In Good Health: Mohawk Valley #220 - June 2024

• Your Brain Doesn’t Want You to Exercise

• Men and the Friendship Gap

Vincent Faraone is director of Kunkel Ambulance Service in Utica. Photo courtesy of DeNicola Photography.

You Might Fare Better If Your Doctor Is Female, Study Finds

The gender of your doctor may play a part in your prognosis:

New research shows that hospitalized patients are less likely to die if they're treated by a female physician.

About 10.15% of men and 8.2% of women died while under the care of a female doctor, versus 10.23% and 8.4% when treated by a male doctor, according to results published April 22 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. This is a troubling discrepancy, given that patient outcomes

shouldn't differ if men and women practice medicine in the same way, said senior study author, physician Yusuke Tsugawa. He's an associate professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles.

“What our findings indicate is that female and male physicians practice medicine differently, and these differences have a meaningful

impact on patients' health outcomes,” Tsugawa said in an UCLA news release.

For the study, researchers analyzed Medicare claims data from 2016 to 2019 for about 458,100 female and nearly 319,800 male patients. Of those, roughly 31% were treated by female doctors.

Not only were patients less likely to die with a female doctor, but they also were less likely to land back in the hospital within a month of dis-

Build Social Connection. Prevent Loneliness.

We may not think of loneliness as posing serious health risks, but if feelings of loneliness are not addressed, they can significantly impact our health. There are ways to help prevent loneliness and the resulting health impacts. If you’re feeling lonely, consider the following:

• Seek support: Reach out to friends, family or a therapist. Support groups can also foster a sense of community and understanding.

• Volunteer: Helping others can boost self-esteem and foster meaningful relationships.

• Take up a hobby: Engage in activities that bring you joy. Join a club or group with shared interests to meet new people and build relationships.

• Practice self-care: Maintain a healthy diet, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and practice mindfulness and self-compassion.

• Try something new: Step outside your comfort zone. It can be intimidating but can also lead to new connections and relationships.

Listen to our episode, “The Loneliness Epidemic” on the Community Check-in to learn more about this issue and who is most at risk.

charge, researchers found.

They had several theories why male doctors might not be as effective as female doctors in treating women.

Male doctors might underestimate the severity of a female patient's illness, researchers said. Prior studies have found that male doctors tend to misjudge women's pain levels, heart and GI symptoms and stroke risk.

It also might be that women communicate better and are more comfortable with female doctors, making it likelier they disclose important information leading to better diagnosis and treatment.

More research is needed into how and why male physicians practice medicine differently, as well as the impact this difference has on patient care, Tsugawa said.

“Further research on the underlying mechanisms linking physician gender with patient outcomes, and why the benefit of receiving the treatment from female physicians is larger for female patients, has the potential to improve patient outcomes across the board,” Tsugawa said.

Tsugawa added that these results show gender gaps in physician pay must be eliminated.

“It is important to note that female physicians provide high-quality care, and therefore, having more female physicians benefits patients from a societal point of view,” Tsugawa said.

A 2021 analysis published in the journal Health Affairs found that female physicians earn an estimated $2 million less than male doctors during a 40-year medical career.

Take the Stairs and Step Up to Longer Life

Want to live longer? Choose the stairs over the elevator, a new review suggests.

Folks who regularly climb stairs have a 24% reduced risk of dying from any cause, and a 39% reduced risk of dying from heart disease, compared to those who always take the elevator, researchers found.

Stair climbing also is associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack, heart failure or stroke, results show.

“If you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart,” said researcher Sophie Paddock, of the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust in Norwich, U.K..

Stair climbing is a practical, easily accessible form of physical activity, Paddock said. Despite this, it's often overlooked by folks rushing to get to a higher floor.

“Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts,

and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines,” Paddock said.

For the study, researchers pooled data from nine studies involving more than 480,000 people. Studies were included regardless of the number of flights people climbed or the speed at which they took them.

“Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-today lives,” Paddock said in a news release. “Our study suggested that the more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits — but this needs to be confirmed. So, whether at work, home or elsewhere, take the stairs.”

Researchers presented the findings recently at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology. Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

What is 988?

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a free service that offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors for individuals who are suicidal, experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, or any emotional distress. This service also supports those concerned about someone in need of crisis support. In Central New York, 988 Lifeline is staffed and operated by Contact Community Services, ensuring local support for the community.

Who can contact 988?

The service is inclusive, open to individuals of all ages, genders, ethnicities, races, religions, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses. Specialized lines are available for Veterans, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and Spanish speakers.

Will services be offered in other languages?

Yes, 988 Lifeline offers phone services in English and Spanish, with Language Line Solutions providing translation in over 150 additional languages. However, chat and text services are currently available only in English.

What happens when I contact 988?

You’ll be connected to your local 988 Lifeline crisis center based on your area code, where a trained counselor will assist you. If the local center is busy, your call will be redirected to a national backup center to ensure you receive the support you need.

Meet Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Clinton Ingersol,

M.D.

New doctor at Crouse is an endocrine surgeon, one of the few in Upstate New York. He talks about his specialty, which involves operating on endocrine glands

Q: You’re an endocrine surgeon. How rare of a subspecialty is that?

A: Yes, there are relatively few of us across the country.

Q: What kinds of operations do you perform?

A: My specialized training involves operating on endocrine glands, so that includes the thyroid gland, parathyroid gland and the adrenal glands.

Q: What kinds of conditions would necessitate operating on these glands?

A: Thyroid cancers or symptomatic nodules such as a thyroid goiter are common. Sometimes there are functional thyroid nodules. Patients can also see me for parathyroid disease which causes high calcium levels in the blood or adrenal masses which, again, could be functional or non functional.

glands, what considerations do you have to make that might be different than with general surgery? that my training has brought me is a better understanding of the medical side of the management of these patients, particularly when it comes to treat ing patients with functional surgi cal disease.

you interested in endocrine surgery?

surgery was an area

of my general surgery residency where I got very good operative exposure and had excellent mentors. I enjoyed the anatomy and the technical aspects of performing the relatively detail-oriented surgeries. And I enjoyed the diversity of patients and disease pathologies I was able to treat as an endocrine surgeon.

Q: And you’re also a general surgeon, correct? Are you also doing general surgery at Crouse?

A: Yes, I am.

Q: What brought you to Crouse and Central New York?

A: I moved here for the job. I was attracted to Crouse because it’s a well-respected health system. It has a positive culture, and I know my patients here are receiving excellent service and care. What most attracted me, though, were my surgical partners who have been very supportive and collaborative. And I also get to work with residents from the Upstate

even among our thyroid cancer patients. Part of it is the nature of the disease, part of it is because we have very good treatment, including surgery.

Q: What would the process be for a patient leading up to endocrine surgery?

A: Thyroid patients will usually come to see me if they have an enlarged thyroid that’s causing them symptoms or have symptoms related to hyper-secretion of hormones from one or more thyroid nodules. Or, more commonly, they have a nodule that was discovered maybe incidentally. They’ll typically have a fine needle aspiration biopsy before they come to see me and be referred to me depending on the outcome of biopsy. Parathyroid patients typically have undergone a work-up for high calcium levels. Many patients referred for adrenal disease have what we call incidentalomas, which is an adrenal mass which is seen on imaging that was done for something else. The patients with functional adrenal tumors will typically be having symptoms, whether it’s hypertension that’s difficult to control, high blood sugars or fast heart rate.

Q: Are these issues usually resolved by surgery, or do they require additional therapies?

A: It varies. So for thyroid there’s been a lot of emphasis on trying to deescalate the extent of surgery. So typically surgery is part of a multimodal treatment, which may or may not include radioactive iodine. Typically, patients aren’t getting any sort of therapy pre-operatively for thyroid cancer. There are some medications that are used to treat parathyroid disease. Those are usually reserved for patients who aren’t good candidates for surgery or have something called secondary hyperparathyroidism, where the disease is caused by kidney dysfunction rather than the glands themselves.

Q: What kinds of recovery times are we looking at with endocrine surgery?

A: Patients tend to do very well post-operatively. Either they go home the same day or the following day.

Lifelines

Name: Clinton Ingersol, M.D.

Position: Endocrine and general surgeon at Crouse Hospital

Hometown: Mount Vernon, Ohio

Education: Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, New Haven, Connecticut; residency at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; fellowshio: endocrine surgery at University of Miami, Jackson Health, Miami

Affiliations: Crouse Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital

Organizations: American Association of Endocrine Surgeons; American College of Surgeons

Family: Wife, twin boys, one girl

Hobbies: Hiking, cycling, traveling, classical music, spending time with family.

Weight Loss Surgery

Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Travel Solo and Rediscover Yourself: 10 Tips

Editor’s Note: We recently featured Gwenn’s travel adventures in the MayJune issue of “55Plus” — www.roc55. com. Her article included tips for solo travel, which we also wanted to share with readers of “In Good Health.”

“Oh, I could never do that!”

exclaimed an old friend of mine

I bumped into recently. She was reacting to my enthusiastic account of traveling by myself to Paris this past September.

And, she was right of course — she will never experience the fun and fulfillment of traveling solo, as long as she holds onto that attitude.

Traveling alone, just like living alone, requires the right frame of mind for it to be successful and enjoyable.

But why travel solo in the first place, you might ask.

Why go to Paris alone?

Why not grab a friend or two and make it a shared experience?

And to that I answer, because the potential for self-discovery and savoir-faire that comes with solo travel is absolutely priceless.

While I’m not suggesting an exclusive diet of solo travel, I am encouraging those who live alone (and even those who don’t) to consider this occasional mode of travel for two really good reasons: you’ll gain confidence and you’ll gain wisdom from your experiences.

For me, solo travel is a journey of growth and empowerment, much

like the adventures depicted in “Eat, Pray, Love.”

Below are 10 tips to make your solo experience safe, enjoyable, and memorable:

1. Adopt the right attitude: It starts here. You can do this, even if a spouse or partner took care of travel plans in the past. Solo travel can evoke powerful insights about yourself and your life.

Many discover that they are more capable, wiser, and self-reliant than they thought.

2. Start small and close to home: Ease into solo travel by taking short overnight or weekend trips to nearby destinations to build your confidence.

3. Follow your heart when choosing a destination: Let love be your guide. Do you love the beach? Cities? Food and wine? Outdoor adventures? Select a destination that aligns with your interests and desires.

And ask yourself: What do I want to get out of my trip? Relaxation, physical activity, cultural immersion, personal growth? Design your trip accordingly.

