Post Covid: Recapture Your Physical and Mental Health

POST COVID: Recapture

Your Physical and Mental Health

by Dr. Kevin Bartolomucci

The past year has been challenging for many reasons. Working in family medicine, we have seen people deal with stressors of the pandemic in many ways. Some people are able to harness stress toward health improvement. However, oftentimes, individual coping patterns can be harmful to one’s mental and physical health. During the lockdown, we have seen a significant decline in exercise and dietary adherence. Many individuals have struggled with time due to difficulties balancing working from home while simultaneously trying to guide their child’s online curriculum.

This has made eating quick, calorie dense and nutrient poor foods the easy solution.

Additionally, many people have found it easy to reach for an extra drink of alcohol to help cope with these significant stressors. As a result, weight gain has become an accepted normal consequence of the COVID pandemic.

An American Psychological Association survey in February showed that 61% of US adults had undesired weight changes since the start of the pandemic. Unfortunately, these coping strategies and weight changes are the main contributors to the development of chronic health conditions, with type II diabetes being at the top of the list.

The most recent information from the CDC reports 34.1 million adults aged 18 and older have diabetes. This comprises an astounding 13% of all US adults. Furthermore, it is estimated that 26% of US adults over the age of 65 have diabetes. These numbers have steadily risen since the 1990s. Diabetes causes significant morbidity including end stage kidney disease, blindness, and permanent nerve damage. Additionally, diabetes is one of the biggest risk factors for the development of heart disease and stroke. Not only does this diagnosis significantly impact your physical health, but it also can damage your financial health. The total direct cost of diabetes in our country in 2017 was estimated at $237 billion per the CDC. More importantly, costs per individual were estimated at more than $9500 per year.

What can you do to reverse this trend? Control what you can!

• It is certainly frustrating that gyms are not open or require mask wearing.

However, there are numerous online exercise programs that can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Oftentimes, pricing for these programs will be less than what the average individual is paying for a gym membership.

We are also lucky in our community to have numerous parks and walking trails.

Embrace the outdoors. Don’t let the elements deter you. We live in Western

Pennsylvania; put on a hat and gloves, wear a coat, grab an umbrella. This will do wonders for your mental and physical health.

• Monitor your food intake. It can be very overwhelming to count calories or journal everything that you put into your body. If you are motivated to do so, use one of the numerous apps, such as MyFitnessPal, to help you reach your goals. If you feel that this is not achievable, then just be mindful of your daily consumption. Give yourself the opportunity to succeed by shopping smart. Attempt to plan your meals for the week and grocery shop with a purpose. Keep in mind that it is hard to go wrong with healthier options when you stay to the outside aisles of the grocery store. If you know you cannot control your snack food intake, do not allow these items to get into your shopping cart. Design your meals with the goal of at least half of your plate consisting of fruit and vegetables, a protein the size of your fist, and a carb less than a ½ cup. We love pasta like everyone else, but it doesn’t need to be the entire plate.

• Be mindful. Mindfulness is the concept of being present and aware of where we are, what we are doing, and how we are feeling. In the technological era, it is easy to not be present in the moment.

Mindfulness attempts to bring you back to the reality around you. This concept has been shown to reduce stress, improve physical health, and interpersonal relationships. For example, pay closer attention to your surroundings. What sounds are you hearing? How are you feeling in that moment? What do you see around you? Although we have all faced adversity this past year, mindfulness will help you focus on the present instead of living in the past or worrying about the future.

The next time you feel the urge to look at your phone to pass time, try to be mindful instead!

As we transition to a new state of normal, we hope you can use some of these tips to focus on your health and well-being. Do not hesitate to reach out to a healthcare provider if you need more assistance.

A family medicine practice

founded by Dr. Kevin Bartolomucci and his wife, physician assistant Rebecca Bartolomucci. Kevin and Rebecca both grew up in Greensburg Pennsylvania and have been working in family medicine since 2012. In 2015, Kevin completed his residency from Excela Health Latrobe Family Medicine. Kevin and Rebecca credit their son, Armond, as a motivating factor to pursue family medicine.

bartolomuccifamilymedicine.com 724-420-5928 120 Village Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601

GRAND OPENING JULY 6TH

Open to patients starting on July 6th, 2021. Schedule an appointment today!

