In Good Health: WNY #94 - August 2022

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AUGUST 2022 • ISSUE 94

Erie County Has an STI Problem Gonorrhea cases are up 56%, syphilis cases doubled — problem is worse for people who live in ZIP codes 14214 and 14211. Story on page 7

BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL

Are Schools Safe?

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. As kids gear up to return to our local schools, how safe are they?

Page 13

PEDIATRICS Physician Fred D. Archer III, interim division chief of UBMD Pediatrics, discusses how a stable routine at home can contribute to kids’ success in school, stress reduction — P. 4

STROKE Physician Robert Sawyer, codirector of the Stroke Center at the Gates Vascular Institute, talks about five things you know to know about it — P. 9

ALSO INSIDE

n 5 Issues Kids Face Today P. 15 n Family Meals: Why They’re so Important P. 14 n Camp Cradle Beach: Uniting Children P. 16

Brad Pitt Believes He Has Rare ‘Face Blindness’ Disorder — What Is It?

A

ward-winning actor Brad Pitt believes he suffers from a rare condition that interferes with his ability to recognize people’s faces.

In a new interview with GQ magazine, Pitt said that he thinks he has prosopagnosia, an extremely rare neurological condition that makes it difficult to tell faces apart.

“Nobody believes me!” said Pitt, 58, who has not been officially diagnosed. “I wanna meet another [person with it].”

Pitt said the condition is why he stays home so much.

Folks with the condition can have a difficult time telling family members apart or even recognizing their own faces in group photographs. They also have difficulty recognizing people out of context, such as seeing a work colleague in a grocery store.

About 2.5% of babies and young children are born with the condition, said physician James Galvin, director of the University of Miami’s Comprehensive Center for Brain Health.

People also can develop prosopagnosia as a result of a brain injury, and degenerative forms of the disease have been associated with conditions like Alzheimer’s, Galvin said in a university news release.

It can be caused at birth from damage in a part of the brain called the fusiform gyrus, which is consid-

ered a key structure for high-level visual interpretation like facial and object recognition.

For people who acquire the condition through brain damage or disease, it’s usually due to something gone wrong in the right temporal or occipital lobes of the brain, which are critical for memory and visual processing.

Children with prosopagnosia may have difficulties following the plots of television shows and movies because they have trouble recognizing the different characters. However, they do better with cartoons because the characters are simply drawn with clearly defined features and outfits they wear in every scene.

There are no specific therapies for the condition. Instead, people adapt to it by using other clues to recognize people — clothes, voice, body shape, hair style, and skin color and tone, Galvin said.

Clinical trials are underway exploring the use of computer-assisted learning to assist with facial recognition.

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1-866-362-5081 Page 2 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

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6:47 PM3 August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper7/12/22 • Page

Meet

Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Fred D. Archer III, M.D Post-Stroke Memory Loss Can Resolve for Some Patients

M

emory loss is a common symptom after a stroke, but there’s hope for some that those memories could return.

A new study from Norway examined 86 patients with relatively mild strokes and found many had improved mental functioning after 12 weeks.

“Our study shows that around half of patients suffering a stroke had various forms of memory impairment one week after the stroke. But by three months after the stroke, about one-third of those with memory impairment had improved memory function,” said physician Ramune Grambaite. She is a psychologist and head of the neuropsychological outpatient clinic at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While more stroke patients survive now than they did in the past, stroke remains a serious and potentially deadly condition. Survivors may experience anxiety, depression and fatigue afterwards, in addition to memory loss and a reduced ability to learn.

Bente Thommessen, chief physician at Akershus University Hospital, said the proportion of patients seen with mild strokes has increased in recent years. “But the consequences in terms of concentration problems, reduced stamina and changes in memory function are common even in patients with mild strokes,” Thommessen said in an NTNU news release.

The study was published July 12 in the journal Nevropsykologi (Neuropsychology).

“Memory improvement is common after a stroke, but there are large individual differences,” Grambaite said.

“Some stroke survivors continue to experience memory impairment and need to learn to live with it.”

The researchers noted that good follow-up and support from friends and family is important in the recovery process.

Interim division chief of UBMD Pediatrics discusses how a stable routine at home can contribute to kids’ success in school, stress reduction Q: You’re currently the interim division chief of general pediatrics. Do you see yourself eventually assuming the position fully?

A: I always say that’s up to the powers that be. I’ve only been in this position for about a month, so it’s still pretty early.

Q: What kinds of duties have you had to take on?

A: Oh, about 10,000 meetings.

I always joke about that. There are always clinical duties that you have, but a lot of the administrative role is making sure we have our schedule all set, making sure we’re up to date with our protocols — and going to 10,000 meetings.

Q: Parents seem to be wanting to get their kids back into a normal routine after two years of crisis. But some are also concerned about ongoing COVID-19 risks. What’s a good approach for them to take to balance those factors?

A: The base of operations always begins at home. If you create a stable routine at home, they’re going to be a little more stable. During COVID itself, we talked about trying to maintaining schedules, which of course was difficult with everyone at home, everyone trying to jump on the WiFi at the same time, being taught virtually. But trying to keep that schedule: here’s when we do movie time, here’s when we do breakfast, here’s when we do family time.

Keeping structure is helpful to kids.

Not rigid structure, but having a sense of familiarity.

So even

if there’s drama going on out in the world, home is still a safe environment. So it always starts there.

When it comes to routine COVID precautions, get involved with your school and see what the policies are. If they’re following along with what the Erie County Department of Health and the CDC are recommending, then your school’s doing the right thing. Make sure you’re involved in those decisions, not necessarily to drive those decisions but to have a better awareness of what’s going on. Talk to your kids’ pediatrician; they should be able to freely answer any of the questions you’ve got. I am going to say that if your kid is eligible and you don’t have any risk factors or concerns, get vaccinated. I do recommend the COVID vaccination and it’s now approved down to the age of 6 months.

Definitely make sure your kids have their routine school vaccinations, as that can be an impediment to getting back into school, your diphtheria, your pertussis, your chicken pox.

And make sure you get your kid’s physical scheduled. And if your kids need any medications to be given in school, it’s a great time to discuss this with your pediatrician. Things like, is your kid’s asthma controlled? Do you have the right medication? Are they using them appropriately?

Q: Any other issues to be aware of?

A: We’re paying a lot of attention to the fact that everyone is stressed right now, COVID notwithstanding. Your kids are going to manifest that stress in ways an adult wouldn’t. An adult might complain, ‘Oh, I can’t believe about such and such!’ They can vocalize it. Some younger kids may not. You may notice your kid being extra moody, extra sleepy, maybe spending more time on their electronic devices as their way of coping and escaping from all the stresses that they’re dealing with. So, engage with your kids. Sit down and play with them. Engage with them away from the electronics, but also on them so they’re not just sucked into the internet with god-knowswho. When you engage with your kids, you reestablish that human contact.

Page 4 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

Q: What kinds of issues are parents bringing up to pediatricians?

A: I would like to say it’s all the same old things like ‘my kid has a cold,’ and ‘can you refill my kid’s prescriptions.’ But I would say parents are concerned about what we would have called behavioral concerns back in the day. The child might have been labeled defiant or ADHD and, again, many of them we believe are manifesting these stress symptoms I mentioned earlier. We are trying to make sure all kids are screened for anxiety, for depression.

If the kids are manifesting stress or as they like to say ‘feeling some kind of way,’ make sure mental health resources are available. One of the good things to come out of COVID is an awareness that mental health took a real beating and that we probably need to do a better job of screening, reaching out to people and getting them connected to counselors and outpatient services. A lot of the counseling groups in Western New York have increased their staffing to meet demand. Mental health is just as important as your physical health.

And again, kids may not manifest symptoms in the same ways an adult would. One thing that I really try to talk to parents about is making sure kids are dealing appropriately with all of the things they’re seeing in the media. The tragic event that recently happened at Tops downtown; the kids are going to hear about it and are going to have questions about it. They might be scared to go to a store, going out, so talking to your kids at an age-appropriate level and bringing in counseling if you need to, is never a bad thing to do. We try to make sure parents have the tools they need to help their kids.

Q: What kinds of tools can you offer parents?

A: We can refer them to counselors, and we can even sit down with families ourselves. Acknowledging that you have the same emotions that kids do validates their emotions.

‘I’m scared to go to the store.’ ‘Well, I am, too.’ Back in the day, we might have said don’t worry about it, or don’t cry; but that limits children’s emotional vocabulary. A child with a limited emotional vocabulary can’t really express themselves and that’s when you see things manifest as anger outbursts or even physical outbursts because they don’t have that many options for expressing themselves.

Lifelines

Name: Fred D. Archer III, M.D Interim division chief of general pediatrics at UBMD Pediatrics; medical director, Niagara Street Pediatrics; clinical assistant professor, department of pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UB Hometown: Amherst Education: Howard University College of Medicine Affiliations: John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital; Kaleida Health Organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics; National Medical Association Family: Wife (Melissa), three children (Samantha, Alexis, Fred IV) Family: Wife (Melissa), three children (Samantha, Alexis, Fred IV) Hobbies: Comic books, sci-fi, Legos, swimming, martial arts

Pig Hearts Successfully Transplanted Into 2 BrainDead Patients

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enetically altered pig hearts could soon become a viable transplantation alternative for people with life-threatening heart disease, new experiments show.

A team at NYU Langone Health has successfully transplanted two such pig hearts into brain-dead humans on life support, making advances that may soon help address the nationwide organ shortage.

No signs of early rejection were observed in either organ, which were transplanted in surgeries performed over several hours on June 16 and July 6, doctors report.

The hearts functioned normally for three days without additional mechanical support, using standard post-transplant medications.

After three days, the experiment ended and the patients were taken off life support.

“It was, I think, one of the most incredible things to see a pig heart pounding away, beating inside the chest of a human being,” physician Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said during a recent media briefing. “It is a great privilege for me to have witnessed that in my lifetime.”

The goal of these experiments is to create a pig heart that can be transplanted using techniques and medications nearly identical to the procedures now used to implant donated human hearts, said physician Nader Moazami, surgical director of heart transplantation for NYU Langone’s division of heart and lung transplantation.

“It brings me great excitement to tell you that the function of the heart was excellent,” Moazami said at the briefing. “We did have to make some tactical surgical modifications at the time of transplantation. Part of that is because the pig heart is very similar, but it’s not identical to the human heart.”

If progress continues, the first transplant of a genetically modified pig heart into a live human using NYU Langone’s procedures could take place by 2025, Montgomery said.

A steady supply of functional pig hearts could be critical in saving the lives of tens of thousands of patients

Two locations... on the verge of dying from heart disease, said physician Alex Reyentovich, director of the NYU Langone advanced heart failure program.

