in good THANK A NURSE
National Nurses Week is May 6 – 12. Stories about careers, salaries ($61,000 is the median salary for nurses) and more
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May 2015 • Issue 117
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Rochester’s Healthcare Newspaper
Heroin
It is now in our neighborhood and may not go away any time soon
New Boss at Clifton Springs New leader at Clifton Springs Hospital talks about its affiliation with Rochester Regional and what local people would expect of the hospital
Mental Illness Movie series and walk to highlight mental illness issues in the Rochester area
At Episcopal SeniorLife, Emphasis Is on Living Independently
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Our Mistake
Supplements Under Attack The April issue of In Good Health ran a story about NYS Attorney General’s decision to ban the sales of certain diet supplements at various retail stores in the state. The attorney general’s office revealed that many of the supplements were found to contain contaminants not identified on ingredient labels. The stores affected by the ban were Walmart, Walgreen, Target and GNC. Because of an editing error, Wegmans was mentioned in the story’s headline, although Wegmans was not one of the stores affected by the ban. We apologize the error.
When I heard that mozzarella cheese has fewer calories and less fat than most cheeses, I nearly choked on my pizza. No way, I thought.
Saving Lives at 98
Vern Thayer of Rochester is considered one of the oldest blood donors in the country. And he’s still at it — at 98 years of age Page 24
Meet Your Doctor Shana Clark, a Rochester psychiatrist and author of two books, talks about the value of overcoming adversities
Mozzarella? Page 11
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May 2015 •
Report Shows Progress in America’s War on Cancer Page 22
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Men’s Health
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y age 60, more than 50 percent of men in the United States suffer from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that leads to annoying changes in urinary flow. While medical therapy is usually the first line of treatment, a new minimally invasive implant can dramatically reduce symptoms for men. “This is a safe procedure for men with BPH to improve urination while preserving sexual function,” said Mike Hsieh, urologist at UC San Diego Health System. “This endoscopic procedure is done on an outpatient basis under light sedation with virtually no side effects.” The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits below the bladder. When the prostate becomes enlarged, it can restrict or block urine flow causing interrupted or weak urine stream, leakage, urge incontinence and more frequent urination, especially at night. “More than half of all men in their 60s and as many as 80 percent of men in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms of BPH,” said Hsieh. “This is an excellent alternative to traditional surgeries that require removal of prostate tissue, which can cause complications such as erectile
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
and ejaculatory dysfunction.” The implant is comprised of a series of tiny permanent sutures that lift the enlarged prostate open so that it does not interfere with the urethra or bladder anatomy. The implants are delivered through a hollow needle and into the prostate. No urinary catheter is needed post-procedure. Side effects may include burning and blood in the urine during the first 24 hours after the procedure. The device, called UroLift, was FDA approved in 2013. UC San Diego Health System show-cased this new procedure in a live-surgery during the 8th annual UC San Diego School of Medicine urology postgraduate course. Hsieh specializes in male fertility and men’s health. He treats sexual dysfunction, including low testosterone, erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s disease. He is also a recognized expert in treating male infertility, including ejaculatory disorder, hormone imbalance, sperm production impairment and genetic causes of infertility. To learn more about urological care at UC San Diego Health System, visit health.ucsd.edu/specialties/surgery/ urology
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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U.S. Deaths Due to High Blood Pressure Keep Rising: CDC
T
he overall death rate from high blood pressure in the United States has increased 23 percent since 2000, even as the death rate from all other causes has dropped 21 percent, health officials reported in March 26.
That spike was seen in both genders and was most marked among those aged 45 to 64 and those over 85, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The age-adjusted deaths from
high blood pressure went up, while the other causes of death went down,” said report author Hsiang-Ching Kung, a statistician with CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. From 2000 through 2013, the death rate from high blood pressure rose just over 58 percent for men aged 45 to 64 and increased almost 37 percent for women aged 45 to 64. Those aged 85 and older were also not spared, with men seeing a
27.5 percent increase in the death rate from high blood pressure between 2000 and 2005, while women saw an increase of 23 percent in that same period. Between 2005 and 2013, those rates continued to increase, but more slowly, the researchers found. Kung said this report cannot answer why these trends are occurring.
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
New technology helps Screen Women With Dense Breast Tissue
Information& Inspiration To help you take on longer life.
How to Choose a Person Centered Nursing Home
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Getting Ready for Gardening
those between 21 and 70 years of age who are presently taking prescribed antidepressant medication under the care and direction of a physician. Patients will continue taking their medication but with the potential addition of the investigational nutritional supplement SAM-e Those interested in finding out more about this study are urged to call physician Sarah Atkinson at 241-9670 or by emailing flcr@flclinical.com. Information about Finger Lakes Clinical Research can be found at flclinical.com.
Rochester–GV Healthcare Newspaper
May 21, 10 am-noon, Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. An easy-to-follow explanation of Medicare.
May 11, 1-2:30 pm, Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Dr. Baker, a former financial planner, completed her doctoral thesis in Gerontology in her mid-70s. She had noticed that many of her clients harbored anxiety about growing old and wondered…is it possible to have a fulfilling life in advanced old age and, what does it take? She did her primary research on people 85 plus and is excited to share her findings and how to apply them to your own life, whatever your age.
Bones & Joints
May 26, 10:30-noon, Valley Manor, 1570 East Ave. Everything you need to know about joint and bone health with props to help you learn.
Total Recall
May 27, 1-2:30 pm, Lifespan; 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Take a look at the mechanism of memory and relieve the concern that changes are unavoidable as we age. Learn easy techniques to improve your memory, what foods can help, and how to stimulate your brain to keep it sharp now and in the future.
When Every Day is Saturday
May 13, 1-2:30 pm St. John’s Meadows, Multi-Purpose Room in Briarwood; 1 Johnsarbor Drive West What will you do when every day is Saturday? This presentation highlights opportunities and benefits of volunteering. Discover how to find volunteer opportunities that benefit our community and match your interests, talents and availability.
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.
Veterans Benefits
Medicare 101
Keep the Party Going — the 12 Traits of Successful Aging Post Age 85
have dense breast tissue — a condition that Bowen says is more common in younger women. It is known, according to multiple large studies, that dense breast tissue — by itself, independent of other risk factors — can increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Moreover, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that dense breast tissue can mask the appearance of tumors.
May 18, 10-11:30 am, Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. An informative 90-minute seminar where you’ll learn how to better protect yourself online. You will learn about secure websites, privacy tips, username and password safety, email safety and scams. May 19, 10-11:30 am, Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Many vets need more knowledge about the benefits they earned including health care, compensation for injuries in the form of service-connected disability, nursing home pensions, memorial and indemnity compensation. Attend this workshop to learn about these VA benefits and more.
May 11, 10-11:30 am, Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. This class is designed to demonstrate stretching and flexibility exercises to reduce the risk of aches and injury by warming up prior to gardening. For seasoned gardeners or first timers. A handout will be provided with exercises and health tips. Wear comfortable clothing and sneakers.
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Internet Security, Privacy & Safety
May 7, 1-2:30 pm, Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. A short or long-term stay in a nursing home may be needed unexpectedly, at any age. How do you find a home that truly practices person centered care? Learn what to look for and what questions to ask.
Research Facility Studying “Sam-e” as Supplement to Antidepressants inger Lakes Clinical Research, at 12 Corners in Brighton, is seeking participants for a new clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of adding an advanced form of “SAM-e,” a widely used nutritional supplement, to standard antidepressants. Initial trials, as well as anecdotal evidence, suggests that an enhanced version of the well-known supplement, when used with prescribed antidepressants, has improved the mood of those suffering from major depression. Participation in the study is for
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ochester General Hospital has introduced the latest FDA-approved technology to screen women who have dense breast tissue. It’s estimated that upwards of 50 percent of women have that condition which makes detecting small cancers more difficult during routine mammography. “The Automated Breast Ultrasound System (ABUS) at Rochester General Hospital is now being used to screen asymptomatic women with dense breast tissue and no prior interventions,” said physician William Bowen, chief of women’s imaging for Rochester Regional Health System. “Research shows that ABUS technology used along with mammography has the potential to find more than 35 percent additional cancers that would not have been detected using mammography alone.” In January of 2013, NYS began requiring that physicians notify women whose mammography indicates they
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In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2015 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. 106 Cobblestone Court Dr., Suite 121 – P.O. Box 525, Victor NY 14564. • Phone: 585-421-8109 • Email: Editor@GVhealthnews.com
Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Lou Sorendo Writers: Jim Miller, Deborah J. Sergeant, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Ernst Lamothe Jr., Chris Motola, George W. Chapman, Tom Benner, Lynette M. Loomis Advertising: Donna Kimbrell, Marsha Preston • Layout & Design: Chris Crocker • Officer Manager: Alice Davis No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement—not to take the place of—the recommendations of your health provider. Consult your physician before making major changes in your lifestyle or health care regimen.
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CALENDAR of
HEALTH EVENTS
May 3
10th Annual Walk4Hearing sponsored by HLAA The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) invite the public to Walk4Hearing, which be held at 10 a.m. in Perinton Park, Sunday, May 3, on Route 31F and O’Connor Road, Fairport along the Erie Canal. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. There will be children’s activities, food, music and a silent auction. HLAA Walk4Hearing is the largest walk of its kind taking place in multiple cities across the country. Every spring and fall thousands of walkers — children and their families, young adults, young at heart and everyone in between walk in their communities to increase public awareness about hearing loss, help eradicate the stigma associated with it and raise funds for programs and services. For more information and to register, please visit www.walk4hearing.org.
May 5, May 19, June 2
Movies to raise awareness of mental illnesses To celebrate Mental Health Month, which happens in May, The Reel Mind Film and Theater Series presents an art show and various movies discussing mental health issues. • May 5: “Imagine,” a juried art exhibit by the Mental Health Association, at 6 p.m. followed by “Poster Girl,” a film about Iraq War veteran Robynn Murray and her battle with post trau-
matic stress disorder, at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave. Followed by a Q&A with Murray and Leslie Werlin, Creative Wellness Opportunities. • May 19: “Rocks In My Pockets,” a film about animator Signe Baumane and her family’s multi-generational struggle with depression and suicide, at 7 p.m. at the Cinema Theater, 957 S. Clinton Ave. Followed by a Q&A with Baumane and Laurence Guttmacher, M.D., clinical director of Rochester Psychiatric Center. • June 2: “Pack Up Your Sorrows,” a film about singer/songwriter Meg Hutchinson’s cross country journey to interview leading voices in the mental health field, weaved together a story of nipolar disorder, hope and transformation, at 7 p.m. at the Cinema Theater, 957 S. Clinton Ave. • June 16: “The Family Next Door,” a documentary about parents Don and Donna Lund and their experience raising two boys with autism, at 7 p.m. at the Cinema Theater, 957 S. Clinton Ave. Followed by a Q&A with film subjects Donna and Donnie Lund, filmmaker Barry Reese and physician Lori Jeanne Peloquin. • June 30: “Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1,” this 2015 Academy Award-winning short documentary spotlights the work of the responders at the Veterans Crisis Line in Canadaigua, which receives more than 22,000 calls each month from veterans of all conflicts who are struggling or contemplating suicide. Followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Dana Perry, Crisis Hotline responders and I AM ISIAH organizers, a local nonprofit reaching out to urban youth with the goal of suicide prevention, film begins at 7 p.m. at the Cinema Theater, 957 S. Clinton Ave. For more film and schedule information visit http://reelmindfilmfest.
com/.
