In Good Health by In Good Health: Rochester's Healthcare Newspaper

in good EASTER MEALS Planning a big Easter Sunday meal with family but trying to watch what you eat?

More Women Enjoying Martial Arts Find out why

our

80th edition

Rochester–Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

April 2012 • Issue 80

Teens with Cancer How a local nonprofit organization is making a difference in their lives

Dr. Abraham Lichtmacher Chief of OB-GYN at Rochester General: Standardized care leads to better outcomes for women Farm in North Greece offers therapeutic riding programs

Straight From the Farm Straight from the farm to the dinner table, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is one of the fastest growing and best ways to make local, seasonal food the natural choice. Each week during the season, participants who pay anywhere from $250 to $500 per season, receive a basket, bags or box of fresh, locally-grown products—usually fruits and vegetables, herbs and eggs, from their CSA farm. April 2012 •

The season lasts about 26 weeks and the amount of food can often be enough to preserve for later consumption off-season, through canning, drying, and freezing. “I loved getting my box delivered each week,” says Caroline Wyst of Rochester. “It got to the point I couldn’t wait to see what was in it, and the newsletter and recipes too. It was like Christmas all summer.” Story on page 12.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

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CALENDAR of

HEALTH EVENTS

April 3

Living well with hearing loss to be discussed Hearing Loss Association of America-Rochester’s new event, “Featured Speaker Program” will bring the nationally known psychologist Sam Trychin who will talk about “Living well with hearing loss: Strategies to lighten up your life.” The discussion of hearing loss-related communication, its challenges and strategies takes place from 2–5:15 p.m., Tuesday, April 3, in the Fellowship Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, East Avenue at Westminster Road, Rochester, across from George Eastman House. A reception follows immediately afterward. Funded by proceeds from the Walk4Hearing, Trychin’s presentation is free and open to the public. Trychin is a teacher and author who has worn hearing aids since his service in the Air Force. He conducts training programs, presentations and workshops for people with hearing loss, their families and the professionals who serve them. A psychologist in private practice and a consultant to Stairways Behavioral Health in Erie, Pa, he has written 15 books, authored numerous professional book chapters and journal articles, and produced a variety of videotapes related to coping with hearing loss. His specialty is the application of psychological concepts, principles, and procedures to problems and issues related to hearing loss. All HLAA programs are Audiolooped and real-time captioned. Those needing a sign language interpreter should contact Linda Siple at 585-4756712.

April 11

Leukemia Society offering support group by phone The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is offering a support group by telephone for adult patients who are dealing with a diagnosis of leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or myeloma. “We recognize that individuals often don’t have a chance to speak with one another about their experiences,” reads a press release issued by the nonprofit. “It can be challenging to find an appropriate support group in the community or to take the time to attend. Our hope is that this telephone group will provide an opportunity for you to talk about any issues of concern in a convenient, supportive environment.” The telephone group will be run by a trained oncology nurse facilitator. The group will be limited to 10 participants and participation will be on a first-come first-served basis. In addition to April 11, the group will hold such meetings every second Wednesday of the month between 7– 8 p.m. For more information or to preregister, call or (800)784-2368 ext. 4667 Space is limited.

April 12, June 28, July 10

Coop. Extension to host ‘Grow It’ day camp for kids Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County is inviting families to enroll their kids aged 8–11 in its day camp “Grow It, Try It, Like It.” During

Parents encourage to enlist in ﬁght against problem gambling Youth are exposed to gambling now more than ever. The New York Council on Problem Gambling is working with local prevention councils statewide to educate parents of school-age youth about problem gambling and encourage them to discuss the issue with their kids. As part of the efforts, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Rochester area (NCADD-RA) is offering parent presentations for area school and community groups. The New York Council on Problem Gambling 2012 Problem Gambling Parent Education and Outreach Project is the first statewide, coordinated effort focused on raising awareness through education sessions, information dissemination, and various advertising efforts including Web, television and print. According to the results of a survey conducted by the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Page 4

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Services, about 48 percent of seventh through twelth graders reported they had gambled in the past year. Approximately 140,000 adolescents have had problems due to gambling and another 10 percent are at risk. Children and adolescents are more likely to gamble if they witness adults gambling, and especially if the adults show interest and excitement about gambling. Steps parents can take to educate their children about problem gambling include: • Explain that gambling is an occasional activity meant for entertainment only, not as a way to make money. • Discuss the risks and negative consequences associated with engaging in gambling activities. • Discourage friends and family members from giving lottery tickets or engaging in other forms of gambling with their children. For more information visit www.ncadd-ra.org.

the day-long event, kids will learn how to be plant their own vegetable garden, make delicious, healthy snacks, become a food detective and play many “Minute to Win it”-style games to get their hearts pumping. The event will be offered three times this summer between 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.: April 12, June 28 and July 10. It will take place at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, 249 Highland Ave., Rochester. Cost is $25 and participants are encourage to bring a bag lunch (two snacks will be provided). For more information or to register, call Dora Christian at 585641-1000 ext. 257 or visit www.mycce. org/monroe

April 14

Beneﬁt dinner to fund pancreatic cancer research The Lustgarten Foundation, the nation’s largest private supporter of pancreatic cancer research, will sponsor its “Luau For Lustgarten Benefit Dinner” from 5 – 11 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at RIT Inn & Conference Center, 5257 W. Henrietta Road, West Henrietta. Proceeds will help research possible cures for pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S among men and women. Tickets are $40 per person and must be purchased by April 7. For information and tickets, contact Cheryl Marrese via phone at 225-3088 or email at luauforlustgarten@yahoo.com.

April 14

Amyloidosis group to hold support meeting A physician from Boston University Medical Campus will be the guest speaker during a support group presented by the Upstate New York Amyloidosis Support Group. David Seldin is an expert in amyloidosis and is the director of Amyloid Treatment & Research BUMC. Amyloid is an abnormal build-up or accumulation in various tissues of the body from several different proteins found in the blood. The event will be held from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. April 14 at Rochester General Hospital sixth floor orthopedic conference room. Patient, caregivers, family and interested medical personnel are welcome to attend. Complimentary light breakfast and lunch provided. For more information and to register, contact MaryAnn Kraft, at 585-334-7501 or via email at humbelinamk@yahoo. com. More information can also be obtained by calling Muriel Finkel at toll free number 1-866-404-7539 or via email at muriel@finkelsupply.com. Additional information on amyloidosis can be found at www.amyloidosissupport.com

April 21

Luvabbos to attempt to break Guinness record Luvaboos Natural Baby Boutique is hosting its Second Annual Great Cloth Diaper Change where thousands of babies worldwide will help to break the Guinness Book of World Records for most cloth diapers changed simultaneously around the world. The Rochester event will take place at noon on Saturday, April 21 at the Seneca Park Zoo, 2222 St. Paul Street. The cloth diaper change will take place in the zoo’s con-

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

ference room. Family-friendly vendors will be there throughout the day with fun activities for babies and kids. Cost: Zoo admission or membership. Luvaboos will offset the cost of membership or zoo admission by giving each participating parent/child pair a $10 gift card to Luvaboos when they pre-register online at www.luvaboos.com. For more information, call 585-319-4981.

April 26

Symposium on end-of-life held in Canandaigua Thompson Health will sponsor a symposium — “End-Of-Life Decision Making: Options And Answers” — that will address issues regarding advance directives, palliative care and the MOLST Form (Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) with featured speakers Rob Horowitz, Patricia Bomba, both medical doctors, and Jane Greenlaw, an attorney and registered nurse. Specialists will be on site to assist with completing living wills. Refreshments will be provided. It will take place from 1–5 p.m., Thursday, April 26, at The Inn on the Lake, 770 S. Main St., Canandaigua. Registration is available online at www.ThompsonHealth.com; call (585) 396-6780 for more information. $10 per person/$15 per couple (scholarships available).

May 12

Run for Fun takes place in Rochester CP Rochester will host its Seventh Annual 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk to benefit its fitness and wellness program. Titled “Run for Fun — Making Steps for People with Disabilities,” the event will take place 9 a.m., Saturday, May 12, at CP Rochester, 3399 Winton Road South in Rochester. Run, walk or cheer on participants. Refreshments, prizes, music, family fun, games and a silent auction will be part of the event. For more information, call 334-6000 or visit www.CPRochester.org/RunForFun. CP Rochester exists to support people with physical and developmental disabilities in choosing and accomplishing successive individualized life goals. It does this by providing a wide range of services to people of all ages in the greater Rochester area.

May 8 , 15, 22

Workshop on living alone scheduled in Mendon Do you live alone? Is it a challenge for you? “Living Alone: How to Survive and Thrive on Your Own,” is a three-part workshop offered for women who want to gain the know-how to forge a meaningful and enriching life on their own. You’ll discover how to think differently about living alone and learn practical strategies to overcome loneliness and other emotional pitfalls, rediscover your true self, and socialize in a couples’ world. The workshop takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. at House Content Bed & Breakfast in Mendon on three consecutive Tuesdays: May 8, 15, and 22. The workshop fee of $125 includes a Living Alone manual, empowerment exercises, and lots of helpful resources. To register, contact Gwenn Voelckers at (585) 624-7887 or e-mail gvoelckers@rochester.rr.com

Nearly 4 Million U.S. Kids Still Smoke

Marcy Hartle, MD Pediatrician Laura Baker, FNP

Report: tobacco industry targets children

ore than 3.6 million children and teens in the United States smoke, according to a Surgeon General’s report released in March that calls on the nation to curb youth smoking. “Today, all over America, there are middle-schoolers developing deadly tobacco addictions before they can even drive a car,” said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), during a press conference. More than 600,000 middle school students and more than 3 million high school students smoke. And three out of four teen smokers will continue to smoke into adulthood, the surgeon general’s report warned. Regina Benjamin, the Surgeon General, said “the report challenges us to end the epidemic of smoking among young people. “Cigarettes are designed for addiction,” she explained at the press conference. Added ingredients such as sugar, flavoring and moisteners make them even more addictive because they remove the harshness of tobacco. In addition, additives like ammonia make it easier for nicotine to get into the brain, she said. The report — the first since 1994 to focus on young smokers — blames tobacco companies, specifically tobacco marketing, for the onset of adolescent smoking, noting that tobacco companies, despite claims to the contrary, continue to direct their ads at children. Howard Koh, assistant secretary for health at HHS, said it is no accident that “too many of our children are addicted and too many cannot quit and too many go on to die far too young.” Koh said tobacco companies spend more than $1 million an hour — some $27 million a day — on marketing and promoting their products in ways that make smoking look acceptable. These messages are particularly prominent on the Internet, in movies and video games, he said. “The tobacco industry says its intent is only to promote brand choices among smokers, but there is a difference between stated intent and documented impact. Because regardless of intent the impact of tobacco marketing is to encourage underage youth,” he said. According to the report, tobacco is the leading cause of preventable and

premature death in the country, killing more than 1,200 Americans every day. For everyone who dies from tobaccorelated causes, two new smokers under age 26 replace them, the report said. Almost 90 percent of these new smokers smoke their first cigarette by the time they are 18, the report noted. “From 1997 to 2003 youth smoking fell rapidly, but since that time the rate of decline has slowed,” Koh said. “In fact, there would be 3 million smokers today if we as a society had sustained the declines seen between 1997 and 2003.” Many teens are also using other tobacco products and using several tobacco products together, he said. The report also provides more data on the addictiveness of cigarettes. The younger people are when they start smoking, “the more likely they are to become addicted and the more heavily addicted they will become,” it said. Moreover, starting to smoke early in life increases the risks for the early development of cardiovascular disease and reduced lung function, the report said. “We can and must continue to do more to accelerate the decline in youth tobacco use,” said Koh. “Until we end the tobacco epidemic, more young people will become addicted, more people will die, and more families will be devastated by the suffering and loss of loved ones.” Stop-smoking advocates hailed the report. “This report underscores the critical importance of preventing tobacco use among youth and young adults,” Charles D. Connor, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, said in a statement. “This is a wake-up call to all policymakers and community leaders that tobacco addiction is a vicious and deadly cycle that can and must come to an end.” Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement that the report makes two points clear: “The tobacco industry’s marketing is still addicting America’s kids, and elected officials need to do more to protect our children from the scourge of tobacco.” The nation has made great progress in reducing smoking, he said, but “this report is a stark warning that the battle against tobacco must be a national priority.”

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SERVING MONROE, ONTARIO AND WAYNE COUNTIES in good A monthly newspaper published by

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Local News, Inc. Distribution: 30,000 copies. To request home delivery ($15 per year), call 585-421-8109.