4. Plan, plan, and plan (and budget!): I started planning for my Paris trip two years prior to take-off. I opened a Paris savings account into which I weekly (and automatically) transferred money from my checking account.

Then, the research began — the fun part! I scoured the internet, purchased travel guides, talked with

friends, and delved into everything Parisian. Voila! My itinerary took shape and I booked my flight.

5. Carefully select accommodations: While rentals can offer a more local experience, I recommend hotels for solo travelers.

Take a close look at hotels with onsite cafés or courtyards where you can connect with other travelers. I’ve met wonderful people that way and picked up excellent tips for what to see and do.

Hotels also provide added security, convenience and helpful services for solo travelers. I always let the front-desk staff know I’m traveling alone and welcome their recommendations for dining, excursions, and transportation.

6. Keep safety a priority. Just as I do at home, I steer clear of unsafe areas, trust my instincts, and walk with confidence. In Paris, I dress to blend it and avoid looking like a tourist.

I know I’m doing something right, when other travelers mistake me for a local Parisian and ask for directions. There are safety tips galore on the web. Check ‘em out!

7. Stay connected: Sharing your experiences by phone or social media with friends and family can enhance your solo adventure.

It allows you to capture special moments and share your excitement. It also adds a layer of safety and peace of mind when others know of your whereabouts.

8. Pack light and smart: I learned this lesson early on. Waiting at a baggage carousel or hauling a heavy bag through crowded streets was not how I wanted to spend my time in Paris.

I bring a very small carry-on roller bag and a day tote for when I’m out and about. Rick Steves is my trusted travel guru. Find his packing tips on Ricksteves.com

9. Explore and immerse yourself: Embrace the freedom of solo travel by trying new things. Immerse

yourself in the local culture, try new foods, and engage with locals. Join guided tours and activities to meet like-minded travelers.

I’ll never forget the midnight “rain or shine” bike tour I booked in Paris. As soon as the group assembled, the skies opened up. Disposable rain ponchos were quickly distributed and off we went in the pouring rain.

It’s one of my fondest and wettest memories!

10. And finally, importantly . . . pace yourself. Trying to see and do too much can be exhausting and unfulfilling. A more relaxed itinerary – focused on what matters most to you – enables you to appreciate your chosen activities and sites more deeply.

It will also leave room for spontaneity and personal reflection on your solo journey. This way, you’ll be able to savor each moment, create meaningful memories, and return home feeling refreshed and inspired.

Are you on board? Ready to take off?

Whether it’s a one-day, a weekend or weeklong adventure, I encourage you to go it alone and embrace the joie de vivre that traveling solo can inspire.

Gwenn Voelckers is the author of “Alone and Content: Inspiring, empowering essays to help divorced and widowed women feel whole and complete on their own.” She welcomes your thoughts on this column as well as topic suggestion for future essays at gvoelckers@rochester. rr.com.

A Cheaper Way to Protect Kids' Teeth From Cavities

Acheap cavity-fighting liquid typically used to treat sensitive teeth appears to work as well as dental sealants in preventing tooth decay, a new study finds.

A single treatment of either silver diamine fluoride (SDF) or a typical dental sealant prevented 80% of cavities for four years among thousands of New York City elementary schoolchildren, researchers report March 4 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

The treatments also kept 50% of existing cavities from worsening during the same period of time.

The study “reaffirms that both sealants and SDF are effective against cavities,” said lead researcher Ryan Richard Ruff, an assistant professor of epidemiology and health promo-

tion at the NYU School of Dentistry.

SDF's advantage is that it can be applied by school nurses as well as dental hygienists, potentially expanding the number of kids who could receive such protective care while in class, Ruff said.

“Nurses may be an untapped resource for addressing oral health inequities,” Ruff added in a university news release. “Our results suggest that nurses can effectively provide this preventive care, which could dramatically improve access, given the role of school nurses and the size of the nursing workforce.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promotes and funds school-based sealant programs, in which dental professionals

visit kids at elementary schools to apply a thin, protective coating that hardens teeth and protects them against decay, researchers said in background notes.

The CDC estimates that each tooth sealed saves more than $11 in dental treatment costs. Applying sealants at school to the nearly 7 million low-income children who lack such dental care could prevent more than 3 million cavities and save up to $300 million in dental costs.

Unfortunately, these programs can only succeed in preventing cavities if there are enough health professionals available to apply the cavity-fighting substances.

For the study, 4,100 New York City kids received either SDF or a sealant at their elementary school twice a year. More than a quarter of

the kids had untreated cavities at the start of the study.

Sealants were applied by dental hygienists, while SDF was applied by either a dental hygienist or a registered nurse. All operated under the supervision of a dentist.

“Most research shows that SDF can stop a cavity from progressing further. Our study demonstrated that SDF can prevent cavities from happening in the first place,” said researcher Tamarinda Barry Godín, a research scientist at NYU College of Dentistry.

What's more, kids who had SDF applied by either a dental hygienist or a registered nurse did just as well, suggesting that school nurses could play a crucial role in cavity prevention programs.

Career in Healthcare

‘EMTs Really Do Make a Difference!”

By Barbara Pierce

Vincent Faraone began his career as an EMT nearly 40 years ago. He is now the director of Kunkel Ambulance Service in Utica.

Kunkel Ambulance provides 911 emergency services to Oneida and Herkimer counties and is responsible for transporting patients to and from hospitals.

Q: How did you become an EMT?

A: In 1985, I became an EMT. I’d always been interested in this. As a kid, I backpacked into the woods, going to places where there was no doctor. But the thing that pushed me over the edge was an incident that happened when I was out in the woods, hunting with an old man. He had heart trouble. One day when out there in the woods, he had a heart problem and needed to stop and lean against a tree. I helped him take a nitroglycerin tablet he carried with him. This incident led me to take an EMT course and I joined the volunteer ambulance corps in Syracuse as a volunteer.

Q: How did you go from EMT to director of Kunkel Ambulance?

A: I started as a volunteer in Syracuse, then became an EMT, working part-time for Syracuse Ambulance to better my skills. They offered me a full-time job, which I really liked and did for years. I went to school to become a paramedic.

Q: How do paramedics differ from EMTs?

A: EMTs handle broken bones and do life-saving care to people. Paramedics are more highly trained and capable of more advanced medical procedures such as cardio procedures. Paramedics depend on the EMTs. Without a good EMT to do the footwork, they can’t function. Our EMTs are a huge help.

Q: How did your career lead to director at Kunkel Ambulance?

A: In 1995, when I was a paramedic in Syracuse, Kunkel was looking for a director of operations, so I moved to Utica and became their director of operations. Then I left to

work for the state as regional EMS coordinator. When Kunkel sold to Priority Ambulance in 2016, they offered me a position. (Priority Ambulance is a national corporation; we’re still known as Kunkel Ambulance.) I was fortunate to move up to my current position with them. I’ve been blessed. Though now I spend my time on finances, payroll, purchasing, hiring and staffing, I’ve maintained my paramedic skills.

Q: Kunkel Ambulance handles 911 calls and provides transportation between medical facilities.

A: 75% of our work is 911 calls. Every 911 call in Oneida or Herkimer County gets transferred to us. We do our own dispatching. Each ambulance is staffed with skilled, certified paramedics and trained EMTs. Our ambulances are equipped with the latest technology. We work closely with hospitals, communicating before our ambulances arrive so the hospital is prepared for the patient. 25% of our work is transporting patients to and from hospitals.

Q: How have things changed in emergency medical services?

A: What’s changed is that our health care system isn’t as good. To see a doctor, you’ve got to wait three months. Many of the people we see don’t even have a primary care physician. Or their physician doesn’t handle calls outside of business hours. Many don’t have insurance. You can’t see your doctor when you’re in a crisis. It’s a failure of the system.

COVID did much harm. A lot of talented nurses left the field, some because they didn’t want to get vaccinated, others because they didn’t want to deal with an unknown illness. That’s happened, not just here, but on a nationwide level.

Q: Are you looking to hire people? What characteristics are you looking for in the people you hire?

A: We’re always looking for people.

What kind of people am I looking for? I can teach you to be an EMT, but I can’t teach you how to be a good person. I’m looking for good people. You have to have compassion. I can’t emphasize that enough. People are scared when we see them; they’re not on their best behavior. EMTs have to understand this is the worse day of that person’s life and have empathy. TV shows glorify emergency services; the real world isn’t like that.

Sometimes we deal with life and death situations, but most of the people we see aren’t going to die. They do need someone with compassion to help them get through this crisis. Hold their hand, do whatever helps. We look for people that have that ability. Some people come to us already certified as an EMT. Others haven’t had any experience and that’s OK; we’ll train you and get you certified.

Q: Working in emergency medical services means undergoing considerable stress and immense pressure every day. How do you and your employees manage this stress?

A: You have to take your job seriously; know you’ve done the very best for that person. We’re good at keeping people alive, but we don’t have the depth of knowledge that doctors have. We stabilize the patient and get them to care. There are good days and there are bad days.

We really do make a difference; we do so much life-saving intervention for people.

Vincent Faraone is director of Kunkel Ambulance Service in Utica. Photo courtesy of DeNicola Photography.

Rome Health’s RN Transition to Practice

Program Earns Accreditation

Rome Health’s RN Transition to Practice Program (TTP) has earned accreditation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs (CAPTP).

Under the leadership of Transitions to Practice Coordinator McKayla Turnbull, this comprehensive program is designed to support newly licensed registered nurses (RNs) as they transition from the classroom to clinical practice.

The year-long program focuses on promotion of quality patient care, positive patient outcomes and professionalism. It helps the RN build confidence, resilience and, improve decision-making skills, their understanding of delegation and nursing care delivery models, while promoting the incorporation of research-based evidence into practice.

The evidence-based curriculum utilizes a combination of didactic instruction, hands-on clinical experiences, and mentorship from experienced nursing professionals to help new RNs gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to excel in their nursing careers.

“This prestigious accreditation underscores Rome Health’s commitment to excellence in nursing education and professional development,” said Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President Clinical Services Ashley Edwards.

“We are incredibly proud to have earned accreditation from the ANCC CAPTP,” Edwards said. “This accreditation validates the high standards of our RN Transition to Practice Program and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional education and support for our nursing staff. In the next three months we will be welcoming 21 graduate nurses into our newly accredited program.”

The accreditation process conducted by the ANCC CAPTP is rigorous and requires programs to meet strict standards for quality and effectiveness in nursing practice transition. By achieving this accreditation, Rome Health’s RN Transition to Practice Program has demonstrated its alignment with best practices in nursing education and its dedication to ensuring that newly licensed RNs are well-prepared to deliver high-quality care to patients.

