IGH - Rochester, #189 MAY 2021 by In Good Health: Rochester's Healthcare Newspaper

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MAY 2021 • ISSUE 189

Saying Thank You to Nurses Celebrate National Nurses Week With In Good Health!

About 40,000 U.S. Children Have Lost a Parent to COVID-19

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STEPHEN H. SCHULTZ, M.D. URMC / Highland Hospital doctor recognized for mentoring, teaching countless students who are now boardcertified family physicians — has led residency program locally for 19 years

I’VE GOTTEN MY COVID-19 VACCINE, NOW WHAT? A Q&A with physician Lorna Fitzpatrick, of Excellus BCBS.

The Future of Cancer in America Breast cancers are projected to be the most common, with lung cancer third and colon cancer fourth, says study

t ﬁrst glance, it appears that little will change between now and 2040 when it comes to the types of cancers that people develop and that kill them, a new forecast shows. Breast, melanoma, lung and colon cancers are expected to be the most common types of cancers in the United States, and patients die most often from lung, pancreatic, liver and colorectal cancers, according to the latest projections. But beneath the surface, changes are occurring due to a shift in the nation’s top causes of cancer, and those trends are likely to affect treatment and research for decades, experts say. Lung cancer cases and deaths are expected to continue to decline, like-

ly due to the success of anti-smoking campaigns. However, deaths from obesity-related cancers — pancreas, liver, colon — are projected to hold steady or increase, the researchers said. “We’ve already seen a little bit of a shift from smoking-related cancers to an increase in the proportion of cancer cases and deaths that are related to obesity,” noted Kim Miller, a scientist with the American Cancer Society’s surveillance and health equity team, who reviewed the new study. In general, researchers expect that cancer cases will continue to increase overall in the United States as the population becomes larger and grayer, said senior research-

er, physician Kevin Nead. He’s an assistant professor of epidemiology with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s division of cancer prevention and population sciences. “Our population is going to get bigger, and we’re going to see more and more cancers. I think no matter what happens in the future, we’re going to see more cancers,” Nead said. However, Miller said, cancer deaths have been declining since 1991 and are expected to continue to fall in the future. “A large proportion of that drop is due to lung cancer death rates very, very rapidly declining, but we’re seeing progress for a lot of cancers and I think that’s important to keep

in mind,” Miller said. For this study, Nead and his team combined cancer incidence and death rates with updated demographic data from 2016 to project cancer cases and deaths out to 2040. They published their ﬁndings online April 7 in JAMA Network Open. Overall, the most frequent cancer types are expected to change slightly due to an increase in melanoma cases, making it the second most common cancer by 2040. Breast cancers are projected to be the most common, with lung cancer third and colon cancer fourth. “Melanoma has moved up, and we don’t necessarily know exactly why that is,” Nead said. More people might be exposing themselves to the sun’s UV rays, or there might be improved detection of the early stages of melanoma skin cancer. Prostate cancer is expected to drop to the 14th most common cancer by 2040, possibly due to changes in screening guidelines, the researchers said. As far as cancer deaths, lung cancer is expected to continue to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in 2040, but with an overall declining number of deaths, the report said. At the same time, pancreatic and liver cancers are expected to surpass colon cancer to become the second and third most common causes of cancer-related death. “The steady increase in gastrointestinal cancers is troubling,” Nead said. “Seeing cancers creeping up where I think we still have some work to do in prevention, I think that’s a little more scary than situations where we have good prevention and surveillance, we just need to use it better.”

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

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Meet

Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Stephen H. Schultz, M.D. Decrease Seen in U.S. Suicide Rate Telehealth services among factors for the decline

here was a nearly 6% drop in suicides in the United States last year, the largest annual decline in close to four decades, preliminary government data show. While the extent of that decline could be smaller when final figures are available, officials expect there will still be a significant decrease, despite concerns there would be more suicides due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Associated Press reported. There was a steady rise in suicides from the early 2000s until 2018, when the U.S. suicide rate reached it highest since 1941, before falling slightly in 2019 due to what experts said was increased mental health screenings and other suicide prevention measures. In 2020, there were fewer than 45,000 suicides, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That was the lowest number since 2015, the AP reported. Along with increased availability of telehealth services and other efforts to reduce suicides, another factor may help explain last year’s large drop in the suicide rate, according to Christine Moutier, chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “There’s a heroism phase in every disaster period, where we’re banding together and expressing lots of messages of support that we’re in this together,” Moutier told the AP. “You saw that, at least in the early months of the pandemic.” But while suicides overall decreased last year, it’s possible that suicides by youths and young adults did not, Moutier added. She noted there may be a delayed effect on the mental health of many people, as they get past the pandemic’s initial threats but sink into grieving the people and things they have lost. “There’s sort of an evolution of mental health distress,” she told the AP. “It’s possible we will see the whole mental health ramifications of this pandemic” later.

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URMC / Highland Hospital doctor recognized for mentoring, teaching countless students who are now board-certiﬁed family physicians — has led residency program locally for 19 years Q: You recently received the Nikitas J. Zervanos Outstanding Program Director Award from the New York State Academy of Family Physicians. A: It’s named after Nick Zervanos, a program director out in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for, I think, more than 30 years. I think of it as a lifetime achievement award for making contributions not only to your own program, but also on a national level. And you have to have been a program director for more than 10 years to be eligible for it. I’ve done some international consultations to bring family medicine to different countries like Iran, Angola and Japan. We have a longitudinal global health program in Honduras, a very rural setting where we tried to work with the community on what we call determinants of health. These are things that affect who is healthy and not healthy, but aren’t necessarily medically related: things like clean water, education, food. Everyone in that area is around 5 feet tall, and it’s not because they’re genetically short. It’s because many of them are stunted from severe malnutrition from when they were children. Q: Some of your work has been political as well. A: I also started a political advocacy and leadership tract here so residents can get involved in politics, because I think family physicians have a role to play. We’ve got a pretty broken healthcare system and I think

family medicine is a good solution to many of the ills we’re facing with subspecialization and lack of relationships between patients and physicians. Q: Can you go into that a bit more? A: I think that there’s really good evidence that shows a direct correlation between the number of physicians in a community and overall health outcomes. We take care of families, so we see patients not just in the context of an individual, but as part of a family, and family as part of the community. There are things within a family that are going to affect your health. If your father is an alcoholic, you’re going to have a different childhood than if your father is not an alcoholic. So there are obviously things in your direct family that have an enormous impact on your health. So knowing people in the context of their family is what we try to do. And family medicine is also designed to meet 95% of the healthcare needs of people who present. We do a little bit of orthopedics, a little bit of gynecology. We’re the only specialty that’s not limited by age, gender or disease state. Every other specialty has some limitation on what and who they can take care of, whether that’s the heart or the GI tract. Q: Why has there been a move toward subspecialization in recent years do you think? A: We’ve built a healthcare system that rewards procedure and diminishes cognitive medicine, so that physicians that do stuff to people, like surgeons—interventional cardiologists make way more money than people that don’t do invasive procedures. So unfortunately that’s just how our system is created, so there’s a ﬁnancial drive. I think it’s also a Western culture thing: let’s dive down and let’s understand things at an organ level or cellular level, or a molecular level. So, people can get specialized in very narrow ranges because it goes so deep. And I think some people just specialize because they’re not comfortable with uncertainty. They want to know. As a family doc, as you’re presented with all kinds of symptoms, you may have to be comfortable with uncertainty. You’re not going to know everything. You may have to see them again to see how things change over time. The other thing is that in medical schools, most of the teachers are specialists. There aren’t

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

that many generalists; so, most of the role models are specialists. It’s been shown that medical schools with a mandatory third year clerkship in family medicine, more students end up going to primary care. If they’re exposed to it, they’ll do it. Q: How do you make the case for primary care to young prospective doctors? A: The thing I love about working at the resident level is that they’ve already committed to primary care. I get them right out of medical school—they’re pretty much late fourth-year medical students. They’re terrified and pretty sure they’re going to kill someone by doing something wrong. Three years later they’re all board-certified family physicians who have a wide array of skills and knowledge. That transformation is just incredible to me from orientation to graduation, and knowing that they’re going to go out and take care of their communities. It’s just hugely satisfying and rewarding. Q: Since primary care is so patient-facing, do you find there’s a social aspect to it that isn’t easily taught in school? A: Probably more than any other family medicine program in the country, we spent a lot of time on psycho-social skills. There are skills we teach about how to identify when someone is suffering from an addiction. Most people don’t just walk into their family doctor and say, “You know what, I’m struggling with addiction.” It usually comes out from something else. So being able to listen carefully, being able to be able identify when people are saying things that aren’t congruent with the rest of what you’re hearing, and just being able to stop say, “Wait, what did he mean by that?” There’s also something called appreciative inquiry where you’re just curious about the person, figure out why they are saying or doing something, but you need to be able to do it in a nonaccusatory way. They may need to take their medication but they’re not taking them. You may need to figure out why and then address those issues so that they feel comfortable taking them. Q: As a generalist, how do you stay up to date on all the diseases and issues you need to know at least a little bit about? A: It’s difficult. We specialize in what’s common, so we’re not going to necessarily know things that you rarely see. There are publications that list the critical articles that are coming out in journals that have an impact on primary care. And even just working on cases with residents keeps everyone on their toes.

Lifelines Name: Stephen H. Schultz, M.D. Position: Program director at University of Rochester/Highland Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program Hometown: Brookline, Massachusetts Education: Brown-Dartmouth College program (Brown Medical School) Afﬁliations: Highland Hospital Organizations: New York State Academy of Family Physicians; Association of Family Medicine Program Directors Family: Three children Hobbies: Woodworking, reading, hiking

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Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Spring Cleaning: Make the Most of ‘Letting Go’

re you convinced you’ll never find love again? Or, do you regret the way you behaved in your marriage? Still angry at your ex? Or yourself? Holding on to past hurts, slights, negative thinking or lost opportunities can compromise your sense of well-being and ability to be alone and content. Whether it’s emotional baggage or tangible reminders that keep you from moving forward, I encourage you to do some “spring cleaning” in favor of a fresh start. Letting go is a beautiful thing. And not just for those who live alone. Letting go of old ways of thinking, of a poor self-image, or of destructive thoughts or behaviors can free you up to embrace life’s blessings and the possibility of feeling whole and complete on your own. I discovered the power of letting go quite by accident. It was after I purchased my country cottage, which sits on a bucolic piece of rural land. One of my first home-improvement projects was to carve out a fire pit in my backyard. I’ve always loved a bonfire: the warm glow it casts on the faces of those gathered around it, the earthy scent of burning logs, the flames that invite inspection . . . and,

importantly, introspection. Little did I know that when I built my fire pit that it would also become the ceremonial dumping ground for my “old baggage,” those painful ruminations, beliefs and feelings that were holding me back and keeping my life small. I remember one evening in particular. I’d been holding on to my old Day-Timers, those large, leather-bound calendar/ planners that were popular before everything went digital. In my Day-Timers, I made calendar entries that captured the good, the bad, and the ugly over the course of what turned out to be a dismal and highly disappointing decade. Why I hung onto these Day-Timers I’ll never know. Maybe out of misplaced sentimentality. But this I do know: Whenever I looked at that stack of 12 volumes stashed away in my closet, I would wince inside. But then I decided, no more. Years ago, on an early spring evening, I held my very first letting-go ceremony. I grabbed my Day-Timers, made my way to the fire pit and built a bonfire. There I sat with my memories (and glass of wine) while I slowly, deliberately leafed through each leather-bound year of my life,

“Whether it’s emotional baggage or tangible reminders that keep you from moving forward, I encourage you to do some 'spring cleaning' in favor of a fresh start.” before tossing it on the hot embers. It was a moving experience. Sad at times. But mostly, I began to feel lighter, freer. And I felt something I didn’t expect: a sense of peace and self-satisfaction for having taken control and done something good for myself. That evening set the stage for many letting-go ceremonies to come. I look forward to them and the release of the pent-up, negative energy they promise. Might you consider holding a letting-go ceremony of your own? Here are some tips: • First: Identity what is holding you back or keeping you stuck. Be honest. Ask yourself what negative beliefs or thoughts are getting in the way of your ability to feel hopeful and enthusiastic about yourself and your future. What do you need to release to move forward? Resentment toward something or someone? Regret over a past mistake? Guilt? A negative self-image? An addiction or bad habit? Or a deep sadness? • Second: Identify something tangible (as I did with my Day-Timers) that conjures up painful or disappointing memories. This

negative “something” a photograph, gift, letter or other reminder can be powerful. Even if it’s out of sight, you know it’s there and just having it in your possession may keep you tethered to a painful past. If nothing tangible comes to mind, try describing your negative belief or thought in a “Letter to Self.” Put it down on paper and get it out of your system. • Third: Hold your own letting-go ceremony, in whatever style or fashion that suits you. I like the bonfire option, but you may prefer another method. Tying your Letter to Self to a stone and throwing it into a lake may be more fitting and cathartic. Or perhaps you’ll prefer to bury your anger in your backyard. You decide. On your own or in the company of friends or family, symbolically let go of what’s holding you back and keeping you stuck. Doing so may help liberate the hope, passion and power residing deep inside you. It can be a meaningful step toward peace and independence. Needless to say, letting-go ceremonies aren’t a cure-all. Believe me; my long-held feelings about my difficult decade didn’t magically dissipate with the burning of my Day-Timers. But I did feel better and more empowered afterwards. I could go on and on, but you’ll need to excuse me. It’s a beautiful spring evening. I have a bonfire to build and some baggage to burn.

