IGH - WNY, #84 OCTOBER 2021

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INSIDE ■ HEALTH CAREER Physician assistant carries a median salary in WNY of $108,920. P. 10

■ COVID-19 New ‘mu’ coronavirus variant: what you need to know. P. 2

BFOHEALTH.COM

OCTOBER 2021 • ISSUE 84

■ LIVE ALONE Having the courage of living alone. P. 6

Good sleep is the basic and foremost step for a healthy and successful life because it plays a pivotal role in mental and emotional conditions.

Local expert discusses five things you need to know about it. P. 9

■ FEAR FACTOR What drives the desire for a good scare? P. 7

BETTER SLEEP ACUPRESSURE CARE Rachel Erin Borlack, a pediatric gastroenterologist at UBMD Pediatrics, incorporates acupressure into Western medicine. P. 4

SEN. KLOBUCHAR'S CANCER SCARE

Diet, Hormones Can Play a Role in Women’s Hair Loss WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUE STARTS ON PAGE 13

New ‘Mu’ Coronavirus Variant: What You Need to Know

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new coronavirus variant called "mu" that may be able to evade existing antibodies, including those from vaccines, is under close watch by U.S. health officials.

The variant hasn’t taken extensive hold in the United States at this point, but the U.S. National Institute

of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is taking it "very seriously," according to its director, Anthony Fauci.

“We’re keeping a very close eye on it... but it is not at all even close to being dominant,” Fauci told CBS News. “As you know, the delta is more than 99% dominant.”

He noted that while mu, technically known as B.1.621, has mutations suggesting “it would evade certain antibodies,” there isn’t a lot of clinical data to suggest that.

“It is mostly laboratory in vitro data,” Fauci explained.

He added that officials “don’t

consider it an immediate threat right now,” CBS News reported.

Early September, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated mu a “variant of interest,” and said more research is needed to determine if it can evade existing antibodies.

Mu was first detected in Colombia in January.

Mu has been responsible for the country’s third wave of coronavirus infections from April to June, Colombian health official Marcela Mercado told a local radio station. She said there were nearly 700 deaths per day during that wave, and nearly two-thirds of tests from people who died came back positive for the mu variant, CBS News reported.

In the past week, Colombia has seen just under 14,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 530 new deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Less than 30% of the country's citizens are fully vaccinated, CBS News reported.

“Although the global prevalence of the mu variant among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1%, the prevalence in Colombia (39%) and Ecuador (13%) has consistently increased,” according to the WHO, CBS News reported.

Some larger outbreaks of the mu variant have been reported in South America and Europe.

Johns Hopkins University reported that Colombia has had about 14,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 530 deaths in the first week of September, CBS reported. Its vaccination rate is below 30%.

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E 82

BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL ISSUE 3 REMOTE LEARNING is hurting students acad emically and emotionally 3 BULLYING IS BACK as in-person school returns; discuss what to do abou we t it 3 BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANX can parents do to help theirIETY has skyrocketed. What kids?

3 AUTISM: Back to scho ol spectrum brings challeng for kids on the autism es

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

15 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Wasted in U.S. Since March 1

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t least 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been thrown away in the United States since March 1, government data shows.

That’s a far greater amount than previously known, but it is still just a small fraction of the total doses administered in this country, according to NBC News.

The data is self-reported by pharmacies, states and other vaccine providers, but does not include some states and federal providers, and it also does not explain the reasons doses were thrown away, NBC News reported.

Four national pharmacy chains each reported more than 1 million wasted doses, led by Walgreens with 2.6 million, the most of any pharmacy, state or other vaccine provider, followed by CVS (2.3 million), Walmart (1.6 million) and Rite Aid (1.1 million), NBC News reported.

There are numerous reasons why doses may be marked as wasted, from a cracked vial or an error diluting the vaccine to a freezer malfunction to more doses in a vial than people who want them. A wastage report can also happen when a vial contains fewer doses than it should, NBC News said.

As early September, 438 million doses have been distributed in the

United States, while an additional 111.7 million doses have been sent to other countries since Aug. 3, NBC News reported.

The data was released as many countries struggle to get COVID-19 vaccines.

“It’s really tragic that we have a situation where vaccines are being wasted while lots of African countries have not had even 5% of their populations vaccinated,” Sharifah Sekalala, an associate professor of global health law at England’s University of Warwick who studies health care inequalities in infectious diseases, told NBC News.

But Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the portion of wasted doses “remains extremely low.”

“As access to COVID-19 vaccine has increased, it is important for providers to not miss any opportunity to vaccinate every eligible person who presents at vaccine clinics, even if it may increase the likelihood of leaving unused doses in a vial,” Nordlund told NBC News.

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Page 3

Meet

Your Doctor

By Christopher Motola

U.S. Kidney Transplant Outcomes Are Improving

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ong-term survival rates have improved for kidney transplant recipients over the past three decades, a review published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine shows.

“There has been a gratifying improvement in kidney transplant survival, both for patients and the kidney graft itself, from 1996 to the current era,” said review author Sundaram Hariharan, a senior transplant nephrologist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

The five-year survival rate of recipients who received kidneys from deceased donors increased from about 66% in 1996–1999 to just over 78% in 2012–2015. Survival increased from 79.5% to about 88% among recipients who received kidneys from living donors.

“These improvements have occurred despite unfavorable increases in obesity, diabetes and other conditions in patients and donors,” Hariharan said in a university news release.

“We have learned a lot through research and by taking care of kidney transplant patients.”

Hariharan explained that improvements in tissue matching, organ distribution systems, surgical techniques, immune-suppressing medicines and after-transplant medical care have helped contribute to better survival rates.

Longer survival times not only benefit kidney transplant patients and reduce health care costs, they also mean more kidneys are available for the approximately 90,000 Americans waiting for a kidney transplant, the researchers noted.

Despite progress in U.S. kidney transplant patients’ long-term survival, rates are below those of other developed nations. That’s likely because immunosuppressant drugs are covered by Medicare for just three years after a transplant, according to the study authors.

Those drugs must be taken by transplant recipients for the rest of their lives to help prevent their bodies from rejecting the new organ. A new law passed last year will eventually provide U.S. transplant recipients with lifetime coverage of these essential medications.

“The passing of this law is a great victory for kidney transplant patients, and we anticipate further improvements in long-term kidney transplant survival over the next decade,” said Hariharan.

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Rachel Erin Borlack, M.D. Pediatric gastroenterologist at UBMD Pediatrics incorporates acupressure into Western medicine Q: When did you first get interested in acupressure and complementary integrative medicine in general?

A: It’s a long story. I had an interest in integrative and alternative medicine for many years. During my gastroenterology fellowship I met with my research assistant who is an adolescent physician and also does public health, who has training integrative medicine, including qigong, reiki and acupuncture. She helped train me—and I also trained myself—in acupressure. I don’t do acupuncture and am not certified in it. I started researching and learning more about acupressure of the ear and incorporating more of it into both my clinical practice and research. The research really interests me because acupressure has been around for thousands of years but hasn’t been incorporated into Western medicine. So I’m very interested in bridging that gap.

Q: What’s the difference between acupressure and acupuncture?

A: It’s kinda semantics. Typically acupressure is used to describe all types of stimulation of acupoints, which are areas on the body associated with different bodily systems.

Acupuncture is concerned with using needles to stimulate those points. But you can stimulate in different ways, including manually or an object.

There’s herbal stimula-

tion. Since I’m not certified to use needles, I use electrical stimulation and manual pressure with a small acupressure device or beads attached to an adhesive that can stick to the point for up to a week and provide continuous pressure.

Q: What uses have you found, within your gastroenterology practice, for acupressure?

A: There’s not a lot of data currently that proves that it works, but there’s almost endless uses for the therapy. It’s used for constipation, for diarrhea, for irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal for reflux. So there are different protocols, different recommendations for each of these issues. In terms of evidence, there’s very little. There is some that shows it’s effective for adults with irritable bowel syndrome. We use it based on their symptoms. My own research looks mainly at functional abdominal pain disorders, and I have my own protocol that I use for that, but it’s not a research-validated protocol. So we have guidelines but not evidence.

But there are a lot of possible uses.

Q: What’s the patient response been like?

A: It depends.

It’s easier to treat pain from a recent, acute issue like a sprained ankle than longstanding issue. So when I’ve had people who have had symptoms for a short while, sometimes they respond really well to one treatment.

When they’ve had years of pain and symptoms we

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

In the News Rachel Borlack, MD is a pediatric gastroenterology of UBMD Pediatrics and assistant professor at University at Buffalo. She just had some research published about treating functional abdominal pain disorder with auricular acupressure. don’t see as robust a response. In my current practice I don’t see patients on a weekly basis for these treatments. I do teach patients acupressure points they can find on themselves. That can give patients ability to manage their symptoms, when they need it.

Q: A while back I interviewed another specialist in your field who said there was a substantial psychiatric component to irritable bowel syndrome.

A: Neurogastroenterology is a field that deals with a lot of that. For example, we know that serotonin, a neurotransmitter that many people have heard of in the context of depression, we know that 95% of it exists in your gut and only 5% in your brain. So we know there’s a very strong connection of nerves and nerve signaling. When those signals get altered, like they do in depression, you can get gastroenterological symptoms. So there’s a huge overlap between anxiety, depression and gastroenterological symptoms. Sometime the treatments overlap as well.

Sometimes they’re different.

Q: Because of those overlapping elements, does that tend to send you to other specialties as well?

A: We do refer a lot of our patients for psychiatric help because of the overlap. And often people suffering with chronic symptoms are suffering from stress, which can exacerbate their symptoms. Another tool I use that has very good evidence for irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease symptoms is medical hypnotherapy.

Q: What’s the response been like from the university and from colleagues? Are they usually interested? Skeptical?

A: For the most part they’re very open and accepting. Most of my colleagues are interested in understanding it better and seeing if they can use these tools. The medical community generally likes things that have evidence, so there’s a lot of interest while also wanting to see data. We know that with kids who haven’t responded well to traditional therapy, or who are missing a lot of school, parents are interested in alternative approaches. That tends to be a lot of our patients.

Lifelines

Name: Rachel Erin Borlack, M.D. Position: Medical assistant professor, gastroenterology Hometown: Toronto, Ontario Education: Albert Einstein College; Columbia University Affiliations: Oishei Children’s Hospital Organizations: American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society; National Pediatric Hypnosis Training Institute; American Gastroenterology Association; North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology; and Nutrition; American Academy of Pediatrics Family: Husband; one daughter Hobbies: Travel; reading

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Still Using Hand Sanitizers?

Some Contain CancerCausing Ingredient

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

F

or more than 18 months, much of the world has been slathering on hand sanitizer to protect against COVID-19. That may not be a good idea.

