSA publication (No. 05-10085) “Benefits for Children” at SSA.gov/pubs/EN-0510085.pdf.

One Caveat Social Security benefits for your kids may not be available before full retirement age if you are still working. In 2021, you will lose $1 in benefits for every $2 earned over $18,960, except in the year you reach full retirement age. In that case, the earnings limit is $50,520, with $1 in benefits withheld for every $3 earned over the limit.

If you lose your benefits, your dependents also lose theirs. You can recoup those payments later, but your kids can’t.

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

April 2021 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

•

Page 17

digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/RomeSentinel/PrintArticle.aspx?doc=RCS%2F2021%2F01%2F24&entity=ad0

Jennifer Milich of Buffalo suffers from incurable, terminal kidney cancer. “This is isn’t even existing! This is suffering!” she says. Milich is part of a group that seeks approval for a legislation that would allow her to end her life.

Right to Die in New York Group pushes for legislators to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act.

By Barbara Pierce “There comes a time when enough is enough!” said Jennifer Milich of Buffalo.

Milich suffers from incurable, terminal kidney cancer that has spread to other parts of her body and causes extreme fatigue, nausea, and pain.

“I’m dying. I’m in my bed alone; this is how I spend my day. This isn’t surviving! This isn’t even existing!

This is suffering!” she said on compassionandchoices.org.

“I’m not afraid to be a cancer patient; I’m afraid to be a cancer patient who’s suffering, who’s in horrific pain that can’t be controlled, who

possibly ends up in a coma. I want to spend time with my family. But having the option to die peacefully at the end of my life, when I’m suffering, is so important.”

Milich does not have the option of dying peacefully without suffering. New Yorkers who are dying from a terminal illness do not have the option of death with dignity.

She has been one of the many advocates demanding that legislators pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act. “It’s not just Jennifer [Milich],” said Corinne Carey, New York campaign director for Compassion &

Ask The Social

Security Office

From the Social Security District Office

Q&A Q: Who can get “Extra Help” with Medicare prescription drug coverage?

A: Anyone who has Medicare can get Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Joining a Medicare prescription drug plan is voluntary, and you pay an additional monthly premium for the coverage. People with higher incomes might pay a higher premium.

If you have limited income and Page 18

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resources, you may be eligible for “Extra Help” to pay for the costs — monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments — related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. To qualify for “Extra Help,” you must reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.

For 2021, your resources must be limited to $14,610 (or $29,160 if you are married and living with your

Choices. “I can name scores of New Yorkers like Jennifer. Many have been told they have just weeks or months to live, and sadly many are suffering or in pain.”

“Medical Aid in Dying Act (MAID) is one option a terminally ill, mentally capable adult, with the ability to self-administer medication — when and if they choose — to bring about a peaceful and humane death, should their end-of-life suffering become too great to bear,” said Gene Hughes of Utica. Hughes is an advocate for the rights of those living with disabilities who believes that personal autonomy should also apply to end-of-life decisions.

The MAID Act, which has the overwhelming support of most New Yorkers and doctors, is drafted after the Oregon Death with Dignity. It allows a mentally competent adult who is terminally ill, with six months or less to live, request prescription medication from their doctor which they can decide to take if their suffering becomes too great to bear, so they can die peacefully.

“It’s a good bill, long overdue,” Hughes added. “It gives people a choice. It’s not forcing anybody to do anything. You don’t want it, don’t ask for it.”

The bill includes more than a dozen safeguards. Some of the safeguards include: the patient must be able to take the medication themselves; only people with an incurable and irreversible terminal illness and six-month prognosis, confirmed by two doctors, are eligible for medical aid in dying. A terminally ill person can withdraw their request for medication, not take the medication once they have it, or otherwise change their mind at any point in time.

Currently, the bill is under consideration by the Senate and Assembly Health Committees, David Levine, consultant to End of Life Choices, advised: “We are pleased by the number of sponsors it has, and it’s supported by Gov. Cuomo.”

After it’s approved by both committees, it must be approved by another set of committees before it goes to the floor for a vote, he added.

“We’re hopeful it will pass this legislative session.”

New York voters and doctors overwhelmingly support medical aid in dying.

“Lawmakers have the power to stop needless suffering now, in 2021,” Carey added. Now is the time. The evidence is there, we have years of evidence showing that these laws work as intended: few people use them, but countless others gain the peace of mind of knowing that should suffering become too great, there is an option for a peaceful death.”

The reasons people want the option of medical aid in dying are as varied as people themselves, but at the core is a desire to avoid suffering and leaving loved ones with the enduring memory of their suffering.

How we die, comfortably with family, or amidst a host of beeping machines, strangers and intense pain, should be our choice.

As Barbara Coombs Lee of Compassion & Choices says in Diane Rehm’s book “When My Time Comes:” “The technology that medicine wields is not necessarily in an individual’s best interests. Only individuals can decide what is best for them. It’s as though medicine has gotten ahead of human desire.

