Rural Leader Magazine December 2020

DECEMBER 2020

COVER STORY

Expert Series: Urgency is the mother of innovation

by Glenn Mattes and Robert O. Williams III, pg. 7 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 1

Contents

5 Four Money Moves to Kick off 2021

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com

About Us

Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader

Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad.

Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.—

6 Three Ways COVID-19 has Changed Pain Management COVER STORY 7 Expert Series: Urgency is the mother of innovation by Glenn Mattes and Robert O. Williams III 8 Tips to help manage holiday stress during COVID-19 9 How Project Managers Brought 2020’s Most Influential Projects to Life 11 New Rules, New Procedures, New Normal: How You Can Help Teachers and businesses return to work

14 How Digital Engagement can Offer More Control Over Personal Finances in Unpredictable Times 16 4 Simple Tips for a Safe and Healthy Holiday Season 17 How the Rest of the World Sees America in 2020 18 How to Combat Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults 20 Tax season 2020 will look different: Here’s how to prepare 22 Tips to help you shop safely amid COVID-19 this holiday season

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Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com

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Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com—

Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue.

As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support!

Sincerely, Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag

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Four Money Moves to Kick off 2021

Just imagine: Holiday shopping is behind you, the eggnog has officially worn off and the seasonal coffee drinks have lost their allure. A new year is beginning and it’s time to prepare.

As you gear up for a new year, it’s important to take a hard look at your finances, and decide what financial habits you should carry into 2021 and which ones you need to kick to the curb,” stated Navy Federal Credit Union’s Senior Vice President of Savings Products Jaspreet Chawla.

1. Don’t ignore your debt. Tackling debt can be intimidating, but also can’t be ignored. Make a game plan to strengthen your financial situation and get yourself back on track. For example, set a deadline for yourself and figure out exactly how much money you can put toward your debt on a regular basis to meet that deadline.

If you have more than one credit card or other loans, you may be able to consolidate those debts into one payment at a lower interest rate. This helps simplify everything by giving you one payment each month instead of multiple payments and due dates.

Talk to your trusted financial institution to see what options are available to you.

2. Keep your emergency fund top-of-mind. You don’t want to be left scrambling if your car breaks down or basement floods, or worse, if you lose your job. And COVID-19 has taught us how important it is to be prepared for the unexpected. It can be daunting to know where to begin, especially if you don’t have a fund to cover emergencies yet.

First, start small. Try putting a set amount each month into a savings account specifically for emer-

gencies and make transfers into this account automatic. If you already have an emergency fund, consider increasing your contributions or exploring other tools to diversify your savings portfolio. In the event you need to tap into your emergency fund, it’s important to focus on rebuilding it as soon as you can.

3. Differentiate “needs” from “wants” in your budget.

It’s a good idea to identify “needs” versus “wants” to eliminate unnecessary expenses. Do you have to have the extra streaming service or bi-weekly manicure?

Or what about frequent take-out meals or the daily trip to your favorite coffee shop? A few simple, mindful lifestyle changes now can make your dollar go a lot farther in the long run. You might be surprised how much of a difference it’ll make.

4. Take advantage of a mix of savings tools. Your future self will thank you! From basic savings accounts to certificates to money market accounts and beyond, you have many options to make your money really work for you. Also explore digital savings tools like mobile apps to help support your short-term and long-term financial wellness.

“We work to provide our members with the tools to improve their financial circumstances every day and we’re always here to help,” continued Chawla.

“Changing just a few habits can really make a positive impact on your financial future.”

Overall, these tips can help pave the way for a more financially fit year ahead.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 5

Three Ways COVID-19 has Changed Pain Management When COVID-19 halted all non-essential health services, it begged the question - what types of care can’t be delayed? Treatment for chronic pain, for one.

Not only is pain management essential care, it’s even more critical during stressful times.

The good news is the pandemic has inspired innovations, such as telehealth and minimally invasive treatments for long-lasting pain relief, to help suffering patients, says the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

“The anxiety and isolation caused by COVID-19 adds to chronic pain, which is further compounded by reduced access to strategies, such as physical therapy, exercise and even visits with the grandkids or other loved ones, that help people manage their discomfort,” said Dr. David Dickerson, pain medicine specialist and vice chair of ASA’s Committee on Pain Medicine. “As a result, they may be more likely to turn to medications or alcohol, increasing the risk of misuse and abuse. Physician anesthesiologists who specialize in pain medicine have gotten creative to ensure their patients have access to the safest and most effective care.”

Here are three ways pain management changed due to COVID-19.

1. Greater access to providers through telehealth.

When the COVID-19 pandemic suspended in-person visits, physician anesthesiologist pain medicine specialists turned to secure video meetings or 6

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telephone calls to consult with patients. Led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), health insurance companies revised their coverage to include telehealth to ensure this vital care. Using telehealth visits, pain medicine specialists see the patient faceto-face via video, ask and answer questions and formulate a plan. They can refer those struggling with stress from COVID-19 to psychologists who also can counsel them via telehealth.

Telehealth also removes some barriers to care during a pandemic. Patients don’t need to worry about getting to an appointment or sitting for long periods in crowded waiting rooms. Via telehealth, they wait in a virtual waiting room in their own home. Specialists can easily access patients’ electronic medical records while talking to them virtually. As a result, 95% of people seeing pain medicine specialists have continued to do so, many of them via telehealth, which likely will remain an option for the foreseeable future.

2. Pain medicine specialists expand role to meet patients’ needs. During the pandemic, many patients have put off seeing their primary care physicians, so pain medicine specialists have been helping fill that role. They’re getting patients to understand the importance of seeking necessary treatment, such as visiting the emergency room if they are experiencing signs of stroke or angina, a symptom of heart disease.