A new study found in several brands of sanitizer high levels of “contaminants”—including benzene, a cancer-causing agent according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA has issued a list of sanitizer brands to avoid.

Valisure, a product testing company in Connecticut, examined 260 bottles of sanitizer from 168 brands and discovered that 17% of the samples contained detectable levels of benzene. Of those, 21 bottles contained levels of benzene above two parts per million (ppm). The FDA set that amount as a temporary measure to help supply sanitizer during the pandemic.

Jenna Schifferle is a writer from Tonawanda. She’s running toward her goal of 2,021 miles this year, with a mission to do 30 miles for her 30th birthday.

Embrace Seasons Past...

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Ordinarily, the FDA ranks benzene as too toxic for inclusion in personal care products.

Tracy Fricano-Chalmers, director of public health planning and emergency preparedness and public information officer with the Niagara County Health Department, advises patients to properly wash whenever possible.

“Using soap and water is the best,” she said. “Sing the ‘Happy Birthday’ song two times. Use a paper towel to grab the bathroom door handle or use your shirt.”

She views hand sanitizer as only to be used when soap and water are not available.

It is especially important to use soap and water when hands are visibly soiled. Using sanitizer to try to scrub off soil uses much more of the product and is not as effective as

washing for removing soil. Reducing the amount of sanitizer used can help reduce exposure to any possible contaminants and minimize drying of the skin.

Fricano-Chalmers said that sanitizer that is at least 62% alcohol is a must for efficacy. As for safety, “We wouldn’t recommend a particular name brand, but get one from a reputable supplier and store.”

Ordering off the internet may result in subpar quality.

“It’s also best if there’s a ‘use by’ date on it,” Fricano-Chalmers said.

“It gets watery if it’s lying around.

Keep in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight.

“Don’t leave it near kids under 6. They should be supervised when using it.”

Greg Ladd, pharmacist at Danwins Pharmacy in Webster, encourages those who use sanitizer—especially those who use it regularly—to seek a name brand.

“Purell is a common household name,” he said. “Any product where you don’t know where it’s from or you don’t know its source is a risk.

If you’re ordering on Amazon, you don’t know.”

Off brands could be sourced

from countries not as stringent with ingredients as the United States, which means contaminants not deemed safe by the FDA could be present.

During the quarantine, some distillers began making sanitizer to bolster the supply. Ladd said that these would fall under US guidelines and would be safe to use.

“Anything the distilleries were making was basically alcohol,” he said.

He added that it may be important to scrutinize labels of products of lesser-known origin if they boast of added benefits such as moisturizers or coloring agents.

“Anything with extra things in it may be a marketing technique,” Ladd said. “You might be paying extra so it’s dyed green. Some ingredients may help hands dry faster or may not include ingredients that make hands sticky. Big name brands are good at this. But there’s not necessarily anything wrong with one that’s runnier or stickier.”

Although sanitizing stations have become part of most public facilities, taking your own bottle from home can ensure you have a safe product to use.

Writer on the Run

By Jenna Schifferle

jenna.schifferle@gmail.com

There’s No Better Time to Take on a New Challenge

F

all sets the stage for perfect running conditions. The humidity dissipates and the leaves turn bold colors that are a delight to see.

For some reason, the air feels lighter, easier to breathe. The possibilities seem endless. Coupled with pumpkin-spiced everything, this time of year always seems to put a little extra spring in my step.

With fall also comes the realization that 2021 is winding down. If you’re anything like me, you started the year a little shell-shocked from 2020 but remained hopeful for a better year. Perhaps you even set a few goals. With just a couple months

left to go, we can now fully see the December deadline lingering in front of us before it passes by.

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, my primary fitness goals for 2020 were to, firstly, run 30 miles for my 30th birthday and, secondly, run 2,021 miles in 2021. The first one I achieved. My second goal, however, is off track. I’ve hit the halfway point of my 2,021-miles journey, but with just a couple months to spare, there’s a chance I may not meet the mileage.

What I’ve come to learn over time is that sometimes goals and priorities shift. Right now, I’m more focused on building muscle in addi-

tion to the growing list of priorities in other areas of my life. And maybe that’s OK. I won’t abandon my mission to keep moving forward, but I may just adjust my sails and expectations. For the rest of the year, my new hope is to keep hitting the pavement each day. If I meet my goal, great. If not, then I’ll learn what I can and set a more reasonable goal next year.

As for making the most of the season, I’ll still be participating in some of my favorite races like the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and the Winter Warrior in January. There are a ton of great events that showcase the changing seasons, many of which

October 2021 •

involve getting dressed up in costumes or drinking copious amounts of hot cider. With in-person events occurring more often, there’s no better time to take on a new challenge. If you’re more comfortable, most races are also offering virtual options that come with the same great swag for you to enjoy.

For a complete calendar of race events in the Buffalo area, check out www.buffalorunners.com/calendar_2021.htm.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 5

Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Having the Courage to Live Alone

I

was inspired to write this column on courage after receiving this email below from a reader:

Dear Gwenn, You would appreciate this. I just have to share these two recent experiences I had as a single woman.

Last week, on the spur of the moment, I got up and off my couch and went to an outdoor concert at a cool, rustic music venue called Lincoln Hill Farms overlooking Canandaigua Lake. It’s the first live music I’ve heard since COVID turned me into a couch potato.

A self-described old hippie, I thought this Woodstock-ish farm setting would be a safe bet for me. So, I mustered the courage to make a solo trip to the lake to listen to an acoustic duo play oldies, but goodies.

Easy, right? Well, not so much.

After ordering a salad (delicious!) from the food truck, I took a seat at one of the picnic tables near the stage and tried to adopt the carefree posture of a single confident woman on her own. I faked it for a while, then retreated to the safety of my car, and ultimately to my couch at home. Still, I felt good I made the effort!

Then this week, I went to meet a “match date” — only I went to the

right place on the wrong day. I waited an hour, established rapport with the single-mom hostess, and then gave up. I moved inside to a high-top near the bar and ordered a glass of wine and an appetizer.

I could tell the waitress thought it was odd I was alone. (I did not have the courage to eat outdoors where all of the other couples had seen me waiting for an hour). Last night, I met the guy at the right place on the right day.

Being single requires courage!

Erica (not her real name)

—

How right this reader is. Living alone does require courage. In fact, “Erica’s” email got me thinking about all the many and varied ways that living alone asks (demands) that we demonstrate courage, almost on a daily basis.

On my own, I’ve discovered it takes courage to: • Sleep alone. That “bump in the night” can test even the strongest among us. Thank goodness for my white-noise maker.

• Get up alone. Where did all this anxiety come from? I just woke up for cripes sake! This is when I repeat my mantra: “All I need is within me now.” Then I set my intentions

for my day.

• Show up alone. Early on, this was hard for me, especially if I suspected my ex might be at the event.

I discovered that a little preparation goes a long way. I would visualize handling the encounter with grace and, importantly, brevity.

A few pleasantries and a “take care” helped me move past the encounter in a relatively quick and painless manner.

• Throw a party. What was I thinking? Will anyone show up? The bathroom still needs cleaning! As a single host, I found that starting small was key. Having a few friends over for a “breakfast at Wimbledon” get-together got the ball rolling for me. And it was easier than I thought.

Since then, inviting friends and family into my home has been a tremendous source of joy.

• Ask for help. It took me a while to overcome my fear of being seen as weak or vulnerable after my divorce.

When I finally acknowledged that I did, indeed, need help from time to time, I was pleasantly surprised by the kindness of others and deeply touched by their willingness to pitch in and offer a helping hand.

• Set a mousetrap. Or worse, dispose of one that’s “occupied.” Mice, spiders, pet accidents, a plugged toilet: you name it, I’ve dealt with it.

And so can you. All it takes is a little resolve and a heavy-duty pair of rubber gloves. One exception: I found a bat in my living room a few years ago and needed to call in reinforcements.

• Say “yes” to a welcome invitation. He’s kinda cute. But then what?

At my age? I say give it whirl! One of the advantages of being a little older is increased self-awareness and the confidence to be who you truly are “as is.” Pretending to be otherwise will only compromise your chances of meeting someone who loves you

just the way you are.

• Say “no” to an unwelcome advance. The ring on his finger is a real turn-off! Depending on the situation, and with a clear unapologetic voice, consider one of these responses: I don’t welcome this kind of attention; No, I’m not interested; This makes me uncomfortable, please leave me alone.

• Travel alone. Traveling alone, just like living alone requires the right frame of mind to be successful and enjoyable. When people hear about my solo travels, many exclaim, “Oh, you are so brave!” I want to respond, “Well, not really.”

With thoughtful planning and precautions, going it alone can be empowering and exhilarating. When was the last time you experienced the freedom to do whatever you wanted to do on your terms, your budget, your time table?

• Make a major purchase. I knew I should be practical, but what I really wanted was that sporty, little red sedan. What to do? I bought it! All on my own.

In my teens, I relied on my father’s advice when making major purchases. When I got married, I relied on husband’s. Now, I rely on myself. And that’s major.

When we demonstrate courage, when we take risks, we grow. We become stronger, more resilient, more independent, and more able to live the life of our dreams.

We become better at living alone.

Gwenn Voelckers is the founder and facilitator of Alone and Content, empowerment workshops for women and author of “Alone and Content,” a collection of inspiring essays for those who live alone. For information about her workshops, to purchase her book, or invite Voelckers to speak, visit www.aloneandcontent.com

Kids’ Accidental Poisonings Are on the Rise: Protect Your Child

A

s the COVID-19 pandemic grinds on and stress on families mounts, more kids are falling victim to accidental poisoning.

Experts attribute the surge to disrupted sleep patterns, work schedules and parenting routines.

“I think what’s happening is, parents are challenged with a couple of things,” said Helen Arbogast, manager of the injury prevention program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “One is working from home, so they may be incredibly distracted and leave things around that they ordinarily use. And I also think we can’t underestimate the impact of the stress caused by the pandemic. Medical marijuana is one of the strategies people use to alleviate some of that.”

The hospital, which typically sees one or two poisoning cases a week, saw that double in the second half of 2020. Edible marijuana and

Page 6

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prescription meds are the most common ingested substances.

To keep kids safe, Arbogast suggests parents and caregivers start by making sure medications are locked up and out of reach. Keep them in the childproof container supplied by the pharmacy, she urged, and not in a Sunday-through-Saturday pill box, which can be easy for a child to open.

If pills have expired, dispose of them responsibly.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a primer on safely getting rid of unused meds. The best way with most is to take them to the pharmacy or designated take-back site. Some meds can be placed in household trash and a few can be flushed down the toilet, Arbogast said. The FDA has a list of those.

She said the whole family needs to be educated and on top of safety.

While grandparents may be caring for young grandchildren, their home

Edible marijuana and prescription meds are the most common ingested substances by kids. may not be childproofed.