In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2012 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 and Contributing Writers: Eva Briggs (M.D.), Jim Miller, Deborah J. Sergeant, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Chris Motola, Jessica Spies, Beth Emley, Deborah Graf, Jennifer Magar, Deborah Graf Advertising: Marsha K. Preston, Donna Kimbrell Layout & Design: Chris Crocker Ofﬁcer Manager: Laura Beckwith 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.

April 2012 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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Meet

Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Dr. Abraham Lichtmacher Chief of OB-GYN at Rochester General: Standardized care leads to better outcomes for women Q: What’s your background in hospital administration? A: I’ve been here almost two years. I have been hired as the chief of OBGYN the Rochester General Health System, so that includes Rochester General as well as Newark-Wayne Community Hospital. Ultimately, if the system expands, it will include those hospitals. I actually started many moons ago in private practice in Hartford, Conn. Over the years, I became involved in other activities related to clinical practice. I became involved with patient safety at Hartford Hospital. I became involved in the business of medicine. We created a large OB-GYN group across Connecticut. Had about 150 OB-GYNs statewide. I was part of the board of directors, I was the treasurer, chairman of the finance committee. I was also part of clinical research through my private practice. Over the years, I came to realize I was making an impact on patients on a one-to-one basis, but always thought I could make a bigger impact on patient care on larger, global area. So I packed my bags and went west about eight years ago and became chief of OB-GYN at the Lovelace Clinic in Albuquerque, N.M. I spent six years out there and then came here to Rochester General. Throughout all of this my guiding light, so to speak, has been patient safety. I hope to be able to bring all my past experiences with running a practice, being involved in patient safety, being involved in research to my position at Rochester General. Q: How do you make an impact on patient care from an administrative position? A: It’s about how you organize the delivery of health care services with the mindset of what makes sense for a patient’s outcome and safety. There are a lot of excellent things that Rochester General has. Sometimes we fly under the radar, both locally and regionally, so that we ourselves don’t understand the excellent things that we do. That’s no reason to sit on our laurels and take it for granted. We always want to improve what we do. I’ve become a very big proponent of standardizing care. I believe in decreasing the variation in how we do things, especially if it’s based on sound medical evidence. So that the less variation, the less risky the outcome and the better the financial success. I think one goes hand-in-hand with the other. We’ve just kicked Page 6

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off a very large patient safety initiative called Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently (MOREOB). It’s unifying the entire service as a time effort; everyone’s on the same page, we practice together, we learn together, we act as a team instead of a group of individuals. This project has been widely accepted in the Canadian health care system. They’ve found improved outcomes, liability and costs over the 10 years that they’ve used it. Q: How adaptable is the standardized system? Is it able to handle unusual diseases and conditions? A: I think it’s very adaptable. A protocol doesn’t mean you absolutely have to do things a certain way, but it makes you think about and have to justify doing it differently. Let me give you an example. One of the most common things we do is induce patients into labor. There are many different protocols for how we do that. We’ve found that when you have that many protocols in an institution, you run into trou-

ble. I would use the analogy of a chef making soup in a restaurant. If every chef in the restaurant makes the soup their own way, you run into a lack of consistency. So unless there’s some variation, doing it this way leads to better outcomes for the patient. Q: How do you plan to make patients aware of what you’re doing? What kind of marketing will be going into this? A: In my position, much of my time is dealt with the administrative aspects. I still see patients, but not as many as I used to. I rely a lot on the faculty practice to market me and market my presence. What I hope to be able to do is provide good customer satisfaction. Hopefully, then, the marketing will take care of itself. A wise old physician once told me there were three As you needed to be a good doctor: affability, availability and ability, in that particular sequence. Q: You said you wanted to apply your past experiences to Rochester. Can you give me some examples of something you learned in Hartford and Albuquerque? A: In Hartford, I learned how to run a good business in private practice. I mentioned that large organization we founded called Women’s Health Connecticut. At that time it was the largest OB-GYN group practice in the country. We recognized the efficiencies of scale. We recognized the efficiencies of providing care. The group provided around 40 percent of OBGYN services in Connecticut. I would like to bring the same thing here, the ability to say what works on a business model. The Albuquerque side was an interesting one. I went from a private practice to a salaried physician. We had a very large group of midlevel providers, with a large

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

midwifery group providing a lot of the obstetric services. So trying to be able to break down the practice so that you apply your resources correctly. You don’t want a highly trained professional providing care that can be provided by a lower skilled individual and vice versa. New Mexico, unfortunately, is a very large state without a lot of care throughout the state. You’d see a lot of things that you probably wouldn’t see in a city like Rochester. So occasionally we would have a patient come in with the plague. You don’t hear about the plague very much, but it still exists, believe it or not. So you see a lot of sick patients. I brought that experience back from New Mexico. Q: The World Health Organization designated Rochester General as a baby-friendly hospital. What does that mean? A: There’s a very large push for promoting breast feeding in new mothers and findings that it’s healthier for both the baby and the mother. So this push has been growing increasingly. There was enough foresight at Rochester General—and this was before my time, so I don’t take credit for this—to obtain this designation. It’s not easy to obtain. There are approximately 100 hospitals across the United States that have that designation. There are only four in New York state that have them and Rochester was the first 10 years ago. Our sister hospital, NewarkWayne, is currently in the process of applying for that designation. It takes awhile, a lot of designation and effort. If I might add something else. The advancement of minimally invasive surgical techniques has been touting everywhere, but taking it one step further is using the robotic platform to assist in this endeavor. You may not be aware, but Rochester General has one of the busiest robotic surgical programs in the state and in the country. In all of the nation, we’re in the top 3 percent by experience. Q: You talked about Hartford and Albuquerque, what challenges are unique to a mid-sized, northeastern city like Rochester? A: It’s similar to a lot of other cities in that we serve a city population, including an inner city population, although we do have a large reach into the outlying communities. There are a lot of patients who don’t have great access to care or don’t take advantage of the care they do have access to. So I think reaching out to under-served populations is a challenge. About a year ago we opened up a new clinic as part of our faculty practice. We recognized that many patients who have developmental needs also have gynecological needs. So we opened up a clinic to serve that population. We treat the patients with dignity, we treat them with appropriate resources. Hometown: Many (including the Ukraine and Poland via East Hanover, New Jersey) Education: NYU, New York Medical College Afﬁliations: Rochester General, Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, academic appointment at University of Rochester, honorary staff member at Hartford Hospital Organizations: American Congress of OB/GYN (ACOG), board certiﬁed and fellow; vice chair of Guidelines in Women’s Health Care; patient safety committee member, ACOG Hobbies: golf, dogs, traveling

Trigger Points Therapy helps people who have pain problems By Jeanne Gehret

ohn F. Kennedy, known for his youthful vigor as our 35th president, may never have become strong enough to win the Oval Office without the use of a specialized therapy for his debilitating pain. Five years before that victory, he took a seven-month medical leave because old injuries frequently left him unable to walk. Then he met Janet Travell, the doctor who pioneered the therapy that healed him. He was so grateful for her help that he made her White House physician. Aside from her tenure in the White House, Travell devoted her life to researching, treating, and writing about trigger points. Doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage theraDr. Janet Travell and President John F. Kennedy. She was the physician who introduced the trigger pists consider Standardized the point technique to the former president. Trigger points therapy is now availbale in Rochester. Bible of trigger point therapy. I first learned about this powerful der blade. A short application of the method of pain relief when my friend wasn’t resolved by a week’s medical recommended therapy made the pain and registered nurse Elaine Lennox leave. A one-hour trigger point sesgo away. used it to recover from unexplained sion on her low back and hip muscles I became hooked on Travell’s techpain following surgery for a shattered left her almost symptom-free and she nique. ankle. For two years, she traveled learned to apply pressure to her own Travell developed several ways to weekly to study in Pittsburgh and troublesome areas. Encouraged, she release these painful knots, including bring this therapy to Rochester. Her went on to discover how to relieve her injections as well as a spray-and-stretch own migraines, as well. hands-on therapy greatly relieved my technique. However, the least invasive persistent back and shoulder pain, and A trigger point is a taut band in a and most portable technique to relieve eventually I graduated from massage muscle that makes it tight and weak. trigger points involves applying brief school, where they gave a good introSome of them hurt unrelentingly and but very specific pressure. Usually duction to trigger points. others only when touched. Usually the treatment hurts, but only for a few I was not sure I could master this they carry pain along predictable, hidseconds on each affected muscle. detailed therapy, but bought Travell’s den trails in the body to sites far from Since that early “aha!” experience, books anyway. the taut band. I have continued to combine trigger One day, early in my massage Trigger points can cause or conpoint with other manual therapies career, my client asked me to work on tribute to pain almost anywhere in to bring clients relief. Some of them, a place just above the corner of her the body. Using this therapy, I have however, need help more often than I shoulder blade. As I rubbed the spot, relieved clients’ discomfort from whipcan see them. she murmured approval and I thought lash, plantar fasciitis, migraines, tennis With that in mind, I’ve also taught I had solved her problem. However, by elbow, low back pain, and sciatica. At them to self-treat almost any area that the time she was leaving, the pain revarious times when it seemed I was turned. Traditional massage techniques needs it. suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome had failed. or a stress fracture, having Elaine work Part of the arsenal That drove me to Travell’s books, on my trigger points solved my probTrigger point therapy is not comwhere I learned that my client’s parlems. monly a first-line approach to unexticular pain pattern would never yield The doctor told Matthew, 58, that plained muscle pain. But it should at to treatment at the very spot it hurt. he could resume normal activities after least be considered. Why? Because she had referred pain rotator cuff surgery. However, despite a Kelsey, a 25 year-old occupational from trigger points. few months of stretching and strengththerapist in a nursing home, caught In simple terms, a knot deep in one an elderly woman who was falling. ening exercises, Matt continued to of her neck muscles sent pain several experience pain and weakness. WorkThat episode left Kelsey with pain that inches away to the top of her shouling out trigger points in his neck, chest,

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and back greatly lessened his discomfort. After he applied pressure to them several times a day at home, he was able to resume normal activities. Prematurely stretching muscles that have trigger points doesn’t help, explains Elaine, because trigger points disable the mechanism that stops muscles from contracting. “If you use trigger point release to help stop the contraction, you can then stretch to restore the muscle to its normal resting length. Stretching alone can prevent trigger points from developing but doesn’t usually eliminate them,” she says. How do trigger points originate? They can occur for a variety of reasons, including the following: • Structural imbalances like scoliosis or having one leg shorter than the other • Overloading a muscle, such as hunching over a computer for hours • Colds, influenza, and other illnesses • Emotional upset • Habits that strain the muscles such as sleeping or sitting without proper support, or carrying a purse on the shoulder

Real writer’s cramp

Pain in the upper arm and fingers prevented Nan, 65, from doing her scholarly writing. We talked about how she sat looking down and to the left when reading and typing at her computer, and the kind of pillow she used in bed. She noted that her arm had been worse since she was recovering from a bad cough. Then I showed her how a couple of extremely irritable points near her collarbone were causing the problem. After I demonstrated how to use a $20 tool to push on the points, she left feeling much improved. Better yet, during the next week she was able to apply pressure to her own trigger points and had no more pain. Other than trigger points, pain can originate from many sources including arthritis, illness, medical problems, broken bones, and so on. I don’t pretend to understand everything about pain, but know that trigger point therapy offers a well-documented solution to many people’s misery. When I’m able to relieve a fellow sufferer, that’s good enough for me. Jeanne Gehret is a licensed massage therapist in Fairport. She can be reached at Jeanne. Gehret@frontiernet.net. For more information, visit www.ReﬂexologyRochester.MassageTherapy.com.

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April 2012 •

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Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

It All Starts With You!

ast month, I had the pleasure of speaking to a local chapter of AARP. Its members, most of whom were divorced after long marriages, were eager to hear about my personal journey toward contentment and how I learned to love living alone. I began my talk, as I do in my Living Alone workshops, with a gentle word of caution: There is no magic pill. Getting good at living alone, like mastering any new skill, requires effort and lots of practice. A good place to begin is to determine who you really are and what you really want for your life. No “shoulds” or other people’s agendas. Sounds simple, but for those coming out of a long relationship, rediscovering “who you really are” can be daunting. After years of focusing on the needs and desires of a spouse and family, many discover that, somewhere along the way, they have disappeared around the edges and lost their own sense of self. Rediscovering yourself and identifying those things that bring joy and meaning into your life can turn living alone into an adventure of the spirit. Once you identify and begin pursuing your individual interests, you’ll find that time alone no longer feels empty and that the silent spaces between events becomes more bearable, even enjoyable. Below is an exercise to help you get back in touch with your true self.