“There are 6 million individuals with heart failure in the United States,” Reyentovich said during the briefing. “About 100,000 of those individuals have end-stage heart failure. And we only do about 3,500 heart transplants a year in the United States, so we have a tremendous deficiency in organs. There are many people dying waiting for a heart.”

The hearts were procured from pigs that had undergone 10 genetic modifications, including four pig gene alterations intended to prevent rejection and abnormal organ growth, and six human genes added to make the hearts more compatible with human biology.

The first whole-body donor to receive one of the pig hearts was Larry Kelly, a 72-year-old Vietnam veteran.

“He was an organ donor and would be so happy to know how much his contribution to this research will help people like him, with heart disease,” said his partner, Alice Michael, who’d been with him for 33 years.

Michael said she didn’t know it was possible for someone to donate their whole body, even if their individual organs aren’t suitable for transplant, until NYU Langone approached her.

“I didn’t even have to think about the decision,” Michael said. “I knew he would want to do it, and I had to do it.”

A new infectious disease protocol developed by NYU Langone also prevented any sign of porcine cytomegalovirus, which is considered a risk to successful transplantation.

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August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 5

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Already in Operation

I

f you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or having a mental health crisis, you can dial just three numbers — 988 — to get help.

Callers will be connected to a trained counselor at a local call center and ultimately routed to potentially lifesaving support services. The three-digit code for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline replaces the 10-digit number for what was formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

The new three-digit number is easy to remember, free, available 24/7 and confidential, said Thea Gallagher, a clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at NYU Langone Health in New York City.

“If 988 becomes just as ubiquitous as 911, we are saying that mental

health and physical health are on the same level, and that breaks stigma,” she said.

The need for such access and services has never been greater, Gallagher said.

“With the ongoing pandemic, we have seen an increase in depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and behavior, so we know mental health has never been more negatively impacted,” she said.

In 2020, more than 47,000 Americans died by suicide, a 33% increase from

2000, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The new number will also accept texts, and live chat is available, said physician May Lau. She is a pediatrician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the medical director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Clinic at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

Crisis counselors speak multiple languages and are culturally competent at counseling members of the LGBTQ community. There are also resources available for people who are deaf

or hearing-impaired, Lau said.

“The text function is only in English for now, but most of the people who feel comfortable texting are younger, and many of them are bilingual,” Lau noted.

The new line is not just for people who are contemplating suicide.

Counselors are also skilled in discussing self-harm, addiction, domestic violence and other mental health issues. If a caller needs immediate medical attention, 988 will collaborate with local police or hospitals to dispatch services.

“We are trying to help people deal with crises before they become life-threatening,” said Anthony Wood, interim CEO and COO of the American Association for Suicidology. The group has been calling for a three-digit suicide hotline for years.

respondents) revealed what they consider to be the most important social determinants of health: access, 85%; substance abuse, 66%; gun violence, 53%; climate change, 51%.

ed by COVID-19, early retirements and a recession. Consulting firm Kaufman Hall says a solid one-third of their clients are suffering with no end in sight. Ninety percent of KH clients cite labor shortages as their No. 1 threat followed by overall rising expenses, supply chain problems, diminished consumer demand impacted by COVID-19, cyber threats and resulting pressure on remaining staff.

Healthcare in a Minute

By George W. Chapman

CMS Initiative Designed to Protect Local Rural Hospitals

O

ne in five of us lives in a rural community.

Since 2010, 138 rural hospitals have closed, typically for financial reasons. Nineteen rural hospitals closed in 2020 alone.

People that live in rural areas are subject to shorter life spans and higher mortality than those living in urban and suburban areas. Consequently, CMS is proposing a new designation, “rural emergency hospital,” to bolster services and financial viability.

In addition to supporting emergency services, Center Medicare & Medicaid Services is looking to support and stabilize maternal, behavioral and addiction services.

While this is well intentioned, few rural hospitals, despite the REH designation, will survive alone.

Recruiting and retaining qualified physicians, nurses and ancillary service providers like pharmacists and techs, will still be a struggle. To survive, REHs must affiliate or integrate with a larger healthcare system.

Otherwise, staffing shortages will be their downfall.

In addition to protecting rural hospitals per se, CMS must also protect rural EMT services. EMTs are overworked and underpaid, especially those servicing rural areas. Once you have been stabilized at a rural facility, it is the EMT who cares for you when you are transferred to a larger hospital post -accident, -heart -attack, -stroke, -overdose or -complicated delivery.

The REH designation would be affective January 2023.

ACA: 30 Million Are Now Covered By It

develop back-up plans if the ARP is not renewed by Congress.

More than 35 million Americans, or one in 10, are covered by the Affordable Care Act. Millions rely on expanded Medicaid or income-based subsidies. Originally, for those who don’t qualify for Medicaid, premium subsidies ended once you earned more than 400% of federal poverty guidelines. (In 2022, the individual poverty level is $13,590; for a household of three it’s $23,000.) Once over than the 400% threshold, you paid the full premium. Consequently, millions of people dropped insurance.

Consequently, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan which gave relief to those making just more than 400% of poverty guidelines. It limited the amount spent on insurance to 8.5% of income. If not renewed, the ARP will expire end of this year. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates premiums would double for 3.4 million people causing most to drop coverage altogether.

Savvy states are scrambling to

Social Determinants of Health Your family history and your genes have a lot to do with how long you will live and your overall health.

But the social determinants of health can easily negate your family history and the best of genes. Physicians and insurers agree that without addressing these social determinants, the best efforts of providers can be for naught. Among the social determinants impacting health status are food and shelter security, access to care, gun violence, climate change and addiction. Large insurers are investing in food and shelter for members in need. For example, United Health has invested $45 million in goods and resources for at-risk populations, saving the member $1,200 to $1,500 in out-of-pocket expenses annually. Keeping healthcare costs down helps everyone, not just the insurance company. A recent Medscape survey of physicians (2,342

Over 380,000 Mental Health Apps

Since COVID-19, both apps on your phone and companies offering services online or via telehealth have increased exponentially. Digital Healthcare Elsewhere mental health, for better or worse, has become the darling of venture I just returned from touring Scotcapitalists. The potential benefits are land, England and France. All three clear: access, privacy, personal, low countries have universal coverage, cost. There are more than 380,000 direct-to-consumer apps on your Apple basically “Medicare for all” in our or Android phone and 20,000 are spe- parlance. Naturally, (of course!), I queried unsuspecting tour guides, cific to mental and behavioral health Uber drivers, wait and hotel staff, like Talkspace and Calm. There are and anyone I befriended at bars and apps by which providers can prescribe like reSET. There are platforms restaurants about their healthcare.

The vast majority were satisfied designed for employers and insurwith access, providers, quality and ance companies like Ginger, Lycra their overall care. There were the Health and Modern Health. But do usual complaints about government they all work? Naturally, the rapid bureaucracy. But then again, don’t proliferation of digital mental health we complain about our insurance has engendered a lot of skepticism among traditional face-to-face mental companies? The one thing everyone stressed, (once realizing I was Amerhealth providers, academia and ican), is citizens are covered and lack insurers. Many of the startups went of money is not a barrier to getting bankrupt, leaving patients stranded. care like in the U.S. They cannot But to be fair, access to traditional fathom why such an advanced counface-to-face care is difficult so you try as the U.S.A. doesn’t guarantee can’t blame someone for trying healthcare for all. They expect their digital. Unless the severe shortage of mental health professionals improves, government to guarantee care and even when complaining about their digital is the answer for millions system, they became very defensive of consumers. The digital industry when I poked holes. The prevailneeds validation, which comes from ing attitude was there are plenty of research and then academic publicathings to worry about in this life and tion. A more global issue with digital getting healthcare should never be a mental health is integration and worry. coordination with a patient’s primary care provider, healthcare system and electronic medical record. If this George W. Chapman is not effectively accomplished, we is a healthcare busiare just continuing down the road ness consultant who of expensive, disjointed, ineffective works exclusively healthcare. with physicians, hospitals and healthcare Labor Shortages organizations. He operates GW Chapman According to a survey of hospital Consulting based in and medical group CFOs, their No. 1 Syracuse. Email him concern effecting financial viability, at gwc@gwchapmanaccess and patient experience is the consulting.com. continuing labor shortage exacerbat-

Page 6 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

Erie County Has an STI Problem

Gonorrhea cases are up 56%, syphilis cases doubled — problem is worse for people who live in ZIP codes 14214 and 14211

By Amanda Jowsey

T

he Erie County Department of Health recently expanded its EPT (every person treated) program in response to notable growth in certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Erie County.

EPT helps to provide prescription treatment to the partners of individuals who have been diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis, without those partners having to be seen by a medical professional.

Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein wanted to find new ways of connecting individuals to the confidential services provided by her department, so they created a new phone line to expand access to EPT. From 2019 to 2020, reported gonorrhea cases in Erie County increased 56%. In 2021, the NYS Department of Health released a health advisory stating the number of new HIV infection diagnoses has been increasing since early 2020.

Confirmed syphilis cases

doubled in Erie County from 2020 to 2021.

“More disturbingly, there were three confirmed congenital syphilis cases in EC in 2021,” Burstein said.

CS is a Gale Burstein disease that occurs in young infants whose mothers transmit the infection during pregnancy.

“We were disappointed that we’ve seen such an increase in gonorrhea and syphilis, including congenital syphilis in our community. Especially with CS that should be 100% preventable. It’s very sad that all these infections are reemerging,” Burstein said. “Every CS diagnosis is a failure of a health system to detect and treat a treatable illness. Pregnant people should be assessed and screened for STIs, including syphilis, as part of their routine prenatal care.”

One in five people in the US has an STI. Most people with STIs are

STD vs. STI Many people grew up accustomed to hear the expression STD, short for sexually transmitted disease. So why is it that this acronym may be on the way out?

asymptomatic, “but if left untreated, STIs increase the risk of getting or transmitting HIV and can lead to miscarriages, premature labor, low infant birth weight and other harms to a fetus or baby,” Burstein said.

The 14214 and 14211 ZIP codes had the greatest total of reported gonorrhea and chlamydia cases in 2021, with 24% of all chlamydia cases and 32% of all gonorrhea cases living in those ZIP codes.

About half of gonorrhea and chlamydia cases are in adults aged 20-29 and around one in six adolescents 19 years of age and younger.

Expedited partner therapy is one of the STI prevention interventions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Through this intervention, a person diagnosed with a STI can get medication to give to their partner, or partners, to prevent reinfection and break the chain of transmission.

In New York state, the ECDOH or any licensed healthcare provider can distribute either medication or a prescription for the person, or the partners, of those diagnosed with gonorrhea, chlamydia, or

trichomoniasis.