Gwenn Voelckers is the founder and facilitator of Alone and Content, empowerment workshops for women and author of “Alone and Content,” a collection of inspiring essays for those who live alone. For information about her workshops, to purchase her book, or invite Voelckers to speak, visit www.aloneandcontent.com

FDA Approves First New Children’s ADHD Drug in 10 Years

he ﬁrst new drug developed in over a decade for children with attention deﬁcit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Qelbree, also known as viloxazine, comes in a capsule that is taken daily, and is not a stimulant. This makes it harder to abuse than older ADHD drugs, nearly all of which contain the stimulants amphetamine or methylphenidate. Experts say the drug may appeal to parents who don’t want to give their child stimulants. It also could be an option for kids who already have substance abuse problems, dislike the side effects of stimulants or need additional therapy, physician David Goodman told the Associated Press. He’s an Page 6

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assistant professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. Goodman said most ADHD patients are prescribed long-acting stimulants, which are harder to abuse to get a high than the original, fast-acting versions of these drugs. Developed by Supernus Pharmaceuticals of Rockville, Maryland, Qelbree carries a warning about the potential for suicidal thoughts and behavior, which occurred in fewer than 1% of volunteers in studies of the drug, the AP said. Supernus wouldn’t disclose the drug’s list price, but it’s sure to be higher than the many cheap generic ADHD pills on the market today, the AP said. ADHD affects about 6 million American children and adolescents,

according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For many, problems include trouble paying attention and completing tasks, ﬁdgeting and impulsiveness. In a late-stage study funded by Supernus, 477 children aged 6 to 11 took the drug for six weeks. Inattention and hyperactivity symptoms were reduced by about 50% compared to the placebo group, the AP reported. Qelbree helped reduce symptoms in some study volunteers within a week. Common side effects included sleepiness, lethar-

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

gy, decreased appetite and headache. Supernus is in late-stage testing of Qelbree for adults with ADHD, the AP said. It’s in a much smaller group than children, but that market is growing because few adults currently take ADHD medicines. Viloxazine was sold as an antidepressant in Europe for several decades, but was never approved by the FDA, the AP reported. The maker ended sales for business reasons nearly two decades ago, as popular pills such as Zoloft and Prozac came to dominate the market.

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Things You Need to Know About Sarcoidosis

Doctors stress teamwork is essential to ﬁnding new ways to treat the disease By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

s we have found with COVID-19, certain health ailments disproportionally affect certain ethnic groups. Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that often attacks multiple organs, particularly the lungs and lymph nodes. Comedian Bernie Mac suffered from pulmonary sarcoidosis for 25 years and died from complications of the disease in 2008. The best estimate today is that about five in 100,000 whites in the United States have sarcoidosis; however among Blacks, it occurs in about 40 out of 100,000 people, according to the National Institute of Health. It also affects those of northern European descent. “Sarcoidosis is an example of your immune system going haywire and reacting to an unknown trigger leading to inflammation in the body,” said physician R. Matthew Kottmann, pulmonary director of the UR Medicine Comprehensive Sarcoidosis Program. “It is often diagnosed through chest X-rays and imaging by which you can detect enlarged lymph nodes. However, many findings are benign and don’t require any treatment. But sarcoidosis is something that cannot be ignored.” Kottmann and another physician, Himabindu Vidula, cardiovascular director of the UR Medicine Comprehensive Sarcoidosis and Amyloidosis Programs and a heart failure cardiologist with the advanced heart failure program, talk about five aspects of sarcoidosis that people should know.

1.Overall Symptoms

In general, those who may suffer from sarcoidosis could ﬁnd

issues in their eyes, skin and lungs. Symptoms can begin with fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, joint pain and weight loss. It may progress to wheezing and chest pain in the lungs, rashes of the shins and ankles, or sores in the nose and cheeks along with blurred sight, sensitivity to light and severe eye redness. “It can affect the organ system and present in many different ways. We have patients who had signiﬁcant problems breathing and with their vision,” said Kottmann.

problems can 2.Heart occur

Signs and symptoms related to cardiac sarcoidosis may include dizziness, irregular heartbeats, and swelling caused by ﬂuid retention. “We know from autopsy studies that 25% of people with sarcoidosis in other organs will have sarcoidosis of the heart,” added Vidula. “It is essential to treat sarcoidosis because it can be fatal when your heart slows down or speeds up to an alarming rate. Your heart may also not pump normally, leading to heart failure.”

3.Age groups can vary

Sarcoidosis occurs most often between 20 and 40 years of age, but also presents in older adults. Kottmann said he tends to diagnose and treat people in middle age with the condition, yet all ages can be susceptible. “I’ve seen patients as early as their mid-30s who needed a heart transplant because of sarcoidosis. While it does seem that the incidence of sarcoidosis has increased in the past couple of years, we are now

equipped with better technology to diagnose and treat it,” said Vidula.

causes impact in 4.Variety the diagnosis

As both doctors have mentioned, sarcoidosis can originate in various body parts, cause various symptoms and affect various age groups. Because of that variety, it is unlike many ailments. “It is almost as if no two patients are created the same or have the same symptoms or the disease did not manifest itself in their bodies the same way,” said Kottmann. “It’s one of the reasons why the ﬁrst approach is to determine what organs are being affected. It can also affect your joints where you have arthritic pain and can cause problems with your gastrointestinal tract or nervous system.”

Physician Himabindu Vidula is the cardiovascular director of the UR Medicine Comprehensive Sarcoidosis and Amyloidosis Programs and a heart failure cardiologist. “I’ve seen patients as early as their mid-30s who needed a heart transplant because of sarcoidosis," she says.

5.Collaboration is key

At the University of Rochester Medical Center, 15 specialists gather to discuss management of complex cases. It is often the key to providing the correct diagnosis and management plan. “We meet once a month and discuss the cases because each patient is different and we want to create the best treatment plan,” said Kottmann. Vidula agrees especially with the University of Rochester Medical Center being the only heart transplant program in Upstate New York to provide care for severe cases of cardiac sarcoidosis. “We are always researching new ways to treat sarcoidosis and that is why it is essential to all come together and work together as a team so we can come up with the best and most comprehensive approach for each patient,” said Vidula.

Physician R. Matthew Kottmann is pulmonary director of the UR Medicine Comprehensive Sarcoidosis Program. “Sarcoidosis is an example of your immune system going haywire and reacting to an unknown trigger leading to inflammation in the body,” he says.

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About 40,000 U.S. Children Have Lost a Parent to COVID-19

ore than 40,000 U.S. kids have lost a parent to COVID-19 and the longterm impacts could be severe, experts warn. Americans under age 65 account for about one in ﬁve COVID-19 deaths. Of those, as many as 15% involve someone in their 40s and 3% someone in their 40s. “In these younger age groups, substantial numbers of people have children, for whom the loss of a parent is a potentially devastating challenge,” said Ashton Verdery, an associate professor of sociology, demography and social data analytics at Penn State University. Using a statistical model to estimate how many kids have lost a parent to COVID-19 since February of last year, researchers say three-quarters are in their teens and the rest are elementary school-aged youngsters. This reality is more dire for Black families, who have been especially hard hit by the pandemic, researchers said. Of those who lost a parent, an estimated 20% are Black children, even though only 14% of the nation’s kids are Black. The study estimates that deaths due to COVID-19 will boost the nation’s total cases of parental bereavement by 18% to 20% over a more typical year — straining a system that already fails to connect all kids who are eligible to needed resources. In comparison, the number of kids who lost a parent to COVID-19 is about 13 times the estimated 3,000 kids who lost a parent in the World Trade Center attacks. Verdery said kids who have lost parents in the pandemic are at higher risk for traumatic pro-

longed grief and depression, lower educational attainment, economic insecurity and accidental death or suicide. And the COVID-19 losses come at a time when kids may be facing other pandemic challenges, including social isolation and economic struggles. This may strain their access to support services at a time when they also are less connected to other family and community supports. “Teachers are such a vital resource in terms of identifying and helping at-risk children,” Verdery said in a university news release, noting that this is one reason it is important for schools to resume in-person instruction as soon as it is safe to do so and provide support for overburdened educators. Research suggests proven interventions delivered widely could help head off severe psychological problems in bereaved kids, although some may need longer-term support, the authors said. “I think the first thing we need to do is to proactively connect all children to the available supports they are entitled to, like Social Security child survivor benefits—research shows only about half of eligible children are connected to these programs in normal circumstances, but that those who do fare much better,” Verdery said. “We should also consider expanding eligibility to these resources. Second, a national effort to identify and provide counseling and related resources to all children who lose a parent is vital.” The findings appear in the April 5 issue of JAMA Pediatrics.

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SERVING MONROE AND ONTARIO COUNTIES A monthly newspaper published by Local News, Inc. Distribution: 33,500 copies throughout more than 1,500 high-trafﬁc locations. In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2021 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 525, Victor NY 14564. Phone: 585-421-8109 • Email: Editor@GVhealthnews.com

Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto Writers: Jim Miller, Deborah J. Sergeant, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Ernst Lamothe Jr., John Addyman, Barbara Pierce, Brian Heppard, MD Advertising: Anne Westcott, Linda Covington • Layout & Design: Joey Sweener Office Manager: Nancy Nitz 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. Consult your physician before making major changes in your lifestyle or health care regimen.

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Tinnitus Relief Is Possible There is no known cure, but new technology offers relief By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

n March 21, Kent Taylor, the founder and CEO of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, died from suicide at age 65. In a press release his family sent to the Associated Press, Taylor “took his own life” following “a battle with post-COVID related symptoms, including severe tinnitus.” Tinnitus, also called “ringing in the ears,” is not a disease but usually a symptom of damage to the auditory system. People with tinnitus hear “phantom sounds” such as buzzing, humming, clicking, chirping or, rarely, looped, repetitive music. For some people, the unwanted sounds become extremely bothersome and contribute to depression and anxiety. They cannot sleep and worry that they will never escape from the problem. Scattered anecdotal reports have linked COVID-19 with tinnitus. Shortly before his death, Taylor, a longtime philanthropist, committed to funding research on tinnitus. COVID-19 has also been linked with depression and anxiety. Left untreated, depression and anxiety raise the risk of suicide. Research printed in a November 2020 issue of Lancet Psychiatry indicates that after reviewing 69.8 million electronic health records, 20% of the 62,000 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were also diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder such as anxiety, depression or insomnia within three months. Of those, 5.8% were a ﬁrst-time mental health diagnosis. The study compared people with COVID-19 with patients without COVID-19 during the same period, which means that the illness itself, and not just societal shifts and stress, contributed to the increase in mental