Look Back And Reach In

Identify those things that fully engrossed you as a child or that today completely consume you — those things that make you feel complete, as though nothing is missing. These are your “loves.” These pursuits reveal your true self.

Spend Time With These Questions

1) Search back. What were things you did or pursued as a child that gave you joy? The things you thought you did particularly well, that you perhaps secretly took pride in? What did you just love doing as a kid? 2) More recently, when do you completely lose yourself in something? What are you doing when time flies? 3) What are the kinds of things you do when you have time to yourself, perhaps on vacation? How do you spend your time, when no one’s watching, when you’re just being you? 4) And finally, when you open a newspaper or magazine, what articles interest you most? This may help to define areas that pique your interest.

Then Take Action

Based on the answers above, identify one step (even a small step) you can take — now — to reconnect with a past pursuit or to delve more deeply into an existing interest. When I went through this exer-

KIDS Corner Study: Hospitalization of US Underage Drinkers Common, Costs $755 Million a Year

ospitalization for underage drinking is common in the United States, and it comes with a price tag — the estimated total cost for these hospitalizations is about $755 million per year, a Mayo Clinic study has found. Researchers also found geographic and demographic differences in the incidence of alcohol-related hospital admissions. The findings were recently published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Of the roughly 40,000 youth aged 15 to 20 hospitalized in

2008, the most recent data available, 79 percent were drunk when they arrived at the hospital, researchers say. Alcohol abuse and addiction and drinking-related emotional problems were among the diagnoses. Among all U.S. teens, roughly 18 of every 10,000 adolescent males and 12 of every 10,000 females were hospitalized after consuming alcohol in the year studied. In all, 700,000 young people in that age group were hospitalized for various reasons, including non-alcoholrelated conditions, in 2008.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

cise years ago, I rediscovered a part of me that I had neglected — without realizing it — for years. That part was my creative side. While I was thinking back over my life and childhood, I remembered how much I enjoyed art classes as a kid and I recalled the hours I spent engaged in pencil drawing and other artistic endeavors. Then, when I looked at my life as an adult, I realized how very few creative outlets I had incorporated into my daily and weekly routines. So I set out to make a deliberate change in my life and to reincorporate creative expression into my world. The result? I now make jewelry, enjoy decorating my home, and, in the summer months, design and tend gardens that burst with color, texture, and fragrance. Those of us who live alone have the gift of abundant time to ourselves. Use it wisely. Use the time to get to know yourself all over again. When you identify the things you love to do, and do them, you will feel less lonely. Stated positively, you will feel more integrated and in touch with who you are. You’ll be spending your time pursuing activities that bring you personal satisfaction — activities that reinforce who you are and who you want to become. When that happens, living alone becomes secondary to living fully! 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 the workshops, call (585) 624-7887,e-mail gvoelckers@rochester. rr.com, or visit aloneandcontent.com.

“When teenagers drink, they tend to drink excessively, leading to many destructive consequences including motor vehicle accidents, injuries, homicides and suicides,” says researcher Terry Schneekloth, a Mayo Clinic addiction expert and psychiatrist. Underage drinking is common in the United States: 36–71 percent of high-school students report having consumed alcohol at least once, although the prevalence of heavy drinking (more than five drinks in a row within the preceding two weeks) is lower (7–23 percent). “Alcohol use necessitating acutecare hospitalization represents one of the most serious consequences of underage drinking,” Schneekloth says. “Harmful alcohol use in adolescence is a harbinger of alcohol abuse in adulthood.” The average age of those with alcohol-related discharges was 18; 61 percent were male. Nearly a quarter of the alcohol-use disorder hospitalizations included an injury, most commonly traffic accidents, assaults and altercations. For adolescent males and females, hospitalization incidence was highest in the Northeast and Midwest, lowest in the South, and intermediate in the West.

U.S. Sees Highest Suicide Rate in 15 Years

he latest data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the rate of U.S. suicide has been increasing since 2000, with 2009 marking the highest number of suicides in 15 years. The CDC report showed that between 2008 and 2009, the suicide rate increased 2.4 percent, with 36,909 suicide deaths reported nationally. In August 2011, a report from the CDC showed that in 2008, 13.4 percent of people who committed suicide had experienced job and financial problems. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, an emergency crisis hotline reported a 14 percent increase in call volume between 2010 and 2011. The CDC’s thus recommended increasing counseling, job placement and financial services that can help reduce the mental distress that can increase suicide risk. “The recent increase in suicide, whether heightened by economic strain or other social triggers, signifies the need for education and training on understanding and preventing suicide,” said Lisa Firestone, a physician who serves as director of research and education at The Glendon Association and Violence and Suicide Prevention Alliance. “The suicidal state is both preventable and treatable. Services and education have been proven to save lives. Armed with the right tools to identify the warning signs and implement helper tasks, we can fight this crisis.” Between 2008 and 2009 an estimated 8.3 million adults (almost 4 percent

of the U.S. adult population) reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, according to the CDC. More than 2.2 million adults reported making suicide plans in the past year, and more than 1 million adults reported attempting suicide in the past year. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 percent of American adults suffered from mental illness in 2010, but only 39.2 percent of that group said they received treatment. With this decrease in U.S. mental health services, the general public, schools, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and military personnel would all benefit from education on suicide prevention. The Glendon Association’s website, PsychAlive.org, provides suicide prevention advice that includes information on warning signs, risk factors, helper tasks and strategies for prevention. European countries with strong social safety nets and services have shown little increase in suicide rates, even in rough economic times, according to data collected from Eurostat and the World Health Organization, proving that education and services can make a difference. Organizations like The Glendon Association that provide education and assessment are important to reducing the rate of suicide in the country. Over the past 30 years, Glendon has conducted research and developed effective assessments for both suicide and self-destructive behavior.

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�� countries that permit enrollment of adults only) �� 2-agonist or noncorticosteroid medication for at least three months prior to this clinical trial �� least six weeks prior to this clinical trial Qualiﬁed participants will receive clinical trial-related medical evaluations and clinical trial medication at no cost. In addition, reimbursement for travel may also be provided. Study Information by PPD, Inc. 0408111200

April 2012 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 9

My Turn

By Eva Briggs

Conditions that Can Affect Fingernails Psoriatic fingernail, fungal nail infections are some of the problems that can affect your nails

but switched to jazz because he had psoriasis that prevented him from growing the requisite long fingernails. Psoriasis is one of many diseases that can affect the finger- (and toe-) nails. Psoriatic fingernail changes occur in 10-15 percent of the 7 million Americans with psoriasis, and even occasionally affect people who don’t have skin lesions. Manifestations include the salmon patch, a reddish yellow discoloration beneath the nail plate that resembles a drop of oil under the fingernail. Other changes can weaken the nail so that it crumbles easily, cause pits and lines in the nail, or cause the nail to separate from the nail bed. No cure exists for psoriasis, but dermatologists have an arsenal of treatments that include topical treatment, UV light, and even systemic drugs for severe cases. One of the most common disorders affecting fingernails is onychomycosis, a fungal infection, which affects toenails much more often than fingernails. Moisture, as in prolonged Nail fungus is the most common problem affecting nails. immersion from dishwashBecause nails grow slowly, some medicines must be ing (think especially of taken for weeks or even months. Unfortunately relapse those who do this for a living) increases the risk. is common. here are some things that you don’t expect you’ll have to do as a parent. For example, did I ever imagine that I would bring my son, when he was a teenager, to a nail salon for artificial nails? Of course not. But when he decided to become a serious classical guitar student, his instructor suggested that he have artificial nails placed on his right hand, to jump start his studies, because classical guitar players need long fingernails on their picking hand. My brother studied classical guitar,

Other risk factors include skin fungal infections, other nail disease or deformity, suppressed immune system, and exposure to contaminated manicure equipment. Fungal nail infections cause the nails to thicken, change their shape, become brittle and crumbly, develop white or yellow streaks, and accumulate debris. Over-the-counter topical medicines usually aren’t helpful. Oral antifungal medicines help some people. Because nails grow slowly, these medicines must be taken for weeks or even months. The results won’t be known until the fingernail grows out which may take three to six months. Unfortunately relapse is common. Often fingernail changes indicate underlying systemic disease. In the case of my own father-in-law, he developed ridging and brittleness of all 20 of his nails. In retrospect, I wonder if this wasn’t an example of a paraneoplastic syndrome, a disease or symptom by products secreted into the bloodstream by tumor cells, not related to the presence of cancer cells in the affected area. My father-in-law was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer several years after his fingernail changes began; perhaps he had acrokeratosis paraneoplastica of Bazex. Had I known about this condition I would have insisted that his doctor obtain a chest CT due to

STD Rates Stabilizing By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

exually transmitted diseases (STDs) comprise a serious threat to public health. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that Ameri-

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cans report 19 million new infections annually, costing $17 billion to the healthcare system. STDs cause notable financial repercussions, too. Fortunately, rates are stabilizing. With some diseases, rates are going down nationally. The CDC’s most recent report showed that although gonorrhea had been at historic lows, the rate increased only slightly in 2010. A seeming increase in chlamydia cases is likely because of an increased number of people seeking screening. The rate of syphilis has gone down for the first time in a decade. In general, rates of new STD cases appear to be decreasing locally. Tina Peters, supervising public health nurse for preventive services at Wayne County Public Health, said that in the categories the department tracks, “look like they’re on a slight downward trend. In particular, our

data have remained fairly stable.” The health department does not track human papillomavirus virus (HPV) or herpes. Peters attributes the local downward trend to greater public awareness of STDs, but isn’t entirely certain that the statistics are 100 percent accurate. “There are quite a few that go undiagnosed,” she said. “STDs are the leading category of communicable disease in New York state. It is important to come in and get screened.” She listed among the consequences of untreated STDs infertility, increased risk for HIV, heart disease, permanent brain damage and cancer. “We promote surveillance, coming in for screening and for people to be aware that early detection and treatment can help prevent the spread of STDs,” Peters said. Any person who engages in sex outside of one mutually monogamous and mutually lifelong relationship is at risk for a sexually transmitted disease. Though using condoms may help, they are not foolproof. Dee Skelton, network director for Embracing Options in Rochester and Webster, said that her agency’s clients are told that abstinence from sexual

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

his heavy smoking history. One of the best-known fingernail changes associated with systemic disease is clubbing. The soft tissues at the base of the nail plate become thick and spongy, causing deformity. While lung disease is the most common cause, clubbing can also be due to heart disease and cancer. Beau’s lines, transverse linear depressions, can occur in all nails due to any systemic illness severe enough to disrupt normal nail growth. They will grow out over time, as the patient recovers from the initial illness. A Beau’s line may affect a single nail due to injury. You might be wondering, what is the importance of fingernails? They assist in the ability to grasp and manipulate fine objects. One measure of finger sensitivity is the ability to perceive two pinpricks as separate stimuli. This two-point discrimination is measurably improved in a finger with an intact fingernail compared to a finger missing its nail. Fingernails also protect against trauma. The conditions that I’ve discussed above are only a few of dozens that can affect fingernails. If your primary care doctor isn’t able to diagnose a fingernail problem, the correct specialist to see is a dermatologist. Eva Briggs is a medical doctor who works at the Fulton Urgent Care operated by Oswego Hospital and at Immediate Medical Care of CNY in Manlius.

relationships are the only way to guarantee safety from STDs. The nonprofit organization, which offer STD testing to women and men and pregnancy testing, counsels clients, mostly unmarried teens and young adults, “how important it is to wait until marriage,” Skelton said. “Most of our results are negative for STDs, so we say, “Okay, keep yourself clean. Abstinence is the only way to do that.’” The CDC reports that “young people represent 25 percent of the sexually experienced population in the United States, but account for nearly half of new STDs.” If clients need medical attention, Embracing Options cannot treat them since it is not a medical facility, but refers them to medical facilities, including Grace Family Medicine in the same building. “Skin to skin contact will spread STDs,” Skelton said. “I had a girl come in who was afraid she had a STD. She said she was using a condom and it broke. They aren’t foolproof. They can be misused or can break. There are no guarantees.” To learn about testing clinics, contact your local public health office. The Wayne County Public Health Department, for example, offers free, confidential STD clinics two to four times per month as advertised in local shopping papers. Embracing Options in Rochester and Webster also offer free, confidential testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

