In Good Health: Rochester #200 - April 2022

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APRIL 2022 • ISSUE 200

DIABETES A new study by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield shows that one third of adults are prediabetic — and most don’t know it. STORY ON P. 13

RELATED: EXCELLUS BCBS INVOLVED IN PROJECT TO MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTE INSULIN FOR $30 OR LESS PER VIAL. P. 13

5 DOCTOR BURNOUT Physician Susan A. Danahy, president of Monroe County Medical Society, is working toward reducing burnout among local physicians. “We’re trying to make real attempts to combat it.” P. 4

MOST OBESE CITIES IN THE U.S. P. 6

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Page 2 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 3

Meet

Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Susan A. Danahy, M.D. U.S. Smoking, Vaping Rates Fell in First Year of Pandemic: CDC

C

onsider it a silver lining, courtesy of the coronavirus: A new government report reveals that both cigarette smoking and electronic cigarette use dropped slightly among American adults during the first year of the pandemic.

The findings, published March 18 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are based on a survey of more than 31,000 U.S. adults that found 19% of respondents used at least one tobacco product in 2020, down from about 21% in 2019.

Broken down, cigarette use fell from 14% to 12.5%, e-cigarette use decreased from 4.5% to 3.7%, while use of cigars, smokeless tobacco and pipes remained stable, according to the researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For comparison, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers in 1965.

While CDC officials said public health campaigns and policies prompted the recent decline in smoking, experts point to factors such as tobacco company price hikes and pandemic lifestyle changes.

“People who were mainly social smokers just didn’t have that going on any more,” Megan Roberts, an Ohio State University researcher whose focus is on tobacco use among young adults and teens, told the Associated Press.

Also, parents who had to be at home with their kids full time may have cut back on smoking, and some people may have quit in response to reports that smokers were more likely to develop severe COVID-19, Roberts added.

Ironically, the number of cigarettes sold in the United States actually went up in 2020 — the first such increase in two decades, the Federal Trade Commission reported last year.

It’s possible that while fewer people smoked, those who did were just smoking more.

“That’s a viable hypothesis — that you had people with more smoking opportunities because they weren’t going to work,” David Sweanor, a global tobacco policy expert at the University of Ottawa, told the AP.

President of Monroe County Medical Society working toward reducing burnout among local physicians.

“We’re trying to make real attempts to combat it.”

Q: What’s it been like running the Monroe County Medical Society the past year or so?

A: I became president last spring, in June. And of course, there’s been the challenge of COVID-19 for the last year, last two years. We haven’t been able to get together in person for most of our events, which is a bit of a disappointment since we’re a collegiate society. But we’ve managed. We’ve had a lot of initiatives this past year, and we’ve tried to move the society forward despite the tough times. But yeah, it’s been a little bit of a challenge.

Q: What kinds of initiatives have you been working on?

A: Over the last few years we’ve had a couple of new committees, the most recent of which is timely given that it’s something everyone is dealing with right now with COVID-19.

We started a wellness committee. I think, in every profession right now, that stress has had an effect on people. We’ve had the Great Resignation in the last year with people either leaving jobs or changing jobs. It’s really no different in medicine. And we know that, even before COVID-19 hit, we’ve had a lot of burnout and stress in medicine. So we’re trying to make real attempts to combat it.

Q: How complicated is the burnout issue?

A: It’s not just small things, but getting at systemic issues, the real roots of the problems that create burnout to begin with, and then recent stressors on top of that.

Maybe we should have started it a little bit earlier, but we’ve finally gotten ourselves organized, so we’re happy about that. We also have a very robust diversity and equity inclusion committee, which we hadn’t had before. We started that in 2021, and it’s already led to some effective changes in how we do testing, which means it’s a pretty big success.

Q: What is the quality collaborative?

A: We’ve also worked on a committee that we call “quality collaborative.” It’s a multidisciplinary committee where people who are experts in their fields can come up with community standards. That’s been very busy this year. And we do support our private practices and their offices. That’s been very busy since those practices have needed support for vaccines, testing. And finally, I think something Monroe County Medical Society does really well is advocacy with the state medical society, and advocating for our patients.

Q: What are the factors, other than COVID-19, leading to burnout?

A: One of the big factors is filling out paperwork for insurance companies. Regulation and preauthorization for everyday testing creates a lot of hoops for physicians to jump through while we’re trying to take care of patients. And then there are regulatory issues from Albany.

Scope of practice is-

Page 4 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

sues, limitations on what we’re able to do in this state and in this part of the country. And just the everyday workflow. The electronic health record is not fast to work with. It takes physician-patient face-to-face encounters and changes them in a way that’s been tough on docs and a lot of patients. It’s increased patient dissatisfaction, which we in turn have to deal with. So those are big three, and then you put COVID on top of that.

It has led to a lot of illness, patient confusion about policy and erratic availability of elective procedures.

It’s stretched staff thin.

Q: You mentioned taking a more equity-based approach to testing. What does that look like in practice?

A: Kidney function testing—estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)—which is a way we measure kidney function and kidney failure, and is used for many tests, particularly in radiology. So eGFR has used a formula that includes race for absolutely no good reason. So when you’re entering a patient, you’d fill in a form with a drop-down menu that included things like age, and race was also on it. It was never scientifically based and led to inconsistent results that negatively affect minority populations because disease wasn’t being picked up at a stage where it could be easily treated. So as of March 1, throughout the system, we removed the race classification for eGFR throughout our system. So through our committee we were able to quickly get something done that has positive, measurable results and benefits all patients.

Q: As far as the lobbying activities go.

Given the regulations against collective bargaining for doctors, how hard is it to get Albany or Washington to respond to physician issues?

A: We have a lobbying day, March 8, where groups of physicians from across the state get together for a morning of education, dealing with legislative folks from the state and then in the afternoon dealing with our local legislative folks to address issues. So that’s a thing we do once a year, but we’re constantly in contact with our local legislators and people with influence in Albany to try to advocate for our doctors. And through our doctors, advocating for our patients. We look at the governor’s budget, which includes medicine, and try to identify the good things in it.

There are also always some challenging things. So we’ll give positive feedback for the good stuff and then work to try to get the things that aren’t in the patient’s best interests changed.

That’s part of what we do every year.

Lifelines

Name: Susan A. Danahy, M.D. FACR Position: Diagnostic radiologist at Borg and Ide Imaging, LLC (since 2001); president of Monroe County Medical Society, since June 2021 Hometown: Buffalo Education: University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Dentistry; Syracuse University Affiliations: Strong Memorial, Unity Hospital, Rochester Regional Organizations: American College of Radiology; New York State Radiological Society; Monroe County Medical Society Family: Two sons, one grandchild Hobbies: Tennis, skiing

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 5

2022’s Most Obese Cities in the U.S.

T

he personal-finance website WalletHub recently released its report on 2022’s Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S., as well as accompanying videos and expert commentary.

In order to call attention to the communities where weight-related problems are most prevalent, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key metrics, used to determine a total score out of 100 (see chart at right).

The data set ranges from the share of physically inactive adults to projected obesity rates by 2030 to healthyfood access.

Key Stats • The McAllen, Texas, metro area has the highest share of obese adults, 44.90%, which is 2.4 times higher than in Asheville, North Car-

olina, the metro area with the lowest at 18.50%.

• The McAllen, Texas, metro area has the highest share of physically inactive adults, 36.90%, which is 2.7 times higher than in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the metro area with the lowest at 13.90%.

• The El Paso, Texas, metro area has the highest share of diabetic adults, 16%, which is 2.6 times higher than in Reno, Nevada, the metro area with the lowest at 6.20%.

• The Jackson, Mississippi, metro area has the highest share of adults with high blood pressure, 40.60%, which is 1.8 times higher than in San Jose, California, the metro area with the lowest at 22.80 %.

To read the full report and your city’s rank, visit: https://wallethub. com/edu/fattest-cities-in-america/10532.

MOST OVERWEIGHT & OBESE CITIES

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

McAllen, Texas Total Score: 84.78 Memphis, Tennessee Total Score: 83.94 Knoxville, Tennessee Total Score: 83.92 Mobile, Alabama Total Score: 83.04 Jackson, Mississippi Total Score: 82.94 Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama Total Score: 82.91 Little Rock-Conway, Arkansas Total Score: 82.82 Shreveport, Louisiana Total Score: 82.76 Augusta, Georgia Total Score: 82.42 Baton Rouge, Louisiana Total Score: 81.91

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

WALLETHUB, MAR. 2022

Chattanooga, Tennessee Total Score: 80.50 Lafayette, Louisiana Total Score: 80.28 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Total Score: 78.39 Youngstown, Ohio Total Score: 78.24 Huntsville, Alabama Total Score: 78.24 Winston-Salem, North Carolina Total Score: 78.06 Wichita, Kansas Total Score: 77.95 Nashville, Tennessee Total Score: 77.65 New Orleans, Louisiana Total Score: 77.54 Fayetteville, Arkansas Total Score: 77.29

Healthcare in a Minute

By George W. Chapman

Alexa, Please Connect Me with My Doctor…

D

epending on where you stand, the corporatization of healthcare is either an unnecessary and unwanted intrusion into your healthcare or a welcome improvement. Amazon, the corporate giant with seemingly unlimited resources, has partnered with Teladoc, an online 24/7medical service, to provide virtual on demand, non-emergent care.

On the surface, 24/7 on demand care provided by out-of-network providers is not new. The twist here is you contact the provider through an echo device like Alexa. As crazy as it sounds, several hospital and physician systems have already signed up, including Boston Children’s,

Cedars Sinai and Houston Methodist.

It remains to be seen how well out of network Teladocs can be successfully integrated into comprehensive hospital and physician systems that are in the midst of organizing to accept reimbursement from insurance companies based upon value added or overall outcomes. Alexa type Teladoc services can relieve the pressure on overworked hospital and their network providers and certainly offer consumers convenience. Unless these services are effectively integrated into hospital and physician systems, they will be perceived as intrusions upon and leakage from value-based care.

Telemedicine in Jeopardy

reimbursement. And consumers, who have come to embrace telemedicine, will be denied a convenient way to access and maintain their care.

President Biden has threatened to veto the bill.

They say necessity is the mother of invention. When it came to telemedicine, the necessity created by the pandemic didn’t exactly invent telemedicine, but it certainly expanded its use to the point where it is now firmly entrenched in healthcare delivery. When a public health emergency was declared two years ago to combat the virus, Congress and Medicare authorized both the expanded use of telemedicine and enhanced reimbursement to providers. Providers are paid the same for in-person and virtual visits.

Telemedicine proved to be a critical and effective tool to combat the virus, protect staff from infected patients and not harm providers financially. The senate just voted 4847, along party lines, to terminate the PHE. It now goes to Congress.

If passed, it could virtually kill telemedicine. Providers cannot afford to offer telemedicine if there is a return to pre-pandemic inadequate

More COVID-19 Money The Office of Management and Budget is requesting another $22.5 billion from Congress to continue the fight against the virus.

Just over half of the new funding would go toward buying more medicines, vaccines, boosters, oral anti-virals and monoclonal antibodies to treat those infected. Roughly $2 billion is for testing and much needed financial support for inundated commercial and public health labs. $1.5 billion will provide coverage for the uninsured and a similar amount is slated for research on next generation vaccines. The bill contains no additional relief for hospitals and physicians who have absorbed both financial and staffing losses fighting

the virus over the last two years. To add insult to injury, a moratorium on a bill that would reduce their reimbursement by 2% expires in April.

CVS Philanthropy?

The retail drug giant announced it invested $185 million in 6,600 affordable housing units in several cities throughout the US. Poor or lack of safe housing is a social determinant that negatively impacts both access to and outcome of care. Residents of the CVS subsidized housing now have access to a variety of services conveniently provided by CVS-like pharmacies, durable medical equipment and clinics. Kudos to CVS. Right? Last year, CVS revenues were $77 billion, resulting in net cash flow of an astounding $13 billion. The $187 million “investment” in affordable housing is a paltry 1.4% of their $13 billion net cash flow. It is virtually nothing compared to $77 billion in revenues. So, is there an ulterior motive? You be the judge. Hospitals and physician healthcare systems can’t afford to provide subsidized housing to improve the care provided to their patients. Their reimbursement is fixed by Congress and Medicare and commercial insurers typically follow suit. Drug prices continue to escalate unregulated or encumbered by Congress andMedicare, so CVS and other drug giants can easily afford to reinvest their profits and capture market share.