Flurry of Business Construction Paves Way for New Jobs

The frame of the new Fossil Industries Building rises at Technology Park II. In the background is the new Al. Neyer facility.

I’ve got some exciting news to share about business expansions in Westmoreland County.

The Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation had an exciting six-month period at the end of 2020 and the start of 2021 that saw us sell 44 acres in our industrial parks. When construction is complete, these properties are expected to support 70 existing jobs and create an additional 370 jobs within five years. Although my comments are focused on just a few projects, the reality is this is the busiest our team has been for nearly a decade managing expansion and attraction projects!

The first two sales that I’ll recap involved land at Westmoreland Technology Park II, which straddles the East Huntingdon and Hempfield border.

In August, Red Fish, LLC bought 10.99 acres on behalf of start-up manufacturer Fossil Industries, which expects to employ as many as 38 workers within five years. Those skilled workers will use high-tech manufacturing techniques to build a variety of consumer products, such as barbecue grills, fireplace components and aftermarket automotive components. Construction of the 41,000 SF facility began this spring, and Fossil Industries expects work to be completed in October. The manufacturer plans two additional phases of development for the property in coming years. estate development company with a national client base, Al. Neyer initially constructed a 150,000 SF facility but needs to modify the facility to support a large international tenant. This modification includes the purchase of the surrounding parcels to construct parking and delivery improvements. Employment could eclipse 300! Construction began in November with overall development scheduled for early 2022.

This February, Wyatt Inc. finalized the purchase of 19.92 acres at I-70 Industrial Park in South Huntingdon Township so it can build a 120,000 SF facility for its millwork and exterior curtain wall manufacturing operation. Wyatt will move its woodworking mill shop operation from leased space at Monessen Riverfront Industrial Park, so it has room for future growth. When scouting sites to build a new facility, Wyatt President Fred Episcopo emphasized that he wanted to be close to the existing site so as not to create a hardship for his workers. The WCIDC’s foresight in developing ready-tobuild sites enabled Wyatt to keep those 70 jobs in Westmoreland County. The news gets better: Wyatt expects its workforce to grow by about 10 percent annually during the first five years at I-70 Industrial Park.

In The Works

Those aren’t the only land sales that we’ve been working on. In April, we signed off on an agreement that gives New Jersey-based Weiss-Aug Group a six-month window to finalize the purchase of 6.23 acres at Westmoreland Business & Research Park in Washington Township. Weiss-Aug already owns one business — JK Tool — in the park, and at the time of the announcement, President Dieter Weissenrieder said he was excited to be able to shift the project to Westmoreland County after plans to build in New Jersey stalled for more than a year because of regulation.

“We also like the business climate (in Westmoreland), where business decisions can be made rather quickly without much red tape,” Weissenrieder said.

by Jason Rigone, WCIDC Executive Director

Our Newest Park

Let’s wrap things up by looking ahead to a celebration. We’re making ribboncutting plans for Commerce Crossing at Westmoreland, the newest addition to our robust industrial/business park system. Located along Waltz Mill Road in Sewickley Township, this 206-acre park features five sites — two of which already are under negotiation for development. Al. Neyer plans to construct two 250,000 SF facilities that, at full occupancy, will create more than 400 new jobs. Given its proximity to I-70, the Turnpike and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad, this park is ideally located for businesses that want to operate along a key transportation hub. You can bet we’re polishing the oversized, ceremonial scissors as we look forward to a late-summer grand-opening celebration.

For additional details, please visit westmorelandcountyidc.org

and view our 2020 Annual Report!

Everything You Need to Know About Medicare

by Allison Clayton

What is Medicare and who is eligible?

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill that led to the formation of Medicare. The original Medicare program included Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance), also known as “Original Medicare.” Over the years, Congress has made changes to Medicare benefits and to include many groups of eligibles.