As in-person medical appointments resume, many pain medicine specialists have revised their office visit practices, requiring masks and staggering appointments, to keep patients safe. Although telehealth remains an option, having the patient come into the office is preferred in some instances. For example, pain medicine specialists can more readily treat those with addiction issues in person. During this national health emergency, the number of patients needing treatment for pancreatitis - painful inflammation of the pancreas often due to excessive alcohol use - has increased dramatically. Early evidence suggests drug overdoses, including those from opioids, may be increasing as well, according to a report at odmap.org.

3. Long-lasting, minimally invasive techniques reduce visits and hospitalizations. To reduce the frequency of visits while keeping patients out of the hospital, pain medicine specialists are focusing on office-based treatments that can ease pain for six months or more. For example, rather than giving patients a series of injections that require regular office visits, pain medicine specialists can perform proce-

dures in one visit. Some of these treatments include a procedure called percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression (PILD), which reduces pain by removing excess tissue in people with spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal that can compress nerves and cause pain in the back and legs); neurostimulation, in which a device implanted under the skin generates electrical impulses that disrupt pain signals; and radiofrequency ablation or neurolysis, which silences nerves that bring pain signals from inflamed joints or tissue.

“Treatment for debilitating pain is complex in any circumstance and even more so during this health crisis,” said Dickerson. “Physician anesthesiologists and other pain medicine specialists can ensure proper and effective approaches to care that improve quality of life during the pandemic and beyond.”

Learn more about how pain specialists can help you manage your chronic pain and download tips for relieving pain during the pandemic at www.asahq. org.—.

COVER STORY

Expert Series: Urgency is the mother of innovation by Glenn Mattes and Robert O. Williams III

By Glenn Mattes, president and CEO of TFF Pharmaceuticals, and Robert “Bill” O. Williams III, Ph.D., Division Head and Professor at the University of Texas at Austin While the saying goes that “necessity is the mother of invention,” the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed us beyond necessity to a state of urgency. We urgently need to create and distribute therapeutics and vaccines on a global scale, and that means simple invention will not be enough. Groundbreaking innovation is required to overcome this unprecedented challenge and save people’s lives.

The pandemic has sparked a truly remarkable level of innovation, collaboration and cooperation between private industry, academia and government agencies. Many of the results of these efforts will have untold consequences - and benefits - beyond the immediate needs of the day.

At TFF Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: TFFP), we have been partnering with other pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions and governmental agencies - resulting in 20-plus ongoing collaborations - to solve the world’s biggest challenge: How do we

create and distribute the most effective therapeutics and vaccines to as many people as possible during a global pandemic?

The problem: Cold chain storage and distribution.

Storing and transporting medicines and vaccines at the correct temperatures is always a challenge, whether you’re talking about the chicken pox vaccine or a new vaccine to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

But the pandemic provides specific new hurdles to overcome. The most promising vaccines under development require very stringent temperature controls from the manufacturer to the patient, and in some cases, incredibly cold temperatures for storage and transportation. For example, the vaccine being developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, Inc. will need to be kept at temperatures as cold as minus 70 Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit), all the way from the shipping container to syringe.

Keeping medicines or vaccines within a very precise, and very cold, temperature range from the lab to the patient is logistically incredibly challenging, even in the United States. And to fully stem the tide of Continued on page 13 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 7

Tips to help manage holiday stress during COVID-19 Feeling stressed? You’re not alone. Stress levels are rising due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the numerous disruptions in our daily lives.

The American Psychological Association recently reported that “we are facing a national mental health crisis that could yield serious health and social consequences for years to come.” And it’s not just adults who are feeling it. The report reveals that our children are “facing unprecedented uncertainty, are experiencing elevated stress, and are already reporting symptoms of depression.”

Although a modest amount of stress is normal, high levels of stress can be dangerous to your health and may contribute to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, anxiety and depression. Therefore, make sure to keep a close eye on your well-being and the well-being of your loved ones during the holidays.

It’s true, there is no magic bullet to make stress disappear forever, but we can take steps to reduce stress. Ann Marie O’Brien, R.N., national director of health engagement strategies at UnitedHealthcare, shares the following tips that may reduce your stress and lead to a more enjoyable holiday season. * Learn to recognize your holiday stress triggers and relievers. Financial pressures and personal demands are two common triggers. Also, beware of unhealthy stress relievers. Holiday stress may cause some people to fall into bad habits such as smoking, drinking or eating too much. * Give yourself a break. While doing things for others, it’s easy to forget to take care of ourselves.

If you feel stress building up, take a break for a few minutes. Listening to calming music, taking time to 8

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watch a movie, or just getting away to take a brief walk can give you time to unwind and recharge. * Make time for your health. In the holiday rush, don’t let your well-being fall by the wayside. Try to stay on your normal sleep schedule, incorporate healthy foods and get regular exercise. If you can’t find a 30-minute chunk of time for exercise, break it up into three 10-minute sessions spread throughout the day. * Check your health plan benefits. Some insurers, such as UnitedHealthcare, offer behavioral health care programs that can range from caring for your mental health to treatment for substance abuse, with a goal of helping improve your overall well-being.

For example, Sanvello® offers clinically validated techniques and tools to reduce stress, anxiety and depression within a single app. Sanvello is free to download from the app stores and you can do an instant eligibility check in the app. * Enjoy, even if it’s virtually. In the flurry of holiday activities, we sometimes forget what we’re celebrating, so remember to savor the time with people you love. If you or others you know are unable to meet in person, use a phone or set up a Zoom call to celebrate and spend time together. It’s important to minimize any feelings of isolation. * Talk to your doctor. If it feels like you’re not able to get a handle on your stress, talk to your doctor.

She or he may recommend a counselor who could help you find other ways to help reduce or manage the unhealthy stress in your life.

