NOVEMBER 2023
Cover Story How research and outreach are improving mental health management for farmers, pg. 6 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | NOVEMBER 2023 1
Contents Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com
About Us
Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad. Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.—
6 Seniors: When you exercise your body, you can boost brain health, too
18 How the top barriers to upskilling American workers impact the workforce
COVER STORY 9 How research and outreach are improving mental health management for farmers
20 Against the backdrop of American Diabetes Month: A time to reframe how we think of type 1 diabetes
12 The gift of giving: Use holiday spirit to instill meaningful values in children 16 Make merry memories! Four tips for successful homemade holidays
Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue. As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support! Sincerely, Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag
Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent. Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com ruralleadermagazine@gmail.com
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Seniors: When you exercise your body, you can boost brain health, too Physical fitness is important as you age, improving strength, flexibility and balance. Research shows that your morning stretch, daily walk or weekly fitness class is doing more than just helping your body feel its best; it’s supporting your brain health, too. Staying physically active can help older adults maintain - and even improve - mental function, while lowering the risk of developing chronic illness. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, regular exercise can reduce a person’s risk of developing dementia by approximately 30%, and for Alzheimer’s specifically, that risk can be reduced by 45%. In addition to risk reduction, exercise can be beneficial for seniors who are currently experiencing cognitive issues. Physical activity is a common part of treatment plans for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and can help dementia patients manage and potentially reduce symptoms. One exercise program with something for every ability is SilverSneakers, a fitness program available at no cost to Medicare Advantage members in participating health plans to stay physically active, socially engaged and mentally sharp. The program has been serving people aged 65 and older for more than 30 years. It is never too late to start exercising. Even if you start a workout routine later in life, the benefits to your brain and body are abundant. Talk with your doctor about beginning physical fitness and consider options of interest that are available to you. Exercising with friends or joining a fitness class designed for older adults can help you feel comfortable while trying something new. Sims Corbett is a SilverSneakers instructor who is passionate about senior fitness. One of her favorite things about her job is helping older adults discover a passion for exercise and physical activity, even if they’ve never set foot in a gym before. “Members have access to thousands of gyms, in-person and virtual classes, and platforms designed to foster social interaction and mental well-being, which becomes even more important with age. As
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an instructor, I see how regular exercise can benefit everyone, at every age,” said Corbett. SilverSneakers offers our members access to more than 22,000 participating locations with 100+ weekly live virtual classes and 45,000 virtual programs focusing on balance, fall prevention, strength, flexibility, cardiovascular health and much more. Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is underway through Dec. 7 so now is a perfect time for seniors to choose a plan that offers benefits like fitness. For more information and to check eligibility, visit getsilversneakers.com. Senior workout inspiration. If you want to start exercising, Corbett recommends choosing activities you will enjoy. “Fitness should be fun. I encourage seniors to take a moment to think about what they have enjoyed doing in the past and what has piqued their interest over the years. Did you take dance classes growing up? Love to swim? Have you always been curious about yoga? We’re all more likely to continue doing something that we enjoy.” Some SilverSneakers classes that are good for the body and mind include aerobic classes like Cardio Interval, Walk Strong and Line Dancing. These classes can help patients manage and reduce symptoms related to cognitive functioning. When you start, you might decide to exercise with a partner or in a group, which can add a fun social element while keeping each other accountable. However, this is not essential, and even if you exercise alone at home as your schedule allows, you’ll reap many benefits. While fitness classes are great for guided exercise and making new friends, remember that activities like walking, biking or even household chores like gardening, vacuuming or playing with the dog are all good options for moving the body. All movement even standing more - can be beneficial for physical and mental wellness.—
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COVER STORY
How research and outreach are improving mental health management for farmers It’s no secret that farming is a physically demanding job, but the mental and emotional toll of the profession is often stigmatized or ignored. Fortunately, the mental health impact of running a farm is being increasingly studied and, as a result, better understood. For example, Josie Rudolphi, Ph.D. - an assistant professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois and co-director of the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center researches farm stress and mental health, agricultural safety and health and child agricultural injury prevention. “We know that farmers experience really unique work-related stressors,” said Rudolphi. “These in8