“Now grandma’s doing the work, and it’s been a long time since she’s had a small child,” Arbogast said. “So she doesn’t even think to put her heart medication away.”

Make sure everyone who cares for your child is aware of the potential for poison ingestion. Remind them to put all medications or cannabis away.

Keep the poison control number (800-222-1222) handy. Call it immediately if you suspect your child has swallowed something poisonous.

Don’t wait for an adverse reaction to confirm it, because reactions vary by the toxin consumed.

“Some may cause vomiting;

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

some may cause lethargy where the kid is kind of non-responsive; some might cause a stomach illness,” Arbogast said. “If you think they ingested edibles, that’s not going to have the same kind of reaction as prescription medication. We can’t say, ‘If they look like this, do this.’”

Poison Control can help you determine next steps.

“This pandemic is not behind us yet, and families are still trying to figure out what normal is,” Arbogast said. “So, it’s time for us to think about having our children in new environments. We just want them to be thinking about their child’s safety at every destination.”

For the Love of Fear What drives the desire for a good scare?

By Amanda Jowsey

A

Certain behaviors s summer fades increase arousal, “a to fall, most peogeneral level of activaple pick pumption by physiological kins and apples, enjoy systems including the bonfires and take scenic brain, heart, lungs and drives to admire aumuscles,” Scaletta said. tumn’s colorful foliage.

“Sometimes, we act in With Halloween apways to increase our proaching, others settle arousal while other into a more sinister tratimes, we act in ways to dition: watching horror decrease our arousal.” movies, visiting haunted “For a select group houses and taking paraof people, their optinormal tours. mal level of arousal is According to Amer- Laura Scaletta high. They try to keep ica Haunts, haunted it there, so they engage in exciting, attractions generate between $300 thrill-seeking activities, such as scary million and $500 million in ticket Halloween activities, skydiving sales per year. or watching frightening movies,” Why do we seek the thrill of Scaletta said. “Conversely, people fear? Why do we love the terror, the with a low level of arousal shy away adrenaline, the ability to see some from these activities and do not nightmares come to life? Can these experiences actually benefit our men- engage in anything that is overly stimulating.” tal health? Can they harm us?

Scaletta wants to remind us that Laura Scaletta, professor of these experiences are solely for enterpsychology at Niagara County tainment.

Community College, Whether or not they believes that a person’s can benefit or harm love (or hatred) of these mental health depends frightening adventures on the person and how can best be explained by he or she performs and the theory of motivation functions within this called the optimal level theory of motivation. of arousal.

Emily Rua, self-de“The theory states clared “scream queen that performance and mistress of macaimproves as arousal bre” holds a bachelor’s increases, but only to a degree in cinema-televipoint. Thereafter, aroussion from the University al will lead to declining of Southern California. performance,” Scaletta explained.

She has worked as both Emily Rua

an actress and crew member on various horror movies and web series.

She is actively involved in the horror and Halloween community. She is also a contributor to the Haunted Attractions Network, a resource for news, articles, resources, podcasts and events for the Halloween and Haunted Attraction Industry.

One of the best explanations of why people love to be scared in certain settings, Rua believes, is due to the social bonding this type of experience fosters.

“It’s sort of like trauma bonding.

When people go through traumatic experiences together, they bond.

Horror and haunted houses give you some of those same adrenaline rushes,” she said.

We go into and come out of these journeys together. Whether it’s a horror movie or a haunted house, “we all get to survive it and sort of laugh at that experience,” Rua said. Many times “there’s laughter involved.

There’s a real release of emotion,” she added.

Her background in film taught her many of the critical theories that analyze and interpret this universal enjoyment. From a mental health aspect, Rua believes these experiences are important because Halloween and horror events “allow us to explore these themes and fears in a safe space.”

Although people do not share the same fears, fear itself is shared by every single person. It is a universal and unifying human experience.

Rua has found these types of scary experiences to be a wonderful outlet for examining deeper human truths, where we can reach a level of understanding that we may not have otherwise discovered. It’s an exciting, safe and new way to tap into our own feelings and another’s through these psychological explorations.

October 2021 •

Local Fear-Seeking Spots

Paranormal tours — Buffalo History Tours: Paranormal Proof BusTour One Naval Park Cove, Buffalo 716-997-2245 buffalohistorytours.com Iron Island Museum (above): 998 Lovejoy St., Buffalo 716-892-3084 Ironislandmuseum.com Marble Orchard Ghost Walks: 476 Center St., Lewiston 716-754-0166

Haunted Houses Frightworld: America’s Screampark 1001 Hertel Ave., Buffalo Frightworld.com The Haunted Forests 2860 Beebe Road, Newfane716-464-8649 Thehauntedforests.com Everhaunt Haunted House 144 Lake St, Angola 716-899-3327 everhaunt.com

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 7

Left Thomas Jasinski’s tireless advocacy efforts include regular media appearances on local radio and television programs such as “Senior Matters With Buddy Shula” on WECK 1230 AM. Above As a double organ transplant recipient, Thomas Jasinski uses his personal experience to help educate others of the importance of the state organ donor registry.

Donation Motivation

Encouraging organ and tissue donation is passion of double organ transplant recipient

By Daniel Meyer

I

t is estimated that 90% of Americans support organ donation. Yet only 30% know the steps needed to take in order to become officially registered.

That imbalance is what drives Thomas Jasinski Jr. with his continued organ donor activism and advocacy in his role as the founder and executive director of One8Fifty, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase awareness of the need for organ and tissue donation.

Promoting a registration platform made available through Donate Life of America, One8Fifty wants to help people donate life by teaching them how to join the organ donor registration list and avoid any stressful situations for family members of someone who wants to be an organ donor.

A personal experience Jasinski was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure in September 2010 and was placed on dialysis.

Following a series of tests, it was determined he needed a kidney transplant. It was during that time period that Jasinski learned that New York State was in the bottom five of states for percentage of total population registered as organ donors.

“That lit a fire under me,” recalled Jasinski. “I learned at that point the direct impact those low numbers have on the ability to secure an organ. At any given moment in time, there are approximately 9,500 residents in New York State awaiting organ transplant. The reality is about 500 of those people will die within one year simply because the organs they need to survive are not available.”

Jasinski ended up receiving a Page 8

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lular telephone by texting the word “register” to 57838. There is also a user-friendly option for registration available online at www.one8fifty. org as well as online via the official website of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

“I do want to stress that no matter what someone’s wishes are that they openly communicate that with their family and their friends,” Jasinski said. “We want to help cut down on stress, avoid difficult decisions and not put additional pressure on people in the moments after there is a death in the family. If everyone understands the wishes of the deceased it improves the process of organ and tissue donation because everyone is aware because it is in writing and conversations previously took place prior to the point of death.”

Community partners are needed Interacting with local businesses and civic groups allows for Thomas Jasinski and other One8Fifty representatives to educate the general public on how to become a “partner in transplant.” kidney in September 2012 and in July 2013 received a pancreas transplant, meaning that for the first time in 33 years he was no longer defined as being diabetic and was an official double transplant recipient.

“I know how fortunate I am and will be forever grateful for the selflessness of others who made it possible for me to remain alive,” Jasinski said. “I experienced a long and difficult journey and that is why I take on the challenge of moving New York up the list of states of registered organ donors.”

results in people asking questions.

“After much thought and deliberation, we chose the name knowing that one person can provide eight different people with lifesaving organs and help dramatically impact at least 50 other people through tissue donation,” Jasinski said. “We hear a lot about organ transplants, often hearts and kidneys and lungs, but more attention needs to be paid to things like skin grafts, corneas, cartilage for reconstructive procedures, blood donation and the need for bone marrow.”

What One8Fifty stands for

How someone can register to donate

The marketing perspective of the unique name of the organization was carefully crafted with the mindset of wanting to create general curiosity and hopefully generate interest that

Using the Donate Life of America registration platform, anyone in the country can become an organ donor.

People can register using their cel-

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

Jasinski and other representatives of One8Fifty work tirelessly as advocates for organ and tissue donation, making numerous speaking engagements and other public appearances.

Their belief in organ donation allows for them to educate others about the dire need, especially in Western New York.

“Funding is always an issue, so I want everyone to know that we are always open to anyone who wants to support us financially,” Jasinski said. “It’s also important to note that nobody should rule their ability or eligibility to be a donor because there is no specific and clear-cut decision about you being too old to donate or too young to donate. There are variables and certain circumstances on what can be used. A living donation is also a viable option and what I believe is a crucial consideration for people who are waiting for transplants.”

For more information about organ and tissue donation, visit www.one8fifty.org.

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Things You Should Know About Sleep

There is a significant difference between sufficient and good sleep

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

G

ood sleep is the basic and foremost step for a healthy and successful life because it plays a pivotal role in mental and emotional conditions. Quality sleep helps you maintain a healthy weight, lowers the risk of serious medical problems, reduces the stress level and improves the mood. Sleep also boosts your thinking power and creativity standards at your work. Good sleep also influences positively on your decision-making ability.

“Sleep is absolutely essential for normal growth and development.

You spend a third of your life sleeping so you can’t ignore its importance,” said Alberto Monegro, sleep medicine physician for both adults and pediatrics and also helps run the UBMD Pediatrics Sleep Center.

Monegro talks about five aspects of sleep.

1 Misconceptions

There are many misconceptions regarding sleep; many dealing with the idea of needing entertainment to ease into the night to accomplish good sleep.

“One of the myths I hear are people telling me is they need their electronics such as looking at their phone or watching television to wind down before sleep. That is completely false,” said Monegro. “Any light is sensed by your retina and signals your brain that it is not time to sleep.

When you engage in those activities before bedtime and become deprived of sleep, you have a higher level of epinephrine, or adrenaline.

“Epinephrine is a hormone that is secreted mainly by the medulla of the adrenal glands and that functions

in part to maintain alertness and increase cardiac output and raise glucose levels in the blood.”

Even on vacation, he recommends having solid sleep habits.

“Nobody stays up all night during vacation and wakes up the following morning feeling refreshed.

A better practice would be to engage in fun activities during the day rather than during bedtime, because your body does not tolerate abrupt changes in sleep schedule,” added Monegro, who is also an assistant professor at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the UBMD.

2 Required sleep

Some believe as little as four hours of sleep remains good enough to survive. Only a limited number of people worldwide fall into the category of high functioning with that number of sleep. Children from 6 to 12 years of age typically need nine to 12 hours of sleep, teenagers need eight to 10 hours and adults need seven to eight hours.

“It makes sense that when you are very young and your brain is still developing the more sleep you will require,” said Monegro. “As you get older, you tend to sleep earlier in the night but also wake up earlier.”

