In Good Health: Mohawk Valley #206 - April 2023

Short Brisk Walk Each Day Could Cut Your Odds of Early Death

Abrisk 11-minute daily walk can help you live longer, a new University of Cambridge study reports.

Researchers found that 75 minutes a week — 11 minutes daily — of moderate-intensity physical activity is enough to lower a person's risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.

The investigators estimated that one in 10 early deaths could be prevented if everyone got that amount of exercise, which is half the level recommended by U.S. guidelines.

“If you are someone who finds the idea of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week a bit daunting, then our findings should be good news,” co-researcher physician Soren Brage, of the Medical Research Council at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, said in a university news release.

“Doing some physical activity is

better than doing none," he added. "This is also a good starting position — if you find that 75 minutes a week is manageable, then you could try stepping it up gradually to the full recommended amount.”

Cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke) were the leading causes of death worldwide, responsible for nearly 18 million deaths in 2019. Cancers were responsible for 9.6 million deaths in 2017.

To examine how much exercise could make a dent in those numbers, the researchers pooled and analyzed data from 94 large studies involving more than 30 million people.

The findings showed that two out of three people don't get their recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, and fewer than one in 10 managed more than 300 minutes of activity per week.

CELEBRATE NURSES WEEK WITH IN GOOD HEALTH

In Good Health will once again highlight Nurses Week in a special May issue. See our ad on page 10.

Broadly speaking, the researchers concluded that getting more than 150 minutes a week of exercise produces marginal benefits in terms of reduced risk of disease or death.

But even half that amount came with significant benefits, the team reported.

For example, 75 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise reduced risk of early death by 23%. It was also enough to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 17% and cancer by 7%.

For some specific cancers, the reduction in risk was even greater. Getting that amount of exercise reduced the risk of head and neck, myeloid leukemia, myeloma and gastric cardia cancers between 14% and 26%.

The researchers calculated that if people get their recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week, around 16% of early deaths would be prevented. In addition, 11% of cardiovascular disease cases and 5% of cancer cases would be prevented.

But if folks manage at least 75 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, around 10% of early deaths would be prevented. And 5% of cardiovascular disease cases and 3% of cancer cases would be prevented.

Further, moderate-intensity exercise doesn't require you to run yourself ragged, the researchers noted. It raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster, but you'd still be able to speak during the activity.

Other examples include dancing, riding a bike, playing tennis and hiking.

“Moderate activity doesn't have to involve what we normally think of exercise, such as sports or running,”

co-researcher physician Leandro Garcia from Queens University Belfast explained.

“Sometimes, replacing some habits is all that is needed,” Garcia added. “For example, try to walk or cycle to your work or study place instead of using a car, or engage in active play with your kids or grand kids. Doing activities that you enjoy and that are easy to include in your weekly routine is an excellent way to become more active.”

Experience Matters

Getting you better, sooner. It’s why more patients are choosing Crouse Health — and why our minimally invasive robotic surgery program continues to grow. In fact, Crouse has the largest robotic surgery program in the region, with the most surgeons performing a wide variety of procedures — more than 15,000 since 2008. The result? The most experienced team using the latest innovative techniques to get you back to health faster. And more reasons to say,“Take Me to Crouse!”

crouse.org/robotics

CROUSE ROBOTIC SURGICAL TEAM

The Mozart Effect Myth: Listening to Music Does Not Help Against Epilepsy

A new study by psychologists at the University of Vienna shows that there is no scientific evidence supporting the alleged positive effect of Mozart's Sonata KV448 on epilepsy.

Over the past 50 years, there have been remarkable claims about the effects of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music. Reports about alleged symptom-alleviating effects of listening to Mozart’s Sonata KV448 in epilepsy attracted a lot of public attention. However, the empirical validity of the underlying scientific evidence has remained unclear.

Now, University of Vienna psychologists Sandra Oberleiter and Jakob Pietschnig show in a new study published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports that there is no evidence for a positive effect of Mozart's melody on epilepsy.

In the past, Mozart’s music has been associated with numerous ostensibly positive effects on humans, animals and even microorganisms. For instance, listening to his sonata has been said to increase the intelligence of adults, children or fetuses in the womb. Even cows were said to produce more milk, and bacteria in sewage treatment plants were said to work better when they heard Mozart's composition.

However, most of these alleged effects have no scientific basis. The origin of these ideas can be traced back to the long-disproven observation of a temporary increase in spatial reasoning test performance among students after listening to the first movement allegro con spirito of Mozart’s sonata KV448 in D major.

The researchers found that this alleged Mozart effect can be mainly attributed to selective reporting, small sample sizes and inadequate research practices in this corpus of literature. "Mozart’s music is beautiful, but unfortunately, we cannot expect relief from epilepsy symptoms from it" conclude the researchers.

Meet Your Doctor

By Barbara Pierce

Nicholas Qandah

Rome Memorial neurosurgeon specializes in spine and brain care, discusses recent recognition

Neurosurgeon Nicholas Qandah is medical director of Rome Memorial Hospital’s neurospine program, where he performs surgery and treats patients with neurosurgical disorders. The neurological services program has just been recognized by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery. We asked the physician more about what this means.

Q: What’s the significance of this distinction?

A: We want to thank Excellus BlueCross BlueShield for allowing us to show them our outcomes. Our care and our outcomes are distinctive, and that’s important to payors like Excellus. We’re proud to be recognized for meeting the robust selection criteria set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Our care and our outcomes are the best in the region. We get people back home and functioning. This is what the payors want to know. We’re tops!

Q: What else can you tell us about why you received this honor?

A: We use evidence-based practices — the objective use of current research and the best available data to guide policy and practice. We

do the least invasive surgery. We use minimally invasive diagnostic tools. We have the top imaging system in the region. Before we got this imaging equipment, patients had to go to New York City or Boston to get what we now offer here. Our MRI gives us the best pictures. We get it right. We have one of the top robotic systems in the country to perform minimally invasive surgery. There are only three in the state —two are in New York City; the third is ours. The robotic system we have is on a national level. Patients from all over the state come to us. Also, we offer the best education to patients, helping them understand what their problem is. They leave us with a good understanding of their diagnosis. We give our patients the best diagnosis and treatment they can get.

Q: For what kind of problems do people come to see you?

A: We provide specialized care for the complete spectrum of neurosurgical needs, including the neck [cervical spine], back [lumbar spine], spinal injuries [trauma], scoliosis, spinal tumors, brain tumors, brain trauma and strokes. We treat patients with back and neck pain, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and herniated discs. We use a multidisciplinary team approach, including physical therapy,

neurology, chiropractic, orthopedic, hospitalists, nurses, technicians. We use a team approach to evaluate and treat people most effectively. We’re committed to patient care, improved patient lifestyle, surgical outcomes and our community.

Q: How did you become involved in spine surgery?

A: I’d been a practicing neurosurgeon in this area for nearly six years when I saw that there was a bigger need for a neurosurgery practice that specialized in spine and brain care. I approached the local hospitals with my idea and they loved the concept. They knew my work and knew that I had 15 years of experience in neurosurgery and had trained with the world’s best.

Q: How long have you been with the hospital?

A: In 2018, I joined Rome Memorial Hospital as medical director of their neurospine program. That same year, I founded CNY Brain and Neurosurgery in New Hartford. The same team works with patients at both locations. Since then, CNY Brain and Neurosurgery has expanded, with offices in Herkimer, Rome, Lowville, Potsdam and Watertown. We’re situated to take care of people in rural areas. We work closely with four health systems in the area: MVHS, Rome Memorial Hospital, and hospitals in Lowville and Potsdam, to complement the care they offer to the community.

Q: What else would you like us to know?

A: My wife and I are part of the community, as are our four kids. We’re all family here in the area.

When you come to us at Rome Memorial Hospital or CNY Brain and Neurosurgery, we first diagnose the problem, figure out exactly what the problem is, then recommend the treatment that would work best for you, depending on the diagnosis. We want the most appropriate, best, conservative care for you. For example, you come in with right leg pain. We figure out what’s causing the pain. We ask about your job; maybe you stand on your right leg all day while you lift things. We figure out how to fix this so you can continue working at your job and control your pain. We’re the industry leaders when it comes to getting people up and going again after they come to us. When they work with us, the time they spend in the hospital or off work is the shortest.

Lifelines

Birth year: 1976

Birth place: Michigan

Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of Michigan; medical degree from Midwestern University, Glendale Arizona; neurosurgical residency at Virginia Tech Carillion Clinic, Roanoke, Virginia; fellowship in orthopedics and neurosurgery at University of Washington.

Affiliations: Rome Memorial Hospital, Mohawk Valley Health System

Current residence: New Hartford

Personal: Married, four children

Hobbies: Spending quality time with family, whether hiking, traveling, fishing, or sports events, like going to the Comets games; “we’re avid baseball fans.”

U.S. Pedestrian Deaths Keep Rising

Pedestrian deaths have surged on U.S. roads in recent years, and they are climbing again.

Pedestrian deaths hit a 40-year high in 2021, and numbers for the first half of 2022 were up about 5% over the same period in 2021, according to a new Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) analysis.

It cites a variety of contributors, including heavier vehicles that are more likely to injure or kill people on foot. Roads, meanwhile, are designed to prioritize fast-moving traffic over the slower speeds that are safer for pedestrians, according to the GHSA.

Many parts of the United States lack adequate sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting, the group noted.

In addition, dangerous driving surged at the start of the pandemic and has not abated.

“There is a pedestrian safety crisis on our roads, and it's only gotten worse since the start of the pandemic,” Jonathan Adkins, chief executive officer of GHSA, said in an association news release. “A single roadway death is tragic. But it's absolutely mind-boggling and heartbreaking that drivers are killing an average of 19 pedestrians every single day.”

GHSA's annual Spotlight on Highway Safety report is based on preliminary data from state highway safety offices.

GHSA said the increase is even more alarming compared to 2019, before the pandemic.

Between the first half of 2019 and 2022, pedestrian deaths surged 18%, the GHSA found. The numbers showed 1.04 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, up from 0.9 per 100,000 in 2019.

There were 168 more deaths during the first half of 2022 compared to the first half of 2021, the findings showed.

The GHSA said it supports a solution based on the safe system approach outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation's national roadway safety strategy.

Its elements — safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads and post-crash care — provide a multilayered safety net to protect people on foot as well as other road users, GHSA said.

The reported increases continue a decade-long trend.

In the first half of 2013, the United States recorded 2,141 pedestrian deaths — compared to 3,434 in the first half of last year. That's a 60% increase and nearly 1,300 more people killed.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2021 also saw the most roadway deaths since 2005, about 43,000.

Sharon Kanfoush Wellness, LLC

Sharon Kanfoush Wellness, LLC

Make the decision to FEEL BETTER: Body, Mind & Spirit!

