Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 178

Are We Out of the Woods With COVID?

BY PETER WHITE EMS

The Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco says the number of new COVID-19 cases is decreasing, wastewater infectiousness is relatively low and hospitalizations are going down.

“The state of COVID, at least as far as I can tell, feels reasonably mild compared to what we’ve seen in the past 3 years, and remarkably stable,” says Dr. Robert Wachter.

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Know Your Rights: Workplace Accidents ....22

Why Medical Debt – and Bankruptcy –Are Growing Problems

BY DANIEL A. AUSTIN THE CONVERSATION

Burdensomely high medical costs are often blamed for pushing many Americans into bankruptcy. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau some 43 million Americans have unpaid medical debt on their credit reports.

Medical debt isn’t like other debt. It is not because of unwise purchases, but

often because of unforeseen circumstances, like an illness or accident. Unpaid medical debts can harm credit scores, which can make it harder to apply for loans, apply for credit cards or apply for a lease.

My own research on medical debt shows that medical expenses are the predominant factor in 18% to 26% of consumer bankruptcy filings – the leading causal factor.

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Caribbean Consulates

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Panama

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Tel: 212-535-5521 St.

PAHO and AIDS Healthcare Foundation to Collaborate on Elimination of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Other Infectious Diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean

Washington, DC, May 2, 2023 (PAHO):The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) have agreed to work together to contribute to efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), viral hepatitis, mpox and other sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The framework agreement was signed yesterday by PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa and AHF President Michael Weinstein. "This agreement will strengthen collaboration between our organizations," said Dr. Barbosa.

The agreement aims to strengthen advocacy actions to implement WHO recommendations to improve prevention programs, quality of care and treatment outcomes by expanding and directly involving LGBTQ+ communities in the implementation of innovations such as selfadministered testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV.

PAHO provides technical cooperation to countries in the Americas to support the elimination of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. The PAHO elimination initiative seeks to end some 30 diseases and related conditions by 2030, including those covered by the PAHO/AHF agreement.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation is a global

nonprofit organization providing cuttingedge medicine and advocacy to over 1.7 million people in more than 45 countries around the world, including Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1987, it is currently the largest provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the world.

About HIV/AIDS, TB, hepatitis and mpox

Around 2.5 million people live with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2021, approximately 120,000 people acquired the virus and another 35,000 lost their lives from disease-related causes.

Meanwhile, around 850 people contract

tuberculosis every day in the Americas region and 90 lose their lives.

WHO estimates that 5.4 million people live with hepatitis B and 4.8 million with chronic hepatitis C in the Americas. The most recent regional data indicates that there are around 10,000 new chronic hepatitis B infections and 23,000 deaths each year in the region. As for hepatitis C, there are 67,000 new infections and 84,000 deaths annually in the region.

As of April 31, more than 59,200 cases of mpox (68% of the global total) and 104 deaths (78% of the global total) were reported in the Americas. Of these, the United States reported just over 50% of the cases and 46.8% of the deaths.l

Haiti Launches Catch-up Campaign in ''Les Cayes'' to Improve Vaccination Coverage

Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) was launched this year by Haiti's Ministry of Health and Population (MSPP) with support from PAHO, in the city of Les Cayes, marking the beginning of a catch-up vaccination campaign in the South Department. This initiative aims to improve immunization coverage in the country, with a particular focus on under-immunized children and zero-dose children.

The launch of the VWA 2023 brought together many health actors, including the Minister of Public Health and Population, the Director of the National Vaccination Program, the Departmental Health Director of the South, and many technical and financial partners as well as representatives of civil society, elected officials and religious leaders.

"The country has made immense sacrifices to achieve the elimination of polio, measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, and also the elimination of neonatal tetanus. Today, these gains are seriously threatened. Vaccination week

in the Americas is an opportunity to catch up" said Dr. Alex Larsen, Minister of Public Health and Population.

The VWA is therefore an opportunity for health authorities in Haiti and the Americas region to strengthen routine immunization programs and accelerate vaccination against COVID-19. PAHO member states have a common goal this year to reach more than 92 million peo-

ple with more than 144 million doses of different vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines.

"Together, we can ensure that every person in Haiti has access to safe and effective vaccines. Let us continue to work together to protect the health and well-being of our people, in Haiti and throughout the Americas" recalled PAHO/WHO Representative in Haiti, Dr. Maureen Birmingham.

The VWA is an annual event that takes place in more than 40 countries in the Americas region. It aims to improve immunization coverage in the region by raising awareness of the benefits of immunization and encouraging health authorities to strengthen routine immunization programmes.

Over the past 20 years, VWA has reached nearly 1.1 billion people in the Americas region and eliminated six vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio, measles, congenital rubella syndrome, neonatal tetanus, hepatitis B and smallpox.l

Photo courtesy PAHO

Photo courtesy PAHO

What Future, Venezuela?

BY SIR RONALD SANDERS

The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, hosted a Conference on Venezuela in his nation’s capital, Bogota, on April 25. The European Union (EU), Britain, Spain, the US, Canada and 15 other countries, including two from the Caribbean, attended, but it is doubtful that they all had the same goals in mind.

For several years, under Colombia’s former President Iván Duque, relations between the governments of Colombia and Venezuela were openly hostile. Immediately after his inauguration as President, Petro began to engage with Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro. Since then, relations between the two countries have significantly improved.

Despite thawing the earlier icy relations between the governments of Colombia and Venezuela, Petro remains concerned about democracy and respect for human, political and civil rights in Venezuela and other Latin American countries. Addressing a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) on April 19, just 6 days before hosting the Conference on Venezuela, Petro said that now could be “Latin America’s time in the world”, but not “through authoritarianism [or] through dictatorships.” And he restated his interest “in seeing Venezuela re-join the Inter-American Human Rights system”.

In a meeting with US President, Joe Biden, on April 20, the day after his OAS address, Petro pressed an argument for removing US sanctions against the Maduro government in exchange for a return to democracy in Venezuela.

It was with that unofficial theme that Petro appeared to approach his bold initiative to gather representatives of the EU and 19 nations with diverse and - in some cases – divergent interests to discuss Venezuela. At the end of the conference, there appeared to be consensus – though no unanimity – on trying to promote two objectives. According to statements by Colombia’s Foreign Minister, Álvaro Leyva, the first aim is to persuade Venezuela’s governing and opposition political parties to set an electoral calendar for free and fair elections, which, presumably, would include the release of political prisoners, so that they could

fully participate in the process. The second is that there should be gradual lifting of sanctions directly linked to progress of negotiations between the Venezuelan political parties to reach an agreement on elections and the restoration of democratic processes.

Leyva is reported to have said, after the Conference, that countries, which attended the meeting, “will inform President Maduro and opposition parties and civil society of the results of the summit”. The only official response from the Maduro government was a statement from Foreign Minister, Yvan Gill, on Twitter in which he assured that “note” had been taken “of the deliberations carried out” at the Conference and reiterated “the prevailing need to lift sanctions”.

Representatives of some of the Latin American and Caribbean countries, which were invited to attend the Colombia Conference, unrealistically focused only on lifting the sanctions and ignored the issue of free and fair elections and the restoration of democracy through a negotiated agreement on these goals by all the Venezuelan parties. That position was obviously untenable. There is clear need for compromise, concessions and flexibility in any negotiations between the political parties in Venezuela.

There must also be agreement on absolute tolerance for political dissent; the development of constitutional guarantees for the independence of the judiciary and the media; and provision for power-sharing in the National Assembly.

Importantly, at the Colombia Conference, the US representatives said that the Biden Administration has “no desire to maintain US sanctions in perpetuity”. They argued that sanctions “are only a tool” to urge the government to take the steps necessary for free and fair elections and the restoration of democracy. Furthermore, they undertook to the Conference that “if, and as, Venezuelan leaders take these steps, we are more than ready to reduce and ultimately end our sanctions pressure”.