The reviewers highlighted Rome Health’s extern program/ senior nurse resident program as a “best practice” that can and should be shared with others. It provides student nurses with training and education to expand their skills while working as an aide.

Q & A

with Jennifer Malpezzi

Director of Early Childhood Services at Upstate Caring Partners talks about the services the agency provides to children with special needs David L. Podos

Q.: I believe Upstate Caring Partners went by a different name at one time. Is that true?

A.: Yes, we used to be called Upstate Cerebral Palsy.

Q.: When was the name changed and why did that come about?

A.: The name was changed about a year ago. We recognized that we serve a much broader population of individuals, not just individuals with cerebral palsy. So we changed the name to better reflect the individuals we support.

Q.: Why is it so important to have an early intervention program and what are the services that are provided?

A.: Well, first off, the program is a federally funded program. It started all the way back in 1994. So, we provide evaluation, therapy, and service coordination services to children from birth to age 3.

Q.: That certainly is an early intervention. Why is this so important?

A.: Research shows us that the

eral and look at the five major areas of development which are communication, adaptative, social-emotional, cognitive and motor skills.

Q.: I am assuming that the financial status of families really has no significant bearing on the child in regards to those five major areas of development that you just mentioned?

A.: That is correct. These issues are universal and do not discriminate between wealthy or poor families. We see children having the same issues in either family.

Q.: When your agency begins to work with a child, are those services offered at the child’s residence or are they received here at the agency?

A.: Both places. We provide the therapy at home or we can provide the therapy here. Actually, there are a number of “other” alternative settings where we can still provide the services and that can be at any number of community locations such as libraries or playgrounds. We strive to cater to the family’s needs and what is easier for them. Sometimes if the home setting is too chaotic, then we work with the child in one of our treatment rooms on site. We also a run a developmental group two mornings a week here at our facility for children who are presenting cognitive and communication delays to come and learn social skills. It’s actually like a pre-preschool environment.

Q.: Who runs that program?

A.: That is run by a special education teacher.

Q.: Are there many children receiving services?

A.: Last year we saw close to 375 children. We did about 230 evaluations and provided close to 11,000 therapy sessions.

Q.: How is the early intervention program funded?

A.: The majority of funding comes from the Department of Health.

Q.: How many staff do you have in the Early Intervention program?

earlier we find “delays” and address them, the less likelihood for the need of services as the child continues to age into young adulthood. A young child’s brain is more elastic, meaning the interventions we offer have a far greater propensity to bring positive results.

Q.: What kinds of issues are you seeing in these very young children that necessitates an intervention?

A.: The biggest delay we see by far is a delay in communication skills. It is often difficult to say exactly why these young children are experiencing this, but we have been seeing an increase [of what we believe] will eventually turn to autism. Also, some kids are born with Down syndrome, others are born with cerebral palsy, some children are born with a genetic condition that predisposes them to cognitive setbacks.

Q.: Are there any specific characteristics that your evaluations look for once you are seeing a child with potential issues?

A.: Our evaluations are very gen-

A.: We presently have 40 staff that are providing services to varying degrees. For example, some staff only see kids one or two time per week, as many are professionals working fulltime for other agencies, etc. That said, we do have five full-time staff who work exclusively in the early intervention program.

Q.: How would someone contact the agency for more information about your services?

A.: The early intervention initial evaluations begin at the Department of Health located in the county that the child resides in. So, if a parent feels that their child is in need of services, they should call the Department of Health in the county that they live in. From that point, if the Department of Health confirms that the child is in need for early intervention services, the county will assign an initial service coordinator to meet with the family. The service coordinator will give the parents a list of agencies that provide early intervention services. If we are chosen, then the coordinator contacts us and then arranges for the child to receive our services.

To call Upstate Caring Partners: 315-724- 6907. More information can be found on wwwupstatecp.org

What Do Sleep Labs Do?

How sleep medicine can help you catch more Zs

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Have you wondered if a sleep lab could benefit your slumber?

Jazeela Fayyaz, doctor of osteopathic medicine, specializing in pulmonary and sleep medicine at Rochester Regional Health, offered an inside glimpse of what happens inside the walls of a sleep lab and how patients can benefit.

First comes a referral from a

physician. Discussing symptoms like daytime sleepiness, or suspected sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome can help the primary care provider determine if a referral is in order.

“If we’re concerned about sleep apnea, we’ll set up a sleep study where they’d go to the lab,” Fayyaz said. “These studies can be set up at home sometimes.”

Patients undergoing a sleep

study in the lab stay there overnight in a room set up like a hotel room to encourage good rest. They wear electrodes and leads head to toe so that the provider can take readings to study later.

“Most people fall asleep pretty easily,” Fayyaz said. “We have a first night effect where some might find it difficult to fall asleep away from home, but most people get a couple hours’ sleep. We also have patients who say it’s nice to get away because they sleep better away from home.”

In a couple of weeks, the results are compiled and the provider can meet with the patient to go over the results and as needed, pursue treatment. They may receive a CPAP machine to help with breathing if sleep apnea is diagnosed. The CPAP machine works by pushing air into the back of the throat via a breathing mask.

CPAP is 90% successful for improving sleep in people to whom it is prescribed.

“Sometimes, they have other treatment options like dental devices that adjust the jaw or tongue while sleeping or if it’s mild, we don’t treat pts as no other therapy is needed,” Fayyaz said. “It may be hypoglossal nerve stimulation, which involves a few more tests.”

This therapy is for patients who struggle with CPAP. A newer treatment, hypoglossal nerve stimulation involves implanting a device under the skin on the right side of the upper chest to stimulate a nerve to push the tongue forward while sleeping. That prevents sleep apnea.

Providers may also recommend losing weight, exercising and better sleep positions. Sleeping on the back promotes sleep apnea, but pillows can help encourage side sleeping. Fayyaz also said that elevating the head of the bed helps with apnea.

With any patients struggling with sleep, sleep hygiene can improve the quality and quantity of rest.

People should have a bedroom that is dark, cool and comfortable and wear comfortable night clothing. The bedroom should free of stressors like clutter, bills and unfolded laundry. This area should be used only for sleep and intimacy. Fayyaz also recommends limiting caffeine and electronics before bedtime, as both are stimulants.

“Maintain a regular bedtime and wake time,” Fayyaz said. Exercising earlier in the day can and limiting napping can also promote better sleep.

Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata: What Are the 'Z Meds' for Sleep?

Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata: Millions of bleary-eyed Americans turn to this class of so-called "Z-drugs" to get restful sleep.

But how do these drugs work, and do they come with risks?

Experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued an advisory to boost awareness about the meds.

All of these medications — generically known as zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar and Zolpimist), eszopiclone (Lunesta) and zaleplon (Sonata) — work by putting the brakes on brain activity, allowing you to drift off to sleep.

But the FDA warns that Z drugs also come with risks, most notably upping your odds for "complex sleep behaviors" — things like sleepwalking, sleep driving, sleep cooking or even taking other medicines.

"The FDA has received reports of people taking these insomnia medicines and accidentally overdosing, falling, being burned, shooting themselves and wandering outside in extremely cold weather, among other incidents," the agency noted.

You might not even recall any of these behaviors occurring once you reawaken, according to the FDA.

The onset of complex sleep

Americans Short on Sleep, Stressed Out About It: Poll

While more than half of Americans say they would feel better with more sleep, only 42% say they are getting as much shut-eye as they need, a new poll finds.

"This is nearly a reversal of the figures last measured in 2013, when 56% of Americans got the sleep they needed and 43% did not," the poll authors wrote.

Women under the age of 50 are particularly tired, the Gallup poll released in April showed. The latest tally finds only 36% of women say they get enough sleep, compared to 48% of men.

Exactly how much sleep are folks getting?

Only 26% said they got eight or more hours, while just over half (53%) reported getting six to seven hours. Twenty percent said they got five hours or less, a jump from the 14% who reported getting the least amount of sleep during the 2013 poll.

The poll doesn't delve into why

so many Americans are coming up short on sleep.

But what's notable, according to Gallup senior researcher Sarah Fioroni, is the shift toward more Americans thinking they would benefit from more sleep and also the jump in the number of those saying they get five hours of sleep or less a night.

“That five hours or less category ... was almost not really heard of in 1942,” Fioroni told the Associated Press. “There's almost nobody that said they slept five hours or less.”

In recent years, there also has been “this pervasive belief about how sleep was unnecessary — that it was this period of inactivity where little to nothing was actually happening and that took up time that could have been better used,” Joseph Dzierzewski, vice president for research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation, told the AP.

It's only relatively recently that the importance of sleep to physical, mental and emotional health has

behaviors tied to Z drug use is also unpredictable. For some, the behavior can begin after the first dose, while for others it might begin much later into use.

Many sleep medicines can also cause daytime drowsiness, so avoid driving and other hazardous tasks under those circumstances.

Some other tips for safe use of Z drugs:

Always discuss the risks and benefits of these medicines with your doctor, and read the Patient Medication Guide before you start taking the drug

Always take the medicine at the recommended dose, and don't use a Z drug in combination with other sleep medications (including OTC meds)

If you discover that you've been engaging in any complex sleep behavior, stop taking the drug immediately and contact your doctor Don't drink alcohol while using a Z drug because this will make side effects more likely

taken hold, he noted.

So why are Americans staying awake too long? One likely reason is cultural, as millions in this country place a premium on industriousness and productivity, experts said.

“It has been a core part of American culture for centuries,” Claude Fischer, a professor of sociology at the graduate school of the University of California Berkeley, told the AP. “You could make the argument that it ... in the secularized form over the centuries becomes just a general principle that the morally correct person is somebody who doesn't waste their time.”

In her research in rural American communities over the years,

Washington State sociology professor Jennifer Sherman says a common theme among people she interviewed was the importance of having a solid work ethic.

A key component of American cultural mythology is the idea of being “individually responsible for creating our own destinies,” she told the AP. “And that does suggest that if you're wasting too much of your time ... that you are responsible for your own failure.”

While the poll shows a broad shift in sleep patterns over the past decade, living through the pandemic seems to have also significantly shifted people's sleep patterns, the National Sleep Foundation says.

Staying Fit Boosts Kids' Mental Health

The benefits of physical fitness for kids spill over into their mental health, new research shows.

Getting plenty of exercise may guard against depressive symptoms, anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study

published April 29 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found.

And the more exercise, the better: Higher performance in cardiovascular activities, strength and muscular endurance were each associated with even greater protection against mental health issues.

Medical Costs for Kids' Mental Health Jumped 31%

in 5 Years

The cost to American families of caring for a child with a mental health condition rose by almost a third between 2017 and 2021, a new report finds, to an average $4,361 per year.

Overall, American families spent an estimated $31 billion in 2021 on child mental health services, which now make up nearly half (about 47%) of all child medical spending, the report found.

The findings “underscore the large financial burden associated with pediatric mental health conditions on the U.S. health care system,” said a team led by Theoren Loo. He works for Brightline, a California company focused on virtual mental health care for kids.

The findings were published March 11 in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Network Open.

As the study authors noted, “the prevalence of pediatric mental health conditions and the demand for behavioral health services is growing in the U.S.”

In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a report outlining “alarming increases in the prevalence of certain mental health challenges” among kids.

In the study, Loo's group tracked 2017-2021 federal data on medical spending from a representative sampling of American households.

They found that diagnoses for mental health conditions in kids

The findings arrive as America continues to grapple with a surge in mental health diagnoses among children and adolescents.

The new study, conducted by researchers in Taiwan, compared data from the Taiwan National Student Fitness Tests and the National Insurance Research Database, which records medical claims, diagnoses, prescriptions and other medical information. The researchers used the anonymous data to compare students' physical fitness against their mental health.

The risk of mental health disorder was weighted against cardio fitness, as measured by a student's time in an 800-meter run; muscle endurance, indicated by the number of sit-ups performed; and muscle power, measured by the standing broad jump.

What did they discover? Higher performance in each activity was linked with a lower risk of a mental health disorder. For instance, a 30-second decrease in the 800-meter time was associated with a lower risk of anxiety, depression and ADHD in girls. In boys, it was associated with lower anxiety and a lower risk of ADHD.

Meanwhile, an increase of five sit-ups per minute was associat-

ed with lower anxiety and risk of ADHD in boys, and it was linked to a decreased risk of depression and anxiety in girls.

“These findings suggest the potential of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness as protective factors in mitigating the onset of mental health disorders among children and adolescents,” the researchers wrote in the study.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called mental health a national crisis and has focused heavily on adolescent mental health. In 2021, he issued a rare public advisory on the topic. Statistics at the time revealed alarming trends: From 2001 to 2019, the suicide rate for Americans aged 10 to 19 rose 40%, while emergency visits related to self-harm rose 88%.

Experts suggest that heavy screen use has replaced sleep, exercise and in-person activity, all of which are considered key to healthy development.

“The [new] finding underscores the need for further research into targeted physical fitness programs,” the researchers concluded. Meanwhile, exercise programs “hold significant potential as primary preventive interventions against mental disorders in children and adolescents,” they wrote.

aged 5 to 17 rose by almost 22% over those five years.

By 2021, about one in every four (25.9%) American children was diagnosed with a mental health issuethat's over 9 million children in total, the researchers estimated.

Household spending on child mental health services also rose by about 31%, to an average of $4,361 per year, Loo's group reported.

A rise in spending on the mental health of a child was also linked to a concurrent $2,337 average rise in medical expenses for other family members, the researchers noted. That makes sense, they said, since “poor mental health among caregivers is associated with child mental health disorders.”

“Overall, pediatric mental health conditions were associated with $31 billion in child spending” by 2021, the team concluded, and $59 billion in overall household medical spending.

As to what types of mental health services are being provided, Loo's team said that money spent on psychiatric drugs and doctor's office visits may be warranted “if the care is high quality and evidence-based.”

However, in many cases kids aren't being treated until they receive expensive care in hospital emergency departments. That points to “the need for improved care” for children before crises arise, Loo's team said.

Fewer Babies in 2023

U.S. births declined in 2023, marking end to post-pandemic rise

The short post-pandemic uptick in U.S. births may be over, with 2023 numbers showing a decline in births.

According to provisional data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just under 3.6 million babies were born in America in 2023, about 76,000 fewer than the year before.

It's also the lowest number of births recorded in the United States since 1979.

Demographers weren't surprised, since the U.S. birth rate had been falling for more than a decade before the pandemic.

Births did chart a slight rise in the two years after the pandemic (2021 and 2022), perhaps because some couples had put off pregnancies until the crisis eased.

However, the 2023 numbers "seem to indicate that bump is over and we're back to the trends we were in before,” Nicholas Mark told

the Associated Press. He's a University of Wisconsin researcher focused on social factors influencing health and fertility.

For American women generally, the decision to have a child seems to have shifted to later in the lifespan, as more women focus on education and careers prior to childrearing.

Birth rates have steadily fallen for women in their teens and 20s, but have risen among women in their 30s and 40s over time, the statistics show.

However, in 2023 birth rates fell across the board — they declined among women younger than 40 and were largely unchanged for women in their 40s, the CDC stats showed.

Declines in births were also observed across all races and ethnicities.

The new data was published online April 25 as a National Vital Statistics Services Rapid Release.

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

Plant-Based Hot Dogs: the Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful

Now that peak hot dog season is in full swing—with Americans consuming 7 billion hot dogs from Memorial Day to Labor Day—it’s the perfect time to think outside the hot dog bun and give plant-based hot dogs a try.

Let’s start with the good.

Most vegetarian hot dogs are an excellent source of quality protein, ranging anywhere from 6 to 20 grams. An essential nutrient with benefits above and beyond building muscles and bones and repairing tissues, protein helps with weight loss and maintenance by suppressing hunger signals, boosting metabolism and taking longer to digest. What’s more, protein’s essential role in collagen production promotes healthy skin, stronger bones and joint integrity. A final shout-out: Most plantbased hot dogs have no cholesterol, while others boast some fiber and iron.

Now, the (semi) bad.

Unfortunately, many, but not all, plant-based hot dogs are just as processed as other heavily processed foods. Translation? They may contain ingredients that could be harmful if consumed in excess, such as saturated fats, added salt and sugar and unrecognizable additives. Research indicates that eating highly processed foods can lead to weight gain and an increase in the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and overall mortality. However, in contrast to some ultra-processed foods, like sodas and cookies, that are calorie-rich and nu-

trient-poor, veggie dogs balance the processing with several nutritional benefits, including fewer calories.

Finally, the beautiful.

When it comes to protein sources, the environmental benefits are clear. Pound for pound, meat has a much higher water footprint than vegetables, grains, beans or legumes. For example, 4 ounces of hamburger takes 600 gallons of water to produce while 4 ounces of tofu takes only 60 gallons. In addition, researchers estimate that 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from raising meat. Producing approximately 1 pound of protein from beef, for example, sends the same carbon emissions into the atmosphere as driving 30 miles, whereas making the same amount of tofu amounts to less than a mile. Worried about global warming? Adopt a more plant-based diet!

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.

More Data Suggests 'Ultraprocessed' Foods Can Shorten Your Life

People who eat large amounts of ultra-processed foods have a slightly higher risk of premature death than those who mostly shun the industrially produced eats, a new 30-year study says.

Those who ate the most ultra-processed foods — an average of seven servings a day — had a 4% higher risk of death overall, and a 9% higher risk of death from causes other than cancer or heart disease.

These higher risks of death “were mainly driven by meat, poultry, seafood-based ready-to-eat products, sugar and artificially sweetened beverages, dairy based desserts, and ultra-processed breakfast foods,” wrote the team led by senior researcher Mingyang Song, an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at

1 tablespoon cumin 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a large saucepan or soup pot, sauté onions in cooking oil over medium heat till golden. Add tofu crumbles, stir in 3 tablespoons water, cover, and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Break up any large tofu crumbles, then stir in remaining ingredients, including water, and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.

For this study, researchers tracked the long-term health of nearly 75,000 female registered nurses and nearly 40,000 male health professionals.

Ultra-processed foods are made mostly from substances extracted from whole foods, like saturated fats, starches and added sugars. They also contain a wide variety of additives to make them more tasty, attractive and shelf-stable, including colors, emulsifiers, flavors and stabilizers.

Examples include packaged baked goods, sugary cereals, readyto-eat or ready-to-heat products, and deli cold cuts, researchers said.

Mounting evidence has linked these foods to higher risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and bowel cancer, researchers said. However, few long-term studies have examined these products' links to a person's overall risk of death.

Helpful Tips

Read labels carefully. Calories, sodium, fat (especially saturated fat), protein, fiber and ingredients vary widely among plant-based hot dogs. So it pays to know what you are consuming. I chose Lightlife hot dogs because they had no saturated fat, less sodium than most, and a decent amount of protein.

3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Plant-based hot dogs

2. Let cool for 10 minutes, then puree with a hand or traditional blender to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings; add more water if sauce seems too thick or simmer uncovered if sauce seems too thin. Serve with plant-based hot dog of choice. Note: Sauce thickens with refrigeration, so add water as needed.

Both groups took part in separate health studies that ran from the mid-1980s to 2018. Every two years, participants provided information on their health and lifestyle habits, and every four years they completed a detailed food questionnaire.

During an average 34-year follow-up period, researchers identified more than 48,000 deaths.

Although increased consumption of ultra-processed foods was linked to a higher risk of death, researchers noted that the association became less pronounced after they took a person's overall dietary quality into account.

The study found that dietary

quality had a greater influence on risk of early death than did consumption of ultra-processed foods. That could mean that eating lots of healthy whole foods might offset the detrimental effects of ultra-processed chow, researchers said.

“The findings provide support for limiting consumption of certain types of ultra-processed food for long term health,” the team concluded, adding that “future studies are warranted to improve the classification of ultra-processed foods and confirm our findings in other populations.”

In an editorial accompanying the study, experts pointed out that recommendations to avoid ultra-processed foods might give the idea that certain whole but unhealthy foods like red meat are fine to eat often.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

New Hartford Wellness: Beyond the Traditional Route

By David L. Podos

Barbara Drake is an acute care nurse practitioner with a doctorate degree in nursing practice. She has worked in cardiac surgery and critical care for about 25 years. While she comes from a traditional medical background, she said she always had an interest in alternative medical protocols.

“I always had an interest in holistic medicine, functional medicine and integrative medicine. So my business is a blend of those philosophies with a strong basis in traditional medicine,” she said.

She is quick to mention that many of her patients have gone through the “traditional route” in treating illnesses.

“The therapies and treatments that New Hartford Wellness offers are in addition to the traditional medicines and therapies that patients are already receiving,” she explained. “Additionally, for those patients who have exhausted all avenues with traditional medicine and are not receiving the outcomes that they hope for, we offer them an alternative.”

When asked if the treatments she provides are evidence-based, she confidently said, “Yes. There is a lot of research out there that supports the effectiveness of the modalities that we provide and are FDA-approved, like our weight loss system for example, which is called Ultra Slim. It is a completely noninvasive treatment for weight loss using the power of red-light therapy.”

Evidence-based research is a very important component of any medical treatment and therapy that health care professionals offer. A Univer-

sity of Tulsa blog, written by the University, (July 5 2023), comments on the importance of health care professionals utilizing evidence-based research in their practices.

The blog clearly states that evidence -based practice acknowledges that health care is an ever-evolving field that demands practitioners stay up to date on the latest research findings to ensure their practices align with the most effective and efficient approaches.

Practitioners can access evidence through various channels, such as, peer-reviewed journals, online databases and professional organizations.

When asked what kind of health problems she is seeing when people come to her clinic, she said they are numerous.

“For example, we see many people (both men and women) coming with weight loss issues, chronic pain issues like arthritis, auto-immune disease, fibromyalgia, cancer-related pain, chronic fatigue and Lyme

Dentists' Group Issues New Pain-Control Guidelines for Teens,

Adults

ADA: Dentists should avoid providing 'just in case' opioid prescriptions for patients

disease to name just a few. While we treat many people with these conditions, we also have therapies for those who are dealing with mental health challenges. Many people suffer from a variety of mental health problems such as clinical depression, anxiety, PTSD and obsessive-compulsive disorders. We can address all of these as well,” she said.

The treatments that New Hartford Wellness offers would be hard to find in most

“standard” medical facilities and are quite unique. For instance, they offer a number of I.V. vitamin infusions that offer holistic support for health and wellness. Each infusion is formulated to offer specific support such as reducing stress, increasing energy, increasing mental acuity and detoxifying the body. Others are specific in helping with PMS and menopause symptoms, as well as bloating, irritability, low back pain and abdominal pain — and that is only mentioning two of the 10 specific targeted infu-

New guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA) are cracking down on the use of opioids for tooth pain.

The guidelines say that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken alone or alongside acetaminophen should be the firstline treatment for managing shortterm dental pain in teenagers and adults.

The available medical evidence indicates that those medications can effectively manage pain from a toothache or after a tooth removal, an ADA guideline panel concluded.

The guidelines also say that opioid painkillers should be prescribed under limited circumstances, after considering any risk factors for opioid misuse.

Dentists should avoid providing “just in case” opioid prescriptions for patients, and use extreme caution in prescribing opioids to teens and young adults, the guidelines say.

Patients also should be educated on proper storage and disposal of opioid drugs, according to the guidelines.

The guidelines were developed under a $1.5 million grant handed down by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020 to develop guidelines for handling dental pain in patients.

sions that are available for patients. They also offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is FDA-approved.

“We are one of only a few clinics in the area that have this treatment,” she said.

This therapy has wide application and is used for many health issues, far too many to name in this article. However, one of the major uses is to promote wound healing. This is accomplished by helping your body grow new skin, blood vessels and connective tissue.

She said many athletes use this kind of therapy to enhance recovery after an intense workout or injury. In fact, many NFL players will be placed in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber if they suffer injuries. The treatment increases the production of mitochondria inside cells. This will increase cell energy which accelerates the healing process.

Integrative and alternative medicine seems to have taken on deep roots as an alternate protocol in health care treatment in America. Approximately 15 years ago the term integrative alternative medicine started to become part of the lexicon in health care, but now has blossomed exponentially.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 40% of adults in the United States use some form of complementary or alternative medicine.

New Hartford Wellness can be reached at 315-444-3355. More information about their services can be found on www.NHKIC.com

“We hope this clinical practice guideline will reduce the risk of opioid addiction, overdose and diversion,” Marta Sokolowska, deputy center director for substance use and behavioral health at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an ADA news release.

A previous set of recommendations for pediatric patients was published in 2023.

Over-the-counter NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. There also are prescription-strength NSAIDs available for more severe pain.

“It's important to take special consideration when prescribing any type of pain reliever, and now dentists have a set of evidence-based recommendations to determine the best care for their patients,” said senior author and panel chair Dr. Paul Moore, a professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Dental Medicine.

“Patients are encouraged to discuss pain management expectations and strategies with their dentist so they can feel confident that they are receiving the safest, most effective treatment for their symptoms,” Moore said.

The new guidelines appear Feb. 5 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Barbara Drake is an acute care nurse practitioner with a doctorate degree in nursing practice. She owns New Hartford Wellness.

5 Men’s Health Issues No One Wants to Talk About

By Barbara Pierce

There are some topics most people don’t like to talk about. The topic is too private. They just want to deal with it on their own.

Often, they’re uncomfortable even discussing it with their partners. When it comes to men and their health, the stakes can be high because these issues can seriously affect the quality of your life.

We found physician Isaiah Hammonds, board-certified internal medicine specialist at Waterville Family Health Center in Waterville, very comfortable in discussing the sensitive health conditions that are commonly diagnosed in men.

One of Community Memorial Hospital’s primary care locations, the family health center works with the hospital in a wheel-and-spoke way, feeding patients into the hospital for ancillary services (laboratory, radiology, outpatient rehab) and connecting them for specialty care.

1. Low testosterone

do not have enough of this needed substance.

“If you have low testosterone, your energy levels get so low,” said Hammonds. “It will affect more areas of your life; you’ll notice bigger changes. Your mood changes, you may be depressed more than usual, not sleeping well, your exercise tolerance changes.”

Other things indicating low testosterone are reduced lean muscle mass, irritability, low sex drive and erectile dysfunction.

“The first thing we do is lab work, to see where your baseline is,” he added.

“And we do a physical exam. We review your medications, as some side effects of medica-

tion can mimic low testosterone. The treatments we use are effective. We treat low testosterone with injections or a patch. Also, we may refer you for a visit to a urologist.”

“People often try to treat their symptoms with a natural supplement,” he continued. “This is OK, but it’s important to let your doctor know what you’ve been taking, so we won’t duplicate it. Some natural supplements may bring you benefits, some may not; most really aren’t harmful. You’re better off talking with your doctor about your symptoms.”

2. Erectile dysfunction

ED is created either by mental reasons or blood flow reasons, said Hammonds. As our brains play a key role in triggering the series of events that cause an erection, a number of things can interfere with this process including depression, anxiety, stress or relationship problems. This is the cause of about 10%-20% of ED.

it can press on your bladder and cause problems with urination. And this can contribute to ED.

Hammonds described common symptoms: a feeling of fullness after you urinate, leaking or dribbling, frequent urination, weak urine stream or pain.

“These days, we do a PSA [prostate specific antigen] screening to determine whether you have problems; we no longer do a digital exam,” said Hammonds. “A lot of people avoided going to the doctor because of this digital exam. Now if we suspect any issues, we do a screening, which is a blood test. Changes in the prostrate can be treated with medications. Surgery is the last option. Ten to 15 years ago, we hadn’t made any advances in treating prostrate issues. That’s changed. Even with prostate cancer, people are living longer.”

4. Depression

There are many health issues that can reduce blood flow into the penis, such as hardened arteries, heart disease, diabetes and smoking. Even though ED becomes more common as men age, growing old does not always cause ED.

The medications prescribed for ED (Viagra and Cialis) work by increasing blood flow; they do help many people by bringing them a higher quality of life, said Hammonds.

“One men’s health issue we deal with a lot is depression. Younger people are more open to therapy, to sharing their feelings; the older population wait until they crash,” said Hammonds. “We’ll talk about the issues and maybe prescribe an anti-depressant medication and/or counseling. If it’s a situational depression — you’ve lost your job, your wife left you, we’ll improve your sleep quality and refer you to a support group or for counseling.”

5. Relationships

Testosterone, the male hormone, is important for male sexual functioning. Some men have low testosterone levels; their bodies

People with ED often look for natural remedies, he continued. That’s not a problem, but do let your doctor know what you’re using.

3. Prostate issues

Your prostate is a small gland that continues to grow as you age. If it enlarges too much,

Navigating relationship issues is something many men deal with. Both Madison County and Oneida County have great mental health resources, Hammonds said.

“Millions of people are dealing with these issues; it isn’t just you,” Hammonds emphasized. “There’s help — get help! We are accepting new patients.”

DRIVERS WANTED

We’re looking for dependable people to help us distribute copies of

In Good Health: MV’s Healthcare Newspaper, in offices and other high-traffic locations in the Herkimer Countyregion.

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Compensation: $15/h plus 30 cents per mile It amounts to about $160 per distribution.No heavy lifting. Drivers are required to have a dependable vehicle, be courteous and reliable. We audit all areas of distribution.

Call Allison at 315-749-7070 for more information.

ABC Board Certified Pedorthist

Between You & Me

By Barbara Pierce

Men Are Struggling: One Path Out of the Wilderness

“He’s dead! Dave just killed himself!”

I could barely understand the words my niece was saying, she was so choked up.

Dave, her 46-year-old husband, had just killed himself.

I couldn’t begin to understand. How could Dave — handsome, vibrant Dave who always had a big smile, laughed easily and had such a great attitude toward life, always made us laugh with his quirky comments — have killed himself?

Whatever obstacles stood in his way, he met with his usual “Sure, I got this!” mode.

It was stunning; an unbelievable tragedy.

His suicide is part of the overwhelming amount of evidence — from deaths of despair to drug abuse, from increased numbers of men struggling with depression and anxiety to relationship difficulties that show the multitude of ways that men

are floundering.

Men in the U.S. die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women, according to the CDC. Yet, men are diagnosed with depression at far lower rates. So many men just quietly disappear, consumed by video games, porn, drugs, the alt-right.

Men are struggling; they are lost. They’re in a real crisis. The world has changed so much; it’s harder to be a man today.

Dave’s death represents many things about why it’s hard to be a man.

I’ve learned Dave and his wife weren’t getting along. Though he identified her as his best friend, turns out he didn’t trust his best friend at all. He didn’t have many other friends. He started drinking more. But probably, to me anyway, the most telling thing that could have tipped him over the edge was his decision to take a leave of absence from his work. He had enjoyed his work on-

line, for a bank. But for some reason, he decided to drop out of work for a few months.

So here’s the setup as I see it: He’s home alone day after day with nothing much to do while his wife is off leading her successful career. He doesn’t have a close friend to call and mentions he feels like pond scum. Drinks — gets loaded; loses his ability to think rationally, decides everyone would be better off without him.

And he’s gone.

Just like that.

While there are several things we all can learn from this, I’m going to focus on the fact he wasn’t working.

I think that was huge for him. He had lost his sense of purpose, the main thing that kept him anchored to the earth. There are a lot of young men out there without that sense of purpose. They’re living with their parents, doing endless video games or drugs or alt-right or other weird things that lead nowhere.

Experts say what we all need is a purpose. A purpose will make us whole.

Purpose can be explained in many ways. For some lucky people, it’s connected to our employment. If you jump out of bed in the morning, excited about what your workday will bring, then it’s likely your career is closely tied to your purpose. You’re fortunate.

Your purpose is what makes you happy! It’s what puts sizzle in your life, what you love to do. It makes you feel like who you are in the world matters. It benefits something or someone that you care about.

In short, a sense of purpose is very strongly associated with mental and physical well-being — and that’s why it is core to most scientific definitions of what it means to be happy in life.

It’s that big.

How to find your purpose:

“Finding” your purpose is a mis-

leading concept. It’s not something you have to go out and “find,” but rather, something you need to look inside yourself and discover.

We all have skills and talents which maybe we haven’t yet discovered them. Certain flairs and abilities we’ve never taken the time to identify. Discovering your abilities, your life purpose, your ‘why’ isn’t easy. It takes time.

“I believe that purpose is something you work on. I do not believe that you will have an ‘eureka’ moment and suddenly know your purpose. Rather, you must go through a discovery process, invest time and effort to articulate the purpose you seek,” said executive coach John Ioanno online. “For me, I find purpose in my children, my spirituality, faith, my professional work, spending time with my friends, making others happy, challenging myself physically and intellectually.”

Listen to your instincts. Your purpose will always be something that you’re good at and that you care deeply about. You can’t think your way into your purpose; you have to “do” your way in. This means taking steps towards what you want and removing those things in your life that you don’t want. Stop looking and start doing.

The more you act, the more you’ll get clear on things.

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.

Men and the Friendship Gap

Many men are not able to name even one or two friends. They are stuck in what’s been dubbed a ‘friendship recession’

By Barbara Pierce

“I don’t have anyone I can ask to be my best man,” said 55-yearold Tom Bober of Port Charlotte Florida, concerned about his upcoming marriage ceremony.

“I know some guys I work with, but not well enough to ask them.”

Sadly, Bober is typical of so many men who are not able to name even one or two friends.

Making and keeping deep, meaningful friendships as an adult is hard, especially for men, according to research. Few men today have friends they can count on for emotional support.

Men in the U.S. are stuck in what’s been dubbed a friendship recession.

The falling off of friendships between men begins in early adulthood — ages 17 to 21, and grows bleaker in adulthood. Boys become emotionally disconnected from other males and it only gets worse as they age.

Our lives today make it difficult to make friends once you’re out of school. The default position for many is anonymity. The last decade has

Your Brain Doesn’t Want You to Exercise

If the benefits of physical activity could be taken in a pill, everyone would be on it.

So many studies show that moving improves every aspect of our health. It’s one of the best things we can do for ourselves. It helps us sleep better; our brains work better, reduces feelings of anxiety and depression, lowers the risk of several diseases, reduces pain and helps us live longer, better lives.

Even though we’re aware of all these benefits, it’s a struggle for most of us to get motivated to move at all.

“It’s a battle against human

nature,” explained certified personal trainer Genaro Scampone of New Hartford.

Probably that’s because for most of human existence, people had to be physically active to carry out the basic functions of life, such as finding or growing food. We evolved to tolerate a high level of activity, but also to gravitate towards rest whenever possible to conserve our energy for when we had to move, according to some biologists. We’re wired to be sedentary.

As a society, we no longer move much in the course of our daily

lives. But the evolutionary instinct to conserve energy remains. That voice in our head that can always find an excuse not to exercise is completely normal and natural experts said.

Our brains don’t want us to exercise.

Here in the U.S., we’re more inactive than ever. According to the American Heart Association, sedentary jobs have increased 83% over the past several years. Then during our leisure time most of us are still sitting, using a computer or phone, watching TV or playing video games.

With long days working, we don’t have energy left over to even do simple things that help us move more, much less work out. We can always come up with a reason to put off exercising.

If you don’t exercise, the results won’t be good, said Scampone.

“Your body won’t be able to sustain muscle fiber. Your nervous system will deteriorate. They’ll be a systemic atrophy. You’ll lose your ability to balance, cardio will decline, your nervous system will decline,” he added.

Loosing muscle strength and endurance is not good. Your immune system may not work at all well.

How to trick our brains into moving more, given the fact it’s a battle against human nature?

Scampone, who has offered oneon-one personal training for several years, said, “I take the approach that less is more. When I work with someone, I program the exercise frequency to something sustainable. Instead of fighting against human nature, reduce it to what’s doable; maybe one or two times per week. See if you can do this for a year, then it will become a routine.”

Start small: one or two times a week if that’s all you’re really motivated to do. Keep doing it for a year. Then you’ll feel something is missing if you stop.

What workouts are best? “I start with muscles,” said Scampone. “Our muscles have a systemic effect on our bodies.”

In his workouts, he uses the ‘big

five’ to start with: One for the lower body, two push-ups for the lower body and two push-ups for the upper body. Specific exercises include leg press pull down, chest press, row, shoulder press. These use all your muscles.

“When you’re exercising, you want to feel fatigue of your muscles,” he added. Fatigue is when your muscle feels weak and tired.

“You don’t want to feel pain,” he stressed. “If you feel pain, stop what you’re doing and move to another exercise. You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

Our brain loves things that are tailored for us. Personal trainers, like Scampone who tailors his coaching to the needs of the individual, often make for better results. And there are apps that do this.

Another way to trick your brain is by making it a game. Your brain likes games, especially if it’s hard to predict or offers intermittent rewards.

Making a commitment to yourself also helps.

“I never ask myself if I want to walk today, because I can always think of a reason not to,” said 93-year-old Grace Chicken of Port Charlotte, Florida. “I just get out there and do it without thinking about it.”

Another way to trick your brain into working out is to reward yourself after you finish. Whatever you’d enjoy more, dinner, watching a good movie, whatever; it’s a way to motivate yourself.

Also, listening to your favorite music as you work out makes it more enjoyable.

Another way to trick your brain into moving more is reframing what counts as exercise. If doing workouts isn’t for you, take time to walk around your neighborhood, pull weeds, in your garden, dance in your living room while you watch TV or go for a bike ride. At work, stand up while you talk on the phone; use the stairs instead of the elevator.

It’s all about moving and finding ways to move that are enjoyable.

seen a steep drop in adult friendships and a huge increase in loneliness. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness rates were increasing. COVID-19 made it much worse.

Research has shown that friendships protect our mental and physical health. As humans, we have a natural desire for close connections with others. We need these relationships to thrive as we get older. Meaningful social connections play a huge role in our physical and emotional well-being. The need for other people is hardwired into our brains.

Your partner isn’t enough. It may seem like a good solution, but it doesn’t work for either you or the woman in your life. It can strain a relationship, if you’re depending on her exclusively for emotional support or depending on her to develop friendships and get-togethers with others.

Both men and women need connections, of course, although their approach is usually different. Women’s friendships are often described

as face-to-face, while men’s tend to be shoulder-to-shoulder. Men connect side by side spending time together, doing things together.

If you’re among the many who are in a friendship recession, know that there are many other guys out there in the same recession. Some things to consider:

See this as a learning opportunity. Take the first step. Men are more comfortable doing things together, so go somewhere there will be other men even if it’s just watching a sport on TV. Think about things you’re interested in, such as the gym, a coffee shop, basketball, woodworking, jazz, birdwatching. Then figure out where you can go to find people doing that thing.

If sports is your thing, dribble basketballs with the guys, perfect your swing with a baseball or play football at Accelerate Sports in Whitesboro. “You don’t have to be a member of a team,” said Anton Mullen. “Come in and register and we’ll get you placed on a team.”

For more information, see www. accelerate-sports.com or call 315-5075560.

Or, take a weekend workshop on welding or forging botanicals at Munson Art in Utica. See www.Munson.art for details.

Sites like meetup.com are a way to connect with people you’ll have things in common with, and offer both in person or online meetings, if that feels an easier first step. Make it a priority to get some friends in your life, not just for when you have time. Find an activity and commit to going to it. If you don’t like it, then either try a second time, or find another group doing similar things.

Volunteering is a great way to meet people. Pick a cause you like and see what’s available. If you’re a vet, consider the American Legion or other places vets hang out. Show up. Repeated contact is important. If you have good vibes about the thing you’ve tried, show up regularly.

As we get older, “90% of friendship is about showing up,” says Karo, of the Man of the Year podcast. This can take a variety of forms. “It can be as simple as texting somebody and saying, ‘Hey, just checking in. I know you lost your job. Or I know you lost a family member. I know you’re going through a hard time,’” he said.

Spending time around other guys that are potential friends is crucial to building a friendship. “It starts with a slight eyebrow raise hello, then progresses to a head nod then to a ‘Sup?’ then we reach the fist bump. You are now a friend. Keep meeting and the fist bump gonna turn into a bro handshake followed by a mild insult which is countered with another insult or callback, The atmosphere is beautiful and both are happy. This can happen anywhere, from urinals to classes to parking lots etc.” is how one person describes how he makes friends in Utica.

So go on, men. Grab that basketball and run wild!

Certified personal trainer Genaro Scampone of New Hartford.

By Deborah Dittner

Is the Health Field Right for You?

Acareer in the health field used to be of limited choices consisting of doctors, nurses, phlebotomist, X-ray technician, pharmacist and dietitian.

From these, the possibilities expanded mostly in what is considered as traditional Western medicine.

Indeed, times have changed and a more holistic approach is being sought not only by those in search of a career but by patients as well.

Oftentimes, depending on the health concern, integrating both Western and Eastern medicine may provide the best outcome. Consider a team approach for your health and choose wisely.

When a patient seeks the educational knowledge and advice regarding a symptom or a variety of symptoms, one size (medication or approach) does not fit all. If you discussed with your provider with symptoms of allergies, a single protocol for allergy does not fit the bill. The patient needs to be asked a multitude of questions and possibly testing before remedy can be provided. The patient does not necessarily fit into a “protocol” for relief. The

provider after discussion is not to simply prescribe the same medication for allergy to everyone seen. Critical thinking needs to be put into place.

When in search of the best approach to your health, you need to do your research, not only for the best type of provider that fits you the patient but the type of care you need. There is not a one size approach.

Health coaches and counselors have been beneficial for many in search of a holistic approach that will look at you, the whole person, and help you determine the direction care is needed. Health coaches will delve into your nutrition, sleep patterns, career, relationships, exercise, family dynamics, self-care, community, and more. Health coaches are aware of their abilities and refer to other providers as needed and may work with a number of providers depending on the circumstances.

Other holistic health careers to consider:

• Homeopath based on the theory of “like treating like”

• Reiki practitioner a subtle form of energy therapy

What to Do When You Can’t

Stop Worrying

By Barbara Pierce

Occasional anxiety or worrying is normal. But for people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety doesn’t go away and can get worse over time. It can interfere with daily activities such as job performance and relationships. The National Institutes of Mental Health estimates that one in three of us will experience an anxiety disorder at some time.

If you have anxiety, you may feel tense and nervous, have a sense of dread or fear the worst. You can’t stop worrying, may need a lot of reassurance from others, continuously think about bad experiences or worry about the same situation over and over again. You may have a number of other uncomfortable feelings. Physically, you might have stomach issues or headaches; a feeling like a pit in your stomach and you don’t know why or trouble sleeping. Symptoms of anxiety range from mild to disabling conditions such as PTSD, panic attacks that come out of nowhere, or agoraphobia.

What to do when you can’t stop worrying?

• Confront your stressors: First, identify what stressors could be causing your anxiety, suggested psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker Cate Richardson-Henley of Oneonta.

Why is your anxiety there in the first place? Identify what you’re worried about. What thought keeps running through your head? Or what images do you see in your mind?

• Therapeutic touch (TT) a form of energy therapy of body, mind and emotion

• Ayurvedic practitioner – native to India with treatment options including yoga, acupuncture, massage therapy, and dietary changes

• Herbalist practitioner using plants for healing

• Cranial sacral therapy (CST) a hands-on technique enhancing the function of the cranial system

• Yoga instructor consists of physical postures connecting body, breath and mind

• Nutritionist uses nutrition for a healthier lifestyle and improved eating habits

• Emotional freedom technique (EFT) a “tapping” method helpful in managing emotions

• Acupuncturist improves the flow of blocked or stagnant qi

• Art and music therapy – treatment methods to express oneself promoting an inner perception

• Chiropractic hands-on therapy aiding the musculoskeletal system

These are just a snippet of what is available for a career in the health field. There are many programs

available for a health career of your choice. Be sure to check with your state regarding requirements, what programs are accepted, and once graduated, what title you may be able to use depending on the education. Also, there are so many wonderful avenues to explore when in search of a health career today both traditional and non traditional. These few that I mention above are for those in search of a holistic approach, and is only the tip of the iceberg with so many more possibilities.

The whole body is interconnected therefore a career treating the mind, body, and spirit should be your focus and lead to more positive outcomes. Eating whole nutrient dense foods, proper sleep, proper physical movement, self-care, relationships, education, community, and more are all involved when led towards a holistic health career direction.

through nutrition and lifestyle changes. www. debdittner.com

Anxiety is often caused by the images running through our heads, rather than the thoughts. We don’t often stop and think about what it is that we’re afraid of. We just want to get away from it.

Once you’ve identified what’s causing your anxiety, ask yourself if there is anything that you could change the things that are causing your stress? How could you change them and lessen your anxiety?

If it’s an image of something in the past that keeps run-ning through your mind, change the image. You can’t change what happened, but you can change how you look at it in your mind. Make a ridiculous caricature of the person who hurt you; smash that person down in your mind — anything to take away the power of that image.

James Davis, CEO, Samaritan Counseling Center, Utica, said in a previous interview: “We teach simple 4-7-8 breathing: Breathe in for four counts, hold for seven, let it out for eight. This works to regulate the amygdala. I teach it to kids all the time.”

• Distract yourself: Other experts say try the 333 rule to distract you when something triggers your anxiety. Look around to identify three objects, then three sounds, then move three body

present moment is usually our least anxious moment.”

• Schedule your worrying: Choose a consistent time each day for addressing your worries. When anxious thoughts arise during the day, jot them down and remind yourself to deal with them during the designated time. Give yourself 15 minutes to worry all you want. (Ideally not close to bedtime.) When you review your worry list, you might even find that the thing that bugged you at 10 a.m. isn’t a problem anymore.

• Breathe: Next, when you become anxious, breathe with deep abdominal breaths “I teach my clients how to breathe properly,” said Richardson-Henley. “People who are anxious tend to breathe in their chest area, which exacerbates anxiety and can cause a panic attack. It’s important to take deep abdominal breaths when anxious.”

parts. Or distract yourself by looking an object very closely, noticing every little detail. Many find this strategy helps ground them when anxiety seems overwhelming as it brings your attention to the present.

• Be mindful: “I teach my clients mindfulness practices,” said Richardson-Henley. “Being mindful means living in the present moment. As most of our anxiety is often related to regrets, or stress regarding past events, or fears about the future, the

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is considered one of the most effective practices to manage anxiety in the long term. A therapist can help you identify and challenge your negative thoughts that contribute to your anxiety. For example, think ‘What’s the worst thing that could happen?’ Then, ‘How could I prevent that from happening?’ and ‘What help do I have available?’ ‘Have I successfully handled things like this in the past?’ Experiment to find the options that best help you get through.

When to see a professional

If you feel like the quality of your life has changed, your work is suffering or you can’t even work anymore, if you have social anxiety or a school phobia or panic attacks. If anxiety interferes with your daily life or is hard to control, consult a psychotherapist like Richardson-Henley to help you deal with it. She sees clients throughout New York state virtually or over the phone.

Deborah Dittner is a family nurse practitioner and health consultant. Her mission is to transform as many individuals as possible

By Jim Miller

How to Find a Good Doctor

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend some good resources to help me locate some quality doctors in my area? I’m looking for an orthopedic doctor for my 77-year-old mother and a new internist for me, since my doctor retired last year.

Searching Susan

Dear Susan,

Finding and researching doctors is a lot easier than it used to be. Today, there are variety of websites you can turn to that provide databases of U.S. doctors, their professional medical histories, and ratings and reviews from past patients on a number of criteria. Here are some good sites to help you get started, along with a few additional tips that can help you find the right doctors.

Searching Tips

To help you locate some good doctors in your area, a good first step is to get referrals from trusted friends, along with any doctors, nurses or other healthcare professionals you know.

You also need to check your insurance provider. Call your insurer for a list of approved doctors or ask whether the doctor you’re considering is in-network.

If your mother is enrolled in original Medicare, you can use the care compare tool at “Medicare.gov/ care-compare” — click on “Doctors & Clinicians.” This will let you find doctors by name, medical specialty or by geographic location that accept original Medicare. If she’s enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, call or visit the plan website to get a list of approved candidates.

Once you find a few doctors, you need to call their office to verify that they still accept your insurance, and if they are accepting new patients.

You should also consider hospital affiliation. Your choice of doctor can determine which hospital you go to, if needed, so find out where the doctor has admitting privileges. Then use some hospital ratings services like “Medicare.gov/care-compare” (click on “Hospitals”) to see how it

compares with other hospitals in the area.

Researching Doctors

After you find a few doctors you’re interested in, there are various websites you can consult, to help you evaluate them.

For example, the Federation of State Medical Boards offers a tool at DocInfo.org that will let you find out doctor’s board certifications, education, states with active licenses, and whether or not a physician has been disciplined by a state medical board.

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Data) is also a good source for researching doctors. For example, it will help you find out how many times a doctor did a particular procedure and what they charge for it — go to “Data. CMS.gov/tools” and click on “Medicare Physician & Other Practitioner Look-up Tool.” And to learn about the financial relationship that doctors have with drug and medical device companies, visit “OpenPaymentsData.CMS.gov.”

Some other good sites for finding and researching healthcare professionals include Healthgrades (healthgrades.com) and Vitals (vitals.com).

Both sites provide substantial doctor’s information on education and training, hospital affiliations, board certification, awards and recognitions, professional misconduct, disciplinary action, office locations and accepted insurance plans.

They also offer five-star ratings scales from past patients on issues such as communication and listening skills, wait time, time spent with the patient, office friendliness and more. But be aware that while physician rating websites can be helpful, they can also be misleading and unreliable.

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

Health News

Rome Health COO earns certification in management

Rome Health Vice President

Ryan Thompson and Chief Operating Officer

riential criteria, references, earning continuing education credits, demonstrating professional and community involvement, and passing a comprehensive examination. Fellows also are committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.

Ryan Thompson has earned board certification in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

“The healthcare management field plays a vital role in providing high-quality care to the people in our communities, which makes having a standard of excellence promoted by a professional organization critically important,” says Deborah J. Bowen, president and CEO of ACHE.

“By becoming an ACHE fellow and earning the distinction of board certification from ACHE, healthcare leaders demonstrate a commitment to excellence in serving their patients and the community.”

To obtain fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including membership in ACHE, meeting academic and expe-

Thompson has more than 15 years of leadership experience in strategic planning, expansion and optimization of strategic services lines.

In his current role as vice president and chief operating officer at Rome Health, Thompson provides administrative oversight for revenue cycle operations, materials management, plant operations, medical imaging, lab, rehab therapies, human resources, environmental services, food and nutrition.

Thompson graduated from LeMoyne College in Syracuse and earned his Master of Business Education from Colombia College of Missouri. He also earned certificates in strategic planning from Cornell and project management from Syracuse University. He completed the AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellowship program in 2023.

Thompson was named vice president and chief operating officer of Rome Health in 2020 and helped position the hospital to emerge successfully from the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on creating convenient access to care for the community.

RThompson is a member of the Mohawk Valley EDGE Board of Directors.

Excellus recognized as one of the nation’s best employers

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has been recognized by Forbes as one of the best employers in the United States for diversity.

The health plan was honored among 500 organizations, with 1,000 or more employees, on the list of Forbes Best Employers for Diversity 2024.

“Inclusion, diversity, equity and access are core to who we are and what we do every day,” said Jim Reed, president and chief executive officer, Excellus BCBS. “This recognition is evidence of the ways our employees contribute to an environment where each of us can feel seen, valued and empowered to be our best selves.”

This is the second consecutive year Excellus BCBS made the list. The nonprofit health insurer ranked No. 25 among all employers nationally and No. 5 among employers in the insurance industry.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our employees for the way they show up each and every day,” said Sady Alvarado-Fischer, vice president,

diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Excellus BCBS. “Inclusion, diversity, equity and access is everyone’s responsibility, and I’m excited that the dedication, passion, and work of so many throughout our organization is having a positive impact.”