Make the decision to FEEL BETTER: Body, Mind & Spirit!

50%Off1stSessionwith Code:TRYITOUT!

50%Off1stSessionwith Code:TRYITOUT!

50%Off1stSessionwith Code:TRYITOUT!

RESILIENCE MIND - BODY

RESILIENCE MIND - BODY

RESILIENCE MIND - BODY

One-on-One, Small Group & Corporate:

• Yoga Therapy, Meditation & Mindfulness

One-on-One, Small Group & Corporate:

• Yoga Therapy, Meditation & Mindfulness

• Somatic Movement & Pain Self-Management

• Personal Training & Wellness Coaching

• Somatic Movement & Pain Self-Management

• Chair Yoga & Chair Fitness

• Personal Training & Wellness Coaching

• Rehabilitative Qigong

• Chair Yoga & Chair Fitness

• Rehabilitative Qigong

In-person or virtual!

In-person or virtual!

In-person or virtual!

Sharon Kanfoush, PhD, C-IAYT, CEI3, ERYT500, ISSA-CPT 2709 Genesee Street, Utica NY 13501 (315) 982-7144 sharonkanfoushwellness@gmail.com sharonkanfoushwellness.org skanfou.gumroad.com

FREE Consultation!

sharonkanfoushwellness.org skanfou.gumroad.com

FREE Consultation!

Sharon Kanfoush, PhD, C-IAYT, CEI3, ERYT500, ISSA-CPT 2709 Genesee Street, Utica NY 13501 (315) 982-7144 sharonkanfoushwellness@gmail.com sharonkanfoushwellness.org skanfou.gumroad.com

FREE Consultation!

SERVING ONEIDA, HERKIMER, & MADISON COUNTIES

per year), call 315-749-7070.

Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Stefan Yablonski

Contributing Writers: Barbara Pierce, Deb Dittner, Gwenn Voelckers, David Podos, Deborah Jeanne Sergeant, Anne Palumbo, Daniel Baldwin.

Advertising: Amy Gagliano: 315-402-3370 • Email: amyIGHmv@gmail.com

Layout & Design: Angel Campos-Toro • Office Manager: Loni Zardus

Special Needs: New Service Aims to Reduce Child Care Suspensions, Expulsions

Anew prevention-based, consultative service at Child Care Council Inc. will help ensure children with disabilities have access to quality child care.

Child Care Council’s special needs consultation service will equip caregivers with strategies and supports to reduce suspension and expulsion for young children with disabilities in child care. Built on relationship-based practices, the service is provided through observation, modeling and collaboration.

According to a 2018 article by the Center for American Progress, “Suspensions Are Not Support,” children with disabilities in early childhood settings represent about 13% of enrolled children but account for 75% of suspensions and expulsions.

Children with autism are the most likely to be suspended or expelled, according to Child Care

Council, which served 125 families who self-reported at least one child was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders between January 2016 and December 2019.

Child Care Council’s team of special needs consultants will provide a caring, compassionate, responsive and effective service to meet each program and child’s unique needs. The special needs consultation service is funded by a $175,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.

The service, which does not provide one-to-one care to children, is available in Monroe, Wayne and Livingston counties.

Child care providers interested in learning more about this service can contact Bethany Williams, special needs services supervisor, at 585-6541287 or b.williams@childcarecouncil. com.

HealthcareinaMinute

By George W. Chapman

Medical Debt: No. 1 Contributor to Personal Bankruptcy

Medical debt has become the No. 1 contributor to personal bankruptcy. Over 100 million of us have significant medical debt. The Consumer Financial Protection Board issued a letter to the IRS outlining its recommendations to give indebted consumers relief.

1. Debt resulting from necessary medical care kept off credit reports.

2. Ban hospitals from selling patient debt to collection agencies. 3. Require hospitals to increase their financial

assistance and charity care as they are tax exempt. 4. Establish standards for charity care. (NYS has a “bad debt and charity pool” that can compensate hospitals for charity care, but it is basically underfunded and pays only a fraction of charity care.) More than two-thirds of hospitals sue their patients or take other legal actions. The collection industry has pushed back saying these consumer protections will only hurt their provider clients.

infections further reducing the strain on overtaxed and understaffed hospitals. I understand while they are at it, they can help set up your TV.

Trinity Health Losses

In what is probably a sign of the times for the hospital industry, the Michigan-based 100 bed hospital system lost nearly $300 million in the second half of last year. St. Joseph’s in Syracuse and St. Peter’s in Albany are affiliates. The pandemic has created a “new normal” for hospitals, meaning inpatient revenues will continue to be a declining percentage of overall revenues. The innovative hospital-at-home program discussed above, born out of necessity, exemplifies the rapid transition to cheaper non-inpatient settings such as home care, ambulatory care, digital/virtual care, urgent care, remote monitoring and pharmacy care.

Insulin Costs Capped

Depression in Physicians

The pandemic has been debilitating impact on care givers. A recent survey of more than 9,000 physicians by Medscape revealed 25% of the respondents indicated they suffered from clinical depression and 9% indicated they had suicidal ideations (versus 5% of the general population). 40% of the docs surveyed admitted they have not shared their thoughts with anyone, let alone sought professional help. A legitimate fear of disclosure is the possibility of an untoward or punitive action by a medical board. Clearly, the pandemic has increased depression and anxiety in all of us. But when it severely impacts those who battle on the front lines, we are all in deeper trouble. Many of the respondents felt our fractured healthcare “system” continues to contribute to the depression and anxiety felt by patients and physicians alike.

Medicare Trust Fund

Safety Net Hospitals Threatened

They are typically located in isolated rural communities and underserved urban neighborhoods. Consequently, they serve a relatively higher percentage of patients with Medicaid insurance or no insurance at all. Consequently, these hospitals, so critical in providing care to underserved populations, receive “disproportionate share payments” to help them maintain fiscal viability. Congress is now threatening to cut $8 billion in DSP to these safety net hospitals. At least nine hospital and medical associations have petitioned congress to maintain the funding needed to keep these hospitals open. Still reeling from the negative impact of the pandemic, the $8 billion cut could not come at a worse time.

Industry analysts predict dozens of these hospitals, already on the brink of financial crisis, could close.

Healthcare From the Geek Squad?

In what is certainly innovative, Atrium Health has partnered with Best Buy, (yes, Best Buy) to provide what they call “hospital-at-home” care. It was born out of the pandemic which undoubtedly strained inpatient care. According to Rasu Shrestha, the chief “innovation and commercialization” officer (yes, commercialization) the program has served more than 6,000 patients at home saving the insurer 25,000 inpatient days. Initially serving mostly patients suffering from COVID-19, they now treat chronic heart problems, COPD, pneumonia, asthma and

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, effective Jan. 1, Medicare members with Part D (drug) coverage will pay no more than $35 a month for insulin. The rest of Medicare recipients, all of whom have Part B (physician) coverage, will pay not more than $35 a month effective July 1. 34 million of us, or one in 10, suffer from diabetes. Drug manufacturer Eli Lilly will voluntarily slash its price for insulin. Mark Cuban’s company will follow suit as well as nonprofit Utah based Civica. Diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic conditions in younger Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act also permits Congress to negotiate the price of 10 selected drugs starting in 2026. That’s right. JUST 10 drugs. THREE years from now. But that “leaps” to 20 drugs SIX years from now. Cynics worry, and with good cause, drug manufactures will simply raise prices on the myriad other drugs where prices aren’t negotiated. Optimists hope the insulin price competition will infiltrate the industry and finally result in more price competition outside negotiations. It is estimated that 44% of us don’t fill prescriptions, or reduce dosages and cut pills, due to cost.

It is expected to be near depletion in just five years. This is a concern for all of us, both younger than and older than 65. Medicare taxes have been subtracted from our paychecks since we started collecting one. President Biden is proposing to raise the Medicare tax rate from 3.8% to 5% on those making more than $400,000 a year. Analysts believe that certainly will help, but not make Medicare totally solvent. Negotiating ALL drug prices immediately, not just 10 prices in 2026, will make Medicare solvent. It should be noted, Medicare (basically congress) SETS fees/reimbursement for physician and hospital services. While provider lobbyists can plead, there are NO formal negotiations.

George W. Chapman is a healthcare business consultant who works exclusively with physicians, hospitals and healthcare organizations. He operates GW Chapman Consulting based in Syracuse. Email him at gwc@gwchapmanconsulting.com.

Q & Awith Sherry DePerno

Founder and executive director of ALS Utica

New York talks about the organization’s 20th year anniversary

By David Podos

Q: How long has ALS of Utica been in business and what is your position?

A: I founded the organization in 2003, so actually we are celebrating our 20th year anniversary in the month of March. I am the executive director.

Q: What is ALS? I believe there are some misconceptions about this disease.

A: ALS is a neuromuscular disease, and stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Q: I think many people might be familiar with the term ALS in relation to Lou Gehrig’s disease, the famous New York Yankees baseball player who had to retire in 1939 because he was diagnosed with ALS, am I correct?

A: That is absolutely correct.

Q: So, how does someone get ALS and what are the symptoms?

A: At this point in time there is officially no known cause for why

people get ALS, as well as no known cure. The disease is very debilitating. It wears away the nerves of the brain and spinal cord as the disease progresses. Eventually it prevents a person’s ability to walk and even speak.

Q: You mentioned you found ALS of Utica back in 2003. How did that come about?

A: My mother-in-law passed away from ALS in 1999.

Q: I am sure that must have been a very difficult time for you and your husband and rest of the family. Did the disease come upon her all at once?

A: It was difficult for sure. She was only 58 years old when she died. From her first symptom to her death, it was only 11 months. From her diagnosis to her passing it was only four months. She basically had her first symptom the beginning of the year in January. She got diagnosed in July and passed in November.

Q: While you mentioned earlier that there is no known cause and or cure, I am wondering is there any possibility because your mother-in-law had this terrible disease would your husband for example be susceptible to getting ALS?

A: Five percent of cases are considered familial. Unfortunately, it is a disease that anyone can get.

Q: What are some of the services that your organization provides to people and their families who have ALS?

A: Well first of all, I need to say we are an independent organization. We are not an affiliated ALS chapter. By being independent we have more control on what services we can provide and how that is accomplished. We probably do more for our clientele than most ALS [chapters] do with the money that we give. So, our goal is to support someone who is going through this disease. We support them from an emotional standpoint as well as from a financial standpoint. Our financial giving is quite large. As soon as someone registers with us they instantly get access to our estate planning grant. The stipulation however is, you must live in either Oneida and or Herkimer county. The money the family receives is specifically for the purpose of living at home and getting home care. Our estate planning grant is for $5,000 and we have wish grants that the families can apply for and they are also $5,000. So right out of the gate they have access to $10,000.