3 Good vs bad sleep

Not all sleep is created equal. Just having the right amount of recommended sleep may not necessarily be enough. If you are waking up multiple times throughout the night and not feeling refreshed in the morning, then this may be a sign that you could have a sleep problem

You may receive up to 4 messages per week. Message and data rates my apply when sending & receiving text messages. Messages sent from automated system. Consent not required to purchase goods and services. Text STOP to 57838 to opt-out. Text HELP to 57838 for assistance or call 800-211-2001. To view our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy, please visit www.sentextsolutions.com/privacypolicy.

that needs to be evaluated by a sleep specialist. Even a few nights of insufficient sleep can lead to increased daytime drowsiness, according to the National Center for Biotechnology.

Insufficient sleep wreaks havoc on different aspects of the human body like appetite, metabolism, blood pressure, immune system and hormone production.

“There is also a misconception that being asleep is the same as having a restful sleep pattern which is not true. Good sleep helps your brain create and maintain memory, boosts creativity, protects you against dementia, works to process information, maintains energy and restores health.” Monegro said. “It is simply not good enough to fall asleep on a random schedule that varies day to day, as this does not translate to good sleep.”

Monegro believes people underestimate the correlation between positive sleeping habits and successful health and mental outcomes.

“When you don’t receive quality sleep and the right amount of sleep, then it can lead to the deterioration of your health. There are studies that show that sleep deprivation is associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, weight gain, osteoporosis, heart disease and depression,” added Monegro.

He recommends that even for those taking the vaccination that they focus on sleeping well before and after the shots because it could boost your immune system to respond to the vaccine and increase the number of antibodies that you form.

4 Insomnia

There are many sleep conditions and sleep disorders which disturb human life to a great extent.

Common sleep conditions include insomnia, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy and sleep apnea. Insomnia is the leading sleep disorder affecting nearly three million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition makes it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep and can drastically alter your quality of life. He advises against drinking caffeine, alcohol, snacking or looking at your phone right before bed be-

October 2021 •

cause any of these activities by itself, let alone together, will stimulate the brain and not ease your mind.

“Insomnia can be caused by many factors; even some self-induced,” he added. “That is why anyone who believes they are suffering from the condition should practice good sleep habits such as maintaining the same bedtime and wake time, avoiding bright lights in the evening, exposing yourself to bright lights in the morning and avoiding daytime napping.”

5 Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing difficulties at night interrupt normal sleep and result in poor health outcomes. It’s usually more common in older people, obese individuals and in men. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, roughly 22 million Americans suffer from the condition. Symptoms include snoring, gasping for air while sleeping and waking up with a dry mouth and a headache.

“With this condition you have an obstruction that limits your air flow or your brain does not signal your body to take a breath. Those affected have repetitive episodes of low oxygen and sleep fragmentation,” said Monegro. “I would recommend someone see a sleep specialist to discuss the need for a sleep study if they believe they could have sleep apnea.”

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 9

Health Career

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

F

aminations, diagnose, order lab work, interpret lab work, perform procedures and assist at surgeries. At some practices, such as Rosinski’s, they see their own panel of patients.

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are sometimes referred to as “physician extenders”—not a term preferred by PAs—because they allow the office to extend care to more patients.

“Being a PA allows for versatility in your career,” said Adam G. Grupka, PA and director of Healthcare and Education in the Health Professions HUB and assistant vice president for academic affairs at D’Youville College in Buffalo. “As a PA, I can practice in every state and in every medical setting and specialty, improving healthcare access and quality.”

Physicians who study a specialty are much less nimble in their career.

The PA also has a better work - life balance.

“Students can complete their MS degree in 24 to 28 months, and earn a very competitive salary upon graduation,” Grupka added. “You have the ability to have an impact your community and build rapport with your patients. You are part of a medical team which treats the whole patient together. The job market expects continued growth over the next 10 years.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook from 2020 through 2030 is 31% growth, much higher than most other careers. The annual median pay for a PA in the Buffalo area is $108,920.

The annual median pay for a PA in the Buffalo area is $108,920.

Physician Assistant: A Fulfilling, Broad-based Healthcare Career ew careers in healthcare share the same kind of impact as the physician assistant.

The PA often performs tasks and works in roles like that of the medical doctor, but the PA educational path is shorter than the MD’s. That means that more PAs can enter the field to fill the gaps in healthcare caused by the increased demand and massive

or working in some facet of healthcare to demonstrate their dedication to the field.

“We look for in high school applicants, students who have been strong in their science and math and AP honors college credits throughout high school,” said Allyson Kirk, associate program director of the PA program at Daemen College.

“The number one characteristic that we look for is good communication skills,” she added. “I do think in our career, we very frequently are the patient communicators. We do a lot of patient education explaining about procedures, treatments and things like that.”

The entry is so challenging that nationwide, PA programs boast an attrition rate of less than 1%. The applicants can participate in the five-year program directly out of high school or enter the two-year program if they already have a bachelor’s degree.

Participants must maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher in most programs.

The final year of either program is working at hospital, rotating through a variety of settings every four or five weeks. After graduation, PAs must take a board exam and pass a background check to obtain their state license. At that point, they can practice in every setting in healthcare and in any specialty, augmented by on-the-job training. They must also complete 100 hours of continuing education credits every two years and sit for the exam every 10 years.

PAs can perform physical ex-

number of MD retirements happening.

Like the MD, the entrance into PA programs is tough, with a 2% to 3% acceptance rate.

The capacity for PA programs is limited and the demands for applicants are high. Strong grades in science and math are a must, along with 500 to 2,000 hours volunteering

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That excellence can be found at the Emergency Center at DeGraff Medical Park (formerly DeGraff Memorial Hospital). Our physicians are second to none and combined with our highly-trained nurses and staff, they all share one goal – to provide patients with outstanding medical care. In fact, they’re the same physicians who provide emergency care at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

Healthy Vegetable Cabbage Soup

The skinny on healthy eating

Why Often-Overlooked Cabbage Deserves a Closer Look

I

always love a good nutritional surprise; and cabbage doesn’t disappoint.

Although many varieties abound, today’s column focuses on the most popular cabbage consumed in the US: green cabbage.

So what’s so surprising about this underrated vegetable? One, it’s a nutritional powerhouse, on par with many of its cruciferous cousins: broccoli, cauliflower and kale. Two, it’s inexpensive and versatile: as delicious raw as it is cooked. Three, it’s climbed to the top of pandemic cooking for this mundane reason: it lasts longer in the fridge than most vegetables!

Let’s start with one of cabbage’s most noteworthy health perks: its potential to keep chronic inflammation in check. Although inflammation plays a vital role in healing, chronic inflammation may increase the risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and some autoimmune diseases. Cabbage teems with powerful compounds and vitamins that quell inflammation by gobbling up toxins that attack tissues and subsequently cause a high inflammatory response.

Another perk to ponder? Cabbage is surprisingly good for hearts, and in more ways than one. Its fiber helps prevents heart disease by lowering both blood pressure and cholesterol and also by filling us up, which helps us eat less and maintain a heart-friendly weight. Its vitamin K benefits tickers by preventing a

build-up of calcium in our blood—a buildup that can harden arteries, a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. And, as mentioned, its inflammation-busting antioxidants— from vitamin C to manganese to phytonutrients—are a heart’s best friend.

If cancer concerns you, this leafy superfood should find its way into your diet on a regular basis. According to the National Cancer Institute, cruciferous vegetables, like cabbage, contain unique sulfur-containing compounds—glucosinolates—that help the body fight cancer. They do this by impeding the growth or development of cancer in a number of ways: by causing carcinogens to become inactive, by inhibiting the formation of blood vessels in tumors, by hindering the migration of cancer cells, and much more.

More good reasons to reach for this nutrient-dense hero: it’s super low in calories (only 20 per chopped, raw cup); it has no fat or cholesterol; and it’s available year-round.

Just How Healthy Are Pomegranates?

P

omegranates can be a little intimidating. Cutting one open requires some precision. And are they even worth the work to free all those little ruby red buds inside?

Nutritionists think so.

“Pomegranates are high in dietary fiber and antioxidants,” said Penny Kris-Etherton, the Evan Pugh University Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania.

The fruit’s red color comes from plant pigments called polyphenols found in many plant-based foods that work as antioxidants in the body and help fight inflammation and aging.

When you open a pomegranate, you find a bounty of red, round arils that have a sweet but tart taste.

Inside each aril is a small seed. It’s OK to eat the arils as a whole or stick with the juice and spit out the seeds.

But don’t eat the rind and white areas, called membranes, around the arils.

Half of a cup of arils has 72 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrates and

three grams of fiber. Pomegranates also have a lot of folate, potassium and vitamin K. Originally from Iran and India, the “jewels of autumn,” as pomegranates are called, are actually considered a berry. They grow primarily in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South Asia and parts of Arizona and California. Even long ago, pomegranates were associated with abundance, fertility and luck.

Pomegranates are believed to boost heart health, although according to the National Institutes of Health, so far research on the berry is still limited.

Kris-Etherton said the antioxidant content in pomegranates could help lower inflammation and, as a result, promote healthy arteries. How

Helpful tips Select cabbage heads that feel solid and heavy in your hand, with leaves that are tightly attached to the head. Avoid buying precut cabbage (including shredded); once cabbage is cut it begins to lose its vitamin C content. To store in the fridge (preferably in the crisper drawer): Keep your cabbage whole, don’t rinse it, and place it in a plastic bag.

Properly stored, cabbage can last from 3 weeks to up to 2 months.

When preparing cabbage, avoid long cooking methods and boiling, which cause vital nutrients to diminish.

pomegranates affect heart disease, however, is not known and requires further study.

A 2017 review published in Pharmacological Research of eight clinical trials showed pomegranate juice reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The effect remained even when consuming pomegranate juice at different amounts. The authors concluded it “may be prudent to include this fruit juice in a heart-healthy diet.”

Results, however, are mixed on whether pomegranate juice helps lower cholesterol.

Researchers in a 2019 review published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine examined 17 trials but did not find any significant effects on cholesterol. Researchers said it was hard to compare the trials because they were designed differently and did not use consistent amounts of pomegranate.

Keep in mind a few precautions before you go pomegranate crazy.

October 2021 •

Adapted from Delish.com Serves 6 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 large carrots, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped ½ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth ½ large head cabbage, cored and chopped 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes; then add carrots, celery, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for about 5-6 minutes more, stirring often. Stir in beans, garlic, and thyme and cook for 1 minute more. Add broth and bring to a simmer.

Stir in tomatoes and cabbage and cook on low until cabbage is wilted, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and red pepper flakes, if using. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum-

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

Because it can lower blood pressure, Kris-Etherton cautions to first check with your doctor if you take blood pressure medicine. The two together could lower blood pressure too much.

Also, pomegranates could slow the speed at which the liver breaks down some types of medicines.