For more health and wellness information, visit UHC.com.—

How Project Managers Brought 2020’s Most Influential Projects to Life

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 9

Recent projects have seen project managers and change makers find resourceful ways to maintain momentum and avoid obstacles, despite a global pandemic. To honor this perseverance, Project Management Institute (PMI), with input from hundreds of experts globally, has unveiled 2020’s 50 Most Influential Projects, off the heels of its inaugural year in 2019.

In addition to the top 50, PMI released 30 lists recognizing the top 10 Most Influential Projects specific to a variety of regions and industries. In total, the lists celebrate over 250 breakthrough efforts that celebrated important milestones in the past 18 months.

“The global pandemic has challenged all of us, disrupting the rhythms of our lives and forcing us to adapt to new realities,” reflects Sunil Prashara, President and CEO of Project Management Institute. “The projects honored in the 2020 edition of Most Influential Projects should give all of us cause for optimism in these tough times, as each team had to make hard decisions, often going against the grain of tradition - all for the betterment of society. As we rebuild, it is going to take innovation, collaboration and determination to make reality.”

How have project managers helped make the year’s Most Influential Projects a reality? Here are three examples.

Innovation to solve global problems. Project managers in South Korea innovated by adapting existing technology, despite multiple challenges, to develop Chollian-2B, an environmental satellite that measures the sources of air pollution and offers advanced weather forecasting.

NASA and the European Space Agency are now planning to follow this model to learn how to mitigate the effects of air pollution on the environment and human health, showcasing how project management can inspire future initiatives. Air pollution’s role in making some populations more susceptible to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 brings added urgency to this vital global endeavor.

Collaboration for ambitious projects. Mammoth projects require wide-spread collaboration, with project managers crucial to ensuring everyone works together successfully. One example is Learning Passport, a massive educational initiative requiring collaboration between educators, administrators and engineers.

When the lockdown closed schools, roughly 1.7 billion children were impacted worldwide. While some regions quickly shifted to remote learning through digital education tools, many children in economically and technologically challenged regions 10

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struggled.

That’s when a pilot project, Learning Passport, ventured into new territory to help. Originally a partnership between global organizations to assist displaced and refugee children, Learning Passport was adapted to meet the new demands of students in underprivileged and remote areas.

A team of project managers rallied for rapid deployment of Learning Passport, customizing it wherever it was used - and collaborated with the different ecosystems to deliver content to support improved learning outcomes for children around the world.

Determination to get the job done. As COVID-19 began spreading, the U.S. Digital Response (USDR) project mobilized software engineers to help local governments. The group - including three former U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officers - recruited volunteer data scientists, interaction designers and project managers to help public agencies whose resources were stretched to a breaking point.

MIn the first three months, the USDR was tapped for over 100 projects, from building a dashboard to track hospital-bed capacity for the Pennsylvania Department of Health to creating a system to connect volunteers with vulnerable populations needing groceries delivered.

The response to the USDR’s call was astounding: Over 5,000 experts volunteered. USDR is now developing projects for food and housing security, plus digitizing government systems. Through its organized and determined team of volunteers, USDR’s project managers show what’s possible when people mobilize for a common cause.

2020 - and beyond.These projects and others celebrated by PMI emphasize the need to innovate at a breakneck pace, demonstrating that progress must take precedence over perfection to solve immediate problems. It is crucial for project leaders to break everyone out of their silos to achieve ambitious goals, as without collaboration from experts across disciplines and regions, progress would be impossible.

And while times of crisis may tempt people to focus on the issues of the moment, the Most Influential Projects 2020 list highlights forward-thinking projects born from a determination to remake the world.

To learn more about Most Influential Projects 2020, visit PMI.org/most-influential-projects.—

New Rules, New Procedures, New Normal: How You Can Help Teachers Our nation’s teachers are facing unprecedented challenges this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some teachers are implementing new rules, procedures and classroom configurations to limit the spread of the illness. Others are creating entirely new online curricula for students who are learning from home. Many teachers are tasked with doing both at the same time, often without additional financial resources to make it all happen.

A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. teachers by the education nonprofit DonorsChoose found that 42% of teachers were planning to teach in a hybrid format this fall, with students undergoing a combination of online learning and in-person learning. Thirty-five percent were set to teach entirely remotely, with 8% teaching in person and 14% unsure at survey time.

Eighty-six percent of teachers reported feeling uncertain, anxious and overwhelmed as they prepared for the school year, and 81% expect that their schools will be forced to go online only at some point this school year.

“I feel like waiting for answers is the hardest part,” notes one teacher who responded to the survey. “It is a wait-and-see with the health and safety of students, families and staff members always in the forefront.”

In the survey, teachers also revealed the resources they most need.

Teachers in the classroom: Cleaning supplies and

PPE. Of those teachers who returned to the classroom, 79% said they need cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep their students healthy and safe. In fact, DonorsChoose which allows teachers to create requests for school resources that the public can help fund - has seen a surge in teacher requests for hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes and air filters. Teachers have also been quick to request basic supplies like glue, scissors, crayons and pencils, since 72% of teachers report their schools are no longer allowing students to share materials.

Teachers online: Instructional technology. Many teachers began teaching online at the end of last school year. As school started this fall, 52% of teachers reported feeling more prepared to teach online than they did last spring, but there are still several challenges. The hardest part of teaching online, teachers report, is keeping students engaged. To do so, their greatest need is for instructional technology: laptops, tablets, document cameras and other technology to help them do demonstrations and keep their students interested in the content. Fifty-three percent of teachers also reported a greater need for technology for their students, so they can follow along at home.

All teachers: Professional development. For experienced teachers, the lessons they’ve built and refined Continued on Page 12 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 11

New Rules, Continued from page 11 over years are being recreated to work for online or socially distanced learning. In the survey, 41% of teachers said the professional development they need most is for online instruction techniques; 20% were interested in learning more about online tools and technology to help them become stronger at remote teaching.