Q: That’s absolutely incredible, which begs the question — where does your organization get this money from?

A: For years we were phenomenal at raising money. We don’t rely on any state and or federal monies. The money we have was raised right here in Oneida and Herkimer counties. During an 11-year time period through our fundraising efforts, we garnered more than $1 million. So right now, we have been living off of those funds in regards to helping out those in need. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of fundraising coming in anymore.

Q: Why don’t you have fundraising anymore; your organization was so successful in the past?

A: We are an all-volunteer organization. I personally can no longer do the kind of fundraising we used to do. My time and dedication go toward helping the ALS families, running the ALS organization, that is what I can give and do right now. I have a family business to run, and especially with COVID-19 I had to turn my attention to my business to keep that running smoothly and efficiently. Fundraising is a time-consuming, very difficult activity and today, more so than ever. While our fundraising [activity] is not like it was in the past, I do have to say, we have a number of local businesses that continue to support ALS of Utica each year and we have a number of smaller fundraising events that we still do.

Q: How does someone contact you and or your organization?

A: Our website is ALSUtica. org phone 315-768-8502. That phone number is actually our business number (Advanced Tool) but whoever calls can ask for me.

SPECIAL ON NURSING

Meet some nurses who have made a difference in Mohawk Valley

Learn more about how nursing shortage is affecting the healthcare industry

How can you become a nurse?

PLUS: How to Choose an Assisted Living Facility; Fun Part-Time Jobs Ideas for Retirees editor@MVhealthnews.com

YOUR SUPPORT

Enjoy reading In Good Health newspaper? The paper is free to you but very expensive to produce and distribute. Keep the publication going. Consider supporting the publication. If you are a reader, please become a paid subscriber. If you’re a nonprofit, a medical practice or organization, consider advertising in the paper. You will get a great deal of exposure since the paper is everywhere for the entire month. We will even design your ad at no charge.

For more information, send an email to editor@MVhealthnews.com — Type “Support” on the subject line.

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone Live Alone &

By Gwenn Voelckers

tips, who alone Need Help? No Need to Go it Alone

It hasn’t been easy. Like many people, I’ve been reluctant to ask for help, not wanting to be a burden or inconvenience my family and friends.

But things have changed. Thankfully, for the better.

As I write this column, spring cleaning is tugging at my proverbial apron strings.

I need, I must, make sense of the boxes and bags of family photos, documents and items I inherited after losing my mother and father. I’ve procrastinated far too long. It’s time.

So ... I called my dear friend Carol and asked if she would help me begin the emotion-laden process of deciding what to keep, donate or throw away.

A self-described decluttering guru, Carol happily agreed to get me started. Among many helpful tips, she encouraged me to ask myself, “Does it have value? Does it bring me joy?”

I’m delighted to report that we made great progress. Her help was invaluable!

And we had a good time together, often laughing at the silly things I’ve held onto all these years. My grade school report cards come to mind. No need to be reminded that I “whispered too much.”

Below is an essay titled “Asking for Help” that I included in my book, “Alone and Content: Inspiring,

empowering essays to help divorced and widowed women feel whole and complete on their own.”

I hope it inspires you to reach out and ask for assistance if you need it.

Asking For Help

A ride to the doctor’s office. Extra hands to move heavy furniture. An emergency dog-sitting request. Giving and receiving help from my friends and family has proved to be a wonderful way for me to strengthen bonds. I have learned time and again that asking for help brings blessings, not burdens.

Many people — and often those of us who need it most — find it hard to reach out and ask for help in times of need.

The reasons are numerous, but my experience tells me that lots of women and men who live alone avoid asking for help because they fear being seen as weak or vulnerable.

I know that after my divorce I was reluctant to ask for help. I

Which High School Sports Cause Kids the

Most Injuries?

Fewer high school athletes are getting hurt playing sports, but those who do are more likely to suffer severe injuries that require surgery or a timeout from their chosen sport, new research shows.

Which teens are most at risk?

Those who participate in football, girls' soccer and boys' wrestling, the study authors found. Knee and ankle sprains and strains, along with head injuries such as concussions, were the most common injuries seen.

Exactly why injuries are becoming more severe isn't fully understood, but having kids specialize in sports too early may play a role. That can lead to an increase in overuse injuries, overtraining and burnout, said study co-author Jordan Pizzarro, a medical student at George Wash-

ington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, in Washington, D.C.

Still, the new data isn't a reason for kids to stop playing sports.

“Sports build endurance and stamina and help with growth and maturity,” Pizzarro said. Instead, parents should talk to the school or coach about pre-season training programs that may help stave off injuries among young athletes.

For the study, the researchers tapped into 2015 to 2019 injury data from 100 high schools. These schools have athletic trainers who report injuries for five boys' and four girls' sports.

Overall, there were 15,531 injuries that occurred during 6.8 million athletic exposures. (An athletic expo-

wanted to show the world that I was perfectly fine, thank you very much. I avoided asking anybody for anything, determined to muscle through on my own. It led to isolation and pointless hardships.

But the biggest shame? Not asking for support kept me distant from friends and family. I denied myself (and them) the chance to connect on a genuine and meaningful level. Looking back, it’s clear to me that my healing and personal growth came more slowly as a result.

I encourage you to let go of any excuses not to ask for help, in favor of being true to yourself and to those who love and want to support you. How can you help yourself?

• Be honest. Take a moment to reflect on what keeps you from asking for assistance. Could it be pride? Do you think you’ll be seen as incapable or inadequate? Are you concerned about being a bother? Or, would asking for help force you to acknowledge that, indeed, you need it?

• Redefine what it means to be strong. Everyone needs outside support from time to time, and seeking help on your terms is not a weakness. In fact, the strongest people are often those who have the courage to admit they need reinforcements. I’ve always admired this quality in others. Real strength is knowing your personal limitations and having the confidence to recruit assistance when necessary.

• Have some faith. Believe that people truly want to help. Just think about how you’d respond if a friend, family member or co-worker asked for a helping hand. You likely wouldn’t hesitate; you might even feel slighted if not asked, especially if someone you cared about was having real difficulty. Know that others, too, want to be there for their friends and family in need.

• Take a chance. When you choose to open yourself up and expose your authentic self, you are taking a risk. That’s a good thing! When you are real like this, you have an amazing opportunity to cultivate deeper, more meaningful bonds with others.

• Make the request. First put some thought into where you could really use some support; then ask for help with one specific item. It could be something as simple as asking a neighbor for help raking out a garden bed to something as important as identifying a financial adviser.

If you think you’ll feel awkward making the request, you might start out by saying, “You know, I’m not very comfortable asking for favors, but I wonder if you might be able to help me with something?”

• Express your gratitude. You know this, of course. A heartfelt thank you in person or in writing will be warmly received by the person whose help you have accepted. No need to go overboard. Remember, people want to help others and don’t expect to be compensated for doing a good deed.

• Offer help in return. Because giving can be as gratifying as receiving, make it known that you are available to return the favor. Better yet, find opportunities to offer help. We all have gifts and can be of great assistance to one another.

So, take it from me ... life can be better, just for the asking.

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

sure is defined as one athlete participating in one practice or competition during which an injury could potentially occur.) This equals an overall rate of nearly 2.3 injuries per 1,000 athletic exposures, which can be extrapolated to 5.2 million sports-related injuries among high schoolers nationally.

Most injuries took place during games. Overall, the injury rate was higher in boys' sports compared to girls' sports, and 3.5% of all injuries were fractures, and these mainly occurred in boys' baseball, basketball and football. Overall, just over 6% of injuries — most often from wrestling, girls' basketball and boys' baseball — required surgery.

In total, 39% of sports injuries resulted in athletes taking less than one week off from their sport, while 34% of injuries required taking up to three weeks off to heal. Seven percent of injuries required athletes to take more than three weeks off to

heal, and nearly 21% of injuries led to medical disqualification for the season or career.

The new research was presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting March 7 to 11. Research presented at medical conferences should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

"The majority of high school sports are recreational, so the players may be under-conditioned and not prepared for the grinds of organized sports, making them more prone to muscle strains and other soft tissue injuries,” said Sean Tabaie, an orthopedic surgeon at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C..

His advice? “Start early and introduce kids to a lot of different sports. Rotating the sports that kids play throughout the seasons is really important. Don't focus on one sport, as that will leave you prone to overuse of specific muscles,” Tabaie said.

Things You Need to Know About Lactose Intolerance

By Barbara Pierce

The term “lactose intolerance” has been thrown around the health and food world, confusing the condition with various other terms and diets. Lactose is the natural sugar found mostly in milk and milk products, including cheese, ice cream and yogurt. Lactose intolerance means your body can’t digest lactose. The unabsorbed lactose moves onto the large intestine where it is fermented by bacteria, which causes a buildup of gas and water.

To help clear up the confusion, registered dietitian Madisyn Becker of the Mohawk Valley Health System’s Eat Right Live Right nutritional counseling program offers these facts:

1.Symptoms

Symptoms of lactose intolerance are stomach-related, explained Becker. “Bloating, cramping, diarrhea and rashes,” she said.

Rashes, which can appear within minutes of having even a small amount of a diary product, include raised red bumps of skin, hives, itchy, red, weeping or crusty rash of the skin, or swelling of the face.

When lactose moves through the large intestine (the colon) without being properly digested, it can cause these symptoms. Some people with lactose intolerance cannot digest any milk products; others can eat or drink small amounts of milk products or certain types of milk products without problems. Some don’t experience any symptoms at all.

The severity of symptoms can range from mild to severe. The severity depends on how much lactose

you consumed and how much lactase your body has made.

2.Diagnosis

If you think you may have lactose intolerance, the first thing to do is to make sure the diagnosis is definitive, said Becker.

“Though it’s a fairly common condition, the symptoms can often be linked to other gastrointestinal conditions,” she said.

Other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or small bowel bacterial overgrowth can cause symptoms similar to those of lactose intolerance.

To get a positive test for lactose intolerance, your health care professional may do a hydrogen breath test, a blood test or a lactose elimination diet, said Becker. If you wish to do a lactose elimination diet at home, avoid any foods containing dairy products for three weeks. Then gradually reintroduce small quantities of dairy products, one at a time. If your symptoms reappear, you know that you’re lactose intolerant.

3.Causes

When your body isn’t able to break down lactose, we often don’t know why this happens, said Becker. You could be born with it, or it could be caused by your environment. The condition becomes more common as we age. It usually develops during the teen and adult years.

Lactose intolerance most commonly runs in families. It occurs more often in Native Americans and

people of Asian, African and South American descent than among people of European descent.

Out of the world’s population, 70% have some variation of intolerance.