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clude the unpredictable nature of commodity prices and environmental conditions, which can tremendously impact their bottom line.” According to Rudolphi, farm finances are a leading source of stress, regardless of what’s happening in the economy, and research shows financial and environmental stress are associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Perhaps this is why the number of people in the agricultural community who experience clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and depression exceeds those who experience similar symptoms in society at large. A survey by Rudolphi and her team found that nearly 60% of young farmers met the criteria for depression, and even more met the criteria for anxiety. For the general population, it’s closer to 20%-30%. GetRuralLeaderMag.com | NOVEMBER 2023 9
Given the prevalence of these mental health struggles, it’s critical that farmers have access to mental health care. Barriers to care. Farmers seeking access to mental health care run into many barriers to care, one of which is simply finding services. In many places in rural America, there aren’t enough providers to meet the community’s mental health care needs. Another challenge farm families face is cost. Because most farmers are independent producers who may operate on very thin margins, mental health care is often considered a luxury or an unnecessary expense. While the lack of mental health resources and the ability to afford them may be discouraging, raising awareness of mental health issues in farming communities is crucial for removing barriers to care. Recognize the signs of mental health issues. When communities know the signs of mental health issues, it can help decrease the stigma for those dealing with these struggles. For example, a change in behavior is one of the main warning signs of anxiety and depression. “When people begin to behave differently, for whatever reason, it’s important to understand why,” said David Merrell, M.D., a regional physician with Syngenta Health Services and the on-site medical doctor for Syngenta in Greensboro, North Carolina. “Don’t wait. If you see a behavioral change, raise the question.” Approaching someone experiencing behaviors outside of the norm gives them an opening to talk about their emotional health, stresses and worries. When approaching people struggling with mental health issues, patience is important. On average, people experiencing mental health issues take more than 10 years to speak up. That can be especially true for the rural community. “Farmers and farm families are typically very self-reliant and can be reluctant to seek help,” said Merrell. “Recognize that everything is therapy. Hobbies, self-reflection and sharing your concerns with
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others are all forms of therapy. The question is, what kind of therapy do you want? Engaging a mental health professional can provide access to a better, higher quality of care.” Help is here. To address the lack of mental health resources for farmers, the USDA has funded four regional farm and ranch assistance networks. They are: * North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center * Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program * Cultivemos * Southern Region Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network Each network has a dedicated website and links to mental health resources and support for farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers. This regional approach is important to meeting the unique needs of each farming community. For example, in the North Central region, Rudolphi and her team are working to deliver mental health literacy programs for agricultural producers and those who work with them, including bankers, retailers, seed dealers and others who know farmers professionally and personally. “We are training these people to be mental health allies,” said Rudolphi. “That includes when it’s necessary to intervene and how to talk about mental health. We still see stigmatization around mental health in these communities, but I think that’s starting to change. Hopefully, through education, increased awareness and shifting attitudes, farmers and their families will be encouraged and empowered to take the steps necessary to enhance their emotional well-being.” To learn more, visit www.SyngentaThrive.com.—
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ent ways you can show thoughtfulness to others, and invite your children to be active participants. After discussing, challenge them to put their ideas into action - it can be as simple as sharing their toys with siblings or friends or making homemade cards for a local nursing home. Including little ones in the planning process and acting on their ideas ignites a desire to help others and provides a great way to unite and make a difference as a family. Alternately, reach out to organizations or charities that need extra help during this season and ask how your young child can support their cause. Family Promise and Meals on Wheels are two examples of national organizations to get involved with. Fostering these practices of kindness builds children’s self-esteem and instills values that will last far beyond the holiday season. Redefine gift giving. Inspire your children to actively participate in the gift-giving process - which doesn’t always have to include a physical object such as a toy or a gift. Giving can also involve discovering methods to bring joy to others through acts of kindness. For example, teach your children that they can display generosity by helping someone build their block tower or soothing a friend who’s sad. Inviting your child to participate in these types of kind gestures will instill empathy and emphasize the significance and impact that performing acts of kindness can have on others.