Therefore, the Colombia Conference can take credit for a frank exchange of views leading to consensus on the two symbiotic paths that have emerged: the Venezuelan parties must get back to the negotiating table to agree on a process for free and fair elections, and a gradual

but progressive lifting of sanctions as steps are implemented.

Significantly, the US representatives told the other nations at the Conference that all of them should encourage that “any agreement include some guarantees that the loser will not face persecution”. They said that the Biden administration “does not support regime change” and if and when there are free and fair elections, “the US will accept the outcome and work with the government they produce”.

Against this background, there is cause for cautious optimism that there could be renewed efforts by the Venezuelan parties to achieve an agreement at revived negotiations, which, so far, have failed. However, there were some key players –at least on the Maduro side – that were not at the Colombia Conference. They include Russia, Iran, China and Turkey which have helped the Maduro government to weather the storm of sanctions. Another is Cuba which has played a key advisory role to Maduro.

It is more than likely that, for other geopolitical considerations, particularly the conflict over Ukraine embodied by Russia and the US, at least Russia and Iran might continue to embolden the Maduro government to continue the same hardline that it has taken so far in the negotiations with the opposition parties. If that happens, the political impasse in Venezuela could persist with all its unfortunate consequences, including an increase in the 7.2 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees of which 2.5 million are in Colombia alone; and a growth beyond the 2.3 million people who are “severely food insecure and in need of

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immediate humanitarian assistance”, according to the UN World Food Program.

Countries, such as the US, Canada and the members of the EU, should also make it clear to the Venezuelan opposition parties that they do not enjoy unqualified support, and they, too, are expected to work diligently toward a resolution of the political deadlock.

The countries of CARICOM have a vested interest in a politically stable region where economic progress can thrive. Consequently, CARICOM governments should urge all Venezuelan parties to negotiate their future between them and present the world with a plan, free of retribution, which would rebuild Venezuela in a democratic mould with guaranteed constitutional freedoms, based on free and fair elections. l

Sir Ronald Sanders is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organization of American States.

Hundreds of NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Nurses Picketed to Protest Cuts to Care for Brooklyn Patients

New York, NY: On Thursday, May 4, 2023 hundreds of NYSNA nurses from NewYorkPresbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital picketed in the rain outside of the hospital to protest cuts to care for Brooklyn patients. Nurses were joined on the picket line by elected leaders and allies. Despite other private-sector hospitals in New York City settling fair contracts with nurses, NYP-Brooklyn Methodist management wants to strip patient care protections from the nurses’ union contract and to reduce staffing levels in Labor and Delivery, Mother-Baby, Chemotherapy Infusion, and other units.

NYSNA nurses at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist, whose union contract expired on April 30th, are fighting for a fair contract that protects Brooklyn patients. Hospital management is trying to roll back patient safety protections that ensure that there is always a qualified nurse at the bedside of every patient. And NYP-Brooklyn Methodist continues to refuse to reopen an in-patient psychiatric unit Brooklyn patients depend on, leaving the emergency room overcrowded and patients without the care they need.

When NewYork-Presbyterian took over Methodist, they promised to increase investments and services to the community hospital, but they have gone back on their word to invest in Brooklyn's safety and health, and nurses are saying enough is enough.

Diane Bonet, RN at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist, said: “I love being a pediatric nurse, but understaffing throughout my

hospital is so stressful. Now NYPBrooklyn Methodist wants to cut nurse staffing even more and lower patient care standards. As hard as nurses work and as much as we care, we cannot meet a safe standard of care if our administration refuses to staff enough qualified, trained nurses in every unit of the hospital. Brooklyn patients deserve better.”

Al Crispino, RN at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist, said: “If there’s anything we’ve learned from the pandemic it’s that staffing at the bare minimum means that we aren’t prepared for a crisis. Nurses are asking for safe staffing and respect, but NYP-Brooklyn Methodist wants to keep our staffing and pay low. We’re calling on NYP-Brooklyn Methodist to listen to frontline nurses and settle a fair contract now.”

Irving Campbell, RN at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist, said: “There is a huge need for inpatient mental healthcare in Brooklyn and throughout New York, but NYP-Brooklyn Methodist refuses to reopen the psych unit they closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss of these beds has impacted our community and the rest of the hospital—our ER is

sometimes crowded with mentally unstable patients who wait in chairs for days for care. We’re calling on NYPMethodist to deliver the healthcare services and staffing that Brooklyn needs.”

Allyson Selby, RN at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist said: “ Whether you’re a patient in Manhattan or in Brooklyn, you deserve quality care with enough trained nurses to care for you. Instead, NYPBrooklyn Methodist is trying to shortchange Brooklyn patients and nurses. NY Presbyterian CEO Steve Corwin is consistently at the top of the list of highest-paid healthcare CEOs, yet NYP wants its Brooklyn nurses to settle for wages below the industry standard that their own hospital system set.”

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said: “NYP-Brooklyn Methodist has no excuse not to deliver a fair contract that matches the wage increases that other New York City NYSNA nurses won in January, and uphold the safe staffing levels and other important provisions in the contract. We are united in demanding NewYorkPresbyterian stop short-changing Brooklyn nurses and patients!” l

IF IT CAUSES IRRITATION, IT MAY BE A VIOLATION.

If your landlord is using construction to harass you, this can include cutting o昀 essential services like heat, electricity, o r excessive construction noise at odd hours, it’s illegal. DOB’s Oce of the Tenant Advocate (OTA) is here to protect your rights. We make landlords obey the law.

TO FILE A COMPLAINT CALL 311 AND ASK FOR DOB’S OFFICE OF THE TENANT ADVOCATE

Anger Mounts Over Lack of Charges in the Killing of Jordan Neely

BY JOSE MARTINEZ AND KATIE HONAN THE CITY

Two days after one subway rider killed another using a deadly chokehold, dozens of people gathered on a crowded Manhattan subway platform to demand justice and for more social services for people in need.

The identity of the man who fatally strangled Jordan Neely, 30, is still unknown, as police said they released him from custody without charges shortly after the deadly encounter on an F train Monday.

“We cannot just continue to stand by with complicity,” said Shifa Rahman, a 22-year-old Manhattan man who showed up at the vigil-turned-protest Wednesday inside the Broadway-Lafayette subway station. “It’s the reduction and dehumanizing of Black lives.”

It’s still not known exactly what started the altercation, but the horrific last moments of Neely’s life were captured on video by Juan Alberto Vazquez, who posted it on his Facebook page (warning: it’s graphic).

In the accompanying description in Spanish, Vazquez wrote Neely had yelled “I don’t have food, I don’t have to drink, I’m done... I don’t care about going to jail and getting life... I’m ready to die.”

Vazquez did not respond to a message seeking comment.

In the first part of the nearly 4-minute

video, a young man in a tan coat has Neely on the floor in a chokehold while other riders help restrain Neely — before he goes limp.

Some news outlets have said the man choking Neely is a 24-year-old Marine, but no city officials have confirmed that.

A TikTok page purporting to be Neely’s contains several videos of him busking on the subway as a Michael Jackson impersonator. Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine on Twitter said he had himself seen the performances.

‘Where Were the White Shirts?’

At Wednesday afternoon’s protest, Adolfo Abreu, the housing campaigns director of the social services and human rights nonprofit group Vocal-NY, called

Neely’s death “disheartening, like our collective failure.

“That this happened is shocking and gruesome,” Abreu added.

“What outrages me is that my daughter woke up today and she cannot believe that in this day and age, we have this amount of racism in what is supposedly the most progressive city,” said a woman at the rally who declined to give her name.