Kent Taylor, the founder and CEO of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, died from suicide at age 65. following “a battle with post-COVID related symptoms, including severe tinnitus. health diagnoses. Of the more than 45 million Americans with tinnitus, only 4% say that it signiﬁcantly interferes with their activities of daily living such as sleep and work. More than 200 known medical conditions can relate to tinnitus. However, Gregory Horton, doctor of audiology and director of audiology at Rochester Hearing and Speech, said that hearing loss and noise exposure are more commonly associated with tinnitus. “It is also possible to have tinnitus in the absence of hearing loss,” Horton said. “However, for many

people, tinnitus is usually the ﬁrst indicator that something is wrong with their auditory system.” Horton has experienced tinnitus in both ears for 15 years. Other causes can include trauma, certain medications, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues, blood ﬂow issues, psychiatric disorders, tumors, vestibular issues such as dizziness or vertigo, and autoimmune diseases. Diet, stress, alcohol and caffeine can worsen tinnitus. Though it has no cure, interventions can mitigate its effect. For most patients with tinnitus, wearing a hearing aid to amplify the sounds they miss can help reduce the effects of hearing only the unwanted sounds. “Even people with normal hearing can experience relief from their tinnitus just from wearing hearing aids,” Horton said. “In addition to typical hearing aid use, most hearing aid technology now has programming algorithms that can be used to create gentle masking noises that we can activate to take our mind off the tinnitus. Masking noises should not be used to completely drown out the tinnitus, but can be used to give ourselves something more pleasurable to listen to.” Some people use white noise machines or apps that create white noise to help mask tinnitus sounds. Horton also said that much evidence indicates that mental health initiatives such as cognitive behavioral therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy and practicing mindfulness and meditation can help manage the response to tinnitus. Ron D’Angelo, doctor of audiology with Clear Choice Hearing and Balance in Brighton and Greece, said that anxiety and tinnitus can cause a cycle where anxiety worsens the tinnitus and the tinnitus in turn worsens the anxiety. However, relaxation techniques like yoga and deep breathing “can help relieve stress and the stress associated with tinnitus,” D’Angelo said. Much like people who eventually become used to the different sound of a new refrigerator, many people with tinnitus can learn to not pay

attention to the phantom sounds. An audiologist specializing in tinnitus care can help, but it is more challenging for hearing than other senses to develop tolerance. “The brain is selective in what it pays attention to,” D’Angelo said. “With tinnitus, it’s not as easy as with the sense of smell. If you work with foul smelling things, you stop noticing within a few days. With hearing we have to take a few extra steps.” In addition to treating any hearing loss, his office also uses sound therapy to train the brain to not recognize the sound as threatening. D’Angelo said that tinnitus is “a brain phenomenon more than an ear phenomenon. The nerve sends a signal for a sound that doesn’t exist.” He compared tinnitus to phantom pain experienced by amputees. For patients with tinnitus, the part of their brain that interprets sound becomes overly active because of inner ear damage. Every patient is different, which is why a professional evaluation is important. Rarely, a different cause may be behind tinnitus, such as excess accumulation of earwax or a tumor. Both would require professional removal. Most tinnitus is associated with hearing loss. “The effectiveness of the most popular treatment option, hearing aids, is really dependent upon patient motivation,” said Ally Centola, doctor of audiology at Hart Hearing and Balance Centers in Irondequoit, Brockport, Brighton, Fairport and Greece. “A patient must wear his or her hearing aids all waking hours to increase the chances of finding tinnitus relief. “Patients who consistently wear their hearing aids tend to find some type of relief in either the duration or loudness they hear their tinnitus. From personal experience, I’ve also seen that patients who accept their tinnitus and aren’t trying to look for other cures, seem to have the best outcomes. As we know, there currently isn’t any cure for tinnitus; there are only ways to manage it.” For more information, visit: American Tinnitus Association (www.ata.org), Hearing Loss Association of America (www.hearingloss. org), American Speech and Hearing Association (www.asha.org), American Academy of Audiology (www. audiology.org) and the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (www.nidcd. nih.gov).

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

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Q A &

with Lucia Acosta-Castillejo New executive director reﬂects on the 200th anniversary of Monroe County Medical Society; discusses challenges that lie ahead

By Mike Costanza

ince it was formed in Rochester on May 9, 1821, the Monroe County Medical Society has grown into a nonproﬁt that serves 1,275 physicians in Monroe and six other counties, along with their practice staff and patients. Lucia Acosta-Castillejo, MS, who became the medical society’s executive director in November, spoke to In Good Health about the organization’s goals, and the challenges it faces as it celebrates its 200th anniversary. Q. What is the Monroe County Medical Society’s mission? A. To unite to consider and act on matters affecting the practice of

medicine, to extend medical knowledge, and to enlighten the public in the best interest of the health of the people of Monroe and surrounding counties. We also offer signiﬁcant advocacy at the local and state levels for its physician-membership. Additionally, we provide support to physicians’ practices and education for physicians and their practice staff. Q. What challenges did the coronavirus pandemic present for the Monroe County Medical Society when the virus hit the Rochester area? A. I would say that the biggest issue initially was the shock of the global pandemic and its effects on

our society and the membership we serve, who are physicians, practice staff, the community and patients. Not much was known about [coronavirus], and I think the fact that this all happened so quickly, and everything was shut down, really left people feeling kind of alone and isolated. Q. Were there other challenges, as well? A. There was no vaccine. There were healthcare disparities amongst different ethnic groups. There was absolutely a shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment) at that time back in March. Q. How did the Monroe County Medical Society respond to those problems? A. The challenge of the pandemic was, and continues to be to some extent, that things were changing on a frequent basis, sometimes at an hourly basis. The Monroe County Medical Society’s response to that was keeping our physician-membership, our constituents informed. The previous executive director [Christopher Bell] was sending out regular daily emails to our constituents as he got information, and was very much involved at the local level to stay on top of things. The other thing that Chris and the medical society did to keep our membership up to date was host several webinars to ensure that [members are] up to date on a variety of critical topics. There were both clinical and business-related webinars that were held to address areas such as medicine and telehealth. Because of the pandemic, telehealth services just skyrocketed. Q. What about the shortages of PPEs and other critical equipment that medical practitioners and their staff's need to stay safe from the virus while treating patients? A. As far as the PPE shortage, I know that [Bell] worked with the community and with the staff to distribute more than 8,500 disposable masks, over 700 N95 masks, 1,200 face shields and whatever additional protective equipment to physicans that was requested. In some cases, the society bought them. It also worked quite aggressively with some other organizations, such as Face Shields Roc. That’s a group of more than 50 volunteers who provided more than 20,000 face shields to health care providers. Most, if not all, practitioners and physicians now have a supply of PPE. Q. What kinds of measures does the medical society take now to help its members stay informed about coronavirus and its treatment? A. We’ve been working quite intimately with the Monroe County Department of Health and with the

University of Rochester Medical Center, which has been designated the Finger Lakes COVID-19 vaccine hub. I also sit on the Finger Lakes COVID-19 vaccine task force. I see myself as the voice and the advocate for all of our medical society constituents, and a particularly strong voice for our private doctors. Q. Three vaccines have been approved for emergency use against the coronavirus, but there are still not enough doses to meet US needs. How is the medical society assisting physicians who can’t obtain vaccines? A. I’m really staying on top of relaying the information about vaccine clinics, and making sure that I’m disseminating that information to our constituents. I have also partnered with other organizations that are trying to push out the vaccine, and I’m able to provide that information to our membership and refer people over to their vaccine clinic. The medical society is not a practice—we don’t do vaccinations here. Q. Has the medical society been providing vaccination site information to private citizens, as well? A. The medical society is open to receiving calls from the community, and referring people to vaccine clinics. Q. How do the physicians you serve feel about the vaccine shortfall? A. Deﬁnitely doctors are feeling frustrated, and I’m talking probably more so on behalf of the private doctors. Private physicians who have registered to be vaccinators are waiting for a supply of vaccine, and yet the governor has not assigned any vaccines to private practitioners. That’s the part that is particularly frustrating. Those that are afﬁliated with one of the health systems are receiving the vaccine. Q. What challenges face the Monroe County Medical Society in the coming months and years? A. Number one is continuing to work with community leaders and organizations like the county and the health systems to ensure that the majority of our population has access to a vaccine. Beyond that, it’s to get to a place where there’s a sense of normalcy in the community again and people feel safe to go out without masks to dinner with their families, or just to have fun. For more information on the Monroe County Medical Society, go to: https://mcms.org

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Page 11

SmartBites

The skinny on healthy eating Why You Should Eat More Asparagus

sparagus is known for making urine smell funny. But that’s not why you should eat more asparagus. You should eat more asparagus because it’s packed with nutrients that support good health and longevity. Asparagus is a vitamin K superstar, providing well over half of our daily needs in one cooked cup. While vitamin K is crucial for coagulation, it’s just as important for bone health because it helps our body absorb calcium. Some studies suggest that vitamin K may even keep osteoporosis at bay. Along with vitamin K, asparagus contains a variety of minerals, in lesser amounts, that also support bone health: iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and magnesium. This slender-but-mighty vegetable is an excellent source of folate, also known as vitamin B-9. An essential nutrient that plays a central role in cell growth and the formation of DNA, folate is especially important at times of rapid growth, such as during gestation, infancy, and adolescence. Getting enough folate from sources like asparagus can protect against neural tube birth defects, including spina biﬁda. Of course, adults beneﬁt from folate, too, and in more ways than one. Because it helps to lower homocysteine, an amino acid that, when elevated, has been linked to narrowing and hardening of the arteries, it may reduce the risk of heart disease and

stroke. Folate’s impact on homocysteine levels may also lower the risk of depression, since too much of this amino acid may interfere with the production of the feel-good hormones that regulate mood. Another great reason to reach for asparagus? It may help you lose weight and beat bloat. Low in calories (only 20 per half cup), high in water, and rich in ﬁber, tasty asparagus has many features that make it a weight-loss friendly food. It beats bloat because it’s a natural diuretic and its ﬁber promotes regularity and healthy digestion.

Sauteed Asparagus and White Bean Salad Serves 4

Salad

3 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1½ lb.) 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 teaspoons canola oil 5-6 thinly sliced radishes ½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese 1 medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

Dressing

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt ⅛ teaspoon coarse black pepper In a large sauté pan, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus pieces and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring throughout. Remove from heat and transfer to plate for cooling. Combine cooled asparagus, beans, sliced radishes, crumbled cheese, and sliced shallot in a medium bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over asparagus mixture, tossing gently to coat. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Helpful tips Select spears that are ﬁrm with compact tips and a rich green color almost the entire length of the stalk. Steer clear of stalks that are limp, wilted, or have a smell. Thinner stalks tend to be tougher than thicker ones. Best used on day purchased, but if you need to store, wrap the stem ends in a damp paper towel, place in a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to four days. Don’t wash the spears until you’re ready to use; and try not to overcook them, as overcooking may diminish some nutrients.

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum-

nist, 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 Palumbo at avpalumbo@aol.com.

5 Foods That Cut Colon Cancer Risk

hen it comes to guarding against colon cancer, what you eat is everything. You can reduce your risk of colon cancer by eating five food types, an expert says. These include: vegetables; whole grains; legumes; nuts and seeds; and fiber-rich fruit. “Vegetables contain cancer-preventing nutrients called carotenoids and flavonoids,” said Amy Rosenfeld, program coordinator of community health, education and outreach and a registered dietitian at the Center for Healthy Living at Northern Westchester Hospital, in Mount Kisco. “Vegetables are high in fiber, bulking your stool and limiting the amount of time waste spends in your colon, reducing your risk for colorectal cancers,” she added. At every meal, you should try to cover half your plate with colorful vegetables, and that can include frozen vegetables, which are affordable and ready to eat, Rosenfeld said. Whole grain foods have high levels of fiber. When shopping for bread and cereal products, select those that list whole grain ingredients first. Page 12

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“Try replacing white grains — like white rice — with whole grains or mixing the two together. Eating three servings, or about three ounces of whole grains a day, will not only increase fiber, but also B vitamins and important minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper and magnesium,” Rosenfeld said. Examples of whole grain products include whole wheat bread, barley, oats, quinoa, buckwheat, corn, brown rice and wild rice. Legumes have lots of fiber and help keep your digestive tract healthy. “By regularly eating beans and lentils, you lower your risk for cancerous colon polyps (small growths)," Rosenfeld said. "Try substituting beans or lentils for meat twice a week or reducing meat in your recipes and add in legumes." Put navy beans, chickpeas, fava beans, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, black beans and cannellini beans on your grocery list, she suggested. The next category is nuts and seeds, which “are the perfect foods,” according to Rosenfeld. “Their fiber, healthy fat, phytochemicals, and

antioxidants all have cancer-fighting properties. Try snacking on nuts or seeds instead of chips or pretzels. Natural nut and seed butters make a great dip for your favorite fruit. Mix in ground flax seeds or chia seeds into oatmeal.” It’s also important include fresh or frozen fiber-rich fruit in your diet, she said in a hospital news release. “Eat the rainbow when it comes

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

to fruits,” Rosenfeld recommended. “Try to eat one to two cups of fruit each day and mix up the colors. Each color fruit has a unique combination of nutrients with cancer-fighting properties. Fruit also has fiber, vitamins and minerals, and its natural sweetness helps you resist refined sugary treats without nutritional benefits.”

