In Good Health

August 2012 • IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper •

in good FREE

August 2012 • Issue 84 Rochester–Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper

Story on page 10

HighBloodPressure

New BossA former nurse who climbed the ladder in the local healthcare

industry is now the new CEO of

Thompson HealthEating Alone: Create an Inviting ‘Table for One’

Making Complex Health Issues Easy to Understand

Radishes They are a lot like Marilyn

Monroe: pretty on the outside and a lot more

substantial on the inside than you’d ever imagine.

ChiropracticIt treats more than out-of-

whack backs

Good news for chocoholics. Page 11

high blood pressure, the second-highest rate in Upstate New York, according to Excellus. More troubling, many do not take precautions known to help control it. Find out about risks of high blood pressure and how to keep it under control. Page 10

Peter Salgo, a physician at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, is the host of Second Opinion,

produced by Rochester’s WXXI. The show recently won an award for its episode on colon cancer and early detection. Says Elissa Orlando, executive producer: “We created the

show because there was, and still is, no regular health programming on PBS stations.” Story on page 12

Golf gadgets for seniors

31.1 percent of adults in the Finger Lakes region have

• IN GOOD HEALTH – Rochester / Genesee Valley Healthcare Newspaper • August 2012

Sponsored by the Monroe County Medical Society, Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

A nonprofit independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association

A recent study found that each year there are hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits in upstate New York that could be avoided. Minor conditions like cold and flu symptoms,

congestion, back pain, earaches and sports injuries are best treated by your doctor. If your doctor isn’t available, consider visiting an urgent care

facility. And do your part to relieve ER crowding.

HELP REDUCEER CROWDING.

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t’s funny to watch what so much choice does to our residents. Even the most particular grandpa will love choosing between three meals

a day or just one. Between full-time transportation or twice-a-week shopping. When you have choices, like you get at The Villages, you have control. You determine what you pay, what services you want, how you save. So if you’re notoriously picky, consider all your choices here. It’s a wonderful life at The Villages.

I


A monthly newspaper published by Local News, Inc. Distribution: 30,000 copies. To request home delivery ($15 per year), call 585-421-8109.

In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2012 by Local News, Inc. All rights reserved.

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HealthRochester–GV Healthcare Newspaper

in goodSERVING MONROE, ONTARIO AND WAYNE COUNTIES

Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto Associate Editor: Lou Sorendo Writers and Contributing Writers: Eva Briggs (M.D.), Jim Miller, Deborah J. Sergeant, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Chris Motola, Jessica Spies,

Ernst Lamothe, Maggie Ramsay, Beth Emley Advertising: Marsha K. Preston, Donna Kimbrell Layout & Design: Jan Herbert, Chris Crocker Offi cer Manager: Laura Beckwith

No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement—not to take

the place of—the recommendations of your health provider. Consult your physician before making major changes in your lifestyle or health care regimen.

Demand is soaring for healthcare workers, and that is expected to create major opportunities for

community colleges. A study by Georgetown

University’s Center on Education and the Workforce says 5.6 million new jobs in the healthcare sector will be created for over the next eight years. That includes all sorts of related jobs—many of which require no more than an associate’s degree—such as medical technicians, pharmaceutical sales representatives and doctor’s office assistants.

According to the study, 13 percent of all jobs will be in the health sector in 2020, and one out of every $5 will be spent on healthcare.

At the same time, the report finds, the demand for postsecondary education in healthcare will grow faster than any other field except the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and education fields.

Eighty-two percent of those 5.6 million new healthcare jobs will require postsecondary education and training—and an increasing number of jobs will require at least an associate’s degree. While 21 percent of all health care jobs required an associate’s degree in 2010, that will rise to 25 percent by 2020.

The ‘upskilling’ trendAmong the trends identified in

the study, “upskilling” in nursing is growing especially fast. In 1980, 37 percent of entry-level registered nurses had at least an associate’s degree; by 2008, that figure had grown to 80 percent.

Between 1992 and 2008, the report states, the proportion of working nurses with bachelor’s degrees has increased from 31 percent to 40 percent. During the same period, the number of registered nurses (RNs) in management and administration with bachelor’s degrees increased from 14 percent to 20 percent.

Meanwhile, the report documents a significant shortage of healthcare workers, due in part to the aging of the existing workforce and an aging population with greater needs for long-term care.

The report projects a 26 percent increase in nursing jobs in the next six years, “but that won’t be enough to

meet the demand,” the report states. To address a shortfall of more than 800,000 nursing jobs, it says the United States will have to continue recruiting nurses from other countries.

While there are plenty of qualified applicants for college nursing programs, the report states, “existing academic programs don’t have enough classrooms or faculty to move students through the educational pipeline quickly enough to meet the growing demand.”

Associate’s degree programs continue to graduate more RNs than bachelor’s degree programs, but “the gap between the two is narrowing,” the report finds. “However, the gap between RNs with an initial nursing education of associate’s degree and RNs with initial nursing education of bachelor’s degree has not narrowed, but rather has been widening.”

The report attributes this situation to an increasing number of practicing RNs upgrading their skills by earning bachelor’s degrees, rather than an increase in newly minted RNs completing bachelor’s programs.

The allied professionsCommunity colleges still produce

nearly 50 percent of the nurses entering the field today, the report finds, while for-profit institutions are producing a growing share of people trained for healthcare support and paraprofessional jobs.

Between 1986 and 2010, the percent of healthcare credentials produced by for-profit institutions has grown from 1 percent to 29 percent. During that period, community college market share has declined from 37 percent to 32 percent. The market share of universities (public and private) has decreased even more, from 62 percent to 39 percent.

The demand for healthcare support paraprofessionals is expected to grow faster than any other group of healthcare workers, with 4.8 million projected for 2020.

The report predicts a 30 percent increase in the number of jobs available in the allied health professions between 2010 and 2020. More than 40 percent of these jobs require a postsecondary vocational certificate or associate’s degree.

Strong job growth predicted for healthcare workers

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CALENDARHEALTH EVENTS

of Aug. 4Bocce bash to benefit Camp Good Days

The children and families at Camp Good Days and Special Times will be the beneficiaries of a bocce bash, which will be held from 3–9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4 at the Doug Miller Family Sports Park, 4618 Ridge Road W. Teams of four may register to participate in the event and each team is guaranteed to play four matches. The first three rounds will determine the seeding, followed by single elimination playoffs. Bocce bash is sponsored by Valenti Sports and PushYouself.com and there will be $1,000 in cash prizes. Registration for bocce bash is $300 per four-person team and includes a T-shirt. Teams raising $700 or more will receive four commemorative jerseys and one case of wine. Teams can create their own fundraising webpage when registering online at www.campgooddays.org. For more information, contact Nicole Jones at Camp Good Days, 585-624-5555 or [email protected].

Camp Good Days and Special Times, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of

life for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life threatening challenges, was founded by Gary Mervis in 1979, following the diagnosis of his youngest daughter, Teddi, with a malignant brain tumor.

Sept. 22Free mammogram for the uninsured in Brighton

Elizabeth Wende Breast Care, LLC and the Cancer Services Program of Monroe County is offering free mammograms for uninsured women 40 years of age and older. The event will take place from 7:30 a.m. – Noon. at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care, LLC , Brighton location (170 Sawgrass Drive). To qualify, you must not presently have insurance coverage. To schedule an appointment or for more information, call Elizabeth Wende Breast Care at 442-2190 and select option 1, then option 2. You’ll be asked the name of your doctor and also the name and location of any prior mammograms you may have had available. A physician will be available for clinical breast exams.

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For the first time in more than a decade, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a diet

pill to aid weight loss for the one-third of Americans who are obese.

Arena Pharmaceuticals’ drug, called Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride), is the first weight loss drug to be cleared by the FDA in 13 years.

The drug is for adults who are obese (body mass index of 30 or higher) or overweight (body mass index of 27 or higher) with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.

“The approval of this drug, used responsibly in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, provides a treatment option for Americans who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition,” said FDA’s drug center director, Janet Woodcock, in a statement.

The FDA denied the approval of the drug in 2010 due to safety and efficacy concerns. The pharmaceutical company resubmitted the drug with additional data earlier this year, and the FDA said it was suitable to use.

The drug works by activating the serotonin receptor in the brain that may help a person eat less and feel full after eating smaller amounts of food.

In studies, the pill showed that patients taking the pill for up to a year lost about 4 percent of weight. About 47 percent of patients without type 2 diabetes lost at least 5 percent of their weight. Patients with type 2 diabetes saw favorable changes in glycemic control when taking the drug.

The FDA said patients should stop taking the pill after three months if they fail to lose 5 percent of their body weight. Pregnant woman should not

take the drug. The drug may cause serotonin

syndrome, particularly when taken with certain medications that increase serotonin levels or activate serotonin receptors. Other serious side effects include attention troubles and memory loss.

With high obesity rates, many doctors are hopeful the FDA will continue to approve safe medications for weight loss.

“Obesity is killing people. Right now, people are limited to what’s available.” said Jeff Leathersich, a physician assistant at New Genesis for Medical Weight Loss and Cosmetic Medicine in Rochester.

Many of his patients take up to five medications to control obesity-related conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.

“I would rather they lose weight and be on one weight loss drug than five medications, which may cause further complications,” Leathersich said. The drug is expected to be released in six months. When it does, Leathersich will prescribe the drug as an addition to a weight loss program that includes a low-calorie diet, exercise and health education.

Louis Papa, a primary care physician and professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, will hold off on recommending the drug for at least a year.

“I am overly cautious,” he said. “This is brand new to us and we don’t know the long-term effects.”

The drug’s manufacturer will be required to conduct six postmarketing studies, including a long-term cardiovascular outcomes trial to assess the effect of Belviq on the risk for major adverse cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke.

Preventive mammography rates in women in their 40s have dropped nearly 6 percent nationwide

since the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against routine mammograms for women in this age group, a Mayo Clinic analysis shows. That represents a small but sig-nificant decrease since the controversial guidelines were released, the research-ers say. Their findings were presented at the Academy Health Annual Re-search Meeting in June.

“The 2009 USPSTF guidelines resulted in significant backlash among patients, physicians and other organizations, prompting many medical societies to release opposing guidelines,” says co-author Nilay Shah, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.”

Using a large, national representative database of 100 health plans, researchers identified the number of screening mammograms performed between January 2006 and December 2010, and compared rates

FDA Approves New Drug to Fight ObesitySome local doctors say they won’t prescribe it right awayBy Maggie Ramsay

Mammograms Decline

before and after the task force report. Comparing mammography rates

before and after publication of the new guidelines, researchers found that the recommendations were associated with a 5.72 percent decrease in the mammography rate for women aged 40-49. Over a year, nearly 54,000 fewer mammograms were performed in this age group.

“For the first year after the guidelines changed, there was a small but significant decrease in the rate of mammography for women aged 40–49,” Shah says. “This is consistent with the context of the guidelines change. A modest effect is also in line with the public resistance to the guidelines change and the subsequent release of conflicting guidelines.”

“Screening mammography is not a perfect exam, but it is the best available tool to detect cancer early,” says Sandhya Pruthi, director of Mayo Clinic’s Breast Clinic. “Early detection can lead to better options and possibly less-aggressive treatments.”

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Meet Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Q: You’ve recently been appointed head of the radiation oncology department at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Tell us more about it.

A: I’ve been a member of medical center’s radiation oncology team for over 14 years. This is one of the departments that is usually headed by a chairperson. Phillip Rubin, for whom the department is named, was the first chairman and was for over 30 years. I’ll be the third chairman of the department.

Q: Explain radiation oncology A: It is a specialty that applies

high-energy radiation beams to damage cancer cells. It is an effective form of cancer treatment by directly aiming the radiation beams to target tumors. It is also quite effective in alleviating cancer symptoms, such as cancer pain, obstruction of airway by tumors, tumor bleeding, obstruction of gastrointestinal tract, vessels, or nerves by tumors, confusion, neurological deficit and headaches from cancer spread to the brain, and others.

Q: Tell me a bit about the department.

A: The department of radiation oncology is the region’s leader in advanced radiation technology and provides multidisciplinary cancer treatment in James P Wilmot Cancer Center. The department has a central site located at Strong Memorial Hospital and three regional outreach satellites at Highland Hospital, Unity Hospital, and Sands Cancer Center at FF Thompson Hospital. The department has a long history of radiation research and has been recognized for expertise in radiation normal tissue effect investigations. The department is also known as the nation’s leader in applying focused beam radiation treatments (stereotactic radiotherapy) to the

Dr. Yuhchyau ChenChief of radiation oncology at URMC explains what her specialty entails and why cancer is a hard disease to treat

treatment of brain tumors and metastatic cancers with limited foci of cancer spread. The department has three components of operations: clinical patient care, research, and education through training residents in radiation oncology. Our faculty includes physicians, medical physicists, dosimetrists, physician assistants, radiation therapists, nurses and other administrative and supporting staff. We have a very new building and new, state-of-the-art machines that help us to target and deliver radiation treatment to tumors.

Q: What types of cancers do you most commonly treat?

A: Radiation oncology is one of the key modalities in treating solid tumors. In the practice of radiation oncology, the most common types of cancer are breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer.

Q: What kinds of research are you involved in?

A: I have been involved in finding ways to make

radiation more

effective and in finding drugs that can ameliorate radiation side effects on normal tissues. My personal research interest has been on developing drugs or treatments that will help to counteract radiation’s harmful effects to individuals unintentionally exposed to radiation, such as an accident in nuclear power plant, or a nuclear terror attack.

Q: Cancer has been overtaking heart disease as the No. 1 killer of Americans. What makes cancer so hard to treat?

A: Cancer is hard to treat because cancer cells can develop resistance even after initial responses to treatment and can spread to distant sites.

Q: Where do you see cancer treatment headed in the future?

A: One area is personalized medicine based on each tumor’s characteristic biomarkers that will predict response to particular types of treatment. The other direction is in advanced radiation technology in the form of proton therapy. This type of treatment offers the ultimate reduction of radiation collateral damages to normal tissues that are close to the tumor targets.