The vigil and protest for Neely moved through the station complex and later up onto East Houston Street, as participants briefly blocked traffic and chanted against police while calling for more social services for New Yorkers. The marchers continued down Broadway into Wednesday evening.

While the tone of the rally for Neely

was markedly anti-police, protesters also demanded that law enforcement officials arrest and charge the unidentified man seen in the video.

“Where were the white shirts, where were the white shirts yesterday when a man was getting choked to death?” shouted Justin Pines, 26, from Brooklyn, referring to senior law enforcement members who were at the vigil.

Papi Sen, 33, said he and others were “trying to put pressure on the Manhattan DA to press charges against a man whose identity we don’t even know yet.”

Douglas Cohen, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, said they were investigating the death but declined to comment further.

In the Facebook post, Vazquez wrote “They were in that position for about 15 minutes while other passengers and the train operator called the police.”

On Wednesday evening, the Office of the City Medical Examiner ruled Neely’s death a homicide by “compression of the neck (chokehold)” but noted in a statement: “For your guidance, this is not a ruling on intent or culpability, which is for the DA and criminal justice system to consider.”

At an unrelated press conference earlier in the day, Gov. Kathy Hochul touted the state’s investment in mental health services. She had only just watched the video of Neely’s death, she said, and called it “deeply disturbing.”

Mayor Eric Adams avoided questions at the same press conference, but later released a written statement saying “any loss of life is tragic” and then spoke about the city’s mental-health services.

“I need all elected officials and advocacy groups to join us in prioritizing getting people the care they need and not just allowing them to languish,” Adams said.l

A candle at a Wednesday subway vigil for Jordan Neely shows him in his Michael Jackson impersonator outfit. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

“Who killed Jordan Neely” was written on the wall of the BroadwayLafayette station as protesters held a vigil there Wednesday, May 3. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

Keeping Memories Alive Through Forever Legacy

BY LINDA NWOKE

The memory serves as a record of experiences that directs future action. It is a combination of facts and experiences that people recall or, in some instances, resurface involuntarily without much effort. Interestingly, there are several types of memories, each serving a distinct objective. For instance, personal memories provide the basis for a sense of self and life, bringing about nostalgia. However, over time, memories fade, and the details of a particular incident or experience become eroded.

Problems With Memory

Sadly, memory loss is a natural phenomenon in human life, as brain cells become weakened from aging, trauma, or lack of frequent usage, which leads to forgetfulness. The brain is incapable of permanently recording everything a person learns or experiences.

Memory loss can range from mild to severe. It can sometimes be temporary or permanent damage from memory disorders like dementia and Alzheimer, brain injury, or other causes. In some cases, people with amnesia lose the ability to recall past information, retain new information, or both. However, some get resolved on their own.

A professional assessment is required to determine the cause of the memory loss and the level of severity.

The Role of Memory in Mental Health

An individual's memory plays a significant role in particular mental health conditions. For instance, the memory of traumatic events is related to post-traumatic stress disorder. Anxiety leads some people into drug /substance use, while specific memories cause distress.

Memories and Familial Relationship

Every relationship is made up of memories, and collective memories define a relationship. The memories remind us of our feelings toward each other. It reminds us about how much we mean to each other.

When the memories are mainly positive, filled with laughter and fun, we feel satisfied with the person(s) within the relationship. Alternatively, the reverse is when we have negative memories in our relationship, with the recall of negative emotions and distress.

Thus, memories play a significant role in molding a relationship irrespective of its nature, especially within a family unit.

Importance of Keeping Memories

Several memories are built within the family, ranging from celebration to grief and in-betweens.

Celebrations bring fond memories of new beginnings, winnings, and joys. At the same time, the death of a beloved is accompanied by a sense of loss and grief. In the bid to recover from the loss, the grieving process must take place, and one of the ways is by keeping the memories of

the deceased alive, often deemed therapeutic.

Many people feel obliged to do something special to remember their deceased loved one. Simple things can keep their memories alive and close to the heart. These include participating in their favorite past times, framing their pictures, reading their favorite books, creating artistic pieces from their heirloom, to lighting a candle on their special days.

Many things can be done to honor their memory. However, some of these activities last more than others. Ultimately, a remarkable, memorable legacy transcends generations, and the most effective way is through digital pieces.

Memories Are Essential

•It helps the living to keep their legacy alive. This is true for loved ones, who is considered a mentor or role model, and significantly impact the lives of their family members and people around them. Their memories can be kept alive through books about them – sharing their struggles and winnings, including their impact on their community. These can serve to inspire the future generation. The process

can also be a means of healing as one grapples with loss and absence.

•They can also be remembered by keeping essential pieces of their person around in the form of pictures, jewelry, or objects that can be passed from one generation to another. Seeing those objects is a constant reminder of important aspects of their personality while alive. These things can generate happy memories that help the grieving person deal with the loss, especially when it is most challenging.

•The passing of a loved one can result in an identity crisis, especially for the living spouse or family member whose life revolves around the deceased. In such instances, feeling lost and confused after their death is normal and is part of the grieving process.

Therefore, finding ways to connect with the loved one and keep their thoughts alive is a positive way to manage the loss. However, it is important not to remain in the mourning phase for too long or sorrowful.

Acknowledge the hurt and know that the pain is for a period. It won't last forever. Instead, focus on the good memories shared, and keep busy to avoid negative thoughts.

The grieving process can be complicated and lengthy. Thus, remembering our loved ones helps us find closure and move on with living. Feelings of sadness, anger or depression are also typical, as they are natural emotions and part of the grieving process. Sometimes, without being judgmental, it might be necessary to talk to someone who will listen, such as a family member, friend, or therapist.

Talking about your feelings will help you process them and eventually start to

Estate Planning

What Happens If You Die Without a Will?

BY MARY CAMPBELL

Beloved actor Chadwick Boseman, star of Marvel’s iconic Black Panther, died in 2020 at 43 from colon cancer. Although he knew for some time that he was dying, he did not make a will. His estate was split evenly between his widow and his parents, following a legal process called “intestacy” – the rules governing someone’s estate if they don’t have a will.

Boseman was one of around 66% of Americans who didn’t make a will before he died.

You know you should make a will, but you never seem to be able to drum up much enthusiasm for the idea. It seems like a big, complicated pain-in-the-butt undertaking and you’re not planning on dying anytime soon anyway. You know that lawyers cost a fortune, and who knows if you really can legally use one of those online will kits? Differing opinions abound. So, you wonder, what does happen if you don’t make a will? Can the government really take all your possessions that the bank doesn’t already own most of?

The short answer is probably not.

Unless you are truly completely alone in the world with no blood ties whatsoever, there is likely a relative somewhere that is eligible to inherit, if they can be found. In fact, British television has aired a program called Heir Hunters, which is described as “a series following the work of heir hunters, probate detectives looking for distant relatives of people who have died without making a will”. In the U.S., private investigation firms will attempt to find a potential heir, but someone presumably must hire them before they will begin to look. Of course, if the

estate is large, anyone may undertake to find lost relatives in hopes of receiving a commission for the information from a grateful heir. In the end though, it is possible that if an heir cannot be found after a reasonable length of time has passed, then yes, eventually your estate will escheat (pass) to the appropriate governing body.