Nursing Special

Nursing Shortage Was Already a Problem. Then Coronavirus Came Long hours, low pay, and bullying alongside the pandemic continue to push nurses out of the industry By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

hile the pandemic has spotlighted the essential and difﬁcult work nurses perform, it has also underscored, and worsened, the nursing shortage. According to The American Nursing Association, in addition to the 3.9 million nurses in the US, an additional million are needed to become adequately staffed. The Bureau of Labor statistics shows that more than 300,000 additional nursing jobs will be added to the market by 2028, making nursing the third fastest growing career for adding new openings. All of these statistics were in effect before the pandemic upended the industry. Coronavirus has added additional stressors to healthcare, especially to Celia McIntosh nursing. “There’s a higher patient load,” said Celia McIntosh, doctorate-level nurse practitioner and legislative liaison with the Genesee Valley Nurses Association. “A lot of patients are sicker now. With COVID-19, we have had more patients. It’s been intense. “The hours may be longer and the patients are sicker if they don’t necessarily have the support they need. The work is harder. Oftentimes, nurses feel like, ‘If this is how it’s going to be, I’ll exit.’” In addition to nursing’s stress, long hours and physical toll, since it is such a people-oriented career, “there are some dynamics in nursing you’re not prepared for, like racism and sexism,” McIntosh said. “There are things in any ﬁeld you’re not prepared for. We have to diversify.” She said that educators need to learn why people of color are not applying for or being accepted into nursing programs at the same rate as their white counterparts. In addition, once they are accepted, they need to feel supported. McIntosh also said that some more seasoned nurses tend to bully newer nurses. In the past, she has experienced this. “‘Eating your young’ is a concept in nursing,” McIntosh said. Pay can also be a reason nurses leave to work in a more remunerative area of nursing than the bedside or start their own businesses consulting, private nursing, or coaching—a trend McIntosh has observed.

About 660,000 baby boomer nurses were working in 2020, about half of the number in their cohort in 2008, according to www.healthaffairs. org. As they age, these retirees will add to the pool of people needing more care and they are not being replaced quickly enough by new nurses. The availability of nursing programs limits the number of people receiving training to become nurses. That often stems from a shortage of nursing faculty. Nearly two-thirds of the survey respondents to the 2019-2020 American Association of Colleges of Nursing stated that faculty and/or clinical preceptors were the reason behind limiting their programs. Since nurses need more education to become nurse educators, that hinders many nurses from shifting to academia, according to Sheila Rogers, who has a bachelor’s degree in nursing, is a Sheila Rogers lifetime member of Rochester Black Nurses Association and holds a master’s degree in leadership. She works at Rochester Regional Health as an off-shift nursing supervisor. “There has to be more opportunities to create more avenues of advancement in nursing, from CNAs to LPNs to RNs to BSN to master’s level to doctorate level,” Rogers said. “Just make efforts to reach people where they are and have those discussions.” She is part of a mentorship program to help people reach any of those advancement levels. Rochester Regional Health has set up its College of Health Careers to help address the issue. In addition to recruiting new nurses, Deb Stamps, an RN with doctorate in education with Rochester Regional Health, said that retention is also vital to resolve the nursing shortage. “Salaries are good, but do I have support at work?” she said. “Can I certify my training? The certiﬁcation program can help them get additional training programs and ascend clinical ladders. All these things help support retention. Flexibility in schedules is a biggie. It allows them to do other things.” May 2021 •

What Is International Nurses Day? By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

urses: they work tirelessly, bringing to the bedside and ofﬁce comfort, care and knowledge. It is easy to see why they deserve a day of honor to celebrate their sacriﬁces and dedication. But how did International Nurses Day, held May 12, begin? Florence Nightingale, lauded as the originator of modern nursing was born May 12, 1820. Before her time, nursing was not a career per se. Nurses were not trained professionals. They were usually women drawn from religious orders who were willing to do the menial tasks of personal care for those who were bedridden by illness or injury. Nightingale helped change that. In 1860, she developed a nurse training program. Her efforts helped bring medical care into nursing service. Instead of being little more than a personal care aid, the nurse became part of the medical team with knowledge to help improve the patient’s condition. According to the World Health

Organization (WHO), nurses comprise 59% of healthcare workers. Nurses’ importance should not be overlooked, as the WHO estimates that patients in intensive care spend 86% to 88% of their time with a nurse. From before birth to death, most people will experience a nurse’s care. Nurses may work in academia, bedside, chairside in schools, and numerous other locations. Their specialties cover every medical niche. The demand on nurses can include variable hours, long shifts, a range of emotions and much physical exertion. Considering the especially onerous conditions that nurses have experienced since the beginning of the pandemic, nurses deserve exceptional praise for their service this year. From Nightingale’s day to present times, nurses have led the medical community in extending comfort, care and compassion to patients. The theme of this year’s International Nurses Day is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead.”

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Page 13

Nursing Special

Fighting Nurse Burnout Experts offer suggestions for nursing leadership to reduce the stress levels for their staffs By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

emanding on the body, mind and emotions, nursing is not an easy career path. As the pandemic has made a tough career even harder, leaders in nursing have been looking at ways to reduce burnout in the nursing field. Acknowledging burnout represents the first step, according to Deb Stamps, an RN with a doctorate in education with Rochester Regional Health. “Taking care of patients is stressful,” she said. “Nurses need time for debriefing, talking about how they’re thinking and feeling.” She advocates for improved self-care so nurses can in turn better support the healthcare team. With adequate staffing, nurses can take enough time to care for themselves, both with breaks while on the clock, and sufficient days off. “Something as simple as sleep is so important,” Stamps said. “Sleeping better is a sign we’re recovering from stress.” She recommends nurses regularly exercise and participate in mindfulness or meditation. Stamps also thinks that nurse leaders should show appreciation for their nursing staff. “These things don’t cost a lot, like a thank-you note or a birthday

or anniversary card,” she said. “That goes a long way to showing you’re making a difference. Notes are like a badge of honor. “It’s about being proactive and letting people have a voice. Nurses supporting nurses is great, but we need all members of the team to support each other.” Many nurses also provide care to children or elderly parents at home. For these, the schedule is especially important. Celia McIntosh, doctorate-level nurse practitioner and legislative liaison with the Genesee Valley Nurses Association, recommends that nursing managers work with their staffs to make schedules that help them meet all their obligations. “Forcing them to work other shifts increases the likelihood they’ll be fatigued because they had a set schedule,” McIntosh said. She encourages leadership to recognize the signs of burnout so that it can be addressed early on through measures like a support group, mindfulness sessions or massage therapy. Above, all, she wants more nursing leaders to listen to what their staff wants so they feel valued and heard. Sheila Rogers has a bachelor’s degree in nursing, is a lifetime member of Rochester Black Nurses Association and holds a master’s degree in leadership. She works at Roches-

ter Regional Health as an off-shift nursing supervisor. She encourages nurses to connect with spirituality. “If you have beliefs outside of yourself, ﬁrst and foremost, incorporate that into a daily routine,” Rogers said. “Be able to have time to do the things that bring enjoyment and fulﬁllment. Focus on those and make them part of your survival kit. Exercise, cooking or something else.” She added that nurses should also take mental health days off as needed. Finding meaning in their work is one way that nurses can prevent burnout. That is one strategy used by Julie Bausch, associate chief nurse for primary and specialty care at VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System at the Calkins Road VA Clinic in Rochester. “That increases our sense of

worth and gets back to the core of our duty to our patients,” she said. “Empowering ourselves and having all nurses form an empowering culture helps us on a personal standpoint and a professional standpoint.” She also wants to see more nursing leaders make a personal connection with staff. In addition to the “feel-good” aspects of reducing burnout, it saves organizations money to minimize turnover. That is one reason that Bausch thinks it is vital for healthcare organizations to offer mentoring, coaching and career counseling. “If organizations can have one thing they can invest in, I’d recommend nursing leaders or a formal program if they can,” Bausch said.

Stressed, Exhausted:

Frontline Workers Faced Big Mental Strain in Pandemic

octors, nurses and other frontline health workers in U.S. emergency departments have struggled with signiﬁcant mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new poll reveals. “As the nation moves into what many believe is a fourth wave of COVID, this study is important to our understanding of the impact of the pandemic on the mental well-being of frontline medical personnel,” said lead author Robert Rodriguez, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. His team surveyed about 1,600 physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, social workers and other personnel at 20 U.S. emergency departments between May and July of 2020. Survey respondents reported high stress levels, emotional exhaustion, insomnia and nightmares. The results also revealed that nearly one-ﬁfth were at increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Their greatest concerns included exposing loved ones or others to the

Page 14

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virus, the well-being of co-workers diagnosed with COVID-19, and patients with an unclear diagnosis who might expose others in the community. The study found that regular COVID-19 testing helped reduce stress levels, particularly among those who had previously tested positive for coronavirus antibodies. The survey participants were from emergency department staffs in 16 states, including New York. The ﬁndings were published April 9 in the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine. “We found that feelings of work-related anxiety, emotional exhaustion and burnout were prevalent across the full spectrum of emergency department staff,” Rodriguez said in a university news release. That’s why recognizing signs of stress, burnout and anxiety early on is critical, he explained. “Emergency department personnel serve as the initial hospital caregivers for the majority of critically ill patients with known or suspected COVID-19 infection,” Rodriguez said. “Protecting and maintaining the health of the emergency department

workforce is imperative in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.” Rodriguez suggested that employers encourage workers to take time off, get adequate rest and use available well-being resources. That’s especially important “considering the relatively high levels of burnout symptoms, and that more than half of participants reported experiencing

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

at least one symptom of PTSD and as many as 20% were at higher risk,” he noted. In contrast to previous research by the same team, the new study found that personal protective equipment was no longer among the top ﬁve concerns for emergency department staff, suggesting that it has become more widely available.

Nursing Special

An entire room in Jarrod Atkinson’s Greece home brims with Wonder Woman figures, posters, toys and dolls. He also has a smaller collection at his office at Unity Hospital, where he serves as director of nursing.

Atkinson collects everything related to Wonder Woman. The dozens items on display on and around his desk at Unity Hospital represent only a fraction of the 1,000 or so he owns.

Beyond Scrubs: Nurses Nurture Interesting Hobbies From airplanes to super heroes, their hobbies might come as a surprise to many people

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

urses provide healthcare, reassurance and health education to patients. Beyond their caring, professional demeanor, they may have hobbies and interests that patients and colleagues would not envision. Patients of Leanne Mikiciuk, a registered nurse at Unity Hospital, likely never imagine that their caregiver zips over Western New York landscapes as the co-pilot to fiancé Jeffrey LaChausse in his Whittman Buttercup two-seater aircraft. The Hilton residents fly together most weekends when the weather is suitable, including impromptu breakfast trips to Great Valley, fall foliage flights over Letchworth State Park and jaunts up to the North Country. Since the plane has skis, the duo can fly year-round. Now a member at Gaines Valley Aviation in Albion, along with LaChausse, Mikiciuk previously had no interest in aviation. However, in the past four years, she has become as hooked as he is. “The airport has become our home away from home and our hangar is known as the ‘Tajmahangar,’ since it is equipped with an apartment inside and a mini kitchenette,” Mikiciuk said. She is learning how to build an airplane as LaChausse and a friend have started a new project building a plane. “It is very interesting to watch the plane come together and I am waiting to learn how to put the fabric on it,” Mikiciuk said. When hobbies arise in conversation with patients—particularly if that hobby involves planes — Mikiciuk said that she is happy to discuss her passion for flying. “A lot of people think it’s very scary,” she said. “They’ll say, ‘You go up in that thing?’” She believes that it is not any less safe than a commercial plane.

Patients of Leanne Mikiciuk, a registered nurse at Unity Hospital, likely never imagine that their caregiver zips over Western New York landscapes as the co-pilot to fiancé Jeffrey LaChausse in his Whittman Buttercup two-seater aircraft. “It’s like getting behind the wheel of your car, only there’s less traffic and people running you down,” she added. Unless they stepped into his office, few people at Unity Hospital would guess the hobby of Jarrod Atkinson, director of nursing. The dozens of Wonder Woman items on display on and around his desk represent only a fraction of the 1,000 or so he owns. An entire room of his Greece home brims with Wonder Woman figures, posters, toys and dolls he has collected for 20 years. “I’ve always liked superheroes,” he said simply. Wonder Woman stood above May 2021 •

all others because of her ideals. He likes that the character made famous by actress Lynda Carter because it “stands for truth and justice and empowerment.” Atkinson’s collection began with inexpensive trinkets as a teen and has grown to statues and other items that span Wonder Woman’s 80-year reign as the top lady superhero. Purchased from gift shops and online stores, items in his collection usually cost less than $500, but collectors often pay three times as much and more for full-sized statues. Whenever someone gives him a duplicate of an item, he keeps one in his home and one in the ofﬁce. He

also proudly displays a pencil drawing of Wonder Woman drawn by a staff member, a piece of art he calls “gorgeous.” Atkinson offers friends tours of his home collection, which he said they may find overwhelming. “They can’t fathom the number of things I have in there,” he said. His Wonder Woman exhibit is the only collection he possesses. He hopes to add a ceramic Wonder Woman telephone from the 1970s, but that piece is hard to find—and it costs around $1,700 online. Atkinson belongs to a Facebook collectors’ group for Wonder Woman aficionados.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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Page 15

Nursing Special

Top Issues Facing Nurses

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ursing represents a rewarding, yet challenging career. Both internal and external forces can create conﬂict and stress for nurses, and many of these are exacerbated by the pandemic. “It’s a two-sided situation,” said Deb Stamps, an RN with a doctorate in education with Rochester Regional Health of the pandemic. “Some see nursing as their calling and others realize it isn’t and they leave the

profession. It’s tough.”