Practice gratitude Conversations of gratitude are often put off until families are gathered around the Thanksgiving table. Instead, try to make it a daily activity. Use this Thanksgiving - and the entire holiday season - to kick off a family thankfulness practice. One simple way to do this is by making gratitude jars with your little ones: * Collect empty jars or containers around your home and decorate them with any craft items you can find: stickers, tissue paper, magazine clippings, popsicle sticks, buttons or even photos. Don’t forget to include a lid with an opening. * Next, cut paper slips that fold small enough to fit through the opening. * Once your container is complete, set your gratitude process - try keeping the jar on your children’s nightstands to develop an easy pre-bedtime activity. * Encourage your children to write down one thing they are thankful for each day and add it to their jar. This custom helps children develop an attitude for gratitude and appreciation for all that they have in life. Over time, the practice will become a valuable habit that will continue to serve your children long after the holiday feasts have been eaten.—
The gift of giving: Use holiday spirit to instill meaningful values in children
As Thanksgiving approaches, hearts are filled with warmth and the spirit of giving. It’s a time to cherish moments with loved ones and reflect on all of life’s positive aspects. While it’s common for families to focus on turkey feasts and football games this time of year, there’s a deeper layer that is often overlooked - the opportunity to instill meaningful values in children. This holiday season is the perfect time to nurture your little one’s empathy, generosity, compassion and gratitude. Here are four ways, suggested by Joy Turner, Kiddie Academy® Educational Child Care vice president of education, that parents can seize the holiday spirit and inspire it year round. Discuss the reason for the season. Amid the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, it’s easy to forget the true meaning behind celebrations like Thanksgiv12
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ing. Take some time this year to discuss what really makes this season special - quality time with loved ones and meaningful traditions. Consider holiday traditions you loved as a child and how you can share them with your own family. Maybe there’s a special recipe, craft or family outing that you always looked forward to. You can also use the occasion to create new traditions - this is a great opportunity to connect your children to their culture and family and foster a deeper sense of self. Conversations and traditions can help children understand the historical, cultural and familial significance of holidays while creating cherished memories and an appreciation for the season. Encourage acts of kindness. Encouraging children to perform acts of kindness is a great way to teach compassion and empathy. Try striking up a family conversation about differGetRuralLeaderMag.com | NOVEMBER 2023 13
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Make merry memories! Four tips for successful homemade holidays The holiday season is here, which means it’s time to start planning gifts, dinners and more. If you’re looking for a way to add more personal touches to your celebrations, embrace the spirit of homemade holidays. Making personal dishes, gifts and mementos offers a unique opportunity to connect with friends and family. Mopria wants to help you win at homemade holidays this season by offering the following four tips. 1. Get organized. Stress less and enjoy the holidays more by planning ahead. Stay organized by making lists so you can see everything you need to do and buy as the holiday celebrations approach. With your phone in hand and your printer nearby, you can easily make lists and print them off to keep a hard copy wherever you go. For example, if you’re preparing a large meal or hosting many guests, print off the recipes you need - or scan them from books and family recipe cards and make a master shopping list. This way, you can keep track of all the necessary ingredients, even if you have to go to multiple stores along the way. The same idea applies to keeping track of all the gifts you intend to buy for friends and family! 2. Preserve special memories. Honor and preserve cherished moments by creating scrapbooks. The great thing about scrapbooks is that they’re infinitely customizable. Start by choosing a theme. For example, you can create a scrapbook of someone’s wedding and include photos, handwritten notes and quotes to mark the occasion. Or, if you have a traveler in your family, you can create a scrapbook of maps of the places they’ve visited to add more context to their trip photos. There are plenty of scrapbook designs online and cutouts that you can print, cut and shape to decorate the borders of these special memories. Whether a beginner or a pro, there’s no better way than a scrapbook to honor your memories and let your creativity flow. You don’t even have to go to your local print shop to get started. Simply download the Mopria Print 16