Q:. How do you identify risk factors in patients?

In general, risk factors for cancer are based on the family history, personal habits, and the history of environmental exposures.

Q: What are the challenges of delivering quality oncology care in Rochester?

A: Quality oncology care in general refers to maximizing patient safety and patient satisfaction. These are excellent goals for all health care providers. However, the challenges are the resources and the anticipated reduction of health care budgets nationally.

Q: How can a mid-sized city like Rochester stay on the cutting edge of medicine?

A: I think it a logical step to create a centralized Upstate medical network at Rochester for cost reduction and for effectively utilizing health care resources in serving our patients in Upstate New York. The Brookings Institution has identified that “within Upstate New York, only two regions grew in the 1990s: the Hudson Valley region and the Rochester/Finger Lakes region. I think it an excellent idea for the New York state government to consider an economic growth plan that will include a centralized Upstate medical network based in Rochester for Upstate New York. However, but I am not aware of any political will for creating a centralized Upstate medical network based in Rochester at the moment.

LifelinesHometown: TaiwanEducation: University of Washing-

ton School of Medicine Affiliations: University of Roches-ter Medical Center; Strong Memo-rial Hospital; Highland HospitalHospital Appointments: Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology; Professor of Radiation OncologyOrganizations: American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO); American Society of Clinical On-cology (ASCO)Family: Divorced, one childHobbies: Classical music, travel

Boomers still needed as mentors to help at-risk Rochester youth

The Rochester Area Community

Foundation’s effort to recruit the baby doom generation to mentor at-risk Rochester youth is in its final months. This effort focuses on boomers because foundation officials say they have the wisdom and skills to guide young people toward success and because they are an untapped resource who can do so much good once engaged in community needs.

Since the campaign launched in January 2010, more than 380 boomers — adults currently ages 48 to 66 — have contacted Rochester Mentors. While that’s about half of the target for this point in the initiative, another 177 inquiries have come from people of other ages, who are also welcome.

Not all who inquire decide to commit to long-term mentoring, the foundation said in a press release. So far, 49 boomers completed the screening and matching process and 29 more are in process; that’s 78 toward the goal of 200 by fall. An additional 22 non-boomers were matched and 17 more are in process, for a grand total of 117 recruited to mentor.

Interested volunteers can contact one office, Rochester Mentors (585-271-4050 or through the website rochestermentors.org), to learn about five local mentor agencies and find out what mentoring is all about.

The ultimate goal of the boomer mentors initiative, the foundation said, is to improve the city high school graduation rate, which was 49 percent in 2012. Mentoring has been shown to improve academic outcomes for at-risk youth, but the local demand for mentors outpaces the supply. Boys face especially long waits to be matched with men.

The Rochester effort is one of nine projects in the nation testing strategies to engage older adults to address community needs.

University of Michigan launches new skin cancer mobile app

A new free app developed at the University of Michigan Health System allows users to create a photographic baseline of their skin and photograph suspicious moles or other skin lesions, walking users step-by-step through a skin self-exam. The app, UMSkinCheck, sends automatic reminders so users can monitor changes to a skin lesion over time, and provides pictures of various types of skin cancers for comparisons. The app is designed for iPhone and iPad and is available to download on iTunes.

“Whole body photography is a well-established resource for following patients at risk for melanoma. However, it requires a professional photographer, is not always covered by insurance, and can be an inconvenience. Now that many people have digital cameras on their phones, it’s more feasible to do this at home,” says Michael Sabel, associate professor of surgery at the U-M Medical School.

More than 2 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, and some 50,000 will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious kind. Regular skin checks can help people discover melanoma in its earliest stages.


Lisa Zahra is on a mission — and she won’t stop until she com-pletes it.

Zahra, a freelance sign language interpreter, has been working since 2002 to establish deaf education for children in impoverished Monze, in Zambia, Africa. Zambia is an English-speaking country in southern Africa. It’s a little larger than the state of Texas and has a tropical climate.

Zahra, 60, a Brooklyn native with 13 years of experience working with the deaf, said she felt a calling to do something different with her life 10 years ago. She started researching areas of the world where there was a need for deaf educators.

She got connected with what she said is a now-defunct volunteer organization, which helped support her trip. She was the only American to go to Monze, where she stayed 10 months, from December of 2002 to October of 2003.

Before Zahra got to Monze, there was no formal education for children born deaf. Now there’s a classroom, which was established when she returned in 2005 and stayed two years. Zahra’s latest mission is to build a school. There are about 60 deaf children in Monze and surrounding communities who don’t have access to education.

“This project is my heart and soul,” explained Zahra during an interview. She brought her laptop computer and flipped through countless photos of herself and the children who attend classes in Monze.

Zahra, who lives in Rochester, is currently working part time at Monroe Community College as a sign language interpreter. But she says her ultimate wish is to return to Monze once she raises enough money. She established a nonprofit organization, DEAAF (Deaf Education and Arts for African Families) which helped fund her trip and her expenses in 2005. She returned to Rochester two years later when she ran out of funding.

She says $95,000 is currently needed to complete the school building in Monze, which now sits on a plot of land with a foundation, waiting for walls to be raised and electricity,

wiring, windows and doors to be installed.

When Zahra first traveled to Monze, she thought her teachings would be limited to American sign language and academic subjects such as English, history and other educational basics.

But after arriving there, she realized the kids needed more basic education — in nutrition and basic hygiene. And she involved the parents in their education, teaching them how to parent their children in a nonviolent way and how to be accepting of their children’s condition. In Monze, deaf children have been shunned for their condition and were considered “mentally challenged,” Zahra said.

Zahra said she has grown to love the people of Monze.

Since she arrived in Zambia in 2002, Zahra has been aided by her African counterpart, Jennipher Mwilla, who has seven children, one of whom is deaf.

“She and her husband take care of me,” Zahra said. “She used to be a teacher and now we’re like sisters,”

Zahra said the typical school day begins at 8 a.m. for the group of 20 children aged 6 to 19. Zahra said some children walk long distances to get to school, including one student whom she said walked an hour and a half each way to school despite being blind in one eye and partially paralyzed.

Some arrive with “no shoes and no breakfast,” so she started the morning by giving children their breakfast beforelessons began. One of her photos shows children sitting with their porridge bowls in front of them.

Working with the children and the people of Zambia is heart-warming and rewarding, she said.

Though many of them come from poor backgrounds, “they never complain,” she said.

Despite cultural differences, Zahra said the Zambian people are like family.

“The parents and the community in Zambia are the sweetest people,” Zahra said.

She said families may not have a lot of money or food but if you visit their home, they will invite you in and

ask you to eat with them — even if it’s only a bowl of rice.

“They make you sit and eat and feel like part of the family,” she said. “If they see you in the street, they stop you and shake your hand. They are friendly and real.”

Zahra said these days she is working with her volunteer group, DEAAF, to raise interest in her cause so she can get back to Zambia.

She says a donation of $25 a month from at least 50 people for two years would help her continue her work in Monze. She said funding would provide uniforms and shoes, books and other educational supplies, food and water, and would assist with costs of electricity and rent (which the new school is built) and recreational equipment.

Zahra said she’s even written to celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres, hoping they might take an interest in her work, but has received no response.

“I would love to talk to [actress] Angelina Jolie [who adopted an Ethiopian child and has worked to help African refugees] but I don’t know how to get in touch with her,” she said.

Zahra said at this point, if she could get 10 to 20 donor “friends,” it would handle her living expenses which she estimates at $1,000 a month.

Zahra said she’s so anxious to return to Zambia that she’ll do so on a shoestring budget.

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A New Life For Local Woman Means Better Deaf Education in Zambia, AfricaMission: Establish deaf education in Zambia

By Beth Emley

If You Can HelpWant to know more about

DEAAF (Deaf Education and Arts for African Families)?

Go to www.deaaf.org or contact Lisa Zahra, founder, at [email protected] or Nancy Ciolek, president, at [email protected].

Those interested in making a donation can mail a check payable to DEAAF, 2065 Highland Ave., Rochester, N.Y. 14619 or use the paypal link at www.deaaf.org/donate.htm.

DEAAF has a new initiative it hopes potential volunteers and community members might be interested in as well. DEAAF wants to offer a “volunteer tour program,” which would be organized by a local travel agency, where those interested could visit Zambia for two weeks, learn a new culture, volunteer to help in the classroom, and enjoy a safari. Those interested in that trip can contact Zahra at [email protected]

Rochester resident Lisa Zahra, center, with the students in Zambia. A freelance sign language interpreter, she plans to establish deaf education for children in that country.

“I’ll teach under a tree and eat once a week,” she said. “I have to get back to Zambia, sooner rather than later.”


Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

Live Alone & Thrive By Gwenn Voelckers

August can be a great month for picnics, barbecues and get-to-gethers with friends on warm,

sultry nights. But like any month, Au-gust also presents plenty of opportuni-ties for — heaven forbid — dining solo.

Let’s face it: For most of humanity dining is a social activity. We enjoy having our meals with loved ones, friends and colleagues. So when we find ourselves alone at the dinner hour, it can feel a little uncomfortable, even lonely. It’s not unusual to fill in the awkward silence with distractions: the company of TV, the comfort of a good book, or the diversion of a favorite magazine.

Don’t I know it. I can’t tell you how many of my favorite books contain food crumbs or red sauce stains (or is that wine?). But, I’m not complaining. A good book can be a great dining companion.

On the other hand, while living alone gives us the freedom to dine as we please (one of its many benefits), I don’t recommend eating breakfast for dinner or plowing through a bag of Doritos as a substitute for a healthy, well-balance meal.

When it comes to eating alone at

many a solo dining experience with a little butter and chopped onions in my iron skillet. The aroma invites me into the cooking process and within minutes the worries and stresses of my day start to melt away. I also try to incorporate foods with a variety of textures and color — soft, chewy, crisp, and firm — in each meal. These touches serve to make the dining experience more interesting and pleasant.

• Select the best seat in the house. While eating in front of the TV may be the perfect choice on some occasions, I encourage you to find dining spaces inside or outside your home that offer more inspiration. Chances are, you’ll appreciate the change of scenery. Consider that special nook where the sun filters in or that table by the window with the great view. Mix it up, experiment with different settings, and see how much better it feels.

• Enjoy your own company. When you eat alone, you’re in the company of someone special — yourself! You are with someone who approves of your cooking techniques, appreciates the candle you lit, and knows that life and food are to be enjoyed. Cherish this quality time with yourself.

Creating a pleasant “table for one” is a great opportunity to focus on yourself and to nourish your body and spirit at the same time. So, pull up a chair, say a few words of gratitude, and enjoy!

Gwenn Voelckers is the founder and facilitator of Live Alone and Thrive, empowerment workshops for women held throughout the year in Mendon, New York. For information about the workshops, call 585-624-7887, email [email protected], or visit aloneandcontent.com.

home, treat yourself as you would treat a good friend you are having over for dinner. Why? Because you are worth it. Because you will feel better about yourself, both physically and emotionally.

When you prepare and enjoy a good meal on your own, you’ll be sending yourself an important message: It’s important to take good care of myself and to treat myself with respect. I matter enough to treat — and feed — myself well.

Eating well and right has all kinds of benefits. And what better way to start enjoying those benefits than by creating an inviting “table for one” in your own home. In fact, why not consider the tips below and give it a try tonight?

• Stock your kitchen with healthy food. It’s so much easier to put a healthy meal on the table when the good stuff is plentiful and the junk food is in short supply. I’m fully aware of my own downfalls (ice

cream, nuts, cookies, chips) and do not regularly stock these items in my kitchen. Instead, I have on hand a good supply of frozen and fresh vegetables,

prepackaged salad greens, fruits in season, and easy-to-grill meats and fish filets. You’ll also find plenty of grab-and-go “power” bars in my pantry for when I’m on the run.

• Set the stage. Have some fun with your table setting: put down a placemat, use a cloth napkin, bring out the wine glass, turn on some enjoyable music and position a good book or magazine within reach. Consider lighting a candle. If you’ve never

set the stage like this before, it can feel contrived at first, but stay with it. Over time, I’m confident you’ll find it as enjoyable and relaxing as I have.

• Indulge your senses. Stimulate your appetite by preparing an item or meal that produces a wonderful, delicious aroma. My secret? I love the scent of sautéed onions, and jump-start

Eating Alone: Create an Inviting ‘Table for One’

A recent “Take Charge Community Health Report” issued by Excel-lus BlueCross BlueShield reports

that area resident do not control their blood pressure, also known as hyper-tension, as well as they could.

In the Finger Lakes region-Monroe, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, and Livingston counties, 31.1 percent of adults have high blood pressure, the second-highest region in Upstate New York. More troubling, many do not take precautions to control blood pressure.

The study said that high blood pressure is so dangerous because it forces the heart to continuously work too hard and become damaged more easily. It weakens the arteries and makes them more vulnerable to rupturing, narrowing and forming clots.

According to the report, of those diagnosed with high blood pressure, only 76.4 percent have reduced their dietary salt intake, 73.7 percent have made overall dietary changes, 76.8 have increased physical activity, 34.7 have chosen to abstain from alcohol and 49 percent from tobacco, and 78.2 percent take their prescribed medication.

“I think compliance is a fairly difficult issue for most people,” said Tim Malins, a medical doctor with Rochester General Hospital. “It’s hard to calculate how compliant they are. For the most part they are, but it depends upon how much physicians

are asking about it.” Though the numbers for the Finger

Lakes region are higher than in other Upstate regions, they are close to or a little less than the national average. Regardless of geographic location, the same reasons for high blood pressure apply: poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity and, to a small extent, genetics.

“Overall, we have a fairly healthy population, but we have a lot of work to do as it comes to diet and exercise,” Malins said.

Diastolic blood pressure, the “bottom” number in the blood pressure reading, refers to the blood pressure between beats when the heart is at rest. The systolic blood pressure figure, the “top” number, refers to the blood pressure while the heart is contracting.