1. Working Conditions

The pandemic has made working conditions even more difﬁcult for nurses. Conforming to CDC guidelines for personal protective equipment means nurses must wear PPE for eight to 12 hours straight. Healthcare providers also have more hoops to jump through with daily check-ins to assure they have not been exposed to COVID-19. Any

nurses who do not pass their assessment cannot report to work, which causes other nurses to have to cover their shifts. When patients cannot have family visiting, “we have to be the advocate and support,” Stamps said. That adds another layer of emotional demand as nurses offer comfort to patients. “My concern is we’re not dealing with widgets, but people,” Stamps said. “We need the right standard of care. We have to deliver care so we don’t compromise.” She added that adequate staffing—a longstanding challenge of nursing—is the only way to do so. “Asking to do more with less has always been the case; now it’s apparent,” said Sheila Rogers, who has a bachelor’s degree in nursing, is a lifetime member of Rochester Black Nurses Association and holds a master’s degree in leadership. She works at Rochester Regional Health as an off-shift nursing supervisor.

2. Educational Opportunities

CNAs seeking to become LPNs or RNs may lack that chance. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing states in its 2019-2020 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing that US nursing schools turned away 80,407 qualiﬁed applicants because they lacked capacity for teaching them. That includes faculty, classroom space and other resources. Like other healthcare professionals, nurses are required to take continuing education units (CEUs). Finding the time to do so and the

courses challenges many nurses. Rogers encourages nurses to join nursing organizations so they can stay up to date on opportunities to fulﬁll their CEU obligations and enrichment courses.

3. Remuneration and Perks

As healthcare organizations have experienced seismic budget effects because of the pandemic, some have been unable to offer staff age increases. “When nurses don’t get raises, it makes them say, ‘We’re working the hardest we’ve ever worked, yet we’re not getting the compensation for it,’” said Celia McIntosh, nurse practitioner and legislative liaison with the Genesee Valley Nurses Association. She has worked in nursing for more than 20 years. Flexibility in scheduling has always been a hallmark perk of nursing. For many women entering the ﬁeld, nursing can offer a means to earn a good income while caring for their families. McIntosh said that during the pandemic, many nurses have experienced a much different schedule and different patient population than before. With more nurses unable to come into work, that can mean working in areas and at times they have not worked before.

4. Workplace Conflicts

Nursing is a ﬁeld based on relationships: caregiver to patient, caregiver to caregiver and leader to caregiver. McIntosh said that conﬂict can arise in those professional relationships when the same people continually obtain leadership roles

Continued on next page

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

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5 Top Issues Facing Nurses from page 16 for which others are qualified but do not receive an opportunity. “When you apply, you’re told that you don’t have any experience,” McIntosh said. “But when Sally applied, she had no experience. You can’t get an opportunity. There can be this double standard with certain things. “They really should be trying to grow their own, especially if there are nurses who have been in the organization some time, like a leadership program for upcoming nurses so they can rise through the ranks if that’s what they’d like to do.” She added that some healthcare leaders fail to talk with their staff and truly listen, which can lead to disgruntled nurses. Racism also causes conflicts among staff, as McIntosh said that in some organizations or departments, the standard is different for people of color. “If you’ve felt like you have to jump higher and run faster than your colleagues, you’ll want to exit the field,” McIntosh said. “The burnout is the mental exhaustion of trying to think about those microaggressions. “You’re always feeling that there are questions about orders they put in even though it’s a standard protocol.”

Gold Standard

F.F. Thompson Hospital is an ANCC Magnet designated hospital for nursing excellence.

for Nursing Excellence “Where the needs of the world and your talents cross, there lies your vocation.” - Unknown Within Thompson Health and within our community, our needs were never greater than over the past year, but thankfully, our nurses were there, sharing their talents and taking care of us all. Before the pandemic, our hospital’s chief nursing officer used the following words to describe Thompson’s nurses – “compassionate, intelligent and creative.” She has since added a new adjective, and it is “fearless.” “They faced the unknown with courage and compassion,” she said. “The novel virus resulted in nurses working collaboratively and innovatively to create a safe environment for themselves, their colleagues and patients. I am in awe.”

5. Professional Recognition McIntosh cited a 2020 McKinsey & Company study, “Women in the Workplace” which stated that only 3% of leaders in the workplace are women of color. “That goes along with hospital organizations,” McIntosh said. “We have to consider why are people not entering the ﬁeld or getting the same opportunities. Those are deﬁnitely some big challenges.”

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Page 17

Helping Faith-Based Community Efforts in the Pandemic Cathy Little: A servant leader in her time By John Addyman

ears from now, when Rochester native Cathy Little thinks about the coronavirus pandemic, she’ll remember the faces missing in church, the fear of going out of her home and shopping when a store might be crowded, the challenges of being a spiritual servant leader, the stress of dealing with a COVID-19 sick relative and a stressed hospital staff… …and a pie. Little, 60, has been on the front line since the virus struck Rochester’s African American and Hispanic communities, working as the program coordinator for the Interdenominational Health Ministry Coalition (IHMC). Three years prior, her group had begun a new program: to help establishing a health ministry or health program in churches. “My job was to help churches identify projects to receive funding. It was so exciting. So rewarding. It’s been phenomenal because churches are saying, ‘We need this; we need to have something for our congregants.’ “At the end of day, a lot of African American and Hispanic people live with hypertension and diabetes and heart disease. We must educate ourselves so this does not become generational.” The test for the program came when the ﬁrst victims of COVID-19 fell ill. “I remember my pastor said, at the start of this pandemic, ‘We can’t operate in fear; we have to operate in faith.’ He wanted Black people in church.” But Little couldn’t do that. She didn’t feel safe. She needed to stay home during the pandemic because she lives with a chronic illness.

Plenty of fear to go around

“Fear was going around,” she said, talking about last spring. “Lack of education. I think what happened was a lot of depression. At IHMC, we clearly saw we needed to address the mental health toll after COVID. The community is manifested with anxiety. Isolation caused people to become depressed. The constant loss of individuals in churches had an effect. “A church member told me it seemed like every week someone was dying of COVID. That caused us to think: ‘I’m not going to Walmart; I’m not going to Wegmans. I can’t move because this has caused me to become paralyzed.’ “Early in the pandemic, we would bring in the experts, the doctors, to talk to congregations about the COVID infection and the coming vaccines and bring in mental health experts to talk about how you can take care of your mind, body and spirit. More so for us, we really took time to make sure people never lost sight of the word of God as far as praying, scriptures that talk about healing and building yourself up, trusting God. Those are the things we Page 18

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were intentional about.” Her job was to provide churches with information — food distribution, job information, housing, how to navigate unemployment website, anything that will help a person be able to function in their homes. “It wasn’t just about the pandemic, it was coping skills,” she said. Little said it was April 2020 when the reality of the lethality of COVID-19 set in. “One day an IHMC meeting – we were still gathering at that time – I remember a lot of questions about COVID, what was going on. Our founder, Phyllis Jackson, said to people, “Just make sure you wash your hands, just make sure you wear a mask…” Then two weeks later, everything shut down. Reality set in for all of us. COVID was really happening and it was spreading quickly. We realized we had a big problem. “If you went to the store, you could tell people didn’t want to be next to one another. I’d go into the grocery store and see people in the aisle and I’d go around the other way. I saw someone without a mask and ask myself, ‘Why doesn’t that person have on a mask?’ I had to stop myself and say, ‘Don’t be judgmental. You focus on you and your family.’ “There was a lot of confusion — we saw it with toilet paper, where people were afraid to go out and get staple items. “I remember our pastor saying to us one day, ‘People, everything is going to be okay.’ There are many days that resonates in my spirit: Everything is going to be okay. “We had shifted into this state of panic.” Things are different now. “I’m so glad we’re at the point now where we’re calm. Now you can look at a person in a mask and tell if they’re smiling. People weren’t smiling a year ago. Our community went through that fear. We are on the trajectory of coming back to a place of some kind of normalcy and acceptance and I pray we don’t ever take this for granted.”

COVID-19 hits hard

The pandemic hit Little and her family — indeed greater Rochester — hard in April. “A friend of ours died. He was a doer, a helper in our community, Donald Starver. He was helping people. I remember many posts on his Facebook page — he had Lysol, disinfecting wipes, and asked who in this village needed these items. “Then, there was a time he wasn’t posting anything. One day I sent him a post, ‘Hey, Don, haven’t heard from you. How are you?’ Then my daughter called and told me he had died. That was a hard one. He was the ﬁrst person I knew and loved and respected that died from COVID. Our community was shaken by that. He was just 56. That was difﬁcult.” Starver helped found Pillars of Hope, where Black and Hispanic

Cathy Little is the program coordinator for the Interdenominational Health Ministry Coalition.

men counsel city school students, and he was central to the local My Brother’s Keeper initiative, which created a supportive network to develop boys into young men with careers. He was well-known for taking kids fishing and bringing back fish to people who were hungry. He was the city’s deputy director of communications for three years. A big loss. Little has known six people who died from COVID-19. Her niece was hospitalized with it, as was her brother. “There’s a sadness about this… an anger. So many emotions attached to that loss. Not being able to hold your loved one’s hand. So, what do you do with those emotions? How as a community are we going to help people to grieve and grieve in a way that’s safe and acceptable? With all of this, we have to, in our community, figure this out. How are we going to handle the scope of all of this and people being alone and not be able to hug on their loved ones and not give them that proper burial? Those are things we can’t lose sight of as a community.” She said IHMC had just received some funding from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation and four churches will provide counseling services that will roll out in April. “Our

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

goal is to meet the need of families who are going through loss — the job, your marriage, a family member — our children who have lost so much by not being social, not being with their friends.”

Some sunlight in the dark

This February, as vaccines started to become available, Little had IHMC at the forefront. “Aenon Missionary Baptist Church is one of the largest churches in our community, with a more elderly population. On Feb. 6, partnering with Common Ground Health, we offered a vaccine clinic for Black and brown people 65 and older. We registered 500 people. We put together a team, registered these folks. That was the day I decided to be vaccinated, too. “To watch our community, our Black and brown elders, walk into Riverside Convention Center — beautiful people, retired individuals, distinguished-looking men and women. It impressed me to see our elders lead the way. I was overwhelmed. They were also so appreciative that we reached out to them.

Continued on next page

Helping Faith-Based Community Efforts in the Pandemic

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It was one of those days you realize what it’s all about, that a community moving together, the community saying, especially our elders, ‘We are going to lead the way to make sure we are among the ﬁrst ones to take this vaccine.’” People came into the center to ﬁrst get the shot, then to thank Cathy Little. “They were so appreciative that they didn’t have to jump through hoops to even register. I remember sitting there thinking, ‘You know, if they can get vaccinated, I’m going to follow. At the end of the evening, any volunteers who wanted to get vaccinated could. I got my shot. “Watching our folks being so happy to receive the vaccine, I had to remember — this is a small percentage. We know people of color are not getting the vaccine like they should... we really have to focus on what we can do different. A small percentage has been vaccinated, but it’s my hope that percentage will share with the next people and the next person and we will educate people as a whole and allow people to shut the noise down. “One gentleman said to me, ‘You know with this vaccine, they are trying to eliminate our race of Black and brown people.”’ My response to that was, ‘You just think about what you just said. 80% of the people who have taken the vaccine are of the white race. In our community a lot of people feel the white race is the superior race. Why would they try to eliminate themselves? Think what you are saying. If they are taking the vaccine more than we are — they’re

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not trying to eliminate themselves. “He looked at me like, ‘I never even thought about that.’ The resistance to vaccines and federal programs is real in the African American community, due in part to the Tuskegee Experiment in Macon County, Alabama, that started in the 1930s and didn’t end until 1972. The federal Public Health Service conducted the experiment to study the effects of syphilis, promising medication and care, then letting subjects die or go insane without any treatment. President Bill Clinton apologized for the program in 1997. Little knows that’s an issue. “Vaccination has nothing to do with eliminating a race,” she said. “We will do that to ourselves if we do not take the vaccine or take more responsibility for our own health.” So far in Rochester, the vaccine clinics are a hit. “We have done three clinics since early February,” Little said. “It’s a blessing. I feel so humbled and honored to be able to serve in this capacity. During one of the clinics, she had a moment she won’t ever forget. “I received a pie,” she said. She keeps a photo of it on her phone. With the pie was a note, thanking her for her service and leadership during the pandemic. That had a profound effect on her. Ask Cathy Little to describe her role in the faith community, she has a simple answer. “I strive to be a servant leader,” she said.