The new ECDOH hotline works through this Expedited Partner Therapy program.

“We knew we needed to do something new to be able to try to start to turn this around because we can’t keep doing the same things that we have been doing,” Burstein said.

She expressed how the pandemic has changed community outreach and how it may have played a role in these growing numbers, “although it is difficult to pinpoint any one cause.”

“Now that the COVID numbers are down and the weather’s warm, we can do more outside. However, this is temporary. It will get cold again. Our COVID numbers will increase again. So, we have to think about an effective sustainable intervention to try to start to chip away at our STI rates,” she stressed.

Burstein described STI treatment as “a secondary prevention strategy,” and said that it is “an important way to reduce the risks of reinfection.”

The ECDOH is reminding everyone, especially residents in Erie County, to get routinely tested for preventable and treatable STIs. This new phone line is specifically for people who have already been exposed to an STI. Burstein reminded residents that if they feel uncomfortable calling, they can always visit the Erie County Sexual Health Clinic, 608 William St., Buffalo.

Prevention is key to stopping the spread of infection. This new phone line is merely one preventive strategy. Anyone who is sexually active should get regularly screened for STIs. Burstein reminded residents that pre-prophylactic medications are available for those that may be at higher risk for HIV. ECDOH encourages these individuals to call and learn more about their services.

“Money is not a barrier,” Burstein said. “People are provided with the services they need regardless of their ability to pay.”

HOW TO GET HELP IF YOU’RE INFECTED • Erie County Department of Health Sexual Health Clinic 608 William St. Buffalo, 14206 716-858-7687 • Every Partner Treated Hotline 716-858-4EPT (716-858-4378)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SEXUAL HEALTH: • Planned Parenthood (866) 600-6886 Call or visit www.plannedparenthood.org • The American Sexual Health Association 919-361-8400 ashasexualhealth.org

Around 2013, the American Sexual Health Association recommended that the name STD — as in sexually transmitted disease — be changed to SDI — sexually transmitted infection.

The reason? The organization wanted to dispel misconceptions and address stigma.

“Disease” suggests a medical problem associated with clear signs and symptoms. “Most common sexually transmitted viruses have little to no signs or symptoms, it is more accurate to refer to them as infections rather than diseases. Additionally, the use of STI instead of STD reflects the reality that not all sexually transmitted infections turn into a disease.”

August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 7

Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Alone and Content: Rediscover Your True Self

T

here’s no magic pill for getting good at living alone. Like mastering any new skill, it requires effort and a lot of practice.

My own path to contentment took some time, some growing pains, setbacks as well as successes and some aching losses before I rediscovered my true self. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been well worth the journey.

The reward has been a life on my own filled with more peace, freedom and joy than I could have imagined.

The journey began with a set of soul-searching questions to identify and clarify my beliefs, values, likes and dislikes. I was careful to focus on what matters to me and to steer clear of “shoulds” and other people’s agendas.

The result? I created a list of personal principles and preferences that illuminated the way forward and shaped my future as a self-sufficient, independent woman.

Now, in the happy third chapter of my life, I am comfortable being me and expressing my true self. In no particular order, below are just a few examples of my insights (some profound, others practical and a few whimsical) that have inspired and guided me: • Gratitude, forgiveness and loving kindness are life staples to embrace, practice and model on a daily basis.

• Gathering with friends and

R

family around a flickering fire, indoors or out, enhances life. It’s warm, relaxing and hypnotic — a life essential in my book.

• If I am unhappy with an aspect of my life and choose to stick with the status quo, nothing will get better.

• For me, a stick shift is hands down preferable to an automatic transmission. Driving is so much more fun. It’s all I’ve ever

owned.

• Hardship, failure and loss can build strength and self-awareness.

Taking time and turning inward can create space for reflection and renewal of the spirit. I remind myself after losing something or someone I love: after rainbows there are rainbows.

• An honest-to-goodness listener (not a pretend listener) melts my heart.

• Music makes life better. I enjoy playing and listening to all genres of music, but I always return to the Great American Songbook.

• As an introvert, solitude, nature and meditation recharge my batteries.

• Letting go of old ways of thinking, of a poor self-image or of destructive thoughts or behaviors can free us up to embrace life’s blessings.

• Gardening is a great teacher.

Fertile ground exists in each of us, and a little planning, caretaking, and patience can produce beautiful results.

• Solo travel is an adventure not

25 Million Kids Missed Routine Vaccinations Worldwide in 2021

oughly 25 million children around the world missed critical vaccinations during 2021, as the pandemic continued to disrupt routine medical care, a new report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF shows.

“This is a red alert for child health. We are witnessing the largest sustained drop in childhood immunization in a generation. The consequences will be measured in lives,” UNICEF Executive Director Cather-

ine Russell said in a news release issued in July. “While a pandemic hangover was expected last year as a result of COVID-19 disruptions and lockdowns, what we are seeing now is a continued decline. COVID-19 is not an excuse. We need immunization catch-ups for the missing millions or we will inevitably witness more outbreaks, more sick children and greater pressure on already strained health systems.”

Between 2019 and 2021, vac-

to be missed. It’s good for the mind, deepens the soul and fosters confidence.

• Living alone doesn’t mean being alone. We are social beings. We need each other to feel safe, happy and whole. Relationships are the glue.

For those coming out of a long relationship, determining or rediscovering “who you really are” can be a daunting process.

After years of focusing on the needs and desires of a spouse and family, many discover that, somewhere along the way, they have disappeared around the edges and lost their own sense of self.

Rediscovering yourself and identifying those things that bring joy and meaning into your life can turn living alone into an adventure of the spirit. Once you establish your individual interests and means of self-expression, you may find that time alone and the silent moments between events no longer feels empty.

Below is an exercise to help you get back in touch with your true self.

These are but a few of the questions to contemplate on your road to self-discovery.

Spend some time answering these 10 questions: 1. Search back. What hobbies did you pursue as a child that gave you joy? What did you do particularly well or (perhaps secretly) take pride in?

2. More recently, when do you completely lose yourself in something? What activities make you feel alive and complete, as though nothing is missing?

3. What do you hold most dear?

4. How do you want to be remembered?

5. What is your biggest regret?

If you could have a “do-over,” what would you do differently? cine coverage dropped to 81%, with a 5-point drop recorded in the percentage of children who received three doses of the vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

The vaccine, DTP3, is used by the two international agencies as a marker for broader vaccine coverage.

“As a result, 25 million children missed out on one or more doses of DTP through routine immunization services in 2021 alone. This is 2 million more than those who missed out in 2020 and 6 million more than in 2019, highlighting the growing number of children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases,” the UN officials said.

Nearly two-thirds, or 18 million, of the children, most of whom live in low and middle-income countries, didn’t receive even one dose of the childhood vaccine.

Decreases were also seen in HPV

Page 8 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

6. How would your life change (or get better) if you were a more curious person?

7. What brings tears to your eyes?

8. If you were to dedicate your life and resources to a particular cause or charity, what would it be?

9. What does your perfect day look like?

10. How do you want to describe yourself and your life a year from now?

Then, take action After answering these questions, ask yourself how you can use these insights to influence the direction of your life. What can you do today to reconnect with a past love or pursuit, to delve more deeply into an existing interest, or to fulfill a new passion or purpose?

When you identify your values and the things you love to do, and pursue them, you will feel more integrated and in touch with your true self. You’ll be spending your time immersed in pursuits that bring you personal satisfaction — pursuits that reinforce who you are and who you want to become.

Those of us who live alone have the gift of abundant time to ourselves. Use it wisely. Use the time to get to know yourself all over again.

With each passing day, I am confident you’ll find your internal compass, unique to you, pointing toward the truth — your true self.

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 her to speak, visit www. aloneandcontent.com vaccinations, with over a quarter of the coverage achieved in 2019 lost, and measles, with first-dose coverage dropping to 81% in 2021. WHO officials noted this is the lowest level since 2008 and means 24.7 million children missed their first dose in 2021.

No region of the world was spared, with the most dramatic declines seen in East Asia and the Pacific region.

The biggest factors behind the shift include conflict or other fragile settings, a growing vaccination misinformation campaign and COVID-19-related issues.

“Planning and tackling COVID-19 should also go hand-in-hand with vaccinating for killer diseases like measles, pneumonia and diarrhea. It’s not a question of either-or, it’s possible to do both,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the news release.

5

Things You Should Know About Stroke

Strokes can come in many forms. Some are minor while others can be deadly

S

troke is a leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of serious disability for adults.

Sometimes referred to as a brain attack, stroke occurs when the blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot, bursts or ruptures.

When that happens, part of the brain doesn’t receive the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die.

One in six deaths from cardiovascular diseases are due to stroke and every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke, according to the Centers for Disease and Prevention.

“Strokes are quite common and they are extraordinarily devastating,” said physician Robert Sawyer, whose clinical practice focuses on vascular disease, predominantly stroke. “Most people don’t have a stroke and die.

They have a stroke and you live with a huge amount of disability if you don’t come in in time. A stroke can confine you to a bed for the rest of your life and it can significantly affect your quality of life.”

Strokes can come in many forms — from transient ischemic attacks which are little warnings to hemorrhagic strokes which are the rarest and deadliest.

Sawyer, who is also the co-director of the Stroke Center at the Gates Vascular Institute, talks about five principles of strokes.

1.SYMPTOMS

Understanding causes of strokes is slightly complicated considering how it differs by gender, age and ethnicity. Symptoms include numbness, weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body, sudden inability to speak, think and understand, vision problems in one or both eyes, reduced touch sensitivity, difficulty walking or losing balance.

“Many times it is essential for the people around you to recognize something is going wrong with you because you may not recognize what

3.RAPID RESPONSE

“Strokes are quite common and they are extraordinarily devastating. Most people don’t have a stroke and die. They have a stroke and you live with a huge amount of disability if you don’t come in in time.”

When 9-1-1 is called for a stroke, the first step is the emergency medical services who helps identify the stroke. Then, if the patient is coming into Gates Vascular Institute, she or he meets with the neuroscience team, which includes a triage nurse, who comes in to draw blood, detail health history, order a CT scan and administer an IV injection of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator or TPA. “It is like the pit stop of an Indy 500. People are working together effectively to do everything they can help our patients,” said Sawyer.

“With many people being activated at the same time, it limits the time a patient has to wait for tests and receive treatment because, as we mentioned, time matters.”

is going on yourself,” said Sawyer.

“You really have to think the organ that is affected is the one you think with.”

Sawyer said there are some other signs people should recognize.

“They have difficulty producing words, they have paralysis on one side of their body. A sign can even be feeling a little uncomfortable but thinking that nothing is really wrong with them. We find a lot of people who say they feel fine and then go to sleep and hope they will feel better when they wake up,” he said.