The therapeutic qualities of horseback riding Farm in North Greece offers therapeutic riding programs By Jennifer Magar

here is no denying the bond that can form between humans and animals. Pets become our companions and members of the family. They comfort us, bring us joy and can brighten our day. Working with animals can be beneficial to people with all sorts of struggles. Animals are a source of emotional support and even relaxation for people seeking social interaction or those who are simply in need of a friend. Jane Gebhardt, who has owned and operated Manitou Hill Farms for 26 years, has offered recreational therapeutic horseback riding at her farm since 1997. Manitou Hill Farms is affiliated with NARHA, the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, which sets the guidelines and curriculum for the therapeutic riding program. The therapeutic riding program offered at Manitou Hill Farms is recreational, though other riding programs offer physical therapists. Located on 21 acres in North Greece, Manitou Hill Farms has several horses trained for therapeutic riding. “Our horses for the therapeutic riding program have the appropriate temperament to work with people of all ages and the horse is matched with the rider’s skill level,” Gebhardt said. These horses work particularly well with people through their exposure to both adults and children in horseback riding lessons and day camp programs. Manitou Hill Farms has worked with people who have multiple sclerosis, down syndrome, and other developmental and physical disabilities in their therapeutic riding program. According to the American Equestrian Association, therapeutic horseback riding has physical, emotional and mental rewards and the benefits of riding are seen across a wide range of

disabilities from cerebral palsy, autism, spina bifida, and attention deficit disorder to name a few. Research shows riding has many physiological and psychological benefits, including lowered blood pressure and heart rate, decreased stress levels and reduced anger, hostility, and tension. The American Physical Therapy Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association are two organizations that recognize and encourage the therapeutic qualities of horseback riding. Sitting on and riding a horse require balance and strength and thus offering many physical ben-

all times, one person to lead the horse and one side walker on each side of the horse,” Gebhardt explained. Although someone is leading the horse, the rider must still give commands and use the reins to guide the horse.

efits as well. For those with impaired mobility, riding relaxes and stimulates unused muscles and joints, building muscle tone and improving strength and coordination. Horseback riding can be a challenge for those with poor motor skills and physical handicaps, so safety is always a priority. Riders have horseback riding instructors and trained volunteers during their ride. “Most riders will have three people assisting them at

The rocking, rhythmic movement of a horse moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to the human walk. This offers disabled riders the freedom to move without the assistance of a wheelchair, often for the first time. According to the American Equestrian Association, riders with physical disabilities show improvement in flexibility, balance, and muscle strength. Gebhardt explained that for some people who are bound to wheelchair, it

Some horses at Manitou Hill Farms in North Greece. “Our horses for the therapeutic riding program have the appropriate temperament to work with people of all ages and the horse is matched with the rider’s skill level,” said farm owner Jane Gebhardt. April 2012 •

can be difficult just to get them on the horse because their muscles are often tight. Gebhardt recalls one rider who came to Manitou Hill Farms shortly after he had been paralyzed after an injury. His muscles were so stiff from sitting in his wheelchair, it took 20 minutes just to get him up onto the horse. By his third or fourth session he was able to sit properly on the horse without his legs tight and his knees bent. Cathy List started riding at Manitou Hill Farms seven years ago. She has rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease and says that some days she is in so much pain she can barely get out of bed. “I noticed when riding, my pain goes away,” List said. For her, simple acts like holding the reins and brushing the horse helps exercise her hands She believes the warmth from the horse’s body helps to loosen up her stiff joints. “It changed my whole life.” List’s 8-year-old son, Seth, also rides at Manitou Hill Farms. List says she sees improvement in Seth, who has ADD/ADHD, when he rides. List says Seth has trouble concentrating in school. “But when he’s riding he is calm and focused,” List said. “He is able to communicate and follows instructions.” She says Seth and the horse, Jack, have bonded and that there is an undeniable connection between humans a horses. List says Seth benefits not only from riding but also from caring for Jack, which she believes has helped teach him responsibility. Gebhardt says horses make great therapeutic animals because they need a lot of care and attention. “Just grooming and interacting with the horses can be therapeutic,” Gebhardt said, especially for those who are dealing with feelings of isolation because of the bond that can form by just interacting with a horse. There are many rewards of caring for horses, without ever riding. From her experience providing therapeutic riding, Gebhardt says many feel a sense of empowerment and independence being in command of such a large animal. She says the experience helps boost the self-esteem and independence of riders of all ages. Therapeutic riding offers a unique experience for all involved. Volunteers are given a gratifying experience, taking part in helping the riders who benefit physically, mentally, and emotionally. The next recreational therapeutic riding program at Manitou Hill Farms is scheduled for spring. For more information, call 585-392-5576.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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“Farm workers are carrying shares of harvested lettuce for that afternoon’s CSA distribution at Mud Creek Farm in Victor. Photo by Erin Bullock, Farmer at Mud CreekFarm.

Straight From the Farm Community supported agriculture shares the harvest By Deborah Graf

traight from the farm to the dinner table, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is one of the fastest growing and best ways to make local, seasonal food the natural choice. While farmers’ markets and farm stands offer similar choices in healthy products, community supported agriculture takes it one step further and invites consumers to purchase shares directly from a farm prior to the growing season, essentially investing in that year’s crops. The benefits are bountiful to both farmers and consumers. “There are so many benefits with CSAs,” says Lea Kone, assistant director, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY.) “Besides the fact that it’s an easy way

to eat healthier with the freshest local food that is in season, it’s a very strong model to help farms and communities support each other.” Originally instituted by Robyn Van En in Massachusetts in the early 1980s, CSAs have had a steady increase in participants, with approximately 180 CSA farms across the state of New York, according to Kone. Elizabeth Henderson, co-author of “Sharing the Harvest, A Citizens Guide to Community Supported Agriculture,” initiated the first CSA project in the Rochester area in 1989. An organic farmer since the 1970s and recently retired from Peacework organic farm in Newark, Henderson became fully committed to CSA projects, eventually writing the book with Van En.

“It’s much more than buying produce from a farm, it’s a much deeper commitment between people who share both the risks and benefits of farming,” Henderson says. “You get to know your members and they get to know you. It’s a different kind of relationship.” Henderson says CSA is the alternative to industrial agriculture for farmers, who feel they are growing food for their friends, which for them is very different than selling into the regular marketplace like grocery stores and restaurants. Each week during the season farm members receive a basket, bags or box of fresh, locally-grown products— usually fruits and vegetables, herbs and eggs, from their CSA farm.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

According to Henderson, CSAs have proven to be very successful through the years, some farms even having waiting lists for new members. “Consumer count has shown growth even in economic downturns,” Kone says. “CSAs offer a broad range of healthy food, and consumers can choose their farm according to what they want and different specialties.” She says traditional models were vegetables, but have expanded to offer fruit, meats, dairy, and “add-ons” such as eggs. New CSA farms are even forming to offer things like fresh cut flowers and bakery items. “There is a tremendous variety,” Kone says. “Each farm grows a whole season’s worth of food, anything from greens to radishes, so by the end of the season members may have had 75 to 100 different fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more in their shares.” Farms also benefit from crop rotation, which improves the fertility of the soil. Another advantage for farmers is advance planning of their crops based on shares sold, allowing for better cost control, which can then be passed on to the consumer, and eliminates the middle man. “At first I was surprised at the cost,” says Mark Lee of Honeoye Falls. “But then I did the math and realized that it was much less expensive to get more and better vegetables than I could ever get at the supermarket.” Cost of joining a CSA farm varies, depending on many factors including the size of each share based on the number of people being served, type of products, drop-off or pick-up arrangements, payment plans, and sometimes even options to volunteer or work on the farm. According to Kone, cost for a halfshare serving two people can range from $250 to $300 per season. For a full share serving four, approximately $500. The season lasts about 26 weeks and the amount of food can often be enough to preserve for later consumption off-season, through canning, drying, and freezing. CSA offers convenience and opportunity for members to choose healthier food options that match their lifestyle. Some farms ask members to pick up the food directly from the farm, which gives consumers a chance to connect

“A shareholder family enjoys seeing their farmers and friends while selecting their weekly share items from their CSA distribution site at Mud Creek Farm in Victor. Photo by Erin Bullock, Farmer at Mud Creek Farm.” with the farmers; other farms establish community or neighborhood drop-off sites for members. “There are nuances between each individual CSA,” says Kone. “A family or consumer makes the investment up front and most farms will try to accommodate any way they can.” Accommodation is a two-way street for CSAs, and farmers and members must work together in a trusting relationship for success. Because shareholders invest prior to the growing season, they hope for the best possible products in return. Farmers will initially give prospective members examples of what they can provide, but with nature, nothing is guaranteed and sometimes

substitutions must be made. “I thought I was getting rhubarb in my box one week but because of some pests I got three times as many strawberries,” says Caroline Wyst of Rochester. “I didn’t mind, I just changed my recipes around.” Kone says farmers are creative, and know how to work with weather, insects and unexpected issues. She says most will go to whatever length they need to serve their members first and foremost, and she has rarely seen any problems. “I loved getting my box delivered each week,” says Wyst. “It got to the point I couldn’t wait to see what was in it, and the newsletter and recipes too. It was like Christmas all summer.” Most CSA farmers take the NOFANY Farmer’s Pledge, ensuring things such as responsible growing practices, serving the health of the consumer and the land, operating with ethics, utilizing safety practices, conserving natural resources, and following the pledge’s farming, processing and marketing philosophies. “The farmer’s pledge helps farms adhere to the best growing principles, including utilizing organic practices, even if the farm has not gone through organic certification,” says Kone. Organic farming is the absence of using pesticides and chemical fertilizers in the foods, and the absence of using antibiotics and hormones in meats and dairy. While most farmers choose to grow their crops organically, some do not take on the lengthy certification process and paperwork, according to Kone. But the trend toward an overall more natural way of living while utilizing and supporting local resources is what creates and sustains health and vitality both personally and in the community. And according to the farmers who wrote the book, that’s what CSA is all about.

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Run, walk, or cheer on the participants! Refreshments, prizes, music, family fun and games, silent auction, and more!

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How to find a CSA in Your Area NOFA-NY through a grant has established a series of annual CSA Fairs in different parts of the state, to promote regional food, publicize local CSAs, and encourage consumers to enroll. These informal opportunities offer consumers a chance to get to know CSA farmers, learn about their programs, and sign up for membership. For dates of fairs, visit www.nofany.org/csafair A listing of CSA farms can by found on the the NOFA-NY website and are listed by county, or consumers can call the NOFA-NY

office. For more information visit www.nofany.org NOFA-NY is a non-profit educational and training organization made up of consumers and farmers working together to bring high quality food to all people. It is supported by membership dues and contributions. 249 Highland Avenue Rochester, NY 14620 Phone: 585-271-1979 Fax: 585-271-7166 info@nofany.org

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Page 13

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

The Lowdown on Oatmeal

“

Your cholesterol is too high!” Ever since my doctor delivered those dreaded words, I have worked hard to lower my cholesterol through diet. In a word, I scale back on foods that raise it and devour those that don’t. I also make a conscientious effort to eat foods that actually lower blood cholesterol, like walnuts, salmon, and my all-time favorite and star of today’s column: oatmeal. Oatmeal in April? Yes! Odd as it may seem to feature such a cold-weather comfort food at the beginning of spring, I am purposely dishing on this nutritious grain to promote its yearround consumption. Unique among grains, oats almost Give your cherished pets the ‘luv’ they deserve.

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in oats have beneficial effects on blood pressure. Oatmeal is no lightweight when it comes to protein either, with one cup delivering about 11 grams (an egg has 6). Need one last reason to reach for the oats? They’re super high in manganese, a mineral that’s essential for healthy digestion, brain function, and bone formation. So, how’s my cholesterol? Fortunately, for me, diet did the trick.