Sometimes the small intestine stops making lactose after a shortterm illness like the flu or as part of a lifelong disease such as cystic fibrosis. Intestinal diseases such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, surgery, or an injury to your small intestine can also cause lactose intolerance. Lactase levels may be restored if the underlying disorder is treated.

4.Challenge

The big challenge for people who are lactose-intolerant is learning how to eat to avoid discomfort and still get enough nutrients. “There are many options for you to still have the foods that you enjoy, and the nutrients,” said Becker. “We all need calcium and vitamin D. Our bodies need these good minerals.”

For example, if you especially like milk, choose a different type, like soy milk, nut milk, (such as almond, cashew, or coconut) or Fairlife lac-

tose-free milk, she said.

“A lot of ice creams are lactose-free, as are many cheeses. Fermented cheeses, hard cheeses are better, like parmesan, cheddar, or Swiss are good as they’re lower in lactose. Use plant-based butter, on your bread as well as for baking and cooking,” she added.

It’s important to read to food labels, she suggested. Many foods that you would not expect to contain milk may actually contain milk and lactose, such as salad dressings, frozen waffles, non-kosher lunch meats, sauces, dry breakfast cereals, baking mixes and many instant soups.

5.Treatment

Lactose intolerance cannot be prevented. The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be prevented by eating less milk and milk products.

Becker suggested that probiotics can be helpful to ease the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Yogurt is usually easier to tolerate because it contains probiotics. Probiotics (known as lactic acid bacteria) are bacteria that restore the balance of “good” bacteria in your digestive system.

Registered dietitian Madisyn Becker of the Mohawk Valley Health System. “Though [lactose intolerance] is a fairly common condition, the symptoms can often be linked to other gastrointestinal conditions,” she says.

Career in Healthcare

Recreation Therapy Specialist: ‘It’s a Fun Job!’

By Barbara Pierce

Samantha Hallenbeck is a recreation therapy specialist at Upstate Cerebral Palsy.

In Central New York, Upstate Cerebral Palsy is the leading provider of direct-care services and programs for children and adults who are physically, developmentally or mentally challenged and their families.

The nonprofit provides innovative programs and services to support people and help them reach their highest potential.

Hallenbeck, 26, lives in Utica and has worked for Upstate Cerebral Palsy for four years as a recreation therapy specialist, working with adults in the program.

Q: What kinds of things do you do as a recreation therapy specialist?

A: Each day I do something different with the adults who come to our program. Anyone who’s a client of Upstate Cerebral Palsy, 21 years old or older, can come to the program.

Our program covers Upstate New York. We spread from Bloombelle to Morristown and everywhere in between. I travel from place to place quite a bit of the time.

I create projects, using art, projects that the participants create. I

often base the projects on the season of the year that we’re in. Some of the art projects we do are painting projects, using acrylics, sometimes watercolors. We do pottery projects, and even have a wheelchair accessible pottery wheel. Photography projects are another popular thing, as are silk scarf designs where each person creates a totally unique scarf by hand painting their scarves with silk dyes and paints.

Q: How did you get involved in this career?

A: I received a BA degree in graphic design. That degree prepared me for a career in graphic design, doing things like creating ads and working for corporations. But after I got this degree, I found that I’m not really into graphic design, I’m not into promoting brands.So I took a job as a substitute teacher in special education for pre-K. Then one day, I saw an ad for this position as a recreation therapist. I applied. I got hired — that was four years ago.

Q: What’s the best thing about this position?

A: The best thing about it? That’s hard to say! I really like every aspect of this job. Each day is different. Each

day I come in and decide who I’m going to work with today and how we’re going to work.

I like that I’m given the opportunity to lean from the participants. I’ve learned so much about communication. I’ve especially learned how to be an effective listener. I’m constantly learning and I like that.

As the people I work with have a wide range of abilities, it’s challenging for me to figure out ways to adapt each of the projects to the abilities of each person. Some of the people I work with have physical limitations, others are mentally challenged. I’m constantly learning.

The most interesting piece of what I do is using adaptive equipment, adaptive technology. I figure out how to adapt our projects to each person’s abilities. He might not have fine motor coordination, so it’s up to me to figure out how he can participate, how can I make this project so it will work for him?

It’s a fun job. I get to hang out with cool people and art supplies.

And it definitely keeps my creativity going.

Q: What personal qualities does it take to be successful in this position?

A: My goal is that persons of all abilities will have control of their own art-making process. This is because the creation of art creation is a tool; it’s a personal expression. For example, for those who have limited use of their hands, I need to figure out a way for that person to create his or her own paintings. Though I might put the paint on the canvas for him, the creator of the painting makes every decision from start to finish. The person doing the creation selects the size of the canvas to be cut, the mixing and blending of colors and where what color is to go on the canvas.

This concept is hard for some people to understand. As the person doing the creating has limitations, people often want to make the decisions for that person. The challenge for some people is that you have to back off from having control. You can’t dictate to the person how he or she should do this art project. You can’t say something to a participant like: “You shouldn’t use black; why don’t you use yellow instead?” That’s not OK. When I hear this happening, I politely tell the person to back off. Advocating for that is my mission.

Q: Anything else you’d like us to know?

A: We’re open to volunteers. We’ve got a great variety of opportunities for volunteers. Just see our website (www.upstatecp.org/waysto-give/volunteer-program) or call 315-724-6907.

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

Little Peas Serve Up Big Benefits

When I was a child, the only peas I ever ate were canned, and the only reaction I ever had was ick!

Mushy and tasteless, canned peas forced me to develop an important culinary survival skill: “food dispersion.”

These days, however, I couldn’t fathom leaving one pea behind!

What prompted my pea epiphany? Two discoveries: fresh and frozen. Make that three: a pea’s remarkable nutrition.

Much like other legumes, these tiny green globes carry quite a punch when it comes to fiber and protein, with a ½-cup portion delivering about 4 grams of each. Both nutrients slow the breakdown of carbohydrates, which means you are less likely to have sudden spikes in blood sugar after eating them. This slower digestion also promotes feelings of fullness, making it easier to resist snacks.

Peas are vitamin superstars, boasting impressive amounts of vitamins C, K, thiamine (B1) and folate (B9), many of which are antioxidants that help reduce inflammation. Multiple studies suggest that anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as these, may help protect against some chronic illnesses: heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and more.

Concerned about your blood pressure? Peas teem with minerals that play a major role in blood pressure control: magnesium, potassium, and calcium. High blood pressure, which damages your arteries by making them less elastic, can lead to heart disease or even a deadly heart attack or stroke. In addition, the high fiber content of peas has been shown to lower total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol, both of which increase the risk of heart disease when elevated.

Eating peas regularly may reduce the risk of cancer. Karen Collins, RDN, nutrition adviser for the American Institute for Cancer Research, says peas contain phytochemicals that help support the body’s antioxidant defenses. Antioxidants disarm compounds that may cause the kind of cell damage that contributes to inflammation and an increased risk of diseases such as cancer.

Similar to other legumes, peas are a bit high in carbs, with ½ cup serving up around 11 grams. A few comparisons: ½ cup carrot slices, 6 grams; 1 medium tomato, 5 grams; and 1 stalk celery; 1.2 grams. However, because peas are nutrient dense, garnering the benefits of those nutrients tends to outweigh a pea’s carbs. Nonetheless, for those watching carbs, monitoring intake of

Milk, or a Plant-Based 'Milk': What's the Nutritional Difference?

Not all milks are created equally when it comes to nutrients. Reading the label can clue you in to what you're getting out of the beverage, whether it be plantbased or dairy, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Nutritional content can vary between different plant-based products, the FDA said in a recent news release. Many don't have the same amount of calcium, vitamin D or other nutrients as dairy milk.

The only plant-based beverage that contains a similar enough nutrient content that it can be included in the dairy group in the federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans is fortified soy milk.

“The nutrients you get from plant-based milk alternatives can depend on which plant source is

used, the processing methods and added ingredients, so check the label carefully,” said Susan Mayne, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the FDA. “Has the product been fortified with nutrients such as calcium? How much added sugar is in the product? What is the protein content?”

“The Nutrition Facts label on the packaging can help you compare the nutrient content of the various plant-based milk alternatives to milk,” Mayne said. “The label can help you choose the best products to meet your nutrient needs and those of your family.”

Plant-based milks can be made from grains, such as oat, quinoa and rice; legumes, including pea and soy; nuts, such as almond, cashew, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia, pea-

peas is often advised. Final pea perk? These bead-sized jewels are super low in fat, cholesterol, sodium, and relatively low in calories—only 60 per ½-cup serving.

Helpful tips

If buying fresh peas, look for firm, plump pods that are a vibrant medium green. Unwashed, unshelled peas will last several days in the refrigerator. If buying processed peas, many recommend frozen over canned—for taste, texture, and nutrition. Steaming peas in as little water as possible helps to preserve the vitamin C.

2¼ cups water (or more if too thick)

1 13.5-oz. can fat-reduced coconut milk

1 16-oz. bag frozen peas (or 3¾ cups fresh)

Small handful of cilantro leaves (optional)

Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently for 6 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper and cook 2 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Add the water and coconut milk and increase the heat to high. Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and add the peas. Cook just until the peas are bright green and tender, about 5 minutes.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender or a regular blender. Season the soup to taste with salt, ladle into bowls, top with cilantro leaves (optional) and serve.

Sweet Pea Soup with Coconut and Ginger

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons canola or olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 tablespoons minced ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper

nut, pistachio and walnut; and seeds including flax, hemp and sesame.

These products may be a good alternative for people who are allergic to dairy milk or want to avoid dairy products for dietary reasons or personal preference, the FDA noted.

Some plant-based products have more calories than nonfat and lowfat dairy milk, so check the label if cutting calories is your motivation for choosing an alternative, the FDA suggested.

Dairy foods provide some key nutrients, some of which people are not getting enough of in their diets. The nutrients in milk include protein, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, zinc, choline and selenium.

The FDA suggests choosing milk and plant-based milk alternatives that are higher in protein, vitamin D, calcium and potassium.

These nutrients can help build bones and teeth, muscles, cartilage, skin, blood, enzymes and hormones. They can help people maintain their blood pressure. Some are needed for proper muscle, kidney and heart

function.

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

The FDA recently issued draft guidance that recommends plantbased milks voluntarily include a nutrient statement that communicates how the product is nutritionally different from milk.

Organ Donation

NEW YORK STILL LAGS IN ORGAN DONATION

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

When it comes to organ donation designations, New York could do better to meet the need.

According to the US Health Resources and Services Administration, 105,800 people nationwide are waiting for an organ donation. More than 8,500 of those are New Yorkers and about 500 of those will die before they receive a transplant, according to an Excellus BlueCross BlueShield report issued March 25, 2022.

