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Better Health D
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‘JUST FOR LAUGHS’: Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art welcomes new exhibit, D7 TREASURE HUNT: Peace promoted on popular U.S. coin, D10
| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2020
“During the pandemic
it has been especially hard to provide opportunities for social engagement while keeping health and safety from the virus in the
forefront of our decisions.” Joseph A. Paul, IT Director for The Loomis Communities
By Cori Urban
with and see their loved ones, Zoom, Facetime and Skype “ (I) love it, especially since and phones so they can join albeit digitally.” from virtual birthday parties it allows us to be together and in whenever they please; For Charles M. Johnson, He remembers working and dinner nights to a quick be safe and to hear each other, administrative assistants Zoom interactions with loved with a resident in assisted hello from grandchildren. which is sometimes difficult create these sessions for them ones reassure him during the living who was trying to get a “You know it is making a dif- with masks,” she said. so they can host their own COVID-19 pandemic that digital picture frame to work: ference when you hear them Though she uses other apps, meetings should they want they are doing well. “Her family lives away from talking about their Zoom calls she likes Zoom for larger to. A handful of residents purThough he talks on the tele- the area so she hasn’t seen with other residents in the groups and has decided she chased their own licenses to phone and emails them too, them in quite some time. I hallway or on the community wants to be “an expert on stay in contact with family. he likes the opportunity the was working with her son regrounds,” he added. Zoom.” The Loomis Communities online Zoom calls give him to motely, and when we got this The pandemic has limited The seniors Paul knows has fostered this embrace by “talk face to face without the picture frame working so the the ability of Carolyn A. Hoyt, generally have embraced the offering assistance through IT interference of a mask.” family could upload photos of Loomis Village in South various methods of staying Help Desk tickets, one-on-one Such reassurance is import- for her, she broke down into Hadley, to travel to see friends in touch. “Most people never sessions and other opportuant for seniors as they strive to tears of joy.” out of state and locally. She heard of Zoom; now it is their nities. “The support from not be mentally and emotionally Technology allows this is president of the resident’s best friend,” he said. only The Loomis Communihealthy as well as physically different type of interaction association at Loomis Village. He has been amazed at the ties but also from family and healthy during a pandemic both in and out of a pandemic The president and vice willingness and ability of most friends helped them embrace that has claimed the lives of to stay connected with friends president of each of the three residents to pick up the use this new technology,” he said. more than 220,000 Americans. Before the pandemic, the resident of Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing in Springfield kept in touch with loved ones by random phone calls and visits; but safety protocols made visits difficult if not impossible. Using the Zoom technology has “has improved the frequency of connecting,” he said. Social isolation can have negative health implications for everyone. Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression and cognitive decline. But for those living at The Loomis Communities — a continuing care retirement community — there is a focus on various dimensions of wellness. “During the pandemic it has been especially hard to Carolyn Hoyt gets some online conferencing tips from Joseph Paul, IT director for the Loomis Communities, in the library of provide opportunities for Loomis Village in South Hadley. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN) social engagement while keeping health and safety from the virus in the foreand families. campuses of Loomis Commu- of technology like they have. “It is now and always will be front of our decisions,” said The communication allows nities comprise the “Gang of Some have struggled more a learning process, but we are Joseph A. Paul, IT director for residents to maintain a sense Six,” and they usually meet than others, but staff memseeing residents expand and The Loomis Communities of normalcy. “While it is a bit every month to discuss combers and family help them do their own thing.” that includes Applewood in different talking digitally rath- mon issues. They now meet through the learning curve. With the technology that Amherst, Loomis Village in er than in-person, especially on Zoom, and “actually we’re The Loomis Communities The Loomis Communities South Hadley and Loomis in the past few months, the in closer touch via Zoom than purchased Zoom subscriphas put into place — includLakeside at Reeds Landing in tablets with Zoom and Facewe were in person,” she said. tions for each community to ing iPhones, iPads and Alexa Springfield. “Technology has time capabilities have allowed She also belongs to a small conduct meetings and has devices —residents have the played a large roll in enabling residents to remain in contact support group at Loomis offered residents handssense of not being isolated residents to feel some sense of with their loved ones,” Paul Village that meets every week on training to get apps on from the outside world. “The their computers, tablets technology keeps you connormalcy by being able to talk said, noting creative uses with on Zoom. SPECIAL TO THE REPUBLICAN