Helpful tips never have their bran and germ removed in processing, which means you’re virtually guaranteed the whole grain and its many benefits. Current research indicates that eating whole grains helps reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Oatmeal is high in a specific kind of soluble fiber that helps lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, while maintaining the good cholesterol that your body needs. Since high cholesterol levels correlate with the build-up of plaques in blood vessel walls, which can then lead to a heart attack or stroke, it makes sense to lower these levels whenever we can. Me? More oats, please! My mother, who suffers from high blood pressure, never goes a day without a bowl of oatmeal because it’s one of the eight foods on the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan recommended by the NIH (National Institutes of Health). Both the fiber and magnesium found

Since the nutritional differences are quite minor between the various kinds of oats – from steel-cut to instant – go with the oatmeal whose texture and method of preparation appeal to you most. I like a chewier texture and so eat regular rolled oats, while my mother prefers the softer texture of instant oats. Both are easily prepared in the microwave in under 3 minutes. Oatmeal, stored in a cool, dark, and dry place, lasts for about 2 months. Note: Be sure to check the nutrition fact panel on flavored instant oatmeal, especially its sugar and salt contents.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Adapted from Nick Malgieri’s dessert cookbook I cup flour (Recommend: ½ whole wheat; ½ unbleached all-purpose flour) 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature (Recommend: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter sticks) ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup brown sugar (or ¼ cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend) 1 large egg ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant) ½ cup raisins ¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted Preheat oven to 375 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, then the egg, applesauce and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the oats, raisins, and nuts. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoons or tablespoons 2-inches apart on the baking sheets and use a fork to gently flatten the dough. Bake cookies about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheets during baking for even heating. Makes 18 large cookies, 24 medium.

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.

April 2012 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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HELP REDUCE ER CROWDING. FOR COLD AND FLU SYMPTOMS, SEE YOUR DOCTOR. A recent study found that each year there are hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits in upstate New York that could be avoided. Minor conditions like cold and ﬂu symptoms, congestion, back pain, earaches and sports injuries are best treated by your doctor. If your doctor isn’t available, consider visiting an urgent care facility. And do your part to relieve ER crowding.

Sponsored by the Monroe County Medical Society, Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. A nonproﬁt independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

Cancer

Teens Living with Cancer Local nonprofit helps teens grow despite their cancer By Beth Emley

hen Michaela Deeg first found out about a local Teens Living with Cancer program, she said she was a little apprehensive about joining. “I thought we would have to talk about our feelings and it would be super awkward,” said the 16-year-old junior at Greece Athena High School. “But when I got there, it was the complete opposite.” Michaela, who is now in remission from Hodgkin lymphoma, first started attending activities at the Teens Living with Cancer center, at the Al Sigl Center on Elmwood Avenue in Brighton, last July. She said she’s happy she got involved. “Everyone there is my best friend. There’s so much support and everyone is completely open and understanding,” she said. “When I first found out about it, I was refusing to even tell my closest friends. The people at TLC have gone through it and they understand and know and you don’t have to explain.” Teens Living with Cancer is one of the initiatives of the Melissa’s Living with Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Lauren Spiker of Henrietta. Spiker founded the organization and created a Teens Living with Cancer website in 2002, two years after her daughter, Melissa Sengbusch, died from a bone marrow malignancy at age 19. It was Melissa’s wish that her

mother do something to make other teens’ lives better. Spiker said Melissa’s Living Legacy has a partnership with the Children’s Oncology Group (the world’s largest cooperative children’s cancer research entity) that has helped the organization connect with 200 pediatric oncology facilities across the nation and the world to distribute a “whole host of age-appropriate resources” to teens who have been diagnosed with cancer. The organization also is able to spread its message at national conferences through exhibits and presentations about teen cancer. Melissa’s Living Legacy is also involved with providing training for health providers to help them build relationships with teens. “Teens are kind of quirky sometimes,” Spiker said. “If we don’t build good relationships, we have found that the teens will not always respond.” In addition to the national and international initiatives, the organization also has the local Teens Living with Cancer peer support network, which includes social groups for teens. Leah Shearer, the organization’s program coordinator and a two-time cancer survivor herself, leads the teen groups, while Spiker leads a parent group. Spiker and Shearer are the only two paid staff members of the organization and the rest of the group’s support is provided by volunteers. Shearer said many of the teens

Lori Luther and her daughter Michaela Deeg, a 16-year-old junior at Greece Athena High School who is now in remission from Hodgkin lymphoma. About the Teen Living with Cancer program in Rochester, Luther said: “It’s a good chance to sit with other moms and talk about what’s going on in a light-hearted way. It’s not this ‘Oh my gosh. this is horrible, woe is me.’”

At left – Katya Mailloux-Kuz, 17, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 9 and has been cancer-free for about seven years. Right – Jeremy Cimino, 20, of Gates, who is now in remission after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma two years ago.

come to TLC after they are patients at either Strong Memorial Hospital or Golisano Children’s Hospital. “We have a pretty robust calendar of activities” that are tailored to the teens’ interests, Shearer said. The teens range from age 12 to 22 and are in various stages of cancer treatment. There are about 40 to 50 teens active in the various groups. One of the groups meets Tuesdays for an activity night and there is another group meeting on Wednesdays that is focused on helping teens get their bodies fit again. “Our focus is really on providing support to everyone wherever they are at” with their cancer diagnosis, Shearer said. She said TLC doesn’t want to be

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like a typical “support group setting.” “We want to provide a place where everybody understands and is going through it,” she said. Jeremy Cimino, 20, of Gates, who is now in remission after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma two years ago, said he’s not naturally outgoing but he’s blossomed since being in the group. “I’ve been told the younger people look up to me,” he said. “I would really recommend it to anyone who has been diagnosed. It has helped me a lot.” Katya Mailloux-Kuz, 17, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 9 and although she has been cancer-free for

Continued on next page

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Teens Living with Cancer Continued from page 17

Women’s issues

Having a Bad Hair Day? Hair health can indicate other problems By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Leah Shearer, the organization’s program coordinator and a two-time cancer survivor herself, leads the teen groups about seven years, she said she has had continued side effects. The Pittsford Sutherland High School junior said the group has helped her to be more self-confident. “I have been able to open up more and feel more comfortable about myself. I love helping kids with cancer,” she said. Lori Luther, Michaela Deeg’s mother, said she has been grateful for the chance to connect with other parents whose teens are going through cancer. “It’s a good chance to sit with other moms and talk about what’s going on in a light-hearted way. It’s not this ‘Oh my gosh. this is horrible, woe is me,’” Luther said. Luther said since joining TLC, Michaela hasn’t missed a single event. The first time she attended, Luther said, “she came out of the room skipping and I had not seen that in months and months.” Spiker said the Melissa’s Living Legacy Foundation looks forward to seeing other Teens Living with Cancer groups form in the coming year. There is interest both in the Washington, D.C. area and also closer to home in Syracuse. “I’m very proud we’ve done as much as we have to help as many teens and families as we have,” Spiker said. She said the resources the organization has been able to provide were “non-existent” when Melissa was alive. “I have a sense of pride that we are able to keep her spirit alive and well, with the ever-growing realization that there is so much more to do.” Spiker said. Spiker said she hopes that the organization is what Melissa had in mind. “I’ve often asked myself, ‘Is this really helping the teens?’ I think the short answer is yes,” Spiker said. For more information about the Melissa’s Living with Legacy Foundation or the Teens Living with Cancer group, go to the websites, melissaslivinglegacy.org or teenslivingwithcancer. org or call 563-6221. Page 18

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or most women, a head of thick, lustrous hair is an important beauty feature. But when hair shows dullness, breakage and thinning, it may be more than a vanity issue. It could indicate a health problem. “These are signs that there is something wrong on the inside,” said Brett Shulman, a physician who heads Rochester General Medical Group’s Center for Dermatology. If hair turns fragile, it’s likely because of how it’s treated. Chemical treatments such as perming, relaxing or coloring are hard on hair, as are heating hair through blow drying, curling or using a flattening iron. Brushing hair while it is wet can also damage hair. Allowing it to air dry and gently brushing it with a natural bristle brush is the safest way to handle hair. “Hair is protein and it gets fatigued,” Shulman Shulman said. “It fractures the hair. You have to come up with hair styles that don’t require chemicals, but don’t substitute with another form of trauma like heat. If you abuse hair, you run the risk of creating a problem you’d rather not have.” Forgo harsh chemical treatments until new, healthy hair grows out and keep regular appointments with a stylist to trim off the damaged hair to maintain a healthier look. Avoid styles that pull and stretch hair such as tight braids, pony tails or barrettes. Both Shulman and Elizabeth Arthur, a dermatologist who owns and operates Helendale Dermatology & Medical Spa, LLC in Rochester, recommend botanically-based products regular hair care since they are gentle. Emotional health can impact hair. Arthur has treated clients whose hair quality and thickness have diminished while going through a divorce or other

significant, life-changing event. Dietary deficiencies can also impact hair health. “I tell patients that our hair doesn’t serve any medical purposes, it’s ornamental,” Arthur said. “When the body has to reserve it resources, it will forget about the hair. If you’re protein or iron deficient, your hair will take the hit.” Arthur recommends eating a balanced diet and, if needed, suppleArthur menting with a daily vitamin. “It won’t grow hair, but it will help keep hair healthy and happy,” she said. Although a good diet is important for maintaining healthy hair, “there’s not a lot of evidence that you can make hair loss go away with vitamins or significant dietary changes,” Shulman said. “If you notice something, get under the care of a dermatologist. You will be able to get an answer before the

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

destruction of the hair follicles because once the follicles are destroyed, the hair factories are destroyed. It gets destroyed because of inflammation. Like an acne lesion, you can get scarring. If you get scarring in the follicle, it is destroyed and no hair will grow from it.” With psoriasis, for example, “hair gets trapped under the skin and broken,” Shulman explained. Alopecia aerate is another autoimmune disease that causes abnormal shedding that can effect only the head or other parts of the body, too. Shedding too much is a good reason to see a dermatologist. A dermatologist can also help determine if an infection such as ringworm is the culprit. As women become peri-menopausal, hair can thin and “obesity will worsen that genetic problem of losing hair on the top and the crown,” Arthur said. Shulman and Arthur both recommend Rogaine as an effective treatment for patterned hair loss, though quitting the product will, in a few months, return hair to its previous state.

Women’s issues More Women Enjoying Health Benefits of Martial Arts By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ust a few decades ago, women seldom practiced martial arts. But these days, not only are many area classes nearly half populated by women and girls but many martial arts instructors are also women. Meaghan Murray has practiced martial arts for 20 years. She is now a fifth degree instructor at Samurai Martial Arts in Rochester. “I think the idea of martial arts has changed from being a male sport,” she said. “Women are getting more into the things that had been traditionally a male sport.” At her school, about 40 percent of students are female. The school teaches Isshin Ryu Karate, Brazilian JiuJitsu, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Japanese Kendo, women’s self defense, cardio kickboxing and Pilates. At Master Kim’s Taekwondo Institute, Inc., which has locations in Penfield, Irondequoit and Greece, sixth degree black belt instructor Soo Kim said that her school has more women practicing now than ever. “They’re understanding that martial arts isn’t just for

men,” Kim said. “Women are looking to diversify their exercise. They don’t want to just do aerobics or spinning. And with martial arts, they get self defense along with physical fitness.” Entire family participation draws many women to Master Kim’s. “In our school, we have a big family program,” Kim said. “A lot of the mothers are joining because their children are involved. They see how their children are benefitting so the whole family is getting involved.” Kim said that at her school, the physical performance requirements for men and women are the same. “There is no difference,” she said. “They are treated equally. The women are often as strong as the men and they are good sparring partners with the men. They don’t use as much brute force. They are more correct technically at sparring.” Joining the rest of the family in practicing martial arts is how Kelly Farrar started. Now a first degree black belt and children’s class instructor at Kuk Sool Won of Greater Rochester, Farrar joined in 2007. Her husband, Jason Lee, had been

Kelly Farrar started practicing martial arts in 2007 and holds a ﬁrst degree black belt. She practices at Kuk Sool Won of Greater Rochester with her husband, Jason Lee, and their son, Nathan.

Meaghan Murray has practiced martial arts for 20 years. She is now a ﬁfth degree instructor at Samurai Martial Arts in Rochester. practicing since 2000 and their son, Nathan, started at age four. “Between Master [Gary] Evarts [the school’s sixth degree black belt master and owner] and my husband bugging me, I got started,” Farrar said. Kuk Sool Won of Greater Rochester operates in Williamson, Ontario and Wolcott. Farrar said she has found the classes empowering. “You feel you would be able to defend yourself in some way such as basic wrist grasp escape to more advanced movements. “Once or twice a year, Master Evarts takes the women aside to focus on women’s self defense. I think he likes helping us and showing us that many times, size doesn’t matter in a self defense situation.” Some martial arts techniques such as leverage-based throws, pressure point strikes and join manipulation, all integral to Kuk Sool Won, don’t rely upon brute strength, making martial arts a great equalizer between men and women in a self defense situation. “You just have to do the techniques correctly,” Farrar said. “If you’re good at it, you can very easily take down a guy 50 or 60 pounds heavier than you.” Farrar likes the health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health, flexibility, balance and bone strength. To prevent injury, Kuk Sool Won students practice correct falling tech-

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niques. “The mild impact from falling over and over strengthens bones,” Farrar said, “as does the weight-bearing exercise. We women worry about osteoporosis more than men.” Murray enjoys the confidence boost that practicing martial arts gives her and the fact that “it’s fun to do,” she said. “It helps with your health and staying in shape.”

