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Lone Star Tick Bites Cause Alpha-Gal Syndrome
DEAR DR. ROACH: I was recently diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome (AGS). I live in the country, but I do not remember having a tick on me. My husband and I are very cautious and always check for them. I am struggling to understand what exactly are my symptoms, and what I can and cannot eat. I don’t know if I am someone who can have dairy or not.
The biggest challenge seems to be eating out. If I order chicken, fish or vegetables and they are cooked on the same grill as meat, then they are not safe to eat due to cross contamination. Also, dairy, lard and whey are in many food items.
Is there a specialist I should consult? My doctor seems to know about some of this, but is unable to answer many of my questions. Any information you can share would be helpful. — S.N.
ANSWER: AGS is an allergy to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, a carbohydrate allergen found in all mammalian meats, such as beef, pork and lamb. The allergy can be serious as people develop symptoms, including various syndromes like skin itching and rashes; gastrointestinal symptoms; and even anaphylaxis, a severe allergy syndrome of cardiovascular collapse.
These reactions are delayed compared to other typical allergic responses, with people often developing symptoms the night after consuming meat — about two to six hours after consumption. A blood test for alpha-gal allergies can confirm the diagnosis.
These symptoms usually begin after getting bitten multiple times by a Lone Star tick. The tick has alpha-gal in its saliva, which triggers the sensitivity. Many medical professionals are unaware of this newly described condition (40% reported never having heard of the syndrome), which can prevent a diagnosis from being made in a timely fashion.
Because the condition is new, there are some factors that we don’t really understand about it, like why some people tolerate muscle meat from an animal but react strongly to organ meat. There just aren’t answers to some of the questions that you might be asking. For example, milk, whey and gelatin sensitivity have been described with AGS, but not lard (at least that I could find).
Sometimes a person tolerates cooked meat but is intolerant of raw (or barely cooked) meat. Some people lose the allergy over time (usually a few years), but additional tick bites may bring it back.
The ideal specialist in this case is an allergist. You should certainly have and know how to use an epinephrine injector in case of a severe reaction.
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DEAR DR. ROACH: A dietician recommended that I drink six glasses of water every day. I tend to drink most of the water in the morning and early afternoon. My husband thinks I should drink it “equally” throughout the day. His logic is that I don’t retain enough water to stay properly hydrated throughout the evening and night. Does timing really matter? — C.R.
ANSWER: Your body has a system in place to hold onto water so that you don’t need to drink it during the night. Unless you are losing unusually high amounts of water (as you would in a very dry and hot environment, for example), there is no reason to hydrate at night. Most people realize that doing so will cause you to visit the bathroom rather than sleep.
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.
AHEAD OF NATIONAL INJURY PREVENTION DAY, ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES HOSTS CHILD INJURY PREVENTION RESOURCE FAIR FOR NYC FAMILIES
ACS & Community Partners Promote Ways to Keep Children Safe & Provide Free Medicine Lock Boxes, Car Seats, Helmets & Other Safety Tools to Families
Ahead of National Injury Prevention Day, the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) hosted a Child Injury Prevention Resource Fair for families in New York City. The event aimed to raise awareness among parents and caregivers about the leading causes of unintentional injuries and promote strategies to keep children safe from harm at home and during play.
“Parents are our children’s most important protectors and so it’s of the utmost importance that they have the support and resources to keep their children safe,” said ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser. “As part of our ongoing to work to set children up to thrive and reduce unintentional child injuries in New York City, ACS is hosting a National Injury Prevention Day Resource Fair where families can learn more and even go home with important safety tools.”
“Keeping the people and children of New York City safe is the top priority of the FDNY,” said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “We are happy to partner with the ACS to spread awareness about the importance of fire and life safety. Working smoke alarms, fire safety education, and CPR are easy ways to keep children out of harm’s way and help them during emergencies. With an increase in fire fatalities this year, I cannot think of a more important time to take advantage of the of the free resources provided by ACS ahead of National Injury Prevention Day.”
“Guardian hearts, vigilant eyes-let’s wrap our little ones in a shield of safety. Together, as families, we build a fortress of prevention, ensuring every step is a secure journey for our children,” said Norma Saunders of The C.O.R.E. Family Enrichment Center.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unintentional injuries—such as those caused by suffocation, poisoning, burns, drowning, falls, and vehicular traffic—are the leading cause of death and disability to U.S. children and result in more deaths than all other diseased combined.
ACS has a dedicated Office of Child Safety and Injury Prevention that supports ongoing efforts to reduce or eliminate preventable child injuries and fatalities, including those related to accidental ingestion of cannabis infused edibles and prescription medications, unsafe sleep practices, a lack of window guards and more.
This year’s National Injury Prevention Day Resource Fair took place on November 16th at the River Community Center at 16-19 East 174th Street in the Bronx from 10AM to 1PM. The ACS Office of Child Safety and Injury Prevention partnered with Acacia Network, the NYC Poison Center, the NYC Department of Transportation, the NYC Fire Department, the C.O.R.E. Family Enrichment Center, Bronx Health Link, Tribeca Pediatrics and Tribeca Health Link. The fair included demonstrations on crib safety, CPR, and safe medication storage, as well as raffles for car seats, bicycle helmets, and portable cribs, and other free resources for families.
For more information on ACS’s child safety campaigns, click here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/acs/for-families/your-childs-safety.page
OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH RECONVENES NEW YORK STATE SUICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE
Task Force will Address Concerns of Social Isolation, Depression and Anxiety Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic, Especially Among Communities of Color
The New York State Office of Mental Health today reconvened the Suicide Prevention Task Force to bolster prevention efforts statewide and with a renewed focus on helping at-risk populations such as communities of color disproportionally impacted by suicide or suicidal ideation. Established in partnership with OMH’s Suicide Prevention Center of New York, the Task Force will build on existing prevention efforts and explore the mental health challenges laid bare during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Countless New Yorkers had their mental wellness strained and profoundly impacted by the pandemic,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “This pandemic also highlighted the disparities in care that exist for at risk communities. This Task Force will build on existing prevention strategies and elevate the voices of individuals in these communities to develop recommendations to ensure a more equitable and inclusive suicide prevention plan in New York State.”
The Task Force will build upon the work the state’s 2017 Suicide Prevention Task Force, which delivered its final report in April 2019. These critical recommendations included strengthening foundations for public health suicide prevention approaches; building health system competencies and pathways to mental health care; improving surveillance methods, tools, and access to timely data; and infusing cultural competence throughout suicide prevention activities.
Suicide claimed the lives of 1,660 New Yorkers in 2021. It is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the age of 25 and 34, and the third leading cause of death for youth and young adults between the age of 10 and 24.
While the suicide rate in New York State has remained relatively stable since 2012, a recent report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted racial/ethnic disparities, including among black and Hispanic individuals. The report showed the suicide rate among Black individuals increased by about 19 percent and 7 percent among Hispanic individuals between 2018 and 2021.
The Task Force recommendations will build on existing efforts focused on these populations.
Earlier this month, OMH announced the availability of $15 million in suicide prevention grants for non-profit agencies and tribal organizations serving at-risk youth or young adults from historically underserved, racial and ethnic minority populations, and LGBQIA+ groups. The funding availability –part of a $1 billion effort to expand New York State’s continuum of mental health care –is aimed helping these programs incorporate unique cultural factors into their suicide prevention strategies.
American Heart Association: Take steps towards a longer, healthier life on National Walking Day
Tomorrow , April 3rd is National Walking Day, and while the weather might not be cooperating, this year the American Heart Association wants to encourage your community to move more and stress less.
Physical activity is one of the best ways to improve overall health and manage stress. Unfortunately, 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. are sedentary for more than eight hours each day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). This can have negative consequences on physical and mental health.
The American Heart Association established National Walking Day in 2007. Celebrated annually on the first Wednesday in April, National Walking Day encourages people to move more throughout their day. Communities across the country are invited to take a walk – whenever, wherever it suits them – on Wednesday, April 3 and raise awareness of the benefits of movement.
To participate in National Walking Day, the American Heart Association offers these tips:
- Ask colleagues, friends or family to join you.
- If you work remotely, take a conference call on the go.
- If you have a pet, get moving together! Walking is a win-win for the health of you and your pet.
- Take a family stroll after dinner.
- Share a picture on social media using #WalkingDay
For more tips and to read our full release visit: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/take-steps-towards-a-longer-healthier-life-on-national-walking-day
Snow shoveling, cold temperatures combine for perfect storm of heart health hazards
With inclement weather coming to New York City over the next 24 hours, the American Heart Association wants to encourage everyone to protect your heart in the cold. We want to raise awareness about the heart health hazard of cold weather physical exertion such as snow shoveling.
“In the throes of extreme cold weather, intensive activities like snow shoveling can pose a silent threat to heart health,” said Samer Kottiech, M.D., an American Heart Association volunteer expert, assistant professor at Mount Sinai and founder of Corazon en Forma. “It’s important to recognize that even seemingly routine tasks can carry significant cardiovascular risks in challenging conditions.”
Kottiech noted five key ways snow shoveling can affect heart health:
- Snow shoveling involves mostly Isometric or static exertion that involves the contraction of muscles without any movement in the surrounding joints.
- The act of shoveling snow is mostly arm work, which is more taxing and demanding on the heart than leg work.
- While straining to lift heavy loads, such a shovelful of snow, you often unconsciously hold your breath, which causes big increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
- Since you are mostly standing still while shoveling, your legs are not moving much which results in pooling of blood in the lower extremities, so it is not getting back to the heart which needs the oxygenated blood.
- Breathing/exposure to cold air causes constriction of blood vessels throughout the body, disproportionately raising blood pressure and simultaneously constricting the coronary arteries (which are about the size of cooked spaghetti).
- Snow shoveling involves mostly Isometric or static exertion that involves the contraction of muscles without any movement in the surrounding joints.
- The act of shoveling snow is mostly arm work, which is more taxing and demanding on the heart than leg work.
- While straining to lift heavy loads, such a shovelful of snow, you often unconsciously hold your breath, which causes big increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
- Since you are mostly standing still while shoveling, your legs are not moving much which results in pooling of blood in the lower extremities, so it is not getting back to the heart which needs the oxygenated blood.
- Breathing/exposure to cold air causes constriction of blood vessels throughout the body, disproportionately raising blood pressure and simultaneously constricting the coronary arteries (which are about the size of cooked spaghetti).
- Snow shoveling, cold temperatures combine for perfect storm of heart health hazards
The American Heart Association cautions that the extra exertion of shoveling snow or other physical exertion in cold temperatures can be extremely dangerous for many
New York, NY, February 12, 2024 — Weather forecasters may call it ‘white fluffy stuff,’ however, snow can be a bigger danger than many people may realize. According to the American Heart Association, celebrating its Centennial birthday as the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, research shows that physical exertion such as shoveling snow may lead to an increased risk of a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest.
The American Heart Association’s 2020 scientific statement, Exercise-Related Acute Cardiovascular Events and Potential Deleterious Adaptations Following Long-Term Exercise Training: Placing the Risks Into Perspective–An Update, notes snow shoveling among the physical activities that may place extra stress on the heart, especially among people who aren’t used to regular exercise. Numerous scientific research studies over the years have identified the dangers of shoveling snow for people with and without known heart disease.
“In the throes of extreme cold weather, intensive activities like snow shoveling can pose a silent threat to heart health,” said Samer Kottiech, M.D., an American Heart Association volunteer expert, assistant professor at Mount Sinai and founder of Corazon en Forma. “It’s important to recognize that even seemingly routine tasks can carry significant cardiovascular risks in challenging conditions.”
Kottiech noted five key ways snow shoveling can affect heart health:
Kottiech cautioned the impact of snow removal and similar physical exertion in cold weather is especially concerning for people who already have cardiovascular risks like a sedentary lifestyle or obesity, being a current or former smoker, having diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, as well as people who have had a heart attack or stroke.
Kottiech offered a few tips for people who must shovel snow or engage in other physical labor outdoors in the winter:
- If you are older or have or are at high risk for heart disease or stroke, you should not be engaging in physical activities such as snow shoveling in any conditions. Ask for help from others.
- If you must shovel snow or engage in other heavy physical activities in the cold, start gradually and pace yourself. Always cover your mouth and nose, wear layered clothing, as well as a hat and gloves.
- Ideally, movements such as pushing or sweeping the snow rather than lifting and throwing it involve a little less exertion.
- Be extra careful when the wind is blowing, the wind makes the temperature feel even colder than it is and will increase the effects of the cold on your body.
The American Heart Association stresses the importance of being aware of what your body is saying to you and to stop any physical activity if you start to experience warning symptoms.
- Know the symptoms of a heart attack:
o Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
o Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
o Shortness of breath. This can occur with or without chest discomfort.
o Other signs. Other possible signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
“Calling 9-1-1 is the crucial first step to getting help for yourself or someone you see in trouble,” Kottiech said. “But that call, and starting Hands-Only CPR if someone is unresponsive with no pulse, is an urgent matter of life and death.”
Daily Harvest supports heart and brain health through American Heart Association’s Life Is Why campaign Shoppers can support the life-saving work of the American Heart Association
NEW YORK, January 29, 2024 – The American Heart Association in New York City proudly announces Daily Harvest, the company on a mission to make it easy to eat more sustainably-grown fruits and vegetables, as its newest Life is Why supporter. Life Is Why™, is a cause marketing campaign benefitting the American Heart Association that inspires consumers to celebrate their reasons to live healthier, longer lives – by giving.
“We are excited to support the American Heart Association and the important work they do to help more people live longer, healthier lives. Through our support, we’re proud to showcase the power of fruits and vegetables in supporting heart health through our Love Your Heart Collection.“ said Rachel Drori, Founder of Daily Harvest. “Together, we hope to knock down barriers to healthcare access and promote cardiovascular health for all.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America and what we eat matters. Every meal and snack in the Love Your Heart Collection meets the American Heart Association’s guidelines to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains and eat mostly plant-based proteins. All items contain no added sugar or cholesterol, offer a good source of fiber, have no more than one gram of saturated fat per serving or per 100 grams of food and contain less than 600 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Now through October 31, 2025, Daily Harvest will provide its customers the opportunity to donate in a quick and easy way to support the mission of the American Heart Association through their Love Your Heart Collection. For every Life is Why collection box sold, Daily Harvest will donate $20 to the American Heart Association.
“We are thrilled to have Daily Harvest join us in our fight to eliminate heart disease and stroke,” said Meg Gilmartin, Executive Director and Senior Vice President, American Heart Association, New York City. “This relationship will help us raise awareness of our leading health threat and help enhance our work through education, prevention and research programs designed to make an impact right here where we live, work and play.”
“The support from Daily Harvest marks a powerful opportunity for the American Heart Association to promote heart-healthy living by using the donations from the Love Your Heart Collection to continue our century long fight against heart disease. Our two organizations aim to inspire individuals to prioritize their cardiovascular health through healthy eating. Together, we are cultivating a culture of wellness and empowering individuals to make heart-smart choices in their daily lives,” said Brian Kingston, CEO of Brookfield’s Real Estate business and Chair of the American Heart Association New York City board of directors.