May 5
Cochlear implant surgeon, attorney at HLAA program Veteran cochlear implant surgeon Paul O. Dutcher and attorney Jessica Lukasiewicz of Thomas & Solomon LLP will speak at Hearing Loss Association – Rochester chapter’s two meetings on Tuesday, May 5 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, East Avenue at Westminster Road, across from George Eastman House. Both programs are free and the public is welcome. Dutcher will explore the cochlear implant surgical experience at noon. Cochlear implants can be prescribed for children or adults with severe to profound hearing loss. They are prostheses which directly stimulate the auditory nerve in the brain, bypassing diseased or dead “haircells” in the inner ear. Among the topics Dutcher will cover are what a cochlear implant is, when people should opt to have it, financial issues and description of surgery, before, during, after. This program is recommended for anyone whose severe/profound hearing loss might make them a candidate for a cochlear implant. Dutcher is the director of the Otology Center of Western New York and has served on the University of Rochester Medical Center faculty since 1983. Attorney Lukasiewicz, who specializes in employment law with Thomas & Solomon LLP, will discuss “Your job and the Americans with Disabilities Act” at 8 p.m. A worker or job seeker with hearing loss is considered disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. It prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment and a variety of other circumstances. Her presentation will specify who is covered by ADA; common discrimination issues encountered in the workforce; and resources available to those who feel they are the victims of discrimination. Hearing Loss Association is a nationwide organization dedicated to
advocacy, education and support for people with hearing loss. For more information visit www.hlaa-rochester-ny. org or call 585 266 7890.
May 6
Alzheimer’s group hosts ‘Apprentice Cook-Off Gala’ The Alzheimer’s Association, Rochester & Finger Lakes Region, will host The Apprentice Cook-Off Gala on Wednesday, May 6, at Locust Hill Country Club, 2000 Jefferson Road. This is an interactive evening where guests will be the judge of gourmet dishes prepared by Finger Lakes Community culinary students and their senior living chef mentors. A celebrity panel of judges including Mary Ellen Burris, senior vice president of consumer affairs of Wegmans; Norma Holland, anchor and reporter of 13WHAM News; and Maureen McGuire, anchor of WROC-TV, will be present to vote on the “Top Chefs” award. The evening will feature delicious food, wine pairings, live pop up performances and a silent auction. The proceeds from The Apprentice CookOff Gala will support more than 4,000 local residents served the Alzheimer’s Association in a nine-county region. For more information please contact Vanessa Pschirrer at vpschirrer@ alz.org or alz.org/rochesterny for more details.
May 16-17
Retreat on the power of gratitude in Canandaigua Spring is a time for renewal and transformation. Based on this premise, Usha Shah of Rochester is sponsoring an overnight retreat at Notre Dame Retreat House, overlooking Canandaigua Lake at 5151 Foster Road, Canandaigua. The overnight retreat will include workshop and dialogue on gratitude, group meditation, qigong, movie and quiet time to reflect and contemplate the beautiful grounds. It will start at 10 continued on page 23
Lifespan to host free workshops in May for older adults and caregivers Registration required. Call 585244-8400, ext. 401 or register online at www.lifespanrochester.org How to Choose a Person-Centered Nursing Home May 7, 1– 2:30 p.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. A short or long-term stay in a nursing home may be needed unexpectedly, at any age. How do you find a home that truly practices person-centered care? Learn what to look for and what questions to ask. Medicaid Managed Long-term Care May 8, 10-11:30 a.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. NYS is changing the way people receive care through Medicaid. Individuals will have to choose a managed long-term care (MLTC) plan if they are chronically ill or have disabilities and need health and long-term care services. Learn about MLTC and how it could affect you. From 3-4 p.m. meet with plan providers and learn about Page 6
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your options. Getting Ready for Gardening May 11, 10-11:30 a.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. This class is for gardeners or people who want to try gardening for the first time. It is a class designed to demonstrate stretching and flexibility exercises to reduce the risk of aches, pains and injury by warming up prior to gardening. There will be a handout provided with exercises and health tips. Wear comfortable clothing and sneakers. Keep the Party Going – the 12 Traits of Successful Aging Post Age 85 May 11, 1– 2:30 p.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Dr. Baker, a former financial planner, completed her doctoral thesis in gerontology in her mid-70s. “I worked with thousands of clients over my 30 year career, and I noticed that many of my clients harbored anxiety about growing old. I wondered…is it possi-
ble to have a fulfilling life in advanced old age and, if so, what does it take? I obtained a doctorate in gerontology and did primary research on people 85 plus. I am excited to share my findings and how to apply them to your own life, whatever your age.” Guided Autobiography May 11, 3– 6:00 p.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. If you have thought about capturing stories from your life, this is the class for you. We will explore more than 50 ways to recall events and preserve them for future generations. You will also be introduced to the structured guided autobiography approach to life review. This class will get you started on this rewarding project. Housing Options for Older Adults May 12, 3– 5:00 p.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Housing options are numerous, confusing and sometimes expensive. In this session we will review what is
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
available in our community. When Every Day is Saturday May 13, 1-2:30 p.m. Location: St. John’s Meadows, Multi-Purpose Room in Briarwood; 1 Johnsarbor Drive West What will you do when every day is Saturday? This presentation highlights opportunities and benefits of volunteering. Discover how to find volunteer opportunities that benefit our community and that match your interests, talents and availability. Learn about RSVP, the national volunteer program. Internet Security, Privacy & Safety May 18, 10– 11:30 a.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Join Daniel for this informative 90-minute seminar where you’ll learn how to better protect yourself online. You will learn about secure websites, privacy tips, username & password safety, email safety and scams. continued on page 8
Movie Series and Walk to Highlight Mental Illness Issues
A
n upcoming walk and film series aim to address the social stigma of mental illness and provide a message of hope that recovery is possible. Thirty-five years ago, about 50 parents gathered in Rochester seeking support and guidance for their children being discharged from the Rochester Psychiatric Center. Since 1981, those efforts have grown into a network of more than 60 volunteers, 500 families, individuals with mental illness and professionals in the mental health field serving about 5,000 people each year. “Originally it was for families and friends, to provide a forum for them to share their experiences and feelings, to learn about the mental health system, and to do Sine advocacy around the mental health care system including access to treatment, and decreasing the stigma surrounding mental illness,” said Pat Sine,
NAMI Rochester’s executive director. “Now we have a full array of programs with family members trained to teach the courses.” May is Mental Health Month and the National Alliance on Mental IIlness (NAMI), nationally and locally in Rochester, are raising awareness and funding to provide support, education and advocacy to individuals with mental illness and their families. NAMI Rochester will host its third annual walk May 2 at Village Gate, 274 N. Goodman St., and is also collaborating with area mental health agencies to present the Third Annual Reel Mind Film and Theatre Series May through June. According to NAMI, one in four people are affected by mental illness at least once in their lifetime, from mild depression to schizophrenia. More than half of those individuals are also struggling with substance abuse issues. There is hope, though, as told by the stories of mental illness, addiction and brain disorders featured in the Reel Mind Film and Theatre Series, including an open discussion with filmmakers, community psychiatrists and consumers following each film. The series kicks off on May 5 at the Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University
Heroin is now in our neighborhoods
Experts say drug may not leave any time soon By John Addyman
T
he new face of heroin is too often someone we know. Someone who has, through trauma, stress, pain and circumstance, become addicted to prescription painkillers and has now turned to heroin as a cheaper alternative. When New York law began to require doctors to check a database to see if the patient in their office was getting painkiller prescriptions from other physicians, a window closed. Those who had become addicted to painkillers found out they were expensive on the street — but heroin did the job for a lot less money. And a very visible epidemic surfaced, suddenly. “There has always been a heroin epidemic in this country,” said Bill Fox, director of treatment service for Finger Lakes Addictions Counseling & Referral Agency. “It has never gone away. The reasons we’re seeing all these forums today is because middle-class white kids are dying. The people who are concerned today have more influence, more political weight and more opportunity to vote. The epidemic had always been with the poor and disenfranchised. There’s a hue and cry now because my neighbor’s kids are dying.” Just such a forum was held recently in Canandaigua, highlighted by two young women who spoke openly
about their heroin problem. Many in that audience had to ask themselves, “If it can happen to them, who’s next that I know?” “It’s not so rare anymore,” said Ontario County Mental Health Director Diane Johnston. “Heroin use is increasing and there really needs to be an acknowledgement that it could be happening to their kid — could be any age. The signs are lack of motivation to go to work, becoming more secretive, things of value missing in the house — family values that go entirely by the wayside. It’s hard for folks to acknowledge that. “The whole mental health issue with this drug continues to exacerbate,” she said. “It has a vicious cycle on people functioning even when sober, and requires a long recovery time. There’s a lot of work to do, not only staying off heroin but discovering what got you into that and how to stay off it — a lot of issues come to the forefront. “We have to recognize this can happen to anyone, any walk of life. People with low self-esteem, maybe depression or true serious trauma like post-traumatic stress disorder or some other trauma that is non-diagnosable. It’s hit everyone, which is pretty frightening,” Johnston said. Ontario County Public Health Director Mary Beer said heroin has wide-ranging effects on the quality of life in the county.
Ave, with “Imagine,” an art exhibit curated by the Mental Health Association’s Creative Wellness Opportunities at 6 p.m. followed by “Poster Girl,” an academy-award nominated film about Robynn Murray, a machine gunner during the Iraq War, and her battle to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder. The series continues with films being shown: • May 5 — Kick-Off with Creative Wellness Center art exhibit and “Poster Girl” at the Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave., Rochester • May 19 — Rocks In My Pockets • June 2 — Pack Up Your Sorrows • June 16 — The Family Next Door • June 30— Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 All films begin at 7 p.m. at the Cinema Theatre, 957 S. Clinton Ave., Rochester. For more film and schedule information visit http://reelmindfilmfest.com/. For tickets call 585-423-1593. Serving Monroe, Genesee, Wayne and Ontario counties, NAMI Rochester offers year-round programming for individuals and families living with mental illness with a staff of just over two and a volunteer-base of over 60 peers and family members. “They teach our programs, facili-
More about NAMI? To find our more information about National Alliance on Mental IIlness (NAMI Rochester), visit http:// namiroc.org/ or call 585-423-1593. tate them, they go out and do speaking engagements and help with events in the office,” said Sine. All courses are offered at no cost to family and peers, from possibilities for living in recovery, treatment strategies, skills training, listening and communication techniques to helping caregivers cope with worry, stress and emotional overload and learning how to advocate for appropriate services and support within the community. “The more people are willing to share their experiences living with mental illness and to seek help, the more the stigma surrounding mental illness decreases,” said Sine. “Once you tell your story, you always have someone who shares back.” Submitted by NAMI Rochester
“It definitely has impacts on premature mortality on our population,” Beer said. “It affects police departments because of the violence and increase in crime from addicts trying to obtain money. There’s a cost for health care in general, because people end up in the emergency department and many do not have health insurance — there’s a cost. If they’re pregnant or having babies, there are implications on foster care. Our need for foster care because of heroin use has doubled in the county. The impact is broad across the whole system that is already stressed.”
help.” “The effect of heroin on the community is huge,” said Wayne County Sheriff Barry Virts. “Where there’s heroin you can expect larcenies, burglaries, healthcare issues, hepatitis from sharing needles, losses to business, increased need of law enforcement including the district attorney, probation, the courts, the county jail and state prison — it’s huge.” How huge? Virts said 85 to 90 percent of all incoming inmates have an indicator of substance abuse and 60 percent of the jail population is mentally ill and chemically addicted.