“These aren’t just statistics, but rather our loved ones, coworkers, and neighbors,” Lorna Fitzpatrick, vice president medical affairs and senior medical director at Excellus BCBS, said in a statement. “We can increase their odds for a successful donor match by increasing the number of people who register to be donors.”

On average, each donor can save eight lives and enhance 75 more.

Despite ranking as one of the highest states for donor need, only 49% of New Yorkers eligible to donate have enrolled in the Donate Life Registry; 63% is the national average.

New York-Presbyterian, a healthcare system in New York City, stated that as of 2017, New York state ranks last in the nation for the number of enrollees.

“Why it’s so low is a question that’s been asked for many years,” said Nancy Ryan, director of development for Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network, the federally designated donor recovery organization serving 20 counties in Upstate. “In New York state, we have come a long way. It’s assumed nothing has changed because we’re a low-performing state. We’ve worked hard to increase our enrollment rates.”

Ten years ago, the New York state enrollment rate for donors was 29% but is nearly 50% now, which Ryan counts as an important increase. Ryan believes that increasing the number of methods for signing up for the NYS Donate Life Registry has helped the rate inch upward. Regardless of how or where a donor registers, it goes to the NYS Donate Life Registry.

Myths about medical care prevent some people from registering, such as critically ill or injured patients receiving subpar care because doctors want to harvest their organs.

“As a physician in the ICU, we do everything we can to save our patients,” said Dorgam Badran, critical care physician at St. Joseph’s Health who chairs the organ donor council at St. Joseph’s Health.

Since St. Joseph’s is not a trans-

Overhaul of U.S. Organ Transplant System Proposed

Asingle nonprofit has what amounts to a monopoly over all organ transplants performed in the United States, but the federal government said that it plans to change that.

In 2022, a record 42,887 organ transplants were performed. Yet nearly 104,000 people remain on waiting lists for organs. About 22 people die each day while waiting, even as organs are discarded, damaged while being delivered or not collected, according to a new story published by the Washington Post.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which has contracted with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)

to run the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network for 37 years, announced in March it will invite organizations to bid for contracts for different parts of the transplant system’s functions.

“Every day, patients and families across the United States rely on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network [OPTN] to save the lives of their loved ones who experience organ failure,” HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson said in a news release announcing the change. “At HRSA, our stewardship and oversight of this vital work is a top priority. That is why we are taking action to both bring greater transparency to the system and to reform and modernize the OPTN.”

plant center, Badran sees only a part of the donation process, typically in the ICU setting.

“Donation happens after brain death or after circulatory death,” he said. “That’s for organs. After the death, it’s tissue and eye donation. Unfortunately, when the time comes and the patient is extremely sick and on life support and the family or the patient decides that they want to withdraw life support, that’s when the brain or circulatory death happens.”

New York requires two physicians to certify brain death and meet extensive criteria for physicians to declare death. At that point, the hospital contacts FLDRN as required by law to make them aware of the brain death or imminent removal of life support so that FLDRN can check if the patient is a registered donor.

“We have no knowledge of that,” Badran said. “We have no access to that information.”

FLDRN representatives speak with the family about consent and seek a match to any organs that may be usable.

Some people resist signing up for organ donation as they assume that their family members would want to make that decision. Ryan said that selecting registration in advance can provide comfort to family members who do not have to make that decision. It can also help them feel that their loved one’s loss can at least benefit someone else.

“Is that something you’d want your family to decide at that worst possible moment?” Ryan said. “Make an informed decision if you want to give the gift of life and document that. That’s alleviating the responsibility from your family.”

Some people assume that their body is too old, ill or unusual to help others. However, Ryan said that no medical information is gathered upon registration.

“At the time of someone’s death, that’s when decisions are made about what can be donated,” she said. “Don’t rule yourself out. There’s no need to play doctor and decide if you’re led a healthy enough lifestyle. By ruling yourself out, you’re possibly ruling yourself out of saving

Among the plan’s many changes are steps to improve the technologies used by surgeons and transplant coordinators.

Network structure would also change, including adding a strong, independent board of directors. A new public dashboard should also make the donation and receipt process more transparent.

UNOS said in a statement it “supports HRSA’s plan to introduce additional reforms into the nation’s organ donation and transplantation system, and welcomed a competitive bidding process.”

“We believe we have the experi ence and expertise required to best serve the nation’s patients and to help implement HRSA’s proposed initiatives,” the statement said.

But the White House’s U.S. Digi tal Service called UNOS’s technolog ical system archaic in a confidential 2021 assessment for HRSA. It also recommended breaking up UNOS’s monopoly over that technology, the Post reported.

“UNOS has allowed the organ donation system to become mismanaged, unsafe and self-enrich-

someone’s life.”

Ryan said that many people assume that religion forbids organ donation. Most major world religions support organ and tissue donation, viewing it “as the most generous last act anyone could do.”

She added that any religious, cultural or familial beliefs should be discussed before deciding about organ donation.

“We don’t claim to be experts in knowing every culture and scenario,” Ryan said. “It’s such a personal decision. Have that conversation with your family and faith leader and a trusted healthcare professional. Say, ‘I’m not sure about this; can I talk this through with you?’ If you decide you don’t want to be a donor, tell your family. That’s important for your family to know so they’re not struggling with this decision.”

According to Health Resources & Services Administration, the most common transplants nationwide in 2021 were kidney (24,670, with 90,483 still waiting); liver (9,236, with 11,891 still waiting); heart (3,817, with 3,502 still waiting); lung (2,524 with 1,051 still waiting) and other (1,108, with 290 still waiting).

The “other” category includes skin, face, hands and abdominal wall. Some things such as a kidney, bone marrow and part of the liver may be donated by living donors. Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse represents the only transplant programs for kidney or pancreas transplants in Upstate New York.

Need for Organs in USA

The most common transplants in 2021 in NYS, according to Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network

ing,” Greg Segal, founder and CEO of Organize, a nonprofit patient advocacy group, told the Post. “Today’s announcement that HHS will break up UNOS’s monopoly, and bring in competent and transparent new contractors, is a transformative and unequivocal win for patients.”

UNOS oversees a transplantation network that includes about 250 hospitals that perform transplants. Also in the network are 56 government-chartered nonprofits that collect organs and labs that test organ compatibility.

Organ Donation

Kidney Donation Gives Rome Man a Second Chance

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Rome resident Thomas Trace had been living with chronic kidney disease for 17 years before he was placed on an organ recipient list in March 2022. The same year, he had begun going on dialysis, which involves staying hooked up to machines that perform the job his diseased kidneys could not do: filter his blood.

Unlike many people who languish on waiting lists for years, Trace said he felt “quite surprised when I got the call in the middle of the night” mere months later with the news that a kidney was available.

“I was very happy since I understood I’d have to wait longer,” he said.

Trace was lucky.

Many people on waiting lists receive a similar call and learn at the last moment that the kidney was not a match. Trace’s dialysis provider told him that this even happens after patients are prepped for surgery.

Fortunately for Trace, the new

kidney matched. Although he had a good experience while on dialysis, he wanted the greater freedom to travel and make other plans instead of hooking up to a machine for a couple hours a day, six days a week. The life expectancy for people on dialysis is five to 10 years, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

“It’s good to get the transplant before you’re on dialysis for a long time,” Trace said. “That was a good indicator for a positive outcome.”

On Oct. 23, 2022, he received the new kidney at Upstate University Hospital and “felt pretty good” afterward, he said.

“My main issue was that it was a little worrisome once I got it. I’m very concerned about my kidney. I want to treat it well for the sake of the transplant program. It’s a little burden to make sure I take my medications not only for myself but also because this came from someone who died.”

His gratitude for this gift of life

Upstate Performs Increasing Number of Transplants

By Mary Beth Roach

Q: How many organ transplants does Upstate do in a year?

A: Last year, 110; year before that, close to 96.

Q: Why is there an increase?

A: A couple of factors. We’ve implemented different programs to basically improve access to transplantation by utilizing different kind of organs available to us. For example, in the past we didn’t use hepatitis C organs. But now, hepatitis C is easily treatable with medication and you can use those organs. People in other areas of the state of New York or other states are coming to us. We try to make the best of the organs that are available to us, we do more transplants and that’s why the wait time for our program is one of the shortest in the state of New York.

Q: What types of transplants does Upstate do?

A: Currently we’re doing kidney transplant, pancreas transplant and pediatric kidney transplant, both of the deceased donor and the live donor. We also do live donor kidney transplantation. There are 350 patients on the wait list. There are 350 patients on the list at Upstate to receive kidney and

Organ Donation

also extends to his wanting to live his life fully. Trace, now 53, is spending more time with family and exercises and travels as he used to before his kidney condition had worsened in recent years.

“I found the whole experience of being on dialysis was stimulating as I learned a lot of things and had good treatment from people who were for the most part kind and empathetic,” Trace said.

The day after his surgery offered one example. While he was recovering in the intensive care unit, a member of the housekeeping staff who must have seen him right after his surgery met his eyes and commented, “I’m so happy you’re doing well.”

The interaction struck Trace profoundly because he was not in her care, yet she took a moment to express real compassion for his health.

“She didn’t know what had happened to me,” he said. “I could’ve been in a car accident. The way she expressed it, it was so genuine. Some people have such an ability to show love.”

He initially experienced pain and difficulty in getting around, but recovered quickly. His immunosuppressant medication is working well to prevent his body from rejecting the kidney and his blood work

equality to the system.

Q: Why was that you could only use them from the state of New York?

A: Because they didn’t want to ship organs all over the country. Once they’re out of the body, the chance of success is less. Now we have better ways of transportation, better ways to preserve the organ and now we have got broader sharing.

Q: Why has the rate of success for transplants has increased substantially over the years?

pancreas transplants.

Q: Do most of your patients come from Upstate New York?

A: Most of them, yes. But we also have other patients coming from Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. They want to double-list with us to increase their chance to get an organ transplant.

Q: How does the transplant allocation work?

A: It’s a national system developed in 1984 when Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act. For different organs, there are different allocations. In the past, we used to be able to receive organs from only donors who are living in the state of New York. In March of 2021, they changed to basically broaden the sharing of organs by going to 250 nautical miles from the donor hospital. We’re doing more transplants because we have more access to more organs now compared to before March of 2021. Before of this new allocation, for example, in our area, the average wait time to receive a kidney transplant was five years. Some areas, it was 10 years, some areas, it was one year. It was a huge discrepancy. Now, there’s more

A: Better patient selection, better technique, better postoperative care, better ICU care. But, on the other hand, the need for transplantation has also increased because, for example, high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic diseases are on the rise in the country. That’s why every day the number of patients on the list goes up. Right now, you have more than 120,000 patients waiting on the list, and unfortunately every day 20 patients will die because there’s no suitable organ available. Unfortunately, 30% to 40% of those patients waiting for a liver, heart of lung will die. With kidney transplants, fortunately, we have time to maintain the patient on dialysis.