Donations through the Life is Why campaign – no matter the amount – allow the Association to implement initiatives such as:
- Fund research that can improve the health outcomes of heart and stroke patients;
- Train more than 2.5 million high school students in CPR annually;
- Support the work of local entrepreneurs and organizations working to improve health outcomes in under-resourced communities.
To learn more about the Life is Why campaign and other participating companies, please visit heart.org.
American Heart Association marks 100th Year celebration making a bold commitment to support a new century of lifesaving work
American Heart Association celebrates 100 years of work dedicated to heart disease and stroke with Bold HeartsTM
NEW YORK, NY, January 8, 2024 —The new year marks the 100th birthday of the American Heart Association and the start of the organization’s Bold HeartsTM campaign, a celebration of a century of profound impact on heart health and well-being.
Beginning a new century of mission critical work, the organization continues its steadfast commitment to making the bold moves needed for new paths of scientific discovery, eradicating barriers to health equity and advocating for healthy policy so that every member of the New York City community has the opportunity for a longer, healthier life. That pledge to the community is shared with likeminded community leaders and organizations who are relentless in their support to eliminate heart disease and stroke in the new century.
“As we close out our first 100 years and begin the next, our work remains as important as ever. Throughout the last century, the American Heart Association has moved health and well-being forward in important and critical ways,” said Brian Kingston, CEO of Brookfield’s Real Estate business and Chair of the American Heart Association New York City board of directors. “As we head into our second century, our focus remains on fueling science and innovation, funding lifesaving research and supporting the rights of patients and caregivers, to empower healthier communities and advance the way we live, work and play.”
Since its founding on June 10, 1924, the American Heart Association, devoted to a world of healthier lives for all, has helped transform the nation’s health and significantly reduce heart disease and stroke death rates. But there is much work to be done.
“This relentless pursuit will continue until heart disease and stroke are the stories of our past and not of our future. A world with equitable health and well-being fuels a future that is yours to create,” said Tifphani White-King, Principal, US National Tax Practice Leader for Mazars and Centennial Chair of the 2024 New York City Go Red for Women® movement. “We know we can’t do this work alone. Volunteers, donors and advocates are key to accelerating this lifesaving work.”
Leadership of the signature campaigns of the American Heart Association in New York City have demonstrated their commitment to the transformative work ahead in the second century. The bold leadership needed to catapult the American Heart Association’s next 100 years of relentless work and transformative innovation starts today.
The 2024 New York City chairs are:
- Tifphani White-King, Principal, US National Tax Practice Leader for Mazars and Centennial Chair of the 2024 New York City Go Red for Women® movement.
- Michael Kruse, Managing Director and Head, Global Banking and Markets, U.S., Scotiabank and 2024 Centennial Chair of the New York City Heart Challenge.
- Joe Simone, President, Simone Development Companies and 2024 Centennial Chair of the Heart of New York City campaign.
“The American Heart Association’s centennial is a celebration of the lifesaving achievements and shared vision for a bold new century that will exponentially advance heart and brain health,” said Joe Simone, President, Simone Development Companies, 2024 Centennial Chair of the Heart of New York City campaign and member of the New York City board of directors. “With a focus on the work that lies ahead, bolstered by a commitment to learn from the past, the Association celebrates what it has accomplished, thanks to the hard work and dedication of generations of volunteers and donors.”
With relentless resolve for the future of our lifesaving work and equitable health for all people, we are deeply grateful to those who have already boldly stepped forward to generously support our Second Century Campaign. Second Century Cornerstone recognizes a company or individual who has made a seven-figure donation.
New York City cornerstone donors include: Atria Health Collaborative, Elizabeth Elting Foundation, and Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.
Other New York City Second Century campaign supporters include:
Rose Caiola/Bettina Equities, BNY Mellon, Brookfield, Centers Health Care, Citi, Compass One Healthcare, Cristina Civetta and Ed Scheetz,
Cushman & Wakefield, EY, Joanne Dunbar, Kingston Family Trust, KPMG, Mazars, Mount Sinai Heart, New York Community Trust, NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell Health, NYU Langone Health, Paul Hastings LLP, Pfizer, Scotiabank, Simone Development Companies, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Unitex,
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, White + Warren.
“Heart disease is the No. 1 killer worldwide, and stroke ranks second globally. The American Heart Association is advancing health and hope for all and creating a vision for brighter tomorrows free from these diseases,“ said Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Executive, Co-Chair, Equity and Access Council for NYC Health + Hospitals and President of the New York City American Heart Association board of directors.
“Progress doesn’t happen without Bold Hearts trailblazing new paths of scientific discovery, working tirelessly to remove barriers to health equity and advocating for healthier communities,” said Michael Kruse, Managing Director and Head, Global Banking and Markets, U.S., Scotiabank and 2024 Centennial Chair of the New York City Heart Challenge. “Throughout the past century, the American Heart Association has moved health and well-being forward in important and critical ways.”
The American Heart Association was founded by six cardiologists, but the distinguished achievements of the organization for the past century are the result of the passion of more than 40 million volunteers, supporters, employees, and more than $5 billion invested in scientific research.
To learn more about accomplishments in the first 100 years of the American Heart Association or how to participate in the Second Century campaign, visit heart.org.
American Heart Association launches new health resource guide to help employers advance workforce health equity in New York City
Health outcomes research has shown that workers in the U.S. experience inequitable health and well-being, with significant variations in the burden of chronic disease, mental health conditions, food insecurity and more across populations, even among those covered by employer-sponsored insurance.[1], [2] Recent studies demonstrate how the workplace can serve as a social driver of health, impacting the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease.[3], [4] This growing body of evidence underscores the need to equip employers with tools and resources to positively influence the health and well-being of their workforce.[5]
To help bridge this gap, the American Heart Association, a global force for healthier lives for all, released the Health Equity in the Workforce Employer Resource Guide, developed in collaboration with the Deloitte Health Equity Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation. This new resource aims to increase employers’ understanding and adoption of health equity in the workplace to help all employees reach their full health potential.
The guide includes an overview of how health disparities can manifest in the workplace and the role of the employer, as well as actionable strategies, economic insights and guidance on measuring progress. Expanding on the foundational work of the Association’s CEO Roundtable in support of the 2024 Health Equity Impact Goal, the guide delves deeper into the practical implementation of health equity policies and practices and the potential impact on workforce health and business performance.
The American Heart Association believes employers play an important role in the health and well-being of the New York City community, and the Employer Resource Guide can provide them with the information and support to build a thriving workforce and business.
A future of health equity is one in which everyone has an optimal and just opportunity to be healthy, with intentional consideration for those at greatest risk of poor health. Optimizing the workplace so that all employees can thrive is not only a moral imperative, but also supports continued business success. Through intentional efforts to align benefits, policies and programs with equity considerations, employers can play a vital role in helping achieve zero gaps in health outcomes.[6]
The Health Equity in the Workforce Employer Resource guide is just one of the several tools, resources, and knowledge products available through the Health Equity in the Workforce initiative between the American Heart Association, the Deloitte Health Equity Institute and the SHRM Foundation. With a goal to enable positive health outcomes for 10 million US workers by 2025, the collaboration provides employers with actionable strategies to help ensure that their health and well-being benefits, policies, and programs result in equitable outcomes for all employees. An employee-centric, equity minded approach can also help strengthen employee engagement and retention, build consumer trust, and support talent attraction in today’s competitive market.[7], [8], [9] The initiative is powered by the American Heart Association’s Well-being Works Better™ platform, which helps business leaders unleash the power of a healthy, happy workforce.
IN RECOGNITION OF “NATIONAL POISON PREVENTION AWARENESS WEEK,” NYC ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES URGES PARENTS TO SAFELY STORE MEDICATION, CANNABIS EDIBLES & OTHER POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HOUSEHOLD ITEMS OUT OF CHILDREN’S REACH
Throughout the Week, ACS’s New Dedicated “Office of Child Safety & Injury Prevention” Will Be Highlighting Key Services & Resources Available to Family to Keep Kids Safe by Preventing Unintentional Injuries From Occurring
NEW YORK, NY – In recognition of March 20-26 as “National Poison Prevention Awareness Week,” the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Office of Child Safety and Injury Prevention is urging parents and caregivers to safely store medication, cannabis edibles and other potentially dangerous household items out of children’s reach. In an effort to help prevent unintentional injuries among children, ACS will highlight a medicine safety campaign as part of its commitment to children, youth and families. The campaign will include an animated safety video to help caregivers understand the risks to children and strategies for preventing unintentional consumption of dangerous medication and products.
“There is nothing more important than keeping our children safe, and that includes preventing tragic accidents from happening,” said ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser. “In recognition of National Poison Prevention Week, ACS is urging parents and caregivers to ensure medications and potentially dangerous household items are stored out of children’s reach.”
“Parents and caregivers have the power to prevent unintentional poisoning by keeping medicines, drugs and dangerous household items stored out of reach of our youngest New Yorkers” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “If you or someone you know has been potentially exposed and is alert, our NYC Poison Control Center is standing by 24/7 to take your call.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60,000 children go to the emergency room every year after getting into medicines. Parents should ensure all prescription medications are stored out of sight and out of reach of children, make sure medications have child-proof lids, and educate children about medicines and why a parent, caregiver or a trusted adult must be the one to give it to them. Never tell children medicines tastes like candy or gum to get them to take it. In the event of accidental swallowing, call the NYC Poison Control Center and, in case of emergency, call 911 immediately.
In 2021, ACS created a brand-new office, The Office of Child Safety and Injury Prevention, which supports ongoing work to keep children safe through public awareness campaigns, trainings, and concrete support around injury prevention. This work includes promoting safe storage of prescription medications, potentially dangerous household items and, most recently, accidental ingestion of cannabis edibles, which can look identical to typical desserts, candies and chocolate bars. Parents should know the importance of storing these items ‘up and away’ and out of sight and out of reach of children.
For more information contact the NYC Poison Control Center at 212-POISONS (212-764-7667).
ICYMI: State Health Board Rejects Mount Sinai's Plans to Close 200-Year Old Manhattan Hospital
New York, NY– Last week, in an unprecedented decision, New York State’s Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) voted against recommending Mount Sinai’s plans to merge New York Eye and Ear Infirmary––the oldest specialty hospital in the United States––with the hospital group as one entity, denying their plans to dismantle the Infirmary and potentially sell of the real estate.
In their decision, members of the Council repeatedly referred to Mount Sinai’s poor communications with the community, misleading statements, and cited the efforts and testimony of doctors at the infirmary, elected leaders, and community advocates who have spoken up against the proposal. The ultimate decision on Mount Sinai’s proposal now lies with the New York Department of Health Acting Commissioner James McDonald.
- “Mount Sinai Beth Israel’s under-the-radar plan to sell off precious East Village real estate hit a roadblock when a key New York State Department of Health committee declined to approve the hospital system’s proposal to merge New York Eye and Ear Infirmary into its Beth Israel division.”
- “Dr. Howard Berliner, a DOH panel member who voted against the merger last week, alluded at the hearing to concerns that Mount Sinai aimed to dismantle NYEEI so that it could cash in on a property sale. ‘If I was a real estate developer I would be drooling at the prospect of getting the [NYEEI] site in the East Village, probably one of the hottest markets in New York City,’ Berliner said.”
“The merger plan is a necessary step toward dismantling the Infirmary to facilitate a sale of the property. If Mount Sinai’s proposal is ultimately shot down, it means that any sale of the real estate would have to be approved by the NYEEI board — which would be dissolved in a merger.”
“The committee’s vote is not the final word, as it must be affirmed by DOH Acting Commissioner James V. McDonald, who was named to the post on Jan. 1. A source said it was “rare” for a commissioner to overrule the planning council.”
“Dr. Richard Koplin, a longtime attending physician at NYEEI, hailed the panel’s vote as a “huge victory for the thousands of patients who receive care at the Infirmary every year, and for the doctors, elected leaders, and community members who have spoken up repeatedly to prevent the destruction of this 200-year old institution.”
Since its founding in 1820, the NYEEI has provided many innovative advancements, conducted groundbreaking research, and set the community standards for eye, ear, nose and throat care. It has provided care to millions of patients seeking its help at a single location. The Infirmary is also a major eye trauma center for New York City offering sight-saving interventions for all – including firefighters and police officers injured in the line of duty.
VISITING NURSE SERVICE OF NEW YORK GETS A NEW NAME:
Your NYC Neighbor for More than 125 Years
VNS Health, formerly the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, has about 43,000 New Yorkers in its care on any given day. More than 10,000 VNS Health team members deliver compassionate care, clinical expertise and connection to community resources offered by one of the nation’s largest and most trusted health care nonprofits. From infants and first-time moms to elders in our community, VNS Health nurses, physicians, social workers, rehab therapists, hospice workers and home health aides deliver personalized care in the comfort of home.
The Power of Pride-Part 2
Hello Everyone
What does Pride, Neurodivergence and Mental Health have in common? For me, they are three different yet similar communities that I am a part of. If you are interested in learning how, I invite you all to read, watch or listen in as I share how these three communities intertwine in my universe.
As a neurodivergent person who’s brain works differently, it was important for me to share Mi Voz through different mediums. With that in mind, Mi Voz blog is now available via audio and visual through Mi Voz podcast. Through these mediums, I will share my thoughts and perspective on the Fibromyalgia Care Society of America inc., Half Functional with Fibrocares podcast hosted by Isabella Marquez and Katie Panaccia, Fibro Youth Coordinators. You can still read the blog via the FCSA’s website. In the inaugural episode you will hear how being perceived as “different” can impact our overall mental health and how learning and educating others to embrace the beauty of our individual uniqueness can make the world a better place for all.
I look forward to hearing your feedback and invite you to reach out if you are interested in joining me as a guest in a future episode.
In Peace, Power & Progress!
Milly Velez
Founder & Executive Director
ADAMS ADMINISTRATION HOLDS FIRST EVER WOMEN'S HEALTH SUMMIT TO TAKE NEXT STEP IN MAKING NEW YORK CITY FUTURE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH
Adams Administration Convenes Over 100 Experts to Create New York City’s Women’s Health Agenda Following Mayor Adams’ Promise During January Address
NEW YORK – The Adams administration today hosted the first ever Women’s Health Summit at Hunter College, convening more than 100 experts across sectors to shape New York City’s first ‘Women’s Health Agenda,’ set to be released this summer. The summit follows a citywide address New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivered in January, where he, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, and others — both inside and outside the administration — outlined their vision for an agenda that aims to dismantle decades of systemic inequity that have negatively impacted the health of women across the five boroughs and, instead, make New York City a model city to support women’s health at all stages of life. Participants in today’s summit broke into working groups that focused on four key areas: chronic disease, birth equity, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health.
“Health is wealth, and women need both,” said Mayor Adams. “New York City has been shaped by tireless generations of women and today’s Women’s Health Summit brought us one step closer to making this city the nation’s leader when it comes to women’s health. This entire administration is committed to building a city that is here for all women and girls, and I am grateful to everyone who joined the summit today for stepping up to make this vision a reality across all five boroughs.”
“No matter the race, gender identity, body type, and more — all women deserve health care that meets their needs,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “I look forward to continuing to be part of this deeply needed and long overdue change alongside so many dedicated and accomplished women.”