Physician Shortage Addressed Aging baby boomers and early retirement due the pandemic have increased fears of an impending physician shortage. Certainly, the unencumbered increase in nurse practitioners and physician assistants has helped mitigate the shortage. But there has not been an increase in the number of encumbered physician

Page 6 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

residency slots in decades. Congress and Medicare finally authorized the funding of an additional 1,000 residency slots in teaching hospitals with emphasis on hospitals serving health professional shortage areas which are typically inner city and rural. Medicare pays hospitals for resident salaries and related teaching expenses.

The biggest change in residency slots will be a preference among hospitals for primary care versus specialty slots.

Cost of Insulin Diabetes is one of our most pervasive, but treatable, chronic conditions impacting the lives of millions.

President Biden vowed to cut the cost of insulin when he addressed the union in early March. One in four insulin users cannot afford to use the drug as prescribed, which inevitably will result in other serious conditions. Since not one for-profit insulin manufacturer has offered to help, not-for-profit drug manufacturer Civica Rx is partnering with BlueCross BlueShield and health system giants Intermountain Health, Trinity Health, and Kaiser Permanente to develop and distribute affordable insulin at about $30 a vial by 2024.

The price will be based solely on the cost of development, production and distribution. It will be interesting to see if this competition causes current manufacturers to lower their prices.

George W. Chapman is a healthcare business consultant who works exclusively with physicians, hospitals and healthcare organizations. He operates GW Chapman Consulting based in Syracuse. Email him at gwc@gwchapmanconsulting.com.

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 7

Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

25 Things I Know About Living Alone

I

have been living alone for over 25 years now.

Twenty-five years! One might think I’ve become stuck in my ways, but, honestly, just the opposite has happened.

Being on my own has given me the freedom to live unencumbered, to change, to grow and to embrace lifelong learning.

The only thing I’m stuck on is living life to the fullest! And apparently, I’m not alone.

According to recent census data, singles make up almost 30% of US households. That suggests to me that more and more single, divorced and widowed men and women are making peace with living alone. Or better, they are having the time of their lives!

Here are 25 things I know about living alone: 1. Living alone doesn’t mean being alone. In fact, it may offer more opportunities to pursue friendships, find true love and spend time with family members.

2. Loneliness is not a “state of being” reserved for single people.

Were you ever lonely while you were married?

3. Rediscovering your “authentic

self” and identifying those things that bring meaning and joy into your life can turn living alone into a fulfilling adventure.

4. Accepting party invitations, even if it’s a party with mostly couples, is worth doing. It gets you out of the house. Couples often separate into groups of women and men, so singles blend right in.

5. The stereotyped image of single women and men as desperate and miserable are exaggerated and just plain untrue.

Recent studies on the subject bear this out.

6. Doing a “random act of kindness” is a great antidote when you’re feeling sorry for yourself.

7. Friends matter. Reach out.

Nurture your friendships. Honor your commitments.

8. Accepting a dinner invitation does not obligate you to anything.

Take your time. Get to know your date before you embrace romance — literally.

9. Letting go of the idea that you need to be married to have any chance of being happy and fulfilled is essential. That idea will only keep you mired in self-pity.

10. Living alone can release your inner Martha Stewart. Do you have a craft project secretly lurking inside

you? Set it free!

11. Treating yourself well builds esteem. Prepare and eat decent meals at home. Get enough sleep. Exercise.

You’re worth it.

12. Getting out of your comfort zone is worth the discomfort. Try something new — dance lessons, pickleball, jewelry making, a book club, or community band. It’s a great way to expand your horizons and meet people.

13. Isolating on holiday, birthdays, Sundays, etc. is for the birds.

Solitary confinement is punishment for criminals, not single people.

Make plans.

14. Traveling solo is a journey toward self-discovery. Whether it’s Paris or Peoria, striking out on your own will enlarge your world and build self-confidence.

15. Comb your hair. Lose the sweat pants. Put a smile on your face.

It’s important to create your own positive feedback. Looking good will draw people (and compliments) to you.

16. Self-confidence and humor are powerful aphrodisiacs. Neediness and desperation are not.

17. It’s all yours — the good, the bad, the chores, the bills. Living alone, just as being married, is not Shangri-La. It’s real life.

18. There’s no shame in asking for help. It’s not a show of weakness.

On the contrary.

19. Doing anything alone means you enjoy life and your own company; it does not mean you are a loser.

20. Expanding your definition of love beyond “romantic love” will stand you in good stead. Embrace “passionate friendships” – those relationships in which you can be yourself and feel completely comfortable.

21. Hanging out with negative

people is a real downer. Put yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself and about life.

22. Time alone can make you philosophical: If I vacuum in the buff and no one is watching, did it really happen?

23. Your dream house can be yours. Whether it’s a shoebox-sized apartment or cottage in the county, you can — at long last! — make your home your own.

24. Velveeta mac and cheese may be just what the doctor ordered.

There’s no harm in occasionally indulging in your favorite comfort food and tear-jerker movie if it soothes your soul. “The Way We Were” is my elixir movie of choice.

25. Living alone and loving it takes practice. Know that there is always someone you can call or something you can do to improve your situation. A little prayer doesn’t hurt either.

• Kids often feel more control over a situation if they can help in some way, such as donating items or part of their allowance, or making up a card or banner for Ukrainian children. Any of these acts teach compassion and help your children feel they are making a positive difference.

• Monitor your children’s media exposure and limit it when necessary.

Find out where they are getting their

information about the war so you can clarify or restrict it if needed, Lynch advised.

Even if kids appear fine, parents should talk to them to assess their thoughts and feelings.

“Talking to your children about the invasion will show them that it is OK to talk about difficult feelings and that we are there to help them,” Lynch said.

Those of us who have learned to enjoy living along are not spending our time bemoaning our fate. We have overcome adversity and we are the stronger for it. We have taken our lives into our own hands and have embraced the choices and possibilities that living alone has to offer.

Here’s to the next 25 years!

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 her to speak, visit www. aloneandcontent.com

Talking to Your Kids About the War in Ukraine

I

f Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left your children confused and frightened, there are several ways to help them feel more secure, a psychologist says.

First and foremost: Talk to your kids, and be honest, said Christopher Lynch, director of Pediatric Behavioral Medicine for Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, New Jersey.

Kids can often tell when parents are withholding information. If you don’t provide the full picture, they may get wrong ideas about the situation and think they’re in danger.

“Children benefit from honest explanations about what is happening, but those explanations must be tailored to the age and developmental level of the child,” Lynch said in a hospital news release.

Here’s how to talk with your

children about the war and allay their anxiety: • Use age-appropriate words and concepts that your children can understand.

Asking them to repeat back what they heard you say can help identify any need for clarification.

• Reassure your children they are safe. Kids need to know that the adults around them are in control and know what to do to keep them safe. In this case, kids may need to understand that the war is far away and that they are well protected from it, Lynch said.

Page 8 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

Arthritis Is a Scourge Worldwide

MARY CARIOLA CENTER

Arthritis cases worldwide up 113% —from 247.5 million people in 1990 to 527.8 million in 2019

O

steoarthritis has become increasingly common in recent decades, and authors of a new study say preventive steps are needed to bring numbers under control.

“The disease burden ... is formidable,” said co-senior author physician Jianhao Lin, of Peking University People’s Hospital in China. “Due to population expansion, aging and the epidemic of obesity, one would expect such a burden would increase in the near future.”

The chronic joint disease, which causes pain, disability and loss of function, is a major worldwide public health concern, according to the authors.

Their analysis includes data collected as part of an ongoing effort that involves more than 7,000 researchers in more than 156 countries and territories. It found that arthritis cases worldwide rose from 247.5 million in 1990 to 527.8 million in 2019. That’s an increase of more than 113%.

Age-adjusted rates of arthritis rose for knee, hip and other joints but decreased for arthritis of the hand.

Arthritis prevalence rose with age and was higher in women than in men. It was also higher in more developed countries.

Arthritis of the knee contributed the most to the overall arthritis burden, while arthritis of the hip had the highest estimated annual percentage increases in most regions, according to the findings published March 2 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology.

“Primary and secondary prevention, including refraining from overweight or obesity, preventing knee injury, and avoiding heavy repeated joint-loading activities are effective measures in alleviating the burden,” Lin said in a journal news release.

“In addition, exercise therapy could delay functional loss and should be recommended as core treatment” for arthritis of the knee, he added.

Arthritis prevalence rose with age and was higher in women than in men.

It was also higher in more developed countries.

Rewarding Competitive wages Flexible schedule Good benefits Career growth

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 9

AUTISM AWARENESS things like a front-loading washing machine. It’s repetitive, predictable and children in typical development do engage in stimming behavior but don’t get stuck there. With autistic children it can go on for a long time and prevent social interaction with others.

• “They may have preoccupations with certain shows like Thomas the Train or certain characters. Rarely other repetitive behaviors can cause injury to that child, like rubbing an area of the skin or hitting their head or ingesting items that they like the feel in their mouth. It’s hard to say exactly what it does for anyone diagnosed with autism.”

— Courtney Liggett, principal of the East Henrietta campus of the Mary Cariola Center and a board-certified and licensed behavior analyst.

Early Signs of Autism

Experts offer tips on what to look for

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

A

utism expert Stephen Shore, a physician, once said, “When you meet one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”

The oft-quoted comment underscores the uniqueness of any person, including those with autism.

While every person is an individual, parents should be aware of traits that could indicate that their children could be on the autism spectrum.

Common signs your children maybe on the autism spectrum: • “Not responding to their name or making eye contact or playing peek-a-boo games or interacting with those games. Some families start to notice things between 6 and 12 months.

• “By 18 months, parents notice the child is not babbling, saying

words or interacting. There’s no laughing back and forth or typical playing.

• “They may have autism already in the family, even with distant relatives, which can cause a pediatrician to screen children.

• “Not every child meets every milestone, so if a child is a little late, it doesn’t necessarily mean autism.

My daughter was not walking at 1 but was talking up a storm. My son was opposite. Children typically develop in a linear fashion but also with their own timeline. Some are naturally more active and exploring more.

• “Transitions can interrupt or delay milestones. If they’re around other children more and trying to imitate their peers, they may do things earlier than others. A lot of things can interrupt development like moving or if something going on in the family situation. If they’re missing one

milestone, that’s not a red flag. Those timelines the pediatricians give us are average.

• “Some children have fixed interest. Different behaviors that are stimming (self-stimulatory behavior) include taking an airplane and spinning the propeller over and over and not playing with it in a typical fashion. You may also see children put their hands in front of their eyes and drop objects in front. It’s a preferred thing children with autism do frequently. It may help to regulate them and feel good to them. For them, it could be something like if we’re nervous, we may tap our fingers or foot. It’s a behavior or movement like rocking back and forth, spinning around, or fixating on objects you wouldn’t play with like a vacuum and doing a similar object but not exploring it in other ways, even when the parent shows them. Spending longer periods of time watching

AUTISM Got Questions?

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Autism HelpLine 1 (866) AUTISM 4

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Autism HelpLine A collaborative community initiative spondered by the Golisano Autism Center www.golisanoautismcenter.org

What is the HelpLine?

Help for people with autism, their families, caregivers, and anyone who has questions about autism. This is a local information and referral service, for callers in the Greater Rochester and surrounding areas.

To learn more about local autism services and support, visit www.GolisanoAutismCenter.org To leave a message after hours, email HelpLine@GolisanoAutismCenter.org

HelpLine@GolisanoAutismCenter.org Page 10 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

• “At an early age, it’s hard because typical toddler behavior can look like it’s behavior on the spectrum. If they’re far behind on words, that can be a sign.

• “Some will avoid eye contact or line things up over and over to the exclusion of playing in other ways.

• “They may avoid socializing.

• “My son at 2 stopped eating everything he had liked.

• “Since there are so many variations, as a parent, go with your gut if things don’t seem right. Early intervention is key when you have an early diagnosis. Getting the therapies in early is the best thing anyone can do.

Sadly, some parents say, ‘I don’t want my child to have a label,’ but without those therapies, you do that child an extreme disservice. None of us want our child to have an illness or disability, but when there is a problem, you have to do the best you can to help them. That’s early intervention.”

— Debbie Cordone, founder and president of Fantastic Friends of WNY in Cheektowaga, which provides social opportunities for children and teens with autism and developmental disabilities.

AUTISM AWARENESS

U.S. Traffic Deaths Rise to Highest Level Since 2007

E

Is There a Link Between Diet and Autism?

Experts discuss efficacy of eating gluten-, casein-free food as a way to reduce behavioral problems

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

F

or years, parents of children on the autism spectrum have claimed that adjusting their child’s diet has helped reduce effects of autism.

Most do not claim to “cure” autism, a developmental disorder marked by a reduced capacity to communicate, interact and interpret sensory input.

But these parents give hope to parents of newly diagnosed children who want to reduce behavioral problems and improve their children’s chances of leading a more typical life.