Malins said that most doctors use four categories for blood pressure: normal (120/80), pre-hypertension (120 to 139/80 to 89), hypertension stage 1 (140 to 159/90 to 99) and hypertension stage 2 (160+/100+).

With stage 1 hypertension, patients can improve their numbers with diet improvements, exercise, weight loss, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol to less than two drinks per day for males, and one or no drinks per day for females.

“If that fails, we progress with medication,” Malins said. “In stage 2, we go directly to medication.”

Some people are genetically predisposed to high blood pressure

despite healthful lifestyle choices. Other factors can include lack of education about healthy living and difficulty in affording or obtaining healthful foods.

“People have been brought up as children eating lots of sodium and carbohydrates,” Malins said. “It’s hard but not impossible to put them in the right path to avoid these types of things. We have to hammer home we can change these things to reduce blood pressure and other cardio vascular risk factors.”

Along with other cardiac risk factors, high blood pressure increases the risk of cardio vascular disease, stroke, and cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease).

“I think it’s interesting that one-third of adults over age 40 have hypertension,” Malins said. “We can always give medication to treat it but if you can do it with diet and exercise it’s better, because you have no side effects of the medication.”

Many people overestimate how much exercise they get. A leisurely stroll down to the mailbox may be better than no movement, but it will not do much to improve your cardiovascular health.

To help reduce blood pressure, perform a minimum of two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly. Examples include brisk walking or ballroom dancing.

Or, perform one hour, 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity such as jogging, aerobic dancing or jumping rope each week.

Or, combine moderate and vigorous activities that are equivalent to at least one of the two levels.

A balanced diet should include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean sources of protein and dairy and few processed, pre-made foods, which tend to be high in sodium. Eat plenty of potassium, which is found in foods like bananas.

Sodium is found in many more places on the table than the salt shaker. Unless they are “low sodium” versions, soy sauce, canned vegetables and beans, soups and stews and pre-packaged meals all contain a wallop of sodium. Chips, crackers, many other snacks are high in sodium. Stick with low sodium foods and snacks and cook more items from scratch.

“It’s not easy,” Malins said. “You have salt everywhere and availability of alcohol and tobacco. Except tobacco, all of these can be safely consumed in moderation and moderation is the key.”

Some causes of hypertension such as drug-induced kidney disease, diet and exercise won’t help and medication is the only way to treat it.

High Blood Pressure Affects 31% of Area ResidentsBy Deborah Jeanne Sergeant


Michael F. Stapleton Jr. had just received word that he was get-ting his dream job. And it was

almost taken away from him — along with his life — because of a little yel-low bee. He was at a Penfield baseball field watching his son play. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and lightheaded. Minutes later his throat started closing.

He took out an EpiPen, which looks similar to a large syringe but is used for emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions. The medical device contained a single dose of epinephrine, which he injected into his outer thigh. Without the quick action, the insect bite could have killed him.

“I almost died the day after I received one of the best news I have ever gotten in my life. I’m happy there were so many people around me to help me when everything happened,” said Stapleton Jr., 42, who in July became the new president and CEO of Thompson Health in Canandaigua.

He is taking the reins from Linda M. Farchione, who retired in June after holding the position for more than two decades.

Stapleton is a former CEO of Lakeside Health System in Brockport and joined Thompson a year ago as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to his time at Lakeside, Stapleton held several management positions at Strong Memorial Hospital, including nurse manager of the Kessler Family Burn Trauma ICU.

“The medical profession is an amazing thing. It’s a system that everyone has to go through so it’s important that as administrators and employees we make the process something that patients feel comfortable in,” said Stapleton, who

holds a master’s degree in health care system leadership from the University of Rochester and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from St. John Fisher College.

His managing style comes from a man he respects and reveres; Colin Powell. After reading one of his books, Stapleton Jr. said the former secretary of state preached that a solely top-down philosophy doesn’t work because the higher up you get, the less connected you may be to the ground floor activity. He preaches the Thompson Way, which is adorned on every employee’s ID badges with the words, “commitment, action, respect, excellence and service,“ which are expected every day when people walk into the hospital.

“I make sure to empower my employees because it really is a team effort to get things done,” said Stapleton. “And that builds a culture around the hospital that trickles down into patients feeling comfortable and getting their needs met.”

Some of his thoughts come from starting on the ground floor himself being a nurse. He believes that was one of the smartest decisions he made

because it not only put him in contact with valuable mentors that he still talks with today, but it helped him understand different levels of the health care system.

“Being in the front line gives you perspective that is invaluable. Not every CEO has those kinds of experiences that I have had,” said Stapleton Jr. “While it’s challenging, it is a privilege to come to work and be the difference in somebody’s life in a real way. That is something I never want to lose.”

William R. Kenyon, board chairman, is excited about the next chapter for Thompson Health.

“Michael Stapleton, has demonstrated a strong commitment to clinical quality, patient safety and patient satisfaction,” said Kenyon. “These skills plus his prior experience with our new affiliate, the University of Rochester Medical Center, will allow Thompson to move forward with confidence as we navigate through these challenging and complex times in health care. He is clearly the right man at the right time. “

One of the biggest endeavors Stapleton will help oversee is the new collaboration where Thompson Health has now become affiliated with the University of Rochester Medical Center. The two health systems will now share their collective resources within many medical and surgical specialties, including cardiology, neurosurgery, oncology and imaging

Stapleton at the annual Thompson’s Shining Stars ceremony. It’s an event that honors the top 2 percent employees at the hospital. He is presenting one of the awards to Andrea Knaak of Geneva, a manager in Thompson Health’s business office.

Profile

Meet the New CEO at Thompson Health A former nurse who climbed the ladder in the local healthcare industry is now in charge of Thompson HealthBy Ernst Lamothe

Michael F. Stapleton and his family attending his youngest daughter’s First Holy Communion. He and his wife Julie have five children.

to best meet the health care need of both the Rochester and Finger Lakes regions. Hundreds of Ontario County residents who are admitted to Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital each year will be able to receive the health care they need much closer to home at Thompson.

“A standalone hospital can’t do it survive and do it on their own anymore,” said Stapleton. “It helps the patients so greatly when you can combine services and utilize the great medical institutions we have in this area. We just have to make sure to educate people and let them know that this change is actually going to improve the quality because sometimes people get scared of change even if it is good for them.”

His colleagues have full faith that he will continue to bring integrity, respect and a commanding leadership to the Thompson Health System.

“Mike’s appointment was based on his demonstrated commitment to clinical quality, customer satisfaction and expanding Thompson’s continuum of care. Together, these qualities make him a wonderful choice to lead our health system well into the future,” said Kenyon.

When he does get free time, he enjoys spending it with his wife, Julie, and his five children, Timothy, 14, Moria, 12, Daniel, 10, Joseph, 9 and Erin 7.

“Having a strong family can help you do so much,” Stapleton Jr. added.


Several healthcare providers in Upstate are seeking or have achieved affiliation with others in

the region.Some of the latest:• Thompson Health in Canandai-

gua and the University of Rochester Medical Center;

• Community Hospital in Hamil-ton and Crouse Hospital in Syracuse;

• Auburn Community Hospital possibly with St. Joseph’s, Upstate Medical Center or University of Roch-ester Medical Center; and

• Community General Hospital in Syracuse and Upstate Medical Univer-sity.

Why all the changes? The reason hospitals and other

healthcare facilities seek affiliation and other merger-like changes can vary but it usually comes down to two main reasons: increased viability and better delivery of services to the community.

The recession hit healthcare compa-nies hard. As layoffs have meant more uninsured patients, hospitals must make up the difference in many cases. They must absorb the balance of un-paid bills for those lacking insurance.

Hospital expenses have risen as service suppliers and vendors in-creased their costs.

“State and federal reimburse-ments for Medicaid and Medicare have decreased almost every year,” said Bill Van Slyke, spokesman for the Health-care Association of New York State.

In addition to rising costs and decreasing reimbursements, hospitals must always purchase better, more advanced equipment and keep staff training up to date.

“Expectation of a higher level of care increases every year,” Van Slyke said. “In this environment, the pro-vider is asked to do so much more and so much better with so much less. It creates a need for these affiliations and partnerships. You don’t end up with an unsustainable, fragmented local system which could mean loss of services to the community.”

When a smaller provider affiliates with a larger one or when two equally-sized providers affiliate, they can share resources and one’s strength can com-pensate for another’s weakness.

“You find greater efficiencies by eliminating duplication of services, market competition issues that can drive up cost or an excess of inpatient beds,” Van Slyke said. “There’s bet-ter integrating clinical staff with the hospitals themselves. It allows for more effective operations and more effective care provision.”

Although unemployment is high, finding sufficiently skilled workers for many medical positions challenges many healthcare providers. The aging baby boomer generation contributes to the rising number of patients needing care and the number of older care pro-viders retiring from medical positions.

“Workforce shortages, particularly in smaller communities” is one reason to seek affiliation, said Diane Ash-ley, president and CEO of Rochester Regional Healthcare Association. “It’s

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

hard to recruit physicians. By partner-ing, we can keep people closer to home without overburdening the larger healthcare centers. They get referrals from community care centers.”

Rochester Regional Healthcare As-sociation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organi-zation. Members hail from 18 hospitals and related health systems located in Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Steuben, Schuyler, and Chemung counties.

In June, Thompson Health in Canandaigua and the University of Rochester Medical Center announced they had formed an affiliation, which “offers a great opportunity to bring a truly integrated delivery system to the Finger Lakes Region,” said Linda Farchione, president and CEO of Thompson Health, in a press release. “It will allow for coordinated service delivery of all levels of healthcare close to home.”

In the same release, URMC CEO Bradford C. Berk, called Thompson Health “a natural fit with the URMC’s family of providers. Working together, we have enormous potential to im-prove the health of our region.”

The two health systems plan to use and share their collective resources to serve the Rochester and Finger Lakes regions. Previously, the two organiza-tions had partnered together within many specialty services, including cardiology, neurosurgery, oncology, imaging and more.

Of course, mergers and affiliations don’t always pan out. Part of the rea-son is a clash of organizational philoso-phies. Both need to have complemen-tary goals.

“A lot of communities take owner-ship of their hospital and if they see it changing there’s trepidation and won-dering what it will mean,” Van Slyke said. “It’s good for the public to know that healthcare organizations pursuing these arrangements because they’re looking ahead and they understand if they don’t, their failure to act can threaten their ability to serve.”

Clashes between corporate cultures can also hamper affiliations or mergers. Employees may feel loyalty to “their” company’s way of doing things.

“Leadership has to be careful about blending those cultures so everyone can feel good about what will come next,” Van Slyke said. “It impacts em-ployees and the community.”

Not all organizational changes are the same among healthcare providers.

“Sometimes there are full out mergers and acquisitions; sometimes it’s a shared service or an affiliation somewhere in between,” Van Slyke said. “Sometimes all campuses stay open and sometimes some close.”

Typically, people anticipate job cuts with mergers or affiliations, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, it is more of a re-organization so that small facilities can leverage the expanded care options offered by a large organi-zation and a large facility can expand their network with a more widespread presence in smaller communities.

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There’s good news for chocolate lovers. Long thought as being unhealthy because

of its relatively high calories and fat content, new research shows that chocolate can be healthy.

The good news is “chocolate is safer than we thought,” said Gregory Seeger, medical director of Rochester General Hospital addiction services.

Recent research shows that frequent chocolate eaters have lower BMIs, or body mass index, a calculation based on height and weight. “Individuals who ate chocolate more frequently weighed five to seven pounds less than those who did not eat it,” Seeger said. “Even people who consume chocolate on a fairly regular basis don’t gain weight.”

Researchers aren’t sure whether the chocolate-eaters more satisfy their sweet tooth or if chocolate itself works with the body to burn more calories.

“Researchers don’t really understand the correlation yet,” Seeger said.

Research on the Kuna Indians who live on islands off Panama and Panama City reported that those on the island had significantly lower blood

pressure than those who lived in Panama City. The islanders consumed more unprocessed and fresh cocoa than those in the city. Fresh cocoa contains more flavonols, an antioxidant associated with reduced risk of vascular disease, than processed cocoa does.

Natives who left the islands lost that

cardiovascular protection, Seeger said.“Natural unprocessed cocoa has an

amazing effect and protection against something called hardening of the arteries,” which occurs when fat and cholesterol build up in the walls of arteries, according to Seeger.

Researchers from Harvard have learned from several studies that those who eat cocoa had lower rates of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases like stroke and heart attack.

In the 1800s, Dutch chemist C.J. van Houten developed a Dutch processing which adds an alkalizing agent to cocoa and produces a more mild taste. But the alkali destroys polyphenols, a healthy part of the cocoa bean.

Because of this, Seeger encourages people to avoid Dutch-processed chocolate.

In terms of the shades of chocolate, dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate as it typically has less fat and calories.

“You can still get healthy benefits from milk chocolate but you can get

great benefits from cocoa, which is healthier,” Seeger said.

“Junk chocolate” is chocolate with less than 10 percent cocoa and is not healthy at all, Seeger said.

People can see health benefits from chocolate with at least 30 percent cocoa but the most with a cocoa percentage of 70 percent.

But chocolate can be too much of a good thing.

“Some people think if a little bit is good, more is better,” Seeger said. “This is not the case with chocolate.”

Benefits from chocolate can be seen with ingesting as little

as 10 grams a day, roughly equivalent to two Hershey Kisses,

but up to one ounce to one and a half ounces on a regular basis, from three to five times a week.

Seeger said that research on the mental effects of chocolate is not yet conclusive.

A San Diego study found that those who did

not have depression ate the least amount of chocolate compared to those who were the most depressed

and also ate the most chocolate.Seeger said that a possible

conclusion of the study was that people who were more depressed were “self medicating” with chocolate.

Drawbacks to including chocolate in your diet could be a possible allergy or occasional heartburn.