Sheriff Phil Povero said he felt people in Ontario County were just beginning to learn how significant the heroin problem is. “Many people don’t appreciate how this drug is changing what we do in the criminal justice system and the potential impact it has on them,” he said. On one hand, it is introducing people to jail who might otherwise never see the inside of a cell; on the other hand, more neighbors become victims of crime as addicts prowl for the means to feed their need. Costs to the innocent rise in either case. “Here’s a clear observation,” Povero said. “The addicting quality of this drug knows no socio-economic level, knows no specific community, knows no specific group of persons of any type. We are seeing its impact throughout all levels of our community: it is non-discriminatory, its effect knows no bounds.” Povero also notes his jail can be a refuge from heroin addiction. “We have heard from more than one family about someone who has been committed to jail and how grateful they are that person is in jail, and while there will not get any heroin but will get
Fox and Virts agree the problem stems from self-medication. “If I’m stressed and I have trauma in my life, I’m going to look for a chemical to take away my pain,” Fox said. “That works in the short term.” When the short-term becomes a longterm problem and the cycle of addiction takes hold — looking for the drug, using the drug, experiencing the effect, withdrawing, acquiring resources, looking for the drug, it can be broken only by intervention. “We can get you clean quickly in a week or so,” said Fox. “Recovery is the long-term thing. It takes treatment, and there’s no precise prescription because everyone is different. It’s behavioral health care.” Johnston suggested a two-year timeframe for recovery. “That’s a good number,” Fox agreed. Wayne County Public Health Director Diane Devlin called for a May 20 summit on heroin with all county agencies involved. “Education and prevention are going to be huge things,” she said. The summit was the idea of Josh McCrossen, commissioner of Wayne County Department of Social Services.
May 2015 •
Awareness pivotal
Self-medicated society
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Lifespan to host free workshops in May for older adults and caregivers continued from page 6 Veterans Benefits May 19, 10– 11:30 a.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Many vets need more knowledge about the benefits they earned including health care, compensation for injuries in the form of service-connected disability, nursing home pensions, memorial and indemnity compensation. Attend this workshop to learn about all these VA benefits and more. Introduction to “Living Healthy with Diabetes” May 20, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Location: The Hurbut, 1177 East Henrietta Road Come see if “Living Healthy with Diabetes,” a 6-week, peer-led health education program, is for you. “Living Healthy with Diabetes” complements your healthcare. The purpose of the workshop is to enhance skills and your ability to manage your health and maintain an active and fulfilling lifestyle. Medicaid & Financing Long-term Care May 20, 1 – 2:30 p.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Learn more about how to prepare financially for the possibility of nursing home care. Medicare 101 May 21, 10 am - Noon Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. An easy-to-follow explanation of Medicare. Bones & Joints May 26, 10:30 a.m. – Noon Location: Valley Manor, 1570 East Ave. Everything you need to know about joint and bone health with props to help you learn. Total Recall May 27, 1-2:30 p.m. Location: Lifespan; 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Take a look at the mechanism of memory and relieve the concern that changes are unavoidable as we age. Learn easy techniques to improve your memory, what foods can help, and how to stimulate your brain to keep it sharp now and in the future. The Right Computer 4 U May 28, 1– 2:30 p.m. Location: Lifespan, 1900 S. Clinton Ave. Are you thinking about buying a computer? STOP! Before you do, be sure to attend this informative workshop where you’ll learn tips on what to look for when buying a computer.
Meet
Your Doctor
By Chris Motola
Shana Clark, M.D Rochester psychiatrist, author of two books, talks about the value of overcoming adversities Q: You’ve written some books. A: I’ve written two books. One of them is “My Money’s on the Turtle” — it’s a play on the old fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, and we all know who won that one. It’s stories from my life and the lives of others about how we can react to adversity and not be soured or resentful. If people would only give up their resentments, vengefulness, envy, jealousy and pointless shame, the world would be a better place. Businesses have to write off their bad debts. Somebody who says or does something that is hurtful to a person has created a debt, they owe that person at least an apology. But many people may not be aware of the person, or they are aware and just don’t care. They won’t be paying off that debt. People need to how to write off bad debts. Q: Can you give an example? A: I met a man, not one of my patients, in a community organization who was 58 years old at the time. He told a whole story about how his third grade teacher was unkind to him when he was 8. She said something unkind to him and he retained a grudge. He maintained that this teacher was the reason he developed a stutter. That’s not the way stuttering happens. I asked him how old the teacher was. He said, “Maybe 24?” He never thought about how could he forgive this person for saying something mean. Maybe this young teacher was inexperienced and didn’t know how to handle the situation.
you had to forgive? A: I was born early. I was actually not considered viable in 1950. My birth weight was 2 pounds, 9 ounces. I had brain damage because the obstetrician who delivered me put forceps on my head and caused damage. So I had a lot of problems. I couldn’t speak intelligibly. My father, a wonderful man, eventually taught me how to talk. At age 7 I developed bone cancer and was told there was absolutely no way I would live to grow up. I was told I would eventually have lung metastases. So every time I coughed or got a cold, I was told it might have been the lung metastases. Never mind that my mom had the cold last week, my sister had the cold the same week. But I had innumerable chest X-rays. Q: You talk frankly about your complicated relationship with your mother. A: My father died when I was 10. My mother could never adjust to having a handicapped child. When I was a baby, it was explained to her that I couldn’t move my left side and that, by the time I was old enough to understand that I needed to exercise my left side, it would
Q: You draw a lot of examples and narratives from your own life. What kinds of grudges have
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
be too late. So she rigged up a harness so that I couldn’t use my right side while I was crawling. When I was a little older, my right arm was strapped behind my back, so if I wanted to open a door or drink a glass of milk, I had to do it with my left hand. So I did have development and growth on my left side. I’m grateful for that now, but at the time I thought it was restrictive. After my father died my mother, who I had never seen take anything, became an alcoholic and addicted to several drugs. She became very cruel to my sister and I, and even sexually abused me. I mention it because if there’s anyone reading this who has been through that, I want them to know that they’re not alone. Q: Has your openness about your life helped you to connect with patients? A: I don’t usually talk to patients about this. Rarely, I’ll mention something if I think it would be especially helpful to them. My second book, “Taming the Dragon,” has a lot of tools for dealing with the mental health system and mental health problems. I had my first manic bipolar break when I was 22 and in my third year in Columbia Medical School. I was hospitalized. It took me some time to find my place, but two years later, I started medical school again in Europe. I eventually graduated — I say “eventually” because the mental illness that had started in New York didn’t end when I got to Belgium. I had a wonderful professor of psychiatry who specialized in bipolar disorder. I’m the first physician to have approached the New York board of licensure and said, “I have a serious mental illness, will you please give me a license.” Q: You also talk openly about your suicide attempts. How do you get from there to where you are now? A: I put in four earnest requests for immediate transfer away from Earth. That, in my view, is what a suicide attempt is. You want out of here. Four times I got near-miraculous rescues and woke up every bit as bright, but still with the brain problems I have. I read that as “request denied.” It’s a question of having the right attitude and focusing on what’s really important. I’d like to start a sort of new career as somebody who is an authority on how to get through life and get all the joy and good feelings that you’re entitled to. Q: You run a website called doctorshana.com with several podcasts on various mental conditions, correct? A: Yes. I recently had a house fire and my computer was fried in the fire. So right now I don’t have access to the site, but Michelle from Marketed By Michelle does, so she’s helping me out with that.
Lifelines Name: Shana Clark Position: Night and weekend call physician at Elmira Psychiatric Center Hometown: “We were a wealthy family. We were in New York in the fall, Florida in the spring and European in summer.” Resides in Rochester Education: Universite Catholique de Louvain (Belgium) Affiliations: Elmira Psychiatric Center Organizations: New York State Psychiatric Association (former) Hobbies: Composing music, listening to classical music, history, art museums, traveling Website: doctorshana.com
25 Years of Ronald McDonald House Facility has served more than 15,000 families By Ernst Lamothe Jr.
I
t was almost too much to hear and handle all at once. Sarah Baker and her husband had just heard the news that their son, Sean, had been diagnosed with a rare and critical heart ailment. During the last three years, he underwent three open heart surgeries, received nutrition through an IV and battled serious fever. Making matters worse was that the Bakers lived almost three hours away from Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester. Sean would need constant watch and care by one of his parents so where would Sarah Baker stay and how would she live knowing she needed to be next to the hospital? That is where Ronald McDonald House Charities stepped in. This year marks Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester’s 25th anniversary. The nonprofit organization offers lodging and support for families of critically-ill children receiving medical attention in Rochester’s healthcare facilities. They also provide free lodging for families of children being treated at Golisano Children’s Hospital. “I don’t even want to think of how life would be without Ronald McDonald House. I would have to just live in a hotel and worry about meals. It would be a financial burden since my husband is the only one working and I have to be here with Sean,” said Baker. “We would have a lot of outstanding credit card debt if it wasn’t for the organization.” The organization, located at 333 Westmoreland Drive, a few blocks from Golisano Children’s Hospital and Strong Memorial Hospital, provides a “home away from home” so family members can stay close to their loved ones during the most difficult of times in their lives. The Ronald McDonald houses are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester has served over 15,000 families since opening its doors,” said Carol DeMoulin, president of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester. “As an organization that personally impacts the lives of so many family members here in our community, we strive to keep families together. No one ever expects their child, grandchild or loved one to become critically sick, but if this does happen to you and your family, we are here. We will be here to support families for as long as we’re needed.” The organization is not going to simply live off its past. They have several interesting initiatives planned this year. This summer, a new Ronald McDonald House Family Room will open inside the new tower at Golisano Children’s Hospital. In addition, the bedrooms for families at the Ronald McDonald House on Westmoreland Drive are currently being completely renovated. They had a Red Tie Gala this March, and later this fall, the organization will celebrate the second annual Wear Your Stripes to Show You Care Day to observe the 41st year anniversary globally on Oct. 15. Ronald McDonald House could
Have you been treated for depression for more that 6 weeks and not getting the response you want?
One of Dionne Carpenter’s twin girls underwent open heart surgery. “Being away from home is hard enough, but they made me feel like I was home,” she said referring to the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester. have never done it without streams of people giving of their time. “Every volunteer makes a difference. Every dollar donated makes a difference,” added DeMoulin. “I can’t express how thankful we are for the giving, compassionate community we are part of and for how many RMHC ambassadors are out there supporting us.”