However, for an average individual with no shortage of relatives in line to legally inherit your worldly goods, the application of the relevant inheritance laws certainly doesn’t mean that your

estate will be distributed in a manner that you would approve of. Intestacy (the legal term for dying without a will) laws vary widely, depending on where you live. Your spouse, for instance, may find that the laws of your state are not altogether favourable to him or her when you have children involved, perhaps from a previous marriage. Common law and same sex partners may or may not be recognized as eligible to inherit. A close relative you cannot stand the sight of may be first in line if you have no spouse or children. Read our informative website at www.willsandestates.nyc

Finally, it is important to note that in addition to the disposition of your estate, regardless of the value, your will also functions as the vehicle through which you will make your final wishes known. You will appoint a trusted executor/executrix to a position of authority to administer your final wishes, which may include instructions for your desired funeral arrangements and interment, the distribution of personal items of great sentimental but minimal monetary value, or your choice of a guardian for

continued on page 3

Beloved actor Chadwick Boseman. Editorial credit: DFree Shutterstock.com

Forever Legacy/ continued from page 1

be passed along through generations, and the best way to express these is by telling stories of their memorable and outstanding deeds. It can even challenge the living to uphold the 'family name or history.'

Forever Legacy Afterlife Messages

However, for many people, the relationship with a loved one ends when the person dies. But this is now changing, as bereaved persons within the family or friends are discovering new means of keeping the memories alive and even remaining in contact, even though one end of the conversation is from a deceased person that has moved on.

Various stories abound of individuals who have been communicating with dead family members, who send them messages. These messages are prerecorded, written, or spoken, addressing some issues they could not talk about or conversations they couldn't have while alive. They also come in the form of expressing true feelings, which helps the deceased or even the grieving person unburden their mind, and in some cases, motivates them to work harder in honor of the dead.

Experts who have researched the process of mourning and grief care explain that due to weaker interpersonal relationships, as society changes from community living into an individualistic

lifestyle, many people face loneliness when their few loved ones pass away. For these people, such death makes the loss very tough, so people are restoring ties with dead people through social media and digital platforms.

Technology is Changing the Dynamics

Many countries, including the United States, are using artificial intelligence to imitate conversations between the deceased person and their living family members. Different applications have been reported, including those that allow people to create incarnations of themselves that can keep a conversation going post-mortem. Examples include apps that upload many hours of interviews and songs with the dead person.

There are other examples of digital platforms which change how people cele-

brate life and the afterlife. The platform allows users to have access anytime, anywhere, and the ability to share voice recordings of a loved one in response to occasions, events, or things. These recordings are made available to family and friends in the present and the future generations yet unborn.

These platforms also have the option for digital photo albums, which focus on celebrations. It enables the user to generate a nicely designed album of pictures within minutes celebrating various memorable occasions such as engagements, weddings, christenings, birthdays, and holidays for those special occasions to remember loved ones for a long time.

In some instances, the platforms do all the work for the subscriber by putting together the digital album by recording audio and video messages to keep the memories alive.

Yet despite these advantages, some aspects of the various technological innovation in grief care have been criticized. Observers say it can become counterproductive if the grieving process is not allowed to happen naturally and becomes delayed or prolonged.

However, when used appropriately, these digital innovations can serve as a practical aid for keeping memories and storing family histories that enrich the lives of living family members.

Ultimately, that is what really counts!p

Dying Without a Will/ continued

from page 2

are left to deal with the legal technicalities on their own.

Changes in Tax Laws

It can be hard to stay up-to-date on constantly changing tax laws, but it’s necessary to keep your final document in good legal standing. Especially if your will takes actions to address estate tax issues, it’s a good idea to receive periodic reviews by an attorney.

Ask

for Advice

A will is your ironclad way to disperse your assets to loved ones as you wish. Don’t be afraid to ask your legal expert for advice on other moments that may benefit your last will and testament. Remember, this document is incredibly important to keep accurate as it articulates your vision and solidifies your legacy.p

Estate Planning

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Are Very Real

BY MARY CAMPBELL

The United States Census Bureau estimates that within three decades those persons age sixtyfive or older will make up 20% of the population, i.e., an estimated 60 million persons. As the "baby boomer" population ages, more people will reside in nursing homes. So the problem of nursing home injuries and abuse, unfortunately will likely see a corresponding surge, and it will become more and more important to recognize and report any incident where a nursing home resident has been harmed.

What Is Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect?

While nursing home neglect is similar to abuse in the nursing home, there are key differences among the two. Nursing home abuse implies that the caregiver intends to harm the elderly person, while nursing home neglect is a form of substandard care, or a breach of duty, that causes harm to the patient.

An Increasing Problem

A study conducted and documented a few years ago by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), researchers revealed that 44% of the nursing home residents surveyed stated they had been abused or maltreated in the previous twelve (12) months. That same survey found that 95% of those surveyed had either witnessed instances of neglect or had suffered neglect during that same time period. Unfortunately, similar studies documented by the NCEA estimate that only one out of every 24 instances of nursing home abuse is reported.

What Are the Warning Signs?

The Administration on Aging states that depending on the nature of the abuse or neglect, there are a number of warning signs that may indicate that abuse or neglect is occurring. These may include:

Physical or Sexual Abuse

•inadequately explained fractures, bruises, welts, cuts, sores, or burns

•unexplained sexually transmitted diseases

Financial Exploitation

•lack of affordable amenities and comforts in an elder’s home

•giving uncharacteristically excessive gifts or financial reimbursement for needed care and companionship

•a caregiver has control of an elder’s money but fails to provide for the elder’s needs

•an older adult has signed property transfers (power of attorney or will, for example) but is unable to comprehend what the transaction means

Emotional Abuse

care about the lives they are supposed to take care of....And lives have been deteriorating under the hands of person who are supposed to care for them. I have been doing this job from since 2000. I've been doing this for a while and I have seen the changes and this is about making money; it’s a hustle, it’s about making a quick dollar. I would like to see a change. It is a suicide you are creating ... you’re killing that person's life instead of making that life enjoyable, until they're ready for the Lord to take their life.

In the News

Compensation

Compensation for Victims & for Victims & Families of Families of Nursing Home Nursing Home Abuse and Abuse and Neglect Neglect

If your loved one was neglected or abused in a Nursing Home or assisted living facility, financial compensation may be available.

Call 855-768-8845 for a consultation

One in six residents in nursing homes and community facilties were neglected last year resulting in thousands of families experiencing trauma, mental illness, medical emergencies, and even death. Nursing home abuse and neglect is real.

Has your loved one experienced any of these or other types of abuse?

•Bedsores

•Choking/Death

•Falls

•Fractured Bones

•Infections

•Improper Treatment/Medication

•Malnutrition/Dehydration

•Respiratory Illness

•Sexual Abuse

•Sexual Assault

Experience matters. The lawyer you hire does make a difference. Schedule a consultation now.

Get compensation for your loved one’s suffering. Call 855-768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us

•unexplained or uncharacteristic changes in behavior, such as withdrawal from normal activities, or unexplained changes in alertness

•caregiver isolates the elder (doesn’t let anyone in the home or doesn't let visitors speak to the elder)

•caregiver is verbally aggressive or demeaning, controlling, or uncaring

Neglect

•lack of basic hygiene or appropriate clothing

•lack of nutritional food

•lack of medical aids (e.g., glasses, walker, dentures, hearing aid, or medications)

•person with dementia left unsupervised

•person confined in bed is left without care

•home is cluttered, dirty, or in disrepair

•home lacks adequate facilities (stove, refrigerator, heating and cooling, plumbing, or electricity)

•untreated bed sores or pressure ulcers

A Worker’s Experience Workers’ World Today spoke with Arlene (name has been changed for privacy) about her experience as a home health aide and nursing home caretaker. She had this to say, ”Homecare is a pleasure; taking care of someone is a great incentive for me. My last case with an elderly Jewish lady, a doctor comes to her home. He has no recollection of her mental health and just provides medication to her, day on, day on. A sore broke out on her while I wasn’t there; the other two home attendants did not attend to it. ...The other Sunday, when I got there; I reported the case immediately. My nurse was so surprised that the two other home health aides did not make a call. And I let her know that these are the people that we are hiring who only want money and do not

According to an article on www.abc7ny.com a few years ago, by Toni Yates, an 86-year-old woman was assaulted at a nursing home as reported by her son. The patient's son, Benny Gomez, says his mom was assaulted and posted a picture of his bruised and injured mother on social media, which has been shared nearly 9,000 times.