Others have complained of stomach acid and some issues of migraines or headaches, which may only happen to those who are sensitive.

People can get the benefits of chocolate from other foods and drinks that have polyphenols like red wine and green tea.

“You can get these benefits from other food substances but chocolate, cocoa, has the highest phenol percentage of any food group,” Seeger said.

As a psychiatrist with an interest in food and a focus in addiction, Seeger has presented area lectures on the topic on chocolate and “chocoholics.”

“It’s an evolving topic, with a big sea change from less of a junk food to more of a health food,” he said.

“Chocoholic” is not a truly prevalent addiction, said Seeger, who added that self-proclaimed chocoholics tend to eat only one candy bar a day, which would not be considered an addiction.

Those who eat considerably more chocolate in a day than one candy bar may instead be diagnosed with a food addiction, Seeger said. “There’s not going to be an official diagnosis of chocoholic,” he said.

Seeger

Chocoholics Take Note New research unveils more benefits in cocoaBy Jessica Spies

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Navigating the medical system and trying to understand com-plex health issues is a daunting

task for the average patient. That’s where Second Opinion comes in.

The WXXI series often tackles controversial topics such as medical radiation, chronic pain management and autism. Recently, the broadcast won an award for its episode on colon cancer and early detection.

In the United States, it is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. When caught early, it is often curable but it is not often caught early. Symptoms can include blood in the stool, narrower stools, a change in bowel habits and general stomach discomfort.

Since its 2004 launch, the show has been seen on more than 285 public television stations nationwide.

“We created the show because there was, and still is, no regular health programming on PBS stations,” said Elissa Orlando, Second Opinion executive producer. “The idea of the show is to help doctors and patients engage in dynamic and productive conversation about diagnosis and

treatment. It helps teach people how to better advocate for themselves and take charge of their health care decisions. And it helps doctors understand how to listen better to their patients. We hear that over and over.”

Every episode of “Second Opinion” features a panelist who is a patient, and who advocates for the patient position and experience in diagnosis and treatment. They also always have a primary care physician and a specialist on the panel to truly represent the medical experience. In the colon cancer episode, one patient was 21 years old while the other was 57. Viewers learned the importance of paying attention to symptoms at any age as well as early screening. It’s a format that tries to engage the audience while also making sure not to talk down to them.

Peter Salgo coordinates a lively discussion with a panel of medical professionals and patients in hopes of creating a lively, in-depth discussion about life-changing medical decisions.

As a practicing physician at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, Salgo works with pre- and post-operative treatment of heart patients, heart transplant recipients,

Making Complex Health Issues Easy to UnderstandWXXI’s Second Opinion continues to draw praise, receive awardsBy Ernst Lamothe

When to Watch Locally, the “Second

Opinion” is shown on WXXI Public Broadcasting at 10 p.m. Fridays and 3 p.m. Saturdays. The award-winning broadcast station has produced programs such as “Restoring a Masterpiece: The Renovation of the Eastman Theatre,” “Rochester International Jazz Festival,” “Warrior in Two Worlds,”” Echoes from the Ancients,” and “Flight to Freedom.”

WXXI operates WXXI-TV/HD and two additional digital TV channels, and an array of radio services, which include: AM 1370 (Rochester’s NPR news station), Classical 91.5/90.3 (Rochester’s only full-time classical music station), WRUR-FM in Rochester, WITH-FM 90.1 in Ithaca and WEOS-FM 90.3 in Geneva.

Peter Salgo, a practicing physician at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, is the host of “Second Opinion,” produced by WXXI. The show recently won an award for its episode on colon cancer and early detection.Elissa Orlando is the executive producer

of “Second Opinion” aired by WXXI. “We created the show because there was, and still is, no regular health programming on PBS stations,” she said. and artificial heart candidates.

Officials say using intriguing, real-life medical cases enables the specialists to grapple with diagnosis and treatment options and give viewers the most up-to-date, accurate medical information. The panelists work to improve doctor-patient communication and empower viewers to take charge of their own healthcare.

“The show is helpful for patients because it is presented in a pretty clear manner,” said John Monson, chief of the division of Colorectal Surgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “My patients do seem to watch.”

Monson also said the fear factor of patients going to hospitals might be reduced by concentrating on patients who have done well rather than the opposite. By the very nature of the program, the patients featured have a story to tell that might be challenging but nonetheless has a happy outcome typically.

The show enlist help from various national and local organizations, including the University of Rochester medical Center, which forms one of the centerpiece’s of the city’s health research, teaching, patient care, and community outreach initiatives. Both URMC and WXXI have been involved with the series since its inception.

Doctors on the panel said they were proud of the final product from the award-winning show on colon cancer. They viewed is as informative, lively and necessary.

“Raising the profile of colorectal cancer and levels of awareness is essential,” said Monson. “This is an important condition with a significant mortality rate and anything we can do to raise awareness, and reduce ignorance and fear levels should help in the long run.”

In its eight seasons, the show has continued to delve into new and interesting topics. The doctors discussed autism, which is a developmental disorder that appears in the first thee years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills. The condition affects boys three to four times more than girls.

“There is nothing more empowering than seeing everyday people, not just describe their symptoms and treatment decisions, but also challenge doctors and work collaboratively with health care professionals as they talk through a case,” said Orlando. “In many of our episodes, we have had viewers say that the program makes them less afraid to speak up about symptoms or their own opinions in medical cases.”

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What Makes Radishes SoRemarkable

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Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle columnist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at [email protected].

By Anne Palumbo SmartBitesThe skinny on healthy eating

Although radishes are available year-round, I associate them with summer, when my dad

would unearth a few from the garden and make his famous sliced-radish sand- wiches. A simple-yet-de-licious assembly of bread, butter, salt and sliced radishes, they were screamed for more than ice cream. These days, I remain a big fan of rad-ishes and enjoy them raw, roasted, and lightly sautéed.

Nutrition-wise, radishes are a lot like Marilyn Monroe: pretty on the outside and a lot more substantial on the inside than you’d ever imagine.

To begin, this cheery little vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin C, with one cup (sliced) providing nearly a third of your daily needs. A vital nutrient and powerful antioxidant, vitamin C works hard to keep your tissues and immune system in tip-top

shape. Radishes

may also contribute to the health of your heart, thanks to their decent concentrations of folate and potassium (about as much as a small banana, per cup). Folate, which should top every pregnant woman’s must-consume list for its role in reducing birth defects, may benefit the rest of us by lowering the levels of an amino acid that has been linked to narrowing and hardening of the arteries. As for

potassium: According to the American Heart Association, this crucial mineral helps to regulate blood pressure by lessening the negative effects of too much sodium.

What more makes radishes so remarkable? They are naturally low in calories (only 19 per cup, sliced); they have no fat or cholesterol; and they’re a pretty good source of fiber. Fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol by ferrying it out of the body, promotes regularity, stabilizes blood-sugar levels, and keeps us satiated longer.

Lastly, like other brightly colored vegetables, radishes are rich in anthocyanins, beneficial compounds that may strengthen the immune

system and help prevent certain diseases.

Helpful tips

Choose firm, smooth radishes, with their greens intact. The leaves, which

should be green and fresh-looking, are both tasty

and nutritious (high in calcium and

vitamin C). To store radishes in fridge: lop off greens and

store separately; put radishes in a plastic bag so they don’t dry out, and place in vegetable bin. Radishes last about a week with proper storage.

Roasted Radishes with Asparagus and Thyme

2 bunches radishes, trimmed1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,

plus 1 teaspoon

1 bunch thin asparagus, ends removed, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon dried thymeKosher salt and coarse black

pepper, to taste1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Wash radishes, pat dry, and quarter; transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on the radishes, then sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Place radishes on a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, turning once while cooking.

While radishes are cooking, prep asparagus and place in same bowl used for radishes. Drizzle the remaining teaspoon of oil on asparagus and mix well. Toss asparagus with the roasted radishes (at the 20-minute mark) and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the asparagus is tender. If pan seems too crowded, place asparagus on a separate sheet pan and roast alongside radishes for remaining time.

Put roasted vegetables in bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve hot.

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I am a reflexologist who puts pres-sure on specific points of the feet (and sometimes hands) of my

clients. According to the theory behind this kind of bodywork, these points correspond to all the organs and parts of the body.

How do they correspond? No one can really say. There are no nerves or blood vessels to carry impulses or fluids from the feet to reflexology zones. However, despite this dissatisfying explanation, I have ample evidence that there is a connection because of the tales that my clients’ feet disclose.

During my decade of doing this kind of work, I have always begun each session with a health history asking clients about their specific physical complaints. The bottom line asks, “Is there anything else I should know?” Despite my diligent attempts to get a complete snapshot of their current and recent health concerns, people often forget to tell me things. But their feet tell me anyway.

A 16 year-old girl, having filled out my questionnaire, was enjoying her reflexology session when suddenly a spot on her instep hurt when I worked it.

“Ooh!” she said. “Why does that hurt?”

“Well, this area corresponds to your tailbone,” I replied. “Have you ever had a problem with it?”

She laughed. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Six weeks ago I broke it, but it’s feeling pretty good now.”

Other similar stories that got omitted from health histories

involved a woman whose tender spot corresponded to a kidney infection, as well as clients whose TMJ (temporomandibular disorders), sinuses, and sore neck felt better as soon as I started to touch the part of their feet that referred to that body part.

Even though I can’t explain how reflexology works, I can describe how it’s done.

Clients sit in a special recliner or lie on a massage table with their shoes and socks off. The reflexologist, who has a license to touch and who has specialized training in reflexology, uses finger and thumb pressure on specific points on the feet. It’s different from receiving a massage or pedicure for several reasons: first, most of the body remains clothed; second, it’s limited to the feet and/or hands; third, no oil or water is used.

Because clients don’t have to turn over halfway through the session, they have the time to get to sleep and stay that way, which many do. When I hear my clients snoring, I take that as a compliment.

The well-trained reflexologist administers on-and-off pressure that is much different from the kneading and stroking usually associated with a foot massage or pedicure. Although New York state allows several professions to offer reflexology, many practitioners have less than 10 hours of training and lack the knowledge and skills taught in a 200-hour certification program.

Reflexology was practiced in many parts of the world before it came to modern America. Egyptian

Tales the Feet Have ToldPeople’s feet often confess things that their owners have forgottenBy Jeanne Gehret

tomb pictographs portray a slave practicing this ancient art. When I visited Beijing, I saw it offered in the traditional Chinese medicine section of the Hospital for Foreigners as well as on most street corners. Much of the research on reflexology comes from Germany. And I have worked on clients who had it in India and were expecting to experience considerable pain.

In many of these other traditions, reflexology can be quite uncomfortable. But not according to Eunice Ingham, the Rochesterian who founded the method most commonly used in the U.S. today. Ingham, the author of “Stories the Feet Can Tell,” indicated that discomfort should be fleeting and feel more like “a good hurt.” If the feet or hands are exceedingly tender, work should be of shorter duration and greater frequency.

Recently, when I changed my website name to ReflexologyRochester.MassageTherapy.com, I started getting lots of calls and emails. Most of those inquirers started off by saying, “Did you know you’re about the only person in Rochester doing reflexology?”

I do know. When I want to receive it myself, I’m hard-pressed to find a practitioner. One of my new clients (a nurse) wants me to teach her how to do it, and I will gladly let her practice on me.

Until she starts, I will keep working on my own feet and continue putting my clients to sleep.

Complimentary Medicine

Jeanne Gehret is a licensed massage thera-pist who practices and teaches reflexology, trigger point therapy, and massage tech-niques in Fairport. She has a certification in reflexology. For more information, visit www.ReflexologyRochester.MassageTh-erapy.com


Many people associate chiro-practors only with spinal adjustments for when some-

one “throws out” his back; however, chiropractic can address other bodily issues that originate from or relate to muscular/skeletal issues of the spine.

New York state licenses chiropractors to treat only disorders of the spine; however, Daniel Perry, doctor of chiropractic with Brockport Chiropractic, has found that many conditions correlate to the spine.

After back pain, the most common problems he treats are neck pain and tension and migraine headaches. Although migraine headaches have many causes, tension headaches sometimes manifest prior to migraine headaches.

These types of migraines, “if caught early, respond to well to chiropractic,” Perry said. “I have tremendous results working with patients who have tension headaches.”

Some patients who need treatment for alignment and posture issues find relief from related issues once their spinal problems have been addressed with chiropractic.

Poor posture and alignment compresses the body’s organs, can pinch nerves and can hamper the body’s function and efficiency. Perry treated a young patient for rounded shoulders. She also had been diagnosed with asthma by a medical doctor.

“Within a few treatments, it allowed her to stand up straighter and allowed her shoulders to be in a natural position,” Perry said. “She actually was helped with her pain and weeks later, she was off her asthma medicine. Her doctors can’t understand how her asthma improved dramatically within a month.”

Nicholas Schamberger, chiropractor

Blood tests to measure vitamin D deficiency are among the most frequently ordered tests in medi-

cine.But a Loyola University Chicago

Stritch School of Medicine study of two new vitamin D tests found the kits are inaccurate in many cases.

Earle W. Holmes and colleagues examined how well the two new tests, Abbott Architect and Siemans Centaur2, performed on 163 randomly selected blood samples. In 40 percent of the Abbott Architect specimens and 48 percent of the Siemans Centaur2 specimens, results were at least 25 percent too high or 25 percent too low. (The maximum recommended total

allowable error is plus-or-minus 25 percent).

“There has been an exponential increase in the number of vitamin D tests ordered for patients,” Holmes said. “But our study of two newly approved tests showed they had pretty poor performance.”

The study by Holmes and colleagues included 163 specimens — 123 from women (median age 54) and 40 from men (median age 59). Researchers used the two new test kits on the specimens, and compared results with findings from a gold standard method called LCMS, which has been shown to provide accurate vitamin D measurements. (LCMS

stands for liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.)