Today’s summit focused on the biggest drivers of mortality and morbidity for women in both New York City and across the United States, such as chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, mental health, and maternal health, as well as sexual and reproductive health including menopause. The summit was centered on equity, inclusion, and intersectionality, centering voices and experiences of women, gender nonconforming and other members of the LGBTQ+ community in New York City.
Takeaways from today’s summit and future convening will inform New York City’s Women’s Health Agenda, a report set to be released later this year. The administration will continue to develop this agenda through future sessions and research to include as many voices as possible. The agenda will include recommendations to promote women’s health that leaders across sectors can implement in their workspaces and steps the city will take to make New York City the national model for supporting women’s health.
Major focuses of today’s summit included:
- Expanding access to high quality maternal health care, including the use of doulas and midwives, to eliminate disparities in maternal mortality and reduce mortality overall;
- Building a mental health care system designed for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community to best serve their needs;
- Ensuring the city’s sexual and reproductive health care system provides comprehensive care to women and girls including menopause care, fibroids, infertility, birth control, and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) care;
- Substantially reducing the rates of, and deaths from, chronic diseases, including heart disease — the number one killer of women in New York City — among women.
- Promoting awareness of top women’s health issues among New Yorkers and efforts to prevent issues before they start;
- Developing cross sector partnerships and collaborations to promote all aspects of women’s health, including the technology, business, health care, community, nonprofit, and other sectors;
- Developing women-friendly workplaces that promote health and wellness through space accommodations and policy reforms; and
- Expanding research into women’s health issues and reducing disparities in medical research.
“Hunter College is honored to partner with Mayor Eric Adams on this summit and his courageous plan to undo decades of inequity that have negatively impacted the health of women across the five boroughs,” said Hunter College President Jennifer J. Raab. “Hunter has always put the education of women first, and, as a result, is the only college to have two female Nobel Prize winners in medicine. On top of that, our alumna Evelyn Lauder fearlessly broke down barriers in breast-cancer research. Her husband Leonard’s $52 million gift to Hunter’s School of Nursing in her honor that, in lockstep with Mayor Adams’ vision, will help us train the next generation of nurses and nurse practitioners who will serve communities across New York City.”
“By emphasizing digital health, New York City is enabling women to access the care they deserve,” said Dr. Neel Shah, chief medical officer, Maven Clinic. “We are proud to partner with the mayor to build an ecosystem of innovation that can be a model for the nation.”
“The female body shouldn’t be a medical mystery,” said Priyanka Jain, co-founder & CEO, Evvy. “As a femtech company based in New York City, we are honored and grateful to be partnering with Mayor Adams, the city of New York, and leaders across all sectors — medicine, research, policy, and technology — to finally close the gender health gap for good.”
MENDED HEARTS & RECOVERYPLUS.HEALTH COLLABORATE TO EXPAND ACCESSIBILITY TO CRITICALLY EFFECTIVE CARDIAC REHAB AND PREHAB THROUGH NATIONAL REMOTE REHAB PLATFORM
Albany, GA (February 28) – The Mended Hearts, Inc., the nation’s largest cardiac peer-to-peer support organization, and RecoveryPlus.health, a national pioneer in remote cardiac patient rehab, have announced a new alliance focused on bringing medically prescribed – but often ignored – remote cardiac rehab to millions of patients recovering from heart disease or heart surgery and are unable to visit an out-patient facility.
Through this collaboration, patients with heart disease or other cardiovascular and pulmonary issues – or who are at risk if they don’t make lifestyle changes or seek treatment—will have access to therapies and resources that allow them to maintain and improve their heart health once they return home, avoiding rehospitalizations that are too common in the cardiac patient population. RecoveryPlus.health will be the first national provider of remote cardiac rehab for Mended Hearts® members, with a program that is reimbursable by Medicare and most commercial insurance companies.
The partnership initially consists of these initiatives:
Information about RecoveryPlus.health will appear in several issues of Heartbeat®, MHI’s quarterly magazine distributed to more than 100,000 members and others in the US.
RecoveryPlus healthcare professionals including exercise therapists and cardiac care nurses will address multiple chapters of Mended Hearts members across the country to explain the simplicity of the program.
Co-sponsored content will be developed for social media and other platforms,
demonstrating both organizations’ shared mission to scale accessibility to cardiac rehab.
MH members and RP patients will share personal stories and experiences with heart disease, as well as their success based on participation in cardiac rehab.
About The Mended Hearts, Inc.
The Mended Hearts, Inc. (MHI) is the world’s largest peer-to-peer cardiovascular patient support network with nearly 100,000 members residing in 20 countries. Founded in 1951 and
incorporated in 1955, MHI’s mission is “to inspire hope and improve the quality of life of heart patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support, education, and advocacy.” For nearly 72 years, MHI has been offering hope, support, and encouragement to patients and families of all ages – from pre-natal diagnosis throughout the lifespan. MHI’s three programs — Mended Little Hearts®, Young Mended Hearts®, and Mended Hearts® — make MHI the only organization in the world that supports patients with all forms of cardiovascular disease throughout the entire lifespan of the patient. MHI volunteers inspire, educate, and empower nearly 400,000 patients and family members each year through a robust network of members who provide services and outreach in hospitals, cardiology offices, clinics, cardiac rehab centers and local communities.
About RecoveryPlus.health
RecoveryPlus.health is the first nationally available, personalized remote cardiac rehab platform for patients recovering from a heart condition or surgery, as well as long Covid, type 2 diabetes, asthma or other conditions. The medically certified, clinically proven program is accessible on demand, especially designed to make recovery and rehabilitation accessible to those unable to participate at a traditional facility. The completely virtual plan includes exercise and movement activity, vital signs monitoring, progress evaluation, and reports back to the referring physician. Most important, RecoveryPlus.health offers personal one-on-one guidance by experienced exercise therapists, rehab specialists and other healthcare professionals, adapting a variety of routines to each individual patient. RecoveryPlus.health is telerehabilitation to help you get back to living.
NYS OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH ANNOUNCES $105,000 IN FUNDING AWARDS FOR STIGMA REDUCTION PROJECTS Funding Secured through Voluntary Taxpayer Contributions to the ‘Mental Illness Anti-Stigma Fund’
ALBANY, NY – The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) today announced seven awards totaling $105,000 to support community-based organizations in their efforts to address and reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness.
Funding was provided through the voluntary tax check-off program launched in 2016, which allows taxpayers to contribute easily to the ‘Mental Illness Anti-Stigma Fund’ when filing their NYS taxes.
OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Stigma can have a devastating impact on people living with mental illness. It can lead to discrimination in housing and employment, abuse, and even violence. Stigma can also prevent or discourage people from seeking the help they need to address their health issues. OMH has partnered with organizations across the State to reduce the negativity and stigma surrounding mental illness, and we thank the people of New York State for generously donating through the tax check-off program. Their support will have a very positive impact on people living with mental illness.”
Awardees for funding include:
Western NY Region
Yates Community Services (Yates County MH)
Hudson River Region
United Way of Dutchess-Orange Region (UWDOR)
Central NY Region
Integrated Community Alternatives Network (ICAN)
NYC
Special Treatment and Research (STAR) Program/ SUNY Downstate
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) NYC
Montefiore & Adelphi University
Long Island
Hands Across Long Island (HALI)
All agencies selected for funding have experience serving persons with mental illness and are recognized for their work serving underserved, under-represented and/or minority populations.
Eligible activities include but are not limited to: targeted messaging and advertising, production of printed materials, speakers, training, contact with people with lived experience, and multimedia productions. Funding cannot be used to cover the cost of food, conference travel, or other purchases precluded by law or regulation.
In order to be considered, projects need to address one or more of the goals below:
- Educational Activities – Anti-stigma activities taking place in educational institutions, including colleges and universities, some of which deny admission to people due to their mental health histories. This includes the creation of materials to correct inaccurate depictions of mental illness, which can prevent students with mental illness from fully participating in the educational experience.
- Underserved Populations – Activities that provide innovative, culturally relevant approaches to reducing stigma in underserved populations.
- Housing – Activities intended to combat stigma and discrimination in housing which prevent people with mental illness from obtaining and maintaining safe and affordable housing. Targeted audiences may include landlords, homeowners, management companies serving landlords and owners, building superintends and billing/rent collection personnel.
- Employment – Activities intended to combat stigma and discrimination in the workplace which make it difficult for people living with mental illness to find and keep meaningful jobs. Targeted audiences may include corporate employers, Department of Labor representatives and employment/staffing agencies.
- Parenting – Activities intended to combat the stigma and discrimination experienced by individuals with mental illness who are also parents.
- Media – Activities intended to combat the stigma, discrimination, and negative stereotypes in the media. This could also include social media.
- Health Care – Activities intended to combat stigma and discrimination in the health care system that leads to people with mental illness not receiving the health care they need.
BYLINE: By Lucie Winborne
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* Residents of the Galapagos island of Floreana use a barrel of disorganized mail in place of a formal postal system. Tourists are responsible for sorting through the mail and grabbing any parcels they can deliver on the way to their destination.
* In curling, good sportsmanship and politeness are essential. Congratulating opponents on plays and abstaining from trash talk are part of what’s known as the “Spirit of Curling.”
* Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt was allergic to moon dust.
* According to the record-holder for tallest waffle stack, Guinness World Records has a 40-page document defining what a waffle is. (Frankly, we think we could have managed it in just 30.)
* Alaska is simultaneously the westernmost and easternmost state.
* High schools and universities in New Zealand are allowed to keep up to a pound of uranium on the premises for educational purposes.
* Marie Curie’s notebooks are still radioactive.
* In 2010, rock band Nickelback approached Dark Horse Brewery about having their beer featured in a video, which would have provided great exposure for the small Michigan company. They declined, however, as “none of us at the brewery really care for the band.”
* The German version of the term “Average Joe” is Otto Normalverbraucher, which translates to “Otto normal consumer.”
* An ordinance in Gainesville, GA, states that everyone must eat fried chicken, “a culinary delicacy sacred to this municipality, this county, this state, the Southland and this republic,” with their hands. The tongue-in-cheek law began as a publicity stunt aimed at getting folks to think of Gainesville as the fried chicken capital of the world.
* Polar bears gain more than 400 pounds during pregnancy.
***
Thought for the Day: “If you’re going to do something tonight that you’ll be sorry for tomorrow morning, sleep late.” — Henny Youngman
MOMENTS IN TIME: The History Channel
* On April 8, 1930, baseball legend Babe Ruth signed a two-year contract for a then enormous sum of $160,000 with the New York Yankees, prompting the team’s general manager, Ed Barrow, to predict (with, of course, now laughable inaccuracy) that “No one will ever be paid more than Ruth.”
* On April 9, 1860, French inventor Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville used his phonautograph, the earliest known sound recording device, to capture himself singing the French folk song “Au Clair de la Lune.”
* On April 10, 2001, mercy killings became legal in the Netherlands following the Dutch senate’s controversial approval of a bill legalizing euthanasia for patients with unbearable terminal illness.
* On April 11, 1951, President Harry Truman fired Gen. Douglas MacArthur as commander of the United Nations and U.S. forces in the Far East after he made public statements calling for an attack on mainland China if Communist forces failed to lay down their arms in Korea.
* On April 12, 1877, with a well-justified fear of ricocheting foul balls (not to mention being hit by a bat), Harvard’s Alexander Tyng wore a converted fencer’s mask for a baseball game in Lynn, MA, becoming the first-known player to don a catcher’s mask. While the new gear initially drew taunts from fans, designer Fred Thayer’s patent for the device was approved the following January.
* On April 13, 1964, Sidney Poitier became the first Black actor to win the coveted Best Actor Oscar for his role as laborer Homer Smith, who assists a group of poor East German nuns with building a church, in “Lilies of the Field.” Three years later, he was Hollywood’s top box office draw.
* On April 14, 2010, Neil Armstrong criticized the Barack Obama administration’s stripped-down space plans in an open letter co-signed by Apollo commanders James Lovell and Eugene Cernan, describing the president’s proposals as “devastating.” Supporters, however, insisted that the accelerated rocket program would set new goals for American efforts in outer space.
CONSUMER ALERT: NYS DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFERS TIPS TO AVOID COSTLY MISTAKES WITH GYM MEMBERSHIPS
Tips To Help Gym Membership Choices Work Out for Consumers
Secretary Rodriguez: “Our Division of Consumer Protection is alerting the public so they are aware that gym fees can become a burden to those consumers who are looking for their services but may not be aware of many hidden non-refundable registrations charges that can lead to expending hundreds of dollars in fees for initiation, maintenance, and/or cancellation.”
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As we begin a New Year, many of us will be setting new goals and resolutions. One of the most popular resolutions is to get fit and healthy, and to achieve this, many people will be joining a gym or renewing their gym membership. The New York State Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) shares practical tips to help guide New Yorkers on what they need to know before signing up or a renewing a health club or gym membership.
“For many New Yorkers, the new year may include a resolution to be healthier and in better physical shape,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “Our Division of Consumer Protection is alerting the public so they are aware that gym fees can become a burden to those consumers who are looking for their services but may not be aware of many hidden non-refundable registration charges that can lead to expending hundreds of dollars in fees for initiation, maintenance, and/or cancellation.”
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR BEFORE SIGNING UP FOR A GYM MEMBERSHIP:
Carefully review the contract before signing it:
Read the fine print and be aware of any hidden fees that may come with it. While the advertised monthly fee may seem reasonable, gyms often include additional fees for things like initiation, cancellation, and maintenance. These fees can quickly add up and leave you with a much higher bill than you expected.
Be aware of add-ons:
When signing up for a gym membership, it’s important to understand the fees and policies that come with it. Here are some key things to keep in mind:
- Initiation or registration fees are typically non-refundable, so be sure the location and schedule are convenient to you.
- Look out for annual maintenance charges. Make sure to read the contract carefully and understand the terms regarding this annual surcharge.
- Locker rentals are often not free, so ask ahead to plan where you’re going to keep your belongings. Some gyms require you to purchase your own padlock or locker assignment.
- Termination fees are important to consider in case you need to cancel your membership. Make sure you understand the gym’s policies regarding termination to avoid any unexpected charges.
- Premium classes and personal training sessions may come with additional charges. While the first training session may be offered for free, subsequent sessions will likely come at a cost. Be sure to ask about the hourly rate, understand the costs involved and inquire if/when prepaid training sessions expire.
- Be sure to check the equipment requirements before attending a class to avoid any unexpected charges. Classroom extras such as yoga mats, steps, and stretch bands may require a rental fee if you don’t have your own equipment.
To learn more, check out these tips from the New York State Attorney General.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WHEN CANCELLING OR RENEWING A GYM MEMBERSHIP:
New York State law requires businesses with automatic renewal programs to disclose the terms of auto-renewal offers clearly and conspicuously, cancellation policies, and minimum purchase obligations. These terms must be stated when consumers are enrolling or signing up, close to the time of purchase.
A business that allows auto-renewal must also provide simple user-friendly cancellation options for consumers to make it easier to unsubscribe or cancel memberships. They must provide a toll-free telephone number, email address or other cost-effective, timely, and easy-to-use option for consumers to cancel after agreeing to a contract. Consumers who purchase these services online must be allowed to terminate the agreement online.