2.TIME MATTERS

Because it is a medical emergency, prompt treatment is crucial. It requires early action to reduce brain damage and other severe complications. Sometimes symptoms are ignored or taken for granted.

“If you look at what we have done over the years when someone comes in with stroke symptoms, we start acting within minutes of you coming in the door,” Sawyer said.

“When you have a stroke, you lose 32,000 neurons a second. Your brain can age four years in one hour without oxygen.”

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The brain cells that die are connected to many of your overall functions which could include speech, mobility, vision or short-term memory.

“As adults, you cannot grow new neurons in the brain. Blood clot busting treatments allow us to save as many brain cells as possible. The brain controls so many components of your overall body,” said Sawyer.

4.TECHNOLOGY

Effective treatments, preventive medications and large scale high-quality technology has helped prevent major disabilities from stroke. Cardiac teams at Gates Vascular Institute — along with Buffalo General Medical Center, part of Kaleida Health — are actively involved in many national clinical trials and work tirelessly to discover new and better ways to treat the heart and bring those discoveries to patients.

Buffalo General Medical Center, for example, is the first facility in Western New York to perform the transcatheter aortic valve replacement. TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure in which an artificial aortic heart valve is attached to a wire frame and guided through the femoral artery by catheter to the heart. The decision to treat aortic stenosis with TAVR is made after a discussion with a team of heart and heart surgery specialists, who work together to determine the best treatment option. “The innovation that we have now to help save patients is incredible and we utilize everything at our disposal to provide life-saving treatment,” Sawyer added.

Physician Robert Sawyer is the co-director of the Stroke Center at the Gates Vascular Institute, a Kaleida Health facility. “Many times it is essential for the people around you to recognize something is going wrong with you because you may not recognize what is going on yourself,” he says.

5.RISK FACTOR

Anyone can have a stroke at any age. But your chance of having a stroke increases if you have certain risk factors. Some risk factors for stroke can be changed or managed, while others can’t. Heart disease is one of the most important risk factors for stroke and the major cause of death among survivors of stroke.

Heart disease and stroke have many of the same risk factors.

“The number one risk factor is getting older and that comes with many ailments. However, hypertension is a large risk factor. Also anyone who has high blood pressure which can cause damage to blood vessels that supply blood to the brain can be affected. We also tell patients that smoking almost doubles your risk for an ischemic stroke,” he added.

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August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 9

they need to work in in-patient and outpatient settings,” he said.

He is working to require a bachelor’s degree for the profession. However, that can only help respiratory therapists gain employment because it will open the way for health insurance companies to cover their services. Medicare requires a bachelor’s degree as a minimum for this type of provider to be covered and typically, health insurers follow Medicare’s lead on what’s covered.

Medical Career

in education. She serves as director of clinical education at SUNY Erie Community College.

“It’s been a hugely rewarding field for me,” Zimicki said. “I’ve never been unemployed. You can work per diem. It’s always been a fluid, flexible field with huge opportunities for employment and satisfaction.”

She believes that a good candidate for the school’s respiratory therapist program should have the right personal traits such as empathy,

“It’s been a hugely rewarding field for me.

I’ve never been unemployed.”

Connie Zimicki, respiratory therapist and director of clinical education at SUNY Erie Community College

Demand Continues High for Respiratory Therapist A licensed respiratory therapist can make an annual mean wage of $65,770

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

W

ith only an associate degree, a licensed respiratory therapist can make an annual mean wage of $70,040 in the Buffalo area. The career is ranked at sixth in the US News & World Reports’ Top Health Care Jobs. The US Department of Labor states that by 2029, they expect a 19%-plus increase in demand for respiratory therapists.

These professionals take care of patients of all ages who have breathing difficulties. This can include assessing, treating and

supervising respiratory therapy technicians in inpatient and outpatient settings.

Stephen G. Smith, respiratory therapist and past chairman and extended member of the New York State Education Department Respiratory Therapy Licensure Board, said that 74% of respiratory therapists work in hospitals. That is because it is not covered by Medicare or health insurance, making it a costly service for doctor’s offices to provide. Large healthcare systems can more easily absorb the expense.

“One of our concerns is that

“What would happen is those practicing now would be grandfathered in,” Smith said.

“Once the bill became law, those in school, whether associate degree or bachelor’s, would require a Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory therapy to practice.”

Then, the person needs to pass a licensure exam to practice.

The role has room to grow with positions in supervision and management, positions in academia for those willing to achieve the necessary experience and, as needed, further education. In addition to these roles, Smith has also operated his own durable medical equipment business that specialized in chronic pediatric cardiopulmonary cases.

“You have to be strong in math and the sciences,” Smith said. “You have to have good interpersonal skills and be able to talk with people and educate people with cardiopulmonary diseases and their families. That’s a big responsibility.”

Connie Zimicki, respiratory therapist, continued her education, eventually earning a master’s degree

the ability to think on one’s feet, flexible and ability to work as part of a team.

Zimicki said that the pay scale can be low in some institutions compared with the level of responsibility. She hopes that increasing the educational requirements will lead to healthcare providers’ ability to receive reimbursement for respiratory therapists’ services.

“We’re seen as an expense to many CFOs and doctors, unlike physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses,” Zimicki said. “It limits opportunities. We can’t work in an urgent care facility.

We’re not a revenue stream.”

Despite this drawback, she feels that working in respiratory therapy feels fulfilling.

“A lot of our therapies and practices have either immediate or short-term relief,” she said.

“Everyone knows what it feels like to not be able to breathe, so it’s so rewarding to help someone take that breath.”

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SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

Helpful tips

The skinny on healthy eating

Latest Buzz on Beets I f you haven’t eaten beets in a while, you might want to head to the nearest farmer’s market.

This in-season veggie, known for its luscious colors and earthy flavor, is packed with a bounty of nutrients and antioxidants, enough to grant it superfood status.

A beet’s color contributes to many of its unique health benefits.

Betalains, the pigments responsible for this tuber’s jewel-like hues, are plant compounds esteemed for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

While antioxidants help to protect cells from free-radical damage, anti-inflammatories help to suppress inflammation that can damage arteries, organs and joints. Although more research is needed, recent studies suggest that betalains could help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and more.

Worried about your blood pressure? Reach for a beet! Beets are rich in two nutrients that may lower blood pressure: dietary nitrates and folate. In your body, dietary nitrates are converted into nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Folate, a B-complex vitamin, is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure by helping blood vessels relax and improve blood flow.

Folate also reduces levels of homocysteine, a protein

in the blood that has been linked to heart disease.

If you’re thinking all this improved blood flow is good for brains, you are correct! More blood means more oxygen, and more oxygen means improved mental performance.

Of course, beets have many more nutritional perks that make them a great addition to most diets. First, they’re super low in fat and calories (only 40 calories per average serving), but high in water, which keeps you hydrated and satiated. Second, despite their meager calories, they contain moderate amounts of protein and fiber, two more nutrients that promote feelings of fullness. In other words, beets may help with both weight maintenance and weight loss.

And while beets do have more carbs than your average vegetable, they’re the good-for-you carbs that take longer to digest and that have been linked to healthier weight, happier guts, and lower risks of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

On the subject of diabetes, the American Diabetes Association encourages the consumption of this non-starchy vegetable, as there are no known risks to eating beets if you have diabetes. Since their glycemic index is medium and their glycemic load is low, beets should not have a major effect on blood sugar levels.

Your Salt Shaker May Prove Deadly, Study Finds

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts Serves 4 3-4 medium beets, scrubbed and ends trimmed 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, minced Kosher salt and coarse black pepper, to taste 3 tablespoons olive oil 4-6 cups baby arugula or other fresh greens mix ½ cup toasted walnuts ½ cup crumbled goat cheese fresh basil for garnish Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drizzle beets with scant amount of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, wrap in foil, and place on a baking

P

eople who douse their meals in salt may have a shorter life than those who rarely reach for the salt shaker, a large new study suggests The study, of more than 500,000 British adults, found that those who always sprinkled salt on their food at the table were 28% more likely to die prematurely than people who rarely added salt to their meals.

On average, salt lovers shaved about two years off of their life expectancy at age 50.

The findings do not prove the salt shaker is a deadly weapon. But they do support going lighter on the condiment, said lead researcher, physician Lu Qi, of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.

“It’s a simple behavior people can modify,” Qi said.

Processed foods and ready-togo meals are often heavy in sodium, and best limited. But, Qi noted, it can be tricky to avoid the sodium lurking in prepared foods. Resisting the salt shaker on your kitchen table is straightforward.

Health experts have long advised limiting sodium in the diet — largely to help control blood pressure levels.

Yet studies have been mixed as to whether that lengthens people’s

Beets that are small or medium-size are more tender and tastier than large ones.

They should be heavy for their size and firm, with no nicks or cuts. If the edible greens are still attached, they should look bright and fresh, not wilted.

Beets, unwashed and placed in a tightly sealed bag, will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Note: Raw beets and their greens contain high levels of oxalates, which can contribute to kidney stones and also hinder the absorption of certain nutrients. When boiled, however, a beet’s oxalate content is markedly reduced. sheet. Bake until beets are fork-tender, about 55-60 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil and set aside.

Peel cooled beets with a small sharp knife, then cut into wedges, slices, or bite-sized pieces.

Place the arugula or greens in a separate bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Put the salad on a serving platter or individual plates, then arrange the beets, walnuts, and goat cheese on top. Drizzle with additional vinaigrette if desired, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and then garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately.

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.

lives. One likely reason is the way that studies measure sodium intake, Qi said.

Some have measured sodium in participants’ urine samples, which only reflects their recent salt intake.

Others have asked people about the foods they’ve eaten in the past month or so, which is also an imperfect estimate.

In contrast, Qi said, a habit of topping every meal with salt says something about a person’s longterm taste preferences.

The findings are based on 501,379 adults taking part in the UK Biobank Study. When they were recruited, between 2006 and 2010, they answered questionnaires on their diet and lifestyle habits.

Over nine years, more than 18,000 participants died prematurely — which the researchers defined as before age 75. When they assessed each person’s life expectancy, they found that the risk of an untimely death was 28% higher among people who’d said they “always” used salt at the table, versus those who never or rarely did.

Of course, there may be many differences between those groups of people. The “never” group is likely to have other healthy habits, for example.

August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 11

BACK TO SCHOOL

Addiction

Experts: marijuana especially dangerous for teens, young adults

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

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ince New York’s legalization of recreational marijuana use, some young people assume that “legal” equals “safe” or “healthful.”

This is incorrect.

“Outside of its being addictive, marijuana use may have effects on brain development,” said Vanita Jamison, director of communitybased programming with The Prevention Council of Erie County.