The new tests tended to overestimate vitamin D deficiency. According to the LCMS measurements, 33 of the 163 specimens showed vitamin D deficiency. But the Abbott test showed that 45 specimens had vitamin D deficiency and the Siemens test showed that 71 subjects had vitamin D deficiency. Such inaccuracies could lead to overtreatment of vitamin D deficiency, Holmes said.

Holmes said inaccurate test results could lead to misdiagnoses of patients and confound efforts of physicians, nutritionists and researchers to identify the optimal levels of vitamin D for

good health.People get vitamin D from their

diet, from exposure to the sun and from supplements. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, which is needed for strong bones. Vitamin D helps increase bone density and decrease fractures. Recent studies have found vitamin D also may decrease the risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Populations that may be at high risk for vitamin D deficiency include the elderly, people who are obese, babies who are exclusively breast-fed and people who don’t get enough sun.

Complimentary Medicine

New Vitamin D Tests are Inaccurate

Chiropractic Treats More Than Out-of-Whack BacksBy Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

with Schamberger Chiropractic in Rochester, has noticed increase interest in chiropractic to help treat chronic sinus infections.

“When we say we can treat this, we’re not coming out saying, ‘I can get rid of viruses or bacteria,’” he said.

Chiropractic alignment can help relieve blockages that impede sinus drainage. Better drainage can help the body and medication fight off the infection.

Proper alignment also helped a 6-month-old patient of Schamberger who suffered from severe acid reflux. The tiny patient vomited after every time she ate.

“In her case, it was related to the spine and in two treatments, she stopped vomiting altogether,” Schamberger said.

Of course, not every case of chronic sinus infection or acid reflux can be improved with chiropractic as many factors can influence these conditions and alignment may not be one of them.

“Upon the initial exam, I can determine this,” Schamberger said. “That is one thing that is very nice about chiropractic. When we deal with spinal nerves, science has very well mapped out where they go. Based upon that, if someone has a problem in an area of the body, we can focus on the area on the spine and see if that is the problem.”

He added that chiropractic can also help reduce pain for patients with multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Parkinson’s disease. Chiropractic does not eliminate the conditions but does improve life quality for patients, according to sources interviewed for this story.

Michael C. Guernsey is a doctor of chiropractic practicing in Rochester. He has successfully helped patients

with seemingly non-spine related issues. He began training to become a chiropractor after a chiropractor helped him with what he believed was a shoulder injury.

“For three years, I just received pain relievers and anti-inflammatories from doctors,” Guernsey said. “I heard of chiropractic and I thought they were like witch doctors.”

He went anyway and was surprised the chiropractor asked how old his shoes were. The pain was in his shoulder, not his feet. But the chiropractor persisted. The shoes were three years old and his injury was three years old.

“He looked at me and could tell that my shoes were the cause of the problem,” Guernsey said. “They were throwing off my alignment and it didn’t have anything to do with my shoulder.”

Once his alignment was corrected and he wore different shoes, the pain in his shoulder disappeared.

“Doctors often don’t look at the cause but look at the symptoms,” Guernsey said.

Some chiropractors practice sub-specialties like nutritional counseling, pediatric chiropractic, orthopedics, neurology.

“Every chiropractor has something they like to focus in,” Perry said. “It’s important as a consumer to find a chiropractor who fits your niche.”

Perry added that chiropractors tend to practice along a continuum between those that are strictly medically-based and those that are more philosophic and holistic.

“It’s an art and a science and you have to find one that fits what you’re looking for,” Perry said.


Home healthcare has risen in popularity as the silent gen-eration (pre-baby boomers)

has sought alternatives to nursing home care. Staying in one’s own home saves money and offers more comfort, freedom and flexibility than staying at an institutional setting. Though home health workers may be called “nurses” by many patients in their care, the

range of services they provide are very different.

Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses provide skilled medical services such as administering medication, wound care and case assessment. They must complete the

same training as the RNs and LPNs employed in doctor’s offices and hospitals.

Physical therapists help clients with mobility and strength issues, often after they have experienced a fall or other injury. They can also make recommendations for home modifications and other changes that can make getting around easier.

Occupational therapists help clients overcome problems that hinder clients from doing everyday tasks like eating, personal care and household chores. This may include changing how they do things and using adaptive equipment.

Speech therapists help people regain their ability to communicate through speech after an injury or a stroke. They can also aid in helping clients swallow and breathe better.

Home health aides help clients with personal care, but do not typically administer medication. They may remind clients, however.

Homemakers or personal companions help clients by providing camaraderie, assisting with light housekeeping and meal preparation, and running errands such as taking them to doctor’s appointments and shopping. None of their job duties are medical.

Full service agencies such as HCR Homecare in Rochester offer a full-spectrum of certified care from companions to nurses. Many of its employees are nurses, but “home health aides are the largest group we employ,” said Adam Fabrizi, who works in the community outreach department.

“The majority of our referrals are coming from the hospital when people

are ready to come home but the doctor wants them to have a nurse come out to help them with medication or to monitor blood pressure. Any of these services are for short periods of time, one week to a couple months.”

HCR also offers a variety of clinical specialty programs such as an interdisciplinary stroke team to help recovering stroke patients and people with Parkinson’s disease.

“Typically, someone with health insurance will be covered,” Fabrizi

said. “A person has to be considered homebound. They have to be somewhat confined to their home. They can’t be able to come and go as they please without difficulty.”

Physician recommendation is usually required for insurance

companies, Medicare or Medicaid to cover skilled home care.

“It can’t just be they need someone who can come do light housekeeping,” Fabrizi said.

As a certified agency, HCR can offer the full spectrum of nursing, therapy and home health services. But licensed agencies fill a niche, too.

Unity At Home in Rochester is one example of a licensed agency that offers certified aides.

“The purpose of that is that it is standard across the country,” said Darla Ostrum, home care nurse and supervisor for Unity at Home. “That’s why Medicaid and Medicare will pay them directly for acute services. There are other ways to pay for chronic care like insurance, and out of pocket.”

Unity at Home helps clients with personal care, bathroom needs, medication reminders, companionship, running errands, and housekeeping.

Since Unity at Home is licensed, the agency can provide care at a less expensive cost than some certified agencies.

“If you happen to have a private-pay service and you go in the hospital and you qualify for certified-pay service, and you had a licensed aide, you may be able to get the same aide if the licensed agency has a contract with a certified provider,” Ostrum said.

Unity contracts with certified providers.

The organization’s 75-hour training program meets New York state

standards for home health aides. “If you choose an agency that

doesn’t use certified aides, they aren’t required to have that level of training,” Ostrum said. “That doesn’t mean they don’t give good care, but there’s no guarantee. Certified aides also have supervision by registered nurses. A licensed agency with certified aides gives extra protection.”

For people who need more of a companion and helper, an agency like Home Instead Senior Care in Rochester may help. Michelle Charland, director of client relations, views her agency as a means of “filling in the gaps” so more people can remain in their homes.

“The comfort in familiarity of the environment is beneficial if they’ve been in the hospital,” She said. “The healing is accelerated, especially with the dementia population. Having family members coming to the home is more comfortable. It gives better access to what they have already in place in home with equipment and supplies.”

Many long-term care insurance companies cover Home Instead’s services but some clients find that paying out-of-pocket is very reasonable compared with a residential facility.

The a la carte services include meal preparation, light housekeeping,

laundry, errands, driving to and from doctor appointments, socialization, mental stimulation for dementia clients, walking, and helping them enjoy hobbies.

“We try to match our caregivers’ interests and hobbies with clients,” Charland said. “When we introduce caregivers, we say, ‘We feel this is who we feel is a good caregiver for you but if you’re not happy we’ll take her off the case.’”

Beyond offering a steadying arm for rising or while walking along, Home Instead staff do not offer any personal care or physical assistance.

“We put staff through a countrywide criminal background check, driver’s license check, and credit check,” Charland said. “We always ask for three professional and three personal references.”

Only if each reference clears the in-depth questions does the applicant pass that portion of the screening. The questions include, “Would you leave your mother with this person alone overnight or for extended periods of time?”

The jobs of home care workers varies, but one commonality remains: the care of their patients is their top priority.

Golden YearsHow Home Health Care Can HelpHome help can be an ideal alternative to going to a nursing home, experts sayBy Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Charland

How Do I Select the Right Home Care Provider?

Once you acquire the names of several providers, you will want to learn more about their services and reputations. Following is a checklist of questions to ask providers and other individuals who may know about the provider’s track record. Their insight will help you determine which provider is best for you or your loved one.

• How long has this provider been serving the community?• Does this provider supply literature explaining its services, eligibility

requirements, fees, and funding sources? Many providers furnish patients with a detailed “Patient Bill of Rights” that outlines the rights and responsibilities of the providers, patients, and caregivers alike. An annual report and other educational materials also can provide helpful information about the provider.

• How does this provider select and train its employees? Does it protect its workers with written personnel policies, benefits packages, and malpractice insurance?

• Are nurses or therapists required to evaluate the patient’s home care needs? If so, what does this entail? Do they consult the patient’s physicians and family members?

• Does this provider include the patient and his or her family members in developing the plan of care? Are they involved in making care plan changes?

Source: National Association for Home Care & Hospice (www.nahc.org)

Guernsey


It didn’t take long before Beverly Kenney knew that she had found her new home.“I just walked in and I thought this

is it,” she said. She got “good vibes” immediately at one of two St. John’s green house homes in the Arbor Ridge community of Penfield.

Kenney’s room is neat and tidy and she attributes the large closet space to help keep it this way.

“I’m not messy anymore,” she beamed.

Kenney said the staff at her green house is immensely helpful and that she’s developed relationships with fellow residents.

“I’m never lonely,” she said. “I can be by myself or with friends.”

The green house, built for $2.5 million, is part of a movement by St. John’s to depart from the typical nursing home set-up that has been in existence for many years and to move toward alternative residential housing.

It’s not just about changing the structure of a nursing home, but also about changing the culture of thinking and the organizational structure of the nursing home model, said St. John’s Vice President of Marketing Duane Girdner. He calls it the “future of nursing homes.”

The green house project has the purpose of promoting a model for residential long-term care that involves a overhaul of the philosophy of care, architecture and organizational structure normally associated with long-term care.

The originator of this concept,

There are actually a number of golfing gadgets and accessories on the market today that can help

older golfers who struggle with arthri-tis, injuries or loss of mobility. Here are some possible solutions that can help keep your dad on the golf course.

Gripping HelpersGripping a golf club is a very

common problem for seniors with arthritis or those who have hand or elbow injuries, or any condition that affects their hand strength. To help alleviate this problem there are specially designed golf gloves and grips that can make a big difference.

Depending on the severity of your dad’s problem, an inexpensive option to check out is the Bionic Golf Gloves (bionicgloves.com, 877-524-6642), which are ergonomically designed to improve grip with less effort. Or

geriatrician William Thomas, defines a green house home as an “intentional community” — a place where a group of unrelated people join together and share the rhythm of daily life to serve a noble purpose: the care of the elderly.”

“Our green house homes are the only homes in the nation that are decentralized, located away from the main campus and fully integrated into a wider residential community,” said St. John’s President Charles Runyon in a press release. “We’ve adopted and expanded the green house philosophy because we believe this non-institutional approach will revolutionize what people want for long-term care.”

Each room, at about 250 square feet, is equipped with a full-size bed, overhead track lifts for those with wheelchairs and accessible full showers.

Much of the “institutional trimmings” have been removed from the homes, said St. John’s Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Veronica Barber. While these required trimmings are still a part of the home, employee lockers are hidden by a sliding door, the oxygen room is toward the back where there are no resident rooms and nurses are contacted by residents through pagers. Medication for each resident is stored in a small cabinet on the wall by the door of their room.

Residents have an opportunity to

Golden Years‘The Future of Nursing Homes’‘Green house’ in Penfield seen as model for future nursing homes By Jessica Spies

cook and bake as they like but meals are prepared by staff. Meals are made with fresh fruits and vegetables and allow for variety and customization to each resident. Residents are encouraged to eat all meals at the dining room table which enables relationships between the residents.

For Kenney, it’s not only her true home but “just a little bit of heaven.” As one of the first residents of the green house in Penfield, Kenney moved in at the end of February.

Residents like Kenney agree the green houses are bright and cheerful with big open windows on every wall of the building to allow in ample light. Residents can also step out on two porches to get some sun and fresh fair.

Outings are spontaneous and frequent with trips to the mall, grocery store, church and restaurants.

The Penfield green houses are part of a residential community and are unrecognizable as nursing homes from the street, Barber said.

St. John’s plans to expand the green house model by building homes in Henrietta, and possibly Brighton, Victor and Perinton. As residents leave St. John’s 6-story facility on Highland Avenue to move into green houses, individual floors will be renovated into green house living or similar arrangements.

What is a Green House?

St. John’s Green House homes are licensed as skilled nursing facilities and were developed in conjunction with the New York Department of Health. Each home includes a team that provides personal care, meal preparation, and light housekeeping and laundry; and a clinical support team including nurses, who are at the home on a 24-hour basis, social workers, therapists, physicians, activities and dietary professionals and pharmacists. The Green House Project, a program of the national non-profit NCB Capital Impact, has the purpose of promoting a model for residential long-term care that involves a overhaul of the philosophy of care, architecture and organizational structure normally associated with long-term care.

Features of each 8,000-square foot Green House: Ten private rooms with full-size beds and private baths. Large hearth area adjoining a kitchen that allows elders to participate in meal preparation. Family-style dining Indoor and outdoor activity space and gardens. Laundry room for elders and family members. Spa room with a barber/beauty shop. Computer room with a DVD/VCR. High technology cooking equipment.

Golf Gadgets That Can Help Older GolfersBy Jim Miller

the Power Glove (powerglove.com, 800-836-3760) that uses a Velcro strap to secure the club to your hand. These gloves run between $20 and $30.

Another option to consider is to get oversized grips installed on your dad’s clubs. These can make gripping the club easier and more comfortable, and are also very good at absorbing shock. Oversized grips are usually either one-sixteenth-inch or one-eighth-inch larger in diameter than a standard grip, and cost around $5 to $10 per grip. Your local golf pro can help with this.