All of these resource needs can add up quickly for teachers. “There will be a much greater need for classroom supplies as teachers have to change many things in their classrooms to keep materials, belongings and children separated,” said another teacher who responded to the survey. “This expense will fall 12

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on the teachers.”

Since July, over 350,000 people have helped fund more than 110,000 teacher requests on DonorsChoose to help teachers to have a strong year, whether they’re teaching at home or in the classroom. Still, there are nearly 50,000 teacher requests awaiting support.

To find a teacher request to support, visit www. donorschoose.org.—

Expert Series, continued from page 7 the pandemic, these vaccines will ultimately need to travel around the world, often to places where there is insufficient infrastructure to handle the challenge - from remote rural areas to parts of the world with extreme climates.

It’s also expensive. An estimated 80% of the cost of vaccination is attributed to cold storage and transport, and over 25% of vaccines are spoiled or degraded at some point en route to their final destination.

Logistics and shipping companies are scrambling to meet the impending need, creating huge warehouses supplied with freezers in preparation for mass distribution. Pharmaceutical companies are working on the problem, too. According to a recent article in the New York Times, the new warehouses are only one of many complex challenges - Pfizer is also creating special containers designed specifically for this level of extreme cold storage. Additional difficulties have arisen that companies and government agencies are also trying to cope with, from a dry ice shortage to glass vials that cannot withstand such extreme cold temperatures.

A weak link anywhere in the cold chain could render these much-needed vaccines inert or ineffective.

The solution: Thin Film Freezing technolog.

Breakthrough research at TFF Pharmaceuticals has resulted in a revolutionary new method of reformulating potential vaccine candidates. The patented Thin Film Freezing (TFF) technology has the potential to reformulate vaccines into a dry powder form that is shelf stable at room temperatures and therefore not subject to the problems of cold chain storage and distribution.

TFF has already worked to reformulate the COVID-19 therapeutic drug remdesivir, combined with leucine, into a highly potent dry powder, which has added benefits: In this form, the medication can be directly administered to the site of infection - the lungs - using a conventional, commercially available dry powder inhaler. The inhalation method of delivery maximizes the drug’s effectiveness in the lungs, where the coronavirus first takes hold, resulting in a more accessible and effective outpatient treatment option that can be provided earlier in the course of infection.

The implications for the storage and transportation of vaccines are clear: Using this groundbreaking Thin Film Freezing technology, the unique difficulties presented by cold chain storage and distribution are greatly minimized or eliminated.

Thin Film Freezing technology maintains a potential vaccine’s particle size distribution and immuno-

genicity when the liquid form is converted into the more stable dry powder form, so that it can be stored as a dry powder and shipped free of such severe cold-chain handling, affording it extended stability for stockpiling. Using a dry powder over a liquid also provides the potential for needle-free vaccination (using nasal or inhalation administration).

For therapeutics, even more positive results are on the horizon. TFF Pharmaceuticals has entered a worldwide licensing agreement with UNION therapeutics to employ the TFF technology platform to develop dry powder forms of niclosamide, an anthelminthic drug used for treating parasitic infections, as a new potential treatment for COVID-19 in both oral and inhalation versions.

UNION therapeutics has an extensive history of working with niclosamide in a number of therapeutic areas, and the agreement with TFF Pharmaceuticals will accelerate efforts to investigate the promising use of niclosamide for potential COVID-19 therapies.

And in another important development, TFF is jointly collaborating with Augmenta Bioworks on a COVID-19 therapeutic based on Augmenta’s human monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs. Using our ThinFilm Freezing technology, this would be a never-before-achieved formulation of monoclonal antibodies into a dry powder therapeutic for inhalation delivery directly to the lungs of patients. Monoclonal-antibody therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19 hold the promise of harnessing the immune system’s natural response to viral invaders.

Beyond COVID-19: The future of Thin Film Freezing technology. The agreement with UNION therapeutics also offers further opportunities to synergize both TFF’s and UNION’s drug portfolios in new, potentially more effective combinations for eventual commercialization.

The TFF platform is designed to improve the solubility and absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs like niclosamide and remdesivir, and is particularly suited to generate dry powder particles with properties targeted for inhalation delivery, especially to the deep lung, which is an area of extreme interest in respiratory medicine. * Lung transplantation. To this end, the Thin Film Freezing platform has been granted “orphan drug designation” applied to Tacrolimus Inhalation Powder for prophylaxis of lung allograft rejection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Tacrolimus Inhalation Powder is an inhaled dry powder version of tacrolimus, an immunosuppressive drug used in solid organ transplants. Prograf® Continued on page 15 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 13

How Digital Engagement can Offer More Control Over Personal Finances in Unpredictable Times

Since the coronavirus pandemic began taking hold in early 2020, global stock markets have taken investors on a rollercoaster ride, with aggressive climbs in value, precipitous drops and an overall queasy feeling in the pits of our stomachs about what’s next.

COVID-19’s impact on personal investments. Millions globally have been affected financially during the pandemic, and in very different ways. While savings may have resulted from changes in lifestyle and working from home, online spending has increased dramatically. Millions of people lost their jobs and dipped into their retirement accounts. Under the CARES Act, which went into effect during the pandemic, investors were permitted to withdraw money from their retirement funds in 2020 only without paying the 10% early withdrawal penalty - and they did so in record numbers.

A third group of investors and retirees chose to avoid making any investment decisions, believing that the safe move was to not focus on the stock market’s wild ride. This “bunker mentality,” however, may have put them at greater long-term risk by not taking advantage of opportunistic financial management solutions.