Additionally, businesses must provide consumers with an acknowledgement that outlines the terms of any auto-renewal offer and, if the original offer includes a “free” trial offer or gift, information on how the consumer can cancel the service before they pay for goods or services.
CONSIDER OTHER MONEY SAVINGS IDEAS TO REACH YOUR WELLNESS GOALS:
- Engage in outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, skating, skiing, or biking.
- Take advantage of community recreation center classes, which may be low cost or free.
- Contact your nearby state park to learn more about their fitness programs and workshops. The Empire State Trail is a new initiative from the state of New York to promote outdoor recreation and healthy lifestyle choices. With a focus on community vitality and tourism-related economic development, this trail is a hit with locals and visitors alike.
- Some health insurance plans will cover gym memberships costs, access to fitness activities at no extra cost, or provide reimbursement.
If it is believed a company is not following the law when offering recurring services or free gifts, consumers should file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Protection at www.dos.ny.gov/
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The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides voluntary mediation between a consumer and a business when a consumer has been unsuccessful at reaching a resolution on their own. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/
FORWARDING: NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE URGE NEW YORKERS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND PREPARE FOR POOR AIR QUALITY
July 17, 2023 — The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, together with NYC Emergency Management, today issued an advisory alerting New Yorkers to prepare for potential deteriorations in air quality. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s projected forecast places the Air Quality Index (AQI) at a level potentially unhealthy for at risk groups, with conditions anticipated to persist for the initial part of the upcoming week. Monday’s AQI of 120 indicates the necessity for targeted populations—specifically children, older adults, and individuals of all ages with respiratory or cardiac conditions—to exercise additional caution. With an AQI within the range of 101-150, these sensitive groups may experience adverse effects due to reduced air quality. When the AQI goes over 150, all New Yorkers should begin to take precautions.
While forecasting smoke conditions over the next few days presents a formidable challenge, indications suggest that smoke originating from regions north of the city is likely to impact air quality across the metropolitan area significantly. In light of this, NYC Emergency Management, the agency coordinating the city’s response to such environmental risks, is advocating for New Yorkers to increase their vigilance.
“We have a robust infrastructure in place and stand fully prepared to respond to air quality conditions,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “While our teams work tirelessly behind the scenes, we urge all New Yorkers, especially those in high-risk categories, to adopt precautionary measures to safeguard their health. Alongside these actions, let us remember the power of community resilience. Times like these underscore the vital importance of looking out for one another, particularly for those of us who are more vulnerable to health risks.”
“While we may see fluctuation in the air quality in the coming days, we also have tools and guidance to help us navigate conditions,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Pay attention to airnow.gov, listen to your body and take action if you’re feeling the effects of poor air quality.”
NYC Emergency Management is proactively promoting a broad range of preventative measures. These efforts include distributing masks available at local public libraries, FDNY firehouses, and NYPD precincts, and urging New Yorkers to subscribe to the Notify NYC alert system. While Notify NYC remains a crucial conduit for relaying emergency communications about air quality conditions, it is complemented by coordinated efforts with community and faith-based leaders, and the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). Another specialized tool in the agency’s communication strategy is the Advance Warning System, a communication tool for organizations that serve people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. In addition to these measures, public-private partnerships are being leveraged to enhance communication effectiveness. The Strengthening Communities plan is also being deployed, leveraging an extensive network of 35 community groups that have strategized communication plans for emergencies. Each of these diverse initiatives is a critical component of the agency’s comprehensive strategy, purposefully designed to provide residents with the necessary tools and information to safely navigate this week’s anticipated conditions.
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and NYC Emergency Management, in concert with a broad spectrum of critical City agencies are committed to a strong interagency collaboration to ensure that all New Yorkers stay safe, informed, and prepared amidst any potential environmental shifts affecting the city’s overall health.
Safety Tips
- Full guidance from the NYC Department of Health is available at https://www.nyc.gov/assets/
doh/downloads/pdf/eode/aqi- guidelines-general.pdf - The best way to limit exposure to poor air quality is to reduce time outside and limit strenuous activities. The threshold to take these actions, depends on your individual level of risk.
- Call 911 if you or someone you’re caring for has trouble breathing.
- Monitoring air quality conditions and being prepared. Visit the EPA’s air quality website airnow.gov or download the AirNow mobile app.
- Now is a good time to pick up a mask, in case air quality deteriorates. The city is already making masks available at FDNY firehouses and NYPD precincts and is looking to expand supplies to more vulnerable communities.
- When air quality is poor, wearing a high-quality mask (e.g., N95) can reduce exposure to harmful pollutants. We will continue to communicate with New Yorkers about air quality through the summer. The situation will change regularly but we can be prepared for the months ahead.
- The City will provide alerts if conditions deteriorate further (e.g., AQI above 200), but warnings sent by your body are equally important. New Yorkers should listen to their body. Reactions to poor air quality can include watery eyes, scratchy throat, headaches, or shortness of breath.
- If you feel any of these conditions, go indoors and limit time outside.
New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency notification system, to stay informed about the latest weather updates and other emergencies. To learn more about the Notify NYC program or to sign up, visit NYC.gov/NotifyNYC, call 311, or download the free app for your Android or Apple device. You can also follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter. .
NYS Office of Mental Health and Mental Health Association of New York State Partner to Launch Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training
Trainings designed to teach adults how to help young people in crisis — Additional funding will provide training for teens to support their friends and learn how to cope with crises | |
The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS) have partnered to provide free Youth Mental Health First Aid training to adults who regularly interact with young people, including parents, caregivers, healthcare providers, teachers and others. The trainings help adults recognize and assist young people ages 12 to 18 who are experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “The trainings offered by MHANYS will help adults who work with or interact with young people to recognize warning signs of potential behavioral health issues, which will help children and youth get the support and services they need earlier, leading to better health outcomes. MHANYS has been a great partner to OMH in our shared mission to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the services they may need.” Glenn Liebman, CEO of MHANYS, said, “Through the leadership of Governor Hochul and Commissioner Sullivan, New York has created a pathway to the expansion of resources for young people and those that work with them. Combining Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid will provide mental health information and resources to thousands of New Yorkers. The numbers of young people with mental health issues is staggering across the nation and New York is utilizing their resources to help respond to this crisis in an innovative and practical way.” Last year, MHANYS’s School Mental Health Resource Center began its Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Across NYS project. The project provides YMHFA training to adults that regularly interact with youth. OMH awarded MHANYS with a $1 million grant to develop and facilitate the trainings. Funding for the award was provided to OMH through expansion of the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant, which is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This year, OMH provided an additional $1 million in State funds to expand the trainings to include Teen Mental Health First Aid, which is designed to teach teens ages 15-18 how to support a friend or classmate. Young people will be prepared to provide support for their peers as well as better cope with mental health challenges they themselves face. MHANYS expects to provide Teen Mental Health First Aid by this Fall. Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents. Training focuses on how to best help young people who may be experiencing a mental health issue or a substance abuse problem. MHANYS anticipates facilitating 40 in-person training sessions and 120 virtual sessions which will provide training to up to 3,600 participants. MHANYS will also provide instruction to individuals who wish to deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid training themselves. This “train the trainer” model will help further expand access to training in communities across New York State. MHANYS will host two “Train the Trainer” sessions, which will prepare up to 32 people to become Youth Mental Health First Aid trainers. Studies show that those who trained in Mental Health First Aid have greater confidence in providing help to others, greater likelihood of advising people to seek professional help, improved concordance with health professionals about treatments, and decreased stigmatizing attitudes. People interested in receiving Youth Mental Health First Aid training can learn more and register by visiting the MHANYS website at: https://www.mentalhealthednys. https://www.mentalhealthednys. |
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center (VCJC) Organizes Blood Drive to Save Lives
Bronx, NY, July 10, 2023 – The Van Cortlandt Jewish Center (VCJC) is proud to announce its upcoming blood drive aimed at making a positive impact on the community. The event will take place on Sunday, July 30, 2023 from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center on 3880 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, NY 10463. This initiative is part of VCJC’s ongoing commitment to saving lives and supporting the New York Blood Center.
With blood shortages becoming a growing concern, especially during the summer, the VCJC is taking proactive steps to address this critical issue. By hosting this blood drive, the VCJC aims to ensure that hospitals and medical centers have an adequate supply of blood to meet the needs of patients in our community.
“We believe that giving blood is a mitzvah, a good deed that has the power to save lives,” said Mr. Stuart Harris, president of VCJC. “Through this blood drive, we hope to bring the community together and make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need.”
The blood drive will be conducted in accordance with the highest standards of safety and hygiene, adhering to all necessary protocols to ensure the well-being of donors and staff. Trained healthcare professionals will be on-site to guide donors through the process and ensure a smooth and comfortable experience.
Individuals interested in participating are encouraged to schedule an appointment in advance to help manage the flow of donors and minimize wait times. Appointments can be made by visiting the NY Blood Bank website at https://donate.nybc.org/donor/
The Van Cortlandt Jewish Center extends its gratitude to all those who choose to participate in this life-saving event. By donating blood, community members will be making a direct impact on the lives of those in need, potentially providing hope and healing to patients in our local hospitals.
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES EXPANDS PILOT PROGRAM TO HELP PARENTS BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS WHEN THERE IS A CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATION
After a Successful Pilot, ACS is Taking Steps to Move Citywide to Provide Parents With Written Notification of Rights Before Entering their Home
The NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) is expanding its work to help parents better understand their rights at the outset of a child protective investigation. The announcement comes following the completion of an initial pilot program in parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx, in which child protective specialists distributed over four hundred notifications to parents who were the subject of an allegation of child abuse or neglect. The notifications explain that, while ACS has a legal requirement to assess the safety of the child, parents are not required to let ACS into their homes and can seek the assistance of an attorney. If ACS is not allowed to check a child’s safety as required, the notification explains that ACS may seek permission from Family Court to complete the assessment. Commissioner Jess Dannhauser today announced that ACS will begin distributing written notifications to families in two more zones, with full implementation planned by July of 2024.
Providing this information builds upon ACS’s ongoing work to address systemic flaws that have existed in child welfare historically and promotes equity and fairness, including a citywide strategy to reduce the number of unnecessary child welfare investigations. ACS has been working closely with city agencies that serve children and families and external stakeholders to ensure families are being connected to the services and supports they need without the need for a child abuse or maltreatment report or an investigation.
“ACS is committed to keeping children safe, and, at the same time, respecting families because New York City children and families deserve both,” said Jess Dannhauser, Commissioner of the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). “To this end, we are expanding the pilot to provide families with information about their rights during a child protective investigation citywide by July of this year. In doing so, we are taking an important step towards the mayor’s vision of safety, equity and justice.”
“In order to support children, we need to also act to support parents. With the expansion of this pilot, child protective specialists will help inform more parents of their rights during a child protective case. This pilot also shows how ACS is working to make the system more equitable and fair for families,” said Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom
The new written materials – which are available in ten languages in addition to English – being provided to families include the following information: “The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) has received a report from the New York Statewide Central Register (SCR) with concerns about your child(ren). ACS has a legal obligation to assess the safety of your child(ren) to complete an assessment of the concerns. We are requesting your permission to enter your home to have a conversation with you about the alleged concerns and to explain the process. We want you to know that you have a right to not let ACS into your home. If you choose not to let ACS into your home, ACS is required by law to determine how best to assess the safety of your child(ren). This may include seeking permission from Family Court to complete the assessment. We also want you to know that you may call an attorney at any point during this investigation. We have an informational packet that includes contact information for your local family defense organization, along with other resources within your community.”
Through a wide range of initiatives, ACS has been working to address the disparities that exist at each of the stages throughout the child welfare system, as well as the number of families impacted by a child welfare intervention. As a result of this work, substantial progress has been made: the number of Black non-Hispanic families experiencing an indicated investigation declined 38 percent from 2018 to 2022; the number of Black non-Hispanic families in family court filings related to abuse and neglect dropped by nearly half; the number of Black non-Hispanic families experiencing an emergency removal declined by one-third; and the number of Black non-Hispanic families with a child placed into foster care as a result of a child abuse or neglect investigation was down 20 percent. Today, the number of children in New York City’s foster care system is less than 6,500. Comparatively, 25 years ago, there were more than 40,000 children in New York City’s foster care system.
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES LAUNCHES NEW PROVIDER AGENCY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR CONTRACTED PROVIDER STAFF PURSUING A MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK (MSW) DEGREE
Today, Commissioner Jess Dannhauser, of the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), announced the launch of the Provider Agency Scholarship Program, which will help support contracted provider agency staff as they advance their careers. The program builds off an existing program for ACS staff and will offer tuition support and continuous professional development opportunities to provider agency employees pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree who are committed to working in NYC’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
“The Provider Scholarship Program is an expansion of our existing programming available to ACS staff to support professional development. As a social worker myself, I know how much a MSW can further advance the work we do with families, ensuring they have every opportunity to thrive and succeed. This new program is a wonderful way to recognize provider staff who have demonstrated incredible commitment to working in NYC’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems and provide them with real support in advancing their training and career,” said Commissioner Jess Dannhauser.
“In New York City, we are making sure all those in child welfare are supported with the right training and professional development to help make them experts in their fields,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “ACS’s Provider Scholarship Program is yet another way for individuals who work tirelessly on behalf of children and families to provide the highest level of expertise to those they serve.”
In the first year of the program, 50 MSW scholarships will be awarded to contracted provider agency staff. Eligibility requirements include two years of satisfactory job performance; a current performance evaluation of Very Good; no pending disciplinary action; and letters of recommendation from agency senior leadership. Applicants must have been accepted and/or enrolled in an accredited degree-bearing MSW program affiliated with PDP in the greater New York City area. Scholarship recipients are required to commit to working in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice systems in New York City for up to two years following graduation. The program provides post-graduation networking and continuing education (CEU) opportunities to ensure recipients are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary for long-term success in their careers.
ACS will hold information sessions for provider agency leadership and prospective applicants during July and Augus
AIR QUALITY HEALTH ADVISORY ISSUED FOR LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK CITY METRO, LOWER HUDSON VALLEY, UPPER HUDSON VALLEY, EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO, CENTRAL NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW YORK In Effect for Thursday, June 8, 2023
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for the Long Island, New York City Metro, Lower Hudson Valley, Upper Hudson Valley, Eastern Lake Ontario, Central New York and Western New York regions for Thursday, June 8, 2023.
The air quality is forecasted to reach ‘Unhealthy’ AQI levels on Thursday in the New York City Metro, Long Island, Eastern Lake Ontario, Central and Western regions.
The pollutant of concern is: Fine Particulate Matter
The advisory will be in effect from 12 a.m. through 11:59 p.m.
DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern.
FINE PARTICULATE MATTER
Fine particulate matter consists of tiny solid particles or liquid droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PM 2.5 can be made of many different types of particles and often come from processes that involve combustion (e.g. vehicle exhaust, power plants, and fires) and from chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
Exposure can cause short-term health effects such as irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter can also worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. People with heart or breathing problems, and children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM 2.5.