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Service app in Google Play for your Android Device, and don’t forget Mopria Scan on Google Play so you can upload and print non-digitized photos. 3. Create holiday gift tags. Do you like to make homemade jams, bath salts, body scrubs, candles and cookies for friends and family? Personalize and elevate your homemade gifts by creating holiday gift tags. Gift tags can take a plain Mason jar and turn it into a specialty jam gift someone may find in a boutique shop. Not only will they make your gifts look more professional, but they also add a touch of personality. Create tags and labels with seasonal or meaningful designs. You can even include a special note with well wishes and suggestions on how to use your homemade food or beauty care product. Add the recipient’s name, date and even the ingredients, so you can track who the gift is for, when it was made and what it contains so you don’t have to guess when handing out presents. 4. Greeting cards. Whether it’s your first year sending one out or an established holiday tradition, sending out holiday greeting cards is a great way to mark the season. Instead of using a printing service, you can design and print your own holiday greeting cards in the comfort of your own home. By printing your own cards, you’ll have more options for personalization. You can easily find free or affordable greeting card designs and templates online that you can customize to fit your style and message. Print and send the perfect card to your loved ones near and far to let them know you’re thinking about them this holiday season. Homemade holidays have never been easier. Using these four tips, your holiday shopping, gift-making and gift-giving will be a breeze, so you can spend more time with your loved ones this season. The Mopria app allows you to print directly to any Mopria certified printer from your Android device. Check to see if your printer is Mopria certified at Mopria.org/Certified-Products. Happy crafting!— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | NOVEMBER 2023 17
How the top barriers to upskilling American workers impact the workforce Employers and workers see a world filled with uncertainty and change - from conversations about AI and automation replacing or helping certain job fields to questions around which skills are needed to thrive in an economy shaped by continuous technological change. One vital way for employees to improve how well they do their jobs and prepare to advance their careers is by upskilling - known as the process of expanding or developing new skills to better perform in a current job or improve career prospects. A new survey, “Closing the Activation Gap: Converting Potential to Performance by Upskilling the Workforce,” reveals how significant barriers to upskilling persist, resulting in fewer women and people of color having access to the skills they need, despite many organizations working to upskill the workforce. The research, conducted by Reputation Leaders and sponsored by DeVry University, provides an in-depth 18
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look at American workers and their growing interest in skills development, which is critical for employee career advancement, as well as for business growth and economic competitiveness. Unequal access and opportunity. The study on upskilling found that women face persistent barriers, showing men are much more likely to report having access to upskilling (73%) than women (56%). This lack of access leaves women at risk of leaving their current employer at twice the rate of men, with 28% reporting they feel stuck in their positions and less able to advance in their careers. On top of that, women cite a lack of time and family priorities as barriers to learning. Also, according to the survey, people of color have the most interest in upskilling, but the least access. The survey found that 80% of Black and 71% of Hispanic workers who do not have access to company-paid upskilling would be very or extremely likely
to use it, as opposed to 62% of white workers. Although 66% of Black, Hispanic, and AAPI workers acknowledge upskilling as necessary for future career development, only 42% currently access company-paid upskilling. This is due in part to systemic barriers - with an average of 37% of Black, Hispanic and AAPI workers agreeing that workplace bias creates impediments to their upskilling goals. The “say/do” gap. This research further indicates that too many American employees are falling through a “say/do gap” - they say ongoing focused skills development is essential to their careers, but do not actually participate. Even with employers (97%) and employees (96%) unanimously agreeing that upskilling is essential to professional success, employers and employees alike acknowledge they could be doing more to take advantage of skills development opportunities or to support access to those opportunities. Only 1 in 3 workers think employers live up to their responsibility to prepare American workers for the future workplace, while employers estimate that only half (51%) of workers use company-paid upskilling offered to them. As the “say/do” gap expands and the labor market undergoes transformations that demand new skill sets, employers and workers must address the systemic obstacles keeping workers from accessing critical opportunities for career growth. “Especially for workers of color and women, the barriers to upskilling make the gap between how they might want to upskill and being able to make that