This includes cholesterol-lowering medication like statins. Pomegranates also may interact with the blood thinner warfarin, decreasing the blood-thinning effect and increasing the chance of clotting. To be safe, talk with a health care professional before regularly consuming pomegranate fruit or pomegranate juice.

A small number of people may experience digestive issues such as diarrhea from eating pomegranates, the National Institutes of Health reports.

Although you probably won’t eat the root, stem and peel, consuming too much of these parts of the fruit may not be safe.

For most people, pomegranates offer yet another tasty option to eat more fruit. At the store, look for pomegranates that feel heavy and have firm skin. Enjoy the fruit on its own, or add it to smoothies, soups and salads.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 11

Laurene Tumiel-Berhalter, PVN members Timothy Geiger and Christopher Harper (with Buster Bison) man an information table at a Men’s Wellness Event hosted by Rich’s Products in 2019.

Patient Voices Network: Reducing Healthcare Barriers for Communities and People of Color The grassroots organization was founded by patients in Buffalo

By Jana Eisenberg

M

eet Pamela Harold of Buffalo: she has diabetes, heart disease and is receiving dialysis treatment for kidney disease. But she is more than a passive patient.

Harold works at Patient Voices Network, a grassroots organization founded by patients in Buffalo who wanted to explore how healthcare for patients in their own communities could be improved.

Harold is both a provider and a recipient of PVN’s “services,” advocating for herself and assisting others to do the same. PVN also educates about preventive measures, including understanding your family health history and the importance of health screenings. PVN helps Harold and others to be more confident, and to have the tools to ask for the required support, information and care.

PVN partners with Associate Professor Laurene Tumiel-Berhalter, the director of community translational research in UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ Department of Family Medicine.

The idea for the network came about after some of its founders participated in a research focus group in 2010. The focus group brought together healthcare providers and patients; a side-effect of the research Page 12

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Pamela Harold gives a presentation in 2018 as part of the North American Primary Care Research Group Annual Conference. was empowering community members to realize that they could be more active in their own care. And the providers—from UBMD Jefferson and Jericho Road Community Health

Center—listened.

“Those focus group discussions made me feel better about my primary care clinic; they wanted to know what was and wasn’t working,”

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

said Harold. “After the study ended, we—the patients—were still fascinated that the clinic wanted to hear from us. And one of the biggest things that we wanted to address was the low number of mammograms that were being done for women of color.”

PVN began with the aim of increasing those mammograms. After trying several tactics, like a breast cancer walk, they ended up partnering with the healthcare practices to run an on-site mobile mammogram unit. It wasn’t immediately successful. But when it both didn’t interfere with the clinic staff’s other work and did increase the number of mammograms, things got better.

“We’re here to do as much as we can for the community, to understand how to be better patients and advocates. Then we had to teach doctors how to be better; how to speak with patients,” said Harold.

PVN developed a questionnaire that its “patient ambassadors” help patients fill out in advance of going to an appointment. The questionnaire lists, among other things, all of a person’s medications; filling it out ahead of time helps patients focus on their goals.

“We call people before their appointment; go through the questions with them,” said Harold. “We say, ‘Your appointment is only going to last 15 to 20 minutes, so you need to tell the doctor what you’ve been feeling, what you are there for’; ask about lab work; ask the doctor what you can do to be in better health.”

“I am amazed how people open up when speaking with PVN ambassadors,” said Tumiel-Berhalter.

“People don’t necessarily want to tell a doctor they’re struggling, and perhaps can’t afford their medication or that they can’t get to a colorectal screening because of transportation or childcare. The PVN ambassadors are not judgmental; they offer support and connect people with resources, even referring them to 211 WNY [a free and confidential link to health and human services]. They get to the heart of the matter in ways that neither I nor medical providers can.”

The PVN has tackled patient education, alerting the medical practices they work with that more training was needed for diabetes management techniques, like how to use a glucometer. And, they’re committed to making follow-up calls after patients have had health screenings.

“The standard-of-care in our culture is ‘no news is good news,’” said Tumiel-Berhalter. “But that doesn’t work for everyone. PVN realized that patients like having the loop closed— to know that there’s that continuing to support and care.”

The healthcare practices started asking PVN for more help, which they gladly provided. In their work with Tumiel-Berhalter and other researchers, the PVN members insist that any research projects that the community participates in must have a positive impact.

“I never thought that I’d be working with Patient Voices this long,” said Tumiel-Berhalter. “The passion and impact of these amazing people…they’ve done wonders to help people, improve health care and compel us to do work that’s important to people. We could all benefit from more community voice.”

To learn more about PVN, visit patientvoicesbuffalo.com or facebook. com/patientvoicesbuffalo or call 716-8167219.

Women’s Health

Sen. Amy Klobuchar: Routine Mammography Reveals Breast Cancer

U

.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar revealed in early September that she’s been treated for early-stage breast cancer, including surgery to remove a lump and radiation therapy.

The 61-year-old Minnesota Democrat said in a statement posted on social media that Mayo Clinic doctors found worrying signs during a routine mammogram in February, including "small white spots called calcifications."

A follow-up biopsy revealed that Klobuchar — who campaigned in the Democratic presidential primary in 2020 — had stage 1A breast cancer.

Based on Klobuchar’s description on Twitter, “it sounds like she is very fortunate that the cancer was in an early stage, picked up on a screening mammogram,” said breast cancer physician Paul Baron, who wasn’t involved in her care.

“You always want to find your cancer on a screening mammo-

Natural Menopause Relief Eating right, avoiding things like alcohol and stress can help

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

B

eginning in their 40s or 50s, most women experience at least some of the symptoms of menopause as their ovaries stop making reproductive hormones.

The symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, low libido, fatigue and weight gain.

Hormone replacement therapy can mitigate these effects. However, for those who cannot or do not want to take that route, other strategies can

help.

Night sweats and anxiety can hamper the ability to sleep well at night. Soda Kuczkowski, sleep health educator and owner of Start With Sleep in Buffalo, said that addressing a magnesium deficiency can also help with sleep in menopausal women.

“Eighty percent of the population is deficient of magnesium, which controls so many different things,” she said. “If you have ample levels of

gram because most of the time it's very early and very curable," said Baron, who directs the breast cancer program at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City.

Klobuchar said that after other tests, she returned to Mayo for a lumpectomy that removed the cancer from her right breast. She completed radiation treatment in May, and by August her doctors reported that her therapy went well.

“Of course this has been scary at magnesium, it can offset it. If you’re hot, you can’t sleep.”

Measures such as supplementing to address dietary deficiencies, improving overall health and obtaining sufficient sleep may all mitigate the effects of menopause for some women. But Vanessa Barnabei, OB-GYN and professor of OB at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, said that none of these are FDA approved.

“In all the hormone therapy trials for hot flashes, there’s a huge placebo effect,” Barnabei said. “If you’re doing a study and hormones versus nothing, even the women on nothing get better for a while.”

While some natural approaches may improve symptoms for a few months, “none of these make hot flashes go away 100% except estrogen,” Barnabei said. “That’s unrealistic for women doing non-medical things.

Acupuncture, paced breathing, and yoga: little data supports any one of them. They all help some people a little bit but nothing has the same effect as estrogen.”

She said that although soy products gained notoriety for a while, it is difficult to consume enough soy through the diet and supplements work better to ensure patients get enough.

“They are soy isoflavones,” Barnabei said. “They have estrogen-like qualities. It’s easier to get those in a

October 2021 •

times, since cancer is the word all of us fear, but at this point my doctors believe that my chances of developing cancer again are no greater than the average person," Klobuchar said.

Women with breast cancers detected before they spread to other parts of the body have a 99% fiveyear survival rate, according to the American Cancer Society.

Klobuchar urged Americans to not put off routine medical exams because of the pandemic, noting that more than one in three adults have delayed or not sought health care because of concerns over COVID-19.

“Over and over, doctors are seeing patients who are being treated for more serious conditions that could have been caught earlier,” Klobuchar said. “[Americans] are constantly balancing their families, their jobs, and their health. It’s easy to put off health screenings, just like I did. But I hope my experience is a reminder for everyone of the value of routine health check-ups, exams and follow-through,” she continued.

One breast cancer specialist agreed.

“Sen. Klobuchar’s experience is similar to that of many women — during the early days of the pandemic many routine tests such as mammography were delayed," noted physician Nina Vincoff, chief of breast imaging at Northwell Health in Lake Success in Long Island. “But for those who did not have their regular preventative care, including mammography, because of the pandemic, it is critical to return to care now.”

Klobuchar described herself as fortunate “to have caught the cancer at an early enough stage and to not need chemotherapy or other extensive treatments, which unfortunately is not the case for so many others." supplement. They have some data to support benefit and are probably safe.”

Fezolinetant, a non-hormonal medical therapy not yet FDA approved, may offer help. Barnabei said that it affects pathways in the brain that influences hot flashes. She expects FDA approval, as it has both efficacy and safety profiles.

“I think that will be helpful for women who can’t or don’t want to take hormones,” Barnabei said.

She said that losing weight may help some women reduce hot flashes, as well as reducing alcohol, caffeine and stress.

“There are a lot of options,” Barnabei said. “A lot of providers are uncomfortable with estrogen but don’t know a lot of the good options for women, leaving them without any options. That’s when women turn to Google and the internet and see things that worked well for other women.

“In a few years, they will get better on their own. If they need something to help, it may be worth trying.”

But she also warned, “natural” does not necessarily mean “safe.”

Before trying any dietary supplement, patients should consult with their healthcare provider to ensure that the supplement is not contraindicated for other health conditions or medication.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Women’s Health

Fighting ‘Mommy Pooch’ Take your time; there’s no need to rush.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

N

early all women who birth a baby experience a saggy abdomen afterwards.

The miracle of childbearing leaves a not-so-awe-inspiring “pooch.” To an extent, the pooch is unavoidable, although it can be reduced.

At first, moms need to go easy on themselves.

“After I had my daughter, I’d take her in the carrier and at about six weeks postpartum, start working out,” said Vanessa Barnabei, MD, OB-GYN and professor of obstetrics at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB. “You can start walking almost right away. If you had a C-section, you may not tolerate exercise. By six weeks, most women should be able to do some modest exercise.”

She said that after each pregnancy, most women gain about five pounds and each baby, it gets harder to lose. While some women do shed it all, “no one should expect their body to look the same. There are so many changes of pregnancy,” she said.

She said that exercise such as yoga and Pilates may help tighten the core and the muscles supporting abdomen.

Rebecca Batt, certified as a holistic Matrona doula, operates Whole Love Doula, which serves the Buffalo and Rochester area. She encourages new moms to “take your time; there’s no need to rush. Everyone’s journey is definitely different.”