What is driving these different behaviors - partic14

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ularly investors unwilling to make financial moves in such times of stress and volatility? According to a recent Forrester study*, underlying investor inertia is a lack of understanding regarding different types of investment accounts: Consumer involvement in wealth management options offered through insurers and other financial institutions depends in large part on their comfort with financial concepts. Many are unfamiliar with how different wealth management options work and which are best for them. Moreover, due to the pandemic, call centers have longer wait times, leaving many without the resources to make smart decisions on their own.

Digital engagement and education: Key to meeting financial goals According to Meera Krishnamurthy, Cognizant’s Global Head of Insurance, addressing a lack of financial education is being solved with digital solutions. “Utilizing predictive data analytics, insurers and financial institutions can offer personalized content that is streamed directly to their customers’ dashboards and emails, advising them on opportunities that will help them reach their financial goals,” Krishnamurthy said.

Technology companies like Cognizant are helping

insurers and financial institutions directly engage their customers during the pandemic. Using Cognizant’s Personalized Interactive Video solution, one global group insurance provider saw a 45% increase in portal registration for new members, and, at the same time, a significant drop in call center activity, indicating that the online self-service tools and information was meeting customers’ expectations.

“There’s no benefit to social distancing from financial markets,” Krishnamurthy continued. “Insurers are helping plan participants, members and policyholders take control of their financial future through direct virtual client engagement - including easy-to-understand videos that guide them through the details of their coverage and educate them on how to best use 24x7 online app self-service features.”

Smart investing driven by smarter fintech. As the opportunity and demand for personalized, digitized services grow, insurers and financial institutions are rapidly adopting new tools, such as account aggregation, personalized content delivery and accountability triggers. By partnering with technology solutions companies like Cognizant, insurers and financial institutions are delivering personalized wealth management coaching to their clients that is backstopped by powerful data analytics tools, predictive analytics and machine learning.

Financial goals for various age groups naturally differ, and those goals may have changed during the pandemic. Millennials tend to be concerned with paying down debt or saving for a down payment on a home, while Gen X and Baby Boomers generally focus on saving for retirement and investing in education planning via 529 accounts. Yet with the help of digital technology, businesses offering wealth management solutions can better understand their individual investors’ needs and create targeted messaging that accounts for what is in the best interest of plan participants.

Now, the opportunity to merge the benefit of interpersonal wealth management, the ease of making investment changes online, and the knowledge on how to best benefit from both is arriving. With a modern form of personalized digital engagement, investors are becoming more empowered through their knowledge and ability to act on that information.

“As we look toward 2021, we expect the digital acceleration that was brought on by the pandemic to continue,” says Cognizant’s Krishnamurthy. “Insurers and retirement services companies will provide the personalized tools and the ease with which to access those tools to empower plan participants and members to take charge of their financial wellness.”—

Expert Series, Continued from page 13 (Tacrolimus oral or IV) is currently the second most commonly administered immunosuppressive agent in solid organ transplantation. Unfortunately, Prograf® delivered orally or intravenously has been shown to have a number of serious side effects including nephrotoxicity, particularly when used in high doses. The company is currently enrolling healthy normal volunteers in a Phase I study of Tacrolimus Inhalation Powder. To date, no clinically significant adverse events have been reported, and the study results have indicated substantial immunosuppressive systemic blood levels.

TFF Pharmaceuticals’ proprietary. Thin Film Freezing technology platform allows the reformulation of Tacrolimus into dry powder particles with properties believed to be ideally suited for inhalation delivery. The Tacrolimus dry powder formulation is currently being developed to prevent lung transplant rejection, and if the pharmacokinetics from the ongoing trial indicate that pulmonary delivery provides more predictable blood levels than oral dosing, TFF may pursue developments to prevent rejection in other solid organ transplant procedures. * Influenza vaccines. According to the CDC, influenza has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths

annually in the U.S. since 2010, and hundreds of thousands of deaths globally. Influenza is a contagious viral infection that attacks the respiratory system, infecting the nose, throat and sometimes lungs. Because both seasonal and pandemic influenza continue to be major public health threats, there is a critical unmet need to develop universal influenza vaccines to address the genetic drifting of the virus - that can impact the effectiveness of vaccines on patients - and address long production timelines that occur each year.

A new research collaboration between TFF Pharmaceuticals and the University of Georgia Center for Vaccines and Immunology (CVI), along with the University of Texas at Austin is evaluating the immunogenicity and efficacy of universal influenza vaccines following Thin Film Freezing. And initial results of our collaboration have shown that our Thin Film Freezing dry powder was equivalent to the liquid universal influenza formulated vaccine in preclinical immunogenicity and efficacy testing.

Researchers in the University of Georgia’s CVI are world leaders in vaccine development, and they are currently working to develop a new universal flu vaccine designed to protect against multiple strains Continued on page 21 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 15

4 Simple Tips for a Safe and Healthy Holiday Season Traditionally, the holiday season is a time to gather with family and friends to reminiscence and celebrate all that has happened throughout the year. But with an ongoing pandemic, many are left looking for new and unique ways to enjoy those time-honored traditions in a way that keeps everyone safe and healthy.

So while things will likely look different than we are accustomed to, that doesn’t mean you and your loved ones have to miss out on those most important and cherished traditions. Instead, consider trying these tips and tricks for safe, socially distant holiday fun.

Host safely. If you plan to host, there are a number of precautions you can take to keep guests safe. If possible, take your gatherings outside where you can increase physical distance and airflow. Choose outdoor activities, such as a bonfire or an active game. If you live in a colder climate, bring out the hats, coats and gloves - and try using a patio or porch heater to warm up.

To limit travel, it is best to only invite people from your local area and limit the number of attendees.

Provide information to guests about your local safety guidelines and take steps to prevent spread by providing masks and hand sanitizer.