Medicare is a national health insurance for people 65 or older, certain people under 65 with disabilities, and people of any age with End-Stage Renal Disease. Medicare has many moving parts, and it is important to understand how they fit together for you.

What are the Parts of Medicare?

skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and some home health care.

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)

Part B covers certain doctor services like a specialist visit, outpatient services, durable medical supplies, and preventive services.

Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage)

These plans are an alternative to Original Medicare (Part A and B). They include Part A, Part B, and usually Part D. Most plans offer benefits that Original Medicare does not cover like routine vision and dental. Because of their contract with Medicare, thus being allowed to call themselves “Part C”, the plans must minimally cover what Original Medicare covers and follow Medicare’s coverage rules.

Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage)

Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs. You can receive these benefits through a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage or standalone Medicare drug plan.

WHAT is a MEDIGAP OR SUPPLEMENT PLAN?

Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) helps pay some of the out-of-pocket health care costs that Original Medicare (Parts A and B) doesn’t pay. It isn’t a government benefit, like Parts A and B. Plans are offered through private insurance companies. It’s your decision whether to add a supplement with your Original Medicare. You cannot have both Medicare Advantage (or Part C) and a Medigap plan at the same time, thus this is an important decision that I help clients navigate especially when new to Medicare.

There are 10 standardized Medicare supplement insurance plans, labeled “A” through “N.” (These letters are not related to the

Medicare Part A, B, C and D) The main purpose of a Medicare supplement plan is to cover some of the out-of-pocket costs not paid by Medicare Parts A and B. This includes deductibles, copays, and co-insurance. Each of the standardized plans provides benefits for different outof-pocket costs. The most popular plans among clients in 2021 are Plan N and Plan G.

When to Enroll

When to enroll depends on your specific situation. If you are already retired (woohoo!), in most cases you want to enroll in Medicare within the 3 months before your 65th birthday, so that your Medicare coverage begins on the 1st of your birthday month. Your Initial Enrollment Period is the seven month window around your 65th birthday. During the entire seven months you can enroll in Medicare, however if you enroll in your birthday month or the three months after, there will be a delay to your Part B Medicare. If you are still working or covered through a spouse’s employer based coverage, you may want to delay your Medicare Part B depending on the type of coverage you have. Contact your benefits administrator or call me to learn more about how your plan may work with Medicare.

How to Enroll

Contact the social security office one of three ways: 1. Set up a phone appointment 2. Enroll on the Social Security website 3. Make an appointment with your local Social

Security office

After you apply, it will take usually 2 to 4 weeks for your card to arrive, so you should plan to apply several weeks before you need the coverage to begin. And remember, this will enroll you in Medicare Part A and B. If you want to enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, Prescription Drug Plan, or Medicare Supplement, you can work with a licensed agent (like me!) to help navigate options in your area. A llison Clayton is a licensed independent insurance agent in Pennsylvania for ten years at Insurance Services LLC. Our home office and headquarters for Insurance Services LLC is located in Greensburg, PA. Our family-owned and operated independent insurance agency has specialized in serving Medicare-eligible since 1980 and is A+ rated at the Better Business Bureau. A little bit about Allison - Originally from Altoona, PA, she moved to Greensburg to pursue a degree in art and business at Seton Hill University. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, she moved to Florida for a year to work at an advertising agency. After a year in Fort Lauderdale, it was time to move home and search for a lifelong career... so she went back to evening classes at SHU to complete a Master’s in Business Administration in 2010. In 2012, she decided to take the PA health and life insurance test and become an agent and now specializes in the wide world of Medicare and helping beneficiaries navigate the scary waters known as retirement. A few fun facts - While at school, she started a photography business that is still an active photo studio today for other photographers to create in. Along with photography, Allison pursued a unique fitness goal and competed in 5 bodybuilding competitions, the last one being the Arnold Amateur NPC Championships in Columbus, OH placing 6th out of 20 international physique competitors. She and her husband Dan just recently opened a high performance marine and competition engine shop named CPD Engine Works in Jeannette and enjoy boating in the Pittsburgh rivers and traveling to different lakes in the US. She and Dan have two rescued pups named Zelda and Xena.