“COVID has deﬁnitely put ethical behavior in the spotlight. Is it acceptable not to wear a mask? Is it OK to allocate sometimes scarce resources and how do we accomplish that? If someone tests positive, is it appropriate to contact everyone with whom they have been in contact and how do you protect conﬁdentiality? Can we force people to receive a vaccine?” Williams posed. May 2021 •

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At 62, Williams continues to be a lifelong learner. He received his pharmacy degree from the University of Buffalo and a master’s from the University of Rochester. He was selected for a fellowship by the University of Kentucky where he became interested in law, ultimately earning a JD from their College of Law. Not too long ago, he completed an MBA at St. John Fisher. “It’s always interesting to be on the other end of the professor-student equation,” he laughed. “Stimulating and humbling.” When asked how his law degree integrates with his teaching, Williams said, “Pharmacy is so over-regulated, virtually every pharmacy school has one or more classes in law. I have always found that strange.” He practiced as a pharmacist for almost 40 years and is sometimes asked about the ethics of expensive meds. “Throughout my entire career, medication has been viewed as too expensive. Way beyond the scope of this article except to say that in a Byzantine system of distribution, it is not the pharmacists who are proﬁting,” Williams said. The principle that guides him today was ﬁrst realized in his high school English class where he was introduced to the writing of Kurt Vonnegut. The concept that made the greatest impression on him was that everyone has an obligation, and should seek opportunities, to improve the community. And, above all, be kind.

“I think this generation of students has a strong moral compass. They have been frustrated by scandals and inequities. Some people they once held in high regard have succumbed to greed or power. This generation is seeking social change. “I hope my pharmacy students will come away with an appreciation, as a professional, that their patients come first. That is, their focus is patient-centered. That is the core value. Of course, it becomes much more nuanced after that, as we unpack related issues together,” he said. One of the challenges facing pharmacists in the 21st century is trying to provide care with a 19th century practice law. Trained at a high level, the profession has the capacity to do more, but for legal limits set by the state legislature. He explained, “Testing for infection is one example. Because it has not been legal, when called on in an emergency (as with COVID-19), it has been difficult to build out capacity. We are getting there but ramping up has been difficult.” Williams’s wife, Cheryl, is a physician and they have three children, Jessica, Laura and Paul. An avid jogger, Williams can be seen running in Mendon almost every day. He also enjoys mountain-climbing in the Adirondacks. His more sedentary hobbies include reading and writing. Some of his writing projects include topics such as professional ethics, patient advocacy and civil rights.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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golden years

Top Anti-Aging Foods Eating a healthy diet along with exercise can help reduce problems as we age By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

o food represents an edible fountain of youth. However, eating a variety of healthful foods, along with exercise, adequate sleep, stress mitigation and eschewing unhealthful habits like tobacco use and drug abuse, can support healthy aging. The key areas that promote overall wellness while aging include the gut, brain, skin and joints. Gut health is important as it is viewed as a vital part of the immune system and as the body’s means of absorbing Hannah Smith nutrients. In addition to eating foods containing probiotics, the good bacteria, such as yogurt, kefir and kombucha, Hannah Smith, a registered dietitian, said that it is important to eat between 25 and 30 grams of dietary fiber daily as fiber feeds good bacteria. “Most Americans get 15 grams of fiber,” she said. “Fiber is something

you introduce slowly. Build it up slowly over time. Drink enough water as you’re increasing your fiber.” Smith is the manager of clinical nutrition for Newark-Wayne Community Hospital and Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic. Green, leafy vegetables, whole wheat bread and whole grains like chia seeds and plain popcorn and oatmeal are all good sources of fiber. But check the label for fiber content, as often product claims do not live up to the hype. Smith also cautioned against excess alcohol, as that taxes the gastrointestinal system. In addition to monitoring sun exposure and wearing sunscreen, Smith recommends drinking enough water and consuming foods with enough vitamins D, A and C, along with zinc and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. “These all contribute to how your skin maintains your integrity,” Smith said. “Many of these repair skin cells.” Good sources of omega 3 and 6 are fatty fish, avocado, nuts, green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate in moderation. Lean beef, shellfish, legumes, seeds and eggs are rich in

zinc. Consume vitamins of all sorts in a colorful variety of produce. To support skin health, Heather Carrera, doctor of clinical nutrition at the office of Lesley James, MD in Pittsford, advises avoiding smoking, excessive alcohol, poor sleep and an inflammatory diet high in sugar and refined carbs. “That damages collogen production, which leads to the breakdown of skin’s integrity and leads to sagging,” she said. “Avoiding those things is a huge part.” It can also help to eat Heather Carrera foods that contain collagen, like fish, chicken, bone broth. Carrera also said that vitamin C, a precursor to collagen production, is important. Foods such citrus fruits, strawberries and broccoli are rich in vitamin C. “It also links back to gut health as these issues often manifest as skin issues,” Carrera said. Brain health while aging is a big concern for many adults. Since the brain is mainly comprised of fat, Carrera recommends consuming fat; however, it must be the right kind. “You need healthy fat with the omega-3 from fish, which are key for brain health, especially for improving memory and focus,” she said. “Other healthy fats are important, but omega-3 is the most important.”

Sources like avocados, olive oil and olives contain “polyphenols which improve learning and memory,” Carrera said. “Colene is another. It’s hard to get in the diet. The main food is eggs. Eggs are often avoided for people conscious of health because of their cholesterol levels. But they’re the most concentrated source of choline in the diet. “It’s vital for communication between the brain cells.” Since a high level of oxidated stress ages the brain, consuming antioxidants, such as in blueberries, can help mitigate the effects. Carrera also recommends walnuts and green tea for supporting brain help. Physical activity supports good health at any age. However, as one grows older, painful joints can make it harder to keep moving. Carrera said that as with skin health, collagen rich foods or supplements can help. “A lot of people I work with, the joint pain is a symptom of something that hasn’t been addressed,” Carrera said. “Autoimmune disease is often a root cause. A lot of people do well with adding turmeric or curcumin, but the majority of people it takes more digging. Once you identify an autoimmune disorder, you have to get to the root of what’s driving this process.” These issues may be addressed with medication or possibly a food elimination diet. Since joint pain can have different causes, it is important to look at each person individually and to not make any changes in diet or exercise without discussing them with a healthcare provider.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE COVID-19 VACCINES COVID-19 vaccines are a hot topic and on the minds of many. Is a vaccine that was created so quickly actually safe? Can I stop wearing a mask if I receive the vaccine? What will our “new normal” look like? Meet Mona Chitre, PharmD. She’s our Chief Pharmacy Officer and a wealth of knowledge on all things COVID-19 vaccine-related.

Q. MONA, YOU’RE A LOCAL HEALTH EXPERT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE COVID-19 VACCINE? I am excited and impressed by the worldwide efforts and success to thoroughly research, test and bring to market a highly effective vaccine for the public. The scientific research truly is incredible. The first two vaccines being distributed in the U.S. — Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna — are given in two doses and proven to be 95% effective against COVID-19.

MONA CHITRE, PharmD Chief Pharmacy Officer

Dr. Chitre completed her undergraduate and graduate training at Rutgers University and her post-doctoral primary care residency at the VA Hospital in Buffalo, New York.

Q. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THESE VACCINES ARE SAFE WHEN THEY ARE SO NEW? Great question. COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same rigorous FDA safety and efficacy standards as all other vaccines — and have been tested thousands of times to ensure safety. The scientific technology used to develop the first COVID-19 vaccines is called mRNA. mRNA has been studied for decades and looks at the genetic makeup of the virus, and then uses that genetic code to teach our cells how to trigger an immune response to combat the virus. The platform that is being used to produce this vaccine has been studied and used for over a decade, and developers had a jump-start on the COVID-19 vaccine because it’s a coronavirus which they’ve studied in the past.

Q. THAT’S REASSURING. SO, ARE YOU SAYING THAT GETTING THE COVID-19 VACCINE CANNOT MAKE A PERSON GET COVID-19? Exactly. The COVID-19 vaccines that are being distributed in the U.S. do not use any fragment of the live virus and cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

The information in this document is current as of 4/16/2021. For the latest information on COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online at CDC.gov. A nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

Read the full Q&A and watch our videos:

ExcellusBCBS.com/COVID19

golden years Right to Die in New York Group pushes for legislators to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act By Barbara Pierce said Gene Hughes of Utica. Hughes is an advocate for the rights of those living with disabilities who believes that personal autonomy should also apply to end-of-life decisions. The MAID Act, which has the overwhelming support of most New Yorkers and doctors, is drafted after the Oregon Death with Dignity. It allows a mentally competent adult who is terminally ill, with six months or less to live, request prescription medication from their doctor which they can decide to take if their suffering becomes too great to bear, so they can die peacefully. “It’s a good bill, long overdue,” Hughes added. “It gives people a choice. It’s not forcing anybody to do anything. You don’t want it, don’t ask for it.” The bill includes more than a dozen safeguards. Some of the safeguards include: the patient must be able to take the medication themselves; only people with an incurable and irreversible terminal illness and six-month prognosis, confirmed by two doctors, are eligible for medical aid in dying. A terminally ill person can withdraw their request for medication, not take the medication once they have it, or otherwise change their mind at any point in time. Currently, the bill is under consideration by the Senate and Assembly Health Committees, David Levine, consultant to End of Life Choices, advised: “We are pleased by the number of sponsors it has, and it’s supported by Gov. Cuomo.” After it’s approved by both committees, it must be approved by another set of committees before it

“There comes a time when enough is enough!” said Jennifer Milich of Buffalo. Milich suffers from incurable, terminal kidney cancer that has spread to other parts of her body and causes extreme fatigue, nausea, and pain. “I’m dying. I’m in my bed alone; this is how I spend my day. This isn’t surviving! This isn’t even existing! This is suffering!” she said on compassionandchoices.org. “I’m not afraid to be a cancer patient; I’m afraid to be a cancer patient who’s suffering, who’s in horrific pain that can’t be controlled, who possibly ends up in a coma. I want to spend time with my family. But having the option to die peacefully at the end of my life, when I’m suffering, is so important.” Milich does not have the option of dying peacefully without suffering. New Yorkers who are dying from a terminal illness do not have the option of death with dignity. She has been one of the many advocates demanding that legislators pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act. “It’s not just Jennifer [Milich],” said Corinne Carey, New York campaign director for Compassion & Choices. “I can name scores of New Yorkers like Jennifer. Many have been told they have just weeks or months to live, and sadly many are suffering or in pain.” “Medical Aid in Dying Act (MAID) is one option a terminally ill, mentally capable adult, with the ability to self-administer medication — when and if they choose — to bring about a peaceful and humane death, should their end-of-life suffering become too great to bear,”

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goes to the floor for a vote, he added. “We’re hopeful it will pass this legislative session.” New York voters and doctors overwhelmingly support medical aid in dying. “Lawmakers have the power to stop needless suffering now, in 2021,” Carey added. Now is the time. The evidence is there, we have years of evidence showing that these laws work as intended: few people use them, but countless others gain the peace of mind of knowing that should suffering become too great, there is an option for a peaceful death.” The reasons people want the option of medical aid in dying are as varied as people themselves, but at the core is a desire to avoid suffering and leaving loved ones with the enduring memory of their suffering. How we die, comfortably with family, or amidst a host of beeping machines, strangers and intense pain, should be our choice. As Barbara Coombs Lee of Compassion & Choices says in Diane Rehm’s book “When My Time Comes:” “The technology that medicine wields is not necessarily in an individual’s best interests. Only individuals can decide what is best for them. It’s as though medicine has gotten ahead of human desire. There are so many ways to keep us alive and the incredibly sophisticated means of keeping people alive don’t always take into account what people themselves want.” “Everyone brings their own beliefs and values into the equation, reaching the end of life in a different way,” said Carey. “For most New Yorkers, medical aid in dying is not a final decision in life that they will face. However, for Jennifer Millich and thousands of others who are living with a terminal diagnosis and pain and suffering, the medical aid in dying may actually light up at the end of the tunnel.”