When outdoor levels are elevated, going indoors may reduce exposure. If there are significant indoor sources of PM 2.5 (tobacco, candle or incense smoke, or fumes from cooking) levels inside may not be lower than outside. Some ways to reduce exposure are to minimize outdoor and indoor sources and avoid strenuous activities in areas where fine particle concentrations are high.
New Yorkers also are urged to take the following energy saving and pollution-reducing steps:
- use mass transit instead of driving, as automobile emissions account for about 60 percent of pollution in our cities.
- conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions by combining necessary motor vehicle trips;
- turn off all lights and electrical appliances in unoccupied areas;
- use fans to circulate air. If air conditioning is necessary, set thermostats at 78 degrees;
- close the blinds and shades to limit heat build-up and to preserve cooled air;
- limit use of household appliances. If necessary, run the appliances at off-peak (after 7 p.m.) hours. These would include dishwashers, dryers, pool pumps and water heaters;
- set refrigerators and freezers at more efficient temperatures;
- purchase and install energy efficient lighting and appliances with the Energy Star label; and
- reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize indoor sources of PM 2.5 such as smoking.
Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC’s website and on DOH’s website. To stay up-to-date with announcements from DEC, sign up for DEC Delivers: DEC’s Premier Email Service.
The Thursday, June 8, Air Quality Health Advisory regions consist of the following: Long Island which includes Nassau and Suffolk counties; New York City Metro which includes New York City, Rockland, and Westchester counties; Lower Hudson Valley which includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Ulster, and Sullivan counties; Upper Hudson Valley which includes Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington counties; Eastern Lake Ontario which includes northern Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Oswego, and Wayne counties; Central New York which includes Allegany, Broome, southern Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, southern Herkimer, Livingston, Madison, Onondaga, Oneida, Ontario, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, and Yates counties; and Western New York which includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.
Important story for American Heart Month: Four Bronx-Based Rehabilitation Facilities Now Provide Remote Cardiac Rehab For Patients Returning Home
Making a huge change for thousands of regional cardiac patients, four of New York City’s leading sub-acute rehabilitation centers are expanding patient services with telehealth to optimize recovery. A nationwide pioneer in remote cardiac rehab is partnering with Bainbridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, East Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Mosholu Parkway Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and The Wayne Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing to provide cardiac care to patients when they return home.
February marks American Heart Month, still so critical since heart disease is still the number one cause of death. Reflective of the overworked, understaffed healthcare staffers overall – remote cardiac rehab takes some of the pressure off those who have to treat patients in–house. It also expands Medco centers’ staff capabilities with access to a national program.
Please see more information below and let us know if you are interested in speaking with a representative from RecoveryPlus.health or these facilities for further comment.
RecoveryPlus.health Partners with Bronx-Based Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Facilities to Offer New Remote Cardiac Rehab For Patients Returning Home
Clinically Proven Virtual Rehab Platform Reduces Relapses and Rehospitalizations While Improving Long-Term Prognosis
NEW YORK – RecoveryPlus.health, a national pioneer in cardiac patient healthcare, has partnered with four of New York City’s leading sub-acute rehabilitation centers to expand patient services and optimize recovery for thousands of regional cardiac patients.
With this new exclusive collaboration, these facilities — Bainbridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, East Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Mosholu Parkway Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and The Wayne Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing — offer onsite inpatient sub-acute cardiac rehab certified by RecoveryPlus.health. In addition, the facilities are introducing a virtual telerehabilitation regimen for patients once they are discharged to the community. The goal of the partnership is to ensure that patients continue to maintain, and improve, their heart health once they return to the community, avoiding rehospitalizations that are common in the cardiac patient population.
The four Bronx-based locations –operating under MEDCO — each provide advanced Physical, Occupational and Speech Rehabilitation treatment in addition to specialized nursing care, empowering patients diagnosed with heart disease or other cardiovascular and pulmonary issues to reach optimal independence.
With this new Sub-Acute Cardiac Rehab program, patients are under the care of an onsite Cardiac Nurse Practitioner who works with the interdisciplinary team to assesses and develop an individualized cardiac rehab plan of care. Upon discharge from the facility, patients will have access in the community to continue their cardiac rehab therapy through this medically certified remote platform to help them continue a heart-healthy lifestyle at home. The physician-prescribed program is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurance plans. Experienced clinicians personalize the system to meet the specific needs of each patient.
“Everyone can relate to the difficulty of maintaining exercise and good habits on one’s own,” says RecoveryPlus.health CEO and Co-Founder Peter Niemi. “While outpatient facilities are available, people often face mobility or travel challenges; they may have scheduling, financial or even emotional reasons for not leaving home. Remote cardiac rehab, accessible on demand, under the guidance of experienced healthcare professionals, is a cost effective step toward improving patient care, reducing costs and reinforcing overall long-term health .”
“Nothing is better than in-person rehab and exercise therapy with a skilled healthcare professional who expertly customizes care and motivates patients to do their best to get better,” says Todd Ostrow, COO, MEDCO. “When our patients return home, however, not all are able to continue the recommended activities on their own. Many have strong support systems at home, but others can benefit from ongoing guidance for as long as needed. This new program integrates physical movement, medication adherence, monitoring of vital signs and more.”
With a greater acceptance of telemedicine practices and simplified technology for smartphones and computers, the Centers provide this medically and clinically certified, HIPAA-approved remote rehab program with a physician referral. The post-nursing center platform incorporates one-on-one personal sessions for as long as the patient wants to continue, with seamless insurance billing and automated reporting back to the prescribing physicians.
About MEDCO
The four facilities operate under the MEDCO management network, which represents a dedicated commitment to upholding the highest standards in quality and compassionate healthcare services.
About RecoveryPlus.health
RecoveryPlus.health is the first nationally available, personalized remote cardiac rehab platform for patients recovering from a heart condition or surgery, as well as long Covid, type 2 diabetes, asthma or other conditions. The clinically proven program is especially designed to make recovery and rehabilitation accessible to those unable to participate at a traditional facility. The completely virtual plan includes exercise and movement activity, vital signs monitoring, progress evaluation, and reports back to the referring physician. Most important, RecoveryPlus.health maintains the personal one-on-one guidance by experienced exercise therapists and rehab specialists, adapting a variety of routines to each individual patient. RecoveryPlus.health is telerehabilitation to help you get back to living.
Recent Report Show Increase in Deaths of People Experiencing Homelessness, Nearly Half Due to Overdose
Help Reverse the 340B Carve-Out!
Economic Boost Expected as In-Person Live Events Return to Local Venue Brooklyn, New York restaurants, shops to benefit as religious group
The Brooklyn Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses returned to full operation Saturday as more than
850 attended the first in-person religious conference held there in nearly three years, providing an
economic boost to the community.
Trish Schloss, manager of the Blue Mountain Restaurant on Flatbush Avenue, anticipated the impact of
the facility reopening after COVID-19 recession setbacks. “This will be a big boost for our business. We
are excited for the Witnesses to come back to our community and taste our delicious food,” she said
prior to the event. “We will have more people staffed so that everyone can be served as quickly as
possible.”
“We are very excited to return to in-person events,” said Paris Johnson, local spokesperson for
Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Our first event at the Brooklyn Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses is
scheduled for January 7, 2023, and we anticipate upwards of 850 to be in attendance. There are 34
events scheduled through the year at this venue ranging in length between one and three days with an
anticipated attendance of about 36,500.”
“Making a proactive nationwide decision to close our houses of worship to in-person events protected
both our congregants and our communities,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s
Witnesses. “However, our in-person assemblies and conventions are a highlight of our annual calendar
and an important part of our worship. We are excited to be back.”
Local Jehovah’s Witnesses are also eager to return to the Brooklyn Assembly Hall. “It’s more than a
building; it’s part of my culture and an impactful part of my life,” said Queens resident Travis Boone, who
has attended events at the Brooklyn Assembly Hall for over 30 years with his family. “There is nothing
like gathering for our live events. The anticipation to be back is a tremendous boost emotionally,
mentally and spiritually.”
The Christian denomination now operates 45 assembly halls across the United States, including four in
New York State. Entry at all events is always free. You may find more details on the organization’s
official website, jw.org
CAREGIVING WITH LOVE AND JOY An Expert's Guide to Providing the Best Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Home Care By Patricia A. Boswell, LPN, MBA
In the U.S., 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day; by the time a person reaches 85, their chances of having dementia approach 50 percent. Once these patients reach the point of needing long-term care, that responsibility often falls onto the shoulders of family and friends. While the CDC notes the significant contribution that unpaid caretakers make each year – as of 2009, 25% of U.S. adults provide care for a disabled or chronically ill family member or friend – there are few resources available that adequately address the challenges and complexities of caring for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
In CAREGIVING WITH LOVE AND JOY: An Expert’s Guide to Providing the Best Alzheimer’s and Dementia Home Care (Avery; Trade Paperback; Publication Date: April 26, 2022; 9780593330692; $17 USD $23 CAD), Patricia Boswell, a licensed practical nurse and home care expert, has created a revolutionary and timely resource for dementia and Alzheimer’s caregivers.
According to Boswell, the best caregivers are problem-solvers, addressing physical and emotional issues as they come up. Whether readers are providing the care themselves, managing a caregiver, or sharing the responsibilities, CAREGIVING WITH LOVE AND JOY offers them:
Tips for spotting Alzheimer’s and dementia at the earliest possible points to ensure better care
Techniques that allow caretakers to mount a proactive response to difficult situations and behaviors;
Information on the crucial role between nutrition and health when caring for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients;
Graphs, charts, and worksheets for managing day-to-day care like a professional skilled nurse;
Simple, yet effective home upgrades to keep their Loved One safe as their disease progresses;
Self-care tips to protect caretakers’ physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, and much more.
A comprehensive guidebook that redefines the caregiving experience as one that can be life-affirming and enjoyable, CAREGIVING WITH LOVE AND JOY is a singular resource for caretakers looking to provide or manage outstanding daily care while maintaining—and even enhancing—their own health and mental well-being.
About the Author
Patricia Boswell is a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who has worked in home healthcare settings as well as in private duty nursing, hospice, group homes, and senior living centers. She is a certified dementia practitioner from the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, and holds a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist designation from the National Association of Home Builders. Boswell is actively involved with the Alzheimer’s Association, where she is part of the advocacy and diversity outreach team for the national organization.
“Patricia Boswell writes as if she is your warm and wise close friend, one who is a remarkably experienced nurse and caregiver. The book is full of practical knowledge and solutions for the many challenges of caregiving. I especially admire that Boswell starts with and frequently returns to the theme of self-care for the caregiver—this is the key to sustainable and loving care. Bravo for a book that will improve the lives of many caregivers and their loved ones!”—Tia Powell, MD, Dr. Shoshanah Trachtenberg Frackman Chair in Bioethics; Director, Montefiore Einstein Center for Bioethics; Professor of Epidemiology and Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; author of Dementia Reimagined: Building a Life of Joy and Dignity from Beginning to End
“There are significant disparities in Alzheimer’s and dementia diagnosis rates, access to treatment, and quality care. But there doesn’t have to be. In fact, we can begin to level the playing field right at home. Caregiving with Love and Joy provides critical lessons and pertinent information that every family can utilize to better understand Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and then create better, more meaningful daily interactions with those who are suffering.”—Goldie Byrd, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Outreach in Alzheimer’s, Aging, and Community Health
“From a public health perspective, few diseases are as devastating as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Yet I have seen firsthand that having the right daily care can make all the difference in the long-term success of each patient. This book provides the simple and professional steps any family can implement to make the life of their loved one more comfortable, more enjoyable, and less stressful, which is the key to better outcomes.”—Takeisha C. Davis, MD, MPH, CEO, New Orleans East Hospital
“We couldn’t be prouder of Patricia’s excellent book. Caregiving with care is at the heart of what an LPN does, and sharing what we do best will vastly improve the life and health of anyone struggling with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.”—JoAnn Shaw, LPN, Vice President, National Association of Licensed Practical/Licensed Vocational Nurses, Inc.
“When I was first diagnosed with short term dementia resulting from a pulmonary circulation disease, my wife and I were at a loss for how to move forward. Thankfully, our good friend Patricia Boswell was able to provide us with her best practices for home care, which I know are in this wonderful book. By putting Patricia’s advice to work, we were able to keep me safe at home until the dementia symptoms abated, without causing harm to me or burnout to my wife.”—Emmette “Em” Bryant, NBA Legend for the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Buffalo Braves
“My wife Carol’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease was documented on 60 Minutes for over ten years, and even though I did my best as a caregiver, I wish I had this book during that time. Patricia’s insights and wisdom for taking care of a loved one, as well as the caregiver, will be a blessing and offers relief to so many families like ours.”—Michael Daly
What has happened in just three month that the indicators have risen to today’s levels, and what do Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams plan to do to lower these percentages?
CONSUMER ALERT: THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION REMINDS PARENTS AND GUARDIANS TO MAKE WATER SAFETY A PRIORITY FOR CHILDREN
Summertime Brings Water Activities and Children’s Safety Must Be a Priority
Child Drownings Remain Leading Cause of Unintentional Death in Children 1-4 years old
DCP Offers Water Safety Tips to Help Prevent Drownings
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection today reminded parents and guardians to make water safety a priority for young children as summertime water activities begin. A new U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report revealed that child drownings remain the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages one to four years old. The report also indicated that from 2018 to 2020, 78 percent of all nonfatal drowning injuries occurred among children younger than five years old. There are basic safety tips New Yorkers can take to help prevent drowning in children.
“As families enjoy water activities, it is imperative to pay close attention to the safety of our children,” said New York State Secretary of State, Rossana Rosado. “The New York Division of Consumer Protection is providing safety tips so parents and guardians can best safeguard children when they are near the water. This knowledge saves lives, and I urge all New Yorkers to follow these basic tips to ensure this summertime is safe and fun for all.”
“In a matter of minutes, children can succumb to the dangers of drowning if left unsupervised or without the proper training necessary to become strong swimmers,” said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “I urge all New Yorkers to enjoy the water responsibly this summer and to remember to put the safety of our youngest swimmers first to ensure a happy recreational season for all.”
Safety tips to help prevent drownings:
- Adult Supervision. This is the number one way to prevent drowning. Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate a Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smartphone, drinking alcoholic beverages, or otherwise distracted.
- Swim Lessons.Multiple studies show swim lessons prevent drowning. Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
- Life Jackets.Put life jackets on kids anytime they are on a boat or participating in other open water recreational activities. Personal flotation devices should always be used for children that do not know how to swim. NYS Law requires that children under 12 wear a Coast Guard-approved life vest on a boat or water vessel. For more information on proper life jackets, go to the United States Coast Guard site at: https://uscgboating.org/
recreational-boaters/life- jacket-wear-wearing-your-life- jacket.php - Learn CPR.Every second counts and CPR can help in an emergency.
- Put Up Barriers. Install appropriate safety barriers around in-home pools and spas. This includes fences, gates, door alarms and covers.
- Pool Alarms. Install a pool alarm to detect and provide notification of unattended pool access.
- Small Pools. Drain and put away smaller portable pools when not in use.