“We know that the adolescent brain does not fully develop until the age of 25. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2019, four in 10 high school students reported using marijuana in their lifetime.”

In higher doses, frequent marijuana use can cause a variety of short-term and life-long health problems. Although the teen years are about pushing boundaries and experimentation, trying marijuana just one time is not a good idea.

It is not legal for anyone younger than 21. Marijuana purchased as street drugs may contain fentanyl, responsible for numerous overdoses, or other harmful substances. Teens would likely turn down sushi handed to them by a sketchy looking stranger on a street corner, but would feel willing to try marijuana from an unknown source because a friend hands it to them.

Some adults tell teens that it’s OK to experiment with marijuana vape pens since they used hookahs as teens. However, “the marijuana today is not like what was used 20 to 30 years ago,” Jamison said.

The level of THC varies among sources. For example, the vape devices used for marijuana could offer 70% to 80% THC, versus street marijuana, which could be 12%.

“Physically we look at how marijuana affects the lungs and how it harms lung tissue and damages the small blood vessels,” Jamison said.

“It can make the heart beat rapidly and increase the risk of stroke and

heart disease.

“The use of marijuana in men can lower testosterone. In women, the use of marijuana products as often as three times per week may have profound impacts on menstrual cycles and female reproductive hormones.”

She also views marijuana as a gateway to black market drugs.

Most people know about marijuana’s hallucinogenic effects.

They may not realize that marijuana use can cause long-term changes to the brain.

“It is not recommended, especially for the adolescent brain,” said Erin Parr. She holds master of arts in counseling and psychology and is a New York state credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselor and clinical supervisor for the in-patient and out-patient programs at Horizon Health Services, Inc., which provides services throughout Western New York.

While low-dose marijuana can be prescribed for therapeutic use, taking it at higher levels or without the guidance of a healthcare professional invites disastrous results. Parr said that the “final push” for brain development occurs between the ages of 12 and 24. Flooding the brain with marijuana during that time may permanently disrupt brain maturation.

“We see a variety of harms with regular use of high potency cannabis use,” Parr said. “There are significant risks for the developing brain. It’s very important for parents, coaches and teachers to know about these harms.”

The effects are user-specific, but can be worse for users younger than 15, who have an 11-times greater risk of developing schizophrenia, a chronic lifelong brain disease.

Young users can also experience an increased risk of psychotic illness in their 20s. Youth of any age with a first-degree relative with bipolar disorder, anxiety or depression have a much greater risk for developing

Erin Parr is clinical supervisor for in-patient and out-patient programs at Horizon Health Services, Inc. “We see a variety of harms with regular use of high potency cannabis use,” Parr said. “There are significant risks for the developing brain. It’s very important for parents, coaches and teachers to know about these harms.” these with marijuana use. Other raised risks include lifelong lower emotional function, lower cognitive processing, reduced language development, attention deficits and IQ drop of up to eight points.

“You don’t get a do-over with brain development,” Parr said. “It needs to last your whole life. We need young people to not disrupt this critical period of brain development.

There is no safe amount of cannabis to consume during pregnant.”

While most of the youth who try marijuana will not develop a substance use disorder or psychosis, the devastating effects for those who do makes it not worth trying.

Parr encourages parents to talk with their children about marijuana risks and to avoid glorifying their own youthful drug experimentation.

Instead, answer any questions honestly and warn teens that the marijuana of a generation ago was far different.

“Anytime a parent is directive or instructive, it’s natural for teens to dig in their heels,” Parr said.

“We want parents to provide good information. We want them to know the potential risks and benefits.

I encourage parents to ask them what’s interesting about it, have

they experimented with it, do they know it has these effects? Usually, a young person can say they know a friend who started using it and seem to have some strange experiences.

Most have no idea that cannabis is a modifiable risk factor for psychosis.”

Setting boundaries with clear consequences can help teens feel secure that you care about their health and safety. Both parents should agree on their stance on drug use and share their agreement with their children.

Involve your children in activities they enjoy that build a healthy selfimage. Help them seek treatment for any mental health issues so they are less likely to try self-medicating with marijuana. Know your children’s friends and where they are after school and in the evening.

“Maintaining a relationship with your children is key,” Parr said. “It’s hard to make a positive difference if your young person does not want to engage with you. If cannabis use is affecting school performance, financial stuff happening, and brain development, let professionals have that conversation with your adolescent. They can do the substance abuse counseling so the parent can be the parent.”

About 1 in 7 U.S. Kindergarten Kids Now Obese

D

espite reports that rates of childhood obesity are decreasing, kids seem to be packing on pounds at younger ages.

In 1998, just under 73% of children entering kindergarten in 1998 had a normal body mass index (BMI), while 15.1% were overweight, and 12% were obese.

However, fast forward 12 years and just 69% of kids started kindergarten at a normal BMI, a new study finds.

And while the percentage of kids entering kindergarten who were overweight in 2010 didn’t change from 1998, the percentage who were obese jumped to 15.3%, the study showed. That’s about one in every seven kids.

“We were hoping we would see a Page 12 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

decrease in the incidence of obesity,” said study author Solveig Argeseanu Cunningham, an associate professor of global health and epidemiology at Emory University in Atlanta. “We were negatively surprised to find that this newer [group] of kids was experiencing obesity even younger and reaching higher levels of obesity than they were 12 years ago.”

The new findings suggest that efforts aimed at getting kids to move more and make healthier food choices aren’t working as well as hoped, she said.

For the study, the researchers compared rates of obesity in kids from kindergarten through fifth grade during two time frames: 1998 to 2004, and 2010 to 2016.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Long, Regular Sleep Key to Kindergarten Success

Are Schools Safe?

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. As kids gear up to return to our local schools, how safe are they?

L

ong, restful and — most importantly — regular sleep is key to helping kindergarteners adjust to school, and a new study urges parents to start forming good sleep habits a full year ahead of time.

Researchers found that kids who regularly got 10 hours of sleep or more before beginning kindergarten reaped big benefits.

These children were more engaged learners and had better social and emotional skills than drowsier classmates, the study found. They also had better executive functioning, meaning they were more focused, able to remember instructions and juggle multiple tasks effectively, and their academic outcomes were also better.

The finding that sleep regularity in the year before kindergarten was so important was a surprise, said lead author Douglas Teti, a professor of human development and family studies at Pennsylvania State University, in University Park, Pennsylvania.

“It was the regularity of 10-plus hours of sleep before kindergarten began that was especially predictive,” Teti said. “What that tells me is that if we’re going to be intervening and working with families with kindergarten children who have sleep problems, we really need to be starting significantly before kindergarten begins.”

Sleep is a bodily process as important as healthy eating and exercise, Teti said. People who get better sleep tend to do a better job of regulating their emotions and behavior, are more organized and function better.

The new study included 221 families. For seven days at a time, children wore wrist devices to clock their sleep at four points during the year: July and August (pre-K); late September (early K); late November (mid-K); and mid to late April (late-K). The researchers also got feedback from teachers and had observer assessments.

“We looked at the transition across the entire kindergarten year, which very few people have done,” Teti said.

The findings were published online July 11 in the journal Pediatrics.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

W

ith school shootings dominating the news, it can seem like the schoolgrounds are not the safest place for children.

How can parents feel that their children will be safe if an active shooter situation arises?

For school district administrators, it is not about a knee-jerk reaction to specific events but continuing to improve safety measures, according to John Nobrega, vice president of Blackhawk Training Academy in Buffalo. His firm places security officers and equipment in school districts. This can include cameras with closed-circuit TVs, automatic door locks on buildings and locks on classrooms.

“We’re moving toward arming our guards in school districts because of the way things are,” Nobrega said. “A lot of schools have armed security or are moving toward it. It’s important to make sure the students and staff are secure and not in a vulnerable position.”

He added that arming security guards who are trained in handling weapons in these scenarios can provide a timelier, life-saving response in case of an active shooter situation. Oftentimes, this can mean hiring retired or current law enforcement officers. Nobrega uses the active shooter program, which trains personnel for that kind of scenario, so they have a greater chance of survival.

Nobrega said that it can take five to 10 minutes for law enforcement back-up to arrive on the scene.

“Now, the first officer on the scene moves forward to take out the intruder, not waiting for back-up.

By waiting, a lot of damage could happen. The first onsite enters the building and looks for the shooter and tries to take them out,” he said.

He cited policies such as one point of entry during the school day and not propping doors open help keep schools safer.

“That’s something a person can use to gain entry,” Nobrega said.

“These shooters study the school before they make their decision.

Usually, they have some type of connection to the school, but not always. Sometimes it’s based on race or other things.”

Ramped up security measures may cause children to think that a violent situation is likely to happen at their school. Andrea Lighthouse, school psychologist and representative for the New York Association of School Psychologists, encourages parents to correlate school safety with vehicle safety.

“We buckle a seatbelt just to be safe, but how many accidents have you been in?” she said. “You have fire drills at school, but how many fires has your school had?”

Questions like these can help children understand the rarity of active shooter crimes.

Lighthouse also wants parents to answer their children’s questions without bombarding them with too much information.

“You never know where kid logic will go,” she said. “Having open communication and asking, ‘What are some worries you might have about this?’ is important to do so they can share with you a worry they might have that you don’t know exists.”

In a similar vein, exposing children to too much news on active shooting incidences can cause them to think that this is commonplace.

Parents should also monitor their own responses to current events.

“It’s important to manage our own anxiety around these situations, make sure they’re not spending the

Elizabeth Woike-Ganga is president and CEO of BestSelf Behavioral Health in Buffalo.

Andrea Lighthouse is a school psychologist & representative for the New York Association of School Psychologists. summer watching the news and social media but have a normal, healthy summer that’s active,” said Elizabeth Woike-Ganga, president and CEO of BestSelf Behavioral Health in Buffalo. “In terms of going back to school, listen to their concerns and talk about the safety measures we know are at their school. We can’t guarantee things 100% but we can talk about what their school does to keep them safe. Pay attention to their concerns. If it interferes with their sleep or they’re very anxious, maybe get help from a professional.”

HOW TO STAY S AF E I N SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

• Don’t use violence to settle disputes.

• Don’t carry weapons to school.

• Report crimes or suspicious activities to school authorities, parents, or the police.

• Tell a school official immediately if you see another student with a weapon.

• Tell a teacher, parent or trusted adult if you’re worried about a bully.

• Learn safe routes for traveling to and from school. Know where you can seek help if you need it.

• Get involved in your school’s anti-violence programs, and if there isn’t a program at your school, help start one.

FOR PARENTS

• Educate your children on how to resolve disputes and avoid violence.

• Teach your children how to reduce their risks of becoming crime victims.