Want to read about female martial artists?

Check out these books: The Iron Butterfly: Memoir of a Martial Arts Master by Choon Ok Jade Harmon; Women in the Martial Arts by Carol Wiley; The Way of the River: Adventures and Meditations of a Woman Martial Artist by BK Loren (all available on Amazon.com).

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Women’s issues

Menopause Weight Gain By Jeff Leathersich

Martial Arts Instructors

ost women gain weight as they age, but excess pounds aren’t inevitable. As you get older, you may notice that maintaining your usual weight becomes more difficult. In fact, the most profound weight gain in a woman’s life tends to happen during the years leading up to menopause (perimenopause). Weight gain after menopause isn’t inevitable, however. You can reverse course by paying attention to healthy-eating habits and leading an active lifestyle.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

What causes menopause weight gain? The hormonal changes of menopause may make you more likely to gain weight around your abdomen, rather than your hips and thighs. Hormonal changes alone don’t necessarily trigger weight gain after menopause, however. Instead, the weight gain is usually related to a variety of lifestyle and genetic factors. For example, menopausal women tend to exercise less than other women, which can lead to weight gain. In addition, muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, your body composition will shift to more fat and less muscle — which slows down the rate at which you burn calories. If you continue to eat as you always have, you’re likely to gain weight. For many women, genetic factors play a role in weight gain after menopause. If your parents or other close relatives carry extra weight around the abdomen, you’re likely to do the same. Sometimes, factors such as children leaving — or returning — home, divorce, the death of a spouse or other life changes may contribute to weight gain after menopause. For others, a sense of contentment or simply letting go leads to weight gain.

Menopause weight gain: Stop the middle age spread How risky is weight gain after menopause? Weight gain after menopause can have serious implications for your health. Excess weight increases the risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. In turn, these conditions increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Excess weight also increases the risk of various types of cancer, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer. In fact, some research suggests that gaining as little as 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) at age 50 or later could increase the risk of breast cancer by 30 percent. What’s the best way to prevent weight gain after menopause? There’s no magic formula for preventing — or reversing — weight gain after menopause. Simply stick to weight-control basics: Page 20

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What They Want You to Know:

Leathersich • Move more. Aerobic activity can help you shed excess pounds or simply maintain a healthy weight. Strength training counts, too. As you gain muscle, your body burns calories more efficiently — which makes it easier to control your weight. As a general goal, include at least 40 minutes of physical activity four times a week and do strength training exercises at least twice a week. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to increase your activity even more. • Eat less. To maintain your current weight — let alone lose excess pounds — you may need about 200 fewer calories a day during your 50s than you did during your 30s and 40s. To reduce calories without skimping on nutrition, pay attention to what you’re eating and drinking. Choose more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Opt for lean sources of protein. Don’t skip meals, which may lead you to overeat later. • Seek support. Surround yourself with friends and loved ones who’ll support your efforts to eat a healthy diet and increase your physical activity. Better yet, team up and make the lifestyle changes together. If you plateau in your weight loss or are doing everything right but not getting anywhere, medical support is available. Recent studies have shown that those who are most successful at losing weight and keeping it off are patients at medical weight loss centers. Some people need the medical support such as behavioral coaching and often prescription medications. We often discover undiagnosed conditions contributing to their weight gain or problems that are a result of the excess weight. But in the end of the day healthy choices for life are essential to obtaining and maintaining a weight you can live with for a long long time.

Jeff Leathersich, a physician assistant, at New Genesis Center for Medical Weight Loss, 3300 Monroe Ave., Suite 345, Rochester. For more information, call 585-3817280 or visit www.newgenesis.com.

artial arts can range from mixed, sport styles that incorporate movements from a variety of countries and backgrounds to strictly guarded, copyrighted curriculum that adheres to a single nation and culture as its source. Martial arts can include Eastern health modalities such as acupressure and meditation. Most schools focus on fitness, self discipline, personal defense and body conditioning. Martial arts instructors usually have progressed to black belt level through numerous years of training under the supervision of a martial arts master and have passed tests that demonstrate their skill. Many schools belong to a larger governing body or association. • “There are a lot of different styles. They aren’t all ‘karate.’ They come from different countries. Most people ask, ‘What’s the difference between karate, kung fu and tae kwon do?’ They are totally different. Karate is from Japan. Kung fu is from China. Tae kwon do is Korean. It is my country’s martial art. I am Korean. • “The first time I came here, no one knew what tae kwon do was. Rochester was a karate town. I teach for over 30 years and now it is the most popular in the country because of the Olympic Games and tae kwon do is an Olympic sport. • “I try to teach my students to keep in a traditional martial arts way and also in a sports way. They are two different categories. I have to keep my Korean ways to teach people. It’s the more traditional way. Most martial art they talk about good discipline, confidence and etiquette. Most of the martial arts talk about the same. But especially, tae kwon do is about discipline and really good philosophic background and respect of people and having a hungry mind. Most martial arts talk about philosophy but at my school it is very important.” Soon Ho Jeon, grandmaster at Master Jeon’s World Tae Kwon Do, • “Everyone thinks your hands and feet are legal weapons registered with the police and that’s not true. • “You don’t have to spar and beat the instructor to move on to the next degree. A lot of us would never be promoted if that were true, though it’s not unusual to spar the instructor as part of the test. • “The protocol at the school is important. It’s not a playground. It’s not a social event. The respect for the student is enhanced if the parents [as spectators] don’t talk and carry on while the student is out there on the floor trying to focus.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

• “Parents don’t know what is going on. They just ask what the price is, as opposed to learning what about the martial art will enhance my child to be a better person. If the parents are sitting there watching, they should join. Every parent and child should do martial arts. • “It’s not just for children. We teach martial arts from ages 4 to 64. Young students absorb information like a sponge. They are very energized. But they understand respect and discipline. If you think you’re too old, that concept since about 1995 has gone by the wayside since everyone is working out and getting in shape. A lot of people are starting later. You might not kick like a 20-year-old, but as you practice, you might have more flexibility and less stress. • “An art like Kuk Sool Won offers joint locks, joint manipulation and ki breathing. It offers self defense, body awareness, enhances focus and gives more longevity from stress reduction. A school that is sports-only oriented would be harder for them.” Master Gary Evarts, 6th degree black belt and head instructor at Kuk Sool Won of Greater Rochester with locations in Williamson, Ontario and Wolcott • “We’re not going to beat you up whenever we feel like it. We won’t get you bloodied and bruised. It’s not what you see on UFC Mixed Martial Arts. That is a very small sector of the world of martial arts. • “People always ask how long it will take to get their black belt. There is no black and white answer. Karate isn’t a team sport but is very individualized. The effort and energy you put into it is what you get out of it. It takes dedication and perseverance to get a black belt and to continue on to make it a lifestyle. It’s not just to say you’ve got a black belt; it is a lifestyle. I can’t guarantee a black belt to anyone unless they want it themselves.” Meaghan Murray, 5th degree black belt instructor and floor manager at Samurai Martial Arts, Rochester Deborah Jeanne Sergeant is a writer with In Good Health. “What Your Doctor Wants You to Know” is an ongoing column that appears monthly to give our area’s healthcare professionals an opportunity to share how patients can improve their care by helping their providers and by helping themselves.

Top Reasons Why People Don’t Lose Weight

t’s been nearly four month since the new year, and swimsuit season is lurking on the horizon — how are those weight-loss resolutions working out? “Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance,” says Jessica Bartfield, an internal medicine physician who specializes in nutrition and weight management at Loyola University Health System’s Gottlieb Memorial Hospital. Despite that fact that two-thirds of Americans say they are on a diet to improve their health, very few are actually decreasing in size. “Dieting is a skill, much like playing a musical instrument, and requires practice and good instruction, “ says Bartfield. “You’re going to hit some wrong notes and feel frustrated, but eventually you will succeed and it will get easier.” According to Bartfield, here are the top four reasons why many dieters fail to lose weight.

1. Underestimating Calories Consumed

“Most people, even experts, underestimate the number of calories they eat per day. Writing down everything that you eat — including drinks and “bites” or “tastes” of food — can help increase self-awareness. Pay attention to serving sizes and use measuring cups and spoons as serving utensils to keep portions reasonable. Food eaten outside of the home tends to be much larger portion sizes and much higher in calories. Try to look up nutrition information of your favorite take-out meal or restaurant and select a healthy meal before picking up the phone or going out to eat.

2. Overestimating Activity and Calories Burned

“Typically you need to cut 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb per week. This is very difficult to achieve through exercise alone, and would require 60 minutes or more of vigorous activity every day. A more attainable goal would be to try to increase activity throughout the day and get a total of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week. Buy a pedometer and track your steps; try to increase to a goal of 10,000 steps per day. But be careful, exercise is not an excuse to eat more!”

3. Poor Timing of Meals

“You need a steady stream of glucose throughout the day to maintain optimal energy and to prevent metabolism from slowing down. Eat breakfast every day within one hour of waking up, then eat a healthy snack or meal every three to four hours. Try not to go longer than five hours without eating a healthy snack or meal to keep your metabolism steady.”

4. Inadequate Sleep

“Studies have shown that people who get fewer than six hours of sleep have higher levels of ghrelin, which is a hormone that stimulates appetite, particularly for high- carbohydrate /high- calorie foods. In addition, less sleep raises levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, which can lead to weight gain.”

Lighten Up Easter Feast By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

lanning a big Easter Sunday meal with family but trying to watch what you eat? It may seem like it is OK to splurge for just one meal, but you may eat more “special” meals every year than you think. “If it’s just a meal that happens infrequently like Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s not so bad,” said Carol Plotkin, registered dietitian and owner of On Nutrition in Rochester. “But we have Super Bowl celebrations, St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras and so on. There always seems to be some occasion for overeating.” And it’s hard to resist those special, traditional dishes that are rolled out only a few times a year. “Tradition is important, but you can also make new traditions centered around a healthier meal,” Plotkin said. “Some of your guests will really appreciate if you offer something healthful. It’s personal choice and as long as there are the meaningful dishes people want, it will be fine.” With a few easy switches, you can make the feast a more healthful one. Ham is a tradiPlotkin tional Easter meal centerpiece. Laden with sodium, fat and artificial curing agents, ham isn’t a terrific choice. But if you simply can’t have Easter without ham, try to reduce the sodium in the rest of the meal by cooking from scratch. Dotty Trail, registered dietitian with Canandaigua VA, said, “Use spices and herbs in place of sodium in the rest of the meal” to help compensate and that “it’s about portion control. The new guideline found at www. choosemyplate.gov is that one-quarter of the plate should be ham, not half.” Try serving something else in addition to or instead of ham. “Roasted pork tenderloin or roasted leg of lamb can substitute for ham,” said Jane Braband, registered dietitian with Rochester General Hospital. “The lamb is higher in fat and should be trimmed of fat.” Turkey can also provide plenty of lean protein. But you can also serve meat alternatives alongside. “I have served a side of cheese ravioli with marinara sauce for the vegetarians,” Braband said. “There is also available vegan ravioli. These suggestions are lower in sodium, cholesterol, and fat.” Creamy vegetable casseroles at least include healthful vegetables, but serving them in a cream sauce boosts the saturated fat content of the meal. Instead, try steamed veggies you may not eat often such as asparagus to make it special. “Often new spring asparagus is available at Easter time,” Braband said. Offer more than one vegetable, such as a steamed vegetable, tossed salad with an olive oil-based dressing and a tray of fresh veggies with hummus for dip. “As long as they’re offered, people will eat them,” Plotkin said. Skip scalloped potatoes and candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Instead, “try fresh whipped sweet

If you simply can’t have Easter without ham, try to reduce the sodium in the rest of the meal by cooking from scratch. potatoes made with boiled fresh sweet potatoes, orange juice, real maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and a small amount of Smart Balance margarine without trans fats,” Braband said. “Only a small amount of real maple syrup goes a long way.” Sweet potatoes represent a terrific source of beta carotene. Instead of mashed potatoes swimming in butter or fatty gravy, make baked potatoes with fat free sour cream, light spread, and chives for toppings. By keeping the skins on, you preserve many of the potato’s vitamins and minerals.