Even with a perfectly healthy, normal vaginal birth, most mothers are told by their healthcare providers to take it easy for the first six weeks post-partum. Any complication, repair, C-section or other issues may

prolong that period of rest or place further restrictions on moms. However, most mothers can still walk once they feel up to it.

Batt likes the videos posted by Leslie Sansone on YouTube, which include walking and gentle upper body work and the Mama Stefit program.

“You work into it slowly,” Batt said. “You don’t want to start hardcore as that can cause injuries. Start slowly and work your way up.”

That is particularly true for moms who have not exercised much while pregnant or at all before. Walking while wearing the baby in a sling or wrap can soothe the baby, eliminate the need for childcare during exercise, and offer the benefit of extra weight to the workout.

“When washing dishes and doing laundry, do little side steps or leg lifts,” Batt said. “Incorporate dance into your day. It helps to release oxytocin, which is great for your body.”

She also encourages mothers to plan for placenta encapsulation, which “helps with weight loss as you’re balancing out our hormones and helping your body to heal faster and reducing inflammation. Placenta encapsulation is definitely something needed.”

Batt tells new moms to focus on consuming whole foods and keeping healthful foods available for snacks while nursing, along with drinking plenty of water. Focusing on good nutrition, rather than nutrient-void foods, will encourage both good health and weight loss.

In addition to nursing’s numerous benefits to the baby, it can also help moms reduce the pooch.

Jenni Kula, DONA and ProDoula-certified doula and owner of Mindful Mama Birthing, serves

Calcium and Other Bone Builders Don’t forget your vitamin D, as well

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

C

alcium has earned a reputation as a bone builder and rightfully so.

Found in dairy products, dark leafy green vegetables, salmon and tofu, calcium is the main stuff that bones are made of. However, it takes more than just adequate calcium consumption to build strong bones.

Adequate calcium intake and supplementation, ranging from 1,000 to 1,200 mg. daily, depending upon age and gender. Joseph Catanese, pharmacist with Pine Pharmacy in Niagara Falls, said that in addition to taking enough calcium, the type and timing of the calcium dosage matters.

“The form of calcium is important in terms of absorbability,” Catanese said. “Calcium carbonate is more difficult to absorb. Calcium ciPage 14

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trate and calcium glycinate are much better to absorb.”

Instead of taking the daily supplement all at once, he advises taking it in separate 500 to 600 mg. doses at different times of the day to improve absorption.

It’s always important to have vitamin D, as that helps with absorption,” Catanese said.

Since skin exposure to sunlight for 20 to 30 minutes three times weekly generates sufficient vitamin D production in the body, most people who live in the North lack it during the winter. Catanese recommends receiving a vitamin D blood test ordered by a care provider, which can indicate a deficiency.

Reaching 800 international units (IU) of vitamin D should suffice.

Buffalo and Rochester. She said that breastfeeding triggers hormones that promote the natural reduction of the uterus to a normal size as well.

Pregnancy can grow the uterus to up to 500 times its normal size.

“In the postpartum time, the uterus goes through involution,” she said. “While breastfeeding, the hormones release. Oxytocin tells the uterus to go to its original size. It’s not complete until week six postpartum. Many people feel those contractions while nursing in the first week. For some mothers, they’re very noticeable. It’s telling your uterus to close down and the cramping as it returns to its size helps slow postpartum bleeding.”

Some women say that drinking a few cups of red raspberry leaf tea daily can support this process. However, any undue bleeding or other complications should be promptly reported to a healthcare provider.

Nursing is also a good way to burn calories.

“It takes 300 to 500 calories for breastfeeding per day,” Kula said.

“During the postpartum time, your body is using those extra stores to produce breastmilk for the baby.”

Some women find they do not

lose as much weight while breastfeeding because of stress, mitigating the loss through eating more or other causes.

It takes time to lose “baby weight” and regain some semblance of a pre-pregnancy body. However, if the pooch is painful, it could be diastasis recti, or separation of the abdominal muscles. Left untreated, mothers can experience poor posture, back pain, weak core muscles, constipation, bloating, shallow breathing, pain during intercourse and bladder, rectal, or uterine prolapse. While some cases of diastasis recti resolve on their own, others persist.

“Go see a professional, like a pelvic floor specialist to identify what the problem is and help you evaluate it, so you can get specific exercises and therapies tailored to what you need,” Kula said. “I highly recommend it.”

She added that many women have been erroneously told these issues are normal after childbearing and most women simply accept them as part of motherhood. A pelvic floor specialist can assign exercises to improve the condition and in the most severe cases, surgery can correct it.

Dietary sources of vitamin D include canned and fresh salmon, sardines and tuna; mushrooms; eggs, especially from pastured chickens; and fortified foods such as milk, cereal and oatmeal.

“Calcium can have a constipating effect and magnesium can have a laxative effect,” Catanese said. “It may be beneficial to have magnesium. It has many roles in the body, so it’s not a bad idea to get it in the diet in addition to calcium for bone health.”

Taking supplements can help fill in gaps in a healthful diet and aid in compensating for times when the diet is less than perfect or when stressors deplete the body to low stores of important nutrients.

Jessica Bennett, dietitian with Invision Health in Williamsville, said that many people turn to milk as a dietary source of calcium. However, other foods also provide calcium.

“I personally counsel a lot of patients who have to avoid dairy for different reasons,” Bennett said. “It’s inflammatory for a lot of people. I recommend getting it from another source, like collard greens, kale, tofu that’s fortified or other fortified foods.”

For people who must avoid

dairy, such as people with lactose intolerance, Bennett stressed the importance of label reading, since milk may be used as the source of calcium such as in some fortified orange juice.

In addition to diet and moderate sun exposure, healthy bones also need exercise. Previously, experts believed that exercise builds only muscle. However, engaging in exercise also lays down bone.

“Weight bearing activities that put some pressure on the bones makes them stronger and muscles pulling against bones makes them stronger,” Bennett said.

She recommends both impact and low-impact exercise for bone health. Strength training might include lifting weights in the gym, using exercise bands or performing body weight exercises, like pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, squats and calf raises. Aerobic activity that is weight bearing might include walking on a treadmill, running or cross-country skiing.

In addition, managing stress, limiting alcohol and avoiding tobacco use also supports good bone health.

A primary health provider can recommend community resources to obtain a home fall risk assessment.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

Women’s Health

hair thickness during perimenopausal, as a reduction in reproductive hormones can mean thinner hair. For either case, she encourages women to eat a healthful diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, manage stress and maintain a healthful weight.

Limiting damage to hair can help hair appear fuller. Damage can be caused by heat, chemical treatments such as coloring, perming, straightening, wearing tight braids, buns or ponytails. Use gentle products on the hair and avoid rubbing it or combing it while it is wet.

Stress induced hair loss is usually caused by an interruption of the growth and shedding cycle.

Managing stress can help reduce this effect, but the results take months to evidence.

Inflammation on the scalp can also cause hair loss, such as with psoriasis. While that can cause permanent hair loss, patients usually recognize it quickly and can receive treatment to halt its progress.

Smoking and some medications may cause hair to thin. Wisiorek said that discussing options for cessation and different medications with the prescribing doctor can address this issue. His office offers hair restoration techniques, including platelet rich plasma to stimulate growth, medication and transplant procedures.

“These are painless and take one day,” Wisiorek said. “We can restore hair on the scalp and eyebrows with as few as one session usually.”

He also looks at nutrition, as many women are anemic.

“There are absorption problems like ulcerative colitis, which can prevent the absorption of nutrients and not just biotin but B12, folic acid and iron,” Wisiorek said.

Marge Pickering-Picone, health and nutrition coach and owner of Professional Nutrition Services of Rochester, Inc. in Webster, looks at clients’ diet regarding hair thinning, including protein intake.

“Some people can’t stand to even look at red meat, but let’s make sure you’re getting a plant-based protein source and enough of it,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be from meat.”

She recommends around 90 grams of protein daily, eaten throughout the day ideally, since the body cannot absorb the entire daily quota all at once.

Pickering-Picone also looks at the individual’s stress level, genetics and other factors.

Stressors such as an illness, injury, major weight loss or shocks to the system can cause hair loss, but normally it is temporary.

“It’s not only important to examine how families of children with autism may benefit from these wonderful companion animals, but also if the relationship is stressful or burdensome for the shelter cats being adopted into a new, perhaps unpredictable environment,” Carlisle said in a university news release.

“In our study, we found the cats acclimated well to their new families and became significantly less stressed over time,” she said.

Carlisle’s team monitored shelter cats after being adopted by families with at least one child with autism.

The cats were screened using a profile to identify those with a calm temperament. The researchers made home visits to check on the cats two to three days after adoption and every six weeks for 18 weeks.

To test cats’ stress, Carlisle’s group looked for levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the cats’ feces, and found it decreased over time, she said.

“Cats also tend to lose weight due to not eating if they are stressed, but we found the cats actually gained a bit of weight initially after adoption and then maintained

their weight as time went on, so both findings indicated the cats acclimated well,” Carlisle said.

Kids on the autism spectrum may have sensitivity or sensory issues and occasional problem behaviors accompanied by loud, sudden outbursts, Carlisle said. Because of those concerns, screening cats for a calm, easy-going temperament may increase the odds of a better match.

This research may help animal shelter staff overcome the financial and management hurdles that can result when cats are returned to shelters if there is not a good fit with the adopted family, she noted.

“Obviously, the shelters want to place all of their cats in homes, but some families may require a more specific fit, and using research-based, objective measurements for screening temperament may help increase the likelihood of successful, long-term matches,” Carlisle said. “Our hope is that other scientists will build on the work of our exploratory study so shelter cats and families of children with autism might benefit.”

The report was published Sept. 6 in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

Diet, Hormones Can Play a Role in Women’s Hair Loss Quite a few things good for your whole body are good for your hair

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

H

air loss is much more widespread among women than many people may think.

“Female hair loss is actually very, very common,” said Michael Wisiorek, doctor of osteopathic medicine at Hair Restoration and Aesthetics of Buffalo in Williamsville. “Thirty percent of women at age 30 experience it and almost 60% by age 50 to some degree or another. It’s actually a much more complicated approach than men’s hair loss because there are more metabolic reasons.”

He said that hormones, diet,

environment and medication may play a role.

“Many cases can be addressed with a physical by a qualified physician,” Wisiorek said.

Unlike the “horseshoe” pattern of baldness affecting men, women tend to experience overall thinning or thinning at the temples, with the exception of alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease, which causes recurring patchy baldness.

Most women experience extreme shedding after pregnancy, but that is normal. Hormones also influence

It’s a Win-Win When a Child With Autism Gets a Shelter Cat

P

arents of a child with autism might wonder if a pet cat would be a good fit for the family. Now, research suggests both children with autism and cats benefit when a feline joins the household.

Gretchen Carlisle, a research scientist at the Missouri University Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, in Columbia, Missouri., and her colleagues studied the pet dynamic from both sides.