Courtney Liggett, principal of the East Henrietta campus of the Mary Cariola Center, is a board-certified and licensed behavior analyst. While she has read accounts of parents adopting a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet for their child and experiencing big improvements, she remains skeptical.

“In my experience at Mary Cariola Center and with my relatives on the spectrum, I haven’t seen that happen,” she said. “Unless that child has some other digestive issue already and we’re changing the diet to address that issue, we won’t see a change in behavior or severity of autism.”

Gluten is inherent to wheat, barley and rye; casein is part of milk and other dairy products. Little research supports eliminating these foods can improve the behavior of children on the autism spectrum.

Liggett theorized that perhaps if a child is lactose intolerance or gluten sensitive but unable to communicate gastrointestinal distress, removing the offending foods from the diet will by extension improve behavior because the child will feel better.

Liggett warned about arbitrarily

changing the diet.

“We have many students with autism who only eat certain brands or categories of foods like only crunchy or only soft foods,” she said.

“Children with autism with limited food intake can be malnourished, so it’s important to talk with the pediatrician about their nutrition. Do they need supplements? Do they have too many carbs?”

Further limiting the diet may reduce their intake of nutrients.

Kelly Herron is a board-certified OB-GYN and board-certified internal medical physician certified in integrative and functional medicine. She operates Hygeia Life in Rochester.

“The gut is our ‘second brain,’” she said. “Many substances from the gut affect the brain and secondarily mood.”

She believes that supporting good gut health can improve overall health. This starts with consuming enough fiber, which Herron believes is one of the least represented foods in the American diet. Eating more servings of beans, flax, whole fruits and vegetables and whole grain foods are the fiber-filled foods that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Foods with naturally occurring beneficial bacteria include fermented foods.

“If you look at any ancient culture, they all ate fermented foods,” Herron said.

Fermented foods include kimchee, plain yogurt (not the kind with added sugar), kefir and sauerkraut.

Herron also encourages consumption of diverse produce, herbs and spice as they provide a variety of vitamins and minerals and anti-inflammatory properties.

“We used to eat whatever was in season, which promoted variety,” Herron said.

ven though Americans drove less in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, close to 39,000 lives were lost on U.S. roadways in 2020 — the highest death toll since 2007, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports.

Fatal collisions spiked almost 7% between 2019 and 2020, the safety administration revealed in its annual crash report.

“The tragic loss of life of people represented by these numbers confirms that we have a deadly crisis on our nation’s roads,” said Steven Cliff, NHTSA’s deputy administrator.

“While overall traffic crashes and people injured were down in 2020, fatal crashes and fatalities increased,” Cliff said in an agency news release.

“We cannot allow this to become the status quo.”

In 2020, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled rose to 1.34, a 21% increase from 2019.

When many Americans were in lockdown, road deaths increased even though total vehicle miles traveled fell by 11% from 2019 to 2020, the data showed.

Risky behaviors contributed to many of these tragedies: In 45% of fatal crashes, drivers of passenger vehicles were either speeding, impaired by alcohol or not wearing a seat belt.

Other major findings from the 2019-2020 data: • Deaths involving drunk driving jumped 14%.

• Deaths of people in passenger cars increased 9%, and deaths of unrestrained people in passenger vehicles rose 14%.

• Motorcyclist deaths rose 11%, reaching the highest number since data was first collected in 1975.

• Bicyclist deaths increased more than 9%, hitting the highest number since 1987.

• Fatalities in cities rose almost 9%, and pedestrian deaths approached 4%, the highest number since 1989.

• Deaths in hit-and-run crashes jumped 26% • Deaths in large-truck crashes declined 1.3%.

• Police-reported crashes de-

clined 22%.

• Number of people injured fell 17%.

“This sudden uptick of lives lost in preventable crashes is caused by a combination of factors,” said Pam Shadel Fischer, senior director of external engagement with the Governors Highway Safety Association.

“The safety of all road users must be the top priority when it comes to roadway design. We continue to face an ongoing safety crisis threatening people walking, biking, scooting and rolling. Drivers are still engaging in risky behaviors that put all road users at risk,” Fischer said in an association statement.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation has established a national framework for action in its new National Roadway Safety Strategy based on the Safe System approach. However, more action is clearly needed on the federal, state and local levels,” Fischer said.

The DOT strategy calls for safer roads, safer people, safer vehicles, safer speeds and better post-crash care.

“The rising fatalities on our roadways are a national crisis; we cannot and must not accept these deaths as inevitable,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

“People should leave the house and know they’re going to get to their destination safely,” Buttigieg added in the NHTSA news release.

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 11

CALENDAR of HEALTH EVENTS

April 5, 21, 26

Hearing loss and dementia among topics of HLAA discussions Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Rochester Chapter offers several virtual programs in April benefitting anyone interested in hearing loss. All are free and in real time on the Zoom platform. They are all closed captioned. Preregistration is required by visiting the HLAA website at: http://hearinglossrochester.org • Noon, Tuesday, April 5. “Untreated Hearing Loss and Dementia,” presented by geriatric psychiatrist Anton P. Porsteinsson, a University of Rochester professor and director of Alzheimer’s disease care, research and education program (AD-CARE), University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

• 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 5.

“Hearing Other People’s Experiences” (HOPE). Retired audiologist Joseph Kozelesky leads discussion in which prospective, new or experienced hearing aid users can share their experiences, questions, and hearing loss journeys in an informal virtual round table discussion.

• Noon, Thursday, April 21. Virtual ALD Demo Center, presented by HLAA-Rochester technology team.

This is a continuing orientation to the online Virtual Demo Center website.

It is a review of selected assistive listening devices, captioning-capable and amplified telephones, signaling-alerting devices and smart phone APP’s related to hearing enhancement and gives the opportunity for the presenters to answer questions

from those joining the Zoom meeting.

• 8 p.m., Tuesday, April 26. “Hear Together,” presented by Kristen Bergholtz and Carly Alicea. This new virtual parent and caregiver support group aims to help deaf and hard of hearing children while connecting their caregivers to one another.

HLAA is the nation’s leading organization representing consumers with hearing loss. HLAA opens the world of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, support and advocacy. For more information visit the HLAA Rochester Chapter web site at www.hearinglossrochester.org or telephone 585-266-7890.

June 9

Gates man seeks teammates for Rochester Heart Walk & Run The In-Person 2022 Rochester Heart Walk & Run will be on Thursday, June 9, at Genesee Valley Park, 1000 East River Road. Heart survivor and well-known runner Bruce Rychwalski is seeking teammates to walk or run on his team, The Lionhearted, in this annual fundraising event for the American Heart Association.

Rychwalski experienced a life-threatening ventricular tachycardia in 2011 and was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

In 2011 he had implantation surgery to receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator(a two-lead pacemaker).

In 2017 he had implantation surgery to receive a cardiac resynchronization therapy device (a threelead pacemaker) to replace the ICD. Since 2011 Rychwalski has participated in 375 5K events.

In 2013 he was inducted into the Gates Chili School District Hall of Fame.

In 2015 he was chosen to receive the Fleet Feet Sports/Mizuno Power of Running to Inspire Award.

In 2016 he was chosen to receive the Lifespan Eli Rudin Second Half Hero Award.

In 2019 he received the USA Track & Field (USATF) Phidippides Award.

For information on how to join Rychwalski’s team for the in-person 2022 Rochester Heart Walk & Run, contact him at brucerychwalski@ gmail.com.

June 11

Tour de Cure back to inperson event The 2022 American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure is back to an in-person event this year on Saturday June 11, at Xerox campus in Webster.

Riders across Upstate New York, including the Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany regions, will unite for the second consecutive year to raise much needed funds for diabetes research, education and advocacy.

The 2022 Tour de Cure: Upstate New York will encourage participants to focus on the three main components: Committing to participate in person on event day at the incredible event the tour has always been; continuing to fundraise because the 34 million Americans with diabetes are counting on your support of the ADA’s mission; and celebrating your journey by posting, sharing and showcasing your efforts on social media using the hashtag #WeRideTogether and tagging @AmDiabetesAssn to get featured.

Join the conversation on the community Facebook group to stay

connected.

Founded in Buffalo in 1991, Tour de Cure brings together thousands of riders in cities across America to raise much needed funds to support diabetes research and provide education and advocacy for people living with diabetes and their families.

To register, go to diabetes.org/ upstatetour. For more information, please contact Jessica Joanis at 315546-5430 or jjoanis@diabetes.org).

April 12

OARS 4 FAMI to hold meeting Older Adults Seeking Resources & Support for Their Family Members Affected by Mental Illness (OARS 4 FAMI) is a new, self-help group provides education, resources, support and skills workshops for family members who have loved ones with mental illness or mental illness and substance use. Meetings are the second Tuesday of the month, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Henrietta Public Library at 625 Calkins Road in the Community Room.

Meetings are facilitated by family members with many years of lived experience. Topics include navigating the mental illness and substance use systems, housing and treatment options, crisis and intervention services, planning for the future care of our loved ones, problem solving, and support groups. The April 12 meeting will feature a panel presentation on housing and case management options through the Monroe County Office of Mental Health. DePaul and East House will discuss their licensed and nonlicensed housing and treatment programs. SPOA (single point of access) will discuss the criteria and process for applying for housing and case management services.

For more information or to register, please contact Pat Sine: p. sine4460@gmail.com or register at Eventbrite.com under OARS.

Is Your Healthcare Team Complete?

Mental health, physical health, spiritual health, and social health are all interdependent. Call us to be part of your healthcare team.

Nicki Ditch, LMHC

Meg Garcia, LMHC

Stephanie Avagliano, LMHC

Specializing in: Trauma Recovery, Anger Management & Borderline Personality

Specializing in: Assertive Skills & Compassion fatigue

Specializing in: Anxiety Management & Communication Skills

In Truth Mental Health is located in Webster and Greece, for your convenience. Evening and Saturday appointments available. Call 585-210-3663 or visit www.nickiditchlmhc.com to find the right help for you.

Page 12 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

One Third of Adults Are Prediabetic — and Most Don’t Know It O

ne in three adults in the U.S. — or about 88 million Americans — has prediabetes, yet more than 80% of them don’t know it, according to an Excellus BlueCross BlueShield review of current data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As a result, these adults can’t make the lifestyle changes or have the medical interventions needed to address their condition, the health plan’s research concluded.

If you have prediabetes, your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered Type 2 diabetes. Still, you are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes within five years.

In addition, 50% of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD) during pregnancy will go on to develop Type 2 diabetes within five years.

“If you know you have prediabetes, or another risk factor, there are things you can do to reduce your blood sugar and decrease the risk of it progressing to Type 2 diabetes,” said physician Lorna Fitzpatrick, vice president of medical affairs and senior medical director at Excellus BCBS. “People with Type 2 diabetes have a high incidence of serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and the loss of toes and feet.”

The need to prevent Type 2 diabetes has never been greater, according to a news release by Excellus BCBS. Diabetes is currently the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. If current trends continue,

the CDC predicts one in five adults will have diabetes by 2025. About a quarter of all health care spending is on people with diagnosed diabetes.

Prediabetes can be determined with a simple blood sugar test prescribed by your doctor. If you are found to have prediabetes, the American Diabetes Association says early treatment and moderate lifestyle changes can return blood sugar levels to a normal range, effectively preventing or delaying Type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes include losing around 5-7% of your body weight, or just 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person, and getting regular physical activity, such as brisk walking, for at least 150 minutes a week.

“We’re talking about 20 minutes of physical activity a day, which could be as simple as a walk around the block after dinner with a walking partner or your dog,” said Fitzpatrick. As always, check with your doctor before starting, or making changes to, an exercise routine.

DoIHavePrediabetes.org was created by the CDC in partnership with the American Diabetes Association, the American Medical Association and the Ad Council.

Visitors to the site can take a brief online test to learn their risk.

The CDC also offers a free online National Diabetes Prevention Program to help people lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58 percent (71% for those over age 60). Find more information at www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention.

Excellus: Partnership to Increase Access to Affordable Insulin Objective is to manufacture and distribute three insulins for $30 or less per vial

E

xcellus BlueCross BlueShield, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and other Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies joined Civica’s initiative to manufacture and distribute affordable insulins that, once approved, will be available to people living with diabetes at significantly lower Chitre prices than insulins currently on the market.

The medications are expected to be available to all consumers for $30 or less per vial starting in 2024.

Excellus BCBS, BCBSA and BCBS companies are collaborating on this initiative with Civica and other partners across the health care industry, representing nearly every corner of the diabetes ecosystem.