• Know where your kids are, what they are doing, and who they are with at all times.

• Set clear rules in advance about acceptable activities.

• Ask your children about what goes on during the school day. Listen to what they say and take their concerns and worries seriously.

• Do not allow your child to carry weapons.

• Become involved in your child’s school activities.

From the New York State site https://safeact.ny.gov/school-safety

August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 13

BACK TO SCHOOL

Family Meals: Why They’re so Important

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

T

o many busy families, regularly eating together as a family rarely happens.

Busy work and school schedules pull family members in opposite directions often at mealtimes.

Frequently eating apart as a family is not good.

“Family dinners promote connection and conversation among family members,” said Mary Jo Parker, a dietitian who operates Nutrition & Counseling Services in Williamsville. “This promotes healthy interpersonal interaction and provides good modeling for kids, emotionally and socially, as well as physically.”

Grabbing bags of fast food while driving one child to soccer, another to piano and another to a playdate relates a far different dynamic. The experience is rushed, chaotic and less of a shared experience than eating the same food at the same table at a pace that ensures meaningful conversation.

Mary Jo Parker

Justine Hays

This becomes especially important because as children become older, conversing with parents is often more challenging.

Parker believes that talking during a meal can improve psychosocial development and bonding; dexterity and language development; grades in school; mental health; food choices; and healthy weight.

For some families, mealtimes can be stressful, such as with children who have dietary restrictions, inability to take nutrition orally or those on the autism spectrum with rigid food preferences.

That does not mean that the family cannot connect. Instead, it helps to take time to engage with children in a meaningful activity like completing a puzzle, playing a board game or reading a storybook.

Sharing family meals can also affect children’s physical health. It starts with involving children in meal planning, budgeting, shopping and preparation, all skills Parker encourages parents to instill in children through participation.

“Additionally, kids are much more likely to try new foods and eat a wider variety of healthy foods if they participate in the planning and preparation of meals,” she said. “I encourage parents to involve their kids in all these steps from an early age. The more exposure children have to healthy eating principles, the greater the likelihood they will try new foods and those that are thought of as typically not very kid-friendly, such as vegetables, fish and seafood, ethnic dishes and protein-rich foods.”

Most small children can perform simple tasks like rinsing berries and tearing lettuce. Eventually, they may slice fruits and vegetables, measure ingredients, try recipes and help with the planning and shopping.

While healthful, balanced meals with minimal processed foods and plenty of produce is ideal, it is not always possible.

“It doesn’t have to be an elaborate, home-cooked meal,” said Justine Anna Hays, registered dietitian and owner of Justine Hays Nutrition in Buffalo. “It can be bagels on the weekend or a spaghetti dinner.

It doesn’t have to be an elaborate, from-scratch meal. Fruit and yogurt parfait can be a family breakfast. It is layers of cut-up fruit, yogurt and bananas. To a take-out pizza, add some cut up carrot or cucumber on the side.”

But to share more of those family meals, cooking ahead entire meals or time-consuming elements can hasten meal preparation during the week.

“If you have an extra half hour during the week, cook up some rice,” Hays said. “Portion it and freeze it, as it freezes really well. Then you

can take it out and microwave it for a minute or two. Slice up some cucumbers so they’re ready to serve alongside your meal. Grabbing a container is quicker than grabbing the cutting board. But you don’t have to prep everything for the entire week. It can be as simple as cutting up fruits and vegetables to go with the family meal.”

Stocking up on items like instant brown rice, steam-in-bag vegetables, ready-to-eat salad and frozen, nonbreaded chicken breast tenders can make meal prep faster since all of these can contribute to a healthful meal in minutes and are less expensive than many convenience foods or fast food.

How food is prepared can also increase the chances of eating together at home—and not from a drive-thru bag. Stacy is a big fan of roasting vegetables to reheat later; cooking lean hamburger to add to recipes and keeping on hand canned kidney beans to make soup.

Hays likes making slow cooker meals for busy days, so most of the preparation is done in advance and takes only minutes. Add to the meal some fresh fruit, some cut-up vegetables or a prewashed salad and dinner is served.

Steam-in-bag vegetables are “a real time-saver during the school year. They’re already cleaned, cut and ready to eat. Mix in with some mac and cheese.”

Most varieties cook in fewer than seven minutes and contain about four servings.

“It’s always important for people to remember everyone is doing their best,” Hays said. “It’s OK to use convenience foods that help us get dinner on the table like canned and frozen fruits and vegetables.

Premade pizza crust is convenient to get a meal together during a busy week. Ultimately, what matters is spending time each week to share that meal and experience and model healthy eating habits. Then the kids will see that and follow those behaviors, maybe not right away, but eventually.”

A Wet Nose and a Wagging Tail Opens Up a New World for Autistic Kids

A

new Australian study looking at the impact of an autism assistance dog for children and their parents has made an unexpected discovery: the dog has expanded their world, literally.

The presence of a specially trained therapy dog for autistic children is giving families the confidence to venture further afield and to many more locations, according to researchers from the University of South Australia.

UniSA researcher and occupational therapist Shelley Wright, who supervised the study, says the freedom to explore new places is something most of us take for granted, but for children with autism and their parents, this is normally fraught with sensory challenges.

“Impulsive and unpredictable

behavior is a feature of autism and taking children out of their usual environment is often too stressful for both child and parent,” Wright says.

Wright’s team conducted interviews with eight families paired with an autism assistance dog (AAD) as a support for their child.

The study revealed: • On average, families visited 8.5 more places and traveled 15 miles further from their home after having the dog for more than a year.

• Parents reported greater freedom for young children with severe autism who were normally strapped in a pram for safety when leaving home. An AAD replaced the pram but still acted as a natural restraint.

• Prior to receiving an autism assistance dog, parents were reluctant to leave the family home because

Page 14 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

of the stress involved, leading to feeling trapped and isolated. The dog allowed them to venture out because their child was calmer and safer in its presence.

• Parents reported fewer meltdowns among their children who sought out the dog when feeling overwhelmed.

• Children on the autism spectrum often get lonely as they find social interaction and communication difficult. The dog gave them much needed companionship.

“The parents we interviewed were much happier and more at ease leaving their home with their child after getting an autism assistance dog,” said “Wright.

The study is published in the journal Health and Social Care.

BACK TO SCHOOL what was so difficult about COVID is structures and schedules were upended. Kids didn’t have the support or supervision to set up new structures.”

Prepare for the school year by attending any open house or school tour available, especially if your children will be in a different building than last year. Many schools allow children to meet their teachers at these events, which can put children at ease.

AWK2.SOCIAL WARDNESS

5

➔ Work around — Enrolling in a moderate number of extracurricular activities and outings will help children feel more at ease with interacting with others instead of plunging into a plethora of groups and activities. Low-key playdates for younger children can also help make socializing easier when the school year starts.

Back to School Issues Kids Face

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

W

hile returning to school in the fall should be a time of excitement for children, it can present issues that cause stress.

These include:

1.PREDICTABILITY

Most children experienced interruptions in their school routine last year with hybrid classes and different teachers because of staffing difficulties. That can make the world

seem unpredictable. ➔ Work around — “It’s about setting up structure and helping them readapt to the new normal of being back in school,” said Elizabeth Woike-Ganga, licensed clinical social worker and president and CEO of BestSelf Behavioral Health in Buffalo. “Make sure they have a specific time to get up, that they have space for homework and time for play. A consistent bedtime and structure is really important for a kids’ sense of safety and predictability. Part of

3.SCHOOL VIOLENCE

With school shooting frequently in the recent news, it is little wonder some children may feel unsafe about returning to school. ➔ Work around — “We’re seeing more depression and anxiety because that sense of predictability was disrupted during the pandemic and school shootings exacerbate that more,” Woike-Ganga said.

“With some of the older kids there’s increase in suicidal thoughts and selfharm.”

She advises parents to limit exposure to media, assure them that their school administration is working to make their school as safe as possible and to seek professional mental healthcare as needed.

BEHIND 4.FALLING ACADEMICALLY

Missing a few months of school in 2021 and attending hybrid school for part of the past school year means many students have acquired gaps in their education. This can be deeply troubling for students who have worked hard to earn good grades. ➔ Work around — Although she acknowledges the academic gaps, Andrea Lighthouse, clinical psychologist and representative of the New York Association of School Psychologists, feels more concerned about social and emotional gaps.

“If they’re not settled, they won’t be able to learn,” Lighthouse said.

“That’s the primary thing. The academic learning will come after.”

5.MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

“I feel like this past year has been a really challenging year,” Lighthouse said. “I’ve been a school psychologist for 18 years and 20212022 has been the most challenging.”

She said that if only one or two children needed support, “we’d wrap all kinds of support around that child. Having it happen to the entire population, they’ll react differently to the same circumstances. We’re all in new territory because we’ve never done this on a large scale.” ➔ Work around — She encourages parents to reach out to their school’s mental health support if their children are not returning to their baseline mental health after a few weeks. Parents may notice behavioral changes, lower grades and children withdrawing from activities they used to enjoy, social activities with peers and family activities.

Back-to-school health Start the school year right! Getting back into school-mode can be a difficult transition for families, especially after a summer filled with fun and sun. Follow these tips to get back-on-track!

Adjust sleep times each day, move sleep and wake times by 15 minutes until you reach the desired time Create a homework space a designated place for homework and studying promotes healthy work habits and improves focus Schedule any needed medical appointments annual physicals, school sports physicals & eye exams

By providing primary, specialty and surgical care for all ages, UBMD Physicians’ Group is your one source for health care.

UBMD.COM

Additional Information

August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 15

Camp Cradle Beach: Uniting Children, Fostering Lifelong Values

By Amanda Jowsey

S

ince 1888, Camp Cradle Beach in Angola has been bringing together kids from all walks of life unlike any other summer camp in the Buffalo area.

Its unique, fully integrated program for the summer camp sessions offers families of those both with and without disabilities the equal opportunity to have an irreplicable and memorable summer camp experience.

Stephanie McGrath, director of advancement and development at CB, exemplifies the core values and the heart of the CB mission: Inclusion, integrity, adaptability, respect, safety and team.

“My sister, Kaitlin, had developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy. We grew up in an inclusive household where Kaitlin was able to do basically anything I could do.

My parents were very inclusive in the fact that she had the ability to do whatever she set her mind to. It was never ‘Kaitlin had a disability.’ It was always just, ‘she’s Kaitlin.’”

In high school, she ended up running and competing in the Special Olympics through track.

“She was a great runner. I just think it’s amazing looking back at all the obstacles she was able to overcome to do that,” McGrath said.

She thanks the inclusive and supportive mindset, and her sister’s determination, for successes like these.