Or, for a grip-and-glove combination fix, check out the new Quantum Grip (quantumgrip.com, 855-692-3784) that incorporates hook Velcro golf grips and companion golf gloves that have mating loop Velcro material in the palm. This insures gripping power and prevents the club from

slipping in your hand. The price: $30 per grip or $189 for a set of seven, plus $40 per glove.

Bending SolutionsIf back, hip or knee problems or

lack of flexibility is also hampering your dad on the golf course, there are a number of innovative gadgets that can eliminate the bending and stooping that comes with teeing up the ball, repairing divots, marking the ball on the green, retrieving a ball or tee on the ground, and picking a club, sand rake or flag stick up off the ground.

These stoop-proof devices run anywhere from a few dollars up to $70 and can be found at sites like kool-tee.com, teepalpro.com and uprightgolf.com.

Ergonomic Golf CartsThere are also a number of great

ergonomic golf carts that can help older golfers who still like to walk the course. These are three or four-wheeled, light-weight push carts that provide great stability, can be adjusted to fit your body size, and fold into a compact size in a matter of seconds for easy transport. Sun Mountain Sports (sunmountain.com), Bag Boy (bagboycompany.com) and Caddytek (caddytek.com) are three companies that make these type of carts at prices ranging anywhere from $130 to around $200.

Or, for seniors with severe mobility loss or who are disabled, there’s the SoloRider golf cart (solorider.com) that provides the ability to play from a seated position. Retailing for $9,450, this cart is lightweight and precisely balanced so it can be driven on tee boxes and greens without causing any damage. And federal ADA laws require that all public golf courses allow them.

Jim Miller is the author of Savvy Senior, published monthly in this newspaper.

The green house, built by St. John’s in Penfi eld at a cost of $2.5 million follows a new concept that departs from the typical nursing home set-up.


The Social Security Office

Ask Column provided by the local Social Security Office

Q&AQ: How can I get a copy of my

Social Security Statement?A: If you are age 18 or older,

you may get your Social Security statement conveniently online at any time after creating an account at www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement. The statement provides estimates for retirement, disability and survivors benefits, as well as a way to determine whether your earnings are accurately posted to your Social Security record. Social Security sends paper Social Security statements in the mail only to people age 60 and older and, beginning July 2012, to workers the year they turn 25. If this applies to you, you should receive your statement about two to three months before your birthday. Also, you can get an instant, personalized estimate of your future retirement benefit using our online Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

Q: My child, who gets Social Security, will be attending his last year of high school in the fall. He turns 19 in a few months. Do I need to fill out a form for his benefits to continue?

A: Yes. You should receive a form, SSA-1372-BK, in the mail about three months before your son’s birthday. Your son needs to complete the form and take it to his school’s office for certification. Then, you need to return page two and the certified page three

back to Social Security for processing. If you can’t find the form we mailed to you, you can find it online at the following address: www.socialsecurity.gov/schoolofficials/ssa1372.pdf.

Q: My neighbor, who is retired, told me that the income he receives from his part-time job at the local nursery gives him an increase in his Social Security benefits. Is that right?

A: Retirees who return to work after they start receiving benefits may be able to receive a higher benefit based on those earnings. This is because Social Security automatically re-computes the retirement benefit after crediting the additional earnings to the individual’s earnings record. Learn more by reading the publication, “How Work Affects Your Benefits,” at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10069.html.

Q: Can I get both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security benefits based on my disability?

A: Many people eligible for Social Security disability benefits also may be eligible for SSI. The disability decision for one program is the same for the other, but you must meet additional resource and income limits to qualify for SSI benefits. Learn all about SSI and whether or not you may qualify by reading the publication, “You May Be Able To Get Supplemental Security Income” (SSI) at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11069.html.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

What They Want You to Know:Home Health Worker

Deborah Jeanne Sergeant is a writer with In Good Health. “What Your Doctor Wants You to Know” is an ongoing col-umn that appears monthly to give our area’s healthcare

professionals an opportunity to share how patients can improve their care by helping their providers and by helping themselves.

Under the umbrella term “home health worker” are a variety of unskilled, skilled and medical

specialists who help elderly, sick or disabled people in their own homes. They can include companions, aides who assist with errands, household chores and meals, personal care aides, and nurses. While each job has its own function, training and, depending upon the job, licensure, they all work to help people stay comfortable and healthy in their homes.

• “The patient and family member should understand the concepts that they don’t necessarily get the same person every day. That’s the goal. But if there’s a flat tire or a car accident or an ill employee or something like that, you may have a substitute. That person has the same training as everyone else. You will get the same level of care from a substitute as the regular person. That’s true of any agency.

• “Always let the agency know if you’re not going to be there so it won’t be a wasted trip. If it’s a private pay, the agency can still bill the client.

• “If you have concerns, call the agency. Don’t wait until it builds up to become something you can’t stand.

• “You have a right to a change of services as long as we have someone available.

• “You have the right to complain without retaliation, and a right to privacy.

• “Sending the aide away or not being home is the most disruptive thing. We’ve had people say, ‘I was up too late, so I don’t need someone.’ The aide was already at the door in that case, so it was a wasted trip.

• “If anyone has questions about if anything’s within the scope of homecare I’d be glad to answer those questions.”

Darla Ostrum, home care nurse and manager of clinical services for Care At

Home, Rochester

• “The main thing I’m passionate about is improving health and preventing accidents from happening in the beginning. Not only am I treating for their current problem but also educate for wellness and prevent problems. I hope they take at least one thing out of that visit, hopefully more, but make lifestyle changes to improve their health. It’s important because as insurance companies are straining in the current economy, we’ve got to make patients more responsible as well.

• “Patients should be really honest

with their providers. Many times we make assumptions about what their problems are. Patients may feel like we know better or that they don’t think their information is helpful, but many times, patients will open up to us about something they think is unimportant but it really is. We can relate it to their doctor or whoever else is involved in their case.”

Jason Berl, physical therapist with HCR Home Care, Rochester

• “Having more family cooperation with understanding the plan of care would help. The more family members are directly involved taking care of their loved one, the better. They have different opinions. It’s tricky to please everyone and keep your eye focused on the best quality care you can give to the client themselves.

• “I try to promote coaching the family members about the disease process, especially dementia. My mom died of it four years ago and that’s why I have a passion for helping people with dementia.

• “We are there for the client care only. For meal preparation and cleaning, if extended family are there, they want their rooms cleaned and food made for them. We’re not a maid service or a chef. We want to help but we only have so much time to help.

• “Dollar for dollar, the value of home care compared to institutional care, it’s apples and oranges. The one-on-one patient-centered care we give, instead of being one of 30 people under the care of maybe a nurse and two other caregivers, it’s not comparable.

• “When funds are becoming limited, they should let us know so we can come up with new strategies such as a split shift instead of having the whole day. Give us a chance to make it more economical.”

Michelle Charland, RN with Home Instead Senior Care, Rochester

Social Security and Women

Aug. 26 is known as Women’s Equality Day. On that date in 1920, the 19th Amendment to

the U.S. Constitution was signed, giv-ing women the right to vote.

Social Security treats men and women equally. Men and women with identical earnings histories are treated exactly the same. However, there are things women in particular should know about Social Security. Although treated equally by Social Security, there are trends and differences in lifestyle that can affect benefits.

For example, women tend to care for many people: spouses, children, and parents. Taking time away from the workplace to care for a newborn child or aging parent can have an impact on your future Social Security benefits.

Also, despite significant strides through the years, women are more likely to earn less over a lifetime than men. Women are less often covered by private retirement plans, and they are

Women are less often covered by private retirement plans, more dependent on Social Security in their retirement years than men

more dependent on Social Security in their retirement years.

And, women tend to live about five years longer than men, which means more years depending on Social Security and other retirement income or savings.

If a woman is married to a man who earns significantly more than she does, it is likely she will qualify for a larger benefit amount on his record than on her own.

Want to learn more? Visit our women’s page at www.socialsecurity.gov/women. Follow the link on that page to our publication, “What Every Woman Should Know.” You can read it online, print a copy, or listen to it on audio. We provide alternate media as well to reach as many women as possible and to provide the information the way you’d like to receive it.

Learning about your future Social Security benefits and how men and women are treated just the same in the eyes of Social Security: what better way to celebrate Women’s Equality Day?


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

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,Are there any resources or

programs that help seniors with the high cost of hearing aids?

Can’t Afford To Hear

Dear Can’t,It’s unfortunate, but millions

of Americans with hearing loss don’t get hearing aids because they simply can’t afford them. Hearing aids are expensive, typically costing between $1,000 and $3,500 per ear, and most insurance companies, including traditional Medicare, don’t cover them. While there’s no one simple solution to finding affordable hearing aids, there are a variety of options you can look into that can help.

Check InsuranceYour first step is to check with your

health insurance provider to see if it provides any hearing aid coverage.

If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, you need to know that while original Medicare (Part A and B) and Medicare supplemental policies do not cover hearing aids, some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans do. If you have an Advantage plan, you’ll need to check with your plan administrator.

Medicaid also covers hearing aids in some states to people with very limited means. Your county social service office can give you more information.

Or, if you’re a federal employee or retiree, hearing aid coverage may be available through some insurance plans in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Or if you’re a veteran, the VA provides free hearing aids if you meet certain conditions such as being compensated for any serviced-connected disability or if your hearing loss is connected to military service. See va.gov or call 877-222-8387 to check your eligibility.

Financial AssistanceDepending on your income

level, there are various programs and foundations that provide financial assistance for hearing aids to people in need. Start by calling your state rehabilitation department (see www.parac.org/svrp.html for contact information), or the nearest chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America (hearingloss.org) to find out if there are any city, county or state programs, or local civic organizations that could help.

There are also a number of

nonprofits that offer hearing aids at deeply discounted prices, or for free. Some good ones to check out include:

HEAR NowSponsored by the Starkey Hearing

Foundation (starkeyhearingfoundation.org, 800-328-8602), this program provides hearing aids for people with net incomes below $19,058 for a single or $25,743 for couples. Your only costs are a hearing test and an application fee of $125 per hearing aid request.

Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project

Offered through some Lions clubs throughout the U.S., this program provides the opportunity to purchase new, digital hearing aids manufactured by Rexton for $200 per aid, plus shipping. To be eligible, most clubs will require your income to be somewhere below 200 percent of the federal poverty level which is $22,340 for singles, or $30,260 for couples. Contact your local Lions club (see lionsclubs.org for contact information) to see if they participate in this project.

SertomaA civic service organization that

runs a hearing aid recycling program through its 500 clubs nationwide, refurbishes them, and distributes them to local people in need. Call 800-593-5646 or visit sertoma.org to locate a club in your area.

AudientThis program (audientalliance.org,

866-956-5400) helps people purchase new, digital hearing aids at reduced prices ranging from $495 to $975 for one hearing aid, or $990 to $1,575 for a pair. To be eligible, your income must be below $27,075 for a single or $36,425 for couples.

For a list of more programs, visit the Better Hearing Institute website at betterhearing.org, and click on “Hearing Loss Resources,” then on “Financial Assistance.” Or, call the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at 800-241-1044 and ask them to mail you their list of financial resources for hearing aids.

How to Find Help Paying for Your Hearing Aid

Participate in a University of Rochester Medical Center study on coping with

this chronic disease. 585-273-4149 for information.

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Health NewsClifton Springs Auxiliary awards scholarship

The Clifton Springs Hospital Auxiliary has awarded its 2012 Gertrude Bates Memorial Scholarship to Destiny Rodman of Phelps.

The $7,000 scholarship is awarded each year to a Midlakes High School graduate who is entering a healthcare-related field of study.

The award is given in honor and memory of Gertrude Bates, a former director of nursing at Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic, who in 1959 co-founded the Clifton Springs Hospital Auxiliary, which has given more than 50 years of service to the Hospital and community.

Destiny is the daughter of Chrystal Rodman-Horn of Phelps and Joseph Delbovi of Canandaigua. She will enter the doctor of nursing program at St. John Fisher College in the fall with the goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.

The Clifton Springs Hospital Auxiliary has been serving the

Hospital community for more than 50 years. In addition to awarding this scholarship, auxiliary volunteers work in a wide variety of Hospital departments, coordinate community blood drives, conduct a Safe Kid ID registration and car safety seat inspection in cooperation with the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department, and work tirelessly to raise funds for much needed hospital equipment and projects.

Mercy Flight Central has New CEO

Mercy Flight Central’s long-time former President and CEO Paul Hyland recently has retired. Neil Snedeker, president and chief operating officer (COO), will assume additional responsibilities, including overall strategic and financial leadership of the organization.

Hyland founded Mercy Flight Central as a nonprofit in 1992 to

provide air medical services to residents of New York state and beyond. Since inception, the organization has grown to approximately 50 employees and includes bases of operations in Canandaigua and Marcellus. The organization began operations as an advanced life support air ambulance service and has since grown to become New York’s premier critical care air medical service with three helicopters and one turboprop jet airplane staffed 24/7/365. “My experience with this organization has been

the most rewarding and humbling of my career. It is with great confidence that I transition leadership of the team,” stated Hyland.

Snedeker was named president and COO in September 2010. Beginning in 1992, Snedeker served as a flight paramedic for eight years. Subsequently, he filled several operational leadership roles within the organization, including chief flight paramedic and director of Central New York Operations. He served also on the board of directors for 12 years, including an eight-year term as board chair.man Snedeker is a resident of Syracuse.

Thompson now using new electronic system

F.F. Thompson Hospital announced it has in place an integrated electronic medical records system to enhance patient care by efficiently and securely documenting, managing and sharing patient data.

“The goal of this project has always been to put the patient first, and having an electronic medical record is one way of ensuring the very best quality of care for our patients,” a spokesperson for Thompson said.