“We’re proud to be part of this national collaboration to bring more

affordable insulin and other medications to our communities,” said Mona Chitre, chief pharmacy officer and vice president of integrated health strategy for Excellus BCBS. “The Civica initiative will help us fulfill our critical role of controlling rising health care costs while also ensuring that more patients take their medication as prescribed since their prescription drugs will now be more affordable.”

“This is an important milestone in our continued partnership with Civica as we advance our shared goal of bringing lower-cost prescription medication directly to consumers,” said Kim Keck, president and CEO of BCBSA. “Access to affordable insulin can be the difference between life and death for diabetics – and we’re proud to be a part of Civica’s effort to ensure that millions of Americans have access to the medicine they need at a price they can afford. When we come together, we can make health care more affordable.”

More than eight million Americans rely on insulin to live, but as many as one in four insulin users report having to skip doses or take less than prescribed amounts due to the high cost of the medicine. The financial burden has made the drug inaccessible for many and has led to patients developing health conditions that were once preventable.

Through this initiative, Civica will manufacture and distribute three analog insulins — glargine, lispro and aspart — which will be biosimilar drugs of the brand-name insulins Lantus, Humalog and Novolog. The insulins will be available in vials and prefilled pens at no more than $30 per vial or $55 for a box of five pens.

“Diabetes is arguably America’s most expensive chronic condition, and it is heartbreaking that millions of people are rationing their care and putting their lives at risk because they can no longer afford insulin,” said Dan Liljenquist, board chairman of Civica. “Through mission-driven

partnerships, we are choosing to create a new market reality where no one is forced to ration essential diabetes medications.”

This insulin initiative is one of the many ways BCBS companies are partnering with Civica to increase access to safe and affordable medications. This announcement follows the founding of Civica’s subsidiary, CivicaScript, by BCBSA, 18 BCBS companies and Civica Rx to develop and manufacture common generic medications for which there is currently not enough market competition to drive down prices. The first of these lower-cost generic prescriptions are expected to be available to consumers through specialty and home delivery pharmacies later this year.

For more information on the insulin initiative, visit https://civicainsulin.org. For more information on CivicaScript, visit: www.bcbs.com/ civica-rx.

CELEBRATE NURSES WEEK WITH In Good Health!

In Good Health will once again highlight Nurses Week in a special May issue.

Call Anne Westcott (585-421-8109) or Linda Covington (585-750-7051) for more information.

April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 13

we let the next of kin or family know the individual was on the Donor Registry and then the donation would occur. If they are not on the Donor Registry, we talk with them about organ donation and tissue donation and give them an opportunity to make that decision on behalf of the individual.

What’s More Accurate, Blood Pressure Readings at Home or Doctor’s Office?

R

egular blood pressure readings at home are more accurate for diagnosing high blood pressure than those taken at a doctor’s office, according to a new study.

“Blood pressure varies a lot over the day … and one or two measurements in clinic may not reflect your average blood pressure,” said study author, physician Beverly Green, a senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. “Home blood pressure monitoring allows you to collect many more readings and average these.”

The study included 510 adults at high risk of developing high blood pressure. They were divided into groups who got blood pressure readings in three different ways: at home; in a Kaiser clinic; or at kiosks in pharmacies and other locations.

All of the patients also received 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). ABPM is the gold standard for diagnosing high blood pressure, but it’s not widely available for use. The portable device is worn continuously for 24 hours, providing blood pressure readings every 20 to 30 minutes during the day and every 30 to 60 minutes at night.

The researchers found that blood pressure readings taken at home were consistent with ABPM, according to findings published online March 3 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Compared to ABPM, readings at clinic visits were significantly lower for the systolic measure. The systolic reading measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.

It’s the top number in a blood pressure reading. Diastolic blood pressure, the bottom number, measures the pressure in your arteries between heart beats.

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or lower.

Blood pressure readings from kiosks were significantly higher than ABPM readings, resulting in a higher likelihood of overdiagnosis of high blood pressure.

“Home blood pressure monitoring was a better option, because it was more accurate than clinic blood pressure readings,” Green said in a Kaiser news release.

Q: You’ve seen an increase in your service area. Are you where you want to be?

A: No, we are not where we want to be. As long as there is someone in need of an organ or dies without an organ available, we have to continue to improve. We are always looking for ways to improve organ donation.

Q A &

with

Robert Gruenenfelder There’s a dire need for more organ donors, says executive director of Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network

By Mary Beth Roach Q: When was the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network established and why?

A: It was established in 1986 to work with the community to increase organ and tissue donation for those who wait for a transplant.

Q: How long have you been at the network?

A: I started here in October of 2016.

Q: Does the network have a defined service area?

A: Yes. We serve 37 hospitals, 20 counties and we go up toward Watertown, south to Elmira, west to Batavia, Rochester and a little east of Syracuse.

Q: According to the Human Resources and Services Administration’s website, organdonor.gov, 106,277 people are on the national transplant waiting list.

Seventeen people die each day waiting for an organ transplant. Thirty-nine thousand transplants were performed in 2020. Every nine minutes another person is added to the transplant waiting list. By current estimates, 54% of U.S. adults (more than 145 million people) have joined organ donor registries. Do you agree with those numbers?

A: Yes, in 2021, we’ve had an 11th consecutive record-breaking year in the United States, where there were more than 41,000 transplants.

Q: How do those numbers compare to New York state or your service area?

A: I can talk about the number of individuals waiting. In New York state, we have about 8,300 individuals waiting for a transplant, and in our service area, which includes both Rochester and the Syracuse area,

those lists have about 835 patients waiting for an organ.

Q: Have organ donations increased in your service area? Why or why not?

A: Yes, organ donation in our area has certainly increased over the last four or five years. I think the big reason is because of the Donor Registry.

We have more individuals who are choosing to sign on the Donor Registry and that has really helped increased donations. Families know what their loved ones want to do for the most part. It makes our conversation with families at the appropriate time go much smoother.

Q: Can you explain what the Donor Registry is and how one might make their wishes known?

A: The Donor Registry is a registry that an individual can sign up for if they would like to donate organ, tissue and eyes after they die, to pass on the gift of life. If they do, they can sign up at www.passlifeon.org or www.donorrecovery.org Q: Is there also a way to make your organ donation wishes known on your driver’s license?

A: Absolutely. When they go to the DMV to sign up for a driver’s license, that question is asked. If they so choose to donate, that information is then processed and given to the Donor Registry.

Q: How are organ donations and requests handled by the network? What is the network’s role in this process?

A: When an individual passes away at the hospital, we are called.

We work with the families directly.

We double-check the Donor Registry and if they are on the Donor Registry,

Page 14 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

Q: What are some of the obstacles, fears or concerns that people have in making the decision as to whether to become an organ donor?

A: When you look at the common myths out there, individuals believe that they are too old or they’re not healthy enough to donate. What we encourage people to do is to go to the Donor Registry or go the driver’s license bureau and sign up to be an organ and tissue donor. We will evaluate the medical, social history and make a determination at the time of death, if that individual would be able to donate. Another myth is that not all religions support organ donation. I would say that all major religions in the world view organ donation as a charitable act and make it clear that it is decision to be left up to the individual or family. One other myth is that it costs to donate. There is no cost to donate an organ and tissue to the donor or donor family or estate. [Another myth is that] organ donation does affect their funeral wishes. It does not. The recovery of organs is a surgical procedure and does not disfigure the person’s body.

An open-casket funeral or viewing is possible following donation.

Q: I have read that some people believe that if they are an organ donor, and if they’re in an accident, for example, the medical team may not try as hard to try to keep them alive.

A: Medical professionals are trained to save your life, first and foremost. The doctors and the team involved in saving your life is different from those involved in organ and tissue recovery. The hospital staff doesn’t have access to the Donor Registry, so they don’t know if you’re a registered donor or not.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to add?

A: I think it’s important for individuals to know the facts about organ and tissue donation and transplantation, make an informed decision, sign up on the Donor Registry and share that decision with their family.

Q: What resources are out there to help people make a good decision and get the facts?

A: There are plenty of websites available. Every transplant center has information. I would encourage people to go to donorrecovery.org.

That has a lot of the information, a lot of the myths and it would allow families or individuals to sign up on the Donor Registry while they’re on that site.

For more information about Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network or organ donation, go to www.donorrecovery.org or www.passlifeon.org.

Meet Your Provider Ahrens Benefits Company Local business helps seniors find the right Medicare plan At the Ahrens Benefits Company, we believe in caring for others as we do our own. We focus on finding the Medicare plan that will best fit the needs of each person we meet. We listen intently to understand your situation and your unique challenges, and we explain your options clearly, without industry jargon. With the Ahrens Benefits Company you get straightforward, unbiased guidance. That’s the way we do business. Helping you choose the right Medicare coverage is our forte. We will give you personalized Medicare counseling and then act as your advocate throughout the year.

Who Is Eligible for Medicare?

Generally, Medicare is available for people age 65 or older, younger people with disabilities and people with end stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant). You are eligible for premium-free Part A if you are age 65 or older and you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.

While most people do not have to pay a premium for Part A, the

majority of people will have to pay for Part B.

When Do I Sign Up For Medicare?

You’re first eligible to sign up for Medicare three months before you turn 65 or earlier if you are disabled.

Generally, if you have job-based health insurance through your (or your spouse’s) current job, you don’t have to sign up for Medicare while you (or your spouse) are still actively working.

• If your employer has less than 20 employees you will need to sign up for Medicare at age 65.

• If you have COBRA coverage: Sign up for Medicare when you turn 65 to avoid gaps in coverage and a monthly Part B late enrollment penalty. If you have COBRA before signing up for Medicare, your COBRA will probably end once you sign up.

How do I sign up for Medicare?

During the pandemic, the Social Security offices have remained closed. The easiest way to sign up for Medicare is to do it online at either www.SSA.Gov or at www.Medicare.

gov. It’s best to apply at least two months before needing Medicare to begin. Medicare effective dates are always the first of a month. Processing has been slow. You will need your government Medicare card before you can sign up for the additional private coverage you may want. Plan ahead!

What will Medicare Cost? In 2022, Part B currently costs $170.10/month if your individual income in 2020 was $91,000 or less, or if married was $182,000 or less. Those with higher incomes will pay an income-related adjustment. For most people, Part A is free. There is also an income-related adjustment for Part D. Social Security lets high income earners know what they will pay.

In addition to government Medicare, costs for private coverage range from $0/month upwards of $400/ month. To sign up for additional coverage, people must first be enrolled in Part B.

What are the parts of Medicare?

There are four parts of Medicare: Part A provides inpatient/hospital coverage; Part B provides outpatient/ medical coverage; Part C offers an alternate way to receive your Medicare benefits called Medicare Advantage Plans: Part D provides prescription drug coverage.

What are my choices for Medicare coverage? There are two main

ways to get your Medicare coverage.

Original Government Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans. With original Medicare, people can also choose to add a Supplement Plan and a Part D plan offered through private insurance companies.

The Ahrens Benefits Company currently offers Medicare Supplement plans, Part D Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans from all the insurance companies available in your area.

585-349-3337 • 2800 Dewey Ave, Rochester, NY 14616 www.ahrensbenefitsco.com • There is no charge for our services.

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 15

SmartBites

(regular, light, or mix of both)

The skinny on healthy eating Nutritious Potatoes Worth Digging Into

By Anne Palumbo

T

he average American eats four to five potatoes a week. Surprised? Join the group. Even though this tasty spud is America’s most popular vegetable, it’s also dogged by enough myths to put some of us on the fence about consuming it.

Myth #1: Potatoes are starch bombs that cause weight gain. It’s true, potatoes have more starch than most vegetables. And, yes, starch, especially refined starch (think donuts, cookies, cakes), can zip through your body and leave you hungry in no time. But here’s the good news about a potato’s particular starch: It’s a special type of starch known as “resistant starch,” which means it can’t be fully digested or absorbed by the body, much like fiber. Instead, it reaches the large intestine where it becomes a source of nutrients for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Research has linked resistant starch to many health benefits, including better blood sugar control and improved health of the digestive system.

Myth #2: Potatoes have no nutritional value. Why do we think potatoes are dietary deserts? Is it because they’re pale? A welcome mat for caloric toppings? Too common?

Who knows why, but this humble spud deserves its day in the nutritional sun. Drum roll, please: One medium baked potato with the skin has 4 grams of heart-healthy fiber and more than a fourth of our daily needs for three essential nutrients: vitamins C and B6 (both boost the immune system) and potassium (supports healthy blood pressure).

Perhaps another drum roll is in order for potatoes being sodium-, fat-, and cholesterol-free!