Get help from the experts. With everything to consider this year, there is nothing better than receiving a helping hand in the kitchen - especially one that 16

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can be delivered right to your doorstep. Boston Market, known this time of year as the Holiday Experts, has fully prepared, precooked holiday meal spreads, as well as a la carte sides and desserts that can be delivered to your home, preordered or picked up at any location nationwide. This helpful solution is also perfect for those taking extra precautions during this unusual holiday season.

Go virtual. Since you may not be able to see family and friends in-person, consider spending time with your loved ones from afar by using one of the many apps and programs that allow them to gather virtually. To keep the conversation flowing, prepare a list of fun topics, questions to ask or games to play while you are digitally celebrating the season together.

Shop conveniently. Online shopping has never been easier - or safer. Instead of heading out to crowded malls or stores, do as much online shopping as possible. Be sure to start early, as shipping times will likely be delayed and stocking of the season’s most popular gifts may be limited. If you do plan to shop in person, be sure to follow your local guidelines to ensure you stay safe.

Don’t let the pandemic steal your joy and ruin those time-honored holiday traditions. Instead, try following these helpful tips to ensure a safe and healthy season. You might even discover a new tradition to add to the list!—

How the Rest of the World Sees America in 2020 The United States of America is confusing in the best of times. Tax returns. Fifty different legal systems. Why we still use pounds, inches and Fahrenheit. Daylight saving time. We could go on.

And in the worst of times? From political debates about wearing masks in a pandemic to a contested Electoral College result, America continues to leave the rest of the world baffled and, in no small part, shocked during the turbulence of the past 12 months.

And: totally and utterly obsessed.

“I have never known people [around the world] on tenterhooks in the way that they are” at this moment, says Katty Kay, a veteran BBC journalist based in Washington, D.C. They want to know “what the heck is going on in this country right now,” she says.

Enter Carlos Watson, the most important new face in the U.S. media industry who’s emerging as one of the digital generation’s preferred voices to make sense of the turbulence of 2020. To help cut through the noise, Kay and Watson co-host When Katty Met Carlos, one of the best podcasts to help you understand U.S. politics and society today. The program has already topped the podcast charts in over a dozen countries, and recently had its season extended. Watson is the CEO and co-founder of OZY, a dynamic

media startup that has impressed many by being able to secure groundbreaking partnerships with titans of the media industry such as A+E Networks and iHeartRadio; the BBC being the latest of those, cementing OZY’s role as a global authority in news, discussion and analysis.

With insights from journalists, politicians and experts from across the globe, When Katty Met Carlos takes a step back to examine the state of the American experiment from the ground up, providing forward-looking insight and commentary you can’t find anywhere else. Here’s a look at some of the key perspectives that Kay and Watson have unearthed about America as seen in the eyes of the rest of the world today.

1. America humbled? With the world’s highest number of cases and among the highest rates of deaths per capita due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what Americans often describe as the “greatest country in the world” has struggled in the greatest test the world has faced in a generation. Has the pandemic created a dent in the idea of American exceptionalism? And, Kay ponders in the opening episode of When Katty Met Carlos, has America’s national Continued On Pge 18 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 17

America 2020, Continued From Pge 18 self-confidence actually harmed its ability to learn from other countries’ responses to the pandemic?

The rest of the world is starting to wonder whether America has been humbled by 2020.

2. A former role model, now questioned. The United States has long been admired as a global gold standard in economics and democracy - and its global leadership in both areas is currently in peril.

The coronavirus pandemic has amplified inequalities that have become a hallmark of American capitalism, with growing rates of poverty among children and racial minorities. Instead of looking to the U.S. for leadership, many countries have recently turned to the German policy of Kurzarbeit (short-time working), in which governments top up the wages of staff on reduced hours to offset unemployment.

In the realm of politics, a shaky electoral process, an impeached president and a lack of public trust in institutions have many around the world wondering whether American democracy is under threat.

Several American adversaries, such as Russia and China, have openly gloated at the apparent stability of their own political systems relative to the U.S., and some younger democracies for which the U.S. would

typically be a role model, such as Bolivia, have questioned whether America is really an example worth following.

3. A global conversation about race. The United States has been forced to confront a conversation about race with more urgency than it has in decades, and the world is watching. While the issue of racism afflicts every society, there is perhaps no country that faces it as acutely as the U.S., with the potential exception of South Africa. “Without having the conversation about what happened here in the past, there will be no conversation about what happens next,” South African journalist Justice Malala tells When Katty Met Carlos. The Truth and Reconciliation process there, says Malala, had the effect that “everyone came to be under the tent” of mutual understanding, even though many people ultimately left those discussions unsatisfied about the path forward. America still needs to get under the tent, he says. Whether the U.S. will take the baton of leadership from South Africa on this issue remains to be seen.

To continue these conversations about the future of America and its role in the world, subscribe to When Katty Met Carlos on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever else you listen to podcasts.—

How to Combat Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults

Feeling a sense of connection and belonging with others is a basic human need. But unfortunately for many older adults, social isolation and loneliness are on the rise, especially because of the necessary social 18

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distancing since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The good news is, there are concrete strategies that caregivers and family members alike can take to bring more joy and a sense of play to the lives of

the older adults they care about - especially for those who may be coping with cognitive decline, dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Many older people could benefit from a focus for their affection, such as a pet, but are no longer capable of caring for one due to the often-strenuous daily responsibilities or costs associated. Whether you live near or far, providing your loved one with the gift of companionship can make all the difference in their lives.

Pets with purpose. To help alleviate loneliness and feelings of isolation, Ageless Innovation created the award-winning line of Joy for All Companion Pets life-like animatronic animals that help aging adults foster essential social connections, improve their emotional health and well-being and bring joy into their lives.