A Life Saver
Dionne Carpenter has a similar story. One of her twin girls underwent open heart surgery. She didn’t know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised when she arrived to the Ronald McDonald House. “Just the fact that we had some place to go where we could meet a lot of families who were going through the same thing was amazing,” said Carpenter. “It was nice knowing there would be a good meal and friendly people to talk with. The whole experience was incredible.” She admits that it was incredibly stressful seeing her 8-month old daughter go through such an incredible journey. But she said she has recovered well from survey, while still having a few hurdles left. “They went above and beyond what they had to do. They made my life less stressful in ways that I couldn’t imagine,” said Carpenter. “Being away from home is hard enough, but they made me feel like I was home.” Baker said having the Ronald McDonald House to lean on allows her to feel comfortable staying with Sean, while her husband and her oldest, James, 5 are back home. “I’m so thankful a social worker told us about this. It has been a life saver. We get home cook meals and I can spend time with my son as he recovers,” added Baker. May 2015 •
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Massage Therapy, Facial Treatments, Microdermabrasion, Body Wraps and Nail Services IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Live Alone & Thrive
By Gwenn Voelckers
Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone
Feeling Lonely and Neglected? Connection is Just a Call or Click Away
H
ave you been feeling lonely lately? Or neglected? Have you been sitting alone, maybe feeling sorry for yourself, and wondering . . . Where is everybody? Why isn’t anybody calling? What’s going on? You’re not alone. I’m right there with you. Since losing my mother last year, I’ve had bouts of the blues and have spent too much time alone. Sometimes, the loss just overwhelms me and I lose my oomph for doing much of anything. The loneliness that I’m experiencing now reminds me of the painful months after my divorce years ago, when I isolated myself in my apartment and avoided friends and family. Eventually, my phone stopped ringing and the weekends stretched out before me like a long, lonely highway. I know that slumps happen. Life ebbs and flows. So, when I started feeling lonely and neglected, and when I began blaming others for my sorry social calendar, I knew an attitude adjustment was in order. Specifically, I needed to remind myself that my life is in my hands ‘ that I’m responsible for how lonely (or not) I am, and that I’m in charge of how large or small my life is.
So what did I do? I picked up the phone, called a girlfriend, and made plans for the weekend. Then I picked up the phone again, and left a message for my sister, asking her to ring me back. Those were easy calls, but I didn’t stop there. I worked up the nerve, rehearsed a few words, and made a third call to a neighbor who also lives alone. I asked if he wanted to take a walk later that evening. He asked for a rain-check, but that was OK. We made plans to take a walk the following week, and I now had something to look forward to. This all happened in the span of 30 minutes. I then shifted over to my computer and sent out a few “Hi, how are you?” emails to friends and invited a few people over to see (and admire!) my newly renovated powder room. I’ve been madly painting and redecorating, and wanted to show it off. Why not, right? It’s rewarding to hear the oohs and aahs. And it gave me a chance to practice something I
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preach in my Living Alone workshops: We need to create our own positive feedback. I was on a roll, and it became downright fun to see how easily I could change my circumstances by doing just a few small things — by converting my newly adjusted attitude into action. Within days, my phone started ringing again, my inbox began to fill up, and I had entered a few social events on my calendar. Life felt better! Part of what motivates me when I find myself in a slump is a passage contained in a sweet little book on living alone called “Living Alone and Lovin’ It” by Barbara Feldon. In one particularly helpful chapter on loneliness, she recounts a heart-to-heart she had with an “older and very wise friend” by the name of Leo. She was brooding about being lonely, and shared how much she wanted to feel loved and protected again — the way she felt when she was a child. Barbara’s friend Leo responded
If you're pregnant, don't drink. If you drink, don't get pregnant.
DEPAUL IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the leading known cause of preventable developmental disabilities.
We will answer all of your questions about Senior Housing and show you why our apartments are the best value around. Choose from a one or two bedroom apartment and learn about our helpful menu of services. Call to schedule a tour or stop by at your convenience.
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Gwenn Voelckers is the founder and facilitator of Live Alone and Thrive, empowerment workshops for women held throughout the year in Mendon, New York. For information about her upcoming workshops or to invite Gwenn to speak, call 585-6247887 or email: gvoelckers@rochester.rr.com.
A Pregnant Woman Never Drinks Alone
Discover Ashton Place...
Page 10
quite bluntly by saying, “But you’re not a child and don’t have a child’s needs. A child is in danger without company because it’s helpless, but an adult has access to any need imaginable: food, medicine, companionship. All an adult has to do is pick up the phone . . . ” Good friends can be such a help! Especially when they tell it like it is and don’t let us get away with stuff. Barbara was energized by her friend’s no-excuses straight talk and, indirectly, so was I. As adults, we can exercise choices. We can choose to stay in a slump or choose to pick up the phone. Start dialing, and you’ll be surprised how fast your feelings of selfpity and abandonment can evaporate. Start dialing and little by little your world will expand, with one connection spawning another and another and yet another. That’s what happened to me. Pretty soon, you’ll be wishing the phone would stop ringing so you can enjoy a nice, quiet evening all to yourself, which — by the way — is exactly what I’m looking forward to this evening. I’m heading into my cozy living room with a good book and a glass of wine, just as soon as I submit this column to my wonderful publisher and editor, Wagner Dotto. Between you and me, I’m keeping my fingers crossed the phone doesn’t ring. Cheers!
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence — Rochester Area (585) 719-3480 • www.ncadd-ra.org
SmartBites
By Anne Palumbo
The skinny on healthy eating
While mozzarella may indeed have fewer calories and less fat than some cheeses, it has enough of both to moderate your intake, especially if you’re concerned about calories and cholesterol. So when you do make your move on this mild-mannered cheese, remember that a little goes a very long way.
Make Room for Mozzarella
W
hen I heard that mozzarella cheese has fewer calories and less fat than most cheeses, I nearly choked on my pizza. No way, I thought. Mozzarella? The gooey cheese that blankets so many Italian dishes with delicious abandon? Yes way, say nutritionists: Mozzarella, both whole and part-skim, is lower in total fat and calories than many of its cheesy cousins. Comparing 1 ounce portions (same size as your thumb): whole-milk mozzarella has 84 calories and 6.3 grams of total fat (part-skim mozzarella clocks in at 71 and 4.5); Swiss has 108 calories and 8 grams of fat; and cheddar has 114 calories and 9.4 grams of fat. Of course, there’s more to mozzarella than its relatively lower fat and calorie counts. Mozzarella, like so many cheeses, is loaded with calcium, with ½ shredded cup providing close to 25 percent of our daily needs (more if you opt for part-skim). Calcium helps form and maintain healthy teeth and bones and is needed for normal heartbeat. Some evidence suggests calcium also has a role in managing blood pressure and in preventing breast and colon cancer.
Helpful tips
Mozzarella is an excellent source of complete protein, serving up about 8 grams per average slice. Called the “building block of the body,” protein is needed to build and maintain all kinds of body components, from muscles to bones to hair. What’s more, protein helps curb hunger by enhancing how full we feel after a meal or snack. Another great reason to make room for mozzarella: It’s a terrific source of phosphorus. This essential mineral works closely with calcium to build strong bones and teeth, helps filter out waste in the kidneys, and plays a key role in how the body stores and uses energy.
When buying mozzarella cheese—fresh or shredded, whole or reduced-fat—always read the nutrition-facts label carefully. Some of the reduced-fat mozzarellas, for example, have more sodium than their whole-milk peers. Fresh mozzarella (hand molded into balls and stored in brine or whey) is often used in salads and sandwiches, where its creamy texture and delicate flavor can shine. Processed mozzarella, on the other hand, which is less flavorful but lasts longer in the fridge, is typically used in cooked dishes because it melts better.
Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Basil and Kalamata Olives
½ pound fusilli whole-grain pasta 4-5 fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese,* cut into ½-inch pieces 1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Kosher salt and coarse black pepper, to taste Blend first five ingredients in processor until tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set dressing aside. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain and transfer to large bowl. Add dressing to hot pasta; toss to coat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Add chopped fresh tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, basil, and Parmesan; toss. Season to taste with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.) *I used Trader Joe’s Ciliegine whole-milk mozzarella balls in lightly salted water, and cut them in half.
Adapted from Bon Appétit Serves 8
2 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon drained capers ½ cup sun-dried julienne-cut dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) ¼ cup red wine vinegar 4 tablespoons olive oil
Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle columnist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.
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May 2015 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Page 11
Clifton Springs Hospital: New Leadership After Affiliation with Rochester Regional More services and physicians now available in Clifton Springs. New leader: ‘People shouldn’t need to travel out of town to receive exceptional care’ By Ernst Lamothe Jr.
I
n healthcare’s perfect storm, the evolution of health care and one way for smaller hospitals to enable the people in the comto shield themselves from the munities we serve to enjoy betdownpour is to get under the umter, healthier lives. The addition brella of a larger organization. of Clifton Springs to our health Clifton Springs Hospital & system helps us to achieve this Clinic in Ontario County has bold vision,” said physician Eric done just that. It joined Rochester J. Bieber, president and CEO, Regional Health System in April. Rochester Regional Health SysIt’s the fifth hospital to become tem. “We are delighted to have part of Rochester Regional Health them join our family, so that System. Clifton Springs can continue to More and more hospitals serve yours.” have merged during the past few Another benefit has been the years in an attempt to cut costs services that are now available while raising the level of care. to Clifton Springs Hospital’s The Patient Protection and patients in their backyard that Affordable Care Act has several would have taken a drive to measures that tie in patient satRochester to accomplish. Certain isfaction and outcome to federal Rochester Regional physicians dollars. The partnership mirrors a have increased their operating trend among hospitals and healthand office time in the Clifton care systems nationwide. Springs area, including the “We have already seen some chairman of surgery at Rochesof the benefits where we see an ter General Hospital. injection of support from Roches“People in rural areas ter Regional to Clifton Springs,” shouldn’t need to travel out said physician Dustin Riccio, of town to receive exceptional regional president of operations care,” added Riccio. “Togethfor Rochester Regional Health er, and as part of System. “The reputation of Clifton our larger health Springs is that of a high quality, system, these two patient-centered hospital and this hospitals will deaffiliation will allow us to become liver on our coman even more vibrant center for mitment to raise our community.” the standards of Riccio said some of the early community health. benefits have included Rochester We are a strong Regional’s human resources dehospital, but we are partment coming in and assisting a community hoson how to bring on new employpital that couldn’t ees as well as ways to have a more Physician Dustin Riccio is the regional president of offer everything to efficient operation. In addition, our patients. The operations for Rochester Regional Health System. Riccio Rochester Regional’s vascular new convenience will lead Clifton Springs as well as Newark-Wayne physicians and its state-of-the-art and services for Community Hospital, a second Rochester Regional technology has been available our community is a affiliate in the Finger Lakes. across multiple specialties to the large component of Zulick Ontario County area residents. the benefits of this merger.” programs for behavioral health and Founded in 1850 by Dr. Henry With the new affiliation, physician addiction recovery, and specialty care Foster, Clifton Springs Hospital is a Lewis Zulick, who was the top leader to residents and visitors to the central 262-bed nonprofit health care system at Clifton Springs Hospital, has been Finger Lakes region. providing general acute care, primary appointed chief of surgery for New“It is our vision to be a leader in care, nursing home care, cancer care, ark-Wayne Community Hospital and
Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic. Riccio will lead Clifton Springs as well as Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, a second Rochester Regional affiliate in the Finger Lakes. Riccio will oversee clinical coordination efforts to provide local access to comprehensive, leading-edge health services. “Joining Rochester Regional secures our ability to continue our 165-year tradition of providing outstanding health care to the people of the Finger Lakes,” said Zulick, outgoing CEO of Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic. “Our community will benefit from greater access to specialized services and technology that are available throughout the Rochester Regional family.” The merger has been in the making for two years. The formal binding agreement with each hospital, which lays out the terms and conditions for the hospitals becoming a part of Rochester Regional Health System, was developed by the leadership of both hospitals. Rochester Regional Health System was officially with a mission to provide a 14-county region with seamless, highly coordinated care. By joining Rochester Regional Health System, the two hospitals will ensure that the patients in their communities will have the same high quality care they are accustomed to as well as improved access to an integrated network of nationally recognized specialty services when required. Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic is now the fifth hospital in the health system, formed when Rochester General and Unity health systems combined in July 2014. Clifton Springs follows United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, which became part of Rochester Regional in January. The hospital will maintain its name and a local board of directors.