Myth #3: Diabetics can’t eat potatoes. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes can be included in the diet of a person with diabetes, according to the American Diabetics Association. Although most potatoes have a high glycemic index, the effect of potatoes on an individual’s blood glucose level is highly variable and depends on a number of factors, including the kind of potato, how it is prepared, the portion size, and what it is consumed with. Ideally, waxy potatoes (small new potatoes, fingerlings) that have been cooked (and cooled) and then consumed in moderation with a protein or healthy fat would elicit a lower glycemic response.

Myth #4: A potato’s skin has all the nutrients. The majority of the nutrients are found within the potato itself, not the skin. The potato’s skin contains about half the total dietary fiber.

Could the Keto Diet Help People With MS?

T

he keto diet is a low-carb lover’s dream, but a new study suggests the popular eating plan may also improve some symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

MS is an autoimmune disease that occurs when your body attacks

the insulation wrapped around its nerves, causing numbness, fatigue, bladder problems, mood issues and mobility problems that can interfere with daily life. There is no cure for MS. But there may be a way to ease symptoms.

In the study, when folks with MS ate a keto diet for six months, they reported less fatigue and depression and an improved overall quality of life.

“Our study provides evidence that medically supervised ketogenic diets are safe and tolerable when studied over a six-month period, and convey clinical benefits to persons living with MS,” said study author physician J. Nicholas Brenton. He is the director of the Pediatric MS & Related Disorders Clinic at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Keto diets restrict your intake of

Myth #5: A baked potato has 250 calories. Yes and no. Yes, a baked potato laden with butter or sour cream or cheese can have up to 250 calories (or more!). But, no, a plain baked potato has only 110-120 calories.

Helpful tips Look for smooth, firm potatoes with no cuts, bruises or discoloration. Store potatoes in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, away from onions (proximity accelerates spoiling for both). Don’t refrigerate potatoes before cooking because it turns the starch to sugar and ruins the flavor. Potatoes with sprouts can still be used. Just remove the sprouts and cut away any green areas. Stored properly, most potatoes last about a month.

Preheat oven to 400F and lightly oil a 7 by 11 inch baking dish.

Slice potatoes thin (about 1/8 inch thick) and layer half of the potatoes on the bottom of the dish, in overlapping layers.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft, stirring often. Add garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne, and flour, stirring until combined, about 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in milk and bring to a low simmer, stirring until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in 1/3 cup of the cheddar cheese and stir to melt.

Pour half of the cheese sauce over the first half of the potatoes and spread out with a spoon. Layer the rest of the potatoes over the top and then pour the remaining cheese sauce on, spreading evenly with a spoon.

Top with the remaining grated cheese and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

Healthier Scalloped Potatoes with Garlic and Thyme Adapted from erinliveswhole.com Serves 6-8

2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium) 1 tablespoon butter 1 small onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper pinch of cayenne (optional) 1¼ tablespoons flour 1¼ cups reduced-fat milk 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum-

carbs while increasing fats and protein. The goal is to shift from burning blood sugar for energy to a fat-burning state (ketosis), producing weight loss.

Exactly how a keto diet improves symptoms of MS isn’t fully understood yet, but the researchers have their theories, starting with the weight loss it induces given the emerging role of obesity in MS. Ketogenic diets may also reduce inflammation and help rebalance the bacteria in the guts of people with MS. Certain gut bacteria create more inflammation in the body and this has been observed in some people with MS, Brenton said.

The study included 65 people with relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form of the disease.

It is marked by periods of flares followed by remissions. Patients ate a strict keto diet for six months. Researchers measured ketones in their urine each day to see if they were sticking to the diet. (Ketones are produced by the body when it is burning fat for fuel.) Fully 83% of participants adhered to the diet for the six-month study period.

Those who followed the diet had less body fat and showed about a 50% decline in fatigue and depression scores after six months. What’s more, their quality of life and mental health scores improved over the course of the study. They also performed better on tests measuring MS disability. Specifically, study patients walked an average of 1,631 feet on a six-minute walking test at the start of the study, compared to 1,733 feet after six months on a keto diet.

Levels of inflammatory markers in their blood also improved through the study period, Brenton said.

So, should everyone with MS start eating a keto diet?

Not necessarily, Brenton said.

There is no one-size-fits-all MS diet.

“What works for some patients may not work for others, and accumulating evidence suggests that there are numerous benefits to diet interventions in patients living with MS,” he said. “My current advice is to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and to maintain a healthy weight, as both of these aspects likely play a positive role in MS.”

Page 16 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

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 Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.

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Advances in Pediatric Cancer Treatment

‘It’s a very exciting time in cancer therapy and that extends to the care of children with cancer,” says doctor

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

n 1970, fewer than 5% of pediatric cancer patients would be cancer-free five years later. Today, 81% of childhood cancer cases are.

In addition to raising that number to 100%, Holly Dutcher, executive director of CURE Childhood Cancer Association in Rochester, wants to see more funding to improve the quality of life for children undergoing cancer treatments.

“What isn’t being considered is the toll these therapies take on the these innovative therapies in Buffalo children,” she said. “Children are Rochester’s Hairour Replacement Specialists with collaborations with Kaleida, constantly growing, whether it is Roswell and UB Pediatrics.” mentally, emotionally or physically.

One of the latest ways to treat The experience of childhood cancer, childhood cancer includes immunoboth from a medical standpoint and beyond, affects children tremendous- therapy. While chemotherapy and radiation are often very effective in ly. There are late effects that children treating many kinds of childhood suffer as a result of their treatment.” cancer, the side effects, both shortShe listed hearing loss, cognitive term and long-term, can devastate issues, learning difficulties, social children’s health: raised risk of secisolation, among many more. ond cancers, life-threatening cardio“If these children are lucky vascular disease, lung complications, enough to survive cancer, considand kidney and liver damage. ering the toll the current therapies Immunotherapy is like a sharptake on their organs, mental health, shooter, targeting the cancer while cognitive skills, there is always room sparing the healthy cells. One kind of for improvement,” Dutcher said. immunotherapy is chimeric antigen A few emerging treatments show receptor T-cell or CAR T-cell therapy. promise for beating cancer while Schedule your complimentary, confidential hair loss evaluation This treatment is now FDA approved reducing the long-term health impliwhoseagain!

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have survived without it. But receiving the therapy spares 65% to 70% of patients.

“Immune therapy requires specialized care,” Kelly said. “In a way, the analogy is like what’s happening with COVID-19. Some get sicker form the immune response than the virus. T-cell therapy can cause children to get very sick until that passes.”

While children receive CAR T-cell therapy, they can mount a serious immune response, like they have a very serious infection. Some require a ventilator or experience neurologic toxicity with seizures. The therapy increases the risk of certain types of infection, but these are typically manageable.

Because these are still recent therapies, researchers have only eight or so years of follow-up to tell them about patient longevity. More time is needed to track and monitor patients so researchers can better understand the long-term effects.

“Building on this success in leukemia, we and others are now using this T-cell approach in other types of diseases and using them at an earlier time point,” Kelly said. “Perhaps some day we can use these therapies instead of long courses of chemotherapy. We won’t know until we complete all the clinical trials. We offer some of these clinical trials to help us get the information we need to make a standard of care recommendations.”

Other kinds of immunotherapies use medication to stimulate the body’s own T-cells to work better against illnesses such as Hodgkins lymphoma, melanoma and lung cancer, for example. The therapies are being used earlier and earlier in treatment as they have lower risks than radiation and chemotherapy.

“We’re still testing these medications in clinical trials,” Kelly said.

“We’re accumulating the knowledge, so hopefully it will change what our current practice is. They are not without side effects.”

Hypothyroidism is one example.

However, medication can replace the hormone that the thyroid would naturally generate. Kelly said that rarely, inflammation of the lungs or heart can also occur. Further research

on side effects is ongoing.

“As we learn more about it, we’ll be better able to use which medications in which patients at which doses,” she said.

Other trials are looking at novel vaccine treatments that target cancer cells to treat brain tumors.

Sharing information through enrollment in the National Cancer Institute’s cooperative group has helped doctors succeed in treating childhood cancers.

“What we found is by having enough patients on the same protocol, we can find out what works and what doesn’t,” said Steven Lipshultz, MD, who leads research and treatment on cardiac oncology and is president of UBMD Pediatrics at Jacobs School of Medicine. “We were able to take these rare diseases we were able to get rapid advances and modifications and learn about side effects and toxicity.”

Treating adult cancer has not progressed nearly as much as with pediatric cancer, partly because of age-related comorbidities. Another difference is the quality of life for the expected lifespan. A 75-year-old patient would have another five or so years expected lifespan, unlike a child. The long-term side effects weigh more heavily with younger patients.

That is why developing effective treatments that preserve healthy cells is so important. For example, chemotherapy often damages the heart as a side effect.

“What we don’t want to do is create a generation of cardiac cripples or people with so much disability that they cannot get on with their life,” Lipshultz said.

Lipshultz was involved with developing dexrazoxane hydrochloride, a drug that allows chemotherapy to kill cancer cells while protecting the heart from the chemotherapy. This is part of the strategy of balancing oncologic success while preserving quality of life.

“Even 18 years later, we’ve pulled back these patients who had chemotherapy as children and their hearts are significantly stronger because of this medication,” Lipshultz said.

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 17

MENTAL HEALTH

Signs You Need Mental Healthcare Friends, partners often are the first to notice you may have a problem

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

E

veryone occasionally feels blue, upset, worried or “off” emotionally.

Feeling in a funk for a couple of days does not necessarily mean that you need professional mental healthcare A chat with a friend, taking time to rest or indulging in a favorite hobby may restore your normal mood.

But just as physical healthcare providers check for vitals like breathing, pulse, temperature and blood pressure, a few mental health vital signs can indicate something serious is going wrong.

Jess Germano-Fokin, Ph.D.,

owner of Seasons of Change Wellness in Rochester, said that sometimes the friends or significant other notices before the patient does.

“They’re not presenting as they were before,” she said. “They’re isolating or sleeping more.”

Holing up to sleep or engage in activities that are mind-numbing or distracting can indicate an issue.

While everyone needs some “me” time to rejuvenate, this goes beyond a typically helpful among of alone time.

Dropping typical self-care is only one sign. Someone who normally dresses nicely looks fresh out of bed, for example.

“They’re not grooming or wash-

ing clothes,” Germano-Fokin said.

“You notice abnormalities from their regular, normal routine and behavior.”

Housekeeping and car care may drop off. Formerly enjoyable hobbies may be forgotten, especially if they involve other people.

People near the patient may also notice “vast changes in behavior out of that person’s character, she added.

The person’s mood may remain down. Most people suffering a significant loss need some time to grieve. Persistent down mood—especially for no apparent reason—can also indicate help is necessary. While many people have felt down about the changes occurring during the pandemic and have acted in ways they might not normally, employing a healthy coping mechanism can help mitigate that effect. For someone requiring professional care, that mental health first aid isn’t helping much anymore.

“The baseline would be feeling like the coping skills that we’re using are not sufficiently appropriate,” said Kelly Herron, a board certified OB-GYN and board certified internal medical physician certified in integrative and functional medicine. She operates Hygeia Life in Rochester.

“You are feeling overwhelmed by depressed mood or mood changes in general.”

She also listed changes in appetite as a possible sign, such as eating too little or eating too much and changes in ability to focus and concentrate.

Another important mental health vital sign is excessive fear or worry.

While current events certainly have challenged mental health for the past two years, if healthful coping mechanisms are not keeping anxiety under control, Herron said that outside help can make a difference.

Withdrawing from people, activities and places normally enjoyed represents another indicator of struggling mental health. As most regular activities have resumed, some people may wish that they could continue isolating at home. The levels at which people feel comfortable socializing and interacting varies. It should not curtail necessary interactions or harm healthy relationships. If mental health struggles interfere with tasks of daily living, such as shopping at the grocery store or maintaining desired relationships, such as meeting a friend for lunch, professional help is warranted.

“You deserve to have someone you can talk with who will listen to you, understand you and provide you with emotional support and offer specific strategies for coping and healing,” Herron said.

Gail Weiser, physician assistant and licensed clinical social worker in private mental health practice in Rochester, encourages people to engage in self-care.

“You know yourself best to know what makes you feel good,” Weiser said. “Going to the gym, take a bubble bath, talk with a friend. When these things no longer help, talk with your primary care provider, call a hotline or go to the ER if you are concerned about acute safety or the safety of others.”

Mobile Sports Betting: Increasing the Risks

By Jennifer Faringer

N

ew York state on Jan. 8 unleashed mobile sports betting (MSB), and by doing so, exponentially increased the risks of problem gambling for New Yorkers.

During the first two weeks, estimates suggest there were $1.62 billion wagered and $113 million of revenue generated.