Q: April is organ donor month. In your role, what message would you like to convey?

A: I think the main message that I’m trying to convey is that organ donation — both from living donors and deceased donors — has been around for almost 60 years. Donating one kidney is very safe, and it doesn’t increase the donor’s chances of developing chronic diseases or diabetes down the road.

If somebody passes away or becomes brain dead, they can save six or seven lives, if the family consents to organ donation. Unfortunately, the state of New York has one of

Thomas Trace of Rome says “the best treatment for serious kidney disease is by far getting a transplant.” He underwent a successful transplant surgery at Upstate University Hospital in October last year.

looks good.

Trace has never met the family of the donor, but feels deep thankfulness for their gift of life and wants more people to realize that “the best treatment for serious kidney disease is by far getting a transplant,” he said.

the lowest rates of donation in the country. We need to do a lot of public education about this. Some people feel that if they want to become an organ donor or sign on their driving license, the medical team will not take care of them if they come to the hospital. That’s not true.

Q: Is there anything that you would like to add?

A: These patients, after organ transplantation, live longer, have better quality of life. That’s why I want to promote donation. Upstate has a very robust and active program and very good outcomes. We have one of the best outcomes in the state of New York. Nationally, 20% of patients on a wait list will get a transplant within two years. At Upstate, 40% of the people that are on the wait list get transplants within two years.

Transplant surgeon Reza F. Saidi is associate professor of surgery and chief of transplantation at Upstate University Hospital

Greater access to organs part of the reason for the increase. Last year, doctors at Upstate University Hospital performed 110 transplants

Organ Donation

How to Become an Organ Donor

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Most people don’t think much about organ donation unless they or a loved one are waiting on an organ recipient list or they work in a role like Nancy Ryan, director of development at Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network.

Because 500 New Yorkers die every year while waiting for an organ donation, Dorgam Badran wants more to sign up. He is a critical care physician at St. Joseph’s Health and chairs the organ donor council at St. Joseph’s Health.

“How much consolation it gives the family that their loved one became a donor,” Badran said. “It creates a legacy through their loved one — a gift anyone can give that has no cost. It can be tremendously powerful when a terrible loss becomes a gift.”

Unfortunately, too few people do so and as a result, 17 Americans die daily while waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Still more await transplants that could enhance their lives. Obtaining designation as an organ donor is simple to do, but for some hard to think about.

“We live in a society where it is not so easy to think about our own demise,” said Ryan.

FLDRN is the federally designated, nonprofit liaison between donors and recipients awaiting donation. “We put off making wills until way too late. We put off thinking about our own death as long as we can. When something unexpected happens to a middle-aged or younger person, the family is caught offguard. A 30-year-old doesn’t make end-of-life plans. Every day is a gift to every person. Being prepared with what you want is important.”

FLDRN serves 20 counties up-

state facilitating organ, eye and tissue transplants.

Anyone 16 or older may sign up to become a donor. One means of designating as a donor is through the DMV when applying for or renewing a driver’s license. Ryan said that is the most common means. Potential donors can also sign up through the voting registration form. New York is the only state with this option available. New Yorkers applying for or renewing their health insurance benefits through the New York State of Health Insurance Exchange can register as a donor. Yet another is https://donatelife.ny.gov/register, where people can sign up. All methods are free.

Ryan said that FLDRN has been working to promote donation by making QR codes available in the community for people to scan and access the site.

“We’re getting our hospital partners to put this link in the patient-facing medical record systems,” Ryan said. “On those patient medical record accounts, many put the link to sign up as a donor in those systems, which is fantastic. It’s so relatable.”

When a person passes away or is imminently about to, the medical providers are required by law to contact FLDRN. The organization’s organ procurement coordinators manage the medical side of patients and decedents to match donors with recipients. The family coordinators help honor the end of life designations and speak with family members if the deceased have not registered.

Although donors can make their wishes known using documents such as a driver’s license, last will and testament or health care proxy, these documents may not be readily

available when donation decisions are made. Ryan encourages donors to use the electronic registry and to also make family members aware of the designation decision.

“You want a determination about what will happen after you pass away,” she said. “If you don’t put it in writing and if your family doesn’t know if you wanted to be a donor, they’ll be asked by an organ or tissue agency staff member if they’ll be interested. What a difficult conversation that is.”

Donation does not always mean a deceased donor. Be the Match (https://bethematch.org/about-us) seeks registration for living donors for people to donate bone marrow but not organs. In upstate New York, Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse represents the only transplant programs for kidney or pancreas transplants.

Potential donors can register with the National Kidney Registry (https://www.kidneyregistry.org) so people with end-stage kidney disease will not require a regimen of dialysis to survive. The average life expectancy of someone on dialysis is five to 10 years.

To promote more lifesaving and life improving organ donation, the New York Legislature passed the “New York State Living Donor Support Act” which takes effect in April. The state’s health commissioner will

set expenses covered for reimbursement. Funding from employee sick leave, the National Living Donor Assistance Program and other sources will first providing coverage and the state program picking up any remaining expenses.

“With expanded assistance for those inspired to become organ donors, I am confident this new law will help more New Yorkers give and receive the gift of life,” said State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (D-the Bronx) in a statement. Rivera sponsored the bill in his chamber.

According to the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network:

• Every nine minutes, someone is added to the national transplant waiting list.

• More than 5,000 people died in 2022 while waiting for an organ transplant.

• One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and could improve the lives of up to 75 more through tissue and cornea donation.

The number of people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant:

Waiting… and Waiting

Nationally: 104,000

New York state: 8,125 (7,000 are waiting for a kidney)

Nancy Ryan

The Balanced Body

By Deborah Dittner

Gardening: More Important Today Than Ever Before

If you have never grown a garden before, now is the time.

No matter if you have acres of land or a small patio, you can grow veggies and herbs that you love. The cost of veggies has been rising over the past months and growing your own will save time and money.

Let us first start with an apartment dweller, having a patio or anyone with limited outdoor space.

Container gardening

Containers can produce a bounty of veggies and herbs and they allow you to get your hands dirty in the soil.

Using containers of all shapes and sizes and colors will house herbs and a variety of veggies from lettuce to tomatoes to squash to potatoes and so much more. Planting in a container decreases the need to weed, keeps animals from noshing on veggies as a snack, and allows you to keep a better eye on the soil conditions so you know when watering is needed which can be more frequently in a pot.

Placing large rocks (they can be decorative) on top of the soil will allow for even watering, and with additional watering comes additional fertilizing. If you find that a plant needs more sun or less sun, the container can easily be moved to the other side of the area allowing the plant to thrive. Containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you get to choose the look that will not only produce great veggies and herbs but is also pleasing to the eye. Make sure there are sufficient drainage holes to prevent root rot.

Placing some dry tree twigs at the bottom quarter of the container before adding the soil will help to absorb and retain the water.

Adding pots on the stairs into your space is another great place for growth and décor. Depending on

the plant, you can also bring them indoors come colder months. Hanging planters for edible flowers is also appealing to the eye.

Some of my favorite plants for containers are:

• Herbs: Basil (do I hear pesto anyone?)

Cilantro (and do not forget adding to guacamole)

Thyme

Parsley

Rosemary

Sage

Lemon balm (my favorite tea)

Vegetables: Tomatoes

Spinach

Arugula

Varieties of lettuce

Potatoes (grown in a potato bag produces greenery, but most importantly beautiful potatoes)

Peppers (all varieties)

The potting soil should be light with a slow-release fertilizer. Depending on your area and type of plants, you may want to consult with the gardening supply store as to the best soil necessary for growing container herbs, flowers and vegetables. Remember to fertilize as recommended for the plant to grow lush and tasty veggies and herbs.

Your plants will need direct sunlight of eight hours daily. Depending on your location, moving the containers may be needed to obtain the necessary lighting.

Watering

Both overwatering and underwatering can be detrimental to the plant. Seedlings need continuously moist water. Drainage or the use of self-watering vessels are important to the plant’s success.

More space? Awesome!Build raised beds or raised rows with wood, logs, or stone. These should be

DRIVERS WANTED

no wider than three to four feet (you want to be able to get to the center with ease) and as long as you like or space allows. Your location and the type of soil will determine what to add to your beds. A trip to the local garden center will provide you with answers and the tools you need.

With more space you can add variety and more plants. Some of my favorite garden plants are:

Tomatoes, eggplant, arugula, cabbage (yum sauerkraut!), sugar snap peas, zucchini, pumpkin, asparagus, potatoes, green beans, rhubarb (perennial), fruit trees (apple, pear), peppers, lettuce – varieties, variety of herbs (basil, thyme, sage, lemon balm, etc.).

Growing a garden year after year, no matter the type, needs a garden journal. This way you can be certain of the type of seeds or plants you used, the soil and fertilizer used, location of plants, the weather (especially last frost and if it was a rainy season) and more. I always enjoy planning and plotting my garden on paper in early spring. This way you make sure what plants to purchase and when to start the seedlings indoors.

Create a “symbol key” such as T for tomatoes, Z for zucchini, P for peppers, etc. as you plot locations.

A sketch of your garden will help in future planning especially with crop rotation. Initially you may want to jot down information daily as the spring garden is fast growing. Once established you may want to jot your notes weekly or bi-weekly.

Record pest information such as potato bugs or tomato worms. Do not forget harvest information such as yield from certain plants if using a variety. If you have questions, write them here as well.

Take your journal when visiting a fellow gardener or trip to the garden shop. And always take pictures. It is so much fun looking at gardens of the past.

Deborah Dittner is a family nurse practitioner and health consultant. Her mission is to transform as many individuals as possible through nutrition and lifestyle changes. For more information, check out her website at www.debdittner. com or contact her at 518-596-8565.

No heavy lifting. Drivers are required to have a dependable vehicle, be courteous and reliable. We audit all areas of distribution. Call 315-749-7070

Center for Refugees Receives Health Equity Award

Award helps diverse patients access innovative and patient-centered approach to maternal care

Excellus BlueCross Blue Shield recently awarded the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees (the center) a Health Equity Award of $30,000 to support maternal health equity for diverse populations.

This program builds on the CenteringPregnancy model that has been established by Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) by bridging the gap for diverse patients to access this innovative and patient-centered approach to maternal care.

MVHS offers the area’s only licensed CenteringPregnancy program, which brings eight to 10 women all due at the same time together for prenatal care and peer support.

The center will add to this program by providing linguistically appropriate language services, cultural competency training, and transportation assistance.

“This project addresses the maternal health of an underserved population that has a distinct disadvantage to accessing services due to language and cultural barriers,” explains Jennifer VanWagoner, the center manager of grants and community engagement. “Building on our longstanding partnership with MVHS, we will be able to address maternal health disparities experi-

enced by refugees and immigrants utilizing a culturally and linguistically appropriate approach.”