“What does she mean to me?

Everything," Gomez said. He added, “She has double fractures in her face," he said. "Her nose is broken. She has stitches."

Eyewitness News met the heartbroken, shaken and angry son with his attorneys, days after his mother was rushed to the hospital from the Westfield Center Nursing Care facility in Westfield.

State officials and police are trying to figure out how an 86-year-old nursing home patient in New Jersey ended up with severe injuries to her face.The Department of Health and Westfield police are investigating, so no charges have been filed. Gomez's mother has not been returned to the facility.

Researching Nursing Homes

While there’s no way to know about abuse that goes unreported, one can look up the name of a nursing home in federal inspection data and see whether it has been cited for sexual abuse or other issues in the past three years.

This can be done at www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html

Legal Help

If a family member or someone you know, has suffered abuse or neglect, help is available. Call the Law Office of Figeroux & Associates at 855-768-8845 for a consultation p

BE EQUITY SMART

Four Ways a Real Estate Agent Can Help Ensure Your Home Sells for More Than Your Asking Price

BY EQUITY SMART REALTY INC

Most home sellers are thrilled to get the asking price they're looking for when putting their home up for sale, but many have not thought about the possibility of getting even more! If you're wondering what tricks of the trade your agent can use when it comes to getting a higher offer, you may want to have them test out some of the following tips.

Price It a Little Lower

It's generally said that you should price your home at market value so it will not linger on the market, but by having your real estate agent price it slightly lower you may be able to get a lot more people through the door. Instead of lowering the price of your home, this can work to stimulate a bidding war for those who see the value in your home and are willing to pay more.

Hold Off for the Right Offer

The benefit of using a real estate agent is that they know the market and will be able to determine what amount the offer

on your home should be, so make sure you consult with them before saying yes. It's easy to be tempted by the first good offer that's close to your asking price, but it's often worth it to hold out for the amount you really want.

Sell In the Springtime

It's possible to get a good price for your

is the time that homebuyers like to hit the market and this means that you may have a lot more interested parties to choose from. Instead of waiting for buyers to come to you, put your home on the market when there will be a lot of people ready to invest.

Make It Unique

Whether you've recently made some renovations, or your home has several unique features, ensure that these details are being properly promoted in your marketing material and at your open house. Not only can these features add a lot of value to your home, but they can also make potential homebuyers remember it so they'll be willing to negotiate.

Guidance

Most home sellers put their home on the market with the hope of getting a certain amount, but by highlighting unique features and holding out for a better offer you can get more than you asked for. If you're currently on the market for a home, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals at Equity Smart Realty Inc. Call 888-670-6791.l

Vanessa Cárdenas Reacts to Sweeping Biden Administration Announcements on Regional Migration

Washington, DC: The following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice, reacting to the Biden administration’s “sweeping new actions to manage regional migration,” announced yesterday:

“We welcome the Biden’s administration’s announcement to expand legal pathways, create new regional refugee processing centers, and expand family reunification for key countries. This is an important, new and smart approach centered on creating legal channels to alleviate border pressures so that people are able to migrate safely with a visa instead of dangerously with a smuggler. The announcement also shows what is possible when our government works jointly across agencies – in this case DHS and State – and with partners in the region, as well as when we are focused on cooperation and solutions.

Details matter and we will be monitoring when and how these new measures are implemented. Meanwhile, for a ‘sweeping’ set of policies on regional

migration, yesterday’s announcement was a missed opportunity to announce TPS redesignations and new designations for nations such as Guatemala. TPS remains an important tool to advance stability in sending countries, while strengthening the American economy. Nonetheless, the above positive elements of yesterday’s announcement are crucial steps forward compared to the broken and inhumane status quo.

We remain concerned about other elements of the Biden administration’s announcement– mainly the potential new barriers to fair asylum access and a punitive set of measures meant to deter people from migrating in the first place. Blunt, deterrence-only policies continue to misread the fundamental realities and drivers of migration and asylum.

It is also important to underscore that these administration policies and

announcements operate in the context and constraints of an outdated and dysfunctional immigration system, desperate for modernization and overhaul that only Congress can deliver through a long overdue legislative solution. Yet, Republicans continue to stand in the way and obstruct legislative solutions that the American people demand, while proposing ever-more-extreme policies that would inject even more chaos, cruelty, and dysfunction.

While continuing our call for a legislative fix and broader reforms we desperately need, we call on the Biden administration to uphold the values that the President often speaks about and move toward what the American people want: a system that is both compassionate and orderly.”l

Read more immigration news and stories at www.askthelawyer.us and www.theimmigrantsjournal.com

Mexico City, Mexico - September 23, 2021: Haitian migrant families wait in front of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance to request refuge in Mexico. Editorial credit: Nelson Antoine / Shutterstock.com

MONEY MATTERS

Medical Debt and Bankruptcy/ continued from page 1

What is bankruptcy?

Declaring bankruptcy allows the filer to discharge most types of unsecured debts, such as credit cards, civil judgments or personal loans. Unsecured debts are not backed by an asset. Secured debts, on the the hand, are backed by an asset and include things like home mortgages and most auto loans. They are not discharged in bankruptcy if the debtor intends to keep the property.

Depending on their income, debtors can file for “liquidation” of debts under Chapter 7, or repayment of part of their debts over time under Chapter 13.

The bankruptcy will stay as a negative reference on their credit report for up to ten years, and it can disqualify a person from jobs and make it harder to rent property. Bankruptcy filers will pay substantially higher interest rates for credit for years.

How can we tell that medical debt is a factor in bankruptcy?

To find out what role medical debt plays in causing consumer bankruptcy, I generated two sets of data. First, I analyzed bankruptcy schedules filed by debtors in 500 randomly selected bankruptcy cases. Bankruptcy schedules are the standardized forms on which debtors report income, expenses, assets, liabilities and

other financial data. Then I looked at results from a nationwide survey of debtors.

Bankruptcy schedules disclose medical debt owed to physicians, hospitals, labs, pharmacies, medical credit providers and other medical-related expenses. Additionally, prior studies have shown that approximately 23% of credit card charges are for medical bills. So, for each debtor I added the total reported medical expenses plus 23% of the outstanding credit card balance to determine the total amount of medical debt.

The data revealed that 61% of all debtors carry medical debt and that the average medical debt per debtor in 2013 was US$9,374. Debtors in my sample also reported an average of $55,967 in unsecured debt and annual income of $40,920. Of these, a total of 18% of debtors had medical debt that was greater than half of their total unsecured debt or half of their annual income.

One of the key reasons that people file for bankruptcy is to discharge unsecured debt. If medical bills make up more than half of a person’s unsecured debt or is greater than half of their income, then medical debt is probably a major factor in causing the person to file bankruptcy.

Around 18% of debtors in my sample had medical debt greater than half of their total unsecured debt or annual income, so we can conclude that medical

debt was the predominant factor in 18% of the bankruptcies in my sample.

Why do people decide to file for bankruptcy?

Along with my analysis of debtor schedules, I conducted a nationwide survey of people who filed for bankruptcy. The survey asked debtors what caused them to file bankruptcy and then listed standard reasons such as loss of income, illness and others (including “reason not listed here”). Out of 446 responses, medical debt was given as the single biggest cause of bankruptcy, with 21% of respondents answering “strongly agree,” and a combined 26% of respondents answering “strongly agree” or “somewhat strongly agree” that they filed because of medical bills. Incidentally, job loss was given as the second highest single cause, with 19% of debtors answering “strongly agree,” and 20%

answering either “strongly agree” or “somewhat strongly agree.”