nected,” Paul said. The Loomis communities is also enacting a new resident interface at all three communities in independent living, assisted Living and skilled nursing: Connected Living will allow residents to connect with not only other residents but with family and friends as well. It allows them to access community information, RSVP to events, schedule notifications, interact with the resident directories, record and share stories, with this all being controlled through their computer or an iOS/Android app. “Connected Living allows us to support multiple platforms plus voice control with Amazon Alexa, putting the residents at the forefront of today’s technology,” Paul said, adding that the pandemic has moved up the timetable on the use of telehealth, and now residents are able to connect with their doctors from the comfort of their own home and from staff offices. The Loomis Communities also used YouTube live to stream various events such as concerts and fitness classes to all three communities. They used technology to host outdoor “drive-in” movie nights where residents and guests go out to enjoy a feature film on the big screen. Religious services are available through social media, YouTube and Zoom. “Technology is here, and it is here to stay,” Paul said. “The generations are now are becoming more and more accustomed to utilizing technology, and that will continue to grow.” Johnson expects that the pandemic “will pass,” and when it does, he thinks he and his loved ones will continue with their scheduled get-togethers via Zoom. But he is “hopefully optimistic that we will be able to return to hugging family and friends as it has been an important part of our relationships,” he said.
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D2 | SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2020
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
Coping with
Hearing Loss
During the Pandemic Susan B. Chunyk, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology
Managing needs of
Seniors in a
Pandemic By Lauren Favorite Msw, Licsw
By Susan B. Chunyk, Au.D.
Doctor of Audiology
Our lives have all been changed in some way by COVID-19. Since the future course of the virus is still undetermined, now is a good time to think about the impact of the pandemic on family members and friends and consider ways to help them cope with the situation. For people with hearing loss, the pandemic has additional unexpected challenges. What are some of the issues faced by people with hearing loss and what can be done to improve their situation?
a speakerphone, amplified phone, or captioned telephone can make phone visits more enjoyable.
Problem: Putting off healthcare visits
Many people have postponed or canceled healthcare appointments, including visits to the Audiologist for hearing evaluations or routine hearing aid maintenance or adjustments.
hearing aids when removing their masks. Interference among eyeglasses, hearing aids and mask ear loops creates a challenge.
Solutions:
Use caution when removing your mask, to avoid disturbing your hearing aids. Clear masks, available for purchase online, allow for speechreading. Consider a mask that ties behind your head or use a Solutions: mask holder to position the In-person office appointloops away from your ears. ments are available with Check online for creative safety protocols in place. You ways to reposition the mask need not avoid a visit to the loops away from your ears. Problem: Isolation Audiologist for a hearing test, The Audiologist can proAfter months of being alone as we are taking precautions gram special settings into in a house or apartment, it is to keep everyone safe. your hearing aids to boost natural to feel lonely, bored, Contact-free drop-off serthe lost high-pitched speech and depressed. Hearing loss vice can be used for routine sounds and improve speech compounds this feeling of hearing aid cleaning and clarity. Ask for a “mask proisolation because it makes problems. gram”. the individual feel disconRemote support is availFamily members and nected with the world. able. Some hearing instrufriends should use strategies ments can be reprogrammed to improve communication. Solutions: remotely via an app on your These include: reduce backRegular interaction with smartphone. ground noise, get the person’s other people, either in-person attention before beginning to using social distancing or vir- Problem: Masks speak, face the person, speak When the speaker wears a tually through platforms such more slowly, and rephrase mask, high-pitched speech as Zoom or FaceTime. rather than repeat if the perConsistent use of your hear- sounds are absorbed by the son does not understand. ing aids, all day, even when mask, making it particularly If the pandemic has made you are alone. Awareness difficult for a person with you more aware of hearing of everyday environmental hearing loss to understand difficulty, partner with us to sounds keeps you connected clearly. Low-pitched speech learn how to navigate your to the world. sounds become louder, mak- communication challenges. If you have trouble unIf you wish to book an ing speech sound muffled. derstanding on the teleappointment with an People with hearing loss dephone, you might appreciate pend on lipreading and facial audiologist at Hampden Hearing Center, please Bluetooth streaming from expression to understand, your smartphone directly but masks eliminate many of call (413) 525-7979. into your hearing aids. If those visual cues. you prefer a landline, use of Many people have lost their