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
Dr. Anna Belous and Dr. Arlene Messer
Meet Your Provider
What is Ashton Place?
Ashton Place is a family-owned and operated senior living community located in Clifton Springs. We have proudly served our community and the surrounding area since 1998. Our friendly staff provides a variety of services for every stage of retirement, allowing our residents to age in place. We offer a range programs, including an option for seniors who simply want to avoid the common hassles of home ownership, all the way up to our assistive program with more supportive services for daily living, such as medication management. All of our rentals include meal options, housekeeping services, all utilities (including cable and WiFi), personal emergency response pendants, and more.
What is aging in place?
At Ashton Place, aging in place means that as your needs change, we change with you. As our residents increase their services, they do not move to another apartment, wing or area of the building. Our residents can simply increase their services, as needed, from the comfort of their apartment. This is very important to us and the resident, as it allows them to truly settle into their apartment home.
What kinds of activities do you offer?
We pride ourselves on our diverse and exciting programs and activities that create an active, energetic environment. Our most popular activities include; exercise classes daily, volleyball weekly, ecumenical and communion services, Betty Crocker baking hour, weekly bingo, and our shopping trips twice a week. Our residents have a variety Dennis, Kevin and Debbie Christiano of interests and our activities department ensures there is something for everyone.
What sets Ashton Place apart from other senior living communities?
What sets us apart from other communities is our skilled, dedicated staff and ownership. Our owners, the Christiano family, have more than 50 years of experience in senior living. Owner, Dennis Christiano, began working for his father’s senior living community as a young boy and has passed the tradition on to his son, Kevin, our executive director. The family commitment does not stop there. Dennis’ wife, Debbie, also works on property in the Marketing department. The sense of family spills over into every aspect of living at Ashton Place and we feel it is something you notice the moment you walk through our doors.
Ashton Place Senior Living • Phone: 800-819-5791 • Email: retire@ashtonplaceny.com • Website: www.ashtonplaceny.com
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May 2015 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Golden Years YOU ARE InVITEd TO CELEBRATE
MAY IS BETTER HEARInG MOnTH Monday May 4th to Friday May 15th
Regular, Vigorous Exercise May Lengthen Your Life: Study
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lthough any amount of exercise offers health benefits, a new study suggests that rigorous physical activity may be key to boosting longevity. Australian researchers found that middle-aged or older people who get at least some high-intensity exercise that makes them sweaty and winded may reduce their chances of dying early by up to 13 percent. The researchers concluded that doctors’ recommendations and public health guidelines should encourage participation in some vigorous types of exercise. The study involved more than 204,000 people aged 45 or older who were followed for more than six years. Researchers compared those who engaged in only moderate activities — like gentle swimming, social tennis or household chores — with people who got some amount of vigorous activity — such as jogging, aerobics or competitive tennis. The participants were divided into three groups based on their levels of physical activity: those who didn’t
engage in any vigorous activity, those who said up to 30 percent of their exercise was vigorous and those who said more than 30 percent of their exercise was vigorous. The death rate for those who said up to 30 percent of their physical activity was vigorous was 9 percent lower than those who reported no vigorous activity. The risk of death dropped 13 percent for those who said that more than 30 percent of their exercise was vigorous, the study authors reported. “The benefits of vigorous activity applied to men and women of all ages, and were independent of the total amount of time spent being active,” study author Dr. Klaus Gebel, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention at James Cook University in Cairns, said in a university news release. “The results indicate that whether or not you are obese, and whether or not you have heart disease or diabetes, if you can manage some vigorous activity it could offer significant benefits for longevity.” The findings were published online April 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Older People Need 7, 8 Hours of Sleep, Too By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
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f you’re a mature adult, you may think you need less sleep than you used to get. After all, many of life’s stressors and worries are gone. You may be retired, empty nesting, living in a smaller home and less physically active. “For a long time, people would say that as we get older, we need less sleep but we know now it’s not true,” said physician Donald Greenblatt, one of University of Rochester Medical Center’s sleep experts. Older people commonly struggle with sleep. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s “Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep” page states, “About half of all people over 65 have frequent sleeping problems, such as insomnia, and deep sleep stages in many elderly people often become very short or stop completely.” Greenblatt explained that during older age, the circadian rhythm can become off-kilter because of age-related conditions, such as arthritis, heartburn, nighttime urges to urinate, or Greenblatt medication that inhibits sleep. Emotional issues common among older people, such as the death of a spouse, can affect sleep, too. In turn, you may feel an overwhelming urge to nap in the afternoon to make up for lost sleep. “It’s a chicken-and-egg thing,” Greenblatt said. “Do you nap in the afternoon because you don’t get enough sleep, or do you not get enough sleep because you nap? Both have some truth.” Though no one can remove the effects of aging, improving what experts call “sleep hygiene” can boost sleep quantity and quality. Go to bed and get up at the same time daily. Restrict napping to less than an hour daily. Avoid tobacco, skip caffeine and don’t exercise close to bedtime. Exercising sufficiently earlier in the day helps encourage better sleep, however. Heavy meals close to bedtime, acidic foods that cause heartburn and drinking alcohol can inhibit good sleep, but eating a small snack can improve rest. Light plays a big role in sleep, since it cues the body’s sleep cycle. “For people having trouble falling asleep, we suggest they wear amber colored glasses that filter blue spectrum light that knocks out the body’s production of melatonin,” Greenblatt said. “You can buy them on Amazon. They let you watch TV or read and go
right to bed.” He tells people who go to sleep too early to expose themselves to bright light in the afternoon, either via natural sunlight or with a light box. Even household lights will help. Another sleep cue: reserve the bed for only sleep and intimacy. Paying bills or watching TV in bed is far too stimulating for most people. If you awaken in the night, leave the bedroom to engage in a quiet activity in a different room, such as reading. It may sound simple, but many people’s bedrooms discourage sleep. A brightly-lit, cluttered, busy room can cause the mind to stay engaged. A room that’s too warm or too cool, or a bed that’s not comfortable can disrupt sleep, too. Gino Marcello, owner of Sleep City in Henrietta, Webster, and Greece, said it’s “very common for seniors to come in because their adult children bring them in, telling them they need a new mattress. A lot call back and say their kids were right; they’re sleeping better.” He explained that mattresses have a seven- to 10-year life, not the 15- to 20-year life they used to. Around the mid-2000s, manufacturers began making mattresses so they cannot be flipped. “The engineering of the coil systems were one reason, plus consumers overall hated to flip mattresses,” Marcello said. “[It was] also a cost-cutting move by all manufacturers.” Firmer mattresses last longer than pillow-top models, which tend to soften after four to six years, and Marcello recommends firmer mattresses to seniors because they provide better comfort and are easier to get in and out of. In general, he advises customers to choose a brand-name mattress “from a reputable retailer that’s not just trying to sell you the most expensive mattress,” Marcello said. Beyond improving sleep hygiene, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) can aid you in sleeping better. In fact, Greenblatt said that CBT-I more effective long-term than sleeping medication. Patients meet with a therapist to learn different mechanisms of sleep, dispel misconceptions about sleep, and review their sleep diary. “It gives people tools to help them sleep,” Greenblatt said. “It teaches them to sleep.” A new class of sleeping pill, slated for availability later this year, “works on a different group of neural transmitters than those in the past,” Greenblatt said. “It blocks the hypocretin receptors in the brain.” May 2015 •
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The Social Ask Security Office By Deborah Banikowski
Appealing a Social Security Decision? Check Out Our Improved Online Appeal Process
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ocial Security listened to customer feedback and made the online appeals process even better. Now, people who disagree with our disability decision can complete their appeal using our improved online appeals process. More than 90,000 people use our online appeals application each month. We’ve certainly come a long way since introducing the online appeal option in September 2007. Throughout the nation, applicants, their representatives, third parties, groups, and organizations use the online appeal process to request review of disability decisions. Responding to feedback from our employees and the public, the new online appeals process is easier to use and improves the speed and quality of our disability and non-disability decisions. Users told us that the program needed to be streamlined for easier navigation and that it needed to ask for less duplicate information. They also told us that they wanted to be able to complete
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Q&A
Q: My same-sex partner and I recently married. Will we qualify for Social Security benefits? A: You may be eligible to apply for Social Security benefits. Many factors affect your eligibility for benefits, including how long you worked and your age. Social Security is now processing more claims in which entitlement or eligibility is affected by a same-sex relationship. We encourage you to apply for benefits right away, even if you aren’t sure you’re eligible. Applying now will protect you against the loss of any potential benefits. You can apply safely and securely at www. socialsecurity.gov/applyonline. Learn more about Social Security for samesex couples by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/same-sexcouples.
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A: We use your total yearly earnings to calculate your Social Security credits. “Credits” are the units we use to measure whether you qualify for Social Security benefits. The amount needed for a credit in 2015 is $1,220. You can earn a maximum of four credits for any year. The amount needed to earn one credit increases automat-
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
both the appeal form and the medical report together, and be able to submit supporting documents as part of the electronic appeal request. Our enhanced online appeals application incorporates those suggestions and more. People can now submit both the appeal form and the medical report in just one online session and electronically submit supporting documents with the appeal request. The screen messages are clear and concise, the navigation has been improved, and we’ve beefed up our on-screen help. Additionally, users who live outside of the United States are now able to file appeals online. As a reminder, representatives who request, and are eligible for, direct fee payments must electronically file reconsiderations or request for hearings on medically denied Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability or blindness claims. The next time you need to file an appeal, be sure to complete it online at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityssi/ appeal.html.
ically each year when average wages increase. You must earn a certain number of credits to qualify for Social Security benefits. The number of credits you need depends on your age when you apply and the type of benefit for which you are applying. No one needs more than 40 credits for any Social Security benefit. You can learn more about earning credits by reading How You Earn Credits at www.socialsecurity. gov/pubs. Q: I’m retired, and the only income I have aside from my Social Security retirement benefit is from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Are my IRA withdrawals considered “earnings?” Could they reduce my monthly Social Security benefits? A: No. We do not count non-work income, such as annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains, and other government benefits, and they will not affect your Social Security benefits. Most pensions will not affect your benefits. However, your benefit may be affected by a government pension from work on which you did not pay Social Security tax. If you have wages or self-employment income and you are under your full retirement age, this income may affect your benefit amount. For more information, visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov or call us toll free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-3250778).