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Enjoy in Moderation Fill your candy bowl with some Easter treats that are a little more healthful than the normal fare. Of course any kind of candy will be high in calories, so enjoy in moderation. • Dark chocolate rabbits, eggs or bunnies can be a healthful indulgence. Dark chocolate provides antioxidants. • Good quality chocolate is more satisfying than waxy, lowquality chocolate so you will likely eat less of a better brand. • Small, individually wrapped treats can help with portion control instead of a large chocolate character. • Sugar-free jelly beans can help reduce caloric intake and are kinder to tooth enamel that the sugar versions (but it’s smart to brush after eating anything). • Check sites such as Indie Candy (www.indiecandy.com), Natural Candy Store (www. naturalcandystore.com) and Surf Sweets (www.surfsweets.com) for candy that avoids artificial colors, sweeteners and additives.

Many families like fruity, dessertlike side dishes. Some use artificial whipped topping, salad dressing and sweetened gelatin. But why not skip the fat and sugar and serve a fruit salad instead? If you use fruit cocktail, buy the kind that is packed in juice, not syrup to eliminate added sugar. If you use only fresh fruit, toss with a little apple juice to keep banana slices from browning. “Get some fresh strawberries,” Plotkin said. “You can make a beautiful tray of fresh fruit. People love it.” Hot rolls make the holiday special, but if you bake (or buy) whole wheat rolls, not white, you’ll boost your intake of whole grains. “You want to avoid the overly refined carbohydrates like white bread,” Trail said. “The whole grain leaves the wheat germ intact because it is high fiber and is better tolerated by people with blood sugar issues.” If you buy rolls, look for “whole wheat” not “wheat” on the package to get an all-whole-wheat product. “Wheat” rolls can also have white flour in them. Plotkin said that the reason people “save room” for dessert is because they have not eaten anything sweet yet in the meal. Even if they are full, their palates crave sweet. To help reduce dessert intake or make not-so-sweet desserts satisfy more, serve something a little sweet in the meal such as carrots glazed with a little brown sugar. For a light Easter dessert, Braband recommends angel food cake with fresh berries. “I stay away from using much processed fat free or regular Cool Whip type of toppings,” she said. “A spoonful of strawberry Greek yogurt could be the topping.” Trail also recommends fruit-based desserts such as cobbler to increase fruit intake. Lemon soufflé can add a sweet ending to the meal without a lot of fat, as can a spice cake made with applesauce replacing some of the fat. In many baking recipes, heart healthy oil can replace butter or shortening.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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Social Security Disability Process: It’s Not for Sissies

The Social Ask Security Ofﬁce

By Mary Perry

f your health seriously affects your ability to work, you may want to put aside any preconceived notions about Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSD/ SSI). There are many myths regarding these benefits, probably because the extreme complexity of the system and the number of things that can wrong in trying to obtain them. • The trick to winning a Social Security Disability claim is to keep applying. This method is not only wrong, but can be detrimental. Social Security keeps tract of claims you have filed. Do you really believe an adjudicator would not see a “professional applicant” and would not consider that they on a “fishing expedition?” • Social Security Disability is for poor people. Not true either. We pay to be “insured” for disability when we pay our FICA tax. It’s like policy for retirement that came early due to an inability to maintain a level of substantial gainful income. • If I go on “permanent” disability I’ll never be able to work again. This is incorrect on several levels. First, Social Security Disability expects that you will not be able to work for 12 consecutive months, but even then, they allow time periods for work attempts. Not to mention that Social Security allows you to earn a lower income that may not affect your claim. You can be disabled for a year or two and then go back to work when you’re feeling better. In fact there are incentive programs to help and encourage you to get back to work. • My doctor says I am totally, 100 percent disabled, so they have to pay me my benefits. Sorry but while this is a good start, Social Security acknowledges that the decision of total disability is for the commissioner. This means that a doctor’s seal of approval is a just a good start. There is a lot more that

goes into getting good ending for your request for benefits. • To win a Social Security claim, you have to have a lawyer. No, just about anyone can represent you or you can go it alone. However, you may want to consider who benefits if you don’t know what you are doing. Professional representation, such as a qualified lawyer or an accredited disability representative (ADR), may give you the best chance of winning your claim. It is common to pay for these services only is you win. • Nobody gets disability. Everybody gets disability. The wrong people get disability. The truth is there are a very stringent rules and regulations that govern how disability is decided. If someone says, “I got disability and I’m not even disabled,” perhaps they got benefits when they were disabled and neglected to tell Social Security they got better. Or perhaps they simply chose not to discuss such personal matters with you. On the other hand, the person who seems to deserve disability and is denied benefits may not meet the non-medical requirement for SSD and have too much in assets or income for SSI. • It’s easy living on Social Security Disability benefits or SSI. Wow, is this wrong. Simply look at what you would get from Social Security if you retired and consider living on that amount for SSD. SSI, a needs based program, has very modest income and asset standards. On a side note, a disabled child may be eligible for SSI if the family income meets the guidelines. Mary Perry, ADR (accredited disability representative), is based in Rochester and has over 20 years of experience with disability issues She can be reached at disabilityrep@yahoo.com.

In Good Health

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Our Egg Hunt For You

ggs have long been a symbol of new life in the spring. In America, the Easter egg hunt finds its roots in the 1700s when German immigrants brought the tradition to Pennsylvania. Today, the traditional egg hunt thrills children everywhere. We at Social Security would like to serve up our own Easter egg hunt. Instead of eggs, we challenge you to hunt for our most popular online services. Our online services are almost as easy to find as they are easy to use. Let us lead you in the right direction: begin your hunt at www.socialsecurity.gov. Here are some of the good eggs worth discovering. The Retirement Estimator provides an instant, personalized estimate of your future benefits. In just minutes, you can have a nice ballpark figure of what to expect in future benefits. The Online Retirement Application lets you complete your application for Social Security retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes. Better yet, you can apply from the comfort of your home or office at a time most convenient for you. There’s no need to drive to a local Social Security office or wait for an appointment with a Social Security representative. It’s so easy.

Q&A

Q: How many Social Security numbers have been issued since the program started? A: Since 1935, we have assigned more than 465 million Social Security numbers and each year we assign about 5.5 million new numbers. With approximately 1 billion combinations of the 9-digit Social Security number, the current system will provide us with enough new numbers for several generations into the future. To learn more about Social Security numbers and cards, visit www.socialsecurity. gov/pubs/10002.html.

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Q: How do I change my citizenship status on my Social Security record? A: To change the citizenship shown on our records you need to: • Complete an Application For A Social Security Card (Form SS-5), available at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5.htm; and • Show us documents proving your age, identity and new or revised citizenship status (We only accept certain documents as proof of citizenship. These include your U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Certificate of Citizenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, Social Security will ask to see your current immigration documents.) • Take (or mail) your completed application and documents to your local Social Security office. All documents must be either originals or copies certi-

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

The Online Medicare Application allows you to apply for Medicare benefits if you’re age 65 but not yet ready to start receiving retirement benefits. It takes less than 10 minutes to sign up for Medicare. Apply for Extra Help with your Medicare prescription drug plan costs. The Extra Help is worth about $4,000 a year. To qualify for the Extra Help, you must be receiving Medicare, have limited resources and income, and reside in one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia. Get a Replacement Medicare Card if you already receive Medicare and you can’t find the card you were issued. Request a Proof of Income letter that verifies your Social Security benefit information, including Medicare and SSI benefits. Get Answers to Our FAQs. Getting an answer to our most frequently asked questions is as easy as finding the big question mark on our home page. Also on our website, you’ll find such treasures as links to publications, videos, and our Facebook and Twitter pages. The more you search the corners of the website, the more good eggs you’ll find. Start the egg hunt now! You’ll find all the eggs in one basket: www.socialsecurity.gov.

fied by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov. Q: Why doesn’t my estimate using the Retirement Estimator take into account my work as a teacher? I’ve worked for 20 years for the state and thought it would count. A: If you work for a state or local government agency — including a school system, college, or university — your earnings may not be covered by Social Security. If you are covered only by your state or local pension plan and you don’t pay Social Security taxes, your earnings won’t be shown on your Social Security record. (Your record will show your Medicare wages if you pay into that program). For information on how your pension from noncovered state or local employment may affect the amount of your Social Security benefit, you can visit www.socialsecurity. gov/retire2/wep-chart.htm Q: I have never worked but my spouse has. What will my benefits be? A: As a spouse, you may be entitled to one-half of a retired worker’s benefit amount when you reach full retirement age. If you want to get a Social Security retirement benefit as early as age 62, the amount of your benefit is reduced. The amount of reduction depends on when you will reach full retirement age.

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Dear Savvy Senior What tips can you recommend to help me save on my drug costs? I’m 62 years old, and currently take six different prescription medications that I can barely afford. Poorly Insured Dear Poorly, There are actually a variety of ways you can reduce your medication costs without cutting quality, but you’ll need to take a proactive approach. The following tips can also help seniors with a Medicare prescription drug plan avoid the “donut hole” coverage gap, or reduce their costs once they reach it. Here are some cost-cutting strategies to try. Check your insurance

If you have drug coverage, your first step is to find out what your plan does and doesn’t cover. You can do this by visiting the insurer’s website or by calling their 800 number on the back of your insurance card. Once you have this information, share it with your doctor so (if possible) he or she can prescribe medications that are best covered by your plan. You also need to find out if your insurer has a mailorder service. This would help you to purchase your medications for 20 to 40 percent less.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist

Find out if the medications you’re taking are available in a generic form or a less expensive brand-name drug (you can also look this up online at sites like destinationrx.com). About 75 percent of all premiums drugs on the market today have a lower-cost alternative. Switching could save you between 20 and 90 percent. Many chains like Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, Kmart, CVS and Walgreens sell hundreds of generics for as little as $4 for a 30-day supply and $10 for a 90-day supply. Another cost cutter is to buy your medications in bulk. Many pharmacies give discounts if you buy a threemonth supply of drugs versus a 30-day supply. Also, find out if the pills you’re taking can be cut in half. Pill splitting allows you to get two months worth of medicine for the price of one.

Shop around

Drug prices can vary form drugstore to drugstore, so it’s definitely

Also:WEIGHT MANAGEMENT and STRESS REDUCTION

worth your time to compare prices at the different pharmacies in your area. Using U.S.-based online pharmacies are another way to save 25 percent or more. Drugstore.com and familymeds. com are two good sites that provide solid savings, but there are dozens to choose from. If you opt for an online pharmacy, be sure you purchase from ones that have the “VIPPS” seal of approval (see vipps.info) from the National Association of Board of Pharmacy. Seniors enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan also need to make sure the online pharmacy they’re buying from is included in their network. Otherwise, the purchase may not count toward their deductible.

Get a discount card

Many pharmacies have free or lowcost discount card programs that will let you buy generics for $4 or qualify for steeper discounts on other drugs. Other drug card programs worth a look include togetherrxaccess.com, rxsavingsplus.com, yourrxcard.com, rxfreecard.com, pscard.com and familywize. com.

Search for drug assistance programs

If your income is limited, you can probably get help through drug assistance programs offered through pharmaceutical companies, government agencies and charitable organizations. To find these types of programs use benefitscheckup.org, a comprehensive website that lets you easily locate the programs you’re eligible for, and will show you how to apply.

Buy from Canada

This option offers savings between 50 and 80 percent on brand-name drugs, but it’s important to understand that it’s illegal to import drugs from Canada. The FDA, however, does not prosecute anyone who imports prescription drugs for personal use. If you’re interested in this option, see pharmacychecker.com, an independent resource that finds the lowest prices from licensed and reputable Canadian pharmacies. (Note: This is not a good option for Medicare Part D beneficiaries because it will not count toward their deductible.)

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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. April 2012 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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H ealth News Pluta Cancer has new development coordinator Pluta Cancer Center recently appointed Tricia Potocki as development coordinator. In her new role, she will assist in overseeing various community efforts including fundraising, donor cultivation, major gifts, special events, and volunteer activities. “Tricia brings a tremendous amount of energy and creativity to our team,” said Pluta Potocki Cancer Center President and CEO Kelly McCormick-Sullivan. “Her strong work ethic and dedication show she will be a valuable addition to the Center.” Potocki earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and French at St. John Fisher College. She lives in Rochester.