- Cover Drains. Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid them getting stuck. Also, ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards, which include drain shape, drain cover size, and rate of water flow. Learn more here.
TOP VIDEO RENTALS & SALES
1. Kung Fu Panda 4
(PG) Jack Black, Awkwafina
2. Dune: Part Two
(PG-13) Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya
3. Arthur the King
(PG-13) Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu
4. Imaginary
(PG-13) DeWanda Wise, Taegen Burns
5. Cabrini
(PG-13) Cristiana Dell’Anna, John Lithgow
6. Love Lies Bleeding
(R) Anna Baryshnikov, Kristen Stewart
7. Bob Marley: One Love
(PG-13) Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch
8. One Life
(PG) Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin
9. The American Society of Magical Negroes
(PG-13) Justice Smith, Zachary Barton
10. Ordinary Angels
(PG) Alan Ritchson, Hilary Swank
INNOVATIONS INSPIRED BY NATURE One of the most visited Bible education websites in the world offers captivating details about our planet’s plants and animals
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
BRONX – February 2024 — What does a wandering albatross have to do with aerial vehicles? How can a seahorse’s tail help perform successful surgeries? And how can a brilliant blue Pollia berry prevent production of counterfeit money?
Scientific answers to these questions and more about plants and animals can be found in a captivating video and article series titled “Was It Designed?” The free content can be accessed through one of the most visited Bible education websites in the world, jw.org.
“This series will appeal, not only to those who love nature, but to anyone who may be concerned about the changes we see happening on our planet,” said Mark Godoy, local spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The videos and articles in this series emphasize why we need to preserve and protect these valuable species.”
Recognizing many people’s interest and concern for nature, the United Nations has even established an annual World Wildlife Day. On March 3, 2024, many will celebrate the earth’s variety of wild fauna and flora and raise awareness for their conservation.
Each day, more than 2,100,000 visitors use jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to access free information that addresses today’s concerns. Care for the environment is among the many topics they can investigate on the site.
The “Was it Designed?” articles, with audio recordings and videos, provide easy-to-understand descriptions of some of the most awe-inspiring elements of earth’s creatures and vegetation. The series also explains how nature can even inspire innovations in engineering, robotics and product design:
- The wandering albatross’s flight capabilities may help engineers design more fuel-efficient aerial vehicles, perhaps even with engineless propulsion.
- A seahorse’s tail design can be applied to search and rescue robots and surgical equipment that need to be capable of bending and twisting in tight places.
- Some scientists say that the Pollia berry’s iridescent pigment-free color could possibly help develop fade-resistant dyes and counterfeit-resistant paper.
“Those who live in an urban area have less opportunities to see many of these creatures in their natural form,” said Godoy. “We are confident that those who review the ‘Was It Designed?’ series will not only develop a greater appreciation for the plants and creatures around us, but will also feel more hopeful about their future.”
To access the free “Was It Designed?” online series, visit jw.org > Bible Teachings > Science & the Bible > Was It Designed?
SHARING HOPE: MENTAL WELLNESS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY
BRONX, NY – In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® , Eta Omega Omega Chapter, in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), will host a community conversation “Sharing Hope: Mental Wellness in The Black Community” on Wednesday, May 31, 6:30 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 3939 Dyre Ave., Bronx.
Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the U.S. since 1949 to raise awareness to fight stigmas associated with mental illness, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support individuals affected by mental illness.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required at https://forms.gle/oJf3ACggB77nS2H×5.https://forms.gle/oJf3ACggB77nS2H×5.
ABOUT ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED®
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated® is comprised of more than 355,000 initiated members in graduate and undergraduate chapters located in 12 countries including the United States, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Japan, Liberia, Nigeria, South Korea, South Africa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Led by International President & CEO Danette Anthony Reed of Dallas, Texas, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, often is hailed as “America’s premier Greek-letter organization for African American women.” For more information on Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and its programs, visit AKA1908.com.
Eta Omega Omega Chapter is the oldest and largest graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in Bronx, NY, chartered in May 1964. With more than 100 members, Eta Omega Omega is proud of its many achievements. Most recently, in recognition of its work, the chapter won the small size “2022 Chapter of the Year” award at the sorority’s North Atlantic Regional Conference held in March in Philadelphia, Pa. Eta Omega Omega’s signature service programs focus on educational enrichment, health promotion, family strengthening, environmental ownership, and global impact.
ABOUT NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL HEALTH
NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
AS HEAT CONTINUES INTO NEXT WEEK, NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE URGE NEW YORKERS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS
Cooling centers will remain open through Tuesday. To find the nearest location, including hours of operation, call 311 or visit the City’s Cooling Center Finder
August 5, 2022 — As high heat and humidity are expected to affect New York City through Tuesday, New York City Emergency Management and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are urging New Yorkers to continue to take steps to beat the heat. The National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory for New York City in effect through Friday, August 5 at 8 p.m. According to the latest National Weather Service forecast, temperatures Friday are in the low 90s, with a heat index value in the mid to upper 90s. Temperatures are forecast in the upper 80s to upper 90s through Tuesday, with heat index values in the mid 90s to low 100s. Cooling centers will remain open through Tuesday, August 9.
“We have experienced some extreme heat in New York City over the past couple of days, it is important that New Yorkers understand the potential dangers of extreme heat,” said New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “Please take precautions to avoid exposure to the extreme conditions. Remember to stay hydrated and if you are venturing outdoors, avoid strenuous activity and wear lightweight clothing.”
New York City opens cooling centers when the heat index is forecast to be 95 degrees or above for two or more consecutive days, or if the heat index is forecast to be 100 degrees or above for any amount of time. The City conducts continuous analysis with our cooling center partners to seek improvements to the system, and remains dedicated to providing cool spaces for all New Yorkers during periods of extreme heat. Cooling centers located at older adult center sites will be reserved for older New Yorkers, ages 60 and older. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, individuals are reminded to stay at home if they are feeling sick or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.To find a cooling center, including accessible facilities closest to you, call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) or visit the NYC Cooling Center Finder at NYC.gov/beattheheat.
New Yorkers can now also find cooling centers that welcome pets throughout the five boroughs. The City has also partnered with Petco to offer New Yorkers and their pets additional spaces to seek relief from the heat. All locations can be found on the City’s Cooling Center Finder. As a reminder, service animals are always allowed at cooling centers.
New York City’s outdoor pools are open for the summer. Standard pool protocols apply—bring a bathing suit, towel, and lock to secure belongings. Pool hours have been extended for Sunday, August 7, and Monday, August 8 at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Normal pool hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. More information can be found at NYC.gov/parks/pools.
New Yorkers can access a range of outdoor cooling options, including spray showers, drinking fountains, and more. These resources can be found online at Cool It! NYC. Many of these resources are located in neighborhoods across New York City. New Yorkers can also visit any cool space to seek relief from the heat like a library, movie theater, shopping mall, etc.
ADDITIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THE HEAT
- Go to an air-conditioned location, even if for a few hours.
- Stay out of the sun and avoid extreme temperature changes.
- Avoid strenuous activity, especially during the sun’s peak hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m.
- Remember: drink water, rest, and locate shade if you are working outdoors or if your work is strenuous. Drink water every 15 minutes even if you are not thirsty, rest in the shade, and watch out for others on your team. Your employer is required to provide water, rest, and shade when work is being done during extreme heat.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing when inside without air conditioning or outside.
- Drink fluids, particularly water, even if you do not feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool. Those on fluid-restricted diets or taking diuretics should first speak with their doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider. Avoid beverages containing alcohol or caffeine.
- Eat small, frequent meals.
- Cool down with a cool bath or shower.
- Participate in activities that will keep you cool, such as going to the movies, walking in an air-conditioned mall, or swimming at a pool or beach.
- Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens and, in apartments where children live, and window guards. Air conditioners in buildings more than six stories must be installed with brackets so they are secured and do not fall on someone below.
- Never leave your children or pets in the vehicle, even for a few minutes.
KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS OF HEAT ILLNESS
Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know has:
- Hot dry skin.
- Trouble breathing.
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Confusion, disorientation, or dizziness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
If you or someone you know feels weak or faint, go to a cool place and drink water. If there is no improvement, call a doctor or 911.
KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE
- Avoid dehydration: Pets can dehydrate quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water.
- Walk your dog in the morning and evening: When the temperature is very high, do not let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Your pet’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn.
- Know when your pet is in danger: Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, unresponsiveness, or even collapse.
IMPROPER FIRE HYDRANT USE
The improper opening of fire hydrants wastes 1,000 gallons of water per minute, causes flooding on city streets, and lowers water pressure to dangerous levels, which hamper the ability of the Fire Department to fight fire safely and quickly.
Use “spray caps” to reduce hydrant output to a safe 25 gallons per minute while still providing relief from the heat. To obtain a spray cap, an adult 18 years or older with proper identification can go to his or her local firehouse and request one.
ENERGY-SAVING TIPS
During periods of intense electrical usage, such as on hot, humid days, it is important to conserve energy as much as possible to avoid brownouts and other electrical disruptions. While diminishing your power usage may seem inconvenient, your cooperation will help to ensure that utility providers are able to provide uninterrupted electrical service to you and your neighbors, particularly those who use electric powered medical equipment or are at risk of heat-related illness and death:
- Set your air conditioner to 78°F or “low.”
- Run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it is cooler outside to reduce heat and moisture in your home.
- Close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out when the air conditioner is running.
- Keep shades, blinds, and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows.
- Turn off air conditioners, lights, and other appliances when not at home, and use a timer or smart technology to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home. Keep air conditioner filters clean.
- If you run a business, keep your door closed while the air conditioner is running.
- Tell your utility provider if you or someone you know depend on medical equipment that requires electricity.
For more information, visit NYC.gov/beattheheat. New Yorkers are also encouraged to stay informed by signing up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency communications program, to receive free emergency alerts and updates in your preferred language and format by visiting NYC.gov/NotifyNYC, calling 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115), following @NotifyNYC on Twitter, or getting the free Notify NYC mobile application for your Apple or Android device.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROVIDES UPDATE ON NEXT ROUND OF MONKEYPOX VACCINE STRATEGY Appointments will be made available on the City’s vaccine portal: vax4nyc.nyc.gov/monkeypox and by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692) beginning Thursday, August 4 at 6pm
Five new vaccine clinics to open in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan more than doubling City’s capacity to administer monkeypox vaccine
August 3, 2022 – The Health Department today provided an update on the next round of monkeypox vaccine appointments and new vaccine clinics. This week, the Department received approximately 32,000 doses of the JYNNEOSTM vaccine. 23,000 new first dose appointments will go online on the City’s vaccine portal beginning Thursday, August 4 at 6pm. The remaining doses will be administered to those referred to vaccination from community partner organizations, health care providers, and reserved for close contacts of known cases.
The City will be adding 5 new vaccine clinics at:
- The Livonia (506 Livonia Avenue in Brooklyn)
- The Jefferson (1300 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn)
- Long Island City (5-17 46th Road in Queens)
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings (686 New York Avenue in Brooklyn)
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur (227 Madison Street in Manhattan)
These sites will more than double the City’s current capacity to administer monkeypox vaccine. The Department will also be adding a clinic at Times Square (136 W. 42nd Street) in the coming weeks. The vaccine clinics at the Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic and the Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic already have appointments booked through the end of next week, so no new appointments will be added this week. Any monkeypox vaccine appointments already scheduled at these two sites will be honored. Equity remains central to the City’s vaccination strategy. The City continues to work with trusted community partners, health care facilities, and those that operate congregate settings to ensure that people at the highest risk have access to the vaccine. The City’s outreach teams have been on the ground to reach New Yorkers where they are, and starting this week, outreach staff will be able to book appointments directly for New Yorkers during these focused outreach activities.
To date, 79,000 doses have been received by New York City out of the approximately 131,000 doses that have been allocated to the City (these figure include 4,000 doses which New York State is re-distributing to the City from their most recent allocation). Of the 79,000 doses, more than 30,000 doses have already been administered in NYC so far, with an additional 7,000 doses already scheduled for the coming days. In addition, 23,000 new appointments will go online tomorrow. The remainder of the doses have been set aside for close contacts of known cases and for private health care providers and referrals from community partner organizations. The full vaccination course is two doses. New York City, however, is currently prioritizing first doses in an effort to protect as many members of the community as possible, as quickly as possible.
Based on current NYC vaccination eligibility criteria, up to 150,000 New Yorkers may be at risk for monkeypox exposure.
About monkeypox
In the current outbreak, the monkeypox virus:
- Is spreading mainly during oral, anal and vaginal sex and other intimate contact such as rimming, hugging, kissing, biting, cuddling and massage
- Can spread through direct contact with a rash or sores of someone who has the virus; from coming into contact with clothing, bedding, towels or other items they have used; and from prolonged face-to-face contact
- Spreads when people have symptoms, but experts are still studying whether it spreads before symptoms start or after they end
- May spread through semen, saliva, feces (poop) and other body fluids – experts are still studying whether this is possible. Symptoms
The most common symptom is a rash or sores that may look like pimples or blisters. The rash and sores may be all over the body or on certain parts, including around and inside the genitals, anus and mouth, and last for two to four weeks. The rash can be extremely itchy and painful and interfere with daily activities. Sores in the anus or urethra can make it hard to go to the bathroom. Some people also have flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, fever and fatigue. Complications from monkeypox infection include inflammation of the rectal lining (proctitis). Even after healing, people can have scarring in the areas where they had sores. We do not know if monkeypox causes long-term health problems. A person is contagious until all sores have healed, and a new layer of skin has formed, which can take two to four weeks.
Prevention and Care
While the current outbreak continues, the best way to protect yourself from monkeypox is to avoid sex and other intimate contact with multiple or anonymous partners. If you choose to have sex or other intimate contact, the following can help reduce your risk, even if you have been vaccinated:
- Reduce your number of partners, especially those you do not know or whose recent sexual history you do not know.
- Avoid sex parties, circuit parties and other spaces where people are having sex and other intimate contact with multiple people.
- Ask your partners whether they have monkeypox symptoms and about their recent sexual history. Remember, some people may not know they have monkeypox, especially if they have only mild symptoms or symptoms that may be confused with other conditions.
- Do not have sex or intimate contact with anyone who feels unwell, especially if they have a rash or sores or were recently exposed to monkeypox.
- If you choose to have sex or other intimate contact with someone while they are sick, cover all rashes and sores with clothing or sealed bandages. This may reduce spread from contact with the rash or sores, but other methods of transmission may still be possible.
- Since it may be possible the virus can be transmitted through semen, use latex condoms during sex.
- Do not share towels, clothing, fetish gear, sex toys or toothbrushes.
- Wash your hands, fetish gear and bedding. Sex toys should be washed after each use or sex act.
As more New Yorkers are diagnosed with monkeypox, it is crucial to seek care as soon as you notice a rash or sores. Call your health care provider immediately. If you do not have one, call 311 to get connected to an NYC Health + Hospitals location or to access H+H Virtual Express Care. You can also visit the NYC Health Map to find a provider near you. Care is available in NYC regardless of immigration status, insurance coverage or ability to pay.