What is not discussed however is the other side of the story. The cost of the potential impact that gambling has on the life of the individual placing the bet, as well as the subsequent impact on their families, is hard to calculate. Estimates suggest if this trend continues, issues related to problem gambling could result in an estimated $4.9 million lost daily, a figure that could reach $1.8 billion in one year!

Gambling can lead to loss of income and an increased risk of domestic violence and suicide, as well as other mental and physical health risks. One in five suicide attempts is associated with problem gambling.

With the legalization and expansion of sports betting we can expect to see increasing numbers of individuals developing risky or problem gambling behaviors, some of which may evolve into a serious gambling disorder. Young people will also be more easily drawn into sports betting with iGambling and eSports.

The industry, as well as lawmak-

Page 18 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

ers, have described the launch of MSB as one that exceeded all expectations — not only in revenue generated but also in breaking records for the sheer number of bets placed and new accounts opened. Out of all MSB accounts, nearly 88 percent were new.

The gambling industry has begun an unprecedented surge in marketing of online gambling through all forms of media, including enticing imagery, offering start-up dollars to gamble, and other messaging that can be characterized as predatory in nature.

It’s time to have the conversation, consider the risks, and know the trends. Gambling is a silent addiction, often lacking in the visible signs and symptoms associated with alcohol and drug misuse.

For more resources on identifying and preventing problem gambling among adults and youth, visit the NCADD-RA’s website at https:// ncadd-ra.org (type “underage gambling” in search mentu) or join the conversation on Facebook at www. facebook.com/NCADDRA. Jennifer Faringer is the director, DePaul’s NCADD-RA (National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence-Rochester Area).

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health Issues Can Decrease Longevity Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia can shrink lives of people by 25 years

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

P

eople with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia have “a substantially reduced life expectancy compared with the general population,” according to a study published by the National Institutes of Health.

As many as 25 potential years could be lost compared with someone without a disorder.

Further studies link depression and anxiety to shorter lifespan and not only because of raised risk of death by suicide. Although risk of suicide increases with depression and is a very important issue, that risk is statistically minimal compared with other risk factors for decreasing longevity. Mental health’s effect on longevity stems from multiple issues.

Increased risk of substance use and alcohol abuse among people with untreated mental health issues can contribute to reduced lifespan.

Some self-treat mental health with substances or alcohol instead of or in addition to seeking mental healthcare.

“Alcohol addiction is a significant contributor to liver and pancreatic diseases, ulcers and cancer,” said physician George S. Nasra, professor of clinical psychiatry at University of Rochester Medical Center and chief of psychiatry division of collaborative care and wellness.

People not receiving needed mental healthcare are less likely to perform vital self-care such as eating a balanced diet, engaging in physical activity regularly and monitoring chronic physical health issues.

“The majority of the premature deaths in people with mental illness are thought to be caused by chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory and infectious diseases, diabetes and hypertension,” Nasra said.

Many of these outcomes stem from lack of self-care and preventive medicine. Untreated depression and other mental illnesses can leave people feeling unmotivated to take basic steps to improve their health or misguided on how to improve their health.

Nasra said people with chronic psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia “have significantly poor access to good medical care, engage in unhealthy lifestyles—diet, exercise and smoking—and are exposed to medications with metabolic side effects which increase the risk of obesity, hyperlipidemia and diabetes.”

He added that the effect of a mood disorder on longevity as more harmful as smoking, yet mental health receives far less attention than tobacco use relating to physical health.

While these factors seem logical in reducing longevity, it is still unknown why mental health appears to negatively affect the immune system.

Nasra wants to see improved access to quality healthcare for both physical and mental health.

“Addressing stigma and treating mental illnesses on par with physical illnesses are also important factors in reducing this longevity gap,” Nasra said.

The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act passed in 2008 ensures equal insurance coverage for mental health and physical health issues. However, Nasra said that many times, stigma still attaches a lower level of importance to mental health as viewed by payers, providers and patients.

“One way to address the stigma of mental health and improve access is through the integration of behavioral and physical health care which would provide a more holistic

approach and reduce some of the barriers for access,” Nasra said.

Kelly Herron is a board-certified OB-GYN and board-certified internal medical physician certified in integrative and functional medicine. She operates Hygeia Life in Rochester.

She encourages people to work on mitigating stress, improving quality and quantity of sleep and physical activity.

“Exercise is really important,” Herron said. “A lot of research says it improves mood, brain function, helps prevent dementia. It’s really important to have regular exercise and to find something you enjoy so you’ll want to keep doing it.”

Jess Germano-Fokin, Ph.D., and owner of Seasons of Change Wellness in Rochester, is also a big believer in exercise. She tells her patients that “movement is medicine. It’s healing.

If we lose that movement, our brains and bodies start to deplete. Atrophy starts to set in, which can have a huge impact on longevity.”

She added that movement releases the body’s natural “feel good” hormones that help improve mood.

Germano-Fokin promotes the integrative model of wellbeing for mental and physical health, along with healthy relationships. A disruption in one often leads to disruption in another. Of course, medication for physical and mental health may be needed; however, “lifestyle changes can be very powerful,” she said.

“Someone may think they need to go on anti-anxiety or antidepressants, but you can stabilize and manage and maintain without medication sometimes.”

‘You’re Not Listening to Me!’

By Nicki Ditch

H

ow many times have you felt unheard or may have contributed to another person feeling unheard?

Communication has intricate parts that continuously move. It’s a complex and dynamic process. No wonder that it often goes wrong. It takes practice to communicate in ways that all parties feel heard. Since a felt sense of safety is a necessary element of honest and compassionate communication, I’ve formulated the acronym “SAFE” to guide you.

1. Shift your intentions. Let your goal be to understand the other person rather than to be right. To shift your mindset from debate mode to curious mode, imagine a toggle switch in your mind that you flip from “debate” to “curiosity.”

2. Ask curious questions. As difficult as it may be, work to stay in curious mode. This is hard to do, especially if you are being criticized by the other person. Our natural tendency is to defend ourselves when we feel attacked or challenged. Rather than acting on the urge to defend yourself (“I did that because you…”), ask open-ended questions. “What do you wish I did instead?”

3. Factcheck. We wrongly assume and interpret more often than we care to know. Being wrong feels threatening but when we check our assumptions and interpretations, accept our mistakes, and work to get it right, we give ourselves and our loved ones the gifts of understanding and connection.

4. Erase “why?” from your questioning and replace it with “what?”

When we ask a person “why?” we

are telling that person to explain and defend himself then we get upset with the other person does just that.

“Why are you so angry at me?” can be changed to, “What about what I said has you feeling angry?”

Working to understand rather than to be right takes courage and practice. Don’t give up! When people feel understood, they are more willing to be understanding.

Nicki Ditch is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) and the owner of In Truth Mental Health Counseling in Webster.

Contact In Truth Mental Health Counseling at 585-210-3663.

April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 19

said Gail Weisner, physician assistant, licensed clinical social worker owner of Holistic Health Counseling in Rochester. “When exposed to unavoidable stress, we use our resilience and coping skills. When people feel that they have control of their environment or how they respond to it, they feel better.”

• Why it works: Stress is bad for health, but by turning off the body’s inflammatory “fight or flight” response from a perpetually enacted state to only when needed, patients experience lower levels of inflammation.

• Caveats: Patients must continue to practice relaxation-meditation methods to continue to see its positive effects. Some stressors are lifelong.

4. Self-hypnosis

TOP INTEGRATIVE HEALTH MODALITIES IN ROCHESTER Some tips to help you live better

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

ntegrative health “brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way,” according to the National Institutes of Health, This can include multiple interventions in addition to conventional medicine. Integrative health is on the rise. According to www.goodtherapy. com, almost 69% of Americans use some form of complementary medicine in any given year.

The most popular modalities are (in order): massage therapy, chiropractic care, nutrition counseling, health/life coaching, acupuncture, reflexology, detoxification, B12 shots, acupressure and alternative healing, as listed on www.mindbodybusiness. com.

The growth in popularity is particularly notable considering many people pay for these services in full.

Although chiropractic care is some-

times covered by health insurance, typically complementary modalities are out-of-pocket expenses.

The Rochester area offers numerous integrative health modalities from a large variety of providers. Here are five of them:

1. Functional Medicine • How it works: Providers “focus on the core of why people have symptoms,” said Kelly Herron, board-certified in OB-GYN, integrative medicine and functional medicine and working as a solo practitioner at Hygeia Life in Rochester.

• Why it works: “I focus on a comprehensive history with the patient, food first as medicine, and treating the gut, which affects everything,” Herron said. “You often get resolution with systemic issues.”

• Caveats: “It takes time, as I delve into what their symptoms are and take time to address them,” Herron

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said. “We make comprehensive food elimination plans.”

Patients must be willing to adhere to the program.

2. Lifestyle Health Coaching • How it works: “We look at exercise, avoiding toxins and specific food plans,” Herron said. “Stress is killing most of us. I help people understand and process their situations so they can develop a better coping system.

I help people understand how what they do every day affects how they will feel over the next 15 to 20 years.”

• Why it works: It provides lasting results because people improve health-altering behaviors.

• Caveats: It is difficult to change long-established habits.

3. Relaxation/Meditation • How it works: “Directly, it improves coping for stress that’s unavoidable,”

• How it works: “It’s about using your imagination to help you feel the way you want to feel,” Weisner said.

“There are some simple techniques that people can use to see themselves functioning better in their imagination and that helps them to feel more positive about life. Clinical hypnosis can help change habits and behaviors.

I might also teach self-hypnosis so people facing something difficult can see themselves accomplishing it and remain calm and become successful.”

• Why it works: “Many people find it instantly calming and it brightens their mood,” Weisner said. “They’re imagining they’re in a place where they were safe, secure and happy.”

• Caveats: People must be willing to work on imagining the sensory imagery of a place of comfort to achieve their desired results for self-hypnosis.

5. Detoxifying • How it works: “I teach them to avoid environmental toxins,” Weisner said.

These can include chemicals in personal care and household products and non-organic foods.

• Why it works: Eliminating chemicals that irritate or tax the body’s systems will enable these systems to function at their optimal ability and thereby promote good health.

• Caveats: “There are some toxins we can’t avoid,” Weisner said.

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7 COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH MODALITIES YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW ABOUT

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Y

ou may be familiar with many of the more commonplace complementary health modalities; however, some are less well-known than others. These are all available in the Rochester area.

1. Moxibustion • What it is: “It is the burning of mugwort,” said Stephen Sedita, licensed acupuncturist with NeuroloQi Acupuncture in Rochester. “In Chinese medicine, there are different ‘flavors’ of medicine. The moxa or mugwort puts ‘hot’ energy back in the body. Moxa is one of the few ways to add energy.”

• How it’s used: “It’s only mugwort and only the heat is released,” Sedita said. “It’s not aromatherapy. We have smokeless moxa. It’s charcoal version of it. It comes in a stick like a cigar and you hold it over the point you’re working on. It doesn’t touch the skin.”

• Why it’s used: “Pain, digestive issues and in some cases, to calm emotions,” Sedita said. “From the Chinese medicine side of things, it is used for heat deficiency which can manifest in many different ways, like infertility and chronic pain.”

• Caveats: “If someone has a loss of their ability to feel temperature, you wouldn’t want to use it because you wouldn’t want to burn someone.”

2. Gua Sha • What it is: “It means ‘scraping’ in Chinese,” Sedita said. “It’s a way to help release the tissue, whether muscle or tendon. It’s for soft tissue work.”

• How it’s used: “There are various tools for doing it,” Sedita said. “It has a firm surface. Japanese soup spoons are often used. There’s usually some

type of oil or you can do it dry. It can be uncomfortable so lubrication help.

• Why it’s used: “In instances where the muscle or tissue feels tight, Gua Sha can help,” Sedita said. “Some people claim they feel tension but it’s not tight and you have the opposite true.: • Caveats: “If someone’s really hairy, you don’t want to do it over the hair. If there’s any lesions or wounds, you wouldn’t want to do it over the wound, or on a bone spur or a fresh scar, burns or acne. Someone who has had a stroke and has a clot in the neck, you wouldn’t want to dislodge the clot.”

3. Tuina • What it is: “It means ‘grass pull’ in China is its own specialty,” Sedita said. “Imagine chiropractic, massage and physical therapy elements all in one.”

Practitioners using tuina apply pressure to different acupressure points and groups of muscles and nerves.

• How it’s used: “It moves fluid and the blood,” Sedita said.

• Why it’s used: “I use it for pretty much everything,” Sedita said. “It gets to the physiology, the chi, blood and body fluids. Everything is interconnected. It is a more complete treatment. In China, it takes seven years of training to do tuina. Some of the more chiropractic techniques of it I have not learned so I would not do those.