October 2021 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

•

Page 15

Q A &

with Raymond Ganoe

Evergreen Health leader talks about the organization’s acquisition of Aspire of WNY and plans for future expansion within the healthcare industry

By Brenda Alesii

W

hen Evergreen Health launched nearly 40 years ago, the agency was synonymous with a health crisis that few people understood and many feared.

In 1983, Evergreen Health started as a response to people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. In the early days, the agency’s objective was to help peo-

ple, stricken with what was then a little-known disease, die with dignity.

Once an effective drug therapy turned HIV and AIDS from a death sentence to a disease an individual manages, Evergreen shifted its focus.

Agency representatives said patients still sought their services, needing help with everything from obesity

to drug use to challenges faced by people of color.

Now Evergreen Health is an important cog in the health care wheel throughout the region. With an emphasis on healthy communities, Evergreen provides medical, supportive, and behavioral services to individuals and families in Western New York, especially those who are living with chronic illness or who are underserved by the healthcare system.

Raymond Ganoe, president and CEO of Evergreen Health, recently announced a new acquisition and a partnership that will widen the agency’s service base.

Ganoe, a West Seneca native and 30-year veteran of the health care business, is excited to partner with Aspire of WNY and the acquisition of Aspire’s Article 28 Primary Care Clinic. Aspire of WNY, founded 74 years ago, supports children and adults with developmental and similar disabilities.

Q. What attracted you to Aspire of WNY? A. Aspire of WNY has a long history of providing critical services to the people in our community who need them the most. We have a similarity in our corporate cultures of respect, love, and dignity for our patients. We want to address their needs and elevate individuals out of poverty. Our agencies have that same goal for patients who have different needs. Once aligned in that way, things click into place. We are committed to providing judgment-free affirming care and I’m thrilled to welcome another new group of patients to the Evergreen family.

Q. You oversee a $120 million budget.

How does growth impact the bottom line?

A. This is the second growth opportunity this year. Evergreen is a federally qualified health center lookalike entity, which provides with 340 B pharmacy services and better reimbursement rates. With these better rates and reimbursements, it allows us to reinvest in our program-

ming. These types of acquisitions, combined with the needs of our patients, allows us to work outside the box, creating programs that result in healthier outcomes.

Q. Where can people access those Aspire of WNY services?

A. We will provide primary care and podiatry services at Aspire’s Health Care Center located at 7 Community Drive in Cheektowaga.

We will provide both services at that location in the first quarter of 2022.

Due to unsustainable reimbursement rates, Aspire of WNY will end operations at the Primary Care Clinic.

One of the advantages of this collaboration is offering patients the same quality care from the same providers. Renee Filip, my counterpart at Aspire of WNY, and I have the same goal: we are in it for the patients. As Renee noted, the sustainability of services and improved patient outcomes are driving factors in this partnership, a great example of how different entities can come together to do what’s right for patients.

Q. How broad is your coverage area and how will your staff expand?

A. We will have 12 different sites in eight Western New York counties.

After the partnerships are completed, our staff will grow to 500 employees.

In addition, we will be opening a new primary care site at 1870 Hertel Ave. in Buffalo on Oct. 1. This is part of our partnership, announced last February, with People Inc., an agency with roots similar to ours.

It will be owned and operated

by People Inc. Evergreen will lease space and operate our new primary care clinic (Article 28 space) within this new North Buffalo health center. There will also be separate areas for other People Inc. services, including rehabilitation and mental health counseling. To offer even more services to our ECMC will be located there as well.

Q. Do you foresee more acquisitions in the future?

A. Yes, to be continued.

Daily Coffee Protects Against Heart Disease, Stroke

T

he latest buzz on coffee? It may be good for your heart, a new, large study suggests.

Drinking light to moderate amounts — up to three cups a day — may lower the risk of stroke, fatal heart disease and all-cause mortality, researchers found.

“Regular coffee consumption of up to three cups per day is assoPage 16

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ciated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and stroke,” said lead researcher Judit Simon, from the Heart and Vascular Center at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary.

These benefits might be partly explained by positive alterations in heart structure and function, she said.

Better yet, all types of coffee — caffeinated, decaf, brewed and instant — may offer heart benefits, Simon said.

“In a sub-analysis on types of mostly consumed coffee, decaffeinated coffee was associated with lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular deaths, but not with lower stroke incidence, suggesting that caffeine is not the main or only component that is responsible for these favorable outcomes,” she said.

Instant coffee was associated with a lower risk of all-cause death, while ground coffee was linked with reduced risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death and lower stroke incidence, she said.

For the study, Simon and her colleagues collected data on nearly 470,000 men and women listed in the U.K. Biobank. At the study’s start, participants had no signs of heart disease and were an average age of 56. They were followed for up to 15 years.

Compared with non-coffee drinkers, those who drank light to moderate amounts had a 12% lower risk of all-cause death. Their odds

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

for stroke were reduced by 21% and fatal heart disease by 17%, the researchers found, though only an association rather than a cause-andeffect link was seen.

The findings remained after the researchers accounted for age, sex, weight, height, smoking status, physical activity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, income and diet.

Using cardiac MRIs, Simon’s group also looked at the effect daily coffee consumption had on the structure and function of the heart among nearly 31,000 people who were followed for 11 years on average.

They found that compared with not drinking coffee regularly, those who drank coffee daily had healthier, better-functioning hearts.

One U.S. heart expert looked over the findings.

“A significant number of observational studies have suggested that regular consumption of coffee is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular events, cardiovascular death and all-cause mortality,” said physician Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center in Los Angeles.

Maria • 14 years experience on the Helpline • Proud mom of 2 kids • Loves to bake

By Jim Miller

How to Handle Your Medicare Coverage if You Move

Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I are moving to a different area of the country to be near our daughter. Will this affect our Medicare benefits? Will we need to adjust our coverage or re-enroll in a new plan?

Moving

Dear Moving, Moving can indeed affect your Medicare benefits depending on the type of coverage you have and where you move to.

If you and your husband are enrolled in “original Medicare” Part A and Part B, you’ll be happy to know that you won’t need to change your plans when you move because they’re the same throughout the U.S. You will, however, need to notify the Social Security Administration of your change of address, which you can do at SSA.gov/myaccount/ change-of-address.html or by calling 800-772-1213.

But if you’re enrolled in a Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plan or a Medicare (Part C) Advantage plan and you move out of your plan’s service area, you’ll need to choose a new plan that serves your new area. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need to do depending on the type of coverage you have.

• If you have a Part D plan: If you’re in rolled in original Medicare and have a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, you’ll need to contact your Part D plan to find out if it will work in the area you’re moving to. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to enroll in a new plan that provides coverage in your new location.

You can make this switch the month before you move and up to two months after the move.

Otherwise, you’ll need to wait until the next open enrollment (in the fall) and could be penalized for having no acceptable prescription drug coverage.

• If you have a Medicare Advantage plan: If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, again,

contact your plan to find out if it will serve your new area. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to enroll in a new plan that does. To shop for new Advantage or Part D prescription drug plans in your new location, see Medicare.gov/ plan-compare.

You can switch Advantage plans the month before you move and up to two months after you move.

But be aware that if you relocate out of your Medicare Advantage plan’s service area and fail to enroll in a new plan in your new area, you’ll automatically be switched to original Medicare. This will happen when your old Medicare Advantage plan is forced to disenroll you because you don’t live within its service area anymore.

• If you have a Medigap policy: If you’re enrolled in original Medicare and have a supplemental (Medigap) policy, you’ll need to notify your provider that you’re moving, but you should not need to change insurance companies or plans. (Note: there also are Medicare Select plans, which are Medigap plans that are network-based and are available in a few states. These plans may require you to change.)

Medigap plans are standardized across the country; for example, Medigap Plan F offers the same coverage in one state as it does in another state (Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have waivers from the federal government allowing them to standardize Medigap plans differently, so plan designs are different in those three states).

But be aware that Medigap costs vary by location, so your monthly Medigap policy premium may be higher or lower depending on the cost of medical care in your new area.

Call your provider and tell them the new ZIP code, and they’ll let you know the cost. Sometimes you’ll be pleasantly surprised that it’s lower.

If it’s not, you could look for a cheaper policy. However, you may have to undergo medical underwriting. Medigap policies come with their own rules for enrolling, and some states have different enrollment standards than others.

G ET TO K N OW T H E P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E H E L P L I N E The Alzheimer’s Association Helpline is staffed by master’s-level clinicians who offer real support and guidance and are ready to talk at any time of the day or night. We’re putting a face to one of the welcoming voices on the other end of the phone so you can get to know who’s here to help.

Chat with Maria or one of our other dementia specialists today.

800.272.3900

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Page 17

Health News Lineage Group appoints new chief financial officer The Lineage Group has named Steven Chizuk to the position of chief financial officer. The Lineage Group is a recently formed strategic alliance between two Western New York nonprofit senior care providers — Niagara Lutheran Health System and Schofield Care.

Both organizations operate skilled nursing facilities that are highly rated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and provide the highest standard of care to the elderly and infirm.

A graduate of Canisius College with BS and MBA degrees, Chizuk most recently served as director of budget for Erie County Medical Center Corporation for the past 12 years, where he managed all aspects of an annual budget exceeding $500 million. Previous health care posts included accounting manager at Erie County Medical Center Corporation, practice administrator with Niagara Frontier Psychiatric Associates, and senior accountant at Niagara Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

In his new role, Chizuk will oversee budget, accounting and strategic planning functions for Niagara Lutheran’s affiliate The GreenFields Continuing Care Community in Lancaster and Schofield Care in Kenmore. Chizuk has served the Healthcare Financial Management Association as president and ereasurer of its board of directors. He resides in Lancaster.

Coit House is First in NY to Receive Accreditation The Coit House made history as the first midwife-led birth center to receive accreditation in New York state, according to a news release issued by the organization. National birth center accreditation signifies the high-quality, evidence-based maternal and infant care provided at the Coit House.

Midwives and birth centers are well-established as critical solutions to the United States’s maternal mortality crisis. Midwife-led birth centers care for healthy people with lowrisk pregnancies and provide their services in a cozy, home-like setting.

Although birth centers are more akin to a maxi-home than a mini-hospital, they have all of the necessary supplies, staff and training to manage most maternal and neonatal emergencies.

The highly individualized, compassionate and comprehensive care provided by midwife-led birth centers has been shown to improve birth outcomes and decrease unnecessary interventions which carry serious risks yet are commonplace in American hospitals, such as cesarean sections. In fact, all maternity hospitals in Erie County have cesarean rates over 30%, compared to midwife practices rate of just under 6%, according to Coit House.

The birth center accreditation process is a robust and exhaustive

review of all of a facility’s systems to ensure the most up-to-date best practices for maternity care, neonatal care, business operations and safety are maintained.

The Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers uses standards set by the American Association of Birth Centers to create specific indicators of compliance. The standards for birth centers and indicators of compliance span seven categories: philosophy and scope of practice; planning, governance, and administration; human resources; facility, equipment, and supplies; health records; research; and quality evaluation and improvement. They provide a consistent tool for measuring the quality of services provided to families in birth centers throughout the country.

These standards have been endorsed by multiple professional societies and are recognized as a mark of excellent care and outcomes.

Roswell Park nurse residency program nationally recognized and accredited Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center recently announced that its nurse residency program has achieved accreditation with distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Considered the highest recognition given by the organization, the designation is noted as a global standard for

CALENDAR of

Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network exhibit pro-social behavior comwill host a dynamic event that will pared to children with uninvolved bring together father- and famifathers. Additionally, more engaged ly-serving providers, advocates and fathers—whether living with or apart community members. from their children—can help foster The event will take place at 9 a child’s healthy physical, emotional a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23, at The Chapel, and social development.

Cheektowaga Campus located at 200 The Focusing the Fatherhood Thruway Plaza Drive in CheektowFLAME Community Conversations aga. event will discuss: Focusing the Fatherhood FLAME • How fathers contribute to comto stay hydrated.

Community Conversations hosted by munity success The schedule: the Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative will • What healthy father involve• 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. be an energizing, collaborative event ment looks like 8, Akron Falls Park, Shelter 4, 44 for people who are engaged in help• Concrete tips for serving fathers Parkview Drive, Akron ing fathers become great dads. The well • 3-6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 18, Ellievent will feature produced video • How to turn small actions into cott Creek Park, Shelter 14, 1 Ellicott presentations by notable fatherhood big change Creek Drive, Tonawanda experts, facilitated group discussions “The programs offered by BufThis walk is designed for families about local solutions, and the opporfalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network’s and children tunity to network with other commu- Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative equip For more information, contact nity members working toward family fathers with the fundamental skills Julia Gruspier at julia.gruspier@erie. well-being. they need to be effective and reliable gov.

“Supporting fathers and families caregivers. The programs build the with children means uplifting our foundation on which families can Oct. 23 communities for decades to come,” thrive,” said LuAnne Brown, CEO of said Antoine Johnson, Buffalo Father- Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network.

The Buffalo Fatherhood hood’s Initiative program manager.

“Antoine and his team has brought “This event is bringing together fatogether leaders and caregivers to Initiative sponsors ther’s, leaders, and influencers across participate in this free conference for event promoting good our community. It will be an event dads and male caregivers. We hope you do not want to miss. ” you join us in this impactful event.” fatherhood According to the organization, Those interested in attending can Having an involved, loving studies have shown that children register by emailing Program Manfather is a key factor in children’s with involved, loving fathers are ager Antoine Johnson at ajohnson@ well-being. That’s why the Buffalo significantly more likely to do well in bppn.org.

Fatherhood Initiative program of school, have healthy self-esteem and

HEALTH EVENTS

Oct. 8, 18

Erie Walks! Guided tours events offered Western New York residents are invited to participate in any of the guided walks through Erie County Parks through the Erie Walks! in the Park 2021 program.

Coordinated by the Erie County Departments of Health, Senior Services, and Parks, Recreation and Forestry, and the Erie County Movability Team, these hour-long walks will tour two County parks in October.

Health-related vendors and health education information will also be available at these events. Registration begins one hour prior to scheduled start time, and meeting places will be posted at the park entrance.

Walkers are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate clothing and footwear, to bring an umbrella if rain is forecast, and bring a bottle of water

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residencies and fellowships in the nursing profession.

“Accreditation with distinction recognizes that our program at Roswell Park has met rigorous quality standards and sets the standard for excellence in educating new nurses,” says Mary Ann Long, chief nursing officer at Roswell Park. “This recognition is a testament to the level of attention and dedication we invest into every aspect of our care for our patients.”

Roswell Park’s nurse residency program was established in 2018. A one-year program that all new nurses to participate in, it’s designed to aid in the transition of a nursing graduate from classroom to bedside and clinic, toward the goal of optimal patient outcomes and staff engagement.

The curriculum at the cancer center is based on the Vizient/American Association of Colleges of Nursing program. Through formal mentoring, learning and work experiences, new nurses improve critical thinking, develop clinical skills, enhance their professional growth and promote best nursing practices.

“We are so proud of our nurse residency program and the opportunities it provides — allowing us to continue to attract the most talented nurses in the region,” says Andrew Storer, Ph.D., executive director of Nursing Professional Development, Practice and Research.

The ANCC is a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, which provides resources and advocacy for the nation’s 4 million registered nurses.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

Health News Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Awards $2.45 Million in Blue Fund Grants

H

ighmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York Blue Fund recently announced $2.45 million in grants to support 12 major health-based projects across Western New York that will have a positive impact on behavioral health, cardiovascular health, healthcare workforce development and healthy children.

“Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York is dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and quality of life for individuals who reside in the communities we serve,” said Julie R. Snyder, vice president, community affairs, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York. “Our Blue Fund grants support organizations who work collaboratively to address barriers to health, ultimately enhancing the overall health of our region.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield launched the Blue Fund in July 2018, to support organizations and initiatives that work collaboratively to address key health areas and demonstrate enhanced measurable outcomes for the community. This cycle of grants, which are generated from the company’s investment reserves, not members’ premiums, brings the health plan’s total investment through Blue Fund to more than $9.3 million.

Additionally, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield invested a total of $604,225 in 64 non-profit organizations in Western New York in the first half of 2021 for partnerships and sponsorships, supporting the health of the region.

Below are the recipients of the 2021 Blue Fund Grants: • Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus — Amount awarded: $240,000. To support Food as Medicine for Clinicians and Community Members Research Study. The project will create a replicable model of clinical-community partnerships that deliver medically tailored meals with hands-on nutrition education and social supports to clinicians and patients in the Medical Campus neighborhood, resulting in significantly improved health indicators, enhanced quality of life, and reduced health care utilization.

• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County— Amount awarded: $264,000. To support Farmacy Veggie Rx Program and Mobile

Spectrum Health & Human Services has been awarded $165,000 through the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York Blue Fund. It’s one of 12 organizations that received funds from the insurer.

Market. The program will grow and develop Cornell Cooperative Extension’s current Farmacy Veggie Prescription program, along with the Veggie Van mobile farmers market to increase food access and equity in Niagara County.

• The Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation — Amount awarded: $175,000.

To support Building workforce capacity to promote racial equity in health care at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital. The program will develop and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion workforce development to provide more equitable care that improves maternity patient outcomes, addresses social determinants of health, and creates a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

• Crisis Services— Amount awarded: $290,000. To support Crisis Hotline Text and Chat Expansion. The program will expand the 24-hour Crisis Hotline Program to include chat and text functionality, which provides a cost-free option for receiving crisis intervention that is accessible and ensures user privacy. This functionality will increase access to direct services for individuals in crisis.

• FeedMore WNY— Amount awarded: $200,000. To support Food for Kids Initiative. The project encompasses four programs that provide emergency assistance and food access services: Baby Need Program, Back Pack Program, School Pantry Program, and the Kids in the Kitchen Program to meet the food needs of children from infancy through young adulthood.

• Healthy Community Alliance — Amount awarded: $240,000. To support Strong Starts Chautauqua. The program will advance the health and development of Chautauqua children aged birth to age 5—particularly the high percentage who experience early life trauma, poverty and prenatal substance exposure—through an evidence-based screening, assessment, referral, and treatment (SART) model.

• Neighborhood Health Center — Amount awarded: $250,000. To support Population Health Care Management at Neighborhood Health Center’s Riverway location. The project will co-locate the behavioral health department, community health workers, and wellness depart-

Niagara Falls Air Reserve station opens fitness facility

ment in a new location at 1569 Niagara Street in Buffalo to expand the population health care management model and better serve high-risk patients.

• Niagara Falls Housing Authority — Amount awarded: $226,000. To support Healthcare Workforce Development Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training Program.

The Niagara Falls Housing Authority will develop and implement a CNA Training class with wraparound social supports that provides opportunities for residents and creates more health care workers in the Buffalo-Niagara region.

• Project Stork— Amount awarded: $100,000. To support Happy Moms, Healthy Babies. The program provides direct support for low-income families with maternal mental health concerns, prenatal and postpartum transportation barriers, and supplemental basic needs that positively impact the wellbeing of infants and toddlers with the household.

• Spectrum Health & Human Services — Amount awarded: $165,000. To support Improving Behavioral Health and Social Determinants of Health Through crisis stabilization services. The project will provide Crisis Stabilization Services to individuals needing behavioral health services including medication assisted treatment, psychiatric services, ancillary withdrawal services, and substance use disorder outpatient services integrated with Recovery Options Made Easy’s respite services.

• United Memorial Medical Center —Amount awarded: $200,000. To support Licensed Practical Nurse Training. The project will provide LPN training to low-income and rural residents of Genesee County.

This initiative has the potential to lift families out of poverty and fill nursing workforce gaps at United Memorial Medical Center and across Western New York.

• WNY Women’s Foundation— Amount awarded: $100,000. To support Buffalo Women’s Economic Mobility Hub. The program moves single mothers and their children out of poverty into high-demand, highwage family-sustaining healthcare jobs by introducing supports for single moms’ unique needs into healthcare workforce training programs.

To learn more about Blue Fund, visit www.bcbswny.com/bluefund. subdivided to support multiple activities simultaneously for individuals or units to accomplish fitness related requirements. In addition to being able to support sporting activities, this area was also designed to support the Air Force Physical Fitness Testing Program.

Military & civilian officials will be present for the ribbon cutting ceremony and a tour of the facility is scheduled to follow.

Late in August the 914th Air Refueling Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new base fitness center.

The $14 million, 26,000-sq.-ft. facility construction started in November 2019. This facility replaces the existing mid-century old fitness building which is scheduled to be demolished.

The new facility provides stateof-the-art fitness equipment and a full-size gymnasium, which can be

Left Treadmills lined up in the new fitness center at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. The fitness center official opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for Aug. 27. U.S. Air Force photo by Peter Borys.

October 2021 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Allison M. Chronic Tibial Stress Fracture

BAD BREAK. BETTER FIX. Breaks happen. To anyone and at any time. At ECMC, the #1 fracture care center in WNY, we’re focused on providing exceptional orthopaedic and fracture care every step of the way to help our patients get back to enjoying life.

With a state-of-the-art Trauma and Emergency Department and 24/7 access to care, our world-class surgeons and specialists bring the best possible care to our patients—from head to toe and every bone in-between.

For the toughest breaks, trust ECMC.

©2021 ECMC

ecmc.edu/ortho

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • October 2021

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