MRecent research conducted by UnitedHealthcare, AARP Services, and more shows that the introduction of robotic companion pets is helping to improve the quality of life for older adults as it relates to depression, loneliness, social isolation and all forms of dementia. Nearly a dozen studies showed that the Joy for All Companion Pets had meaningful positive impact on recipients.

Key findings of these studies reveal: * Use of robotic companion pets enhance the well-being and quality of life of individuals with dementia * Companion pets showed a significant reduction in agitation and social isolation, improving quality of life for both patients and family members * Robotic pets may be a feasible way to mitigate behavioral disturbances in patients experiencing ICU delirium * Companion pets are beneficial to decreasing feelings of loneliness How companion pets make a difference. One insight from the research was that older adults wanted interactive, two-way companionship, so the need for pets that could give love and receive it influenced the design of these companion pets.

Built-in sensors allow them to respond to touch,

allowing them to react to their environment. The Companion Pet Cat features VibraPurr technology, mimicking the feeling and sound of a realistic cat purr; and the Companion Pet Pup features built-in BarkBack technology that responds to voices with playful puppy-like sounds.

The real impact of Companion Pets. Patti LaFleur (@MissPatticake on Instagram) gave a Joy for All Companion Pet Pup to her mother Linda, who suffers from dementia, to help ease her feelings of isolation when she couldn’t be there. Her mother named her new companion pup “Popcorn.”

“I gave Mom someone to talk with and love on and care for,” explained LaFleur. “My mom was always a nurturer, but in her dementia world she wasn’t able to care for others in the same way. But with Popcorn she could. She could love, cuddle, nurture and support her.”

LaFleur’s Instagram posts include lots of pictures of her smiling mother with her beloved companion pet.

Bringing joy and a vital sense of play into aging adults’ lives Finding ways to improve the lives of older adults through play and a sense of connection is vital to their overall well-being. Using approaches ranging from games, crafts and activities to exploring ways to connect virtually can all help to enrich the lives of aging adults who may be feeling isolated right now.

Providing a life-like animal companion is another highly meaningful way to add joy to an older adult’s life.

“Developed with extensive input from older adults, Joy for All Companion pets look, sound and feel like real pets, but without the responsibilities of pet ownership,” said Ted Fischer, CEO and co-founder of Ageless Innovation. “Giving a Companion Pet Cat or Pet Pup can add a lot of fun and a sense of companionship to your loved one’s life.”

For the holidays this year, or in recognition of National Caregivers Month, look for a Companion Pet for your loved one at JoyForAll.com and Amazon.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 19

Tax season 2020 will look different: Here’s how to prepare It’s no secret that 2020 has been a tumultuous year.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans found themselves out of work - at least temporarily - and received unemployment benefits. Others may have experienced employment changes, like working from home or taking on multiple jobs. All of these factors will have even more of an impact come time to file income taxes on tax day, April 15, 2021.

“For many, the 2020 tax season will likely look different,” says Mark Steber, Chief Tax Information Officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Services. “The pandemic brought unexpected, overwhelming changes.”

To help you prepare and get the maximum tax refund you deserve, Steber offers the following tax tips.

1. Understand how unemployment benefits work If you received unemployment benefits this year, it may have been for the first time. Make sure you’re aware of how they affect your taxes.

Unemployment benefits are taxable and must be reported to the IRS on your tax return. Taxable benefits also include any special compensation authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 20

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Security (CARES) Act earlier this year. That means if you did not withhold enough taxes from your unemployment benefits, you could see a big tax bill or a much smaller tax refund than you normally receive.

Unemployment benefits can affect tax credits.

Unemployment is considered unearned income, so it won’t count toward certain credits. For example, you must have earned income to qualify for the Child Tax Credit or the Earned Income Tax Credit. Additionally, your adjusted gross income must be below certain levels to get certain credits.

2. Set money aside to cover unexpected taxes. If you received unemployment benefits and did not withhold any federal or state income tax, you’ll need to pay tax on that money. To prepare, consider setting money aside now to cover those taxes on your 2020 return and brace yourself for a much smaller refund or no refund at all this tax season.

3. Take advantage of possible deductions. Every taxpayer will get a charitable donation deduction for 2020. Make a list of any IRS-approved donations you made this year and locate any receipts. Whether

itemizing or taking the standard deduction, under the CARES Act, all taxpayers are eligible to deduct up to $300 worth of monetary donations to qualified organizations.

And while many Americans have been working at home for months, a home office deduction is not guaranteed. The home office deduction is only available to those who are self-employed.

4. Consider major life changes. Life goes on, even during a pandemic, and life changes can bring sizeable tax implications. Some changes that cause the biggest impact include getting married or divorced, having a baby or adopting a child, buying or selling property, retiring, or starting a business. If you experienced any of these events in 2020, know that your return will look different.

5. Keep track of important documents. Even if your taxes won’t be affected by unemployment, make sure you gather all your documents, such as W-2

forms and 1099s for interest dividends and even retirement distributions. Remember to include the Notice 1444 you received with your stimulus check for your 2020 tax records. Collect your charitable contribution totals, mortgage interest, property taxes you’ve paid, and any additional state and local income taxes paid for the year. If you were furloughed and able to pick up a temporary job, gather your W-2s for each job you worked. If you worked a side gig, make sure to keep a record of your income, the miles you drove, and any additional expenses. And if you’re not filing single, be on the lookout for family members that may have been impacted to make your tax return more complicated.

No matter your 2020 situation, follow these tips to prepare for any unexpected tax implications. For more information and help during the 2020 tax season, visit jacksonhewitt.com.—

Expert Series, Continued from page 15 of influenza virus in a single dose. A dry powder version of the vaccine would minimize cold chain distribution costs and help with worldwide distribution, and could provide for needle-free vaccination using nasal or inhalation administration. * Bioweapon defense. TFF Pharmaceuticals has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), part of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command and the U.S. Army’s premier institution and facility. The collaboration will involve defensive research into countermeasures against biological warfare, investigating the application of Thin Film Freezing to formulate two different countermeasures: using monoclonal antibodies against Alphaviruses (e.g., Venezuelan, Western and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses) and using a vesicular stomatitis virus vaccine against Filoviruses (e.g., Ebola, Marburg).