Medication Packaging
By Jim Miller
Meds: Tools to Organize and Remember Dear Savvy Senior, What products or solutions can you recommend to help seniors keep up with their medications? My mom is supposed to take several different medications at different times of the day but frequently forgets. Reminding Son Dear Reminding, Anybody who juggles multiple medications can relate to the problem of forgetting to take a medication or not remembering whether they already took it. This is especially true for people who take medications at varying times of the day. Here are some different product and service solutions that may help.
Medication Helpers
Getting organized and being reminded are the two keys to staying on top of a medication schedule. To help your mom achieve this, there are a wide variety of affordable pillboxes, medication organizers, vibrating watches, beeping pill bottles and even dispensers that will talk to her that can make all the difference. To find these types of products go to Epill.com (800549-0095), where you’ll find dozens to choose from. Also check out Reminder Rosie (reminder-rosie.com, $130), a voice activated talking clock that tells you when to take your medicine, and can be used for other reminders, too. And for a super comprehensive medication management device, there’s the MedMinder automatic pill dispenser. This is a computerized pillbox that will beep and flash when it’s time for your mom to take her medication, and will call her if she forgets. It will even alert her if she takes the wrong pills. This device can also be set up to call, email or text family members and caregivers letting you know if she misses a dose, takes the wrong medication or misses a refill. Available at MedMinder. com, or 888-633-6463, the MedMinder rents for $40 to $65 per month.
Money Matters Withdrawing Money in Retirement By Tom Benner
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f you’ve done the tough work of accumulating savings, you may be wondering how much can be safely withdrawn each year without running out of money in your lifetime. This is important to know since some folks hate to take any money from retirement accounts, fearing there won’t be enough for later years. But being that strict with yourself is not necessary. On the other hand, someone retiring in their 60s might very well live until age 95 and we’d want to make sure the balance is not eroded too soon. As a starting point, a good rule of thumb is 4 percent of your total retire-
ment portfolio can be withdrawn the first year you take distributions and the balance will last over 30 years. For example, with $250,000 you can initially withdraw $10,000. However, this “4 percent rule” is loaded with assumptions. Below are a few of the most important ones: • If you’re younger than 65, the withdrawal percentage should be lower so the balance lasts for a longer expected lifetime. If you’re older, the percentage can be higher. • You must maintain a well-diversified and regularly rebalanced investment portfolio, with approximately 60 percent allocated to stocks. The market
Another possible way to help simplify your mom’s medication use is to get her prescriptions filled in single-dose packets that put all her medications (vitamins and over-the-counter drugs can be included too) together in neatly labeled packets organized by date and the time of day they should be taken. This does away with all the pill bottles and pill sorting. Some compounding pharmacies or independent drug stores offer single-dose packaging along with a number of online pharmacies like PillPack.com.
Reminding Services
Another simple solution that can help your mom stick to her medication schedule is to use a medication reminding service. These are services that will actually call, email or text your mother reminders of when it’s time to take her medicine and when it’s time to refill her prescriptions. Some even offer extra reminders like doctor and dentist appointments, wake-up calls and more. Companies that offer such services are MyMedSchedule.com, which provides free medication reminders via text message or email. Their website can also help you make easy-to-read medication schedules that you can print out for your mom to follow. Or, if your mom uses a smartphone or tablet, there are free medication-reminding
will go up and down through the years but you must stay the course with this allocation. • The dollar amount withdrawn can increase each year with inflation, but only when the market has gone up. Otherwise, take out the same amount as the previous year. We have extensively stress-tested this withdrawal strategy and it has held up quite well even using the worst historical periods of stock market returns. Advanced methods are available for more complicated scenarios, but this approach will do just fine for most folks.
May 2015 •
Thomas Benner, a certified financial planner, is vice president, financial planning officer at Wealth Strategies Group, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. He can be reached at 585-4190670 ext. 50689 or by email at tbenner@ cnbank.com.
apps that can help, like MediSafe (medisafeproject.com) or MedCoach (greatcall.com). If, however, your mom doesn’t receive texts or use a smartphone, tablet or computer, OnTimeRx.com or Snoozester.com may be the answer. With starting prices ranging between $4 and $10 per month, these services will call your mom on her phone (they can send text messages and emails too) for all types of reminders including daily medications, monthly refills, doctor appointments, wake-up calls and other events. Or, if you’re looking for extra help, Care Call Reassurance (call-reassurance.com, 602-265-5968 ext. 7) may be a better fit. In addition to the call reminders to your mom’s phone, this service can be set up to contact a family member or designated caregiver if she fails to answer or acknowledge the call. This service runs between $15 and $20 per month. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
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Golden Years At Episcopal SeniorLife, Emphasis Is on Living Independently Neighborhood program started three years ago has helped seniors maintain their independence By Ernst Lamothe Jr.
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veryone wants to live in their homes as long as they shall live. Everyone wants a kind of independence that allows them to live life free from limitations even as old age makes it increasingly harder. The Episcopal SeniorLife Communities are helping people live out that philosophy. Started three years ago, their Northeast Greece Neighborhood Program began as a vision to give seniors an opportunity to maintain their independence, while still being as active as possible. “We started to think what makes people have to move and lose that independence,” said Loren Ranaletta, president and CEO at Episcopal SeniorLife. “We started thinking the triggers are poor nutrition and isolation, which breeds depression and falls. Those are key factors to having diminished independence and we wanted to help people get away from that path.” In order to truly understand the population they were serving, Episcopal SeniorLife officials talked with other Ranaletta agencies, caseworks and AARP. After the discussion stage, a plan was formed. They created nutrition-based programs that teach better eating habits. There are physical activity programs such as walking clubs, community gardening with hundreds of pounds of vegetables in Greece and Zumba that makes exercising both fun and social. They partner with senior centers in Henrietta along with Gates library and other community establishments in an effort to expand their reach. Seniors desire to stay in their community that they know and love; their place of choice as they age. “We like to make sure our programs are both lively and interesting,” said Ranaletta. “You have people working together in gardens and just enjoying being around each other to accomplish a common goal. One of the most challenging situations living at home if your spouse passed away is loneliness and depression so any effort to get people outside and social improves their lives. ”
Classes Help with Balance
Donald “Sonny” Clark has lived the past decade without his wife of 49 years who passed away before he moved to Beatrice Place, a community that is part of Episcopal SeniorLife. “Before I moved here, you would have found me sitting in the living Page 18
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Residents and program members participate in the weekly balance class offered as part of the Northeast Greece Neighborhood Program, one of five health and wellness programs that Episcopal SeniorLife Communities offers to residents and community members. Shown below is the active garden, where participants grow their own vegetables. room, watching TV and falling asleep most days. I was lonely and depressed, and prior to this, I lived a very fulfilling life,” said Clark. He served in the Air Force beginning in 1950 with tours of duty in Korea and Alaska. After military service, he settled back into life in Rochester and began working for Kodak in their film storage department retiring in 1986 after 39 years with the company. Last spring, his niece toured Beatrice Place and thought it might be a good fit for Clark to live in affordable housing. “Now I spend a lot less time falling asleep in front of my TV. I attend balance class two times a week and participate in the Beatrice Place road trips,” said Clark. “I also bake for our many resident parties and special celebrations, share morning coffee with fellow resident Richard and have also lost weight and gained balance and mobility and many new friends.” The neighborhood program has helped many people find a second wave in life. “Before I joined the neighborhood program, I needed assistance walking. Today, I can walk without any help at all thanks to the fun and beneficial programs offered at Beatrice Place,” said Bud Allinger, 91, of Greece.
Donny “Sonny” Clark with ESLC Community Liaison Katie Torres at a recent celebration event in which Sonny shared his testimony first hand.
Courtney McGinness, vice president of community outreach at Episcopal SeniorLife, said what they have learned is that age isn’t necessarily the definer of where people are in their lives. “We have seen people who are 90 year olds and they are as spry as any 65-year-old,” said McGinness. “Then there are people who are joining our program because they need some light exercise because they suffer from obesity or just need movement. A sense of belonging is a big part of being well.” Episcopal SeniorLife Communities
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
recently acquired Pinehurst Senior Living in Honeoye Falls, the fourth new community it acquires in two years. Officials believe they are growing to meet the high demand for senior services in the Rochester area and the focus moving forward is to continue to expand into new neighborhoods. “Our ultimate goal is to make sure we have created something where people are healthier, more engaged and require less health care down the road,” added Ranaletta. “We are dealing with people who are as young as 55 and who are older than 90. But everyone wants the same thing, to live a healthy, independent life.”
H ealth News Audiologist turns race car driver to raise money for Bethany House It’s all or nothing when audiologist Stephen Hart takes on a challenge. When he started biking, he committed to a 100-mile charity ride. Next, he started running with a group from the Metro Center YMCA and soon completed a marathon, again for a charity. This September, Hart will embark on a 1500-km trek around the island of Newfoundland when he competes in the World Class Targa Newfoundland Sept. 13 – 18 with his lifelong friend, Tom Megan. The two will race in Megan’s 1963 Porsche 356SC. Hart will be racing to raise Hart money for Bethany House, a shelter for homeless women and children in Rochester. “Targa Newfoundland gives me the opportunity to do something I love, road race, and also bring much needed attention to this organization (Bethany
House). My wife Meg and I feel strongly about helping those less fortunate and supporting women as they get back on their feet.” said Hart. Bethany House does not expect payment from the people it serves or receive funding from social services. All of their funding is through donations. “Donors like Steve and Meg Hart are the heart and soul of Bethany House,” said Donna Eckert, executive director of Bethany House. “Their commitment and generosity help sustain our mission.” Bethany House also operates a clothing room, a drop-in center and an emergency food cupboard. Come September, people can follow Hart’s race online at www.facebook.com/HartHearingCenters. He will be posting video from the driver’s vantage point with a GoPro Camera along with daily updates. To support Bethany House tax deductible donations can be sent c/o Hart Hearing Centers 468 Titus Avenue, Rochester N.Y. 14617. Checks should be made payable to Bethany House.
Wound Healing Center Gets Accreditation
Team that runs the Rochester General Wound Healing Center, operated under an alliance between Rochester General Hospital and St. Ann’s Community. The center recently received full national accreditation with the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society. The Rochester General Wound Healing Center, operated under an alliance between Rochester General Hospital and St. Ann’s Community received full national accreditation with the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society. This voluntary accreditation is awarded to those centers that meet the rigorous industry standards, practice evidence — based medicine, and have the highest ratings in patient outcomes and satisfaction. In addition to consistently
exceptional customer satisfaction scores, the center is proud to report 100 percent in quality indicator scores. Since opening in November 2013, the center has served more than 500 patients. The center is under the medical directorship of physician Kim Petrone, who serves as St. Ann’s associate medical director. Petrone is AMA board certified in geriatric medicine, internal medicine and is also a certified wound specialist.