Adam Baskin Dnp, Fnp-C Over the past eight months, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered all facets of life, resulting in disruptions to “normal” functioning. As healthcare providers, we have adjusted to meet the needs of our patient populations, especially our senior citizens. According to Adam Baskin, a Nurse Practitioner at Baystate Mason Square Community Health Center, many of his senior patients are anxious about leaving their homes to access in-person healthcare due to their increased risk of complications from COVID-19. The need for telehealth visits has grown, but providers are limited to what they can review in a virtual setting. While opportunities exist to improve how comprehensive telehealth visits can be - by providing durable medical equipment to self-monitor at home or through other methods - some conditions require a level of oversight that can only be provided onsite. As a result, senior patients with chronic health conditions may find themselves going to the clinic more
frequently than they are comfortable. In this case, providers offer support and guidance around the importance of coming in for a face-to-face exam, provide health literacy around safe guidelines regarding COVID-19, and address acute and chronic behavioral health concerns. Baskin reports that many seniors are expressing an increase in anxiety-related symptoms, perhaps due to a lack of supports. They are feeling cooped up indoors and are missing socialization due to social distancing guidelines, adult health centers functioning at limited capacity, and lack of technology to connect with their support systems. To address the wholehealth needs of his patients, Behavioral Health Network (BHN) has provided Baskin and his colleagues with opportunities to connect their patients to an integrated behavioral health team. Through this service, providers quickly introduce patients to a consultant that will address their behavioral health needs. Addressing and helping seniors manage depression, anxiety, and stress can reduce impacts to functioning and improve health outcomes, which may also result in bet-
ter management of medical conditions. This service helps patients feel empowered to leave their homes safely when needed, to access social supports in a meaningful way, and to benefit from therapeutic supports in conjunction with the management of physical health conditions. “Having on-site support from the behavioral health team helps personalize the experience for our senior patients, allowing for a warm handoff between providers and patients to occur, as well as a collaborative and patient-centered treatment plan to be developed,” shared Baskin. In addition to connecting patients to therapeutic services, behavioral health consultants also address needs around housing stability, food insecurity, and other community and social issues. The result of this cooperative, patient-centered care is an environment where the needs of senior citizens can be fully met. If you or a senior in your life is worried about leaving home to receive care, encourage them to contact their provider and inquire about integrated behavioral health services that can help.
Adam Baskin, DNP, FNP-C
Adam received his Doctor of Nursing Practice from University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Graduate School of Nursing in 2020, as well as an undergraduate degree in Applied Forensic Science from Mount Ida College in 2011. He works at Mason Square Clinic providing primary care practice for patients across the lifespan.
Lauren Favorite, MSW, LICSW
Lauren is a licensed clinical social worker working for BHN in the Springfield area, with a focus on primary care behavioral health. She received her Master’s in Social Work for Boston University in 2016, and currently supports BHN’s Integrated Behavioral Health Teams as an Assistant Program Director.
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Connecting individuals and families with therapeutic supports by phone or through a secure internet connection. Call today for information or to schedule a session:
The Finest Hearing Care By Doctors OfyAudiology g
413-BHN-WORK (413-246-9675)
~ Since 1984 ~
24-Hour Crisis Line 413-733-6661
200 North Main Street, North Building, Suite 103 East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(413) 525-7979
Jennifer Lundgren Garcia, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology 3
www.hampdenhearing.com info@hampdenhearing.com
www.bhninc.org
3142316-01
Susan Bankoski Chunyk, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology