Mvigh 102 aug14

in good August 2014 • Issue 102

It’s time to meet your doctor!

See Page 4

Golden Years Special Edition Are you at risk for Alzheimer’s?

See Page 9

priceless

Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

Energize Yourself!

Looking for that much-needed boost? Check this out!

See Page 5 Visit our interactive online version at MVhealthnews. com

Open your personalized Social Security account See Page 7

Get ‘In Good Health’ at home.

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A health issue, literally speaking!

See Page 12

Health aspects of summertime grilling Page 4

The real costs of war See Page 20

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HEALTH EVENTS

Got a health-related activity or event that you would like publicized? Call Lou Sorendo at 315-749-7070 or email lou@cnymail.com.

Mondays

Women’s support therapy group to meet A women’s support therapy group meets from 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays at 1 Ellinwood Court, New Hartford.

Topics of discussion include family issues, stress, depression, anger, relationships and grief.

Cynthia Davis, who has 20 years of experience leading groups, will facilitate the meetings.

Group size will be limited to protect anonymity. To register, call 736-1231, 794-2454 or email cindycsw@ yahoo.com.

There will be a nominal fee to register for these groups.

Tuesdays

Support for the grief stricken Grief Survivors meets from 6-7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica. Drop-ins are welcome.

This is a faith-based support group for those suffering the loss of a loved one.

For more information, contact Tanya at 315-735-6210, tanya@thegoodnewscenter.org or visit online at www. thegoodnewscenter.org.

Wednesdays/Thursdays

Overeaters Anonymous plans meetings

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, we invite you to visit HOA. You’ll soon see that our staff, experience, technology, clinical trials, and our holistic approach to healing make HOA an amazing place for cancer treatment–right here in Central New York.

CALENDAR of

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Is food a problem for you? Do you eat when you’re not hungry? Do you binge, purge or restrict? Is your weight affecting your life?

Overeaters Anonymous meets from 5:30-6:30 p.m. every Wednesday in Room 101 (first floor) at Rome Memorial Hospital, 1500 James St., Rome.

It also meets from 7-8 p.m. every Thursday at Oneida Baptist Church, 242 Main St., Oneida. Participants are asked to use the rear door.

There are no dues, fees, weigh-ins or diets.

For more information, call OA at 315-468-1588 or visit oa.org.

Aug. 1

Friends of LutheranCare host fundraiser The “Books Are Fun” book fair hosted by LutheranCare’s auxiliary group, The Friends of the Lutheran Homes, will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 1 in the administration building lobby on the LutheranCare campus, Route 12B, Clinton.

In addition to a large quantity of quality reading materials, a variety of audio materials, toys and gift items will be available for purchase. The public is welcome to attend.

Proceeds from the event will assist in funding projects and services which enhance the quality of life of the people who call LutheranCare their home.

For more information on this and other events at LutheranCare, contact Karen Ostinett, director of funds and volunteer development at 315-2357104, kostinett@lutherancare.org.

Aug. 2

Experience ‘The Color Vibe’ 5K fun run The Color Vibe, a “vibrantly colorful” 5K fun run company, is hosting the inaugural Utica Color Vibe 5K at 9 a.m.

Aug. 2 at Proctor Park in Utica.

The Color Vibe is a unique 5K fun run series that is gaining popularity throughout the United States. Throughout the course, participants run, walk,

Continued on Page 18

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

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Primary Concerns HANYS’ survey finds increased need for primary care physicians

By Lou Sorendo

N

ew York state’s physician shortage continues, with a dire need for primary care physicians, according to a recent report by the Healthcare Association of New York State.

HANYS’ 2013 physician advocacy survey of hospitals and health systems found a need for 1,026 physicians statewide, excluding New York City, 26 percent of which are primary care physicians.

The Affordable Care Act urges hospitals and health systems to create healthier communities with a focus on preventive care. However, 63 percent of respondents said their primary care capacity did not meet patient need.

To make matters worse, 70 percent of respondents said recruitment of primary care physicians was difficult.

Sherry Chorost, director of the physician workforce division at the HANYS, pointed to several reasons why Central New York is suffering from a shortage Chorost of primary care physicians.

“One of the number-one issues is the geography of the provider,” she said. “The more rural the provider, the more difficult it is to recruit people.

Not everyone wants to work in rural, underserved areas. That’s probably our biggest obstacle.”

Spouses and significant others of physicians are often concerned about the possibility of being unable to find a job in a rural area.

“They are also concerned about [quality of] schools and all the things that come with being located in a rural area,” Chorost said.

Salary is also an issue, she said.

“Oftentimes primary care physicians are not paid as well as specialists,” she said. “They come out of school with a boatload of debt.”

The average estimated debt for doctors coming out of school is between $180,000-$200,000.

Salaries in primary care settings

are considered insufficient to repay that debt, she noted.

Chorost said the shortage is a “cyclical thing.”

“A while ago there were people saying, “Oh my God, we are going to have too many doctors. Back in 1997, they put a lid on the number of residency slots, and I think a lot of it had to do with managed care. At one point there were concerns about having too many doctors.

“Now we have a growing population, a limited number of residency slots and we don’t have a lot of people going into primary care. It’s created the perfect storm.”

The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of 90,000 physicians nationwide by 2020 if nothing is done to address the issue.

Chorost said there is a freeze on residency slots, but there have been efforts by the federal government to increase residency slots in some areas where it thinks they are needed.

“However, New York doesn’t really benefit from that because we are the teaching capital of the world,” Chorost said. “We produce a lot of doctors, but only about 45 percent of people who finish their residency programs stay in New York, so we lose a lot.”

“What we know for certain is that people who grow up in New York, go to school here and maybe medical school, are most likely to remain in New York,” Chorost said.

“Because we are the teaching capital, we attract people from all over the country and the world,” she said.

“After people finish their training here, they want to go back to California or

Texas or wherever they came from.”

The medical community is taking steps to rectify the shortage, Chorost said.

It is looking at alternative ways to deliver care that involve multi- and interdisciplinary team-based models such as patient-centered medical homes that are becoming prevalent throughout the state.

In that scenario, the involvement of physician assistants and nurse practitioners would increase under physicians’ guidance, Chorost said. “This will allow NPs and PAs to do a lot of work doctors don’t necessarily need to do,” she said.

The PCMH is a team-based healthcare delivery model led by a physician who provides comprehensive and continuous medical care to patients with the goal of obtaining maximized health outcomes.

Earlier this year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New York has finalized terms and conditions with the federal government for a groundbreaking waiver that will allow the state to reinvest $8 billion in federal savings generated by Medicaid redesign team reforms.

The waiver amendment dollars will address critical issues throughout the state and allow for comprehensive reform through a delivery system reform incentive payment program. The DSRIP program will promote community-level collaborations and focus on system reform, specifically a goal to achieve a 25 percent reduction in

avoidable hospital use over five years.

One of the requirements for the waiver is to be certified as a PCMH. While the state has led the nation in the number of PCMHs, “we still have a long way to go, and that will require far more primary care physicians also,” Chorost said.

Chorost said there are several programs designed to alleviate the shortage of primary care physicians in Central New York.

The state-sponsored “Doctors Across New York” initiative trains and places physicians in underserved communities. Physician loan repayment programs that are exempt from federal taxes are available to physicians in exchange for five years of service in underserved areas.

The hope is that after five years, physicians will remain in the region, Chorost said.

“It has been successful at keeping doctors around and getting them into underserved areas,” she noted.

Chorost said the Council on Graduate Medical Education will be issuing a report in the fall addressing the primary care shortage and what kind of recommendations it thinks the state needs to enact.

One way to provide incentives for doctors to get into primary case is to increase their salaries, Chorost said.

PCMHs feature a shift away from fee for service to value-based care, and doctors will be rewarded for keeping people healthy.

“That’s a way to make more money,” she said.

Another initiative that features New York State Department of Health involvement is the establishment of rural residency programs.

Teaching hospitals can partner with rural hospitals, giving healthcare professionals the experience of working in rural areas.

“The hope is that they can stay on and they might like it,” Chorost added.

Another avenue is trying to establish methods where more students from New York state can apply and be admitted to medical school.

“They might favor more people applying from New York state because they have a better shot at staying here,” she said.

It’s Back-to-School Time Schedule your child’s checkup today at one of our 14 locations in Oneida and Herkimer counties.

Oneida, Herkimer, Madison and Otsego counties in good A monthly newspaper published

Health MV’s Healthcare Newspaper

by Local News, Inc. 20,000 copies distributed. To request home delivery ($15 per year), call 315-749-7070.

In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2014 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing Address: 4 Riverside Drive, Suite 251, Utica, NY 13502 • Phone: 315-749-7070 Email: lou@cnymail.com Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Lou Sorendo Contributing Writers: Patricia Malin, Barbara Pierce, Kristen Raab, Malissa Allen, Mary Stevenson, Deb Dittner, Amylynn Pastorella, Mary Christopher Advertising: Donna Kimbrell, Jasmine Maldonado Layout & Design: Chris Crocker Office Manager: Laura Beckwith No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement—not to take the place of—the recommendations of your health provider.

S T . E LIZABETH “Health Care Near You.”

Affiliate of Mohawk Valley Health System August 2014 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

•

Page 3

Enjoy healthy summer grilling But take precautions

F

orget hotdogs and hamburgers.

Make healthy grilled food a hit at your summer cookout by incorporating fruits, veggies, lean meats and low-fat marinades.

“When we think of the grill, we automatically think of hamburgers,” said Patricia Salzer, a registered dietitian and health and wellness consultant at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

“It’s easy to make grilling healthy, and healthy doesn’t have to mean Salzer ‘no flavor.’”

Salzer recommended changing your grilling routine to incorporate more fresh produce and lean protein. Try the tips below, and check out the Excellus BCBS page at Pinterest.com/ExcellusBCBS for recipes.

• Swap out fatty meats for lean meats, poultry and fish • Try chicken and vegetable kebabs for easy party food • Ditch starchy sides for vegetables such as eggplant, asparagus, corn, avocados, jalapenos and romaine halves • Instead of flavoring foods with high-fat dressings, choose herbs and spices, vinegar, and extra-virgin oils.

• Grill whole-wheat pizzas or bread to make crostini • For a sweet treat, try grilled fruit — plantains, peaches, nectarines, melons, figs, apples or pineapple In some instances, grilling fatty meats hurts more than your cholesterol. Salzer said the fat from meat can drip down onto the coals, creating smoke flare-ups that contaminate your food with carcinogens — cancer-causing agents.

She recommended following these other tips to ensure safe and healthy grilling: • Marinate your meat to reduce carcinogens by forming a protective barrier around the food.

• Use different platters for raw and cooked meat to reduce exposure to bacteria • Clean your grill by scrubbing with a brush before and after cooking • Avoid charring food or remove burnt sections before eating. They contain more carcinogens than the rest of the food.

• Flip meat frequently to optimally reduce E. coli bacteria, and use a meat thermometer to be sure to heat to the recommended temperature (165 for ground poultry, 160 for ground red meats or mixtures and fresh pork, and 145 for red meat steak or chops) • Don’t cook meat past its goal temperature to avoid charring Page 4

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Meet

Your Doctor

By Patricia J. Malin

Dr. Candace Correa

As a college student, an opportunity to volunteer at a hospital changed Candace Correa’s entire career outlook from engineering to the medical field.

Now, Correa has come to Utica to join 21st Century Oncology and The Regional Cancer Center of Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, which is an affiliate of Mohawk Valley Health System. She recently spoke with Mohawk Valley In Good Health senior correspondent Patricia J. Malin about her practice.

Q.: Why did you decide to practice oncology in the Mohawk Valley?

A.: I started my practice at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla. I spent four years in patient care with a focus on clinical research and advanced to become breast service chief in the department of radiation oncology. I wanted to come to a community center where the main focus is on quality patient care, plus I wanted a change of climate from Florida. I enjoy the four seasons.

Q.: What prompted you to become an oncologist?

A.: There was no family influence.

Originally, I wanted to be an engineer and I studied chemical engineering.

Then between my junior and senior year in college, I had an opportunity to volunteer at a children’s hospital in Michigan.

Q.: Please describe a typical day in your practice.

A.: I’ll come in and see new patients, follow up with patients about their radiation treatments and monitor their progress. I’ll talk with other doctors about plans for our patients’ treatment.

Q.: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

A.: It’s becoming a new healthcare environment with more restrictions on what we can do. We need to be a greater advocate for patients. It’s a general trend that’s been happening over the last 20 years. The insurance companies want more documentation, which makes it harder for patients. Before, doctors had more flexibility in treatment. Now, doctors have to take more time to explain their criteria.

Q.: What is the most fulfilling aspect of your job?

A.: I really like the emotional aspect of dealing with patients. It’s a challenging dynamic; it doesn’t get old. I’ve also been blessed to work with good surgeons to develop a great breast cancer program. I want to make Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare one of the destinations for breast care in central New York.

Q.: What are the newest developments in radiation oncology? How do you keep up with these developments?

A.: We’ve been looking at new treatments for breast cancer that are less invasive, quicker and more beneficial.

At a community center, there’s more emphasis on the patient experience.

There’s a new way of thinking in treatment. Instead of having just one or two physicians per patient, there’s a whole group of doctors.

Continued on Page 14

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

Lifelines Age: 35 Birthplace: Shelby Township, Mich.

Residence: New Hartford Education: Bachelor of Science in engineering, chemical Engineering, University of Michigan College of Engineering, 19962000; medical doctorate, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2000-2005; summer fellowship, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, 2003-2004; clinical breast cancer research fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, department of radiation oncology, 2005-2006; internal medicine internship, University of Michigan, department of internal medicine, 20082009; clinical breast cancer research fellowship, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, Early Breast Cancer Trialists Collaborative Group, 2005-2010; radiation oncology residency, University of Michigan, department of radiation oncology Family: Husband, Ulrich Hobbies: Running, the outdoors, and taking care of animals

Diet & Fitness The Balanced Body

By Deb Dittner

Energy boosters Six strategies to increase energy levels

E

veryone today seems to be looking for that magical something to give them more energy.

Do I grab coffee? How about an energy drink?

These are quick fixes that can actually do more harm than good.

So should I avoid coffee altogether? Should I be getting more sleep?

There is a lot of information out there trying to tell you what to do and what not to do. But energy actually begins with our adrenal glands.

The adrenals are right above the kidneys and govern our hormones.

In taking care of our adrenals, we can find positive energy sources instead of depending on Dittner negative energy sources.

When your adrenals are sluggish, you may find it will take you a longer period of time to get to the energy level you really want. But with strategies to work with, you too can have energy one again.

• Eliminate sugar, including fake sugar.

A good portion of today’s processed foods contains unnecessary amounts of sugar and is also “hidden” on labels under different names.

Typically those ingredients ending in “ose” or “ol” are more than likely sugars.

In reading labels, you need to look at the grams of sugar.

Four grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. So if your label reads 20 grams of sugar, you are actually consuming 5

teaspoons.

Sugar can equate to inflammation in the body and stimulates the adrenal glands in a negative way, creating blood sugar imbalances.

• Physical movement. We all need to get up and move for a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week.

Find an activity you enjoy, as this will encourage you to continue and build on exercise of your choice. Consider mixing things up also.

Instead of going out for a walk every day at lunch, add in yoga class or join a tennis league or play basketball with your children.

This change in movement will work a variety of muscles and get you to your goal more quickly.

• Self-care. So many people say they don’t have time to do things for themselves. After working all day, they come home to a family and children that need to be cared for.

Or they may take care of elderly parents. But when you put yourself on the back burner, you become more fatigued and stressed and sometimes

Oneida, Herkimer, Madison and Otsego counties in good A monthly newspaper published

Health MV’s Healthcare Newspaper

by Local News, Inc. 20,000 copies distributed. To request home delivery ($15 per year), call 315-749-7070.

In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2014 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing Address: 4 Riverside Drive, Suite 251, Utica, NY 13502 • Phone: 315-749-7070 Email: lou@cnymail.com Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Lou Sorendo Contributing Writers: Patricia Malin, Barbara Pierce, Kristen Raab, Malissa Allen, Mary Stevenson, Deb Dittner, Amylynn Pastorella, Mary Christopher Advertising: Donna Kimbrell, Jasmine Maldonado Layout & Design: Chris Crocker Office Manager: Laura Beckwith No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement—not to take the place of—the recommendations of your health provider.

even angry at what you feel always needs to be done ahead of you.

By taking care of yourself first, you truly will be able to provide better care to those you love.

Consider a massage either weekly or monthly depending on finances.

Start to meditate. Take a calming bath before bed in Epsom salts with therapeutic grade essential oils such as lavendar. Read a book. Enjoy a cup of herbal tea.

• Proper rest. Even as adults, we need to sleep between 7-9 hours nightly. This allows our body to reboot.

Spray the sheets with a lavender mist. Darken the room. Make sure it’s not too warm.

Eliminate all electronics including the television, iPhone, and computers.

Not enough sleep can also cause an increase in weight. So make sure you get appropriate zzzzzz’s.

• Drink your greens. Most people do not get enough greens in their diet.

Always being on the run causes grabbing something quick and usually not very nutritious.

One way to increase the number of servings per day is to add greens to a smoothie or making a juice. Preparing ingredients ahead of time and having them ready for on-the-go meals will give you the nutrition needed on a daily basis.

A green drink will help to balance blood sugar, and by adding a protein powder or other protein source such as hemp and chia seeds will increase the much-needed energy keeping you satisfied longer.

• Supplementation. Certain supplements can help to boost energy.

I do not suggest adding supplements in place of any of the above strategies. That’s simply trying to place a Bandaid on your problem and not actually working on improving your life.

Rhodiola is recommended for a high cortisol level that can be tested by your health care provider.

Licorice is recommended for low cortisol as long as you do not have high blood pressure.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that will normally vary throughout the day, being higher in the morning and lowest at night. In response to stress, cortisol will respond by producing an increase in blood sugar and inflammation, decrease the immune system and bone formation.

In today’s high level of chronic, daily stress, cortisol levels don’t always have the ability to return to a normal rise and fall, leading to chronic stress and conditions.

• Deborah Dittner is a family nurse practitioner specializing in reiki and holistic nutrition. Check out her website at www.The-Balanced-Body. com.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 5

Active Shooter!

Trauma symposium examines how first responders should train, act

By Patricia J. Malin

B

rad Vrooman has coached first responders and emergency personnel on how to respond to active shooter incidents as a regional fire instructor and paramedic for the New York State Division of Homeland Security.

With other Americans, he has watched with alarm as mass shootings erupt too frequently on school campus-

es, work sites, shopping malls and even at military facilities across the United States. It started with Columbine High School in 1999, progressed to Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 and the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting. In January 2014 alone, there were four shooting incidents on school campuses.

On June 5, the day before he gave his lecture on “Operational Considerations in Active Shooter and High Threat Incidents” at St. Elizabeth Medical Center’s 28th annual trauma symposium, a young man opened fire at Pacific University in Seattle, Wash.

On June 8, a gun-toting couple in Las Vegas confronted and killed two off-duty police officers, then stormed into a Walmart store, killing one customer who tried to defend himself with his firearm.

Vrooman is trained in emergency and disaster management. He is a former member of the U.S. Army High Altitude Rescue Team, located at Fort Greely, Alaska, and earned a Master of Arts degree from the American Military University in Charles Town, W. Va. But in March 2013, Vrooman’s training took on personal significance.

A gunman went on a shooting spree in Mohawk. He shot and killed four people at random, including two at a barbershop and two at a quick lube, and wounded two others. Later, he

barricaded himself in an office building in downtown Herkimer and killed a police dog.

The cornered gunman was fatally shot by New York State Police after a harrowing 24 hours for residents.

Vrooman was raised in Herkimer.

“My parents still live there and I have friends there,” Vrooman said.

He said he never imagined such incidents would hit home and create news nationwide, but times have changed.

“My father had a concealed weapon permit for years, but he never carried a firearm until last year,” he explained. “When I was growing up, we didn’t worry about a gunman coming into our school or worry about someone going into Walmart with a shotgun and start blazing away.”

In December 2012, a sniper ambushed volunteer firefighters in a Rochester suburb as they responded to a house fire. Two firemen were killed, two more were seriously injured and shrapnel injured an off-duty police officer. Police brought in an armored vehicle to rescue the wounded and evacuate people from neighboring homes.

Vrooman was later called upon to give a presentation to the emergency personnel in western New York on how to manage similar incidents. First responders need training on how to avoid becoming victims themselves, avoiding both physical and psychological harm.

Vrooman teaches how to respond to high threat situations with discussions involving active shooters, hostages, potential diversions, explosive devices, fire as a weapon, homegrown violent extremism, radical militias, tactical emergency casualty care and equipment and defensive tactics.

Instead of asking, “Why is this happening?” emergency responders have to accept the reality and ask, “How should we operate in this situation?

We need pre-planning discussions. We need a coordinated response of local fire, EMS and law enforcement,” he said.

First responders have learned many lessons since Columbine, but policy is still evolving. In 1999, conventional wisdom called for SWAT teams and EMTs to remain blocks away until the police called them in when the scene was deemed safe. However, the student gunmen were left unimpeded and continued their killing spree inside the school. There was no means for first responders to rescue the victims and possibly save more lives.

In the 1980s, the Army’s special operations command did a study on how to increase survivability of soldiers with ballistic injuries on a battlefield, Vrooman said. It wasn’t until 2011 that a civilian doctor, David Calloway, began drawing correlations between the military research and how emergency or crisis medicine could benefit the public at large.

In April 2013, the American College of Surgeons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation jointly collaborated to bring together eight people from medicine, the military and law enforcement to Hartford (Connecticut) Hospital, a regional trauma center, to prepare communities to deal with active shooter incidents.

“Until now there has been a disconnect,” said Vrooman. “Hospital personnel have never been integrated into tactical training with law enforcement.”

Guidelines from the Hartford Consensus call for integrated tactical training among police forces, paramedics, hospital and emergency personnel operating in high-risk zones.

Cancer Rehabilitation Bassett Healthcare Network is dedicated to helping cancer survivors function at the highest level possible.

Cancer treatment can be very toxic and may cause significant pain, fatigue and disability for survivors.

Through our STAR Program® (Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation), our goal is to minimize these and to encourage cancer survivors to have the best quality of life possible. The STAR Program provides patients with comprehensive, coordinated cancer rehabilitation supported by a team of certified STAR Clinicians® and Providers.

An individualized plan will be developed for you, focused on increasing strength and energy, managing pain and improving your functioning and quality of life.

Make the Connection Ask your primary care provider or oncologist for a referral to a certified STAR Clinician® or call 607-547-3717.

Bassett.org/star Page 6

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

©

Dr. Graber is pleased to welcome Gregory Dalencourt, MD to the practice Dr. Dalencourt is now seeing new patients for surgical consultation for those considering weight loss surgery Our program has successfully met the highest standards set forth by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and is recognized as an ASMBS Center of Excellence.

Surgeries are performed at Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare in Utica, and at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. Dr. Graber is the Director of Bariatric Surgery at both hospitals.

To find out more, visit DrGraberMD.com or call 877-269-0355 to discuss how we might help you in your search to find a healthier you!

The Social Ask Security Office

SJ

St. Johnsville

CNY Healing Touch

Community Health Improvement Complex

Susan Romeo, MS, RN

www.stjrnc.com

For those seeking Wellness in times of Everyday & Unexpected Challenges

Rehabilitation & Nursing Center

518-568-5037

Column provided by the local Social Security Office

S

‘My Social Security’ simplifies your life

o many people buzz through extremely busy and complicated schedules these days. A smartphone in one hand, a computer in front and a digital task list that never seems to end. In addition, to complicate things just a little more, there’s another event you need to add to your list — National Simplify Your Life week. This event takes place Aug. 1 through 7. Put it on your calendar so you don’t forget!

Most organized people agree that planning ahead is a great way to simplify your life. Whether you’re planning tomorrow’s schedule, next summer’s vacation, or your retirement.

We have a suggestion that can help you simplify your life when it comes to Social Security. If you haven’t already (it’s probably on your task list), open your own personal my Social Security account.

What’s my Social Security? It’s a free, secure, online account that allows you immediate access to your personal Social Security information.

During your working years, you can use my Social Security to view your Social Security statement to check your earnings record and see estimates of the future retirement, disability and survi-

vor benefits you and your family may receive based on your earnings. If you already receive Social Security benefits, you can use my Social Security to check your benefit information, change your address and phone number, change your electronic payment methods, and even obtain a benefit verification letter.

Check it out and sign up for my Social Security at www.socialsecurity.gov/ myaccount.

After you check your online Social Security Statement, be sure to visit our Retirement Estimator. Like my Social Security, you can use it as many times as you’d like. The Retirement Estimator lets you compute potential future Social Security benefits by changing variables, such as retirement dates and future earnings. You may discover that you’d rather wait another year or two before you retire to earn a higher benefit. To get instant, personalized estimates of your future benefits just go to www. socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

There are many tools at www. socialsecurity.gov that are simple and convenient to use. Open a my Social Security account today by visiting www. socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and simplify your life.

Q: I got married and I need to change my name in Social Security’s records. What do I do?

ty number. However, the decision is yours. Keep in mind that requestors might not provide you their services if you refuse to provide your Social Security number. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs to read or print our publication, “Your Social Security Number And Card.”

Q&A

A: If you change your name due to marriage, or for any other reason, you’ll need to report the change and get a corrected Social Security card with your new name. You will need to fill out form SS-5.

You can get a copy of this form by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/ss5doc or by calling our toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

You’ll also need to provide the original marriage certificate showing your new and old names.

You can mail or take the documentation to your local Social Security office. In some cases, we may need other forms of documentation as well. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 7

Golden Years When should women have a mammogram?

Crucial test should start at age 40; at-risk women should screen sooner

By Mary Christopher

T

he importance of annual mammograms in adult women cannot be overstated, but when those exams should begin is often a topic of discussion among doctors and patients.

Most physicians follow American Cancer Society guidelines of starting annual mammograms at age 40 while others — depending on when they were trained — say a baseline mammogram should be done at 35 and then start annual mammograms at age 40.

“You don’t need a baseline test at 35 only to disappear for five years and start over again,” said Caridad Fuertes, a radiologist and chief of breast imaging at Fuertes Bassett Healthcare.

“Through the years, suggestions and recommendations have been brought up, but we say start at age 40.”

When should a woman have her first mammogram?

Despite the suggestion from some who would like to see mammograms done before age 40, studies show there are no advantages to starting the tests any earlier unless the patient is at a higher risk for cancer than the average woman, Fuertes said.

A first-degree, pre-menopausal woman who had a relative diagnosed with cancer before 40 is a person considered high risk, she said. That person should start screenings 10 years prior

to when their relative was first diagnosed.

A mammogram does not prevent cancer, but can save lives by finding breast cancer as early as possible.

It is a vital cancer-screening tool using an X-ray exam of the breast to detect and evaluate breast changes. Today’s X-ray machines used for mammograms expose the breast to much less radiation compared to those used in the past.

X-rays do not go through tissue as easily as those used for routine chest X-rays or arm and leg X-rays, Fuertes said.

By Jim Miller

Protect your Medicare card Dear Savvy Senior, I just turned 65 and received my Medicare card. I see that the ID number on my card is the same as my Social Security number, and on the back of the card it tells me I need to carry it with me at all times. What can I do to protect myself from identify theft if my purse and Medicare card get stolen?

Conflicted Beneficiary Page 8

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Dear Conflicted, Many people new to Medicare are surprised to learn that the ID number on their Medicare card is identical to their Social Security number (SSN). After all, we’re constantly warned not to carry our SSN around with us, because if it gets lost or stolen, the result could be identity theft.

But the Medicare ID is more than an identifier. It’s proof of insurance. Beneficiaries need to show their Medicare card at the doctor’s office and the hospital

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

The American Cancer Society recommends radiologists look at the most previous X-ray films and then compare them to new ones.

Comparing pictures helps the doctor find small changes and detect cancer as early as possible, according to its website, www.cancer.org.

Test a lifesaver

Research shows that mammograms have been shown to lower the risk of dying from breast cancer by 35 percent in women over age 50. In those between ages 40-50, the risk in order to have Medicare pay for treatment.

Over the years, many consumer advocates have called for a new form of Medicare identification. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers Medicare, also acknowledges the problem, but so far nothing has been done.

One of the main reasons is because it would cost an estimated $255 to $317 million to fix it. And that’s just the direct cost to the federal government. It doesn’t include the expense for physicians and other healthcare providers to adjust their systems, or the cost to the states.

Other government health systems like the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense have already begun using ID numbers that are different from SSNs, but no one knows when Medicare will follow suit.

In the meantime, here are some tips offered by various consumer advocate groups that can help keep your Medicare card safe and out of the hands of fraudsters.

reduction appears to be somewhat less, according to the website.

A patient should try to stick to one facility or clinic for mammograms, that way all previous tests are on hand to look at. If they have to change facilities, then they should call ahead to find out what they will need to do in order to get old pictures sent to the new place.

While physicians can find other incidental things in a routine mammogram, the reason to get a mammogram is “to evaluate for cancer,” Fuertes said.

Also crucial in catching breast cancer early is doing monthly self-exams to feel the breast for changes and overall paying close attention to the way breasts normally look and feel.

Technology changed so drastically in the 1980s and ‘90s that many in the healthcare field called for changes in when mammograms should begin. Depending on when a doctor was trained could make a difference in what their opinion is when mammograms should begin.

Now that fast advances are tapering off, it doesn’t make sense to start them earlier than 40 unless there are issues or high-risk concerns. But a doctor advising a patient not at risk to have a baseline mammogram done before age 40 may be comfortable for that recommendation given the timeframe of when they studied, Fuertes said.

Regardless of a person’s age or genetic history, it’s always important to be aware of changes in the body and to speak up if something doesn’t seem right.

“Always contact your physician if you have questions or concerns,” Fuertes said. “It can be very confusing to decipher through all of the information out there.”

Protect your card

For starters, AARP suggests that you simply don’t carry your Medicare card at all, because it’s not necessary.

Most healthcare providers already have their patients in their electronic systems and know how to bill you.

But if you really don’t feel comfortable not having it with you, then the Privacy Rights Clearing House, a national consumer resource on identity theft, recommends that you make a photocopy of your card and cut it down to wallet size. Then use scissors to cut out the last four digits of your SSN, or take a black marker and cross them out, and carry that instead.

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

Golden Years

Alzheimer’s: Are you at risk?

Insidious disease has no known cause, cure

By Kristen Raab

A

lzheimer’s disease is more than simply forgetting where you parked your car or if you paid your latest utility bill.

As brain cells die, memory loss becomes severe and other brain functions become impaired. Unfortunately, the disease is fatal. However, treatment may slow it down, which is why recognizing the symptoms is important, and treatment should be started early to maintain quality of life.

Karen Lebiednik, director of long-term care education at the St Luke’s Home, Utica, says Alzheimer’s disease is “not a normal part of aging, and we shouldn’t think it is.” According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 5 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease.

“It accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases,” she said.

Age and family history are risk factors, but younger people and those who do not have a family member with the disease are still at risk.

While the cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown, engaging in healthy behaviors may decrease the likelihood of getting the disease. Lebiednik suggests eating healthy and exercising. In addition, she notes that keeping the mind active is essential.

Senior citizens should make an extra effort to maintain social relationships and they should seek fun activities.

In addition to living a healthy life, any circulation problems should be addressed. “The whole body is affected by impaired circulation,” she said.

Also, smoking and excessive drinking wear down the body, and they are contributing factors to the development of many diseases. The overall goal, Lebiednik says, is to take care of your body the proper way.

Early signs

When is it best to consult with your doctor regarding memory loss or forgetfulness?

Lebiednik said annual visits are best for everyone “as we should all get physicals from our general practitioner whether we are experiencing problems or not.”

For those with concerns about their memory, it is best to have a spouse, sibling or close friend go along for the appointment.

“Anyone over 65 might want to have a GP who is a gerontologist,” she said. “Their specialty allows them to be

keyed right into early signs of dementia.”

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s is not an easy process. There are many diseases and ailments that could cause memory loss and other symptoms that are similar to those of Alzheimer’s patients.

Medication side effects, dehydration, thyroid and endocrine problems and infections can all lead to serious symptoms. Try to avoid some of these problems by seeing your health care provider regularly, taking care of your teeth, and drinking enough fluids, particularly water.

If you are concerned about a loved one’s health, look for any changes in behavior.

Difficulty with concentration is one of the first changes to be noticed.

A major change should not be expected, however, because the disease process is subtle at first. There may also be difficulty with orientation such as the person being unsure of the time.

Additional changes are likely to occur. The person may stop participating in what was once a regular, enjoyable activity. Lebiednik gives the example of a person who always watched a game show suddenly forgetting about it or having no interest in watching it.

“Another change to look for is if suddenly your loved one doesn’t initiate conversation, and you have to pull it out of him or her,” she said.

A person with Alzheimer’s may forget to eat. Alzheimer’s patients also often forget what they had for breakfast, but they can “talk about Christmas day from five years ago,” Lebiednik said.

“You will notice a change in weight because of the failure to eat,” she said.

said. For example, a person may get completely dressed, but forget socks, put shoes on and try to put socks over shoes.

In addition, once the steps get interrupted, they have a difficult time, she added.

To alleviate some of this stress, Lebiednik suggests that caregivers “keep it simple” and give choices, but “don’t give too many choices.”

Alzheimer’s doesn’t just change the life of those who are diagnosed.

Family, friends, and primary caregivers will feel the impact of the diagnosis of their loved one.

“Caregivers have to be very patient,” she said.

Other members of the family should support the caregivers and help ensure they take breaks.

In addition, the Alzheimer’s Association should be able to help with advice.

Support groups can help the caregiver, the spouse, and other family members.

Sometimes Alzheimer’s patients can become aggressive, and it is important for caregivers to learn how to

protect themselves.

Treatment options

In terms of treatment, the key is to start as early as possible.

“Medication doesn’t stop it, but it is slows it down,” Lebiednik says.

Some people might stop their medication assuming it is not working, but this is a mistake.

“If you stop it, you can never get back up to what you reached before,” she said.

One concern is that medication may be expensive, and not everyone is able to afford it.

New research is being done, which involves transfusing the plasma of people in their late teens and 20s into the elderly. This shows promise at helping with various forms of dementia and Parkinson’s, Lebiednik said.

A great resource to learn more about the signs of Alzheimer’s disease can be found at www.alz.org/national/documents/checklist_10signs.pdf.

While an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is devastating, seeking treatment and help early is the best choice for the diagnosed person as well as family, friends, and caregivers.

Keep track of meds

In addition, Lebiednik suggests all older people use a pill box to track medication usage. Forgetting to take pills is a common problem for people with all types of dementia.

Another sign of Alzheimer’s is a change in the ability to use good judgment. “Judgment is impaired from what you think you can do to what you can actually do,” Lebiednik notes. This is commonly present when a person with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia believes he or she is still capable of driving.

“It takes a lot to convince them” that they can’t drive, Lebiednik explains.

Dementia sufferers including those with Alzheimer’s may also struggle with sequencing. People follow a routine, which makes tasks such as getting dressed a simple process. “With dementia they get stuck in the sequencing,” she August 2014 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 9

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SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

Water-rich cucumbers are nutrient rich, too

I

am married to a man who eats an entire cucumber in one sitting.

Peel, seeds, ends, everything. So I asked him the other day if he knew what was nutritious about cucumbers. He shrugged his shoulders and speculated, “All the water?”

Yes, I confirmed, cucumbers are 96 percent water. Beyond that, though, he was clueless.

I don’t think he’s alone. Cukes don’t get much attention for the very fact that they are mostly water.

Not that being full of this vital nutrient is a bad thing. In fact, now, during the hot month of August, it’s a very good thing. Parched? Reach for a cuke. Headache looming? Corral the mighty cuke. Skin a tad dry? Ditto.

But a cucumber’s high water content is just the tip of its nutritious iceberg. This crisp and highly versatile vegetable (really a fruit!) is an impressive source of phytonutrients — valuable compounds found in plants that

Helpful tips

may help prevent disease through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits.

Reduced risk of estrogen-related cancers, in particular, has been associated with a specific group of cucumber phytonutrients known as lignans.

On the vitamin front, one medium cucumber is a commendable source of vitamin K, providing about twothirds of our daily needs, and a decent source of vitamin C, offering up about one-sixth of our daily needs. Vitamin K helps maintain bones and ensures proper blood clotting, while vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant with immune-boosting capabilities, works hard

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to keep our tissues in tip-top shape.

And on the potassium front, cucumbers provide enough of this essential mineral to give it a shout-out.

Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and also works with sodium to maintain the body’s water balance.

Watching your weight? Cucumbers are a dieter’s dream food: they’re fat free; they’re low in calories (only 45 per medium cuke); and they have next to no sodium. Plus, they’re natural diuretics, which may make that swimsuit feel a bit less snug.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

Select cucumbers that are firm and bright medium to dark green. Avoid cucumbers that are wrinkled at the tips. Thin-skinned, narrower cucumbers generally have fewer and less bitter seeds. Store unwrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week, but the sooner you use — the better. Since a cucumber’s skin and seeds are both richer in nutrients than the flesh, consumption of these parts is highly recommended. If so desired, buy organically grown cucumbers (waxed or not) or conventionally grown cucumbers that have not been waxed. As a precaution, both should be thoroughly washed under cool water while scrubbing with a brush. Conventionally grown waxed cucumbers should always be peeled.

Minty Tabbouleh with Cucumber, Tomato and Bell Pepper Adapted from eatright.org.

Serves 8 1 ¼ cups whole wheat couscous

1 ½ cups water 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 2 medium unwaxed cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 2/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley 2/3 cup chopped fresh mint 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, diced 1 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 medium green onions, chopped 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon (or to taste) coarse black pepper To prepare couscous, bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add couscous and stir to blend.

Remove saucepan from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Once the granules have absorbed all the liquid, fluff the cooked couscous with a fork. Let cool.

Next, put the couscous, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red pepper, feta, and green onions in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, lemon peel, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour over couscous; toss gently to coat.

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.

Da Vinci robot comes to St. Mary’s

S

t. Mary’s Healthcare in Amsterdam announced that it has become the first regional hospital, and the 12th in the nation, to begin using the newest da Vinci Xi Surgical System.

The four-armed surgical robot arrived at the hospital recently. According to hospital officials, it utilizes advanced computer and optical technologies to aid surgeons with their operations. It can be used for complex diseases and conditions in gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.

“With the Xi, our surgeons can reduce the size of incisions to 8.5 mil-

limeters, which decreases the amount of tissue damage during surgery,” said Ronald Marsh, chairman of the hospital’s board of trustees. “As a result, patients will experience less pain and recover more quickly.”

The da Vinci Surgical Systems, which have been around for more than a decade, provide patients with a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery that reduces many of the costs and complications associated with open procedures.

“It is highly unusual for a community hospital to make this kind of investment,” said St. Mary’s President and CEO Vic Giulianelli.

Vision for success

Visually impaired Mohawk Valley man takes on life’s challenges, Boilermaker

By Patricia J. Malin

A

s a youngster, Amos Ackerman didn’t cope well with juvenile diabetes.

He secretly binged on candy and soda, despite his parents’ efforts to regulate his diet.

“They couldn’t be everywhere,” he explained. “I was an irresponsible kid and I didn’t care about (diabetes) as I should. I acted as if I didn’t have diabetes.”

He was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at the age of 5. He eventually paid the price for his reckless behavior.

As a teenager, he said he developed retinopathy, cataracts and detached retinas. Blood vessels burst and he became completely blind in his left eye.

Though he has some sight in his right eye, he is legally blind.

“I had a lot of good doctors, especially the retina specialists in Syracuse,” said Ackerman, who lives in Clinton. “I had major operations, at least 10 on each eye. I had pressure-sensitive valves implanted in my right eye.”

He praised the work of Dr. Robert Hampton of Retina-Vitreous Surgeons of CNY PC in Syracuse.

Ackerman was raised on the family’s farm in Turin, near Rome, with two sisters and a brother, and enjoyed skiing at nearby Snow Ridge ski area in his youth. Despite his long-term vision problems, he was determined to be active in sports at South Lewis Central School.

“Playing sports saved me from being worse,” he said. He started playing competitive football in seventh grade and spent two years on the varsity wrestling team.

Now 26, he continues to believe in the importance of remaining phys-

Melissa Lyon tries her hand at marksmanship in the community room at The Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Utica during Olympic Day festivities.

Assisting Lyon, who is legally blind, is Steve Gannon, director of development at CABVI. ically active. He completed the Utica Boilermaker 15K Road Race recently in a time of 1 hour, 26 minutes. He placed a strong 490th in the field of 934 men in the 25-29 age group, and was the 4,189th finisher overall of 11,000 runners.

Ackerman competed in his first Boilermaker in 2012 and turned in a blazing time of 78 minutes. He was accompanied this year by his 20-year-old brother, Adam, who actually finished behind him in 1:31.28.

“He’s not my guide,” Amos pointed out. “But I do wear a sash that says I’m visually impaired. The vision in my right eye varies. It’s about 20/200. If it’s too dark out, I can’t see and if it’s too bright, I can’t see either, but my near sight is good. I have to use a magnifier

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All that glitters is gold

orty-eight athletes from The Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Utica have earned distinction as Olympic gold medalists.

The athletes, all of whom are legally blind, were assisted by 13 local instructors/volunteers. They participated in four paralympic sports — marksmanship, swimming, tandem cycling and judo — during an Olympic Day festival recently at CABVI on Kent Street in Utica and other area locations.

Olympic Day is an annual event offered through the United States Association of Blind Athletes and the WellPoint Foundation National Fitness Challenge to promote Olympic values of fair play, perseverance, respect and sportsmanship.

During June, there were 800 events at 15 USABA agencies nationwide, with nearly 500,000 participants. The athletes participated in the fitness challenge at their individual locations.

A panel of judges tabulated results on the basis of the percentage of athletes who competed, overall community involvement, media attention, and engagement with their local WellPoint Foundation agency.

for reading.”

He is employed at the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Utica, which also gives him the opportunity to play paralympic sports. The 5-foot-8, 150-pound athlete competes in curling, bowling and running, and is a student at Brown’s

The USABA awarded CABVI the gold medal, plus a $1,000 prize. The Cincinnati (Ohio) Association for the Blind won the silver medal and $750.

The bronze medalist was the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Binghamton ($500).

CABVI President and CEO Rudy D’Amico read a proclamation from Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri declaring June 21 CABVI Olympic Day in the city of Utica.

A half dozen CABVI swimmers took to the pool at Mohawk Valley Community College for instruction and exercise. Following lunch, the paralympians could choose to get judo instruction at Brown’s School of Judo and Jujitsu in Utica or ride a tandem bicycle for two miles along the Erie Canal in Whitesboro. The marksmanship contest was held at CABVI’s community room.

“I think it’s important that CABVI has programs like Olympic Day,” said Bob Porter, public policy coordinator for CABVI Utica. “It isn’t a matter of showing the capabilities of people who are blind to everyone else. To me, it’s about people who are blind becoming confident and learning what they are capable of too.”

Judo School.

“I take good care of myself now and check my blood sugar regularly,” he said.

His co-worker at CABVI and girlfriend Rebecca Missig, 34, was supposed to join him in the 15K, he added, but a leg injury earlier in the year forced her to shorten her training. She did compete in the 5K, however.

Her blindness is more severe, so when she runs, she needs to be tethered to Alex Crawford, her mobility coordinator at CABVI. Missig was credited with finishing in 46:36 minutes, and placed 285th of 287 runners in her age group.

Missig is a native of New Orleans, La., but relocated to Utica to take a job with CABVI. She and Ackerman work in the agency’s call center on Kent Street.

Meanwhile, CABVI was one of 11 organizations participating in the Boilermaker Charity Bib effort.

Ten additional runners wearing charity bibs competed in both the 15K and 5K divisions. They raised $7,000 for Camp Abilities, CABVI’s summer camp for children with visual impairments.

Jessica Watson, a CABVI employee, got $1,200 in donations, according to Steve Gannon, director of development for CABVI.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 11

Literacy equals better health Community involvement vital in order to raise reading standards

By Amylynn Pastorella

R

eading is a fundamental skill and basic human right that all students have the ability to take advantage of with the start of another school year.

Columbia University Benefits-Cost Center found stunning statistics that show about how illiteracy affects a community as a whole.

For example, for each high school graduate, there is a savings of $127,000 in the cost of welfare support over a lifespan. High school graduates earn $267,000 more than a non-high school graduate over a lifespan.

If the 41,700 adults without a high school diploma who live in Herkimer and Oneida counties got their diploma, there would be a cost savings of $66.7 million in public health insurance costs per year. A one-year increase in average years of schooling reduces murder and assault by almost 30 percent, motor vehicle theft by 20 percent, arson by 13 percent and burglary and larceny by 6 percent.

When looked at on a larger scale, literacy is a tool that can allow people to participate successfully in society.

Reading can build self-confidence and opens up the imagination and knowledge base.

Lara Sepanski-Pimentel of the Literacy Coalition of Herkimer and Oneida Counties works with partners in hopes of encouraging reading and literacy throughout the area.

“We work with organizations that work with all types of demographics.

Literacy can affect anyone, in many ways. We don’t just focus on basic literacy. We’re also working on health, financial, workplace and digital literacy. It’s hard to find one person who does not struggle with some aspect of literacy during their lifetime,” said Sepanski-Pimentel.

The literacy coalition connects organizations in the region to the funding, advocacy, professional development and service support they need to increase the availability of high-quality literacy programs.

Through collaboration, the coalition will raise awareness of illiteracy, provide links to services and encourage the residents of Herkimer and Oneida counties to become lifelong learners.

The goal is that through these

commitments, all residents will have the opportunity to fully participate in society and support their community as active citizens. Although the coalition is not a direct service provider to learners, it works with nonprofits, government agencies, businesses, schools, colleges, and libraries to focus their literacy work to have a greater impact on learners. Their main focus areas are prevention, remediation and advocacy.

“We’re focused on data-driven solutions, and something we know is that there is a real issue with accessing books year-round,” said Sepanski-Pimentel.

Therefore, the coalition started EZ READ community bookshelves around Herkimer and Oneida counties. Partner organizations have also embraced the idea of infusing literacy into their work; for example, giving a book to a child or encouraging reading at an appointment.

“Getting the information into the

UCP one of ‘healthiest companies in America’

U

pstate Cerebral Palsy recently announced national recognition as one of the “Healthiest Companies in America” by Interactive Health, the leading provider of outcomes-based health management solutions.

UCP was one of 67 honorees from across the United States recognized for its efforts to prioritize employee wellness and create an ongoing culture of health. This is the second year that the agency has won the award.

Page 12

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The “Healthiest Companies in America” award is given to organizations across the nation that achieved a company-wide low health risk status while sustaining high employee participation in their wellness program.

The selection process analyzes biometric screening results. The winning organizations demonstrated improved overall employee health across the following key health indicators: glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and tobacco usage.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

hands of parents about the importance of reading is key, and our partners do a great job at it,” Sepanski-Pimentel said.

Third grade good barometer

To further promote the importance of reading, Literacy Coalition of Herkimer and Oneida Counties is working closely with Dolgeville and Bellamy and Gansevoort elementary schools in Rome on the Campaign for Grade Level Reading.

This is a national campaign to increase third-grade reading levels, a strong indicator of academic success.

The ability to graduate from high school can be foreshadowed by thirdgrade reading abilities. If a child is unable to read well by the end of third grade, they are four times more likely to drop out of school.

Rome just launched several new lending libraries for students to access books around town, and Dolgeville is doing some interesting work with The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties on pre-school teaching and readiness.

The literacy coalition has set up more than 20 EZ READ community bookshelves around Herkimer and Oneida counties for this purpose.

EZ READ bookshelves are located in places such as waiting rooms, convenience stores and pharmacies, which people frequent but not necessarily to access books.

“They’ve been a big hit, and we’ve put more than 15,000 books on these shelves over the past year. I’d also encourage people to visit their local library and for kids to use their school library. If people have Internet access at home, there are some great websites with free books and activities for all levels of readers to access,” Sepanski-Pimentel said.

Reading materials can be found

anywhere. An example is a box of cereal where one can practice all sorts of phonics and letter recognition.

Cooking is an excellent reading and math activity with kids, and reading can be incorporated into sports by writing down plays and reading them.

The Pentagon recently reported that 70 percent of 17–24–year-olds would not qualify for military service due to health, physical appearance or educational background which could be identified as a national security crisis.

“Some students find their way into adult education classes, which we love.

But the key is to talk to kids and teach them from the time they’re born about letters, numbers and reading,” Sepanski-Pimentel said.

So much goes into making sure a child can read and comprehend — school readiness, upkeep of skills, health, school attendance, nutrition, sleep, safe place to live, caring and educated caregivers — that it’s critical for a coalition approach to be taken on an issue such as literacy.

There are many tools parents and children can use for free to maintain their skills and to build on them.

Parents should be thoughtful about school attendance and summer learning if they really want to see academic gains. There is a New York state campaign called Every Student Present, which focuses on increasing awareness of the importance of school attendance. It is especially critical in the early school-aged years, as this is the time when children are building their skill sets for the first time.

Low-income kids are especially vulnerable and can lose months of gains over the summer, which widens the achievement gap year after year.

A little alcohol may not be good for heart after all

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new study challenges the widely held belief that light drinking of alcohol may be good for your

heart.

Researchers analyzed more than 50 studies that examined drinking habits and heart health in more than 260,000 people.

They found that those with a form of a gene tied to lower levels of drinking generally had healthier hearts.

The gene affects how a person’s body breaks down alcohol, resulting in unpleasant symptoms such as nausea and facial flushing. Having this variant has been shown to lead to lower drinking over the long term, the researchers explained.

On average, people with the gene had lower blood pressure, lower bodymass index (an estimate of body fat based on height and weight) and a 10 percent lower risk of heart disease.

The results suggest that cutting alcohol intake — even for light-to-moderate drinkers — benefits heart health, according to the authors of the study in

Between You and Me

the July 11 issue of the BMJ. “While the damaging effects of heavy alcohol consumption on the heart are well-established, for the last few decades we’ve often heard reports of the potential health benefits of light-to-moderate drinking,” study senior author Juan Casas, a professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said in a university news release. “However, we now have evidence that some of these studies suffer from limitations that may affect the validity of their findings.

“In our study, we saw a link between a reduced consumption of alcohol and improved cardiovascular health, regardless of whether the individual was a light, moderate or heavy drinker,” Casas said. The study could only show an association between the two, however, it couldn’t prove causeand-effect.

Further large-scale gene studies are needed to confirm these findings, the researchers said.

30 people die every day due to organ donor shortage

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ransplant surgeon and researcher Christopher Barry in June presented new data analysis at the Donate Life America Annual Meeting in Baltimore that indicates the average number of people who die each year before they can receive a lifesaving organ transplant is nearly 11,000 or 30 people every day.

“That is the equivalent of 22 jumbo jets crashing every year with no survivors,” Barry said.

Since 1999, the donation and transplantation community has cited that the number of people who die while on the national transplant waiting list has hovered around 6,500 a year, or 18 a day. However, this does not take into account the more than 4,000 people who are removed from the waiting list every year due to being “too sick to transplant.”

“Being removed from the list because you are ‘too sick to transplant’ is generally not a good sign,” said Barry.

“For people with end-stage liver, heart or lung failure, it usually means that they will die in a short period of time.

There are certainly some people who can get back on the list because they are no longer ‘too sick,’ but they are in the minority.”

In addition, Donate Life America released the seventh annual National Donor Designation Report Card, which reports 117 million people had enrolled in various state donor registries by the end of 2013. While the number of registered donors continues to rise steadily,

it has not increased quickly enough to meet the needs of the growing national transplant waiting list.

According to Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the waiting list has grown from 65,313 to 123,089 since 1999 — nearly a twofold increase. Those who are taken off the waiting list for being “too sick” has increased almost four-fold over that same period. Despite the clinical success of transplant therapy for end stage organ failure, the number of transplants performed has remained generally flat for the past decade.

“We must consider those who die after being taken off the waiting list for being ‘too sick to transplant’ as victims of the national organ shortage, because a donor organ did not come in time for them to be transplanted and restored to health.” says David Fleming, President and CEO of Donate Life America.

“We can end this public health crisis by increasing the number of registered donors, promoting preventive health initiatives and encouraging people to consider living donation.”

Barry added, “It’s important to note that the equivalent of 56 jumbo jets, or 28,000 people, land safely and successfully each year through lifesaving transplants from both deceased and living donors. Donation is proven to save lives. We just need more of it.”

To register as a donor or for more information about donation please visit www.donatelife.net.

Abraham House schedules bottle drive

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braham House will be conducting a bottle drive from 8 a.m. until noon Aug. 2 at Daniele’s, 8360 Seneca Turnpike, New Hartford.

Abraham House will be collecting bottles in Daniele’s parking lot.

Bottles and cans can also be dropped off anytime during the week of July 28

By Barbara Pierce

Name it to claim it Develop your goals then implement them

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ou can get what you want, I have said in the past.

You can draw to you the things that you want. If you think about the things you desire, they will come to you.

It’s called the law of attraction and it is just as certain as the law of gravity. What the law of attraction says is: Whatever you give your attention to is drawn to you. You draw to yourself what you think about. It has worked for me. It will work for you.

In the latest Oprah magazine, Dr. Phil (McGraw) promoted the same line of thinking in his monthly column. He says, “You have to name it to claim it.”

“I think one of the biggest reasons people are ineffective or unsuccessful Pierce is that they never clearly declare what they want,” says Dr. Phil. “You’ve got to have a goal in mind or you will never have the opportunity to claim it.”

He doesn’t call it the law of attraction, but he’s saying the same thing with a little different spin on it.

First, you must be clear about what you want. Give it some thought. Say, “I want a man in my life,” or “I want more money in my life,” or “I want more friends.”

It’s not your job to make it happen.

Your work is simply to determine what you want. Be clear about your goals.

You have to be specific, says Dr. Phil. Don’t just say, “I want to be happy.” His dog wants to be happy too, but what the heck does that mean?

Your task is to define what happy means to you, and to be exact.

Don’t say, “I want to be successful.” Instead, spell out just what being successful means to you. How will you know when you are successful?

Dr. Phil says, “Once you have an idea of your true priorities, you can catch yourself before you do anything that doesn’t move you toward that target.”

person with whom I could live. I think I get it.

Like Fred, a young man I know.

He knew he wanted to have a child.

He brought this up with the women he dated. If they were hesitant, or not sure, he moved on to the next woman.

He finally found a divorced woman with two teenage boys who agreed that having another child sounded like a good plan to her. Now, they are happily married with their 10-year-old son.

Dr. Phil doesn’t say this, but I think we all need to increase our odds of it happening. I need to put myself in a place where I am likely to encounter whatever it is I desire.

Fred needed to find women open to having a child with him.

Next, after you have stated your desire, give it attention. Focus on it. Say, “I will have this.”

Watch your doubts; don’t limit yourself. Don’t say, “I want to publish the story of my life, but I don’t think I could,” or, “I can’t afford a cruise.”

Instead say, “Somehow it will come into my life.”

Be careful not to put reasons out there why it won’t work.

Third step: Believe it is possible.

Say, “This will happen.”

Even the Bible supports the law of attraction. “Ask and it shall be given you.”

Here’s something significant. An important part of attracting the things you want is to show gratitude. “Thank you for the man I will meet when I am ready,” I need to say every day.

By celebrating what you are experiencing, you will draw more of it to you.

The most you will ever get is what you ask for, concludes Dr. Phil. So be bold enough to reach for what’s truly important to you. You deserve more, and you can have more, but first you have to name it to claim it.

So, first identify what you want.

Then make sure all that you do moves you toward your target. Don’t waste time doing things that don’t move you toward your goal.

For example, my goal is to find a man to live with. So I should not waste any time with a man who is not a

• Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker with many years’ experience in helping people. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book “If I’m so Fantastic, Why am I Still Single?” contact her at BarbaraPierce06@yahoo.com, or contact her if you have any concerns you would like her to address.

You must name it

at Abraham House, 1203 Kemble St., Utica.

For further information, call Abraham House at 733-8210.

Abraham House provides a secure and loving home, without charge, to the terminally ill in the community.

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Call 749-7070 today!

August 2014 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

•

Page 13

Meet

Your Doctor

By Patricia J. Malin

New technology aids cancer battle Continued from Page 4 I saw this going on in Florida. Now there are multiple discussions from multiple specialists.

We’re focusing more on patient survivorship and ways to deliver radiation with fewer side effects. We want to target the tumor only and not the tissues. It’s more cutting-edge innovation.

We have a new CT scanner at Faxton that helps us target tumors more easily and have newer machines that are more accurate.

I’m a member of several groups (medical associations) that hold regular meetings. There’s a lot of focus now on cardiac toxicity and how to reduce the effects of radiation on the heart. You’re getting comparable radiation now from a mammogram as you would on a transcontinental flight or background environmental exposure, and there is minimal risk with this.

Q.: How much time should a physician devote to following research in his or her field?

A.: There’s a lot of clinical research focused on patient outcomes and side effects. I meet several times a year with my medical associations.

Q.: Technology and computers are playing an ever-increasing role in medicine, for example, in the use of 3D breast cancer screening. How soon can patients in the Mohawk Valley obtain access to new technology that is in use in large metro areas and healthcare facilities such as Moffitt in Florida?

A.: It is very similar here and very comparable to Moffitt because we have a commitment from local donors in the community to give us the same technology and resources. For instance, the new CT scanner was installed at Faxton in January thanks to major donations from Albert Mazloom and F. Eugene

Romano.

There are 15 radiation oncologists at Moffitt and here we have just two including Dr. Gilbert Lawrence, but there is a similar demand for my services.

Patients come to Faxton every day for radiation who don’t have to drive to Syracuse for treatment.

One of the newer treatments is partial breast radiation and we can do it just as well here as in Florida. It calls for 10 treatments a week (twice a day over five days), but it spares the normal tissues from getting radiation.

Q.: Will you have an opportunity to continue doing oncology research or develop clinical trials at FSLH? A.: I hope so. Our department would always like to be on the forefront of the latest technologies and treatments for patients so that they can reap the benefits sooner. One way to achieve this is participation in clinical trials.

Q.: What challenges do you foresee in the future regarding healthcare, locally and nationally?

A.: If you keep having improvements in equipment, you have to be able to update that equipment and get access to the latest technology. You don’t want to fall behind. Every few years, something new — whether it is medicine or equipment — comes out and it gets more expensive. Then you need a combination of philanthropists, hospital administration, and community support to step in and establish high-quality care.

Q.: What suggestions do you have to improve your specialty in the future?

A.: Ideally, you want to have a good system where the patients could navigate the system and have access to great technology and then get back into their normal, usually active and healthy lifestyles.

Supplement can dangerously interact with prescription drugs

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t. John’s wort, the leading complementary and alternative treatment for depression in the United States, can be dangerous when taken with many commonly prescribed drugs, according to a study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center released in June.

The researchers reported that the herbal supplement can reduce the concentration of numerous drugs in the body, including oral contraceptive, blood thinners, cancer chemotherapy and blood pressure medications, resulting in impaired effectiveness and treatment failure.

“Patients may have a false sense of safety with so-called ‘natural’ treatments like St. John’s wort,” said Sarah Taylor, assistant professor of dermatology at Wake Forest Baptist and lead author of the study. “And it is crucial for physicians to know the dangers of ‘natPage 14

•

ural’ treatments and to communicate the risks to patients effectively.” The study is published in the current online issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

“Labeling requirements for helpful supplements such as St. John’s wort need to provide appropriate cautions and risk information,” Taylor said, adding that France has banned the use of St. John’s wort products and several other countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom, and Canada, are in the process of including drug-herb interaction warnings on St. John’s wort products.

“Doctors also need to be trained to always ask if the patient is taking any supplements, vitamins, minerals or herbs, especially before prescribing any of the common drugs that might interact with St. John’s wort.”

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

Birth rally

Natural birth proponents raise awareness of mother’s choices

By Barbara Pierce

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birth rally will take place at The Parkway at Genesee Street in Utica at 10 a.m. Sept. 1.

“We want to raise awareness of birth choices that are available in our area,” explained organizer Naomi Starsiak of Oriskany. “We have an exceptionally high rate of cesarean sections — women are having major surgeries who don’t need it.”

The rate of cesarean births in central New York is 42.2 percent — data from the New York State Health Department, says Starsiak, a trained birth and post-partum doula and student midwife and leader of Better Births for CNY. Nationwide, the rate is 32.8 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The World Health Organization recommends the rate not exceed 15 percent. Starsiak does not know why the cesarean rate is higher in this area.

When asked to comment, Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Chief Medical Officer Michael Trevisani said, “According to the Central New York Regional Perinatal Program, FSLH primary c-section rate for 2013 for lowrisk deliveries was 20 percent. FSLH continuously looks for ways to reduce the number of births by c-section when appropriate. The decision to deliver via c-section or not at FSLH is based on what is in the best interest of each patient and her baby, all while keeping the goal of a healthy mother and healthy baby in mind.”

Starsiak remains concerned. “We will stand there and publicly make a statement that we’re upset. Think

about what you’re doing,” said Starsiak. “It is a mother’s right to choose how she gives birth.”

“Women don’t realize they have the right to say no. They don’t know what their options are,” Starsiak added.

“I was bullied into my first c-section,” says a Chadwicks woman on the Facebook page Better Births for CNY. “I hope this area can get more knowledge on the rising problem. I’m not the only one who has had the ‘your baby is too big’ card played on them.”

A c-section is major surgery, explained Starsiak. Like any major surgery, you run the risk of major complications, even death. It is the equivalent of doing major surgery to remove a kidney stone. Women’s bodies were made for birthing, she noted.

Also, from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 14, Better Births for CNY will hold a celebration of birth at the Jewish Community Center in Utica. Nationally known Esther Zorn, who started the International Cesarean Network, will be one of the speakers.

There will be a healing circle so that women who have had their babies through a cesarean section can talk about what happened to them.

“With a c-section, she is strapped down. She does not have the opportunity to have her newborn laid on her chest, to feel him or her, touch him or her. There is no bonding right after birth; that gets taken away,” Starsiak said.

“I mourned,” said one Oriskany woman. “My husband bonded to our daughter before I did.”

For more information, Starsiak can be reached at 315-736-2503.

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Mary in the Middle

By Mary Stevenson

Face-to-face with frightening scare

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he weekend was a fantastic weekend.

We took the children to the Boilermaker 5K Walk in Utica. We participated in the walk, gathered beads, met new friends and enjoyed our time together.

We finished, gathered our congratulatory pins and picnic lunch and headed for home. The day culminated in a going away party for a friend’s son who was joining the military. More good food, some pool time, laughter and good conversation rounded out an already fantastic day.

Sunday, we had plans too. We took in some of the sights and sounds of the Madison County Fair. We watched a talent show of young ladies with budding dancing abilities and dreams of winning the competition and going on to the state Stevenson championships. We saw tractor pulls and a magician wowed the children before the skies opened up again with a cold, pelting rain. We hurried home and settled in for a quick afternoon nap. That was a sign of things to come, I think.

I woke up from the nap rather cranky. I felt miserable in every part of my body. I figured it was because the short nap really was short but sent the warnings out in case it was PMS. (Around here, forewarned is forearmed.

If the warning was sent, proceed at your own risk).

I had a pretty good headache and pain in my jaw. I chalked up one was related to the other and moved ahead.

Yet, I still didn’t feel right all the way around. You know how when something feels off but you can’t pinpoint exactly what it is?

I was there. I called it an early night as I was having a gastroscopy procedure early the next afternoon and I wanted to be prepared. I also couldn’t eat anything after midnight, making me much more unpleasant than I already was.

So Monday morning rolls around and the headache is still there along with the jaw pain. It wasn’t as bad as the night before so I went ahead with my day; begrudgingly of course, since I still couldn’t eat anything. The procedure went well and I was out of there in a couple of hours.

It was nothing earth shattering, and the procedure and results were routine.

Any aches and pains or “not-100-percent-myself” feelings were attributed to those events. It was another early night for me with no real worries.

I fully expected to be back to my normal, super pleasant self on Tuesday but there were some weird things happening. First, when I ate or drank or tried to lick my lips, the right side of my face felt numb. It was not a “full-on drool from my lips” numb but more like “just from the dentist Novocain wearing off” numb. I wasn’t afraid just bewildered.

I also could not form my lips to kiss the baby or to make raspberry noises to him. Again, it was odd but not alarming. I mentioned to my husband that the right side of my body still felt off throughout the day. He suggested I rest and maybe it was some side effects from

the day before. I agreed and made it an easy day.

Concern heightens

One more morning of puzzlement became cause for concern. I tried to form a kissy-face for the baby and I felt the right side not make the pout.

I looked in the mirror and I saw my mouth droop. I tried to smile. I reminded myself of Two-Face from the Batman comics. One side was a beautiful, normal smile and the other side was flat.

I watched myself pout for a kiss. My lips looked like a flat tire on one side.

One eyelid seemed to hang over my eye. I showed my husband. He said we are going to the ER now.

I wasn’t worried before but his worry made me pause. It can’t be a stroke, I thought; that is the left side.

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to find out.

Apparently, when you enter an emergency department with a droopy smile and similar symptoms, people move. I was ushered into a room and several people were waiting for me to walk in. The doctor took one look at me, listened to me speak and her diagnosis was Bell’s palsy.

She performed the protocols for a diagnosing a stroke: following her finger, squeezing her hands, pushing back on her hands with my arms then my legs, and I passed those fairly easily. I was sent to get a CT scan to further rule out a stroke.

A little while later, I was on my way with some anti-viral medication and a steroid to alleviate the symptoms while the virus worked itself out.

Answers. Relief. Good to go.

While we were waiting at the ER, we looked up all we could on Bell’s palsy. The wonders of technology make us all doctors. Sometimes it’s difficult to weed through the sites as to what is reputable and what isn’t.

My go-to site has always been the National Institute of Health (www.nih. gov). It has always steered me in the right direction and has yet to fail me.

Here’s what the site had to say: Bell’s palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis. It usually affects just one side of the face. Symptoms appear suddenly and are at their worst about 48 hours after they start.

They can range from mild to severe and include twitching, weakness, paralysis, drooping eyelid or corner of mouth, drooling, dry eye or mouth, excessive tearing in the eye and/or impaired ability to taste.

Scientists think that a viral infection makes the facial nerve swell or become inflamed. You are most likely to get Bell’s palsy if you are pregnant, diabetic or sick with a cold or flu.

Three out of four patients improve without treatment. With or without treatment, most people begin to get better within two weeks and recover completely within three to six months.

Although my symptoms were unnerving at the time, I am relieved that it wasn’t a stroke. But the explanation of Bell’s palsy, to me, was vague.

Where does this viral infection come

from? Is it in our bodies, like the MRSA bacteria that can be present in our noses and on the skin without causing an active infection?

The ER doctor said studies show the virus that causes Bell’s palsy is part of the herpes virus family, also known for causing chicken pox, cold sores, and shingles, as well as the well-known sexually transmitted disease of the same name.

Those are only some results of the vast amounts of studies and research being done. More is being conducted to learn about the causes of Bell’s palsy and other brain and other nervous system disorders.

In the meantime, I will be taking two different medications to reduce inflammation and swelling and an anti-viral to fight the infection. I will also be exercising my facial muscles to prevent losing muscle tone. I will be back to 100 percent. I have to. I have tons of stuff to do, columns to write, children to raise, a house to clean. After today’s scare, I am very happy to be able to clean my house.

Next week: Dealing with Bell’s palsy.

• Mary Stevenson is a contributing writer with Mohawk Valley In Good Health newspaper. Her “Mary in the Middle” column appears on a regular basis.

Health Briefs ‘Intimacy After Stroke’ topic of support group

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axton St. Luke’s Healthcare in Utica will host a free stroke support group presentation at 6 p.m. Aug. 6 in the Soggs Room at St. Luke’s Home in the Center for Rehabilitation and Continuing Care Services, 1650 Champlin Ave., Utica.

The presentation will focus on getting close and showing affection following a stroke.

FSLH is the area’s only designated primary stroke center and is a recipient of the American Heart

August 2014 •

Association/American Stroke Association’s 2013 Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award for excellence in the care of stroke patients.

For more information, call Laura Love at 315-624-6847.

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 15

H ealth News MVHS, St. E’s welcomes nurse manager Wendy Bird has been named nurse manager of the special care unit at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica.

Bird earned her registered nurse degree at Mohawk Valley Community College. She began her career at Rome Hospital on the special care unit and joined SEMC as a bedside nurse Bird on the cardio thoracic intensive care unit in 2001. After several years at SEMC, she joined the management team as a night shift nursing supervisor.

Dispose of sharps/needles at St. E’s St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica provides a household sharps disposal program for people who want to dispose of sharp medical instruments such as insulin hypodermic needles.

The program is open to individuals from private residences, not businesses.

Sharp instruments, packed in a puncture-proof container and clearly marked as “sharps,” may be brought to the hospital services department, located in the basement of the medical

center, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays (excluding holidays).

For more information, contact hospital services at 315-798-8249.

SEMC Foundation names new board member James P. McCarthy has been named a member of the board of directors of the St. Elizabeth Medical Center Foundation.

McCarthy is president of Northland Communications in Utica.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Siena College in Loudonville and his McCarthy master’s degree in telecommunications from SUNYIT Utica/Rome in Marcy.

McCarthy serves on the March of Dimes and SUNYIT foundation boards and previously served as a member of the Excellus Regional Advisory Board.

FSLH Foundation names new board members The Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation recently announced new members to serve on its board of directors:

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

Debbie Cotton

Debbie Cotton is vice president/ director of branch sales and services for Adirondack Bank.

Previously she worked as a branch manager/ vice president at First Niagara Bank and was employed by The Savings Bank of Utica for more than 26 years.

Cotton is committed to volunteerism and has held Cotton a number of board positions with various agencies in the community.

She is serving as vice president of Hospice and Palliative Care’s Development Council.

David Manzelmann

David Manzelmann is the president and team leader for the Mohawk Valley market business and professional banking at M&T Bank. Manzelmann graduated from The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio with a degree in business economics.

Manzelmann joined M&T Bank Manzelmann in 2007 through its predecessor, Partners Trust Bank. Prior to his work with Partners Trust Bank, he held various bank management positions with KeyBank and NBT Bank.

Manzelmann serves on a number of boards and committees with nonprofit organizations within the Mohawk Valley including The House of the Good Shepherd, Mohawk Valley EDGE, Utica Industrial Development Corporation, Literacy Coalition, Utica Public Library, Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute, The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc. and the M&T Bank/ Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund.

Stephen T. Surace

Stephen T. Surace is the senior vice president and chief financial officer for Adjusters International/Basloe, Levin & Cuccaro, Ltd. and president of Mosaic Accounting.

Surace received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Utica College in Utica and his Master of Business Administration in accounting from Surace SUNYIT Utica/ Rome in Marcy.

Surace is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section associate member, the United

Way of Greater Utica Finance Committee and a board member of the NYS Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Thomas Spellman Jr.

Spellman

Thomas Spellman Jr. is president/CEO of Mohawk Healthcare (previously Mohawk Hospital Equipment) in Utica.

Spellman received his bachelor’s degree from Utica College. He serves on the Mohawk Healthcare Board of Directors.

FSLH closes Oneida Dialysis Center Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare in Utica has vacated its Oneida Dialysis Center in the Oneida Health and Wellness Building, 221 Broad St., Oneida.

The center is part of FSLH’s Regional Dialysis Center and had 32 patients. FSLH was working to transition the patients to other FSLH outpatient dialysis centers in the system by the end of July.

“Our goal is to make this a smooth transition for our patients,” said Lila Studnicka, executive director of The Regional Dialysis Center. “Even with advanced notice from the owners of the building, we were unable to find an appropriate new space for the service. We apologize for any inconvenience this is causing our patients and their families and we are doing our best to accommodate each patient’s needs throughout the transition.”

The Regional Dialysis Center at FSLH is the sole provider of dialysis treatment within a 25-mile radius of Utica. As one of the largest hospital-based dialysis programs in the country, the center treats more than 450 patients and performs more than 70,000 dialysis treatments each year.

MVHS, ACP welcome new doctor Mohawk Valley Health System and Adirondack Community Physicians recently welcomed internist Lwin Win to the New Hartford medical office.

Win is board-certified in internal medicine and has worked as a hospitalist at Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare since 2009. He earned Win his medical degree from the Institute of Medicine in Yangon, Myanmar and completed his residency in internal medicine at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn. He earned his master’s degree in health education from Western Illinois

Continued on Page 17

H ealth News Continued from Page 16 University.

Samuel S. Dale Trust Fund supports LFH Little Falls Hospital recently received $15,000 from the Samuel S. Dale Trust Fund for the support of its ambulatory care expansion project.

With the generosity of the fund, LFH offers a more relevant mix of healthcare services, including more outpatient services and improved surgical services. Accessing these services is more convenient for hospital patients and their families, leading them to have a pleasant experience, a hospital spokesperson said.

In honor of the fund, a permanent plaque will be placed in the surgical services department located on the second floor at LFH. Additionally, LFH has received $202,248 from the fund to help offset the costs for patients younger than 14 years and over 65 years of age from the Little Falls area.

AHA features new multicultural program The American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association is featuring a new program aimed at improving the health of Mohawk Valley’s diverse

community.

The AHA/ASA kicked off the “Have Faith In Heart” program, sponsored by Brindisi, Murad, Brindisi & Pearlman, LLP. The program brings information on heart disease, stroke, risk factors, prevention, and healthy living to Mohawk Valley churches and community groups.

The AHA/ASA is working closely with several organizations, including the NAACP Utica, Oneida County Chapter; Mohawk Valley Latino Association; Mohawk Valley Community Action; and Workforce Development to reach as many people as possible.

“Have Faith In Heart is a cultural diversity program through the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement,” said Louis Brindisi, of Brindisi, Murad, Brindisi & Pearlman, LLP. “The program is intended to provide education and outreach programs to our multicultural community, with a focus on those minority groups that are at the highest risk.

“We want to create awareness of the symptoms of heart disease and stroke, as well as educate minority communities on how to prevent these dangerous diseases.”

Any community organizations interested in featuring information from the AHA/ASA should contact Anne Sullivan, director of America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk and Go Red For Women, at 315-580-3961.

KIDS Corner Baby gate-related injuries nearly quadrupled since 1990 Researchers call for advances in gate design, increased caregiver education

I

f you are a parent, chances are you have used or will use a baby gate at some point. Baby gates are designed to help protect young children from stairs and other dangers around the home. If you use these in your home, take note. A new study from researchers in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital has found gates can lead to injury if used incorrectly.

The study, published in the MayJune print issue of Academic Pediatrics,

is the first nationally representative study to examine injuries associated with these gates. From 1990 through 2010, emergency departments in the United States treated an estimated 37,673 children younger than 7 years of age for baby gate-related injuries. That is an average of 1,794 per year, or about five injured children per day.

More than 60 percent of the children injured were younger than 2, and they were most often injured by falls down stairs after a gate collapsed or

Family of the year nominations accepted Residential Health Care Facility has new manager Julie Shantal has been named a new nurse manager in Rome Memorial Hospital’s 80-bed Residential Health Care Facility.

Her responsibilities will include supervision of the entire 40-bed 3 North/3 Shantal South units of long-term care residents and shortterm rehabilitation patients.

She has been employed at RMH for two years and previously was the charge nurse for the short-term rehab unit in the RHCF. A graduate of Morrisville College, Shantal has over 20 years of experience in the field of health care, starting as a certified nursing assistant before continuing her education to become a registered nurse.

“I just knew that I wanted to do more,” she said in regards to her motivation to continue her nursing education. “I went back to school when

when it was left open, leading to soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains and traumatic brain injuries. Children aged 2 to 6 years old were most often injured by contact with the gate itself after climbing on it, which can lead to cuts.

“Baby gates are essential safety devices for parents and caregivers, and they should continue to be used,” said Lara McKenzie, the study’s co-author and a principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “It is important, however, to make sure you are using a gate that meets the voluntary safety standards and is the right type of gate for where you are planning to use it.”

McKenzie recommends parents think of pressure-mounted gates as products that should only be used as room dividers or at the bottom of stairs because those kinds of gates are not designed to withstand much force and will not prevent a fall down stairs.

For the top of the stairs, only gates that have hardware, which needs to be screwed into the wall or railing, will be strong enough to prevent a child from falling down the stairs.

The fact that the rate of injury associated with this safety product nearly quadrupled during the time period covered by the study, going from 3.9 per 100,000 children in 1990 to 12.5 per 100,000 children in 2010, shows more can be done to prevent these types of

August 2014 •

Nominations will be accepted through Sept. 1 for the 23rd annual Family of the Year celebration presented by the Family Nurturing Center, Division of Kids Oneida.

The celebration dinner will be held on Oct. 2 at the Radisson Center Utica.

The event honors exemplary local families and highlights the power of nurturing in all relationships.

Featured families represent the community’s cultural richness and include households headed by married, single, same gender and foster parents, as well as grandparents and relatives raising children.

At the celebration dinner, one family will receive the 2014 Donna LaTour-Elefante Family of the Year Award and two families will be named distinguished finalists.

Submissions are invited from individuals, organizations, churches, schools and businesses and can be made online or with a mail-in form all available at www.kidsoneida.org.

Kids Oneida is a nonprofit provider of community based services for families at risk in the Mohawk Valley. Using the wraparound philosophy, Kids Oneida delivers comprehensive services to children and families with a vision of keeping families together.

To learn more, visit www.kidsoneida.org.

injuries. Study researchers recommended a combination of efforts to educate families on correct ways to use gates and changes in gate design to reduce these types of injuries.

Tips to help reduce gate-related injuries • Use hardware-mounted baby gates at the top of stairways. Gates that only press against walls, called pressure-mounted gates, are not secure enough to prevent falls.

• Install gates in homes with children between 6 months and 2 years of age.

• If possible, remove the gates when the child turns 2, or when the child has learned to open the gate or climb over it.

• If removing a gate is not possible because of other children in the home, use a gate without notches or gaps that could be used for climbing.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 17

CALENDAR of

HEALTH EVENTS

Got a health-related activity or event that you would like publicized? Call Lou Sorendo at 315-749-7070 or email lou@cnymail.com.

Continued from Page 2 or dance their way through color stations, where they use vibrant colors to tie-dye white outfits and costumes.

When it’s over, everyone is invited to a large colorful dance party hosted by a professional sound crew and DJ. As its website states, “You are the canvas, and when you’re finished with this 5K run you’ll be an exciting and vivid masterpiece.”

For a limited time only, children 12 and under can participate for free. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Kelberman Center.

For more information, visit www. thecolorvibe.com or email support@ thecolorvibe.com.

Aug. 3

Separated? Divorced?

There is support The Separated & Divorced Support Group will meet from 5-6:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica.

The group meets every other Sunday.

The meetings are free and open to all. For more information, contact Judy at 315-735-6210, judy@thegoodnewscenter.org or visit www.thegoodnewscenter.org.

Aug. 3

Ready to explore The Third Option?

The Third Option support group for married couples will meet from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica.

The group meets every other Sunday.

For more information, contact Tanya at 315-735-6210, tanya@TheGoodNewsCenter.org or visit www. thegoodnewscenter.org.

Aug. 4

Contest winner to travel to Yankees’ game It’s baseball season and fans have a chance to win four tickets and bus transportation to the Aug. 9 New York Yankees game against the Cleveland Indians.

Brookdale Senior Living Campus of Clare Bridge and The Villas of Sherman Brook in Clinton will be holding the contest.

Simply drop by for a tour at one or both of the communities and your name will be entered into a free drawing.

A formal open house will be held from 1-3 p.m. July 29. Refreshments will be served and reservations are appreciated.

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The winner of the contest will be chosen during the 2 p.m. Happy Hour at The Villas on Aug. 1.

For more information or to set up a personal tour or home visit, contact Traci Blaser at The Villas at 853-1223 or Jennifer Hutt at Clare Bridge at 8591947.

The Villas is located at 99 Brookside Drive and is an independent living community.

Clare Bridge is at 115 Brookside Drive and offers memory care, assisted living, private and companion apartments.

Aug. 9

Bark for Life support cancer society They are there for every birthday, every laugh, and every tear.

They are silent, constant companions when nothing is certain but a cancer diagnosis.

Dogs are the unnoticed caregivers who give a special kind of support for cancer patients. The American Cancer Society’s Bark for Life of the North Country is a walk for dogs and their owners to “bark” back against cancer.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 9 at KevAnna’s on Route 28, Forestport.

Bark for Life is a quarter-mile and one-mile noncompetitive walk on a preplanned route. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m.

Dogs and their owners can enjoy games, demonstrations and contests throughout the event.

Participants can pre-register online for $10 per dog at www.RelayForLife. org/BarkNorthCountryNY or register on-site the day-of for $15 per dog.

All registered dogs are given a special Bark for Life bandana the day of the event.

For more information, call 1-800227-2345 or visit relayforlife.org.

Aug. 13

Baby Care Basics helps expectant parents prepare Parents-to-be can learn about childbirth, newborns and other related topics by attending the upcoming Baby Care Basics program from 7–9 p.m.

Aug. 13 at Rome Memorial Hospital in the classroom.

Sandy Graichen, a maternity nurse at the hospital, will teach the free educational program.

No advance registration is required for the free program. Refreshments will be served.

Participants should meet the instructor in the hospital lobby, North James Street entrance.

For more information, call 3387143.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

Aug. 16

Aug. 21

The Sitrin STARS (Success Through Adaptive Recreation and Sports) paddling program is welcoming new participants.

The program offers several outings for individuals with physical disabilities throughout the summer and fall.

Family members and caregivers are also invited to participate.

Dates and locations include: • Aug. 16 — River and Rail • Sept. 13 — One Square Mile of Hope, Inlet • Oct. 4 — Black River out of Kayuta Lake Kayaks, canoes, and other paddling equipment will be provided.

Participants should register at least one week prior to the paddling date.

There is no cost to participate.

Transportation is not included. Participants must meet Sitrin staff at the paddling locations at 10 a.m.

New participants are required to complete a training course at Sitrin before attending a paddling session.

Instruction includes safety awareness, necessary equipment modifications, as well as stroke technique.

To register for an upcoming event, contact Marc DePerno at 315-737-2459 or visit www.sitrin.com for more information.

Little Falls Hospital will host its 12th annual Golf Classic on Aug. 21 at Cedar Lake Golf Club, Clayville.

Proceeds from the event will support renovations and expansions of outpatient services at LFH. This year’s captain and crew event will include hole-in-one prizes sponsored by Fuccillo Autoplex of Nelliston.

The Golf Classic will begin with registration from 9-11 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 11 a.m.

The price for green fees and cart, lunch, dinner and prizes is $130 per golfer. Non-golfers may join for dinner for $50.

Sponsorships are available at various levels.

All interested participants or sponsors are encouraged to contact community relations and development at 315-823-5326 or by email at k.reese@ lfhny.org.

STARS program welcomes paddling participants

Aug. 20

Hospital to host breastfeeding class Rome Memorial Hospital is hosting a free breastfeeding class at 7 p.m. Aug. 20 in the hospital’s classroom to help mothers-to-be recognize the benefits of breastfeeding and give them the encouragement to overcome some of the obstacles.

The speaker, Sandy Graichen, is a maternity nurse at the hospital with children of her own.

No pre-registration is required.

Refreshments will be served.

Participants are asked to meet the instructor in the hospital lobby, North James Street entrance.

For more information, call 3387143.

Aug. 26

Women at the Well to gather Women at the Well will meet from 6:30–8 p.m. Aug. 26 at The Good News Center, 10475 Cosby Manor Road, Utica.

The faith-based group meets on the last Tuesday of each month. Drop-ins are welcome.

For more information, contact Tanya at 315-735-6210, tanya@TheGoodNewsCenter.org or visit www. thegoodnewscenter.org.

Little Falls Hospital plans 12th annual Golf Classic

Sept. 18-19

Statewide Rural Health Conference scheduled The New York State Association for Rural Health is hosting its 13th annual Rural Health Conference themed “Crafting our Story in the Heart of New York.”

The conference is open to anyone interested in rural health throughout New York state. It will be held Sept. 1819 at The Craftsman Inn & Conference Center, Fayetteville.

Herkimer County HealthNet is involved with the planning of this event as members of the New York State Association of Rural Health’s Board of Directors.

For details, including sponsorship opportunities, visit www.nysarh.org.

Sept. 21

Utica Kidney Foundation plans walk The Utica Kidney Foundation Walk Committee has begun planning the Sept. 21 event to be held on the grounds of the Masonic Care Community.

This year’s walk will be held in honor of Terry Roberts, who recently lost his battle with kidney disease. Roberts worked many hours year round to be sure the walk was supported by the community, bringing hundreds of donated items for the auction and for walkers to enjoy.

One in three Americans are at risk to develop kidney disease.

The purpose of the walk is to raise funds vital to aid in awareness, prevention and treatment for Central New Yorkers.

Log in to www.cnykidney.org to sign up.

FSLH holds child passenger safety program

F

axton St. Luke’s Healthcare in Utica recently hosted a child passenger safety program sponsored by the New Hartford Police Department at the St. Luke’s Campus.

The FSLH security team worked in conjunction with the New Hartford, Whitestown and Utica police departments, as well as the New York State Police, to inspect 33 cars free of charge to make sure car seats

were properly installed in the vehicles.

If a child car seat was found to be unsafe, a new child car seat was provided and properly installed in the vehicle.

Those who were unable to attend the event can contact the New Hartford Police Department at 315-7247111 to make an appointment to have their car seat inspected.

Silent Minority African-Americans, Hispanics face grim odds when it comes to disease

By Patricia J. Malin

M

inority groups face higher risks for heart disease and stroke than Caucasians. If you’re African American or Hispanic and female, you’re confining yourself inadvertently to an even narrower category: You’re less likely to be aware of these statistics and less likely to seek treatment.

The American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association is hoping to change those dismal outcomes by reaching out and educating minorities on how to develop a healthy lifestyle.

“I believe we have the opportunity to change,” said Dietra Harvey, president of the Utica chapter of the NAACP. “(The statistics) are very scary. However, this is an exciting endeavor and we want to get our message out to the community.”

AHA/ASA statistics show African Americans have the highest prevalence of high blood pressure among the world’s populations. Close to 70 percent of Latinas have at least one risk factor for heart disease, which is the No. 1 killer of Americans. Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States among all ethnic groups.

AHA/ASA kicked off its “Have Faith In Heart” program at a news conference at the law offices of Brindisi, Murad, Brindisi & Pearlman LLP of Utica recently.

Have Faith In Heart is bringing information on heart disease, stroke, risk factors, prevention and healthy living directly to Mohawk Valley’s minority

Ace’s Angle

community through presentations at such events as the WIC family picnic, and the Mohawk Valley Latino Association’s 9th annual Latino American Festival (Aug. 16 at Utica City Hall), and the NAACP health fair.

The AHA/ASA is working closely with Mohawk Valley Community Action and Oneida County Workforce Development and getting out the word to local churches, religious and other social groups, too, this summer.

The Have Faith In Heart program will help the AHA/ASA reach its goal of improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent by the year 2020.

Heart-felt message

Susan Woods, a community leader, said the AHA/ASA held its first presentation on Mother’s Day at St. Matthew’s Temple. The presentation was combined with educational handouts directed at getting women of color to recognize the symptoms of heart disease.

Heart disease runs in her family.

She said her mother was in her mid50s when she started experiencing symptoms, such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, weakness in her left arm and heart palpitations that were later diagnosed as heart disease. But so little data on how heart disease affected women was available in those years that her mother had a tendency to ignore the signs or deny the disease existed.

“One of my brothers had open heart surgery 10 years ago,” she said, “and my father died of a heart attack.

He was my mother’s caretaker until his death. But it caused my brothers and younger generations in my family now to be conscious of heart disease.”

Her physician put her mother on heart medication and stressed the need to change her diet. This is the type of proactive approach that AHA/ ASA wants to incorporate in its presentations. Mary Jane Tottey, an AHA volunteer at the press conference, talked about how the heart association’s long-established Go Red For Women program is evolving to include outreach to minorities.

Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing ethnic population in the U.S. The AHA is telling doctors that new research and clinical efforts should be directed toward understanding the range of racial and cultural profiles among Hispanics, especially since they come from different countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean and Europe.

By Amylynn Pastorella

Happy as a lark

Readers respond with touching stories

I

t is great to hear from readers who responded to last month’s column seeking those willing to share what makes them happy.

It is inspirational to hear what makes readers happy and how that happiness helps them stay healthy.

• Mike Froio, of Rome, said, “Being around children, doing things for others and performing magic tricks make me happy and are things I most enjoy.

For me, happiness is based on happenings but also comes with the acronym JOY: Jesus, others, you. Jesus first, and then put others before ourselves.

• For Christine Klik-Zalewski, of Syracuse, remembering the time she spent in high school abroad in France, from 1968-1969, always brings a smile to her face.

“I was only 20 years old and still had lots to learn about life and was still a long ways from being a totally mature individual, but that year in my life was utterly transforming for me.

It opened my eyes, not only insofar as learning the French language was concerned. I eventually became a high

school French teacher after returning to the United States and graduating, but it also opened my eyes to the world, mainly the continent of Europe. I traveled to nine different countries during my stay there on holidays. Nothing can compare to my experiences living and traveling in Europe.”

Klik-Zalewski still keeps in touch with the group she traveled with.

• Ken Grossi, from Holland Patent, said, “My 5-year-old son definitely makes the ugly go away. It made my day when he looked so proud at his kindergarten graduation. He is now my excited first grader.”

• Elsie Olsen, of Utica, says a life of dancing has made her happy.

“I have been tap dancing for 68 years and enjoy teaching both adults and children,” she said.

Olsen’s motto is to make the most out of life and learn all you can. These are great thoughts that I hope more of you take the opportunity to share with us.

Walk the talk

With summer in full bloom now, an

Amy Pastorella and her beagle Samson important thing that makes me happy is walking. With the nice weather, it is difficult for me to stay inside. I don’t like going to gyms. Walking is cost-effective and simple and everyone can do it.

I want to share my low-down on my kinds of walking. I categorize my walking in two forms: “pounding the pavement” and “casual stroll”.

Pounding the pavement: This form of walking really works your legs and abdominal muscles. Walk with a firm stride while holding in your abs.

August 2014 •

It’s not just women, but children, too, who are targets of heart-healthy guidelines.

According to the AHA, Hispanics are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites. Hispanic youths have higher smoking rates — 28 percent of Hispanic eighth-grade children smoked compared to 23.7 percent of non-Hispanic white children.

Preschool-aged Hispanic children are four times more likely to be obese compared to non-Hispanic white children. Obese children are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and diabetes as young adults.

For The Good Inc., a nonprofit organization in Utica, is encouraging healthy youth activities with its two urban gardens on Linwood Place. Rather than sitting in a classroom getting lectured at, these young gardeners are getting fun exercise while learning about heart-healthy diets and will share these activities with their parents and siblings.

Listening to good music can help master the movement to move to a nice beat. This can be done on a treadmill and in your local neighborhood or park. I recommend a treadmill, if you can, and walking on an incline.

Pounding the pavement can also ease any tension you may have because you are putting the most pressure on the pavement. The pavement will not get hurt, but you might if you don’t alleviate negative energy.

Casual stroll: This is a nice easy walk to get exercise, but more for personal pleasure to clear the mind.

Casual strolls are not so intense.

Enjoying the scenery, seeing people, smelling the roses, and hearing birds chirp are some of the benefits to this form of walking. For these walks, you can take your husband, wife, family member, friend, pet or just yourself.

My dog Samson and I go for a lot of these, even when he tends to walk me!

Staying hydrated and stretching to prevent injuries are things to keep in mind. The end result of walking leaves your body feeling loose and your mind relaxed.

Walking allows you to let everything go that is holding you back. Do you like to walk? How does it keep you healthy?

Email me at acesangle@gmail.com or call me at 315-527-0234. I’d love to hear from you!

• Amy “Ace” Pastorella is a staff correspondent with Mohawk Valley In Good Health.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 19

War Wounds

Returning veterans face multitude of physical, mental challenges

By Amylynn Pastorella

F

or Becki Brandt of Ilion, her story of how her husband in the armed forces lives with post-traumatic stress disorder is one of hope.

Brandt’s husband George served in the Army National Guard actively for eight years and during that time was involved in the war in Iraq for 18 months following the 9/11 tragedy during 2003-2005.

Brandt was honorably discharged from the Army in 2005 after completion of his service. At first glance, Brandt appears to be a healthy man in his 30s who is quietly humble and reserved.

He and Becki have been married for two years and have a son named Brandon.

Brandt is a computer whiz who enjoys fixing, programming and helping others with any computer-related issue.

He is a senior at SUNY-IT majoring in cyber security and is searching for employment in this field. He loves to spend time with his family and truly sparkles when he is playing with his son.

While in service, Brandt was a specialist in the infantry unit and his unit’s mission was to find weapons of mass destruction. Soldiers endured hatred from the terrorists in the Iraqi cities and were involved in a six-day military skirmish among other incidents.

He and his comrades were witness to many horrible acts and subjected to constant fear of their lives. At one point during its mission, Brandt’s unit was traveling among other Humvees in a convoy and its vehicle was the target of a rocket-propelled grenade while Brandt was driving and blew it up into the air.

Brandt and his crew all survived, but all of them sustained injuries.

“From all the dodging of bullets, jumping out of harm’s way, and their Humvee incident, George’s injuries affect his daily living. He has a traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and ringing in his ears, as well as bursitis and tendinitis in both shoulders,” his wife said.

Not forgetting the price many soldiers have to pay, with their lives being the ultimate sacrifice, Becki is thankful her husband is home with her.

Although many soldiers suffer physical and mental injuries, Becki wants to generate awareness to those soldiers that have injuries such as PTSD. Brandt has sought medical treatment from the Veterans Administration Hospital since returning home. According to Becki, he has been shuffled through the government’s medical system with treatment that was scattered, confusing and provided little success.

Memory like ‘Swiss cheese’

Brandt has tried all the medications the V.A. has offered and is still left with many challenges such as difficulty driving, extreme difficulty converting his thoughts into words, getting involved in conversations as well as short-term memory loss.

He struggles to remember what he did during the day as well as last week.

“His memory as I can best describe Page 20

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it is like Swiss cheese with holes and blocks of time that are missing. He suffers from headaches that cripple him into a dark room but yet he carries on,” Becki said.

Soldiers that serve in any branch of the armed forces have given of themselves in a selfless way leaving Becki forever grateful. Soldiers are trained and conditioned to serve; however, once that service is completed, they are left feeling unstructured, without purpose, as well as physically and or mentally injured.

Most soldiers feel that they will forgo treatment for themselves because others deserve that treatment more than they do, Becki said. Seeking help for the seen and unseen injuries takes a lot of courage and strength, but is necessary to have in order to realize a better quality of life following military service.

PTSD affects individuals in many different ways. Symptoms include difficulty sleeping, feeling on edge, nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, depression, a loss of interest, becoming isolated, having a difficult time keeping their mind on one thing, or having a hard time relating to spouse, family or friends, to name a few. However, PTSD is a treatable condition.

Joanne Joseph, a psychologist with Sitrin Health Care Center in New Hartford, said treatment depends on the service member.

“Those suffering from PTSD are plagued with feelings of anxiety and depression. Depression in turn can affect the immune system and make people more susceptible to illness and physical problems,” she said. “Many of these folks also feel guilty that they are experiencing the symptoms of PTSD because there is still a stigma associated with mental health issues though it has improved significantly over the years.”

Shown are George Brandt, his wife Becki and their son Brandon.

there was a call for the community to get involved with military organizations to assist service members upon returning home.

Sitrin has collaborated with the Fort Drum Army Base in Watertown on an inpatient/outpatient basis participating in adaptive sports and recreational outings with service members both on base and at Sitrin. About 67 percent of Fort Drum soldiers returning from the Middle East enter Sitrin’s program for PTSD. While fulfilling his full-time load at SUNY-IT last semester, Brandt worked with a team at Sitrin on an Sitrin offers outpatient basis rehab program while receiving Brandt was physical, occuparecently introduced tional, speech and to a new program psychotherapy. through Sitrin folHis treatment lowing his interacteam met fretion at a military quently to discuss civilian coalition the goals that at Mohawk Valley were laid out for Community ColBrandt, as well lege. as his progress Sitrin’s miliand concerns. tary rehabilitation Although the maprogram is a referjority of Brandt’s ral-based system treatment is that offers both George Brandt cradles his son Brandon. concluded with inpatient and outpaSitrin, Brandt is still tient programs comactively working with an occupational bining typical rehabilitative services therapist as well as counseling with a with alternative healing therapies such psychotherapist. as aquatics, biofeedback, equine-assistBrandt reached the goals estabed therapy, and adaptive sports. lished for him and completed the “What we have found is that treatment; however, he has not been using traditional and non-traditional deemed completely cured. He still has therapies helps wounded warriors these unseen medical conditions but reintegrate into their communities, they are more manageable now bestrengthen family relationships and cause of the treatment that he received gain confidence in obtaining personal at Sitrin, Brandt said. and professional goals,” said Jackie “The collective treatment that Warmuth, vice president of clinical was provided by the team was truly development at Sitrin. beyond our wildest dreams. George Sitrin’s program originated because has improvement in the mobility of

IN GOOD HEALTH – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper • August 2014

his shoulders because of the work of the physical therapists. He has learned breathing techniques, awareness about his brain injury and confidence in his strengths from working with the occupational therapist,” Becki said. “George obtained strategies to find his words and is doing memory improvement exercises he learned from the speech therapist. Lastly, he was able to sit with Sitrin’s psychologist and talk about what went on in Iraq but more importantly, how that impacted his life.”

Program getting results

According to Warmuth, the success rate of Sitrin’s military rehabilitation program has been excellent.

“We have seen improvement in physical health, anxiety levels, and improvement with depression. Service members are gaining fulfillment by being productive members of their families and in the community. Some service members have returned to school and others are returning to work with less pain that allows them to be much more functional. The satisfaction rate is very high,” Warmuth said.

Sitrin’s military-civilian coalition is a free monthly program that provides a variety of healing activities.

The MCC is designed to promote camaraderie, advocacy, educational opportunities and transitional support to civilian life. Examples of activities include fly-fishing, land navigation, hiking, cooking, art therapy, target shooting and archery.

Sitrin is also offering a free “Warrior Retreat” at Camp Sitrin on Graffenburg Road in Frankfort Aug. 15-17.

This retreat will provide social, physical, and family activities, combined with team-building exercises and emotional/spiritual healing.

For more information about the retreat as well as Sitrin’s military rehabilitation program, visit www.sitrin.com.