“It’s very helpful for children 2 or below. You generally don’t want to needle them. You can treat almost any condition with tuina with young kids, even neurological things. It’s an adjunct therapy to everything. What technique I use and where depends on what I’m treating. It’s similar to massage with soft tissue work for pain and other issues.”

• Caveats: “You cannot do it over

wounds or acne. Some people don’t like massage or being touched.”

4. Ear Seeds • What it is: “There’s an entire branch of acupuncture,” Sedita said. “The ear seeds are actual seeds like mustard seeds or poppy seeds or even metal balls. It’s taped on points on someone’s ear.”

• How it’s used: “Between treatments, they can press them to provide an adjunct to the treatment,” Sedita said.

This pressure would stimulate the acupressure point accessed during their previous session.

• Why it’s used: “It’s good for migraines, pain and all kinds of addictions,” Sedita said.

• Caveats: “Allergy to tape or any kind of open wound,” Sedita said.

5. Dry Brushing • What it is: The practitioner moves a coarse, natural-fiber bristle brush in a pattern on the skin over the whole body either dry or with an oil.

• How it’s used: “It’s beneficial on a few levels,” said Amanda Wells, licensed massage therapist with CNY Healing Arts, which has locations in Rochester. “The most noticeable is it’s exfoliating to the skin, resulting in smooth, radiant skin. It gets the blood flowing. It supports the lymph system, which is in charge of the immune system. It gets lymph moving.

It helps with the immune system. We also use an almond oil which is high in vitamin E. Rosemary peppermint oil is optional. It opens the skin and nourishes it.”

• Why it’s used: “It’s nice to do in the winter as we get stagnant in our bodies,” Wells said. “It helps our health in the winter when we’re less active. It’s also good for warmer months as it helps with removing dead, dry skin, which is nice when you’re wearing shorts.”

• Caveats: “We don’t do it during pregnancy,” Wells said. “If someone has open skin, we wouldn’t want to do it then

or frail, thin skin.”

6. Biofield Tuning • What it is: The practitioner uses tuning forks of specific frequencies near a client lying on a table, fully clothed.

• How it’s used: “As you go through life and have difficult or traumatic events--everything from you’re five and moving and won’t see your best friend again to really major accidents and injuries--some of the energy in the event is held in the energy field around the body and it ties up your lifeforce,” said Carol McCoon, licensed massage therapist at Wheeler Healthy U in East Rochester. “If you’re 40, 50, 60 years old, all these events are tying up your lifeforce.”

• Why it’s used: People who seek it often feel they have little energy or motivation or are recovering from a major health issue.

“After multiple sessions, more and more of their lifeforce is returned to their body and is available for the body’s natural healing ability,” McCoon said.

• Caveats: It is contraindicated for people who are pregnant, in the middle of cancer treatments or are severely obese.

7. Eminus Mirus (EM) Energy Medicine • What it is: “It’s like a request, asking the universal chi—the energy available to all of us—to examine and find and address what might be causing problems,” McCoon said.

• How it’s used: “Let’s say a child has a recurring strep throat,” she said.

“With the EM request, the strep bacteria is eliminated from the body.”

• Why it’s used: “It can be used to address almost anything,” McCoon said. “It supports a person’s health for many different diseases.”

• Caveats: “Similar to tuning, there are people who should not have it, like those who are pregnant or undergoing chemotherapy or radiation. It’s used in conjunction with and not instead of Western medicine.”

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April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 21

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By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

M

any people think of genetic counselors as only pertaining to couples having a baby. However, their work spans the lifetime and can take place in many different settings.

“Genetic counselors are healthcare professionals who work with individuals, families, and other healthcare professionals to help them understand how genetic information impacts their lives or the lives of their patients,” said Kim Provenzano, nurse practitioner with Rochester Regional Health specializes in genetics.

In this role, they help families understand their health history for managing their own conditions and understanding how it can affect their family. They may work in a clinic, lab or research facility.

The most hands-on setting is in a medical clinic, which can include prenatal genetics, pediatric genetics or adult genetics. The least handson setting is in a lab, which is where the testing takes place. Genetic counselors perform the tests and advise medical personnel on how to interpret them. In education, genetic counselors research genetics and teach others who desire to enter the field.

The required degree to be a genetic counselor is a Master of Science in genetic counseling.

“The specific prerequisite courses differ for each school, but typically include some courses in genetics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, biology, statistics, and/or psychology,” said Mystimarie Geiger, genetic counselor with Wilmot Cancer Institute’s hereditary cancer screening and risk reduction program.

A knack for science is helpful. After earning the master’s degree, the candidate must pass the Mysti Geiger American Board of Genetic Counseling national certification exam.

Geiger added that a background in counseling, patient care or other hands-on role can help prepare a candidate.

“Genetic counselors are one of the few medical providers who have the time in their schedule to really sit down and speak with a patient,” she said. “Most genetic counseling sessions take about an hour and the genetic counselor will spend a good portion of that time educating their

Page 22 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

patient and providing them with psychosocial support.”

Patients seek genetic testing for very serious reasons.

What interventions may my baby need?

Do I carry a gene mutation indicating Kim Provenzano a predisposition to a disease? How will my genetics affect my cancer treatment?

“You have to have empathy and be able to put yourself in patients’ shoes,” said Jessica Salamone, a certified genetic counselor and director of genetic counseling and cancer risk assessment at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care in Rochester. “You have to have difficult conversations with patients, once-in-a-lifetime conversations. Ten to 12 times a day, you’re doing this.”

Most patients know little about genetics, so genetic counselors must know how to help make complex facts simple. Adapting to meet various patients’ communication styles represents a continual challenge for genetic counselors.

They must also act as detectives at times. Salamone said that many people do not know much about their grandparents’ or even their parents’ health. Many will not bring up information that they think is irrelevant but is actually important.

“You have to pull out information,” Salamone said.

Genetic counselors communicate with patients, their primary care providers, lab personnel and insurance representatives.

The field is also challenging because the science on genetics changes quickly. As with most medical fields, continuing education credits and periodic exams are required to maintain board certification. Genetic counselors can promote to managerial roles.

“It’s incredibly fulfilling,” Salamone said. “I don’t go home wondering what I did for the world.

You change people’s lives and that’s an every day, every moment feeling.

It doesn’t mean it’s all rainbows and sunshine, but you know you’re impacting people positively. People are thankful that you’re meeting them in the middle of a crisis. You see some of the weight come off as they know what is going on and they will have a plan.

“I’m very proud of the work I do as difficult as it is. It’s a privilege to sit in that sacred place where patients trust you.”

Ziprecruiter.com estimates the annual wage in Rochester as $79,341.

By Jim Miller

What to Do with Cremated Ashes

Wellness reinvented.

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Dear Savvy Senior,

A while back I saw an article on different ways to scatter a person’s ashes after they’re cremated, but I’ve misplaced it. Can you help me with this? I’m preplanning my funeral and would like to include instructions on what to do with my remains.

— Planning Ahead

Dear Planning, There’s no shortage of options when it comes to handling or disposing of your cremated remains after you’re gone. Your family can keep, bury or scatter them in a variety of imaginative ways that reflect your life and personality. Here are some different options to consider.

Scatter them: The most popular option is to have your ashes scattered at a location you loved to be, a favorite fishing spot, camping area, golf course, beach, park or at home. If you choose this route, keep in mind that some places, such as national parks, require a permit. And many public areas, like parks or sports stadiums may prohibit scattering.

Store them at home: Many families choose to keep their loved ones close, by storing them at home. If you and your family choses this option, you can purchase a decorative urn through your funeral provider or online at Amazon.com. Or you may want to use an old cookie jar or favorite container that reminds your family of you.

Bury/inter them: The burial option is good if you wish to have a special place for your family to visit. This is also the only option for cremated ashes sanctioned by the Catholic Church, which specifies that ashes of the dead should be kept in sacred places like a cemetery or a columbarium and not kept at home or scattered.

Plant them: If you’re the environmental type, you can have your ashes planted with a tree. There are companies that offer living urns — like TheLivingUrn.com or UrnaBios. com — that mix your ashes with other nutrients that can be used to grow a plant or tree in your yard or a place of your choosing.

Scatter them at sea: If you love the water, there are many businesses that offer ash scattering services at sea, especially close to coastal areas,

Guided exercise classes that can improve balance.

Three restaurants for residents to enjoy a variety of menu items. An engaging social calendar that keeps the mind and body moving. PrimeFit Wellness is on the forefront of or your family could rent a boat and do it themselves. There are also companies like EternalReefs.com that offer reef memorials so your ashes can rest on the ocean floor.

Scatter them by air: This option will scatter your ashes into the sky so the particles can be taken by the wind. To do this, they could hire a private plane, helicopter or hot air balloon service, or use a balloon scattering service like Mesoloft.com. Or they could even send your ashes into outer space with Celestis.com.

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Turn them into a record: If you love music, a UK company called Vinlyly (Andvinyly.com) will turn your ashes into a vinyl record. You supply the music (or voice recording) and cover image, and the company creates a memorial that your family can listen to for years to come.

Turn them into jewelry or glass: If you love jewelry or glass trinkets, there are companies – like CloseByMeJewelry.com, SpiritPieces. com and ArtFromAshes.com – that will turn your ashes into wearable jewelry or glass art memorials.

Go out with a bang: If you’re a hunter or a gun lover, a company called Holy Smoke (MyHolySmoke. com) will create loaded ammunition out of cremated remains. Your family could store the ammo in the engraved wooden box it comes in, or they can send you off in a gun salute.

Turn them into art: If you love art, arrange for an artists or family member to paint your portrait, or a picture, with some of your ashes mixed into the paint. Or, if your family is into tattoos, many tattoo artists will mix some ashes with ink to create a memorial tattoo.

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.

D E PAUL

April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 23

Ask St. Ann’s

By Kim Petrone, MD

How Do Our Dietary Needs Change As We Age?

G

ood nutrition is important at any stage of life. A healthy, balanced diet provides our bodies with the nutrients we need to function, grow and heal properly.

But as we age, healthy eating takes on new importance. Our bodies become less efficient at absorbing and using vitamins and minerals.

At the same time our appetites may decrease, meaning we take in less of what our bodies need. That’s why, as we get older, we need to be vigilant in making sure the foods we eat are nutritious and healthy.

The National Council on Aging offers these tips to help you find the best foods for your body: 1. Look for important nutrients.

Make sure you eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. A healthy meal should include: • Lean protein (lean meats, seafood, eggs, beans) • Fruits and vegetables • Whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat pasta) • Low-fat dairy Pick nutrient-dense foods — they provide more nutrition with less calories. For example, roasted skinless chicken breast vs. chicken wings, an apple vs. slice of apple pie. Also, look for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, minerals, and dietary fiber, which our bodies need as we age.

2. Read the Nutrition Facts label.

The healthiest foods are whole foods — those that have been processed or refined as little as possible and are free from additives or other artificial ingredients. These are often found on the perimeter of the grocery store in the produce, meat and dairy sections. When you do eat packaged foods, read the labels to find items that are lower in fat, added sugars and sodium (salt).

3. Know what a healthy plate looks like.

Start with a few of these small changes to create a healthy plate: • Make half your plate fruits and

vegetables. Focus on whole fruits and a variety of vegetables.

• Make half your grains whole grains.

• Move to low-fat and fat-free dairy items.

• Vary your protein routine. (5-7 oz. per day is ideal.) Vary your protein choices between meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, beans and lentils.

The USDA offers guidelines and tips for healthy eating at www. choosemyplate.gov. It’s a helpful resource for meeting your calorie and nutrient needs.

4. Stay hydrated Water is an important nutrient, so don’t let yourself get dehydrated.

Drink small amounts of fluids consistently throughout the day. Herbal tea and water are your best choices.

Keep fluids with sugar and caffeine at a minimum.

Good Diet = Maximum Benefits Giving your body the right nutrients can help you stay healthy, independent and maintain a healthy weight. You’ll also reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. If you have a chronic disease, eating well can help to manage the disease.

And by choosing the healthy foods you like best, it can be enjoyable too! That’s important in developing a routine of eating right and getting the most from your diet.

Physician Kim Petrone is the medical director of St. Ann’s Community.

She is board-certified in internal medicine and geriatrics and has been providing medical care for seniors at St. Ann’s since 2005. Contact her at kpetrone@mystanns.com or visit www.stannscommunity.com.

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Guard Your Card: Protect What’s Important to You

e encourage you not to carry your Social Security card with you every day.

The best way to guard your card is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough. In 49 states and the District of Columbia, a Social Security card isn’t required to request a real ID. Only Pennsylvania requires it.