NEW YORK CITY ANNOUNCES THE ABCs OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
Interactive Web-based Resources for Building Healthy Relationship Skills in Elementary School-Aged Children
NEW YORK—The Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) in partnership with the Department of Education (DOE), leading youth dating violence prevention organization Day One, the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, and the Jerome Chazen Fund to Address Domestic Violence are excited to announce the launch of “The ABCs of Healthy Relationships.” The ABCs of Healthy Relationships is an interactive web-based toolkit to help elementary school students develop healthy relationships with their friends and classmates as building blocks for healthier partner relationships as they grow older, as well as toolkits for their educators, and their caregivers. Using vibrant and relatable illustrations, the toolkits support the development of healthy relationship foundations such as respect, consent, boundaries, body autonomy, safety, and trust.
The ABCs of Healthy Relationships student toolkits and parent, caregiver and educator guides are free and are available to all young people and adults in NYC through the ENDGBV website, and DOE Parent University. To celebrate the launch of this exciting resource, ENDGBV and DOE will host a virtual program for parents and caregivers on October 19. “Helping Our Kids Build Healthy Relationships” will be livestreamed on Parent University and will provide an opportunity for parents and caregivers to walk through the toolkits and engage with early childhood experts on effective ways to talk with children about healthy relationships.
“Teaching children how to set boundaries and recognize controlling and abusive behavior, helps them learn how to develop healthy relationships,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “This new toolkit expands on our commitment to break the cycle of domestic violence and prevent trauma.”
“No child is too young to talk to about healthy relationships,” said New York City Deputy Mayor Melanie Hartzog. “We are committed to providing young people the tools they need to build the relationships they want, which means addressing dating violence, and all forms of gender-based violence.”
“The ABCs of Healthy Relationships will strategically build upon current City efforts to prevent domestic and gender-based violence including ENDGBV’s Healthy Relationship Training Academy; the Human Resource Administration’s Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP); and the Early RAPP program championed by First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray which has brought community educators into more than 100 middle schools throughout the city,” said Cecile Noel, Commissioner, NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. “This program will engage children at an early age and provide them crucial tools to help build healthy relationships with self and community.”
The 2017 New York City Risk Behavior Survey found that 3,000 New York City public school students aged 14 and younger who were dating had been physically harmed by a dating partner in 2017. In addition, 6,000 students also aged 14 and younger reported that they had been forced to do sexual things they did not want to do, such as kissing, touching, or being physically forced to have sexual intercourse by someone they were dating. Understanding the need to address healthy relationships in earlier grades as detailed in the New York City Department of Education K-5 Health Education Scope and Sequence includes learning about healthy relationships at a young age.
With support from the Jerome Chazen Fund to Address Domestic Violence through the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the City has contracted with Day One to create The ABCs of Healthy Relationships.
“As educators it is our duty to equip our young people with the knowledge to build healthy relationships, recognize boundaries, and advocate for themselves as they mature,” said Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter. “I’m grateful to our agency partners for developing this critical resource for New York City students, which will help ensure our children are healthy, happy, and empowered as they navigate relationships throughout their lives.”
“An important step to ending gender-based violence starts with early intervention,” said Daniele Baierlein and Jorge Luis Paniagua Valle, Co-Executive Directors of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “That’s why we’re so excited to be partnering with the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, Department of Education, Day One, and the Chazen Foundation to give children the opportunity and tools they need to build healthy relationships and learn about the physical and emotional safety they’re entitled to.”
“We believe strongly in the need to provide young children with the tools and skills they need to prevent unhealthy relationships of all kinds before they reach dating age,” said Jerome A. Chazen, the Jerome Chazen Fund to Address Domestic Violence. “We are thrilled to be part of this city-wide initiative and believe broad education programs reaching all youth are critical to help ensure we turn the page on unhealthy relationships.”
“In order to reduce rates of domestic violence and sexual assault substantially, we must begin earlier,” said Stephanie Nilva, Executive Director of Day One. “Day One is proud to collaborate with ENDGBV on the ABCs of Healthy Relationships, which will equip children and adolescents with language and skills to have healthy interactions with friends and to build safe intimate relationships in their dating and adult years.”
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About the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
The Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) develops policies and programs, provides training and prevention education, conducts research and evaluations, performs community outreach, and operates the New York City Family Justice Centers. We collaborate with City agencies and community stakeholders to ensure access to inclusive services for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence (GBV). GBV can include intimate partner and family violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. Read more about the term.
The NYC Family Justice Centers are co‐located multidisciplinary service centers providing vital social services, civil, legal, and criminal justice assistance for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and their children—all under one roof. For more information, visit nyc.gov/ENDGBV or visit us on visit us on Facebook, Instagram or Twit
About the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City
The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization working with 50 City agencies and offices, 300 institutional funders, and 100 community-based partners. The Mayor’s Fund works in partnership with the business and philanthropic communities to advance initiatives that improve the lives of residents in all five boroughs. It seeks to seed promising, evidence-based models; evaluate the efficacy of new public programs and policies; bring innovative solutions to scale; and respond to the emerging needs of the city by building public-private partnerships. First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray is chair of the Mayor’s Fund Board of Directors. In addition, the Mayor’s Fund has an Advisory Board of prominent civic and business leaders to advise and assist the Board of Directors. Follow the Mayor’s Fund @NYCMayorsFund on Twitter and subscribe to their newsletter here.
About The Jerome Chazen Fund to Address Domestic Violence
The Jerome Chazen Fund to Address Domestic Violence was created in 2014 to continue the work Mr. Chazen started when he was Chairman of Liz Claiborne Inc. and on the Liz Claiborne Foundation. The Fund supports organizations in and around New York City that develop and implement primary prevention programs – in particular those focused on school-age children.
About Day One
Day One’s mission is to partner with youth to end dating abuse and domestic violence through community education, supportive services, legal advocacy and leadership development. Day One was founded in 2003 to provide critical education and guidance to New York City’s youth on dating abuse and domestic violence. Since then, Day One has educated more than 110,000 young people on how to identify and maintain healthy relationships, obtain legal protection when necessary, and assist others experiencing abuse. Day One has trained more than 10,000 professionals to identify relationship abuse among youth and to provide supportive, nonjudgmental guidance to teens. Additionally, we’ve delivered thousands of hours of therapeutic counseling and legal assistance to young people in court. Adolescents and teenagers participate in year-round leadership development programs and help guide the mission and services of Day One. Hundreds of thousands of educational materials have been distributed to youth nationwide and are available at www.dayoneny.org.
Doctors on Tripledemic Available for Interviews in English, Spanish, Chinese
With the ‘Tripledemic’ upon us, communities of color across NYC have seen an increase in cases of the flu, RSV, as well as a resurgence of COVID. Doctors from SOMOS Community Care are available to speak in English, Spanish, and Chinese on these cases. These doctors provide health care to over 20% of all Medicare/Medicaid patients in NYC and have seen an influx of patients with these illnesses.
- Dr. Carmen Garcia-Albarran, Pediatrician at Mount Sinai Health Systems
- Dr. Juan Tapia-Mendoza, Pediatrian and founder/CEO of Pediatrics 2000
- Dr. Maria Molina, Pediatrician
- Dr. Yomaris Peña, Internal Medicine, and Chief Medical Officer for SOMOS Community Care
- Dr. Henry Chen, Primary Care Physician & President of SOMOS, serves residents of Chinatown/Little Italy
According to a recent CDC study, the most recent bivalent omicron booster is 84% effective at preventing seniors from being hospitalized with Covid. As holiday and family gatherings increase, it is important for New Yorkers to understand what they should do to best protect themselves and their loved ones, especially our oldest family members who remain the most vulnerable to severe illness. NYC Health reports that only 30% of Hispanic and 28% of Black New Yorkers have received the additional booster shot.
I’m happy to connect you with any of the above doctors to contribute to the stories you are working on.
Best,
Carolyn
CONSUMER ALERT: NYS DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION WARNS NEW YORKERS ABOUT DANGERS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING, FIRE HAZARDS AND STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES IN THE UPCOMING WINTER WEATHER
Secretary Robert J. Rodriguez, “The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection urges New Yorkers to take proper safety precautions while using candles and space heaters, install fire and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries in your alarms on an annual basis to help decrease the risk of fire hazards in your home.”
Consumers Must Pay Careful Attention to Carbon Monoxide and Fire Safety
The NYS Division of Consumer Protection Offers Tips to Help New Yorkers Stay Safe and Healthy During Upcoming Winter Months
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection today alerted consumers of the dangers of fire hazards, carbon monoxide poisoning and performing strenuous outside activities in the upcoming cold weather. As the winter months approach and the temperatures drop, consumers may turn to dangerous heating alternatives to stay warm. Propane heaters, generators and space heaters all pose lethal risks of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire hazards when used improperly. As strong winter storms continue to hit the United States, consumers need to exercise caution to stay safe and healthy during snow cleanup activities.
“Taking preventative action is your best defense against dealing with extreme cold weather,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection urges New Yorkers to take proper safety precautions while using candles and space heaters, install fire and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries in your alarms on an annual basis to help decrease the risk of fire hazards in your home.”
Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Daniel W. Tietz said, “In addition to providing assistance to help cover home heating costs, the Home Energy Assistance Program can help with getting heating equipment cleaned and serviced so it is safe and operating at peak efficiency, and even cover the cost of repairing or replacing faulty heating equipment. These services are vital to helping New Yorkers stay safe and warm through the harsh winter months. Anyone in need of this assistance should apply as soon as possible.”
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection offers the following tips to keep families safe and warm this winter:
When temperatures plummet, home heating systems may run constantly and the potential for CO poisoning increases. During and after dangerous weather, using alternative sources of power can also cause CO to build up in the home.
Carbon-Monoxide Dangers and Safety Tips:
- Install carbon monoxide alarms. Have a carbon monoxide alarm on every floor and outside sleeping areas.
- Inspect all fuel-burning equipment every year. Have a trained service technician inspect your home heating systems. Make sure that all gas heaters are properly vented to the outside.
- Use generators safely. Do not use a gas or electric generator in a home, garage, basement or any enclosed space. Plug in appliances to the generator using only individual heavy-duty, outdoor-rated electrical cords. When used, gas generators should be located at least 20 feet from any window, door, or vent — preferably in a space where rain and snow does not reach them.
- Avoid build-up of carbon monoxide fumes. Open the fireplace damper before lighting a fire and keep it open until the ashes are cool. Never use a gas range, oven or grill to warm up a home. Never leave a vehicle running while parked in a garage attached to a home, even if the windows are open. Have vehicles’ mufflers and tailpipes checked on a regular basis to prevent accidental CO build-up.
- Keep furnace and dryer vents clear of ice and snow. Check furnace and dryer vents on the exterior of your house during and after heavy snowfalls, and clear snow away from the vents’ openings if it builds up. When a furnace or gas dryer vent is blocked, carbon monoxide can build up inside the home, and on newer furnaces, the system may shut off completely as a safety measure leaving the home without heat. While electric dryers do not pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, a blocked vent could still be a fire hazard.
- If one suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, they should get to fresh air immediately and then call 911.
Colder temperatures also increase the risk of fire hazards. Home fires can happen at any time, but they generally increase during the fall and winter, with December and January being the peak months.
Winter Home Heating & Fire Safety Tips:
- Working Smoke Alarms Saves Lives. According to the National Fire Protection Association, roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms so remember to have working smoke alarms on every floor and in every bedroom. The early warning provided by smoke alarms can save a life.
- Safely operate fireplaces, wood stoves and other combustion heaters. Use fireplaces, wood stoves, or other combustion heaters only if they are properly vented to the outside and do not leak flue gas into the indoor air space. If planning to use a wood stove, fireplace, or space heater, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not burn paper in a fireplace.
- Keep your home properly ventilated. Ensure adequate ventilation if using a kerosene, propane or other fuel heater. Also, use only the specific type of fuel a heater is designed to use—don’t substitute with another source.
- Keep space heaters away, stable, and uncovered. Space heaters should be kept at least three feet away from beds, clothes, curtains, and other flammable materials. Never cover a space heater or place on top of furniture or near water. Space heaters should not be left unattended when used near children. If a space heater has a damaged electrical cord or produces sparks, stop use immediately.
- Check your extension cords. Extension cords should not be overloaded or run where they can become a tripping hazard. Never run extension cords under carpets or rugs. Avoid using extension cords with a space heater.
- Prepare for emergencies. Keep a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher near the area to be heated.
- Regularly review fire safety plans with your family, especially with homes with young children, older adults, and persons with disabilities. Make sure there is a working smoke alarm on every level and outside of sleeping areas, and that the batteries in the alarm are functional.
- If there is a power failure at home, use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns instead of candles, if possible. If you must use candles, use extreme caution. Never leave lit candles unattended, and do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Extinguish candles when you leave the room and before sleeping.
New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can help eligible New Yorkers heat their homes. The program provides up to $1,126 to eligible homeowners and renters depending on income, household size and how they heat their home. Administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, applications for HEAP are accepted at local departments of social services in person or by telephone, with funding provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents outside of New York City may also?apply online?for regular heating assistance benefits. New York City residents can obtain program information?online and download an application. To qualify for benefits, a family of four may have a maximum gross monthly income of $5,485, or an annual gross income of $65,829.
For households facing no-heat situations due to non-working heating equipment, OTDA is also accepting applications for its heating equipment repair or replacement benefit. Eligible homeowners can apply for up to $4,000 for repairs or $8,000 for replacement of a furnace, boiler or other direct heating equipment necessary to keep the household’s primary heating source working. Additionally, eligible households can receive energy efficiency services, which include the cleaning of primary heating equipment to allow for safe and efficient operation. Interested households can apply with their local HEAP contact.
As the recent historic storm in Buffalo showed, snow and winter storms can be dangerous and even deadly. Snow shoveling can contribute to a number of health risks for many people, from back injuries to heart attacks. New Yorkers must exercise caution when doing snow or ice cleanup as the strenuous activity can be dangerous for vulnerable individuals.
The following tips can help keep you safer when you set out to shovel:
- Warm up. Warm your muscles before heading out to shovel by doing some light movements, such as bending side to side or walking in place.
- Push rather than lift. Pushing the snow with the shovel instead of lifting can help reduce the strain on your body. When lifting snow, bend your knees and use your legs when possible.
- Choose your shovel wisely. Ergonomically designed shovels can help reduce the amount of bending you have to do.
- Lighten your load. Consider using a lighter-weight plastic shovel instead of a metal one to help decrease the weight being lifted.
- Hit the pause button. Pace yourself and be sure to take frequent breaks. Consider taking a break after 20 to 30 minutes of shoveling, especially when the snow is wet.
- Consider multiple trips. Consider shoveling periodically throughout the storm to avoid having to move large amounts of snow at once.
- Keep up with snowfall. Try to shovel snow shortly after it falls, when it is lighter and fluffier. The longer snow stays on the ground, the wetter it can become. Wet snow is heavier and harder to move.
- Wear layers. Dress in layers and remove them as you get warm to help maintain a comfortable body temperature.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated while shoveling
New Artificial Intelligence Risk-Assessment Tool to Improve Heart-Failure Care
UVA Researchers Use AI to Determine Patient-Specific Risks
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 15, 2024 – UVA Health researchers have developed a powerful new risk assessment tool for predicting outcomes in heart failure patients. The researchers have made the tool publicly available for free to clinicians.