In her role with CB, McGrath is grateful for the chance to carry over the lasting lessons her family taught her.

“I think inclusivity is the best thing to do… If you’re always saying, ‘oh, careful, you have a disability,’ that kind of puts the thought in

someone’s head,” she said.

The takeaway: don’t treat someone differently for their differences.

This is something that all caretakers of those with special Stephanie McGrath needs, and all of those with special needs want to feel in this world.

“That’s what I love about CB. We bring children together. Not just children with disabilities, but children who might come from a household that is financially at risk, or could just be a child who wants to attend summer camp,” she added. “At CB, almost any child can attend.”

CB teaches children inclusion, kindness, new perspectives, self-esteem, and countless lifelong skills and values in a unique way that may not otherwise be offered in our typical lives.

“Not every child has the opportunity to interact with someone who may be different from them, whether it be financially, socioeconomically or medically. There are many children who don’t have disabilities and therefore don’t interact with kids who do have them,” McGrath said.

“CB gives children the opportunity to step outside their comfort zone or the world in which they live and really meet their peers who come from different backgrounds and who have different capabilities.”

The judgment-free, fun, no-pressure, natural, loving and accepting environment at CB allows children from every circumstance to come and share the universal joys we all share as humans—especially the simple joys of summertime in Buffalo.

“It’s just a really good opportunity for children to learn inclusivity and experience acceptance in every form and at every level. We like to say that at CB, the kids are surrounded by nature and by love and acceptance… It really reminds me of the upbringing that I had when it was just me and Kaitlin,” McGrath said.

CB offers eight five-day sessions that provide life-changing opportunities throughout the summer for children aged 8-16. Their organized activities “promote socialization, independence and decision making in an atmosphere of love and acceptance. Everyone plays, eats and attends activities together,” McGrath said.

McGrath’s favorite thing to see is the kids enjoying CB’s amazing T-shaped swimming pool that holds 242,000 gallons of water and takes two days to fill.

“Their personalities shine through when it’s swim time,” she said.

The pool consists of four special zones designed to accommodate the needs of every camper: • a water acclimation zone • a special sensory no-splash zone • a 5-foot area that kids can test into • and a 9-foot area with a diving board that kids can test into.

CB even offers American Red Cross swimming lessons for up to

Page 16 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

500 kids every summer.

“Many of the kids, especially those who come from financially at-risk situations, would not have the ability to take these types of certified swimming lessons. It’s a super fun activity, but also a life-saving skill,” McGrath said.

CB incorporates “Play Stations” throughout the day, which include sports sampling, a new safe archery set, swimming, arts and crafts, computer technology, dance, a sensory room, STEM classrooms and more.

“These stations allow children to explore educational and recreational areas of interest they likely could not access in their day to day lives,” McGrath said.

2020 was the first time in more than 100 years that CB had to shut down; because of COVID-19. McGrath noticed that when her campers and families returned, they had been significantly and negatively impacted by the pandemic and by the loss of a resource such as CB during that difficult summer.

Both the kids and the families rely on CB for a kind of caregiver respite. “You know your kids are in a safe place and you know they’re learning good skills,” she said.

CB offers caretakers of those with special needs a mental vacation that they may never get otherwise.

When they reopened, they knew they had to adapt their model to best serve the needs of the community.

2022 is the first summer with their new session models, which changed camp stays from seven-10 days to just five days. Campers are also welcomed to come back for a second stay in the summer. CB finds that children have a greater rate of success completing their stays and feel better about themselves when they can accomplish this mission.

Everything CB does is to make the campers and their families feel safe and supported through every aspect of their journey. The team at CB truly believes in and upholds the missions they advertise.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Camp Cradle Beach 8038 Old Lakeshore Road Angola, 14006 716-549-6307 cradlebeach.org/summercamp

WNY’s Most Affordable Assisted Living & Memory Care Stimulating social, educational and recreational activities Medication management Access to 24-hour personal care assistance

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Affordable memory care Enhanced assisted care Ask about our Spring Move-in Special!

Contact Us! 716-632-3000 410 Mill St., Williamsville, NY 14221 www.park-creek.com

How to Sell Unwanted Burial Plots Dear Savvy Senior, How do I go about selling unwanted burial plots in my hometown cemetery? When my parents died about 25 years ago my husband (at the time) and I bought two plots near them in the same cemetery. But we’ve gotten divorced since then and have both moved out of state. Besides that, I would like to be cremated instead of buried.

— Looking to Sell

Dear Looking, Life changes such as relocating, family disputes and divorce, along with the growing popularity of cremation in the U.S., is causing more and more people to sell previously purchased burial plots they don’t intend to use any longer. But depending on where you live and the location of the cemetery, selling a plot can be difficult. And, if you do sell it, you’ll probably get less than what you initially paid for it. Here’s are a few tips to get you started.

• Contact the cemetery: Your first step in selling your unwanted burial plots is to contact the cemetery and find out if they would be interested in buying them back, or if you’re allowed to sell them yourself to another person or family. And if so, what paperwork will you need to complete the sale and is there a transfer fee?

Some states require sellers to offer the plot back to the cemetery before selling it to others.

• Selling options: If you find that it’s OK to sell your plots yourself, many people choose to use a broker. There are a number of companies — like PlotBrokers.com

and GraveSolutions.com — that will list your plots for sale and handle the transaction for a fee and possibly a commission. If you go this route, you’ll sign paperwork giving the broker permission to work on your behalf. Listings can last up to three years or until the plots sell.

Alternatively, or simultaneously, you can also list them yourself on sites like The Cemetery Exchange, GraveSales.com along with eBay and Craigslist, and handle the transaction yourself. In the ad, be sure to post pictures, describe the area where the cemetery is located and give the plot locations.

• What to ask: Appropriate pricing is key to selling your plots. It’s recommended that you find out what the cemetery is selling their plots for today and ask at least 20% less. If you’re pricing too close to what the cemetery charges, there’s no incentive for potential buyers.

• Beware of scammers: If you choose to sell your plots yourself, it’s not unusual for scam artists to reach out and try to get your personal financial information. Phone calls tend to be more genuine than emails and text messages.

• Donate them: If you don’t have any luck selling your plots, and if money isn’t an issue, you can donate them to charity such as a religious congregation, a local veteran’s group or an organization that aids the homeless. To get a tax deduction, you’ll need an appraisal, which a cemetery or broker may supply for a fee.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 17

Eye Injury First Aid

Ask The Social

Wearing protection can help reduce the risk of injury

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

D

o you know what to do if a splinter flies into your eye?

Or what about a splash of cleaning chemicals? What you do between the acute eye injury and when an emergency medical care provider sees you can affect how well your eye recovers.

According to Prevent Blindness (www.preventblindness.org), 125,000 Americans are injured annually by common household products and up to 20% of those injuries cause temporary or permanent vision loss.

“Don’t try to remove anything from your eye,” said physician Sandra Sieminski, director of glaucoma services at UBMD Ophthalmology at the Ross Eye Institute. “With something high velocity, there’s a higher risk for that projectile having enough speed to rupture the eye. In which case, the eye should be covered with some type of bandage while waiting medical care and the lid should be closed.”

Eye injuries should be taken seriously and not treated with home remedies.

Doing that may result in lost vision. The best chance a patient has in recovering well is with prompt emergency medical attention.

The bandage shield can help prevent the object from moving and help minimize further pain and damage. Taping a plastic cup over the eye can serve as a cover. Do not rinse the eye but seek professional medical care.

The way a foreign object enters the eye makes a difference. A projectile hitting the eye hard and embedding will likely cause more damage than an object incidentally falling into an eye. In either case, avoid rubbing the eye or pressing on it. If the object is as small as a particle of sand, blinking and flushing the eye copiously with potable water or sterile saline solution for 10 to 15 minutes may help flush it out.

“Something like a piece of rust should be removed by a

professional,” Sieminski said.

“Things that cause irritants can hide under the eyelids.”

Contact lens wearers should remove the lens and rinse it before placing it back in the eye.

A larger object will require medical attention.

Chemical injuries such as using ear drops instead of eye drops or getting hit with a chemical solution requires flushing with water, eye drops or saline solution meant for contact lens storage. Use the same flushing procedure as with a small irritant. Contact lens wearers should remove the lens before beginning rinsing, if they can do so quickly.

The lens should not be worn again.

Security Office

From the Social Security District Office

I

Use ‘my Social Security’ to Instantly Check the Status of Your Benefits Claim

f you applied for Social Security benefits or have a pending reconsideration or hearing request, you can instantly check the status online using your personal “my Social Security” account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one at www. ssa.gov/myaccount to see the following information about your claim: • Date of filing.

• Re-entry numbers for incomplete applications.

• Current claim location.

Q&A While rinsing, “get someone to get an eyecare provider on the phone,” said physician Laura Puccia with Ocusight’s location in Sandra Sieminski Webster. “You can get a provider to check the pH of the eye. If you can, bring the container of the chemical that was in the eye so we can see which chemical we’re dealing with.”

For additional comfort, wearing sunglasses on the drive to the care provider can help lessen pain. Avoid taking pain medication until seen by a provider as these can thin the blood and increase bleeding.

PL A N T O P R EVENT EY E INJURIES “One of the big things and the biggest way that people can prevent eye injuries is wearing eye protection,” said physician Sandra Sieminski, director of glaucoma services at UBMD Ophthalmology at the Ross Eye Institute. “Regardless of the type and cause, 90% of eye injuries could be prevented by wearing eye protective gear.

Only 50% wear them when working around the house. The garden is a common place to suffer eye injuries. It can happen to bystanders and those doing the gardening.

If someone is weed whacking and someone is standing nearby, the observer is at risk for an eye injury. I have taken care of someone wearing sunglasses while watching someone weed whacking and a rock cracked her sunglasses and ruptured her eyeball.”

Sieminski recommends ANSI-approved protective eyewear for use while sanding, painting, staining, and performing yardwork.

These are available at hardware stores.

To lessen your chances of an eye injury: • Always wear safety goggles/ safety glasses for any activity in which debris and/ or particles will fly, such as weed whacking and woodworking.

• Always wear safety goggles/ safety glasses when using chemicals labeled dangerous for the eyes. Read the label before you use it.

• Wear goggles or a face shield while riding on a motorcycle.

• Do not use sunglasses or prescription glasses in lieu of safety goggles. They do not protect as much. Select quality, shatter-resistant safety glasses.

Q: What is the average Social Security retirement payment that a person receives each month?

A: The average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker in 2022 is $1,657. The average monthly Social Security benefit for a disabled worker in 2022 is $1,358. As a reminder, eligibility for retirement benefits still requires 40 credits (usually about 10 years of work).

Q: I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income?

A: Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year Social Security automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase.