New York Chiropractic College Holds Commencement
On Saturday, April 4, New York Chiropractic College held commencement exercises in the Standard Process Health and Fitness Center conferring doctor of chiropractic (DC) degrees to 38 candidates.
The commencement address was delivered by Serge Nerli, a past member of NYCC’s board of trustees who now serves as adjunct faculty at the college’s health center in Levittown, N.Y. and at Queen’s College in New York.
NYCC President Frank Nicchi Honored by Association of Chiropractic College At the recent Association of Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference and Research Agenda Conference (ACCRAC) in Las Vegas, New York Chiropractic College President Frank J. Nicchi was honored by the ACC with an award for his “exemplary leadership, commitment, enterprise and service to the ACC.” This award is given by the ACC only on occasion where an individual has provided service and leadership “above and beyond,” explains Brian J. McAulay, president of Parker University and imme- Nicchi diate past president of the ACC. Nicchi has been a member of the board of directors of the ACC since 2000 and has served as the organization’s secretary-treasurer, vice-president and president.
Additionally, he has chaired several committees and was instrumental in the formation of the ACC’s institutional statistics committee. As president he oversaw a successful strategic planning process (held on the NYCC campus in July 2009) and proved to be a very strong and effective leader. As past-president (2011 – 2015), Nicchi was notably engaged in executive committee deliberations and was a strong helpful advisor to the two active presidents during this time. “Dr. Nicchi’s leadership within the ACC over the past decade has been exemplary; he provided clear direction and a strong strategic approach to the organization, moving the ACC’s agenda forward in a most inclusive and productive manner,” says McAulay.
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Nursing Nursing Shortage Lessens in Rochester Area By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
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everal factors have combined to make the Rochester area less affected by the nursing shortage. Nancy Resseguie, coordinator of nursing recruitment at University of Rochester Medical Center, said that the city’s close proximity to several nursing schools has provided area health care providers with a large supply of nurses. In 2014, URMC filled 125 openings from among 500 applicants. “It allows us to choose that person that fits with our culture and wants our culture,” Resseguie said. “That, in itself, helps with retention.” URMC’s multiple specialties helps draw from a broader range of nurses and also those interested in possibly becoming more specialized in the future. The organization’s tuition benefit draws many applicants. After working for URMC for a year, nurses may take two semesters toward an advanced degree with 90 percent of their tuition paid. URMC’s hiring process involves shadowing a staff nurse in a particular department for four hours. “Half say, ‘That’s not what I thought it was’ and the other say, ‘I love it.’ Then they interview,” Resseguie said. “We’ve found that helps us find the right fit. The patient in that bed deserves a nurse who wants to be there.” URMC’s lengthy orientation — ranging from three months to a year — helps new hires completely learn the
ropes from experienced nurses. Resseguie also cited URMC’s emphasis on work–life balance, employee recognition, employee assistance department, wellness program, work environment, new equipment and safe working environment as the organization’s top retention factors. Kaitlyn Bond, manager, talent acquisition at Rochester Regional Health System, recruits from five nursing schools in the area and beyond, including job fairs and on social media. In Rochester Regional’s internship program, they work side by side with nurses to see the fundamentals behind the scenes, Bond said. “We allow you to see the passion our nurses have every day.” Bond relies more on social media to passively recruit experienced nurses, along with free continuing education credit presentations hosted by Rochester Regional. “Because there’s always movement when people retire, we’re always looking for to recruit,” Bond said, “but we’re not in dire or desperate need.” Keeping the nurses they’ve hired depends upon making their various facilities great places to work and providing opportunities for growth, such as tuition reimbursement and career progression toward nursing specialties and leadership positions. “You can really expand your horizons,” Bond said. “It’s not just limited to where you can move within our hospital departments, but you can move
Wave of nursing home workers joining healthcare workers’ unions By Ernst Lamothe Jr.
M
ichelle Payne wanted to feel security. As a certified nursing assistance in Brighton Manor, her job is to take care of residents in the nursing home. She was one of several people who recently voted yes to joining the 1199 United Healthcare Workers East. “When we joined, we got job security and we got raises...We would be treated fairly and I loved the idea of having that kind of protection being in a union,” said Payne. “Nursing homes are important to the community and the people who work there need to be able to feel protected with the best benefits and security that we can get.” A trend has emerged where more nursing home workers throughout Western and Central New York are joining healthcare workers’ unions. During recent months, more than 275 workers at five different nursing homes joined 1199SEIU Union, including in Monroe County at Brighton Man-
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or in Rochester. Other area nursing homes involved are Sheridan Manor in Tonawanda, Gowanda Rehabilitation in Gowanda, and St. Joseph’s in Utica. Officials say many nursing homes are financially struggling and have to deal with declining medical reimbursement. In order to feel some peace of mind, they are joining unions to offer themselves affordable healthcare, job and retirement security wages. “It’s essential that healthcare jobs provide fair wages, steady employment and a path to the middle class for those who dedicate their lives caring for sick and elderly,” said Todd Hobler, vice president of 1199SEIU for Upstate New York. “Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing job sectors in our country, and our union is committed to ensuring that this industry remains stable, and provides the good jobs and quality care that our communities need.” New union members include licensed practical nurses, certified
within the system.” Ranging from the close-knit company culture of Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, “where everyone knows everyone,” Bond said, “to the more urban and energetic environment at Rochester General Hospital or Unity, they have their own personality.” Clifton Springs Hospital, which recently joined Rochester Regional as an affiliate, adds yet another opportunity for nurses in the system. “We look forward to partnering with the recruitment and retention effort established,” said Donna P. Smith, vice president and chief operating officer of Clifton Springs Hospital. “We are working diligently at Clifton Springs Hospital and nursing home to become competitive with nursing compensation and benefits. “We have a strong leadership team that is focused on creating work–life balance for our nursing team. Clifton is well known for its quality of care and we pride ourselves in positive nurse to patient ratios.” At Finger Lakes Health, Eileen Gage, vice-president of nursing, said opening their own college of nurses “is one of the single most effective recruitment tools we’ve put into place.” The first class graduated with twoyear degrees in 2010.
“They have done a fair amount of their training here, though they have exposure to other organizations in the Finger Lakes area,” Gage said. Familiarity with the organization provides a natural segue into employment with FLH. Sign-on bonuses and referral bonuses also help the organization with difficult-to-fill positions. And leadership development opportunities and tuition reimbursement attracts nurses as well. Gage described the benefits package as “very competitive” since the organization is self-insured, which lowers out-of-pocket costs for employees. Wellness programs, such as Get Ready to Run offers discounts for working with a fitness coach. The employees also receive discounts for gym membership. One of the many ways Finger Lakes Health retains nursing staff is through offering flexible scheduling options, such as 12-hour shifts, 10-hour shifts, weekend-only shifts, or options with fewer weekend hours. These options help employees with care giving or educational obligations. FLH recognizes employee seniority with an annual awards event. “It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ for a job well done,” Gage said.
nursing assistants, unit clerks, laundry service workers and others. “For all my years of experience and dedication to my residents, I am not making much more than newly hired employees,” said John Brayman, a certified nursing assistant with 24 years of experience at Fiddler’s Green. “I feel we deserve to be able to take care of our families like we have taken care of so many others.” Demond Meeks, who works at the 1199SEIU headquarters in Rochester, said the union looks to offer people an Payne opportunity to have better wages in the healthcare field. “You would be surprised at how many healthcare workers want to join a union not simply for wages and benefits, but because they are looking for respect and dignity in the workplace. A collective bargaining agreement has provisions to even the playing field in the workplace,” said Meeks. Meeks said during the past few years, there has been a feeling of uncertainty in many organizations that have caused them to seek the support of unions. “People feel the need to make
sure they have stability as a result of job security,” he added. “When it comes to businesses, in some instances all they care about is the bottom line. Those are some of the things that make sure we are working together and providing the level of care for the residence.” Members can take advantage of 100 percent union education and training. This year alone, about 800 workers total joined 1199SEIU, which is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in the U.S., representing more than 400,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Payne also said being part of a union enabled her to learn more about the inner workings of the business. The union teaches their members about the union itself. “When you feel like you are protected, it makes you happy at work,” said Payne. “Knowing that you have a support system gives you peace of mind. I am here helping out people every day where I am their family at work. We certified nursing assistance our the eyes and ears of people in the nursing home and it just makes me feel better doing my job when I have a strong union having my back.”
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
Nursing Great Career Choice for Women By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
W
omen may cringe at labeling nursing as “women’s work” but more women do pursue nursing careers than men. The US Census reports in 2011, 9 percent of all nurses were men while 91 percent were women. But the career has treated women well. Good wages for nurses have helped women weather the recession better than workers in many other fields. A Feb. 22 New York Times article stated, “the median salary of $61,000 a year in 2012 was 55 percent greater, adjusted for inflation, than it was three decades earlier.” Today’s nurses also enjoy job security and employment satisfaction. Rideout Heidi Nowak, family nurse practitioner, serves as Western New York chapter president of Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. “Job satisfaction is high,” Nowak said. She added that among those who leave nursing, most do so within their first year. Those who make it past that year “know this is what they’re meant to do,” she said. “It’s a calling.” In addition to being compassionate, nurses should be complex thinkers, work well with others and possess skills in math, science and psychology. “If you’re good at these, you can be good at nursing,” Nowak said. A desire to learn can also help nurses progress in their careers. Additional education opens additional op-
portunities for nurses, such as working in a clinic or school setting, specializing in a medical discipline, nurse practitioner or managing a practice. “I have friends who’ve been nurses a while and got a degree in nursing education to become educators for nurses,” Nowak said. “If you feel like you’ve mastered your craft, you want to share it with others.” Some people seeking a second career can build upon their existing education. Kathy H. Rideout, nurse practitioner, dean and professor of clinical nursing for the University of Rochester School of Nursing, said that so many people seek nursing as a second career that the school added an accelerated program for those who already have a degree. Rideout said that nursing has become a better-paying career partly because of nursing’s higher education level and larger skill set. As the Affordable Care Act ramps up the number of people seeking medical care, physicians don’t have the hours to spend with patients. The effect expands the role of nurses to take over more assessing and diagnostic work. As a result, nurses continue to shift into a partnership role with the physicians and other members of the healthcare team instead of functioning exclusively like an underling. It only makes sense that their salaries have grown to match their swelling job descriptions. “Nurses are care managers overseeing patients,” Rideout said. “More patients are coming into the system who haven’t been in health care before so their needs are greater.” Since lower reimbursements squeeze providers, only the very sickest patients remain in the hospital, which places a greater demand on nurses. Nurses also use much more technology than nurses 30 years ago.