Benefits of this electronic medical records system include:

• One place where medical providers can access a patient’s medical history, including allergies and medications. This gives providers a more complete picture of a patient’s medical history, with the information stored in one location.

• A secure way of sharing data from locations throughout the health system in real time. This allows providers, from anywhere within or outside of the health system, to access to their patients’ current medical data.

For patients, this means receiving the care they need in an even more timely manner. It also means better-coordinated care, with all of their healthcare providers kept up-to-date in real time. It also allows the patient and their family members to become more involved in their own healthcare decision making. Patients are asked to please bring their insurance cards to

present at registration. F.F. Thompson Hospital’s new

system also includes laboratory, radiology and other test results, document imaging and patient history to enhance the quality of patient care and support growth.

Helendale Dermatology manager to serve on ADAM

Trish Hohman, practice administrator at Helendale Dermatology & Medical Spa in Irondequoit and resident of Pittsford, has been appointment to serve on the board of directors for the Association of Dermatology Administrators & Managers (ADAM).

As a board member, Hohman will be responsible for working

collaboratively with other members and staff in leading the organization according to its mission and vision — to serve the dermatology profession through education, resources and networking opportunities as a trusted resource for dermatology practice

management. ADAM is recognized nationally as the resource for dermatology practices.

“I am delighted to be a part of a national effort to serve others in the dermatology profession,” said Hohman. “I look forward to working amongst a group of professionals who strive to make advancements in the practice of dermatology.”

Hohman has more than 12 years of experience in medical practice management and is the co-founder of Helendale Dermatology & Medical Spa. At Helendale, she is responsible for working closely with the practice’s physician, in managing the medical practice. She oversees the management of employees, human resources activities, payroll and accounts payable, billing of patients and insurances, medical information systems, quality of patient care, and engages in the planning of the practice’s marketing and social media relations.

Hohman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from SUNY Brockport and regularly attends training seminars on medical practice management and healthcare human resources. She resides in Pittsford with her family.

Hillside appoints two healthcare professionals

Hillside Family of Agencies has hired two health care professionals. They are:

• Christopher “Kit” Davis who will provide oversight of Hillside Family of Agencies pediatric care across the agency’s affiliates. The physician will work closely with organization leaders to continue to develop health care practices and policy and will support new health care initiatives such as OASIS, managed care Medicaid

MVP Health Care CEO David Oliker has announced he will retire after nearly 30 years as the head of the company. He has led MVP since the company’s inception in 1982.

Oliker has announced he will retire in early 2013. To ensure a smooth transition, Denise V. Gonick, executive vice president, administrative services and chief legal officer of MVP Health Care will assume the role of president of operations and will chair the transition efforts.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead such a wonderful company, but the time is right for me to spend more time with my family as well as pursue other interests,” Oliker said. “I cannot tell you how proud I am of the accomplishments we have collectively achieved here at MVP. I have had the honor and privilege to lead an organization that puts our customers first and over the past thirty years I have worked with some of the most passionate, talented people in the health care business. While it is time for me to shift my day to day focus, my passion for health care is still strong and I look forward to staying involved and contributing to the public debate.”

Richard J. D’Ascoli, chairman of the MVP board of directors said, “We want to thank David for three decades of incredible leadership. Without him MVP wouldn’t be what it is today. His vision and leadership took this company from inception to a leading, innovative health insurance organization that has been

recognized for accomplishment both locally and nationally. We wish him well in whatever endeavors he chooses to pursue next. David will be missed.”

Under Oliker’s leadership, the company serves more than

650,000 members in New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. MVP’s exceptional growth stems from Oliker’s philosophy that high-quality, affordable health care results from innovation and unswerving commitment to customer service. Oliker is a nationally recognized leader in managed care and serves on the board of directors of the America’s Health Insurance

Plans (AHIP). In addition, he is the former chairman of the New York State Health Plan Association and he is on the board of the MVMA Foundation, the Taconic IPA and MedAllies. He also serves on the board of the Health Advancement Collaborative of Central New York.

A strong community leader, Oliker chairs the advisory council of Union Graduate College, serves on the Proctor’s Theatre board, the Albany College of Pharmacy advisory board, and the board of trustees of Excelsior College.

Oliker holds a bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University where he currently serves a member of the board of visitors, a master’s degree from The American University, Washington, D.C.; and a post-master’s graduate certificate in health care administration from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

MVP’s CEO to retire after three decades on the job

Oliker

Hyland

Snedeker

Hohman


Health NewsHealth News

Lifespan Announces Two New Elder Abuse ResourcesFive area nursing homes participating in the program

and Hillside’s work combating childhood obesity. Davis will maintain a collaborative relationship with Hillside’s pediatric nurse practitioners and will support the daily medical care of youth in Hillside’s care. Davis has extensive knowledge in pediatrics and experience in addiction medicine, HIV care and public health policy. Most recently he has worked with Rochester Psychiatric Center and the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Services Office, providing consultative and medical services. He is

active in the community and in his free time coaches youth sports in Brighton, where he and his family resides.

• Heather Wensley will work as a pediatric nurse practitioner and will be responsible for providing care to youth at Hillside Children’s Center Monroe Avenue campus, Hillside Children’s Center Juvenile Justice System and at Crestwood Children’s Center. Wensley has a passion for working with youth in foster care and has had clinical experience at Starlight Pediatric Foster Care Clinic as well as Kirsch Developmental Center. She has worked on the pediatric unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital, Sawgrass Surgery Center and most recently as a pediatric nurse practitioner in the pediatric emergency department at Rochester General Hospital. Wensley resides in Irondequoit with her family.

Thompson Health nurse receives national award

A Thompson Health cardiac rehabilitation nurse was recently named one of only two recipients of a national award presented by Mended Hearts, Inc.

A nonprofit organization, Mended Hearts partners with more than 460 hospitals and rehabilitation clinics throughout the country, offering information and support to people with heart disease and their families.

The organization’s Rochester chapter has

a Canandaigua satellite program at Thompson Hospital, and coordinator Mary Allhusen was nominated by Rochester Chapter President Sharon Feldman for the Sydney & Helen Shuman Nurse Recognition Award. The award was established “to show appreciation to the nurses who make a positive difference by their skill, care and presence.”

“Mary’s patients love her and feel that she has given them confidence in their ability to recover from their cardiac problems,” said Feldman, adding that for more than 20 years, “Mary has been unrelenting in bringing hope and caring to heart patients and their families.”

A Canandaigua resident, Allhusen has worked at Thompson since 1979. She assisted with founding the hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation department in 1991, supervised it for many years, and remains a staff nurse. In addition to assisting facilitator Jim Fralick with Thompson’s monthly Mended Hearts support group, she is a key organizer of Thompson’s annual Rose Walk — which raises funding for the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Fitness Center’s scholarship fund — and helped launch Thompson’s Eastview Mall Walkers program.

Allhusen is expected to be officially presented with her award at the Sept. 13 meeting of Thompson’s Mended Hearts chapter.

The one other 2012 recipient of the Sydney & Helen Shuman Nurse Recognition Award is a nurse who works with a Mended Hearts chapter in Knoxville, Tenn.

Thompson Health has announced the acquisition of a daVinci Surgical System, a minimally invasive option to open and standard laparoscopic surgical procedures.

Thompson’s surgical teams recently began using this advanced technology in the fields of urology and gynecology.

This technology offers new options for patients in the area seeking surgical treatment for prostate, kidney and bladder cancers, as well as gynecological procedures such as hysterectomies and fibroid removal. It offers such benefits as less pain and scarring, fewer complications, less blood loss, a shorter hospital stay and a quicker recovery period

Thompson’s urology surgical team is headed by Guan Wu, who has performed more than 700 daVinci procedures at the University

of Rochester Medical Center and Highland Hospital, and who has begun cases at Thompson Health. He will soon be joined at Thompson by other da inci-trained surgeons.

For gynecology surgical offerings, Thompson’s Chief of OB/GYN Robert Scott has added daVinci procedures as the natural progression of his extensive laparoscopic experience and will be joined by another daVinci-trained surgeon.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer the daVinci system to our community and patients,” says President/CEO Michael F. Stapleton, Jr. “We look forward to bringing even more surgical options in the near future in the areas of gynecologic oncology, colorectal cancer and otolaryngology, as well as welcoming more daVinci-trained surgeons to Thompson.”

Lifespan of Greater Rochester Inc. recently announced the availability of two new resources for elder abuse victims, their family members and professionals working in the fields of aging and health.

Five area nursing homes will provide a new temporary housing alternative for victims who must be relocated from an abusive situation, but are too frail or incapacitated to go to traditional housing or domestic violence shelters.

The new option provides for an expedited nursing home placement, which will allow victims to receive healthcare and social work services in a protected setting while the abuse

is investigated and a safe discharge plan is developed. Participating homes are St. Ann’s, the Episcopal Church Home, The Friendly Home, the Jewish Home of Rochester, and St. John’s. A similar agreement with the Hurlbut Care Communities will provide shelter bed availability for mistreated older adults who live in surrounding counties.

Lifespan also launched a new website (www.nyselderabuse.org) filled with resources for professionals and victims and their family members. The site is especially useful for people working in the fields of aging, health, law enforcement financial services who

may encounter victims or who assist victims.

Elder abuse can take multiple forms that can have devastating consequences for older adult victims. It can include physical or sexual abuse, psychological mistreatment, neglect and financial exploitation. Often more than one form of abuse can take place at the same time.

A groundbreaking study on the prevalence of elder abuse in New York state, conducted by Lifespan in conjunction with Cornell Weill Medical Center and the department for the aging in New York City, showed that one in 13 New Yorkers over 60 years of age are abused in a

one-year period. The study, released in 2011, also found that for every case reported to authorities and agencies, 24 went unreported.

Lifespan has provided elder abuse prevention and intervention services in this region since 1987. The agency’s elder abuse prevention program covers 10 counties in the Finger Lakes region and serves approximately 300 older adults and their families each year.

For further information about the new elder abuse shelter beds, call Lifespan at 244-8400.

Thompson Now Offering the Latest in Minimally Invasive Surgery

VNS of Rochester, nurse received ‘Caring Award’

The Home Care Association of New York State (HCA) has presented Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc. (VNS) nurse Jason Kowalski with a 2012 Caring Award.

This award recognizes a caregiver in the home care field who “has exhibited the compassion, skills and service that sets their contribution apart or whose actions on a particular day or over a period of time exemplify caring in home care.”

“Jason Kowalski clearly exhibits all of the qualities we value in the nursing profession and in home care generally,” said HCA President Joanne Cunningham. “For his compassion,

integrity, caring nature and constant effort to enhance his skills and knowledge, we are proud to present him with our 2012 Caring Award.”

Like many caregivers, Kowalski understands that the best way to help his patients is by seeking out the knowledge and training to provide the best care possible. A few short months into his time as a VNS employee, Kowalski’s supervisor took note of his interest and skill in wound care management, prompting Kowalski to complete a week-long course and subsequent exam that made him the first wound care certified licensed practical nurse at VNS. Kowalski now provides back up for VNS’s wound specialist nurse when she is off duty, and he does an incredible job with the additional responsibility.

Davis

Wensley

Allhusen


Health News

News from

New President, VP — Unity recently announced two appointments:

• Jane Shukitis has been appointed president of Unity. Shukitis’ former role was vice president of Unity’s Home and Community Based Programs.Shukitis lives in Spencerport.

• Barb Grey has been appointed vice president of Unity’s Home and Community Based Programs. She previously held the position of senior director of Unity’s Home Care Services. Barb lives in Greece.

New Doc — Valentina Antonova has recently joined Unity Medical Group medical staff. Antonova will work at

Unity Internal Medicine at Park Ridge. She earned her medical degree from Kahraov Medical University, Ukraine, completed her residency in internal medicine at Internal Medicine Aurora Sinai Health Care Program, Milwaukee and also completed a residency in neurology in Kharkov

Medical. She was a neurologist from 1997 to 2001 at Kharkov Turboatom Hospital #1 in Ukraine. She lives in Spencerport.

New OB-GYN in Brockport — Jane Dimopoulos and Vanessa E. Junor recently joined Unity OB-GYN at Brockport.

Dimopoulos completed her OB-GYN residency at the University of Patras/Kalamata General Hospital and Mercer University, Macon, Ga. She is a clinical instructor for the physician assistant program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She is board certified

St. Ann’s Community recently elected three new members to St. Ann’s of Greater Rochester Inc. boards of directors: Beth Ann Kilberg-Walsh, vice president of marketing and communications at Xerox Corporation; Michael Pinch, chief information security officer at University of Rochester Medical Center; and Jill J. Wynn, realtor at Nothnagle Realtors.

St. Ann’s Community also elected three new members to St. Ann’s Foundation, Inc. board of directors: John Hayes, chief operations officer at GLC Business Services; Nicole Marro, senior counsel, trust and estate department at Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC; and Robert Ryan, senior vice presdent and region executive at JP Morgan Chase. Kathy Keogh, associate broker at Nothnagle Realtors, was elected in the fall of 2011.

In addition to new members, the boards also instituted new officers for the 2012 – 2014 term. The St. Ann’s of Greater Rochester Inc. board’s chairwoman is Patrick

Burke, president and CEO of The Burke Group, Inc.; immediate past chairwoman is Ann McCormick, executive vice president and general counsel at Home Properties; chairwoman elect is Maggie Bringewatt; secretary is Timothy White, partner at KPMG, LLP; and treasurer is Marie Castagnaro, treasurer and chief financial officer for Sisters of St. Joseph.The St. Ann’s Foundation, Inc. board of directors chairman is Ronald Salluzzo, president, State & Local Government and Higher Education for Attain; immediate past chairman is Gary Henehan of Atlantic Development Services; chairman-elect is James Leo, Sr., vice president and chief financial officer and treasurer of Wegman’s Food Markets, Inc.; and secretary-treasurer is Anthony DiBarnaba, president of Benefit Resource, Inc.St. Ann’s Community is one of Rochester’s largest private employers with approximately 1,100 employees, and provides a varied range of services and care levels designed to meet the individual needs of older adults.

in OB-GYNand is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dimopoulos lives in Brockport.