• Horses on Parade: Remaining horse statues are still loved • Turning the Dirt for Frederick Douglass • Picking up an instrument later in life • Seven trails you need to try now • Woman shares her passion for frogs • Local experts offer tips on finding work later in life • 3 Rochester area retirees share their retirement plans

Season ould Try This Absolutely Sh 7 Trails You

May 2021 •

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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Ask St. Annʼs

Ask The Social

By Brian Heppard, MD

Why Should Seniors See a Geriatrician?

re you ready to live a long life? Choosing the right health care provider for your age can

help. Just as pediatricians specialize in the growth and development of newborns through young adulthood, geriatricians help the elderly with age-related frailty and impairment maintain their best quality of life. Serving as both the primary care provider and specialist, geriatricians focus on the prevention and treatment of disability and disease in older age. They provide family-centered care and work with a team of providers to address the medical, emotional, mental health and spiritual needs of patients and their family caregivers. Also, shared decision making around healthy aging, advanced care planning, and end of life care provide everyone with peace of mind. Adapting to change, managing stress and bouncing back from illness becomes more challenging with age because of fewer physical, cognitive and social reserves. Trips to multiple specialists and invasive medical treatments often only complicate matters more. Comfort with the complexity and ambiguity surrounding most eldercare situations requires geriatric expertise. By considering the patient’s age, values and current conditions, geriatricians help sort out the situation and ﬁnd the best solution. Also, unlike mainstream primary care providers, geriatricians understand the differences between each level of care in senior living settings. Working within the regulations that govern nursing homes and assisted living facilities, they’re able to access the resources necessary to make a positive impact on an elder’s health in these environments. St. Ann’s Community embraces geriatric care as a complement to its continuum of care philosophy. What matters most to their residents, they say, is symptom control that enables them to function as long as possible with dignity, purpose and importance. A few practices from days gone by help these physicians provide the

best outcomes possible: • Care Coordination — Transitions can leave families and patients feeling lost. The geriatrician understands what’s going on and how it affects the big picture. The doctor reviews medications, helps interpret directions and guides patients and families through the next steps of a loved one’s care while safeguarding the advanced directives in place. • Quality Time — A 30-minute appointment every quarter is common practice for geriatricians, giving ample time to examine your loved one and consult with you and healthcare staff. The frequency picks up after an acute health event like hospitalization until the person’s stabilized. • House Calls — Best of all, geriatricians provide care at home. Mobile X-ray and laboratory services bring phlebotomy and diagnostic testing there, too. • Support for Caregivers — Having one doctor oversee medical issues frees family and friends to handle the many other responsibilities that come with caring for a loved one, including taking time for themselves. To ﬁnd a geriatrician, ask your loved one’s current primary care doctor for a referral. You might also ﬁnd a local geriatrician through the Monroe County Medical Society website at www.mcms.org.

Brian Heppard is a medical doctor and certified medical director at St. Ann’s Community and Pillar Medical Associates, PC, a geriatrics practice providing outpatient care for seniors in assisted living and independent living. He is board-certified in family medicine, geriatrics, and hospice and palliative care. To learn more, visit www. pillarmedical.com.

Locally focused! Available everywhere! For advertising information: editor@GVhealthnews.com Page 22

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Security Ofﬁce

From the Social Security District Office

Faster Processing of Disability Claims for People with Alzheimer’s Disease

oday, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Since the onset of Alzheimer’s can occur in people before they retire, it may strike during an individual’s working years; preventing gainful employment as the disease progresses. As a result, people must come to grips with a devastating diagnosis while losing their salary and benefits. People with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers must figure out how they’ll pay for care. Our benefits and services are vital to people with early-onset Alzheimer’s who are unable to work and have no other source of income. For over a decade, Social Security has included Alzheimer’s disease

Q&A

Q: Is it true I can save about $5,000 per year if I qualify for Social Security’s extra help with the Medicare prescription drug program? A: Yes. If your income and resources meet the requirements, you can save nearly $4,900 in prescription costs each year. Resource limits for 2021 are $14,610 (or $29,160 if you are married and living with your spouse). Income limits are $19,140 (or $25,860 if you are married and living with your spouse). If your income or resources are just a bit higher, you might be eligible for some help with prescription drug costs. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp. Q: Why should I sign up for a My Social Security online account? A: My Social Security gives you a personal online account you can securely use to check your Social Security information and do business with us. With a My Social Security account you can: • Keep track of your earnings and verify them every year. • Get an estimate of your future benefits if you are still working. • Get a replacement Social Security card. • Get a letter with proof of your benefits if you currently receive them. • Manage your benefits: – Change your address or telephone number. – Start or change your direct deposit. – Get a replacement Medicare card. – Get a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for tax season. To find all of the services available and set up an account, go to www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

in its Compassionate Allowances program. The Compassionate Allowances program identiﬁes debilitating diseases and medical conditions so severe they obviously meet our disability standards. Compassionate Allowances allow for faster processing of disability claims for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, mixed-dementia, and primary progressive aphasia. You can read more about our Compassionate Allowances program at www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances. To learn more about how Social Security disability insurance works, visit our disability page at www.ssa.gov/disability. Please share these resources with friends and family.

Q: I got married and I need to change my name in Social Security’s records. What do I do? 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. ssa.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 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.ssa.gov/ssnumber. Q: How can I check the status of a pending application for retirement benefits? A: If you applied for retirement or disability benefits online, you can check the status of your application at www.ssa.gov by selecting “Benefits” and “Check Application Status” under “Apply.” You will need to enter your Social Security number and the confirmation code you received when you filed online. Your application status will show: • The date we received your application. • Any requests for additional documents. • The address of the office processing your application. • If a decision has been made. Q: How do I know if I meet the eligibility requirements to get Social Security disability benefits? A: To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must have worked long enough in jobs covered by Social Security (usually 10 years).

Independent Living Assisted Living • Memory Care

By Jim Miller

How to Search for Senior Discounts in 2021 Dear Savvy Senior, I just turned 60 and would like to ﬁnd out the best way to go about locating senior discounts. Looking to Save

Dear Looking, One of the best, yet underutilized perks of growing older in the United States is the many discounts that are available to older adults. There are literally thousands of discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, grocery stores, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail and apparel, health and beauty, automotive services and much more. These discounts — typically ranging between 5% and 25% off — can add up to save you hundreds of dollars each year. So, if you don’t mind admitting your age, here are some tips and tools to help you ﬁnd the discounts you may be eligible for.

Ask!

The ﬁrst thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts just for the asking, so don’t be shy. You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, most don’t kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65.

Search Online

Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time of the year, the internet is the easiest way to locate them. A good place to start is at TheSeniorList.com (click on the “Senior Discounts” tab), which provides a large list of discounts in categories, i.e., restaurant dining, grocery stores, retail stores, prescription medications, travel discounts and more. You can also search for discounts by provider. Go to a search engine like Google and Yahoo and type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior discount tickets.” If you use a smartphone, there are also apps you can use like the “Senior Discounts & Coupons” app (available on the App Store and Google Play), which categorizes discounts by age and type.

Join a Club

Another good avenue to senior discounts is through membership organizations like AARP, which offers

its members age 50 and older a wide variety of discounts through afﬁliate businesses (see AARPdiscounts.com). If, however, you don’t like or agree with AARP, there are other organizations you can join that also provide discounts like the American Seniors Association (AmericanSeniors.org), the American Automobile Association (AAA.com), or for retired federal workers, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE.org).

Types of Discounts

Here’s an abbreviated rundown of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to ﬁnd. • Restaurants: Senior discounts are common at restaurants and fastfood establishments — like Applebee’s, Arby’s, Burger King, Chili’s, Denny’s and IHOP — ranging from free or discounted drinks, to discounts off your total order. • Retailers: Many thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army, and certain retailers like TJ Maxx, Banana Republic, Kohl’s, Michaels, Ross and Walgreens stores offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week. • Grocery stores: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains like BI-LO, Piggly-Wiggly, Fry’s Food Stores, New Seasons, Fred Meyer, and Hy-Vee, which offer discounts on certain days of the week, but they vary by location. • Travel: American, United and Southwest Airlines provide limited senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 65 and older, while British Airlines offers AARP members discounts of up to $200. Amtrak provides a 15% discount to travelers over 62. Most car rental companies give discounts to 50-plus customers or those who belong to organizations like AARP. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity and Carnival cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and over. And, most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 20%. • Entertainment: Most movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And the National Park Service offers a lifetime senior pass for those 62 and older for $80 (see nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm). Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. May 2021 •

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Health News HCR Home Care wins top workplace award For the fourth straight year, HCR Home Care was again recognized as a top workplace in the large employer category. According to an independent survey of HCR employees, the company was awarded a 2021 Top Workplaces honor by the Democrat and Chronicle. The award is based on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by Energage, LLC, a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution and connection. During the virtual awards ceremony, HCR Chairwoman and CEO Louise Woerner was honored with a leadership award recognizing employee conﬁdence in her management of the company. “It is an honor to be recognized as a great place to work for the fourth year in a row and to receive a leadership award,” said Woerner. “This recognition Louise Woerner is especially rewarding because it is based entirely on feedback from our employees.”

RRH’s cardiomyopathy program recognized The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA) recognized Rochester Regional Health a center of excellence for its cardiomyopathy program. Centers of excellence are required to provide a multidisciplinary approach to treating HCM, including adult and pediatric cardiology services, genetic counseling, diet and nutrition education, psychological

services, and support for families. Rochester Regional Health’s Rochester General Hospital is the only HCMA recognized center of excellence in Western and Central New York. “We are happy to welcome Rochester Regional to the HCMA family of recognized center of excellence programs in the USA,” said Lisa Salberg, founder and CEO of HCMA. “Patients and families with HCM in the Western New York region ﬁnally have a high volume HCM care within reach.” “This recognition represents the collaborative effort of experts from different areas of medicine to come together to treat a serious disease,” said physician Bipul Baibhav, director of the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy program at Rochester Regional Health. “Every patient who comes to us for help deserves to receive the best treatment possible and that includes tapping into every resource possible to save and prolong their life.” Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a complex, hereditary heart disease that often goes undetected for years and can lead to symptoms and occasionally death. In HCM the walls of the main pumping chamber of the heart (the left ventricle) becomes thickened, restricting blood ﬂow and sometimes causing leakage from the mitral valve. Symptoms can range from shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and irregular heart rhythms to more serious life-threatening conditions such as heart failure and sudden cardiac arrest. HCM is a common form of heart muscle disease, affecting up to 1 million adults and children in the United States and 1 in 300 in the general population, many of which are young competitive athletes. Several gene mutations have been linked to the disease. Diagnosis can involve an echocardiogram (ultrasound imaging), an electrocardiogram (EKG), a heart MRI and blood tests. Treatments include beta-blocking drugs or other medications that slow the heartrate,

UR Medicine Home Care CEO to step down

ane Shukitis, president and CEO of UR Medicine Home Care, will retire in December 2021 after seven years leading the agency. “It has been an honor to lead UR Medicine Home Care over the last seven years,” Shukitis said. “I am so proud of the work we do to provide excellent care to people in their homes, and I am forever grateful for the support and guidance from my colleagues and our board of directors.” “This has been a very difﬁcult decision for me. But as I am turning 66 this year, my husband and I have decided it is time to seek other life adventures while we are still young enough to enjoy them. With the beneﬁt of an early announcement, I will be able to work with the board toward a seamless transition to a new CEO.” Shukitis earned her bachelor’s

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degree in nursing at the Roberts Wesleyan College and her master’s in public administration, health care concentration, from SUNY Brockport. During her tenure, Shukitis led the operational redesign and ﬁnancial turnaround efforts with the agency. Key components of her work include: • Strengthening the alignment with UR Medicine through patient centered/integrated care strategies and collaborations to improve quality and increase growth. • Creating new service lines: Pediatric and Perinatal Services, Home Infusion and Assistive Technology, while eliminating programs that were under-utilized and not ﬁnancially viable. • Restructuring and rightsizing the organization to reduce overhead and administrative costs, while

implantable cardioverter deﬁbrillators, and surgery to remove heart muscle tissue blocking blood ﬂow.

UofR School of Nursing ranks among best

data collection survey sent in fall 2020 and early 2021. Of those, 220 provided enough data to be included in the rankings of nursing master’s programs and 163 provided enough data to be included in the ranking of doctor of nursing practice programs.