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Nurse’s Salary Median salary for nurses in the Rochester area: $61,140 The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in May 2014 the annual mean wages of registered nurses nationwide by region. Of course, factors such as the cost of living cause the salaries to vary. Compare local regions with others nationwide: Buffalo-Niagara: $68,520 Rochester: $61,140 Syracuse: $59,100 New York City/ Northern New Jersey and Long Island: $83,660 May 2015 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Report Shows Progress in America’s War on Cancer Small, but steady declines in deaths seen over past decade
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merica is making slow but steady progress against cancer, with a continuing decline in cancer deaths, according to a new report. The overall cancer death rate fell an average 1.5 percent per year between 2002 and 2011, representing improved survival for men, women and children, the report found. The rate of new cancer cases also declined an average 0.5 percent a year during that period. Experts say the promising figures reflect success in both treating and heading off cancer in the body’s four most vulnerable sites — the lungs, colon, breasts and prostate. “These numbers reflect a combination of factors that include prevention, early detection and improved treatIn anIn emergency, an emergency, call 9-1-1. call 9-1-1. Request Request Clifton Clifton Springs Springs Hospital Hospital as your as your destination. destination. ment,” said report co-author Ahmedin Jemal, vice president of surveillance research for the American Cancer Society. CliftonSpringsHospital.org CliftonSpringsHospital.org | clifton | clifton cares.cares. However, the new report also found that cancer rates are rising for some rarer forms of cancer, including cancer of the liver, mouth and throat, thyroid, and kidneys. The annual report was published in the March 30 issue of the Journal of the Ad NAme: CSHospital_ed_FL_0114_FP Ad NAme: CSHospital_ed_FL_0114_FP Ad 1 Ad 1 National Cancer Institute. The report CreAted by:CreAted JK by: JK LASt modiFied: LAStNovember modiFied:27, November 2013 10:56 27, 2013 Am CSt 10:56 Am CSt was co-authored by experts from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Centers for Disease Subscribe today and get 55 PLUS Control and Prevention, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute. magazine mailed to your home! Combining resources, the four groups concluded that cancer deaths Name_____________________________________________________ fell 1.8 percent a year among men between 2002 and 2011, 1.4 percent a Address___________________________________________________ year for women and just over 2 percent a year for children. City / Town_________________________State_________Zip_________ New cancer cases fell slightly for men during that decade, while reClip and Mail to: maining level for women, according to the report. The incidence rate for new cancers in children 19 and younger increased, but by less than 1 percent a P.O. Box 525, Victor, NY 14564 year, the report stated. Those two trends indicate that can-
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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
cer is being effectively prevented and, if it occurs, successfully treated, said Recinda Sherman, report co-author and program manager of data use and research for the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. Advances in lung cancer are tied directly to fewer people smoking, while the decline in colon and breast cancers also are tied to prevention efforts, Sherman said. For example, colon cancer is preventable through screening, with doctors able to detect and remove dangerous pre-cancerous polyps through a colonoscopy. “The early polyps are being removed even before they turn into cancer,” said physician Lynne Penberthy, senior author of the annual report and associate director of the Surveillance Research Program at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Prostate cancer rates also are declining, but experts are not exactly sure why that is occurring. Prostate cancer screening is no longer recommended, Jemal said, which could lead to a decline in detected new cases. Rarer cancers are on the rise for various reasons. Liver cancer, for instance, has increased due to long-lasting hepatitis C infections that occurred in drug-using baby boomers in the 1970s and early 1980s, Sherman said. Mouth and throat cancers also have been increasing among men, even though they are considered a tobacco-related type of cancer, Sherman said. This increase in cancer likely is due to human papillomavirus infection, or HPV, the sexually transmitted disease that also is the leading cause of cervical cancer in the United States, she said. A vaccine has been developed for HPV and is currently recommended for both boys and girls. “These numbers show there’s definitely a reason to promote that vaccine for both genders,” Sherman said.
CALENDAR of HEALTH EVENTS Continued from page 6
a.m. May 16 and conclude at 3 p.m. the next day. Cost to participate is $170 per person based on single occupancy or $160 per person based on double occupancy and includes all meals and overnight stay. Those in single occupancy will share half a bath with the other room. Linens, blankets and towels will be provided. For more information, contact Usha Shah via email at ushashah822@gmail. com or phone, 585 442-8141.
For more information, visit newfibrosupport.com.
June 13
Diabetes group reaches 100 teams, 1,000 riders The American Diabetes Association announced it has reached 100 teams, 1,000 riders and over $100,000
in participant collections for the 2015 Sage Rutty Tour de Cure. The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 13. As the fourth largest Tour de Cure in the nation, this milestone is welcomed as the nonprofit aims to raise more than $1 million this year. Due to the growth of the event, the route for the 2015 tour has been redesigned. Riders will begin their cycling journeys at the Xerox Corporation in Webster rather than Monroe Communi-
Now Available in Monroe County
Remain safely at home with help from HomeFirst.
May 19
Cochlear implant group meeting held in Rochester Individuals considering an implant and their family and friends are invited to Hearing Loss Association, Rochester chapter’s cochlear implant subgroup spring meeting. MED-EL cochlear implants, now available in Rochester, will be introduced by audiologist Rachel Franklin, northeast clinical account manager, and MED-EL patient Margarita Sweet. Well-known in Europe, MED-EL implants are relatively new to Rochester. The company recently gained FDA approval of its most current “Synchrony” implant. According to company statements, “Synchrony” allows patients to undergo MRI procedures safely. Franklin has local ties, with a degree in communication disorders from Nazareth College and an AuD from Arizona School of Health Sciences. Accompanying her is patient Margarita Sweet, who received her MED-EL cochlear implant in 2009. She is originally from Bogota, Colombia. Spanish is her first language. She was born deaf, wearing hearing aids at 6 months of age. Married and mother to two boys, Sweet works as an occupational therapist in a school for deaf children. The event will take place at 5 p.m., May 19 at Vestry Room, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, East Avenue at Westminster Road, Rochester, across from George Eastman House. The program is open to anyone interested in any cochlear implant. For more information visit www. hlaa-rochester-ny.org or call 585 266 7890.
May 26
New Fibromyalgia Support Group The New Fibromyalgia Support Group will sponsor a new meeting from 6:15 – 8:30 p.m. May 26. Dentist Ross Tallents, a senior instructor at URMC Eastman School for Oral Hygiene, will discuss a range of topics related to fibromyalgia, including diagnosis, treatment and symptoms. The meeting is free and open to the public. Classes are small and participants are urged to register three days ahead by calling 752-1562. The New Fibromyalgia Support Group meets every fourth Tuesday of the month, always at the Westside YMCA, 920 Elmgrove Road.
ty College, which has been the starting point for the last two years. Tour de Cure participants will now take in new lakefront scenery. The Sage Rutty Tour de Cure, is the region’s largest cycling event and has become the fourth largest Tour de Cure in the nation. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to register for the 2015 Sage Rutty Tour de Cure, visit www.diabetes.org/RochesterTour or call 585.331.9573 ext. 3473.
More and more people on Medicaid who might otherwise be in a nursing home won’t have to because of HomeFirst. HomeFirst is one of the oldest managed long-term care (MLTC) plans in the state. Our Personal Care Workers provide assistance with bathing, dressing and meals. You can keep your own doctor, and we provide transportation to medical appointments. There is no cost to participate. HomeFirst is an affiliate of MJHS, which was founded on the core values of compassion, dignity and respect for every culture. Those core values date back to 1907, when MJHS began a tradition of caring every minute, every day.
Call 1-866-384-3509 or visit homefirst.org
Services covered by HomeFirst are paid for by New York State Medicaid. The services not part of HomeFirst benefits continue to be covered by Medicaid and/or Medicare benefits. All services are coordinated, even those not included in the MLTCP benefit package. EPHF13197 12062013 May 2015 •
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper
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Vern Thayer and his Red Cross blood crew — Robyn Pound and Katrina Matijczyk —during his 512th apheresis donation.
Saving Lives at 98 Vern Thayer of Rochester is considered one of the oldest blood donors in the country. And he’s still at it By Lynette M. Loomis
V
ern Thayer is still helping save lives. At age 98, Thayer continues to give blood to the American Red Cross, something he has done since age 26. He is one of the oldest donors in the country. “I began giving because I couldn’t join the military due to less than perfect hearing, so I felt that giving blood was my way to contribute to our troops,” says Thayer. After decades of donating whole blood every eight weeks, Thayer became an apheresis donor and has completed 511 donations. During an apheresis donation, platelets, double red cells or plasma are taken from the donor and the remaining blood components are returned to the donor. “At my age, and because I no longer drive, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction to know that there is a meaningful way I can volunteer in my community, and each donation I make can help two or three people. They take the blood out of one arm and put the rest back in through my other arm.
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“Each apheresis donation procedure takes about one-and-one-half to two hours and I can read or watch a movie but what I enjoy most is talking with the staff who are wonderful. We laugh a lot, the time flies by and what man doesn’t enjoy a hug? They know all about my life and I know about their families as well. After a donation, my two daughters and I usually go out to dinner. It has become a wonderful tradition.” “Our staff at the Greece Blood Donor Center absolutely adore Vern and consider him a part of their crew. His donations have helped so many patients over the years, and we think he’s a super hero donor,” said Kay E. Schwartz, CEO of the New York-Penn Blood Services Region. Thayer, who lives at Legacy at Clover Blossom in Rochester, attributes his longevity to several things. “Genetics plays a big part I think. My siblings are long lived as well. I played tennis for 86 years beginning in high school in East Rochester where we had a few championship years
Give blood To schedule an appointment to give blood/platelets: use the Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS 1-800-733-2767.) while I was playing. I had a loving marriage to my wife “Bing” [Harriet Bingham Thayer] for 70 years and had three healthy children. I am one of the lucky ones; my two daughters are still in the area and my son who lives in Ft. Collins, Colo., visits whenever he can. Several of my grandchildren are in the area as well, so I have lots of company. “In December last year, I met Triss, a widow, and we have become very close. What a nice surprise to find love again! Triss is someone who needed blood during surgery and I am glad there was someone who had her blood type who donated. We all know someone who has needed blood products.
IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2015
“When I graduated from high school the economy was very weak and any kind of work was hard to find. I lived at home like most of us had to do and I worked at manual labor jobs. I applied at Eastman Kodak Co. and did not get the job. But I was persistent and after several years of applying, I finally was hired in the quality control division. I got married, had my three children and spent my career at Kodak until age 60. At that time, my hearing was declining, a problem many of my siblings had as well, so I felt it was best to retire.” Thayer has a cochlear implant which does not give him full hearing, but he said he can hear enough to follow a good joke. “After I retired I continued to stay busy, matting and framing my wife’s artwork and playing tennis. “Some people are looking for ways to help their community when they retire. Clara Barton was 60 when she founded the American Red Cross. This was considered pretty old in 1861 but she ran the organization for more than two decades. Kodak was always very supportive of the blood drives and after I retired, it was second nature to me to donate whenever I could. It’s a great habit to have. People assume they can’t donate but I would invite them to consider it more carefully. It’s a great feeling to know my donation can help someone undergoing surgery, who has had a serious accident or a burn, heart surgery or organ transplant patients, and people in treatment for leukemia or cancer. I love life and my life is a good one. It’s easy to want to help someone else.”