Junor completed her OB-GYN residency at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia. She is board certified in OB-

GYN and is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She also lives in Brockport.

Certification from the Joint Commission — The Joint Replacement Center at Unity Hospital has again earned the Gold Seal of Approval for health care quality. The Joint Commission awarded the Joint Replacement Center Disease-Specific Care Certification for knee and hip replacement.

To earn this distinction, the Joint Replacement Center at Unity Hospital voluntarily underwent an on-site evaluation, which included extensive interviews of staff and patients. The Joint Commission determined that the Center meets rigorous quality and safety standards, and awarded full certification to the Joint Replacement Center with no recommendations for improvement.

“We are extremely pleased and proud to have received certification as a Center of Excellence for both hip and knee replacement from The Joint Commission,” said Michael Klotz, medical director of the Joint Replacement Center at Unity Hospital. “This recognition represents the culmination of a great deal of hard work by all of our dedicated and enthusiastic staff, which includes nurses, technicians, therapists, doctors and support staff. It is our commitment to excellence in the service of our patients, continuous assessment and improvement, and evidence based practice which has made the Joint Replacement Center at Unity Hospital the choice for more people in the greater Rochester area than any other hospital.”

The Joint Commission launched its Disease-Specific Care Certification program in 2002. It is the first program of its kind in the country to certify disease management programs. A list of programs certified by the Joint Commission is available at www.jointcommission.org.

New VP of Nursing Homes — Cindy Lovetro has been appointed vice president of two of Unity’s skilled nursing homes, Unity Living Center and Edna Tina Wilson Living Center. She previously served as vice president

of Edna Tina Wilson Living Center. Lovetro joined Unity in 2010 after a 28-year career at The Jewish Home of Rochester, most recently as the vice president of nursing. She has a bachelor’s degree from the SUNY Brockport. She is a New York state licensed nursing home

Kowalski entered the health care field as a home health aide shortly after graduating from high school and worked at both Genesee and Rochester General hospitals before entering the Marion S. Whelan School of Practical Nursing where he earned his LPN degree. He entered employment at VNS in 2007 as a member of the agency’s cardiac team and is now an integral part of the Visiting Nurse Hospice and Palliative Care program. He grew up in Walworth.

St. Ann’s Community Elects New Board Members and Offi cers

Shukitis

Gray

Antonova

Junor

Dimopoulos Lovetro

administrator, and a registered nurse. Lovetro has served on a number of health care committees, including the New York State Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA) and the Association for Administrative Nurses in Long Term Care (AANLTC). She lives in Irondequoit.

New Administrator — Amanda Teugeman has been appointed administrator, Edna Tina Wilson Living Center. She previously served as assistant administrator, Unity Center for Aging. Teugeman earned her master’s degree in health care administration from the Rochester Institute of Technology. She is a

New York state licensed nursing home administrator. She lives in Pittsford.

Teugeman

RGHS buys Linden Oaks Medical Campus

Rochester General Health System (RGHS) recently completed the purchase of 10, 20 and 30 Hagen Drive in Penfield. With this purchase, the health system is now the owner of the Linden Oaks Medical Campus, soon to be the headquarters of a comprehensive array of advanced RGHS ambulatory services emphasizing clinical innovation and patient convenience.

The campus, featuring 190,000 square feet of clinical office space,

currently offers a variety of primary and specialty care practices as well as physical and occupational therapy, oncology and laboratory services. In the future, RGHS will enhance these offerings with an expanded oncology center and a full-service urgent care facility, among other clinical services.

Additionally, RGHS will soon complete purchase of nearby 360 Linden Oaks Drive — the future home of the RGHS ambulatory surgical center, to be relocated from its current site on Lattimore Road in Rochester.

Rochester General Health System acquired the four properties for a combined cost of approximately $40 million from Gianniny Associates. The price, below market value, reflects the commitment of father-and-sons team Robert, Bruce and Mark Gianniny to the community and to RGHS.

“We’re very pleased to take ownership of this major addition to Rochester General Health System’s presence in greater Rochester,” said Hugh Thomas, senior vice president of ambulatory services and RGHS general counsel. “We’re excited to move forward with our plans for a comprehensive ambulatory campus that that gives patients convenient access to a wide variety of leading-edge clinical services.”

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Medical providers advise preg-nant mothers to avoid smok-ing and exposure to second-

hand smoke. Another type of exposure to tobacco smoke, “third-hand smoke” (THS) may also cause harm to babies in the womb.

The phrase, coined by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital a few years ago, describes the particles left behind after a person has smoked.

These particles “can settle on nearly any surface in the home, car or public venues,” said Neil S. Selig-man, physician, assistant professor of OB-GYN and a maternal fetal medicine specialist at University of Rochester Medical Center. “Many chemicals can be found within THS including nico-tine and several potent carcinogens.

“Additionally, THS can react with other environmental compounds such as ozone and nitrous acid forming other dangerous compounds. Several of the chemicals in tobacco smoke, es-pecially nicotine and carbon monoxide, can cross the placenta and concentrate in the fetus and amniotic fluid at levels that exceed those of the mother.”

Whilea a baby is still in the womb, it is more prone to damage from harm-ful substances that cross the placenta because of it size and lack of develop-ment.

After the babies are born,they are more prone to health problems because of THS than adults because babies con-

stantly put things in their mouths and have greater exposure to dust (such as lying on the floor) than adults.

For years, research has confirmed that smoking moms have greater risk of congenital anoma-lies, placenta previa, abruption, premature preterm rupture of membranes, pre-term birth, stillbirth, and decreased birth weight. But non-smok-ers exposed to THS can experience increased risks, too.

“Nonsmokers exposed to THS have elevated levels of nicotine on the skin and elevated levels of cotinine in the urine, a byproduct of nicotine, and while it is pre-mature to conclude that the risks of THS exposure are the same as those of smoking, an appropriate level

of concern is reasonable and proper,” Seligman said.

Stephanie Mann, maternal fetal medicine specialist with Rochester General Hospital, agrees that smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke have been implicated as harmful to

fetal development.“It’s not a stretch to think that

third-hand smoke would have similar implications on fetal health and neona-tal development,” she said.

Little research has confirmed how serious the impact that THS has on developing babies; however, for the health of the entire family, it’s im-portant to avoid smoking and places where people smoke.

“Women should be counseled that there is no safe level of exposure to cigarette smoke,” Seligman said. “Pregnant women may be exposed to THS through inhalation, ingestion, and absorption through the skin.”

It may seem difficult to inhale THS, but Russ Sciandra, New York state director of advocacy for the American Cancer Society, explained that the tox-ics left behind by a smoker can become airborne again and then inhaled by someone else.

“Someone who has third-hand exposure probably has second-hand exposure, too,” Sciandra said. “In our experience, even when people are conscientious and make an effort, there will be second-hand exposure happen-ing. Some of it will reach other people.”

Smokers who take their habit outside may exhale near a window or doorway, for example. Or a breeze may carry some smoke back inside. Although THS may not be as high of a form of exposure as directly smoking

or second-hand smoke, “it’s unneces-sary exposure and people should be conscious of it and try to avoid it,” Sciandra said. “People who are con-cerned about this have to recognize that they will be exposed by touching the surfaces and if these things get back into the atmosphere they can breathe them in. People can carry it on their clothes. It’s one more reason to add to the million other reasons as to why people shouldn’t smoke.”

Vacuuming and washing drapes won’t get rid of the toxins in a room.

“THS can persist for months to years and is detectable even after re-placing carpets or painting,” Seligman said. “Many common household clean-ers will not effectively remove nicotine residues.”

“Airing out” a room may not help dissipate the toxins quickly, either. Mann said the rate of the toxins’ decay is unknown.

“All pregnant women should be asked about exposure to tobacco smoke followed by clear, strong, relevant advice as indicated,” Seligman said. “It is preferable to involve the individual who is smoking, especially when it is the father of the pregnancy.”

For information on how to quit smoking, call the NYS Smokers’ Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487). To read the Surgeon General’s latest report, visit www.surgeonge-neral.gov

Neil S. Seligman, physician, assistant professor of OB-GYN and a maternal fetal medicine specialist at University of Rochester Medical Center

Heard of Third-Hand Smoke? Expert says it’s a problem. Babies are at higher risk of health resulting from THSBy Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

How many youth need mentors?

Just one…theonewhoneeds you.

A message from the Boomer Mentor Project of Rochester Mentors at Lifespan.

You’ve got what it takes to makea difference in the life of a child.

Call 271-4050 or visit www.RochesterMentors.org


I will never forget the first time I laid eyes on someone stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP).It was a hot day last August and I

was lazily kayaking down Irondequoit Creek heading toward the bay. In the tall reeds appeared a man standing upright on what I could only describe as a surfboard. Wielding a long paddle, he placed the blade in the water an arms-length ahead of himself and slowly pulled it back toward himself through the water alongside the long board. Alternating his stroke from one hand to the other, he gracefully propelled himself through the water.

Immediately I knew it was something I had to try. Stand-up paddleboarding is a relatively new sport to Rochester.

“It’s simply a lot of fun,” said Ken Altfather, owner of Bay Creek Padding Center. “For people who find kayaking maybe a little more sedate, this is a little more active and this gives you a different perspective on the water, being up taller and able to see more.”

In an effort to introduce more people to the sport, Bay Creek, located on Empire Boulevard on the south end of Irondequoit Bay, offers the opportunity for about a dozen people to try it out for free every Friday at 6 p.m. during the paddling season. Bay Creek also sells the paddleboards and paddles, and gives lessons.

Altfather said stand-up paddleboarding has been a booming sport elsewhere, but up until last summer, very few people in Rochester were doing it, save those who already knew about it and owned their own boards.

“It moved around the coast and other areas where outdoor sports are pretty big pretty quickly, and in inland waters, not just ocean waters,” he said. “It took its time to work its way around to us.”

Altfather purchased Bay Creek’s first few stand-up paddleboards in the summer of 2010 and said there was a “modest” response. Last year, he offered about a dozen paddleboards for rent. Over 100 people have signed up to try the sport through Meetup.com and as word has continued to grow, people are investing in the equipment.

If done correctly, Altfather said, stand-up paddleboarding can be a great workout.

“I really feel people need to learn the proper stroke to really tap into their core, otherwise they just paddle with their arms,” he said. “It’s great toning for your abs and back.”

The sport is also popular for all ages.

“I’ve sold them to people for their children, we’ve sold them to people in their 70s and people of all ages come and try it, so it really appeals to a wide demographic,” he added.

Boards can range in cost from $400 to upwards of $2,000; paddles run anywhere from $100 to $350.

One of the biggest concerns beginners have is balance, Altfather said.

“When they get used to the balance, then it’s working on control of the board, how to better paddle it, keep it under control,” he said.

A kayaker myself, I took a stand-up paddleboarding lesson at Bay Creek last summer. Led by Altfather, the

class began on land covering the basics — general information about the board, the sport and the equipment.

The back of the board is called the tail and the front was called the nose. The sides of the board are called the rails; the top of the board is the deck, and the bottom is called the hull. A fin on the bottom of the board helps the board track in the water. Although the paddleboard terminology mimics surfing, stand-up paddleboards are bigger and made of different materials than surfboards.

The paddle has a blade and a shaft, terminology that comes from canoe racing. A leash connecting the paddleboarders’ ankle to the board ensures that it will not float too far off if the rider falls off.

Altfather’s lesson included details on how to select, adjust and hold a paddle properly. He also warned us of the “zone of destruction.”

“It can be a dangerous piece of equipment,” he said of the board. “When you’re surfing, if you fall off the board it can shoot out from under you and gain velocity.”

If you feel like you are going to fall, Altfather told us to get onto our knees until we felt stable. A life vest is required by law, Altfather said, and the best way to ride is barefoot.

“Any shoe adds uncertainty to your movement,” he said.

After a lesson on falling and getting back onto the board, it was into the water. On the water, Altfather explained the two basic strokes — forward stroke and the hook stroke — demonstrating how they can be used to propel and turn the boat in the water.

Michelle Linse of Rochester also took a stand-up paddleboarding lesson from Altfather last summer. Having kayaked and tried to surf before, Linse

Up a Creek with a Board and a PaddleYou can try stand-up paddleboarding, Rochester’s newest water sport, for freeBy Amy Cavalier

For more information about Stand-up Paddleboarding in Rochester visit:www.meetup.com/SUP-Rochesterwww.baycreek.com/

said she was curious about the sport. “I would never ever make a fool

of myself unless I really wanted to learn how to stand-up on a board and paddle,” she says. “I have wretched balance so I’m not sure.”

After spending a little less than an hour on the paddleboard, Linse said she would do it again.

“It was about as hard as I expected it to be which was hard,” she said. “I’m a kayaker so I’m used to the shifting underneath you and paddling techniques, but the balance, you can never relax like a kayak, but that’s only my first half hour.”

Julie Jones of Rochester saw stand-up paddleboarding for the first time while on vacation.

“I was just afraid of falling in the water,” she said, though she was able to avoid doing so. “It was fun, you get a different point of view than in a kayak and it was a good workout.”

The day after my stand-up paddleboarding lesson, I could definitely feel some soreness in the muscles in my legs and abs. In addition to being a great workout, the sport gives you the feeling that you are experiencing something only a fraction of people ever will. Standing on my board, the paddle almost a natural extension of your body, the water lapping over your board over your feet, the final rays of sun slipping into the bay — there’s no doubt I’d fallen hook line and sinker and I’ll be back to try it again.

Writer Amy Cavalier gives stand-up paddleboarding a try on the south end of Irondequiot Bay in the Irondequoit Creek in Penfi eld. A kayaker herself, she learned about the sport last year. “Immediately I knew it was something I had to try,” she said.

Ken Altfather, owner of Bay Creek Paddling Center, helps several people select the proper board during a stand-up paddleboarding lesson

In Good Health

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