For the second straight year, the University of Rochester School of Nursing ranks 26th among the nation’s best master’s nursing programs, according to the 2022 Best Graduate Schools guide produced by U.S. News and World Report. The UR School of Nursing ranked tied for 12th among adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner programs in the issue’s rankings of individual master’s specialties. UR Nursing also tied for 44th among doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs, making it the only school in Upstate New York to rank among the top 50 for both its master’s and doctoral programs. “I am exceedingly proud of how our faculty and staff was able to pivot and continue to deliver high-quality instruction and support to all of our students despite unforeseen challenges presented by the pandemic,” said Kathy Rideout, dean of the UR School of Nursing. “These rankings just afﬁrm the innovative and thoughtful approach the school takes to nursing education, research, and practice.” The U.S. News rankings are conducted annually, and each school’s overall score is based on indicators in categories such as: student selectivity and program size, faculty resources, and research activity. The largest factor in the ranking is a quality assessment ranking provided by nursing school deans and health care professionals. A total of 597 nursing schools with master’s or doctoral programs accredited by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing were surveyed for this year’s rankings. In total, 258 nursing programs responded to the U.S. News nursing statistical

Thompson’s new technology beneﬁts breast cancer patients

re-balancing the workforce to increase clinical field staffing that opened capacity for growth. • Using lean process improvement to eliminate waste and improve workflows and Jane Shukitis efficiencies in revenue cycle, administrative and clinical operations. • Improving revenues through better case mix capture and volume growth. • Redesigning the clinical operations model to achieve improved patient outcomes and high star ratings from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid. “Jane has been a tireless champion for UR Medicine Home Care and

the patients we serve,” says Hazel Robertshaw, chair woman of the UR Medicine Home Care board of directors. “While we are sad she is leaving, we appreciate the time she is giving us to ﬁnd a successor. We look forward to being able to celebrate her many contributions and professional accomplishments in the time she remains with us. Her departure leaves a void that will be hard to ﬁll.” Steven I. Goldstein, president and CEO of Strong Memorial and Highland hospitals in Rochester, and senior vice president of the University of Rochester Medical Center, also praised Shukitis’ leadership. “During Jane’s tenure as CEO, UR Medicine Home Care has improved both as a leading home care agency in the region and as a valuable part of the UR Medicine system, providing high-quality and compassionate home care services to families throughout the Finger Lakes region,” Goldstein said.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

The breast imaging center and breast surgery program at UR Medicine Thompson Health are among the first in the region to offer Savi Scout radar localization technology to treat women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. The technology makes lumpectomies easier for both patients and their surgeons by pinpointing tumors before surgery. Surgeons are able to go directly to the abnormality during surgery and then more precisely and effectively remove the entire tumor. This can help to: limit the amount of healthy breast tissue removed, decrease the amount of time spent in the hospital, reduce the need for a second surgery and reduce discomfort and anxiety Traditional wire localization of a tumor involves a wire sticking out of the breast, often for several hours prior to surgery. The surgeon then follows the wire and removes the tumor. In some cases, wires can move away from the tumor, making removal more difficult and sometimes necessitating a second surgery. Instead of wires, Savi Scout uses a reflector that is approximately the size of a grain of rice. It can be placed in the tumor up to 30 days prior to surgery. It is not visible externally, and placement does not restrict movement. The technology then guides the surgeon to the precise site of the tumor, increasing the likelihood of complete tumor removal. In addition, making a smaller incision and limiting the removal of healthy breast tissue can result in optimal cosmetic results.

Fromleft to right: Cassi Randall, Kara Forrestor, & Laura Kunes.

Staff Promoted at The Eye Center Care

he Eye Care Center, with offices in Canandaigua, Geneva and Newark, recently announced the promotion of three of its professional. • Cassandra Randall was named clinical manager. Since 2006, her work at The Eye Care Center has provided her with skills in customer service and diagnostic testing. Randall has earned numerous designations, including certified ophthalmic assistant, certified VISX Star Excimer Laser Systems operator, certified Wavescan Wavefront System operator, and certified Victus Femotosecond Laser System operator. She graduated with high honors from Geneva High School and completed two years at SUNY Potsdam. • Laura Kunes was named clinical floor supervisor and has worked in the field for 30 years. Initially, she served as a certified ophthalmic technician and a licensed optician. Later on, Kunes obtained recognition as a certified ophthalmic surgical assistant in 2003 and became contact

lens certified in 2005. Her experience also includes expertise as a certified Victus Femotosecond Laser System operator. Kunes will manage the clinical floor, staff assignments and an efficient flow of patients. She graduated from Red Jacket High School in Shortsville and has completed concentrations at Finger Lakes Community College. When out of the office, Kunes spends time with her family at home in Bristol, where they enjoy outdoor activities. • Kara Forrestor was named clinical administrative and IT coordinator, a new position at The Eye Care Center. Through her work with patients, Forrestor has honed her abilities for delivering strong self-discipline, concentration and direct patient care. She graduated from C.M. Russell High School in Great Falls, Montana, and completed two years at Great Falls College Montana State University. Forrestor enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, kayaking, and skiing. “It’s exciting that these team members have been promoted,” said Terry Parsons, practice administrator. “Their expertise is coming at a time that is significant for The Eye Care Center, as we continue to grow.”

Local Nonproﬁts Get Awards from Excellus BCBS Program aims to reduce health disparities and help with impact of COVID-19

ourteen Rochester area nonprofit organizations are receiving Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Community Health Awards to help improve health and health care. The awards are part of more than $200,000 the health plan is donating to 53 nonprofits across New York. Each organization will receive up to $5,000 to fund programs that help address the economic and social conditions influencing the health of the community, reduce health disparities, support clinical health improvement, and assist communities in dealing with the impact of COVID-19. “We are well aware of the financial burdens placed on our local nonprofit organizations this past year, and we are committed to supporting their efforts as they address the health needs of our communities,” said physician Stephen Cohen, senior vice president and chief medical officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “These grants demonstrate our corporate commitment to supporting community organizations that share our mission as a nonprofit health plan.” Organizations are selected based on the proposed program’s scope of need, goals and the number of people expected to benefit from it. The nonprofit organizations in

the Finger Lakes region chosen to receive Excellus BCBS Community Health Awards include: • Baden Street Settlement of Rochester, Inc. — Funding will be used to support a telemedicine hub so that community members without computer equipment or internet connection can access telemedicine services to communicate with their physicians and other health care providers. • Black Physicians Network of Greater Rochester, Inc. — The award will be used to support the organization’s efforts to provide COVID-19 vaccines to parts of the community challenged by lack of digital connection and transportation. • Boys & Girls Clubs of Rochester, Inc. — Funding will support a trauma informed care study to assess the emotional and behavioral reactions that may indicate traumatic stress in the youth of our community in light of the pandemic, health and safety concerns, remote learning challenges, food insecurity, and racial unrest. • Catholic Family Center — for its Support to Aging Residents (STAR) program serving low income, frail elderly, or seniors with limited English language skills. Funding will assist in obtaining COVID-19 vaccinations for clients, including help navigating the system to schedule appointments, May 2021 •

Highland Hospital Offers New ‘SuperPulsed’ Laser System for Treatment of Patients with Kidney Stones

ighland Hospital is the first hospital in the Rochester region to offer the Olympus Soltive Laser System, a new an option for treating patients who suffer from kidney stones. Soltive is a laser technology that enables physicians to provide quicker and more efficient stone removal, which may translate to shorter procedure times and less patient discomfort. This improved laser technology will allow Highland physicians to more effectively treat patients requiring lithotripsy. More than half a million Americans are diagnosed with kidney stone issues each year, and one in 10 people will have a kidney stone in their lifetime according to the National Kidney Foundation. Left untreated, kidney stones can block the ureters or cause kidney infections and kidney damage. “This state-of-the-art technology is changing the way we can treat people with larger, more difficult stones,

and we are excited to be able to bring the very latest in kidney-stone laser technology to our patients at Highland Hospital,” said physician Ahmed Ghazi, urological surgeon at Highland Hospital and associate professor of urology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “The results our patients are already seeing with this new device are extraordinary.” Ghazi, along with his colleagues, conducted one of the ﬁrst clinical trials that demonstrated a two-times enhanced ablation efﬁciency and four-times improved speed of the Soltive laser compared to patients treated with the standard laser. The resulting stone-free rates for patients with large stones were almost twice that of the standard laser in half the time. Future work in Ghazi’s laboratory will focus on personalizing the wide array of laser settings for each patients’ stone consistency.

transportation and accompaniment to appointments, and follow-up monitoring. • Catholic Charities of Livingston County — for the Mount Morris Food Pantry. Funding will help ensure that the shelves of the pantry remain well stocked with healthy food. • Child and Family Resources, Inc. — to support its healthy families community baby showers. Prenatal parents in Ontario and Yates counties are invited to this free event with a focus on newborn health and safety education and available community resources. Funding will help provide participants with “healthy home baby bags” ﬁlled with items to help parent(s)-to-be to create a safe and clean environment for a newborn. • First Genesis Development Corporation — to provide coronavirus vaccination assistance for seniors. Funding will help support coordination of assisting seniors over age 70, especially those in Black and Brown communities within the Greater Rochester area, with online vaccination applications, transportation, and assistance at vaccination sites. • Friends of the Rochester Public Market, Inc. — Funding will support the market token program, which allows shoppers to use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneﬁts to purchase healthy foods from the Public Market’s 130 local vendors. • Gilda’s Club Rochester — Funding will assist a new program that provides free cancer support services to city residents with focus in the African American and Latino communities. Health and wellness, healthy cooking and nutrition, support groups, survivorship, and ask the expert services will be offered at the

clubhouse on Alexander Street and at sites throughout the city, such as community centers and churches. • Judicial Process Commission — for The New Journey for Mothers program that serves women inmates who are pregnant and/or mothers with children, who are being released to the Monroe county community from the local jail. Funding will help provide crisis counseling, one-on-one counseling, therapeutic support groups, referrals to health care services, and coordination of family reuniﬁcation. • Mental Health Association of Rochester/Monroe Inc. — COVID-19 vaccinations for those with mental health conditions initiative. The award will support outreach in Livingston, Monroe, and Ontario counties to promote vaccine awareness, education, peer services, and help identify and ﬁnd solutions to barriers such as transportation assistance, online registration and appointment reminders. • Southwest Area Neighborhood Inc. — COVID-19 facts initiative. Funding will assist in providing neighborhood families and seniors with vaccine information and access to personal protective equipment for those who lack economic resources. • Spiritus Christi Mental Health Center — The award will support telehealth services to provide patient access to virtual medical and mental health care. • The Urban League of Rochester — Project COVID-19 vaccination action. Funding will support community outreach to Rochester residents with timely COVID-19 vaccine information and resources. For more information on the Community Health Awards, go to ExcellusBCBS.com/Community.

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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LIFE CHANGING MEDICINE, MOVING MEDICINE FORWARD

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021

I’ve Gotten My COVID-19 Vaccine, Now What?

approved, these vaccines will be one more tool to keep our children and teachers safe in the classroom. Q. Many larger events have been postponed — weddings, graduation parties, and concerts to name a few. What is the advice for these situations? A. Guidance varies by state, so be sure to check local rules. Although progress is being made in the ﬁght against COVID-19, personally I feel it is not yet the time to participate in large gatherings. We have seen larger gatherings that have led to outbreaks of the virus, and we still must be careful to prevent spread, especially to vulnerable loved ones. Keeping gatherings small and following the guidelines will help us to stay safe.

A Q&A with physician Lorna Fitzpatrick, VP of medical affairs at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Q. Once a person is fully vaccinated, can they stop wearing their mask? A. Not yet. The vaccines are highly effective, but we’re still learning how long they can protect people. So, until we know more, the recommendations for fully vaccinated people remain clear: continue to wear masks in public, and while visiting with unvaccinated people from different households and those with a high risk of severe COVID-19. When in doubt, wear your mask. Q. What is the recommendation on gatherings? A. When you’re fully vaccinated, you can visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at a low risk of severe COVID-19. Small groups of fully vaccinated people can be together without wearing a mask and without social distancing. When you’re visiting with people and you are unsure of their vaccine

status, you’ll want to wear your mask and practice social distancing. An outdoor visit is best, as it allows for better air flow. Q. When can family members enter nursing homes to visit their loved ones? A. In New York state, many restrictions on visits to loved one in nursing homes have recently been lifted. Communication is always key, so touch base with the nursing home first and check local restrictions. Q. Is there an update on when kids can get vaccinated? Does this affect them returning to school? A. All residents of New York ages 16 and older are eligible for a vaccine. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is approved for ages 16+ and the other vaccines are currently being tested to make sure they are safe and effective. As a pediatrician and mother, I know how important it is for children to return to school for both their social and educational development. Once

Q. If I’m fully vaccinated, can I travel? A. Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19, so people who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States. Negative tests are not needed unless the destination requires it, nor is self-quarantining. However, still follow the recommendations of wearing a mask, washing your hands often, and social distancing.

You don’t have to face hearing loss alone. The Rochester Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is committed to providing resources and support for individuals and families affected by hearing loss.

You don’t have to face hearing are lossvirtual alone. Our programs and to all! The open Rochester Chapter of the

Hearing Association of Meet otherLoss people with hearing America (HLAA) unites people loss and learn from professionals that treat it. with all degrees of hearing loss. Come to one of our monthly REGISTRATION chapter meetings to meetIS others with hearing loss and REQUIRED. learn from the professionals who treat it. For details, current schedules and many more resources, Visit our website for details: please visit:

HearingLossRochester.org

HearingLossRochester.org Physician Lorna Fitzpatrick is the vice president of medical affairs at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

We still grow our own vegetables! Our life. Our way.

We offer a full spectrum of senior services from independent living to skilled nursing. Most importantly, we have designed communities to help you embrace living your way. To schedule a virtual or live tour call 585-760-1300 or go to stjohnsliving.org. SJ IGH 2021.indd 2

May 2021 •

IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

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IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • May 2021