happen even wider,” said DeVry University’s Chief Inclusion, Belonging and Equity Officer Veronica Calderon. “This puts employers and employees alike at a disadvantage as the world of work and technology continues to evolve.” Finding solutions. A failure to develop a future-ready workforce will have far-reaching, negative effects on productivity, efficiency and economic growth in the U.S. To address the now obvious say/ do gap, workers and employers must take action. Educational institutions, such as DeVry, with flexible and customized programs for learners, can help provide more opportunities for upskilling in a wide variety of fields. In addition, the university’s workforce solutions division, DeVryWorks, marries worker and employer needs to identify and deliver learning solutions. “Today’s jobs economy is evolving at a rapid rate, so the ability for workers to adapt means the difference between career and business success and stagnation,” said Scarlett Howery, vice president, Public Workforce Solutions at DeVry. “Continued skills development and growth is essential not just for employees to excel, but for the continued success of any business or organization.” Learn about educational opportunities in your chosen career field at DeVry.edu.—
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any life-threatening complications occur. One such example of this is a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is a serious complication that develops when you don’t have enough insulin to let blood sugar into your cells. As a result, your liver is forced to break down fat for fuel, producing dangerous levels of acids called ketones in your body that can lead to coma or even death. Unfortunately, for individuals who have undiagnosed type 1 diabetes, DKA is far too often how they find out they have diabetes - with as many as 40% of DKA cases stemming from those who are newly diagnosed. When it comes to type 1 diabetes, early screening may give you more time to prepare. The more you know, the more you can plan ahead. This American Diabetes Month, take control of the future by talking to your doctor about getting screened and participating in The 1 Pledge movement, which is being led
by Sanofi. Take the pledge to get screened for type 1 diabetes at The1Pledge.com, where you can also find more educational information. Follow and use #ScreenForType1 to join the conversation on social media. It’s time that we change the story around type 1 diabetes. Not knowing is simply no longer an acceptable option. Get screened today. Sanofi does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment - information is provided for educational purposes only. Your doctor is the best source of health information. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your health or treatment.—
Against the backdrop of American Diabetes Month: A time to reframe how we think of type 1 diabetes Sponsored by Sanofi
November is American Diabetes Month - a time to come together to bring attention to the different types of diabetes that impact millions of people’s lives. Approximately one in 10 Americans (37.3 million people total) have diabetes. While as many as 95% of these cases are classified as type 2 diabetes, the number of people living with type 1 diabetes is increasing over time. It’s for this reason that moments like American Diabetes Month are critical for raising awareness for the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes, with the goal of ensuring that people of all ages understand the importance of early detection. To do so effectively, however, it’s important that we begin by expanding our collective understanding of type 1 diabetes, which is distinct from type 2 diabetes despite both being forms of “diabetes mellitus.” While type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder, with lifestyle factors playing a role in development, as well 20
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as genetic factors, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that can arise from environmental or genetic factors. Just consider that if anyone in your family has type 1 diabetes, you’re up to 15 times more likely to be diagnosed. Additionally, although type 1 diabetes often develops in children, teens and young adults, it can affect anyone at any age. In fact, recent data show that over 50% of new cases of type 1 diabetes occur in adults. Type 1 diabetes also cannot be prevented or cured. But what’s perhaps most critical to know about type 1 diabetes isn’t just its prevalence, it’s the fact that it can be detected early through autoantibody screenings. Because type 1 diabetes develops in stages over time, there are blood tests that can detect type 1 diabetes before any noticeable symptoms arise, before insulin is required and potentially before GetRuralLeaderMag.com | NOVEMBER 2023 21
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