The Best Employers for Diversity 2024 were identified through an independent survey of 170,000 U.S.-based employees.

The following criteria were used in the evaluation:

• Employees were asked to give their opinions on a series of statements regarding age, gender, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQIA+ and overall diversity in their current workplace.

• Participants were also given the chance to evaluate other employers in their respective industries that stand out either positively or negatively regarding diversity.

• Research was carried out to evaluate how companies fared across a range of diversity-related best-practices including representation, accountability, communication, internal and external initiatives.

The Best Employers for Diversity 2024 award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., a global data and business intelligence platform established in Germany in 2007. The full list is available on the Forbes website.

Excellus BCBS was recognized by Forbes earlier this year with a No. 8 ranking on their 2024 list of America’s Best Midsize Employers.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Presents Health and Wellness Award to Local Nonprofits

epresentatives from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield visited Utica Royalties in Utica to present a $2,500 Health and Wellness Award. The funds will be used to help fund the youth health and wellness program, which aims to empower youth by fostering a comprehensive approach to well-being, emphasizing not only physical fitness and mental resilience but also instilling the importance of maintaining proper hygiene practices.

The program also fosters wellness through interactive sessions, fitness activities, nutritional education, mindfulness practices, and personal hygiene education, we strive to equip young individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

• The YMCA of the Greater Tri Valley in Rome was also the recipient of a health and wellness award. It received $5,000. The funds will be used for the YMCA’s Health and Wellness Educational Workshop Series and

their FitKids Program. The workshop series provides members and the public, with the latest information on how to care for their physical, social, and emotional health. The FitKids Program is a childhood obesity prevention program for K-6 graders that teaches youths to become more aware of healthy food choices, blood pressure, body mass index, weight, strength, mental health and reducing stress.

• The NAACP of Rome received a $5,000 health and wellness award.

The funds will be used year-round to help fund various events including the Woman’s Health Expo, Healthy Kids Day, health movie nights and discussions with heath care providers. These programs target chronic conditions, illnesses and inequities that impact marginalized segments in the community. NAACP programming also addresses social inequities in these communities.

Eve Van de Wal, regional president, Excellus BCBS, left, meets with Hawa Peters, president of Utica Royalties at the check passing.

Eve Van de Wal, left, and Hank Leo, CEO of the YMCA of the Greater Tri Valley.

Jackie Nelson, left, president, NAACP Rome New York Branch and Eve Van de Wal.

Edwin J. Wadas Foundation, Inc.

Announces Funding to Mid-York Library System

The Edwin J. Wadas Foundation, Inc. announces $146,568.00 in funding to the Mid York Library System.

This grant will provide sports equipment including kayaks, bicycles, ice skates, snowshoes and many other items to be borrowed at libraries across Oneida and Herkimer counties. Using the organizational abilities of the library system the nonprofit hopes to remove barriers and open the outdoors to children of all ages.

“Outdoor play has a multitude of physical and mental health benefits for children. Spending time playing outdoors can promote creativity, independence, and problem-solving. Outdoor play can also improve strength, endurance, and mental health” stated Victoria Cataldo, executive director.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer our library communities with the opportunity to engage in outdoor activities. Libraries are vital in removing obstacles to accessing information and experiences. This project will enable so many children and their families to participate in and enjoy a variety of activities.” said Diana Cassulis, Mid-York Library community outreach librarian.

The mission of The Edwin J. Wadas Foundation, Inc. is to enhance the experiences of recreational and athletic programs for youth ages 5-18 in

Oneida and Herkimer counties.

To view the full listing of items available at your local library visit: wadasfoundation.org/news

Rome Health expands gastroenterology services

Rome Health has expanded its

W. Asher Wolf

gastroenterology services with the addition of board-certified gastroenterologist W. Asher Wolf to Rome Health Gastroenterology.

Wolf has 14 years of experience in gastroenterology with specialized expertise in advanced endoscopy procedures, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with fine needle sampling, to diagnose and treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. With his addition, Rome Health will offer weekend appointments for colonoscopies, providing greater accessibility and convenience for patients.

Wolf earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where he also completed his residency in internal medicine and his fellowship in gas-

troenterology. For the last five years, he has been practicing in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

“At Rome Health, we are continuously building relationships with new physicians with specialized expertise to expand access to the best care out there, here,” said Chief Medical Officer Cristian Andrade. “Creating more capacity and greater access is pivotal to prevent delays in care and achieve the best outcomes for our patients.”

Rome Health welcomes family nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioner Julie Barker-Nagel, has recently joined Rome Health. She has been a family nurse practitioner since 2016.

Barker-Nagel grew up in the

Rome area and attended SUNY Polytechnic Institute, where she graduated and received her bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees in nursing administration and family nurse practitioner.

“I love taking care of people.”

she said. “I love listening to their stories, and getting to know them on a personal level and I feel that is very important when you’re providing

care to someone.”

Returning to the area, Barker-Nagel said she is excited to be joining Rome Health and to continue to do what she loves most — providing care to the community and getting to know her patients and help them in their medical needs.

Slocum-Dickson Medical Group welcomes providers

Two nurse practitioners have recently joined Slocum-Dickson Medical Group based in New Hartford.

• Aida Durmisevic holds a Master of Science in nursing from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and board certification as a family nurse practitioner. Durmisevic will work in collaboration with physician Manzurul Sikder in hematology and medical oncology.

• Anna Collins obtained her Master of Science in nursing from SUNY Upstate Medical University and is board-certified as a family nurse practitioner. She is working in collaboration with physician Apurva Shah in internal medicine.

Slocum-Dickson Medical Group began in 1938 with three physicians. By joining their practices, they were able to realize the benefits of a physician-owned multi-specialty group practice to improve the quality of medical care received by the patient. Today, the group employs over 100 providers and several hundred staff members.

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Julie Barker

Upstate Picnic Foods

Hailing from Upstate, your picnic isn’t complete without these favorite brands.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

It may seem like locally founded brands like Hofmann hot dogs and Terrell’s potato chips are available everywhere; however, these brands and more are sold only across the region (unless one orders online). The following popular brands have become essential parts of Upstaters’ picnics.

HOFMANN SAUSAGE COMPANY, SYRACUSE

Grilled hotdogs are essential to many families’ picnics. Hofmann Hots are CNYers’ top choice. The Hofmann family emigrated from Germany to New York in 1861and founded a meat market. By 1879, they settled in Syracuse and began establishing their line of authentic German franks, sausages, Snappy Grillers, beef jerky, Hunter Sticks, and condiments, the most recent of which is a line of relishes.

ZWIEGLE’S, ROCHESTER

As far as Upstaters are concerned, the only other New York hotdog is Zweigle’s. In 1880, C. Wilhelm and Josephine Zweigle opened a butcher shop in Rochester. The 5th generation of the same family now owns the business, making red and white, skinless and pop open hotdogs; franks, sausage, chorizo, Italian sausage, kielbasa, deli meat, meat balls.

GIANELLI SAUSAGE, SYRACUSE

A grilled sausage smothered in tender onion and green pepper brings flair to any picnic. Anyone in Upstate seeking an authentic Italian sausage looks no further than Gianelli. Founded in 1946 by Lou and Gary Davis as G&L Davis Meat Company, the operation has grown to include sausage links, patties, ground sausage and coiled sausage in a variety of flavors under the Gianelli label.

DINOSAUR BBQ SAUCES AND RUBS, SYRACUSE

A good sauce slathered on the meat goes a long way towards a delicious grilled meal. Many CNYers reach for Dinosaur BBQ sauces and rubs to boost the flavor of their picnics. The lineup of Dinosaur goods come from the restaurant chain of the same name. In 1983, founder John Stage and friends decided to sell high-quality food targeting bikers at the Harley Rendezvous, a motorcycle gathering near Albany. They called their mobile concession stand “Dinosaur” after “Dino,” one of the founders, and as a tribute to a Hank Williams song. The business remained mobile for five years until they settled in Syracuse. The restaurant side of the business has expanded to Rochester, Manhattan, Troy, Newark NJ, Brooklyn and Buffalo. Dinosaur also caters with mobile barbecue food trucks. But if you

can’t get out to Dinosaur location, their bottled sauces and rubs can bring the flavor home.

HINERWADEL’S SALT POTATOES, SYRACUSE

In the 1800s, Irish salt miners in Syracuse prepared small, new potatoes for their lunch by boiling them in salt. The result was not unlike a baked potato with a crisp skin and tender but not mushy flesh inside. A little more than 100 years ago, entrepreneur John Hinerwadel began serving salt potatoes along with their other clambake fare at Hinerwadel’s Grove, his restaurant in Syracuse. His success made salt potatoes a summertime staple in CNY. Bags of Hinerwadels’ potatoes —then sold at grocers throughout the region — became a must-have for anyone hosting a cookout. Although the Hinerwadels stopped serving their clambakes in 2018, the tradition of salt potatoes continues at picnics across Upstate.

ADIRONDACK BEVERAGES, SCOTIA

Refreshing beverages are always a welcomed part of every picnic. An Upstate favorite, Adirondack has been leaving condensation rings on New York’s picnic tables since 1967. The classic flavors are still available— orange, black cherry, cola, ginger ale, root beer and cream soda—along with newcomers. These include sparkling

water and Frannie’s, a sparkling beverage with vitamins, antioxidants, energy and no sugar. Adirondack sources from a local protected glacial aquifer.

TERRELL’S POTATO CHIPS, SYRACUSE

In 1946, William Terrell founded Terrell’s Potato chips, a company now operated by his grandson Jack Terrell. The chips come in original, ripple, barbecue and “Syracuse Style” flavors. Terrell’s acquired Jean’s potato chips. Remember them, the ones in the blue (original) or red (ripple) boxes? But Jean’s is no longer in production.

HELUVA

GOOD! DIP, ARKPORT

What else could you dip your Terrell’s into than Heluva Good! brand dip? It originates from Heluva Good!, a cheese company founded in Sodus, Wayne county in 1925. A customer tasting the new product exclaimed, “That’s a hell of a good cheese!” and the brand earned its moniker. Although now part of HP Hood, LLC, the dip and condiments parts of the company are in Arkport. The dip flavors include French onion, bacon horseradish, buttermilk ranch, bodacious onion, jalapeno cheddar, and white cheddar bacon.