So consumer debtors themselves attribute their bankruptcies to medical debt at rates relatively similar to those I determined by analyzing financial data on bankruptcy schedules. Using two types of data, we have a credible picture that medical debt is the predominant factor in 18% to 26% of consumer bankruptcies.

Why is understanding medical debt important?

In contrast to many other types of consumer debt, debtors usually don’t choose to incur medical expenses and they have even less control over the amount.

And there is no standard system for when medical providers turn unpaid bills over to a third party for collection or report the debt to credit reporting agencies. Some may wait only 30 days before sending unpaid bills to a third party collector – others may wait up to 180 days, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Moreover, whether or not a person has medical insurance is unrelated to whether the person needs medical care. For this reason, the Fair Isaac Corp (FICO), which calculates credit scores, now weighs medical debt differently when calculating credit scores. They recognize that medical spending is seldom discretionary.l

Join the Bes t Online Paralegal Program N ow!

BY THE CHAMBER COALITION

The rise in popularity of online education programs means that it is easier than ever to find the right one for you. Deciding on the best paralegal online program requires research and time. By weeding out the level mills and sub-standard institutions, you can earn a quality certificate at an affordable price. When researching online paralegal programs, you will want to consider several factors: cost and institution reputation are the most important. With this in mind, one program rises above the rest.

The Chamber Coalition, which comprises the New American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), the African American International Chamber of Commerce (AAICC), and the Hispanic American International Chamber of Commerce (HAICC), offers the best online Paralegal Studies program. The competitive tuition rate, coupled with the impeccable reputation of the Coalition, makes this an obvious choice for anyone serious about their education. This is a program of the highest standard.

Additional certificates include LexisNexis and CLIO. We also use CALI which is what is used in law schools.

Requirements

To be admitted to the Chamber's Paralegal Certificate Program, you must be at least eighteen years old, have strong computer skills, and have a high school diploma. If these qualifications fit you, you can continue the admission process. Applications are accepted online anytime during the year. A mandatory orientation describes your upcoming classes, guidelines, and expectations.

The tuition for this respected program is very competitive with other online paralegal programs. It costs less than $1000 for the entire program. The average student can finish the program in anywhere from six to twelve months.

Books are extra and will run around a few hundred dollars for everything. If you want the best paralegal online program at the best price, the Chamber Coalition Paralegal Certificate Program is the answer. The program is excellent for aspiring and current paralegals, individuals who plan to attend law school, community advocates, persons who want to understand the law and their rights, and prospective political candidates.

Is Being a Paralegal Worth It?

Yes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 10% job growth between now and 2029. The median salary nationwide in 2019 was $51,740, and the average mean wage was $61,810. It truly is a prestigious and significant profession. Simply put, paralegals help people. They help their employers be more efficient in their jobs, increase a firm's revenue and productivity, and help the clients.

A career as a paralegal can be rewarding professionally and personally and offers a unique opportunity to help others; options vary, depending on the paralegal's practice area. l

Ready to take the leap, the next step? Visit www.freeparalegal.org

Looking to make extra cash? A side hustle? We are looking for persons to sell advertisements. Experience in advertising sales is needed and preferably experience or a sincere interest in marketing.

Interested?

Dating the Taurus Man

Kitchen Corner

Chocolate Banana Crepes

If a romantically old-fashioned date with a tried-and-true gentleman is what you're ready for, try dating the Taurus man. Even though he's down to earth and unpretentious, the Taurus gent still enjoys the finer things in life. He's not known to be a "player" and it's doubtful you'll find this sophisticated man using offensive language in the presence of a lady.

Dating

The Taurus man is a sensual being, so you can expect a dating experience designed to treat the senses. A date could tease the palate with exotic fare, or have you immersed in the aromas of quaint cafe cuisine. Movies might be on the dating agenda, but a live theater performance or concert will always take precedent over any silver-screen presentation. Whatever a date with the Taurus man may include, the plans will always revolve around you.

Relationships

The Taurus man is a keeper. He's loyal, hardworking and dedicated to maintaining a stable home life. He may follow a

rather mundane routine with few variations, but there will be occasional spurts of impulsiveness that'll pleasantly surprise you. The charming Taurus man is a romantic, so cozy waterfront cottages and moonlight strolls may fill your vacation plans.

Romance

The Taurus man isn't going to be an athletic lover who'll surprise you with sessions of improvised passion. What you will get is a man devoted to the pleasing of your five senses-- a man dedicated to your physical enjoyment.

Dating the Taurus man won't be a mind-blowing ride, but it could take your breath away. He'll strip away the superficial clutter of modern dating and bring dating back to where it belongs. A date isn't about where the Taurus man goes, or what he does - it's about who he's with. If you want to experience a date where you're the focal point of the gentleman's attention, try dating a Taurus man.l

Check out your horoscope at www.cawnyc.com

After tweaking a crepe recipe, I came up with this incredibly delicious version chocolate crepe batter, with bananas and chocolate sauce! A very big hit with my friends! Top with powdered sugar or whipped cream. -Lynnie1979,AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

Crepe Batter:

•½ cup whole or 2% milk

•1 ½ tablespoons melted butter

•1 egg yolk

•1 teaspoon vanilla

•2 teaspoons hazelnut liqueur

•1 tablespoon cocoa

•2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

•

⅓ cup white flour

Chocolate Sauce:

•½ tablespoon butter

•1 tablespoon whole or 2% milk

•2 teaspoons hazelnut liqueur

•1 tablespoon cocoa

•2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

•2 ripe bananas, sliced

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup milk, 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, egg yolk, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons hazelnut liqueur. Whisk 1 tablespoon cocoa into liquid until completely incorporated. Next, whisk in 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar until completely incorporated. Then gradually whisk in flour until completely incorporated. Set aside.

2. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir 1 tablespoon milk and 2 teaspoons hazelnut liqueur into melted butter.

Stir in 1 tablespoon cocoa and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Set over very low heat to keep warm.

3. Spray a non-stick frying pan or crepe pan with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan, and swirl to form a very thin disk; cook for about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook about 1 minute more.

4. Place crepe on a plate. Add 1/4 sliced bananas to crepe, and spoon 1/4 of the chocolate sauce over the bananas. Roll or fold crepe, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Repeat steps 3 and 4. Serve crepes warm.l

Nutrition Facts

Per serving:

Calories: 234

Fat: 9g

Carbs: 35g

Protein: 4g

Cook's Note:

This recipe works with shortand long-grain rice or other grains such as farro.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 1 hrs 5 mins

Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins

Are We Out of the Woods Yet?/ continued from page 1

Wachter briefed reporters on an Ethnic Media Services conference call last week.

He said the biggest surprise about new variants driving the pandemic in the last 18 months has been the relative lack of surprises.

“We are still on the same Greek letter that we were since December 2020,” Wachter said, referring to the Omicron variant whose name derives from the Greek alphabet.

Since March, the World Health Organization has been monitoring the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, aka “Arcturus.” The variant has a higher transmissibility than previous ones but doesn’t appear to be more dangerous. The new strain accounts for about 10% of COVID-19 cases worldwide. People who get it tend to have a fever and some get pink eye. Both symptoms don’t last very long.

“The last year or so really feels like new variants are a little scary and then they turn out not to be that big a deal. And so I think, if past is prologue, that’s likely to be what happens with this newest variant,” Wachter says.

Staying safe even as COVID-19 restrictions fade

Dr. William Schaffner, Professor and Chair, Department of Preventive

Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says that while Covid can still be deadly, the risk of severe infection has diminished.

Dr. William Schaffner, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center still wears a mask in crowded places, as does Wachter.

“Many of our population have experienced COVID. Many people have been vaccinated, and of course many people have experienced both, and so our level of protection is very high, and these Omicron variants seem to be spreading, producing milder disease,” Schaffner says.