USAMRIID will evaluate the immune responses induced by dry powder formulations given by pulmonary or intranasal route, as compared to conventional routes of administration (e.g., injectable).

Biodefense threats continue to be a major concern to our military and civilian populations. Because of the need for development of more effective vaccines, therapeutics and drug formulations to meet this threat, we believe our TFF technology approach can produce efficacious biodefense and emerging disease countermeasure powder formulations highly suitable for the respiratory route of administration. These

formulations are highly absorbable, effectively distributed and physiochemically stable for an extended period.

This CRADA, with the world’s preeminent biodefense research organization, is another validation of Thin Film Freezing’s potential as an important, ubiquitous disruptive platform technology.

Future collaborations. The technology developed

by TFF Pharmaceuticals will clearly have myriad applications beyond the pandemic and current ongoing research, helping to reformulate pharmaceuticals so they can be easily applied directly to the lungs (in a lower dose), intranasally, to the eyes and more.

Because TFF can utilize the FDA-approved 505(b) (2) regulatory pathway that includes reformulation of known and approved molecules in a new strength or dosage form, the technology application provides the advantages of potentially significantly lower development costs and shorter development timelines compared to traditional new molecular entities.

We have only begun to scratch the surface of how this innovative technology can be applied to meet today’s - and tomorrow’s - medical challenges.

Learn more about the groundbreaking research and development at TFF Pharmaceuticals.

We hold rights to our TFF technology pursuant to a patent license agreement entered into between us and the University of Texas at Austin, or UT. UT is the owner of 42 U.S. and international patents and patent applications with claims covering the TFF platform. Pursuant to the patent license agreement, we hold an exclusive worldwide, royalty bearing Continued on page 23 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2020 21

Tips to help you shop safely amid COVID-19 this holiday season It’s a shopping season like no other. Fifty-seven percent of shoppers surveyed report that they are likely to change their gifting habits this holiday season because of COVID-19[1]. As a result, shoppers are relying on a long-time favorite - gift cards - as a gift that can lessen the headache of 2020. This year’s most requested gift allows consumers to shop online or load gifts into mobile wallets, making shopping simpler and safer.

“Gift cards have been the most requested gift for fourteen years in a row[2],” said Megan Flanagan, executive director of the of the non-profit Retail Gift Card Association. “And they couldn’t be easier to buy. Most people are still visiting grocery stores during the pandemic, where you can find gift card malls that offer plenty of options for everyone on your list. Some grocers even offer curbside pickup of gift cards.”

Most gift cards also come in digital form, called eGifts, which can be completely contactless: bought, given and spent digitally. However, physical gift cards can be spent online, too.

“So, whether you give gift cards or eGifts, your recipients don’t have to worry about using them in person or shopping in crowded malls if they don’t want to,” continued Flanagan. “And, when your re22

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cipients get to buy what they want, where they want, they never have to worry about returning a gift they can’t use.”

As gift cards continue to grow in popularity, and the social landscape is changing due to the pandemic, gift cards are increasingly being used to connect people through shared experiences, virtually.

“With people spending more time at home, we’ve seen food delivery, streaming and gaming, and home improvement gift cards increasing in popularity,” said Shelley Hunter, the Gift Card Girlfriend at GiftCards. com and gifting expert. “Shoppers are looking for creative ways to celebrate, like choosing gift cards that create an at-home experience. For instance: a Grubhub gift card paired with a new jigsaw puzzle, or gaming and streaming gift cards given with a cozy blanket.”

Another gift card trend this year is multi-store cards featuring an assortment of retailers, restaurants and entertainment options on a single card, giving recipients more freedom to choose where to spend their gift. Some popular options include: * Happy Cards®: a universally giftable line of multi-store cards coupled together for various themes, including two great holiday options, called Happy® Holidays and Holiday Favorites.

* Giving Goodâ„¢: 88% of the US shoppers surveyed plan to make charitable donations this year[1], and Giving Good cards are the perfect way to give gifts that people love and also support the community. Giving Good cards benefit some of America’s top charitable causes. * Choice Cards: bring together higher-end retailers and restaurants all on one card. * Spafinder: turns someone’s every day into a spa day. A Spafinder gift card unlocks services and products to pamper yourself from thousands of participating spas, salons and studios.

You can check out an array of holiday gift card options at the gift card mall in your local grocer or retailer, or online at GiftCards.com.—

Footnotes: [1] The “2020 BrandedPayâ„¢ Holiday Shopping Preview” report is based on the findings in the Holiday Gifting 2020 study, an internet-based survey conducted by Leger on behalf of Blackhawk Network between August 24-31, 2020. The sample size included 1,500 respondents. Gift card category findings are based on 2018-2020 sales data from Blackhawk Network from over 50,000 merchant locations across the U.S. [2] “Holiday 2020 By The Numbers,” National Retail Federation, October 2020.

Expert Series, continued from page 21 license to the rights to the aforementioned patents, including any divisionals, continuations and extensions, in all fields of use.

We also continue to work with the inventors of the TFF platform, Robert O. (Bill) Williams III, Ph.D. and his team at UT, through a series of Sponsored Research Agreements, or SRAs, with UT. Our SRAs with UT are industry standard sponsored research agreements pursuant to which UT provides to us

certain product formulation, characterization and evaluation services with regard to our product candidates incorporating our TFF technology in exchange for our payment of UT’s expenses and reasonable overhead.—

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