For more information, visit www.ssa. gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Q: A few years ago, I lost my Social Security card. Now my credit report shows that someone might be using my Social Security number. I’m afraid they might ruin my credit. What should I do?

A: Identity theft and fraud are serious problems, not just for you, but for the financial integrity of our agency. It also puts our national security at risk if someone dangerous is using your number to obtain other forms of identification. It’s against the law to use someone else’s Social Security number, give false information when applying for a number, or alter, buy or sell Social Security cards. Keep in mind, you should never carry your Social Security card with you. If you think someone is using your Social Security number fraudulently, you

Page 18 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

• Servicing office location.

• Scheduled hearing date and time, if applicable.

• Publications of interest, depending on the claim and current step in the process.

Use your personal “my Social Security” account to instantly check the status of your application or appeal at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

If you have questions about retirement, disability, Medicare, or survivor’s benefits, as well as Supplemental Security Income, visit our webpage at www.ssa.gov/benefits.

should report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) right away. You can report it at www.idtheft.gov or you can call FTC’s hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4261) TTY (1-866-653-4261).

Q: I served in the military, and I’ll receive a military pension when I retire. Will that affect my Social Security benefits?

A: You can get both Social Security retirement benefits and military retirement at the same time. Generally, we don’t reduce your Social Security benefits because of your military benefits. When you’re ready to apply for Social Security retirement benefits, go to www.ssa.gov/applyonline.

This is the fastest and easiest way to apply. For your convenience, you can always save your progress during your application and complete it later. We thank you for your military service!

Q: I applied for disability benefits, but was denied. I’d like to appeal. Can I do it online?

A: Yes. In fact, the best way to file a Social Security appeal is online.

Our online appeal process is convenient and secure. Just go to www.ssa. gov/disability/appeal to appeal the decision. For people who don’t have access to the internet, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-3250778) to schedule an appointment to visit your local Social Security office to file your appeal.

Q: How can I become a representative payee?

A: If you know someone who receives Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and who needs assistance managing their payments, contact your local Social Security office about becoming their representative payee. Go to www.ssa. gov/payee for more information.

thought it made sense for a more formal relationship as our respective organizations are both working towards similar goals of improving health in our region. The clinical data alone does not create value; it is what’s done with the data to improve health while recognizing and working on social determinants of health in support of communitybased organizations’ efforts. That’s what this transaction with PHC and more direct work with communitybased organizations will enable us to do. Data is only as good as how you effectively use it.

Q: You are in the early phase of this collaboration. How would you characterize it so far?

A: It is fantastic. Everyone has a seat at the table, including patients, community- based organizations, doctors, behavioral health organizations, public health, hospital and health plan senior executives. We are not competing on data, but rather leveraging it for better outcomes.

Q: If there are certain diseases that are more prevalent than others in particular areas, do you separate, for instance, by zip code?

A: Our data allows us to be more discrete than relying on zip codes.

We want to identify where issues exist; for example, hypertension, diabetes, other diseases that we can measure. That allows us to work with community organizations leading efforts to improve health to support the sustainability of programs and continued funding or the ability to find other revenue sources to combat these problems. With the support of our organizations’ boards, we can now leverage the strength of both and support the efforts that should result in improved health and health care for the community. The promotion of health equity is one of the key objectives of our combined organization.

Q A &

with Dan Porreca

Executive director of HEALTHeLINK’s explains why the merger with Population Health Collaborative will help improve the health of Western New Yorkers

By Brenda Alesii

T

wo organizations with a goal of focusing on health challenges and opportunities for improvement in Western New York have announced an affiliate agreement to address health equity issues in the region.

Driven by the opportunity for enhanced use of data, the merger brings together HEALTHeLINK, the health information exchange (HIE) for Western New York, and Population Health Collaborative (PHC), formerly known as the P2 Collaborative.

According to a news release, the organizations will build on HEALTHeLINK’s secure and reliable technology infrastructure for the timely and accurate electronic exchange of clinical information among Western New York health care providers and expand its services to include regional health improvement

collaborative activities like the Live Well Western New York model that has been the focus of PHC. Lancaster resident Dan Porreca, with more than 30 years of health care experience, has been at the helm of HEALTHeLINK since 2007.

In Good Health recently spoke to Porreca, the executive director, about this new partnership.

Q: How does this partnership help the community, both in rural and urban populations?

A: With the two organizations focusing on hot spots where the challenges lie, we can leverage data to help identify the health equity issues that exist. HEALTHeLINK had partnered with PHC for over a decade on initiatives related to diabetes care, population health and practice transformation just to name a few; after many discussions we

Q: In the example reflecting the high incidence of diabetes, how do you use data to help people dealing with the disease?

A: We examine social determinants where hot spots exist.

Is it a lack of access to healthy foods? Does it have something to do with insufficient housing? Could transportation issues affect the rate of the disease in these hot spots? Our job is to work with those who are attempting to solve these challenges and use data to see if we are on the right track. If things are working as expected, then great, if not there can then be a tweak to the approach to ensure that we achieve concrete results.

Q: Is that a metric you can track?

A: The value of HEALTHeLINK is unquestioned — we have done a number of studies that show the value. I know anecdotally that our work has made an impact when doctors tell me their patients are making better decisions. This has been backed up and verified by the studies that have been published.

When people use our services, good things happen. It is gratifying.

Q: How is your organization funded?

A: We are a nonprofit; our funding comes from a few different sources: New York state, health plans and hospitals, and other revenue generating services.

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LEFT LEFT OUT OUT for some, feeling

lasts more than a moment. lasts more than a moment.

We can change that.

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We’ve all had moments where we’ve felt we didn’t belong. But for people who moved to this country, that feeling lasts more than a moment. Together, we can build a better community.

Learn how at BelongingBeginsWithUs.org We’ve all had moments where we’ve felt we didn’t belong. But for people who moved to this country, that feeling lasts more than a moment. Together, we can build a better community.

Learn how at BelongingBeginsWithUs.org

August 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 19

Disc Golf Soaring in Popularity Local courses offer outdoor fitness option for people of all ages, skill levels

By Daniel Meyer

D

isc golf continues to grow as a popular outdoor fitness option, with many embracing the outdoor recreation activity that combines physically throwing a frisbee with the cognitive challenges of golf.

Thanks in large part to the fact that people want to get outside and overcome the many challenges that emerged during the coronavirus pandemic, the game is being played at various courses throughout Western New York.

People of all ages and skill levels recognize disc golf as an affordable pastime during the current economic uncertainty of our nation.

Once viewed as a fringe hobby, disc golf is now played competitively that is touted by numerous organizations which help coordinate weekly leagues, host weekend tournaments and manage outreach as part of the constant promotion of the game.

Conceptually, disc golf is very similar to golf. The use of four types of specialized discs (distance drivers, fairway drivers, mid-rangers, putters) provide players the ability to move from each hole as they attempt to try to get their disc into chain-link baskets with the fewest throws as possible. Each course varies, but most holes on par three courses stretch from 250 to 350 feet, with some longer par fours and other unique holes existing among designated out-of-bounds areas, water hazards and out strategically placed obstacles.

But that is where the similarities end, with no sign of golf carts, course membership fees, manicured greens, and specific dress codes.

That being said, the passion for both sports is evident for those who are dedicated players, with disc golf enthusiasts in Western New York eager to share with anyone who will listen about the joys that come with the physical fitness and mental challenges of playing the game.

Pandemic relief Numerous disc golf players who picked up the sport sometime over the past few years point to the simple facts that the game is played outdoors and provides socially distance recreation opportunities, which was craved by many during the height of the global pandemic.

“I started playing last year because I was going bonkers being at home and not at work and what

Ray McCown, a 67-year-old resident of Florida, spends the summer months at his sister’s cottage in Evans. He is an avid disc golf player: “It’s awesome because I get my competitive juices going and I always break a sweat and get lots of steps in whenever I play,” he says.

Sample of discs player use to play disc golf. happened is I got hooked,” said Linda Carton. “I wasn’t shocked at all to have learned at the last out-ofstate tournament I competed in that disc golf experienced unprecedented growth since mid-2020.”

Carton, a 32-year-old resident of the town of Sardinia, has played over two dozen different disc golf courses in six different states. She believes her mental sanity was saved by learning how to play the game and that her physical fitness level has dramatically improved since she began playing two years ago.

“It was my form of pandemic relief and I’m so grateful to have learned about and developed a great interest in a game I knew very little about until recently,” said Carton.

“I was first exposed to the game in 2019 when I was in Colorado,” said Keith Pelkey, a 46-year-old resident of the town of Boston. “I then learned more about it over the next year after that, mostly from watching videos online. I began playing in 2020 and increased my frequency in playing throughout the duration of the pandemic.”

“I found it to be a way to meet my desire to get outside and move more during the pandemic,” said Randy Cszonyka, a 46-year-old resident of Getzville. “It’s a lot harder than it looks. The strategy is fascinating and is of great interest to me because you are constantly thinking about what you should alter or charge as you approach a new challenge based on the distance and the landscape.”

Summer fun in the sun Ray McCown, a 67-year-old resident of Florida who spends

the summer months at his sister’s cottage in Evans, recently recovered from a serious leg injury that resulted in him having to give up his weekly golf outings and almost daily tennis matches. Not one to sit idle, he learned about disc golf while on vacation in South Carolina in early 2021 and quickly embraced the sport.

“It’s awesome because I get my competitive juices going and I always break a sweat and get lots of steps in whenever I play,” said McCown.

“I’ve been telling more people my age about it and I hope a few more guys I grew up with and some ladies who live near my sister decide to take up my offers to play this summer because I know they will absolutely love it once they get the hang of it.”

“As a school teacher, it’s ideal for me during the summer months to keep me physically fit and to keep my mind occupied and engaged with some strategic thinking,” said Cszonyka. “It provides me motivation to get fresh air and exposure to sunlight and getting my daily steps in. It’s a really fun activity that is I believe is ideal for people seeking something to do in smaller groups

Page 20 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Buffalo & WNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2022

as opposed to attempting to find enough people to play a baseball game or another larger grouped team activity.”

“You are definitely exerting yourself,” said Pelkey. “You have to use your core muscles and you really work your leg muscles. It’s important to stretch before you go out, especially your legs and your back. You also get exercise from not only walking the course but carrying your equipment, which for most players can be anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds. You definitely break a swear when you play. I love it.”

Physical and mental challenges The demand for players to be physically fit but not necessarily top-notch athletes makes disc golf an ideal sport for almost anyone who isn’t severely disabled or limited in their ability to walk and throw a Frisbee. Combined with the strategic mindset needed to move from one hole to another, disc golf offers a rare win-win for a physically and mentally challenging activity.