There are so many ways to keep us alive and the incredibly sophisticated means of keeping people alive don’t always take into account what people themselves want.”

“Everyone brings their own beliefs and values ​​into the equation, reaching the end of life in a different way,” said Carey. “For most New Yorkers, medical aid in dying is not a final decision in life that they will face. However, for Jennifer Millich and thousands of others who are living with a terminal diagnosis and pain and suffering, the medical aid in dying may actually light up at the end of the tunnel.”

For more information, see https://www.compassionandchoices.org.

spouse). Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. We do not count your house and car as resources. Your annual income must be limited to $19,140 (or $25,860 if you are married and living with your spouse).

Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help. Learn more at www.saa. gov/prescriptionhelp.

work when you receive SSI. You can read about them in “What You Need To Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI),” also available at www.ssa.gov/pubs. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov.

Q: If I receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits, what is the effect on my benefits if I work?

A: In most cases, your return to work would reduce your benefit amount. Unlike Social Security disability, there is no “trial work period” for people who get SSI disability benefits. Reporting wages each month helps us pay the correct amount of SSI. Timely reporting may also prevent you from owing us money or may allow us to pay a higher amount. We have several publications about SSI, including “Reporting Your Wages When You Receive Supplemental Security Income,” available at www.ssa.gov/ pubs. Note that there are other work incentives that can help you return to

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

Q: I recently applied for a replacement Social Security card, but I might be moving before it arrives in the mail.

What should I do if I move before I get it?

A: Once we have verified all your documents and processed your application, it takes approximately 10 to 14 days to receive your replacement Social Security card. If you move after applying for your new card, notify the post office of your change of address and the post office will forward your card to your new address. If you do not receive your card, please contact your local Social Security office. To get a replacement, you will have to resubmit your evidence of identity and U.S. citizenship, or your lawful immigration status and authority to work. You can learn more at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE COVID-19 VACCINES COVID-19 vaccines are a hot topic and on the minds of many. Is a vaccine that was created so quickly actually safe? Can I stop wearing a mask if I receive the vaccine?

What will our “new normal” look like? Meet Mona Chitre, PharmD. She’s our Chief Pharmacy Officer and a wealth of knowledge on all things COVID-19 vaccine-related.

Q. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THESE VACCINES ARE SAFE WHEN THEY ARE SO NEW? Great question. COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same rigorous FDA safety and effectiveness standards as all other vaccines — and have been tested thousands of times to ensure safety. The scientific technology used to develop the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines is called mRNA. mRNA has been studied for decades and looks at the genetic makeup of the virus, and then uses that genetic code to teach our cells how to trigger an immune response to combat the virus. The platform that is being used to produce this vaccine has been studied and used for over a decade, and developers had a jump-start on the COVID-19 vaccine because it’s a coronavirus which they’ve studied in the past.

MONA CHITRE, PharmD Chief Pharmacy Officer

Dr. Chitre completed her undergraduate and graduate training at Rutgers University and her post-doctoral primary care residency at the VA Hospital in Buffalo, New York.

Q. MONA, THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON (J&J) VACCINE IS THE THIRD COVID-19 VACCINE BEING DISTRIBUTED IN THE U.S. IS IT SAFE? WHY DO WE NEED A THIRD VACCINE OPTION? All vaccines have the same goal – to protect us. The J&J vaccine was tested thousands of times to ensure safety and is authorized for use in the U.S. It’s important that everyone who wants the COVID-19 vaccine can receive it. In addition to the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, the J&J vaccine is another way to help increase protection against the COVID-19 virus. Since all three vaccines are safe, the best vaccine is the one you have access to.

Read the full Q&A and watch our videos:

ExcellusBCBS.com/COVID19

A nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

FREE Lung Cancer Screenings for smokers and ex-smokers ages 50-80!

• When: Saturday, April 17 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Where: Two locations – HOACNY in Syracuse and CRA Medical Imaging in Auburn • Who: To qualify, you must be 50-80 years old and be a current heavy smoker or one who quit in the last 15 years.

• How: Call 315-472-7504 today for an appointment, as spaces are limited and only those with an appointment will be screened.

• Alternative: Not available for a free screening on April 17?

Contact HOA for a weekday appointment; lung cancer screenings are often covered by insurance or can be paid for privately.

Speak with your doctor to see if a screening is right for you!

Important: All participants will be screened for COVID-19 at check-in for their appointment.

Call 315-472-7504 or visit hoacny.com to learn more, confirm that you qualify and schedule your appointment while openings are available.

April 2021 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • April 2021

220 Tower Street, Waterville, NY 13480 315-841-4156 | www.WatervilleCares.com

Assisted Living Community

132 Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.TheGardensByMorningstar.com

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