“Funding from the Excellus BCBS Health Equity Award will provide interpretation during CenteringPregnancy education sessions and translation of program materials into a minimum of six languages,” says VanWagoner. “Additionally, obstetrical staff will receive competency training focused on the specific needs of diverse populations.”

The center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting refugees, immigrants, and limited English proficient individuals throughout the integration process and helps them achieve independence and self-sufficiency by developing products and services that enable the building of a community with many cultures.

Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees has resettled nearly 17,000 refugees from 36 nations since incorporating in 1981.

Excellus BCBS Health Equity Award funding supports underserved populations with health disadvantages due to race, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender anf rural disparities. Award categories include, but are not limited to, improving the community’s physical health and

mental health, reducing social disparities in health care, and ensuring access to health care services. Grant recipients were selected based on clear, defined goals and measurable results for reducing health disparities and improving health equity.

“We are proud to further our commitment to health equity by supporting the center’s program that

addresses the maternal health needs of our diverse refugee and immigrant population,” said Eve Van de Wal, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Utica regional president. “The addition of the services provided by the center will increase access to the CenteringPregnancy program and help reduce maternal health disparities in our community.”

Along with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, we’re committed to reducing racial and ethnic maternal health disparities by 50% in 5 years. Join us and take action today:

BE AWARE BE ENGAGED

Childbirth complications are 46% higher among Black mothers. Anyone can help by learning more about this urgent issue.

(Tip: start with our podcast episode)1

Every expecting mother should receive unbiased, high-quality care. Examine your own implicit biases. What might need to change?

Get the facts in our episode “Reducing Racial Disparities in Maternal Health” with Dr. Cuyler at ExcellusBCBS.com/ podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts.

BE AN ADVOCATE

Support policies and organizations that increase access to affordable, culturally sensitive maternal healthcare. Let the expecting mothers in your life know they have a voice, are being heard, AND believed.

The Center Executive Director Shelly Callahan, Excellus BCBS Regional President Eve Van de Wal, The Center Manager of Grants and Community Engagement Jennifer VanWagoner, The Center Health Access Coordinator Islam Mohamed, Excellus BCBS Community Investments and Partnerships Manager Shayna Keller.

When every mom receives the care she needs, EVERYBODY BENEFITS

By Jim Miller

Donating Your Body to Science

Dear Savvy Senior,

I am interested in possibly donating my body to science when I pass away. What can you tell me about this, and what would I need to do to set it up?

Getting Old Dear Getting,

If you’re looking to help advance medical research, and in the process, eliminate your funeral and burial costs, donating your body to science is a great option to consider. Here’s what you should know.

Body Donations

Each year, it’s estimated that approximately 20,000 people donate their whole body after death, to medical facilities throughout the country to be used in medical research projects, anatomy lessons and surgical practice.

After using your body, these facilities will then provide free cremation and will either bury or scatter your ashes in a local cemetery or return them to your family, usually within a year.

And, just in case you’re wondering, your family cannot not be paid for the use of your body. Federal and state laws prohibit it.

Here are a few other things you need to know and check into, to help you determine whether whole-body donation is right for you:

• Donation denial: Most body donation programs will not accept bodies that are extremely obese or those that have infectious diseases like hepatitis, tuberculosis, H.I.V. or MRSA. Bodies that suffered extensive trauma won’t be accepted either.

• Organ donation: Most medical school programs require that you donate your whole body in its entirety. So, if you want to be an organ donor (with the exception of your eyes), you probably won’t qualify to be a whole-body donor too.

• Religious considerations: Most major religions permit individuals to donate both their full body and organs, and many even encourage it. If you are unsure, you should consult with your pastor or spiritual adviser.

• Special requests: Most programs will not allow you to donate your body for a specific purpose. You give them the body and they decide how to use it.

• Memorial options: Most programs require almost immediate transport of the body after death, so there’s no funeral. If your family wants a memorial service, they can have one without the body. Or, some programs offer memorial services at

their facility at a later date without the remains.

• Body transporting: Most programs will cover transporting your body to their facility within a certain distance. However, some may charge a fee.

How to Proceed

If you think you want to donate your body, it’s best to make arrangements in advance with a body donation program in your area.

Most programs are offered through university-affiliated medical schools. To find one near you, the University of Florida maintains a list of U.S. programs and their contact information at Anatbd.acb.med.ufl. edu/usprograms. If you don’t have Internet access, you can get help by calling the whole-body donation referral service during business hours at 800-727-0700.

In addition to the medical schools, there are also private organizations like Science Care (ScienceCare.com) and Anatomy Gifts Registry (AnatomyGifts.org) that accept whole body donations too. Some of these organizations will even allow organ donation because they deal in body parts as well as whole cadavers.

Once you locate a program in your area, call and ask them to mail you an information/registration packet that will explain exactly how their program works.

To sign up, you’ll need to fill out a couple of forms and return them. But you can always change your mind by contacting the program and removing your name from their registration list. Some programs may ask that you make your withdrawal in writing.

After you’ve made arrangements, you’ll need to tell your family members so they will know what to do and who to call after your death. It’s also a good idea to tell your doctors, so they know your final wishes too.

How to Donate Your Body in Central New York

are a Primary Care Clinic.

Did you know that the majority of visits to a doctor’s office are for problems with the neck and low back and shoulder, hips or knees?

And most infections that people get are caused by viruses, and not bacteria? Even sinus problems and ear aches?

And yet many people go around from one office to another looking for answers but instead might be given pills to cloud their symptoms’ or antibiotics that weren’t necessary in the first place. The U.S. Center for Disease Control even sent out truckloads of pamphlets to doctors all over the country asking them to stop prescribing unnecessary antibiotics.

We at the Falcon Clinic for Health, Wellness and Recovery have a unique perspective on pain and disease and infection. We are the premier Falcon osteopathic clinic of Central New York. We offer hands on treatments, acupuncture and medications, as needed. Osteopathic physicians have been around for over 150 years. We’ve been doing “wholistic” medicine before it became cool to be “holistic”.

Ask From the Social Security District Office

The Social Security Office Stay Informed With Social Security’s Top Five Social Media Pages

We strive to provide the public with accurate and helpful information. In addition to the resources available on our website at www.ssa.gov, we also regularly post useful information on our blog and on social media. We invite you to read our posts and share items of interest with your family and friends.

1. You can subscribe to our blog. We post articles about programs, policies, current topics and new online services. Read more and subscribe at blog.ssa.gov.

2. You can follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/socialsecurity. You can also share Facebook posts with family and friends.

3. We have many informative videos on YouTube. Our videos cover online services, applying for

Q&A

Q.: I’m reaching my full retirement age and thinking about retiring early next year. When is the best time of year to apply for Social Security benefits?

A.: You can apply as early as four months before when you want your monthly benefits to begin. To apply, just go to www.ssa.gov/applytoretire. Applying online for retirement benefits from the convenience of your home or office is secure and can take as little as 15 minutes. It’s so easy!

Q.: Will my retirement benefits increase if I wait and retire after my full retirement age?

A.: Yes. You can increase your Social Security retirement benefit in two ways:

• You can increase your retirement benefit by a certain percentage if you delay receiving retirement benefits. We will add these increases automatically from the time you reach full retirement age until you start receiving benefits or reach age

• If you work, each additional year you work adds another year of earnings to your Social Security record. Higher lifetime earnings may result in higher benefits when you do retire.

For more information, visit www. ssa.gov/pubs to read, print, or listen to our publication, "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits." You also can use our retirement estimator at www.ssa.gov/estimator to determine your estimated future benefits.

retirement and disability benefits, Social Security-related scams, and much more. We also offer some of our videos in Spanish. You can view and easily share our videos at www. youtube.com/SocialSecurity.

4. You can join our many Twitter followers at www.twitter.com/ socialsecurity. We use Twitter to announce new my Social Security features and other service or program changes.

5. We’re also on Instagram. We share stories and resources that can help you and your loved ones. Check out our Instagram page at www. instagram.com/SocialSecurity. Connect with us on social media to learn helpful information. Follow along and share our pages with a friend, neighbor, or loved one today. Check out all our social media channels at www.ssa.gov/socialmedia.

Q.: What is the earliest age that I can receive Social Security disability benefits?

A.: There is no minimum age as long as you meet the Social Security definition of disabled and you have sufficient work to qualify for benefits. To qualify for disability benefits, you must have worked under Social Security long enough to earn the required number of work credits and some of the work must be recent. You can earn up to a maximum of four work credits each year. The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on the age you become disabled. For example, if you are under age 24, you may qualify with as little as six credits of coverage. But people disabled at age 31 or older generally need between 20 and 40 credits to qualify, and some of the work must have been recent. For example, you may need to have worked five out of the past 10 years. Learn more at www.ssa.gov/disability.

Q.: What is the purpose of Supplemental Security Income, or SSI?

A.: The purpose of SSI is to help aged, blind, and disabled people who have little income and few resources to support themselves. It provides financial assistance to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. You can receive SSI even if you have not worked and paid into Social Security. SSI is a federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). Find out more at www.ssa.gov/ssi.

Richard Chmielewski, DO, NMM/ OMM Brian Zylinski, DO, NMM/OMM

George Kozminski, MD, LAC (acupuncture)

Between You & Me

By Barbara Pierce

Yes, I Admit. I’m a Control Freak. What Can I Do?

By Barbara Pierce

Yes, I admit I’m a control freak. What can I do?

My granddaughter is starting her own business and I’m sure she can be a success. I have a lot of great ideas about what she should do and how she should do. She’s receptive to my ideas, but I’m sure I’m overwhelming her. She needs to go at her own pace and develop her own ideas.

Yesterday my sister called me, complaining about her boss and how her boss takes advantage of her and she’s so miserable, hates her job. I gave her suggestions on how to be more assertive with her boss to solve the problem. She got mad and me and hung up.

And then my brother called to complain his wife got into another accident when driving drunk. I said “She’s going to kill someone one of these days and how will you feel then?” And “You really need to leave her and her drunken drama!” He hung up.

Yes, I do have a control problem.

As the oldest, I’ve always felt responsible for them. I’ve always felt I know what’s best for them —and for

my friends, child, grandchildren.

I worry about all of them. I know nobody really wants my advice. I know they do have to figure things out for themselves.

I know, with absolute certainty, that it is only when one figures out what will work for themselves, figures it out in their head, that they will make it work. If they followed my suggestions, things may not work out right. Either because they’d sabotage it or they aren’t really committed to my plan.

That’s the way we humans are wired. We try much harder when it’s our own plan. We’re more determined to make our own plans work. Yes, I can influence others, but I can’t control them. When I worked as a psychotherapist, I learned to do this skillfully. I learned to guide my clients to think through the situation in their own heads and come up with their own solution. Because we “collaborated,” they were committed to making that solution work for them. Why can’t I do this in my personal life?