Orthopedic surgeon join Clifton Springs Hospital Tariq Hussain, a board certified orthopedic surgeon, has recently joined Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic’s medical staff. He attended medical school in Pakistan and received his orthope-

dic training from the University College in London, England. Hussain has more than 10 years experience in general orthopedics, joint replacement, pain management, sports medicine and hand, foot and ankle surgery. He is fellowship-trained in hand surgery from Hussain the University of New Mexico and sports medicine from Ohio State University. “We have a long tradition of quality orthopedic care,” says John Galati, CEO at Clifton Springs, “and we are pleased to have Dr. Hussain join our team. He brings with him a degree of specialization that will continue to benefit our community.”

Clyde Comstock to preside NYS mental organization Hillside Family of Agencies announced that the agency’s chief operating officer and Irondequoit resident Clyde Comstock has been appointed as president of the New York State Coalition for Children’s Mental Health Services. In his new position, Comstock will take a strategic role in evaluating the organization’s operational structure and public policy role before state agencies and elected officials.

Celebrating the ﬁrst-year anniversary of the National VA Caregiver Support Line in Canandaigua are, from left, Deborah Amdur, chief consultant care management; Pamela Wright, program manager; Cari Malcom, program coordinator; and Meg Kabat, program’s deputy director.

One-year Celebration of National VA Caregiver Support Line in Canandaigua The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Feb. 1 marked the one-year anniversary of the toll-free National VA Caregiver Support Line located at the Canandaigua VAMC. The support line has helped more than 25,000 veterans and caregivers Page 24

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with its staff of licensed social workers and health technicians, bringing support, connection to resources and a listening ear to the spouses and loved ones of veterans who provide daily assistance to those who served.

Comstock

The New York State Coalition for Children’s Mental Health Services is dedicated to projecting a unified voice for children’s mental health care providers and the families they serve through the maze and challenges of public policies, legislation and funding of the children’s mental health

system. “The Coalition staff and board of directors are excited to welcome Clyde Comstock as the next board president for the New York State Coalition for Children’s Mental Health Services,” said Andrea Smyth, executive director. “Clyde brings the strength and quality of Hillside Family of Agencies to this leadership role, which translates into credibility when we advocate on behalf of all the Coalition’s member agencies.” For more than 40 years Comstock has worked in the field of human services with 28 of those years at Hillside Family of Agencies. He began his career at House of the Good Shepherd in Utica.

Practices in Geneva, Sodus receive recognition The National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded both Geneva Community Health and Sodus Community Health with the highest — level 3 — recognition under the NCQA Physician Practice Connections-Patient Centered Medical Home program. Both health centers are part of Finger Lakes Community Health and were recognized for Eagleson providing comprehensive primary care for children, youth, and adults. “We are pleased that NCQA’s program recognizes the work we do in providing quality care to our patients by rating us at the highest NCQA level,” said Mary Zelazny, CEO, Finger Lakes Community Health. “The measures help to demonstrate how well we provide access to appointments, management of patients with chronic disease, and ongoing quality improvement.” Sodus Community Health is the only physician practice with this designation in its area. Geneva Community Health is one of two practices in the region. “As a patient-centered medical home, we focus on long-term, collaborative relationships between doctors and patients, coordinated care and technology to meet each patient’s unique needs. Whether we’re providing medical, dental or behavioral health care, we are committed to providing world-class primary care for those who need it most,” said Elizabeth Eagleson, a physician with Geneva Community Health.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

St. Ann’s Community donates $100 K in 2011 In 2011, St. Ann’s Community donated volunteer time, money and in-kind donations valued at $100,987 to local nonprofits. St. Ann’s gave to a variety of organizations that have similar values. Its Walk to End Alzheimer’s team raised $18,318 for the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association; St. Ann’s employees donated $37,500 to the United Way; and the on-campus café donated portions of coffee sales to veterans’ programs. But not all donations are monetary. Toy drives around the holidays and school supply collections in August presented opportunities for employees to give tangible, in-kind gifts. The organization also gave of its time, allowing employees to volunteer for certain events while on the clock. Twice over the summer, St. Ann’s provided food, and cooking and serving crews to feed the needy who visited St. Martin’s Place for a nutritious lunch. Steve Smith, vice president, foundation and resource development, said, “St. Ann’s Community is committed to being a good neighbor and corporate citizen. We have been blessed with generous support from our community and feel the obligation to give back. St. Ann’s and its employees are committed to giving their time, talent and resources to make our community a better place.” St. Ann’s Community is one of Rochester’s largest private employers with more than 1,000 employees. It provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults. St. Ann’s serves seniors with two licensed, accredited and certified skilled nursing facilities, medical and social adult day programs, independent retirement housing, a transitional care program, assisted living, specialized dementia care, geriatric outpatient primary care practice, and hospice care (in partnership with two local hospice agencies) located on two campuses in the Greater Rochester area.

The Maplewood recognized as a best nursing home The Maplewood, a 74-bed longterm nursing and short-term rehabilitation care facility in Webster, has again been recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Nursing Homes” ratings. As it did in 2011, the renowned news publisher has awarded a five-star overall ranking to The Maplewood for 2012. The annual “Best Nursing Homes” ratings offer important guidance to families and healthcare providers caring for people in need of a nursing home. The 2012 ratings recognize toprated nursing homes in all 50 states. Maplewood Administrator Greg Chambery shares his enthusiasm for this recognition: “Five-star overall ratings are rare. It’s the unyielding professionalism, level of care, and provision of choice that form the reasons why The Maplewood is again able to achieve this accolade in 2012.

H ealth News It’s an honor, every year, to serve our residents and their family members. I would like to thank every one of our dedicated employees for the quality they bring to The Maplewood.” U.S. News’s evaluation of nursing homes is based on data from Nursing Home Compare, a consumer website run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The government agency sets and enforces standards for nursing homes (defined as facilities or portions of facilities enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid that provide 24-hour nursing care and other medical services). Homes earn an overall rating of one to five stars, as well as up to five stars in each of three underlying categories: health inspections, nurse staffing, and quality of care. Maplewood Nursing & Rehabilitation was founded in 1947 by Thomas and Johanna Chambery as a nursing center located in the city of Rochester. The facility is currently located in Webster and is owned and operated by Gregory Chambery, grandson of Thomas and Johanna. Maplewood Nursing & Rehabilitation prides itself in providing attentive service, the highest quality of rehabilitative care and state-of-the-art accommodations, including luxurious suites and several levels of private

rooms. The Maplewood cares for up to 74 patients and has a staff of 190 people.

Excellus gives grant for disaster preparedness The American Red Cross says that 20,000 more people in Upstate New York will be prepared for house fires, floods, ice storms and other disasters thanks to a $50,000 grant from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. The grant will enable American Red Cross officials to offer “Be Red Cross Ready” disaster preparedness programs in 33 counties of Upstate New York, including the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Southern Tier regions. In addition to community presentations, thousands of people will now be able to access informational literature to help them prepare for disasters on their own. “Many of our employees learned the value of disaster preparedness when tropical storm Irene devastated the eastern parts of the state this summer,” said Chris Booth, president and chief operating officer, Excellus BCBS. “Part of our mission is to improve the

quality of lives in the communities we serve, and having a prepared community does just that.” Excellus BCBS and its parent company employ 6,600 employees in 50 locations throughout Upstate New York. On Aug. 28, tropical storm Irene devastated the Schoharie office of Support Services Alliance, an Excellus BCBS affiliate. Excellus BCBS’ offices in Binghamton also closed for a few days due to the storm. The Be Red Cross Ready program will target seniors, faith communities, youth and under-served individuals such as those with disabilities. For more information on Be Red Cross Ready, go to redcross.org. To register, call 585-241-4481.

Clear Choice Hearing opens ofﬁce in Brighton Clear Choice Hearing and Balance, a woman-owned business providing a full range of diagnostic services for hearing loss, is opening a second location at Clinton Crossings in Brighton. Clear Choice also operates an office in Greece, which opened in 2008. “We’re excited to be able to serve

the Brighton community and surrounding area, in addition to our Greece office, in providing state-of-the-art hearing diagnostics,” says Christine Tirk, who has more than 12 years experience as a licensed hearing instrument specialist and owner of Clear Choice Hearing and Balance. According to Tirk, Clear Choice was the first private practice on Monroe County’s west side area to perform and interpret a full range of diagnostic tests of vestibular disorders, tinnitus therapy, hearing conservation and hearing rehabilitation are specialties of the office. Attending patients will be audiologist Ron D’Angelo. He is certified and licensed to practice audiology within New York state and is a member of the American Academy of Audiology, the American Speech/Hearing Language Association, and the medical staff of Lakeside Memorial Hospital. His areas of specialization include tinnitus therapy, dizziness/balance testing and hearing conservation. D’Angelo also lectures at the Eastman School of Music, and donates time at Nazareth College, and other educational facilities on hearing conservation for musicians.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield CEO David Klein to Retire David Klein, the chief executive officer of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and its parent corporation for the past nine years, announced he will retire at the end of 2012 after 40 years in the health insurance industry. “I’m proud to have helped build, and then to have had the privilege to lead, the largest and most successful nonprofit health plan in Upstate New York,” Klein said. “As an organization we’ve remained true to our mission of providing as many people as possible with access to quality health care at an affordable price. I’m proud to say Klein our company continues to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.” As the CEO of the health plan’s parent organization, The Lifetime Healthcare Companies, Klein oversees a $5.6 billion enterprise that provides health insurance coverage to more than 1.8 million people, sells long-term care coverage in 50 states, and provides direct patient services through its home care business Lifetime Home Care and Hospice and through Lifetime Health Medical Group. The company’s board of directors will announce his successor in April. “David was instrumental in leading this corporation for more than 25

years,” said Randall Clark, chairman of the board of directors. “During that time, it went from a single health plan in Rochester with revenues of less than $400 million to a $5.6 billion entity that is the largest nonprofit financier of health care in upstate New York.” “As a key part of the management team that merged a series of companies to foster growth and financial stability, David helped us grow from a membership of 700,000 to 1.8 million,” said John Doyle, former chairman of the board. “When he started here in 1986, our company had about 1,000 employees. Now it has about 6,600 and it is one of Upstate New York’s largest employers.” Klein joined the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in 1972 and worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as a senior sales and marketing executive before moving to Rochester in 1986 to join Blue Cross and Blue Shield of the Rochester Area. That company merged with other Upstate New York blues plans in 1998 to form Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. In 2003, Klein was appointed chief executive officer of Excellus BCBS and its parent organization. Under Klein’s leadership, the corporation has enjoyed financial stability and growth. In 2007, he spearheaded a strategic investment to transform and improve the health plan’s operations through business process standardization, systems conversion and administrative cost containment. “Our goal has always been to

innovate,” Klein said. “We have partnered with doctors and hospitals to enhance the vitality and efficiency of the health care system. As a result, health insurance here costs significantly less than the national average and we are consistently ranked among the nation’s best health plans.” According to a 2010 a price comparison study, the national average family premium was about 30 percent more than Excellus BCBS. “David is nationally recognized in the health care industry as a thoughtful, innovative leader and a progressive executive,” said Joseph Kurnath, and chairman of the board when Klein was appointed CEO. “At every level — whether it is local, state or federal — he is valued as a trusted business adviser and someone who seeks collaborative solutions with physicians, hospitals and employers to community issues.” Klein’s industry leadership includes serving as a director of BlueCross BlueShield Association and of America’s Health Insurance Plans. He is co-chairman of the AHIP policy committee. As a result, he has been extensively involved in both Washington and Albany with health care reform. He is also chairman of the BlueCross BlueShield Association Not-for-Profit Leadership Council. As the head of one of Upstate New York’s larger employers, Klein is the vice-chair and secretary of the Business Council of New York State and the treasurer of the Rochester Business Alliance. As a community leader, Klein has volunteered as the chairman of

April 2012 •

United Way of Greater Rochester, president of the local Boy Scout Council, chair of the American Heart Association Heart Walk and chair of an American Cancer Society capital campaign to establish the Hope Lodge in Rochester. He has also served on the boards of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, Greater Rochester Enterprise and the former Metropolitan Development Association in Syracuse. His awards include the Boy Scouts’ Distinguished Eagle Scout, Silver Beaver and Silver Antelope, United Way of New York State’s Volunteer Leader of the Year and the American Cancer Society’s Champion of Hope. Klein received his Bachelor of Science degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1970 and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago in 1972. Klein’s interests extend to business education. He has been chairman of the University of Rochester’s William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Health Sciences Advisory Board and an assistant professor in its School of Medicine and Dentistry Department of Community and Preventive Medicine. He is also pastpresident of the University of Chicago Health Administration Alumni Association. Klein resides in Pittsford. He has two grown sons. His wife, Linde, died in July 2011 after a long battle with cancer.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2012