“The therapies, the testing, the treatments that we’ve gotten used to all work about as well as they have for the last 18 months. In some ways the biggest changes are political and sociological. It’s clear that any rules and restrictions are pretty much gone,” Wachter says.

Americans have largely stopped wearing masks or hung them on their car mirrors just in case they may need them.

Schaffner says we need to keep our guard up. Older and immunocompromised people, as well as the unvaccinated, are the COVID patients who end up in the hospital. Vulnerable people need to get vaccinated, boosted, and wear masks.

“It turns out that the quality of the mask and the fit is important,” says Schaffner. The N-95 mask fits securely around your nose and chin. In the early days of the pandemic, they were hard to find and controversy about wearing masks created a lot of confusion. Masks are no longer mandated except in hospitals and other places where the risk of infection remains high, and it remains high for certain people.

“The other early mantra – that it’s really about protecting others and not you –it’s also wrong. It is about protecting others, but it certainly protects you, too. It’s probabilistic. It lowers the chance of getting infected,” Schaffner says.

“If we’re not masking… I would say condoms prevent babies, masks prevent infectious disease. You’ll hear a lot of arguments about wearing both of them. But that doesn’t mean they don’t work,” says Dr. Ben Neuman, Chief Virologist of the Global Health Research Complex at Texas A&M University.

Arcturus variant likely not a game changer

Neuman said the Arcturus variant is different enough from the current vaccine strains that it has the potential to evade them because “it’s about as different from Omicron as Omicron was different

from Delta and so just like we saw the Omicron wave come through, there is at least the potential for that.”

Wachter doesn’t think the new variant will be a game-changer though. For one thing, enough people have immunity now, so the possibility of a super-spreader event is unlikely.

“The vaccine and the booster still work reasonably well in about the same way that we have thought for the last 18 months or so.” Paxil still works reasonably well, your home test still works reasonably well, Wachter says.

“The risk of getting very sick is probably not any different now than it will be in 3 years… so we all have to come up with strategies that allow us to live our lives as fully as we can while mitigating the risks in a way that’s practical and sustainable. And that’s different than two years ago, when we were all trying to get through it,” he says.

Wachter and Schaffner told reporters that they get boosted regularly. They are waiting for new vaccines that will be available in a few months for flu, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Long COVID

Dr. Robert Wachter, Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, discusses what medical professionals and researchers have learned about long covid and what they’re still working to understand.

For people who get re-infected, the danger of long COVID increases, especially for women. Wachter’s wife, a former reporter who now writes books, has long COVID and she is learning to live with it.

“A year ago she was not disabled in any way in terms of getting through her days. Certainly, many people have it worse than she does,” Wachter says. “But most days at about one or two in the afternoon, she will text me and say I’m hitting a wall. I need to take a nap. She never had to do that before.”

A little bit of brain fog is making her “a little less good than she was” but it’s a consolation to know what’s causing it, he says.l

Black Mothers Trapped in Unsafe Neighborhoods Signal the Stressful Health Toll of Gun Violence in the U.S.

BY LOREN HENDERSON & RUBY MENDENHALL THE CONVERSATION

In the U.S., Black people are likelier than white people to reside in impoverished, racially segregated communities with high levels of gun violence. Research has suggested that living in violent and unsafe environments can result in continuous traumatic stress, a constant form of PTSD. Researchers have also linked experiences of violence and poverty to an increased risk of chronic disease such as cancer and cardiovascular, respiratory and neurodegenerative diseases.

We are Black women and public policy and sociology professors who study health inequities and sustainable policy solutions. Our research has found that Black mothers who feel trapped in neighborhoods they perceived as unsafe because of high levels of community violence are more likely to report elevated PTSD and depression symptoms, as well

as elevated stress hormone levels.

The trauma of gun violence and systemic racism isn’t simply a Black mother’s story – it’s an American story.

Health effects of feeling trapped

Our research team sought to understand how stress from structural violence affects the body, specifically the immune system. We talked to 68 low-income single Black mothers living on the South

Side of Chicago about how they deal with gun violence in their communities and how it affects their health.

We asked these Black mothers to complete surveys that measured depression and PTSD symptoms. We also asked them to provide blood samples to examine the effects of stress at the cellular level, measuring the activity of genes that code for the receptors for the stress hormone cortisol. Looking at cortisol receptors offers a more cumulative measure of cortisol levels over time.

We found that about 65% of the mothers wanted to move out of their neighborhoods but could not afford to do so. These mothers felt trapped in areas with high levels of gun violence that fostered a sense of not feeling safe for adults and children. One mother in our study, whom we will call Ellan, described her neighborhood as dangerous and wanted to leave as soon as she could. “I’m very terrified of my kids going out to the park, playing in front of the house,” she said. “And I’m afraid that a car might come past shootin’ and one of my kids get hurt.”

Another mother in our study, whom we will call Skylar, felt she couldn’t escape to a safer community. “I don’t really want to raise my kids there, but I don’t have a choice. You know, cause it’s what I can afford. But it’s real violent.”

Mothers who felt trapped reported more symptoms of PTSD, like disturbing memories and dreams and reliving stressful experiences, than mothers who did not feel trapped. They also reported more depressive symptoms, such as feeling down and hopeless, taking little pleasure in doing things and having trouble sleeping.

Mothers unable to afford the move to safer neighborhoods had lower levels of glucocorticoid receptors. Having fewer glucocorticoid receptors helped protect their bodies from being overwhelmed by high cortisol levels caused by stress. Nevertheless, high cortisol levels from chronic stress are linked to a number of negative mental and physical health outcomes.

Environment determines health

Where someone lives, learns, works, plays and worships can determine their

health and has the power to make them sick and cause premature death.

Researchers have estimated that around 83,570 Black people die prematurely each year in the U.S. because of health disparities, using 2002 data. Some scholars have previously described this as equivalent to a plane full of Black passengers falling out the sky every day every year.

It is important to note that it is not the racial makeup of where a person lives that shapes the significant disparities they face, but exposure to violence, poverty and lack of resources as a result of structural racism. Redlining, environmental contamination, food deserts and gun violence are a part of the racial capitalism, or exploitation of marginalized communities, that affect the health of Black women.

What we are learning about the constant threats to the safety of Black mothers and their families also applies to the general American public.

The rate of mass shootings is increasing. Firearm fatalities are a leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 19 in the U.S. Gun violence has harmed people while they are watching a parade, shopping at a store, worshipping, attending school and other ordinary events.

Increasing access to wellness

Understanding the complexity of the exposome – the word researchers use for environmental factors like gun violence that affect an individual’s health and well-being – can help extend the years of healthy life of groups who typically experience premature death. Building this knowledge requires input from people of color and others who have traditionally been pushed to the margins of society.

We are currently creating a “wellness store” that places wellness tools and health knowledge at the fingertips of individuals, especially for those experiencing interlocking traumas such as racism, sexism, classism, incarceration, racial segregation and rural geographic isolation. These tools, co-created with community health workers and citizen scientists, range from phone apps to public policy designed to get stress “out from under the skin.” Our goal is to work with clinics, hospitals and community organizations to provide accessible tools to prevent illness.

Black communities are filled with resilient and vulnerable individuals who deserve urgent policy solutions that lead to societal change. We believe that more investment in disease prevention and health equity can help the U.S. use the knowledge, technology and finances that it already has to help people access its most precious resource: a healthy life and the ability to pursue wellness.l

The stress of experiencing high levels of community violence harms entire families.

Relationship Breakup and Surviving

MARY CAMPBELL

Tick, tock. How do you know when it’s time to break up with your significant other? That’s an unbearable question that some couples may never find the answer to. Even when there is still love, things may not be right. And, going separate ways while difficult is the right path to take.