How to stop being a control freak isn’t easy. Here is what I need to

Health News

Forbes: Excellus among best employers in America

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

was ranked No. 2 on the Forbes 2023 list of America’s Best Midsize Employers.

1,000 employers have been awarded, 500 large employers and 500 midsize employers. Midsize employers are companies with 1,000 to 5,000 employees.

remind myself of:

Experts say, to learn to be less controlling, first figure out the reasons that drive it. When I admit to myself the reasons why, I don’t much like the answers. I’m not proud of myself.

Offering my advice to others makes me feel needed. It makes me feel important.

And I suppose I do have a need for perfectionism. Nobody else can get it right. I can only rely on myself. I can’t trust others to get it right.

Next, I need to become aware and accept that I’m not really helping others with my interfering behaviors. I need to ask myself “Is what I’m doing helping them? Or it is only confusing them more, not really helping to solve the problem?”

Then —and this is probably the key thing —I need to change the words I use. Learning to be less controlling requires different language. For example, when I met with a client who was reacting in incredibly wrong ways to her situation, I might say “Have you ever thought about other things you could do instead?” and get her to think through better ways to deal with it. And I would never say a word that was critical or judgmental about her poor judgment.

Or, I might say “What goes through your mind now, thinking about what you’ve just said?” to get her to think about a different perspective on her situation.

I haven’t been doing that lately. I need to change the words I use, to more gentle, caring words that get the other person to think about their

as regional sales manager focused on retention and growth of key and strategic commercial accounts.

situation and come up with ways of handling it differently.

I also need to change my own internal self-talk. I need to ask myself: “If I don’t give my advice, what’s the worst that could happen?” “What am I afraid will happen if I don’t control this situation or this person?” “Am I expecting the worst?” “What are the chances that the worst will really happen?”

I need to understand what it is I’m afraid of and determine if it’s realistic. Because often we exaggerate both how bad the outcome will be and how likely it is to happen. Sometimes bad things will happen and there’s little I can do about it. I need to frequently remind myself that controlling doesn’t work. That no one wants my advice. They have to figure it out for themselves. And I need to stay focused on the problems that are truly mine to solve. I need to remind myself I can only control myself and my behaviors. And that my way isn’t the only way. I will respect other people’s choices.

Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker with many years of experience helping people. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book, “When You Come to the Edge: Aging” or if you have questions for her, contact her at barbarapierce06@yahoo.com.

oratively with the entire orthopedic surgical team providing services at Community Memorial.”

“We’re a top employer in America thanks to our employees, who take great pride in our culture of passionately serving our customers and fulfilling our mission of improving access, affordability and the quality of healthcare in the communities we serve,” said Excellus BCBS President and CEO Jim Reed.

The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employee evaluations also included other employers in their respective industries that stood out either positively or negatively.

Kelli Lasher named sales director at Excellus

Lasher earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Utica College of Syracuse University and is a recognized certified community leader graduate from Leadership Greater Syracuse. Lasher also sits on the regional advisory board for Junior Achievement of Central Upstate New York. She and her family currently reside in Central New York.

Orthopedic surgeon joins Community Memorial

Orthopedic surgeon Richelle

Jim Reed

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

“We’re proud of this recognition and are committed to supporting our employees with our inclusive culture, comprehensive employee benefits, flexible work environment and more,” Reed added.

This award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., a world-leading statistics portal and industry-ranking provider.

Forbes and Statista selected the America’s Best Employers 2023 through an independent survey applied to a vast sample of about 45,000 American employees working for companies with more than 1,000 employees. Across 25 industry sectors,

Kelli Lasher

has named Kelli Lasher regional director of sales in the company’s Central New York and Utica/ North Country regions. In this new role, she will be responsible for sales and retention efforts for key and strategic commercial accounts.

Lasher has been with the health plan for 26 years. She began her career in 1997 as an account executive. Since that time, she has held a variety of sales and leadership positions in areas including commercial sales and government programs divisions. Most recently, Lasher served

Takemoto has recently joined Community Memorial (CMH) in Hamilton. Previously with a local orthopedic surgical practice, Takemoto decided to seek out other opportunities to serve the community. Endeared by Hamilton and the surrounding region and the supportive team of nurses and staff, Takemoto saw the potential to build on the orthopedic legacy at CMH.

“I am very committed to serving the patients of our community and believe that partnering with the hospital will help to better support patient care. My goal is to provide efficient, high-quality care for our community that will remain in place long after my career. I am dedicated to providing excellent, quality orthopedic services and working collab-

“We welcome Dr. Takemoto to the CMH family and thank her for the advanced services she has brought to us in the last year,” said Jeff Coakley, president and CEO of Community Memorial. “We look forward to growing orthopedic services for the community in collaboration with all CMH-affiliated orthopedic surgeons.”

Takemoto is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who completed fellowship training in orthopedic trauma. She specializes in comprehensive fracture care, post-traumatic reconstruction, and total joint arthroplasty of the shoulder, knee and hip.

In February 2022, after completing extensive training and certification, Takemoto became the first female surgeon in the world to use the VELYSTM Robotic-Assisted Solution and developed a successful robotic surgery program at CMH. Takemoto will continue to expand this service as part of the CMH team.

Takemoto is originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, and is a graduate of the Punahou School. She earned her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College in 1999 and is a graduate of Temple University School of Medicine, where she earned her MD in 2002. She completed a residency in orthopedic surgery from NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City under the tutelage of renowned surgeon Joseph Zuckerman. Following her residency, she completed the Altman Fellowship in Orthopedic Trauma at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. She is an active member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, AO North America and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Richelle Takemoto

A Mud Race For Daniel

By Daniel Baldwin

Daniel Barden Mudfest is the Utica Boilermaker’s dirty little brother, as mentioned on the event’s website (bardenmudfest.org). This road race doesn’t take place on city streets, indoor tracks or outdoor tracks.

It takes place in the woods, on a muddy trail, near MKJ Farm in Deansboro.

The mud race is no ordinary 5k or 15k, where the racers just have to run and complete the scheduled distance.

It is an obstacle race.

There is rope swinging, river crossing, wall and terrain climbing. Racers have to crawl through and slide down muddy tunnels. They have to swing across the monkey bars. Racers can either do the 5k race or the five-mile race at this event. There is also a kids’ run.

Both the five-mile and 5k race have more than 20 obstacles, according to Daniel Williams, race director.

Williams described these races as a challenging Adirondack hike.

“It’s challenging,” Williams said. “Obstacles are optional. So if you want to go around, you can go around. If you look at the Boilermaker, we’re the Boilermaker’s dirty little brother. The Boilermaker is hard. What we’re able to do was add mud to it and keep it at a 5k and five-mile and it is challenging. We’re poundfor-pound right there with some of the bigger races.”

These courses may be difficult to complete, but many local racers have accepted this challenge and competed in these sorts of races. Seven hundred seventy-five runners competed in last year’s race, according to Williams. While he sees this race as a challenging obstacle course, he also sees it as an opportunity for people to get out of their comfort zones — to stand up to the challenge and not run

away from it.

“It gets people out of their comfort zone,” Williams said. “It breaks that ‘hey every day is pretty easy for us in America.’ What I’m looking for is one day, I’m going to challenge you and give you this little taste of, ‘oh that is hard.’ We’re helping to get people off the couch and start evaluating their physical situation.”

Williams is even looking to help the racers mentally — to change their mindset on certain topics and issues throughout the world. And, to give hope to those who have lost a loved one or are dealing with a certain problem in their life.

him a dozen times through my sister, her kids and their birthday parties,” Williams said. “He was a 7-year-old kid that held the door for you. He was an old man in a young kid’s body.”

Williams attended Daniel’s funeral. He then went right to work, after the funeral, trying to put together some sort of fundraiser or event for Daniel and his surviving family.

“The main purpose of this mud run is to change people’s mindset and start gush-fires of change that will take decades to fully affect them,” Williams said. “We’re giving the people hope and it’s got to start with them. Then it’s the people who come to Mudfest that are like ‘man, this is just totally different. That wasn’t just physical or mental, that was really spiritual too.’ It’s about getting you to come to Mudfest to experience it, whether you’re a volunteer, spectator or participant. You’re going to get that same feeling, when you leave, that you are going to be that better person. They start that thought process of changing their mindset.”

This event is named after Daniel Barden, one of the first graders killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in 2012. Williams met Daniel many times throughout the years. He described Daniel as a polite and kind young boy.

“I had the privilege of meeting

“I went to the funeral and was so affected by seeing a 7-year-old casket going down through the church,” Williams said. “The emotion was so raw. I literally had an epiphany in the church. The last speaker fortunately for me said ‘if you could do something to make the world a better place then do it.’ That spurred me in that moment. I just thought about what I wanted to do. MKJ Farm is right around the corner from my house. Willie Nelson played there. I knew we could do it. So on the way to the cemetery, I was making phone calls. I called my buddy and he said ‘yeah let’s do the event.’ I made a couple more phone calls and next thing you know, my family started jamming on it (the event). The Deansboro and Mohawk Valley community came together and we built it.”

The event, Williams had in mind, was this mud race.

“That first year in 2013, we had a half-mile kids’ run with eight to 10 obstacles,” Williams said. “Then we did a 5k with 10 obstacles, with a goal of just getting these people (who have a problem or lost a loved one) back on their feet. We raised $83,000 that first year. Mark Martin came to me and said ‘that run, that you put on, can we keep doing that?’ and I was like yeah. So here we are.”

Daniel Barden Mudfest started in 2013 and lasted until 2019. COVID-19 put it on a two-year hiatus. The event returned in April of last year.

Williams and his crew are ready for this year’s race, and they are hoping to get more racers and entries than in previous years.

“We’re shooting for 1,600 runners this year and to raise $100k,” Williams said.

Mudfest will take place near MKJ Farm, in Deansboro, on May 6. There will be a post-race party with live music at the farm. All proceeds will go to the Daniel Barden Adventure Scholarship, a leadership program that selects students for an all-expense-paid 10-day canoe and camping trip in the Adirondacks in July, according to The Rome Sentinel.

All proceeds raised at this event will go to the Daniel Barden Adventure Scholarship, a leadership program that selects students for an all-expense-paid 10-day canoe and camping trip in the Adirondacks in July.

The 2023 Daniel Barden Mudfest will take place near MKJ Farm in Deansboro on May 6. More information at bardenmudfest.org.

Honoring a Sandy Hook first graders killed in a shooting

CAPTION: Mudfest started in 2013 and the event is still running strong. This year’s race will be on May 6 near MKJ Farm in Deansboro.

Daniel Williams, race director.