Please be careful about sharing your number when asked for it. You should always ask why your number is needed, how it will be used, and what will happen if you refuse. Also, you shouldn’t carry documents that display your number.

If you need a replacement Social Security card, we make it easy. You may be able to use a personal my Social Security account to request a

Q&A

Q: I’m 65, not ready to retire, but I want to apply for my Medicare coverage. How can I do that?

A: The easiest and most convenient way is to apply online. Use our online application to sign up for Medicare. It takes less than 10 minutes. In most cases, once your application is submitted electronically, you’re done. There are no forms to sign and usually no documentation is required. Social Security will process your application and contact you if we need more information. You’ll receive your Medicare card in the mail. It’s convenient, quick and easy.

There’s no need to drive to a local Social Security office or wait for an appointment with a Social Security representative. Get started today at www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare.

Q: How do I get a copy of the form, Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs?

A: If you wish to apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs, we recommend you use our online application at www. ssa.gov/i1020. You can find instruction sheets in 15 different languages to help you understand the English application at www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp. If you prefer not to fill out this application online, you can call our toll-free number, 1-800-7721213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), to ask for a paper application. Also, you can make an appointment at your local Social Security office to apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Page 24 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

replacement on our website. If you live in one of 46 participating states or the District of Columbia, and are requesting a replacement card with no changes, like a name change, you can use our free online service at www.ssa.gov/myaccount/replacement-card.html.

• Visit our Social Security Number and Card page at www.ssa.gov/ ssnumber to learn more about your Social Security card.

• Read our factsheet, “How You Can Help Us Protect Your Social Security Number and Keep Your Information Safe,” at www.ssa.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10220.pdf • Our “Guard Your Card” infographic at, www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ assets/EN-05-10553.pdf, is another great resource to understand whether you need to show your card.

Please share these resources with your friends, and family — and post them on social media.

Q: I’m going to visit relatives outside the country for two weeks. Can I still get Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) payments while I’m there?

A: Your SSI usually will stop if you leave the United States for 30 consecutive days or more. Since you are going to be away for only two weeks, your SSI should not be affected. However, it’s important that you tell Social Security the date you plan to leave and the date you plan to come back. Then we can let you know whether your SSI will be affected. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Q: Can a noncitizen get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

A: The laws and regulations concerning noncitizens differ for Social Security and SSI programs. Social Security administers both, even though they have different eligibility requirements. Some noncitizens do qualify for SSI. See Supplemental Security Income (SSI) For Noncitizens at www.ssa.gov/pubs for more information.

Q: My brother had an accident at work last year and is now receiving Social Security disability benefits. His wife and son also receive benefits. Before his accident, he helped support another daughter by a woman he never married. Is the second child entitled to benefits?

A: The child may qualify for Social Security benefits even though your brother wasn’t married to the second child’s mother. The child’s caretaker should file an application on her behalf. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov.

Health News Suzanne Turchetti named president of HCR Home Care HCR Home Care recently announced the promotion of Suzanne Turchetti as its new president.

In this role, she is responsible for all non-clinical administrative operations, including human resources, contracts, corporate compliance, communications, public relations and information technologies. Turchetti joined the company in 2005.

“Suzanne has risen through the ranks and excelled in every role she has held because of her vast knowledge of the company, her hard work, her unique skills and her ability to collaborate with company leadership and Suzanne Turchetti staff,” said Louise Woerner, HCR Home Care founder and CEO. “Having worked side by side with Suzanne for nearly two decades, I know that she is supremely qualified to take on this new role and to help lead HCR into the future.”

Turchetti serves on the Home Care Association of New York State board of directors and is a member of the Home Care 100’s Intelligence group that works to drive exceptional performance for home health and hospice providers. She also serves as corporate secretary for HCR Cares and as a director and executive committee member of Dress for Success Rochester.

A resident of Irondequoit, Turchetti earned a bachelor’s degree from Siena College.

Rickett Named Director of F.F. Thompson Foundation Heather Rickett is the new director of the F.F. Thompson Foundation, Inc., the fundraising arm of the nonprofit UR Medicine Thompson

Local Alzheimer’s Association Gets $500,000 Grant from Golisano Foundation

T

he Alzheimer’s Association Rochester Finger Lakes Chapter announced that it has received a $500,000 grant from the Golisano Foundation for phase 2 of its IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities) health initiative.

In addition to Rochester, the initiative extends to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Western New York Chapter in Buffalo and the South West Florida Chapter in Clearwater, Florida.

“People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are experiencing an unprecedented

Health.

A Bloomfield resident, Rickett stepped into her new role Feb. 28.

She has been with Thompson for six years, having first joined the foundation in 2016 as a development specialist, with a promotion to manager in June of 2021.

Rickett, a graduate of St. Heather Rickett John Fisher College, is a certified fundraising professional (CFRE). Prior to Thompson, she worked for Catholic Charities Community Services in Rochester for more than 20 years, including nine as its development coordinator. Her volunteer endeavors include serving as a board of education member for the Bloomfield Central School District and as a board member for the Rochester Music Hall of Fame.

“Heather is a dynamic person with a wealth of experience and a true passion for ensuring our health system has the resources it needs to continue growing and meeting the changing needs of our community,” said Dale Hunt, chairman of the board of directors for the foundation.

“The board looks forward to working with her in her new role as she partners with supporters of Thompson who share her vision for our patients, residents, associates and volunteers.

We know she will do a top-notch job.”

administration.

After working in a clinical setting, she worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for over 38 years holding a variety of teaching and administrative Waterstram-Rich positions. At RIT, she holds the title of professor emeritus in the College of Health Sciences and Technology and the College of Science.

Based in Brighton, HCR Cares is a 501(c)(3) organization. It was founded in 1979.

JSL launches Clare & Jerry Rotenberg Institute on Aging

Kristen Waterstram-Rich has been named chairwoman of HCR Cares, a nonprofit partner of HCR Home Care.

HCR Cares focuses on addressing barriers to independent living and nursing-workforce shortages through research projects and educational initiatives.

Waterstram-Rich has an educational background in nuclear medicine technology and health systems

Jewish Senior Life is launching a new initiative thanks to the generous support of donors Clare and Jerry Rotenberg.

The Clare & Jerry Rotenberg Institute on Aging will encompass several aspects to assist seniors and caregivers with experiences associated with aging and to expand Jewish Senior Life’s outreach into the community.

“The Clare & Jerry Rotenberg Institute on Aging at JSL will serve as the hub for knowledge and innovation on all aspects of aging — physical, social, emotional and spiritual.

We are extremely grateful for the Rotenberg’s continued support of our community and our residents,” says Michael King, JSL resident and chief executive officer.

Most on-campus offerings will be held in Jewish Senior Life’s Learning Center, which currently provides state-of-the art technology including embodied labs, an immersive, virtual reality learning experience imitating different effects of aging. The center also has a patient care simulator designed to replicate a variety of care scenarios to build skills and confidence for caregivers — professional and personal. Program topics include, but are not limited to: heart

increase in longevity and, consequently, facing more age-related challenges, including the development of dementia,” said Teresa Galbier, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association Rochester Finger Lakes Chapter. “There are limited training and health system supports for professional and family caregivers of people with IDD as they develop and live with dementia. This generous funding will help address that gap.”

For adults with Down syndrome, the lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s disease is 90%, and it is the leading cause of death. By age 60, at least 50% of people with Down syndrome already have clinical evidence of dementia.

The grant will be distributed over two years, with $300,000 in 2022 and $200,000 in 2023, and will enable the Alzheimer’s Association

to hire additional staff to oversee the program in each of the three regions — Rochester, Buffalo, and Southwest Florida. The program will use a comprehensive approach that targets a wide range of individuals and organizations influencing the diagnosis, care, and support of individuals with IDD living with dementia.

The program is expected to have the following outcomes: 21 community educators trained; 225 caregivers who receive training from community educators; 300 professional caregivers trained; 675 people with IDD and dementia receive support.

Ann Costello, executive director of the Golisano Foundation said, “The Rochester Finger Lakes Chapter has a proven track record of successfully training providers who serve individuals with intellectual disabilities and dementia. Their

Kristen Waterstram-Rich named chairwoman of HCR Cares

health, outpatient therapy, memory care, driving safety, and more. The expansion into the community would incorporate events at area senior centers, farmer’s markets, local festivals, and venues of other collaborators.

“Our goal for the institute is to address healthy aging and meaningful life for residents that live on campus, but also serve older adults and their families in Greater Rochester by establishing Jewish Senior Life as the place to go for support, guidance, insights and practical approaches on aging,” said Clare and Jerry Rotenberg.

Physician assistant joins Farmington Family Medicine Physician assistant Beth Beasley joined Farmington Family Medicine effective Feb. 28.

A Geneva resident, Beasley has been a physician assistant for more than 20 years, serving in both family practice and emergency medicine settings.

With a bachelor’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Beth Beasley Butler University in Indianapolis, she moved to Upstate New York from Indiana in 2020 to be closer to family and most recently worked at an urgent care center in Canandaigua. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and anticipates completing her doctorate in medical science at Butler later this year.

Located at 5505 Route 96, Farmington Family Medicine was founded in 1985 by physician Marc S. Zarfes.

The practice became affiliated with F.F. Thompson Hospital in 2014 and is certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Patient-Centered Medical Home.

Zarfes retired from the practice in (continued on page 27) expertise along with the proposed expansion of training will significantly increase the number of qualified professionals, family caregivers, and volunteers available to provide the best possible care for the growing number of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who need help to improve their quality of life.”

“The Rochester Finger Lakes Chapter has supported people with IDD who have dementia for more than 15 years,” Galbier said. From 2019 to 2021, in partnership with the Golisano Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association developed and piloted a model for building a dementia-capable IDD workforce by preparing 15 individuals from four IDD agencies within the Buffalo and Rochester areas to train and support 230 of their colleagues.

April 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • Page 25

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Page 26 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • April 2022

Health News (continued from page 25) 2021. Physician Morgan Paul is slated to join the practice in July.

Friendly Senior Living hires chef, HR vice president Friendly Senior Living recently announced the hiring of two professionals.

• Mary Anne Detmer has been hired as vice president of human resources. Detmer will be responsible for leading Friendly Senior Living’s HR strategy and initiatives. She comes to the organization from Kodak, where she Mary Anne Detmer served as human resources director for the United States, Canada and Latin America. “With Mary Anne’s expertise in all facets of human resources, including talent acquisition, retention, employee relations and perfor-

mance management, I am sure that she will be a tremendous asset to our organization,” said Glen Cooper, president & CEO. Detmer holds a Master of Science degree in career and human resources management from the Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts in communications and business administration from SUNY Oswego. She resides in Pittsford.

• Michael Macri joins Cloverwood Senior Living as its executive chef. Chef Macri comes to Cloverwood from the Genesee Valley Club. He is an accomplished executive chef and leader with the proven ability to inspire culinary teams to produce world-class Michael Macri cuisine and achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction. “Chef Mike’s expertise, innovation and creativity are certain to provide our residents with an unparalleled dining experience,” Richard Finn, Cloverwood’s executive director said. “We couldn’t be prouder to welcome an individual of

Chef Mike’s caliber to our community.”

An American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef (CEC) since 2005, Chef Macri attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Among his numerous accomplishments, he was named chef of the year in 2008 and 2019 by the American Culinary Federation, Rochester Chapter. Chef Macri resides in Canandaigua.

UR School of Nursing jumps to 23rd in NIH rankings The University of Rochester School of Nursing jumped six spots, landing at No. 23 in the annual ranking of research funding received from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The UR School of Nursing has now ranked in the top 25 among all nursing schools five times in the past seven years, according to historical data compiled by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.

For the fiscal year 2021, the UR School of Nursing received more than $3.1 million in research support from the NIH, its highest single-year total since 2009 when the school

ranked seventh in the nation with $4.3 million in NIH funding.

“The University of Rochester School of Nursing has a rich tradition of groundbreaking research that has advanced the science of nursing and made substantial impacts on patient care,” said Dean Kathy Rideout.

“Consistently ranking among the best nursing schools in the country for NIH funding is a recognition of the important work being done at our school and a testament to the contributions made across the research enterprise.”

“The jump in the NIH rankings is wonderful, though it only addresses a portion of the research being conducted in the school,” said Associate Dean for Research Sally Norton. “The growth of our research mission is attributable to a strong commitment to a vibrant research culture within the School of Nursing and made possible through the hard work and cutting-edge science of our terrific faculty, research teams, post-docs, students, and our team in the Harriet J. Kitzman Center for Research Support.”

The NIH is the largest public funding source for biomedical research in the world, investing more than $43 billion annually to enhance health, increase life spans, and reduce illness and disability.

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