If your head’s in chaos and you can’t stop thinking about whether ending a relationship or marriage is the right choice, hopefully, the article below can provide some clarity.

Surviving when love has hurt us can seem like climbing a mountain. There are feelings of despair, and the depression and hurt can cut so deep we feel like we may never heal. You think you have finally met the right person, and the connection is something you have never felt before. Then something happens, and you are trying to navigate life without this person. Everything you have done since the relationship began has revolved around them. Once there is a breakup, you literally forget how to function normally in daily life.

Understand that the feelings of misery and desperation are normal. Breakups

can suck the life and energy right out of you. But some things can be done to help the process move forward more easily.

Take time for yourself. Yes, this is something we always hear, but what does it mean? For some, it means grabbing a cup of tea and a good book. For others, it means taking a nap or watching a good movie.

When the relationship ends, we literally do not know what to do with ourselves from minute to minute. This is normal, and if you were spending a lot of time

together, a gaping hole must be filled. We hear that we should take on a new hobby. We often cannot even think straight to figure out what we would enjoy doing. It is essential to try to relax until our thinking becomes clearer.

Time heals all wounds. The time it takes for our wounds to heal depends on the individual. It may take two months for some, while others may take longer. Keeping in mind that time will heal the hurt can help.

When the breakup is new, we can

become obsessed with figuring out what went wrong. Trying to replay every scene and the conversations exchanged can literally drive us crazy. The best thing to do is to focus on other things and take our minds off the previous events.

Talk to others you trust. Sometimes just having a person you trust to talk things through will help. Running things over and over through our heads often will make no sense, but when they are communicated to another, there may be things you would have needed to pick up on.

Do not stalk the ex on social media or by text messages. Although the desire to talk to them is strong, chasing them down will solve nothing and probably worsen matters. Besides, you do not want to take the chance of looking like a desperate person.

It takes time to get over a breakup; understanding this will give you a world of good. As you trudge one day, you will stop and realize that the pain is finally subsiding. Just remember, we are all special and deserve to be in a loving relationship.l

CARIBBEAN STAR

Harry Belafonte, Jamaican-American Singer, Actor, Activist, Dies at 96

BY SELEN OZTURK, EMS

Harry Belafonte, the JamaicanAmerican singer, actor, and political activist, died aged 96 on Tuesday, April 25.

His longtime publicist Ken Sunshine said Belafonte died of congestive heart failure at his Manhattan, New York home, his wife Pamela Frank beside him. Belafonte is most widely known for his hit songs “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song,” “Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora),” and “Jamaica Farewell,” released in the mid-1950s and early 1960s. His third studio album, “Calypso” (1956), stayed at the top of the Billboard chart for 31 weeks, and was the first album by one artist to sell over one million copies within a year. Three years later, he was the highest-paid Black performer in history.

On Twitter, President Biden eulogized this “groundbreaking American who used his talent and voice to help redeem the soul of our nation. Harry Belafonte’s accomplishments are legendary and his legacy of outspoken advocacy, compassion, and respect for dignity will endure forever.”

Born in Harlem in 1927 to Jamaicanborn parents Harold George Bellanfanti

Sr., a chef, and Melvine, a housekeeper, he lived from age five to 13 with his grandmother in Kingston, Jamaica. He returned to New York to attend George Washington High School, dropped out for reasons of dyslexia and delinquency, and served in the Navy during World War II.

Though a calypso, folk, gospel, and blues musician, Belafonte was also a stage, TV and film actor from the 1940s through the 2010s. In 1954, when Black

/nycschools

faces on Broadway beyond what he deemed “Uncle Tom” roles were few and far between, he won a Tony award for starring in the musical revue “John Murray Anderson’s Almanac.” In 1959, he became the first Black performer to win an Emmy for the TV show “Tonight with Harry Belafonte.”

On Twitter, Mia Farrow bid farewell to this “beautiful singer, brilliant and brave civil rights activist, a deeply moral and caring man.”

The rapper Ice Cube called him “more than a singer, more than an actor and more than a man.”

The activist and football quarterback Colin Kaeperinick quoted Belafonte himself, writing “Movements don’t die, because struggle doesn’t die.” l

Actors HARRY BELAFONTE (right) & DANNY GLOVER at the 2006 BET Awards in Los Angeles.. June 27, 2006 Los Angeles, CA Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Cover and cd of classic albums by singer, actor and activist HARRY BELAFONTE. known for spreading calypso music around the world with its 1956 album. Editorial credit: Kraft74 / Shutterstock.com

What You Need to Know About Workplace Accidents and How an Attorney Can Help

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

Nobody expects to be injured on the job, but it happens to thousands of people every year. There are many dangerous jobs out there, including construction work, agricultural work, steel working, and so much more however, even those who work in offices are injured yearly. You could become injured when driving to a location during work time. No matter how your workplace accident occurs, it is helpful to have an attorney on your side through it all.

Common Types of Work Injuries

The U.S. Department of Labor collects annual information concerning workplace injuries. According to their research, some of the most common types of work-related injuries include:

Overextension: This is typically referred to as one of the most common workplace injuries. When a worker pulls, pushes, or lifts objects, they are at risk of overextension. As a result, they could receive sprained and torn muscles, ten-

dons, and ligaments. Some of the most serious injuries, like disk herniations in the back, may occur.

Repetitive Motion: Repetitive motion injuries are caused by repeatedly making the same motions in the workplace, such as jobs involving typing. These injuries can affect the shoulder and neck, wrists, and even a person's vision. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common repetitive motion injuries.

Slips and Falls: These injuries usually

occur when debris or fluids are left on the floor. They can result in serious injuries like those to the head, bone fractures, and torn ligaments.

Falling Objects: Especially in the construction workplace, falling objects can cause trauma. Objects may fall from product shelves, ladders, forklifts, and more. This could result in head, face, neck, and feet injuries.

Moving Vehicle Accidents: If a worker must drive a company vehicle like a

truck, car, or van during work, they are at risk of moving vehicle accidents. They can occur anywhere, including on highways or in a parking lot.

What to do After an Accident

There are some steps that you can take to protect your legal rights after an accident in the workplace. The first thing that you should always do is receive medical attention, especially if it is an emergency. If an employer suggests a doctor to you and you are unhappy with the outcome, you may ask the employer if you can see another doctor. In most cases, you will be entitled to a second opinion, even if you must pay for it yourself. Depending on the extent of your injuries, it may be worth it!

You should always make an accident report not only for your employer to investigate the situation that caused your accident but also to assert your rights as soon as possible. This could work as a preventative measure to save the health of other employees in the future as well as protect you. The employer must then take measures to file a workers' compensation claim with their insurance company on your behalf. When you report the injury, this can take place.

Determining

Liability

No matter who was at fault for your injury, you will be eligible for workers' compensation under the laws. For instance, what should you expect if your employer failed to provide you with the correct equipment for a job and you fell? Or what if a third party left a liquid on the floor, and you slipped and fell? In these situations, you will still be covered by workers' compensation.

In fact, workers' comp benefits will still cover you even if you have contributed to your accident. For example, if you improperly use a machine despite your training and are injured, you will still receive workers' comp benefits. However, you should not expect to receive these benefits if you intentionally inflicted the injury, were intoxicated, or violated a company safety policy. You could then find that your compensation is reduced.

How an Attorney Can Help

If you have been injured and begun the workers' compensation process, it is complicated and has trials along the way. Even though they are legitimate, workers' compensation claims will often be denied by employers or insurance carriers, which means that you will have to go through an appeals process. You want to avoid facing this process on your own, so you should have an experienced attorney who understands the workers' comp laws in New York. Contact the Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates. Call 855-7688845 or schedule an appointment at www.askthelawyer.usl