The new tool improves on existing risk assessment tools for heart failure by harnessing the power of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to determine patient-specific risks of developing unfavorable outcomes with heart failure.
“Heart failure is a progressive condition that affects not only quality of life but quantity as well. All heart failure patients are not the same. Each patient is on a spectrum along the continuum of risk of suffering adverse outcomes,” said researcher Sula Mazimba, MD, a heart failure expert. “Identifying the degree of risk for each patient promises to help clinicians tailor therapies to improve outcomes.”
About Heart Failure
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood for the body’s needs. This can lead to fatigue, weakness, swollen legs and feet and, ultimately, death. Heart failure is a progressive condition, so it is extremely important for clinicians to be able to identify patients at risk of adverse outcomes.
Further, heart failure is a growing problem. More than 6 million Americans already have heart failure, and that number is expected to increase to more than 8 million by 2030. The UVA researchers developed their new model, called CARNA, to improve care for these patients. (Finding new ways to improve care for patients across Virginia and beyond is a key component of UVA Health’s first-ever 10-year strategic plan.)
The researchers developed their model using anonymized data drawn from thousands of patients enrolled in heart failure clinical trials previously funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Putting the model to the test, they found it outperformed existing predictors for determining how a broad spectrum of patients would fare in areas such as the need for heart surgery or transplant, the risk of rehospitalization and the risk of death.
The researchers attribute the model’s success to the use of ML/AI and the inclusion of “hemodynamic” clinical data, which describe how blood circulates through the heart, lungs and the rest of the body.
“This model presents a breakthrough because it ingests complex sets of data and can make decisions even among missing and conflicting factors,” said researcher Josephine Lamp, of the University of Virginia School of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science. “It is really exciting because the model intelligently presents and summarizes risk factors reducing decision burden so clinicians can quickly make treatment decisions.”
By using the model, doctors will be better equipped to personalize care to individual patients, helping them live longer, healthier lives, the researchers hope.
“The collaborative research environment at the University Virginia made this work possible by bringing together experts in heart failure, computer science, data science and statistics,” said researcher Kenneth Bilchick, MD, a cardiologist at UVA Health. “Multidisciplinary biomedical research that integrates talented computer scientists like Josephine Lamp with experts in clinical medicine will be critical to helping our patients benefit from AI in the coming years and decades.”
Findings Published
The researchers have made their new tool available online for free at https://github.com/jozieLamp/
In addition, they have published the results of their evaluation of CARNA in the American Heart Journal. The research team consisted of Lamp, Yuxin Wu, Steven Lamp, Prince Afriyie, Nicholas Ashur, Bilchick, Khadijah Breathett, Younghoon Kwon, Song Li, Nishaki Mehta, Edward Rojas Pena, Lu Feng and Mazimba. The researchers have no financial interest in the work.
The project was based on one of the winning submissions to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Big Data Analysis Challenge: Creating New Paradigms for Heart Failure Research. The work was supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, grant 842490, and NHLBI grants R56HL159216, K01HL142848 and L30HL148881.
UVA Health Seeks to Improve Cancer Prevention, Clinical Trial Access Across U.S.
Doctors Identify Simple Steps to Benefit Rural, Underserved Residents
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 3, 2024 – Two University of Virginia Cancer Center experts in gynecologic cancer have outlined simple steps to improve cancer prevention for millions of rural and medically underserved Americans, as well as increase access to clinical trials that are the proving grounds for cutting-edge treatments.
Approximately 20% of Americans live in rural areas, and they face substantially higher cancer death rates than residents of more affluent urban areas. This disparity stems from barriers to accessing cancer prevention, treatment and clinical trial access commonly found in rural and medically underserved areas. That prompted UVA Health’s Linda R. Duska, MD, and Kari L. Ring, MD, to outline a plan in the medical journal Gynecologic Oncology that could ultimately improve cancer care and prevention for more than 75 million people.
“Our goal was to outline and understand the landscape of what is known about cancer prevention and access to clinical trials in the rural patient population with a focus on gynecologic malignancies,” Ring said. “This is the first step to designing studies to improve access to care for these patients.”
Paola Gehrig, MD, professor and chair of UVA’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, noted the importance of Ring and Duska’s work: “It does not matter how impactful the treatment options are if the patients who need our services do not have access to them,” she said. “Highlighting these disparities is the first step in helping patients achieve their highest level of health.”
Barriers to Cancer Care and Prevention
Common obstacles to cancer care, prevention and trial access in rural areas include a shortage of providers, the need to travel long distances and financial concerns, Duska and Ring note. And the problem is only growing worse: In the last 20 years, more than 190 rural hospitals have shut down or converted to emergency care only, leaving many rural residents without easy access to cancer screening or treatment, much less clinical trials.
To improve early detection of cancer, Duska and Ring are calling for expanded genetic testing to identify high-risk patients, as well as efforts to increase human papillomavirus vaccination to prevent cancers associated with the virus, such as anal, cervical, penile and vaginal cancer. (Virginia’s HPV vaccination rates, they note, lag significantly behind other parts of the country, with especially low rates in rural Southwestern Virginia.) In addition, Duska and Ring say that technology such as telemedicine offers a vital means of increasing cancer screening, both by offering screening directly and by educating patients on the importance of screening and helping them identify screening opportunities.
To improve clinical trial access, the UVA cancer experts call for continuing efforts to “decentralize” trials by establishing opportunities for participation outside the urban areas where trials have traditionally been held. This might be in local healthcare facilities or even in participants’ homes, they say. Telemedicine, they note, again could be a key tool. (UVA Health is working to establish a statewide clinical trials network to increase access to clinical trials of all types across Virginia.)
Duska and Ring also emphasize the need to enlist the help of trusted community healthcare providers, both to encourage patients to participate in trials and to advocate for the importance of screening and other cancer prevention efforts. They cite a survey in West Virginia that found that discouragement from an oncologist and family physician was a critical factor in patients’ decisions not to participate in a trial. Ultimately, only 2% to 8% of Americans diagnosed with cancer enroll in a clinical trial, they note.
Duska and Ring say the low rate of participation in trials means many patients can’t take advantage of the latest treatments as they are being developed and tested. This is especially harmful for patients with cancers that lack effective treatment options, they argue. “We must explore novel approaches to clinical trial enrollment as clearly the current methods do not reach a broader patient population, which limits access to new therapies and limits generalizability of trial outcomes,” Ring said.
While much works needs to be done to improve cancer care in rural and underserved areas across the nation, Ring and Duska believe that the simple steps they outline could quickly have a big impact – and save lives.
“Drs. Duska and Ring are bringing a much-needed call to action to address these critical access issues,” Gehrig said. “I am hopeful that we can leverage technology and other initiatives to expand care to all Virginians.”
Better Cancer Care
Duska and Ring’s efforts are part of UVA Cancer Center’s ongoing mission to improve cancer care across Virginia and beyond. In recognition of the cancer center’s outstanding research and clinical care, the National Cancer Institute has designated UVA one of only 56 comprehensive cancer centers in the country. The designation honors elite cancer centers with the most outstanding cancer programs in the United States.
New Advance Against a Form of Heart Failure Prevalent in Men Researchers Find Way to Counter Harm Caused by Loss of Y Chromosome
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 28, 2024 – University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have discovered a gene on the Y chromosome that contributes to the greater incidence of heart failure in men.
Y chromosome loss in men occurs progressively throughout life and can be detected in approximately 40% of 70-year-old men. UVA’s Kenneth Walsh, PhD, discovered in 2022 that this loss can contribute to heart muscle scarring and lead to deadly heart failure. (That finding was the first to directly link Y chromosome loss to a specific harm to men’s health; Y chromosome loss is increasingly thought to play a role in diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s to cancer.)
In an important follow-up finding, Walsh and his team have discovered how Y chromosome loss triggers changes in heart immune cells that make the cells more likely to cause scarring and heart failure.
Further, the researchers found they could reverse the harmful heart changes by giving lab mice a drug that targets the process of fibrosis that leads to the heart scarring, which could lead to a similar treatment for men.
“Our previous work identified that it was loss of the entire Y chromosome that contributed to heart disease in men,” said Walsh, the director of UVA’s Hematovascular Biology Center. “This new work identified a single gene on the Y chromosome that can account for the disease-promoting effects of Y chromosome loss.”
About Y Chromosome Loss
Unlike women, who have two X chromosomes, men have an X and a Y. For a long time, the genes found on the Y chromosome were not thought to play important roles in disease. Sex hormones, scientists thought, explained the differences in certain diseases in men and women. But Walsh’s groundbreaking work has helped change that perception. It also suggested an explanation for why heart failure is more common in men than women. (Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart failure, is the leading cause of death worldwide.)
Y chromosome loss occurs in only a small percentage of affected men’s cells. This results in what is called “mosaicism”, where genetically different cells occur within one individual. Researchers aren’t entirely sure why this partial Y chromosome loss occurs, but predominantly it strikes elderly men and men who smoke compared to those who don’t.
To better understand the effects of Y chromosome loss, Walsh and his team examined genes found on the Y chromosome to determine which might be important to heart scarring. One gene they looked at, Uty, helps control the operating instructions for immune cells called macrophages and monocytes, the scientists determined. When the Uty gene was disrupted, either individually or through Y chromosome loss, that triggered changes in the immune cells in lab mice. Suddenly, the macrophages were much more “pro-fibrotic,” or prone to scarring. This accelerated heart failure as well, the scientists found.
“The identification of a single gene on the Y chromosome provides information about a new druggable target to treat fibrotic diseases,” said Walsh, of UVA’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center.
Walsh and his team were able to prevent the harmful changes in the mice’s macrophages by giving them a specially designed monoclonal antibody. This halted the harmful changes in the heart, suggesting the approach might, with further research, lead to a way to treat or avoid heart failure and other fibrotic diseases in men with Y chromosome loss.
“Currently, we are working with our clinician colleagues in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at UVA to assess whether loss of the Y chromosome in men is associated with greater scarring in the heart,” Walsh said. “This research will provide new avenues for understanding the causes of heart disease.”
Based on their findings, Walsh and his team believe that a small group of genes found on the Y chromosome may have big effects on a wide array of diseases. Their new work identifies mechanisms that may lead to this, and they are hopeful that further research will provide a much better understanding of unknown causes of sickness and death in men.
“This research further documents the utility of studying the genetics of mutations that are acquired after conception and accumulate throughout life,” Walsh said. “These mutations appear to be as important to health and lifespan as the mutations that are inherited from one’s parents. The study of these age-acquired mutations represents a new field of human genetics.”
COVID-19 Antibodies That Act Like Enzymes Could Explain Mysteries of Long COVID ‘Abzymes’ Could Have Important Physiologic Effects, Researchers Discover
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 26, 2024 – UVA Health researchers have discovered a potential explanation for some of the most perplexing mysteries of COVID-19 and long COVID. The surprising findings could lead to new treatments for the difficult acute effects of COVID-19, long COVID and possibly other viruses.
Researchers led by UVA’s Steven L. Zeichner, MD, PhD, found that COVID-19 may prompt some people’s bodies to make antibodies that act like enzymes that the body naturally uses to regulate important functions – blood pressure, for example. Related enzymes also regulate other important body functions, such as blood clotting and inflammation.
Doctors may be able to target these “abzymes” to stop their unwanted effects. If abzymes with rogue activities are also responsible for some of the features of long COVID, doctors could target the abzymes to treat the difficult and sometimes mysterious symptoms of COVID-19 and long COVID at the source, instead of merely treating the downstream symptoms.
“Some patients with COVID-19 have serious symptoms and we have trouble understanding their cause. We also have a poor understanding of the causes of long COVID,” said Zeichner, a pediatric infectious disease expert at UVA Children’s. “Antibodies that act like enzymes are called ‘abzymes.’ Abzymes are not exact copies of enzymes and so they work differently, sometimes in ways that the original enzyme does not. If COVID-19 patients are making abzymes, it is possible that these rogue abzymes could harm many different aspects of physiology. If this turns out to be true, then developing treatments to deplete or block the rogue abzymes could be the most effective way to treat the complications of COVID-19.”
Understanding COVID-19 Abzymes
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, has protein on its surface called the Spike protein. When the virus begins to infect a cell, the Spike protein binds a protein called Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2, or ACE2, on the cell’s surface. ACE2’s normal function in the body is to help regulate blood pressure; it cuts a protein called angiotensin II to make a derivative protein called angiotensin 1-7. Angiotensin II constricts blood vessels, raising blood pressure, while angiotensin 1-7 relaxes blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
Zeichner and his team thought that some patients might make antibodies against the Spike protein that looked enough like ACE2 so that the antibodies also had enzymatic activity like ACE2, and that is exactly what they found.
Recently, other groups have found that some patients with long COVID have problems with their coagulation systems and with another system called “complement.” Both the coagulation system and the complement system are controlled by enzymes in the body that cut other proteins to activate them. If patients with long COVID make abzymes that activate proteins that control processes such as coagulation and inflammation, that could explain the source of some of the long COVID symptoms and why long COVID symptoms persist even after the body has cleared the initial infection. It also may explain rare side effects of COVID-19 vaccination.
To determine if antibodies could be having unexpected effects in COVID patients, Zeichner and his collaborators examined plasma samples collected from 67 volunteers with moderate or severe COVID on or around day 7 of their hospitalization. The researchers compared what they found with plasma collected in 2018, prior to the beginning of the pandemic. The results showed that a small subset of the COVID patients had antibodies that acted like enzymes.
While our understanding of the potential role of abzymes in COVID-19 is still in its early stages, enzymatic antibodies have already been detected in certain cases of HIV, Zeichner notes. That means there is precedent for a virus to trigger abzyme formation. It also suggests that other viruses may cause similar effects.
Zeichner, who is developing a universal coronavirus vaccine, expects UVA’s new findings will renew interest in abzymes in medical research. He also hopes his discovery will lead to better treatments for patients with both acute COVID-19 and long COVID.
“We now need to study pure versions of antibodies with enzymatic activity to see how abzymes may work in more detail, and we need to study patients who have had COVID-19 who did and did not develop long COVID,” he said. “There is much more work to do, but I think we have made a good start in developing a new understanding of this challenging disease that has caused so much distress and death around the world. The first step to developing effective new therapies for a disease is developing a good understanding of the disease’s underlying causes, and we have taken that first step.”
Multiple Unsafe Sleep Practices in Most Sudden Infant Deaths, Study Finds Researchers Call for Better Public Education, Increased Role for Care Providers
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 21, 2024 – There were multiple unsafe sleep practices at play in more than three-quarters of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths reported in 23 jurisdictions between 2011 and 2020, a new study reveals. The researchers say the findings underscore the need for more comprehensive safe-sleep education for new parents, including from healthcare providers.
Of 7,595 infant deaths reviewed, almost 60% of the infants were sharing a sleep surface, such as a bed, when they died. This practice is strongly discouraged by sleep experts, who warn that a parent or other bed partner could unintentionally roll over and suffocate the baby.
Infants who died while sharing a sleep surface were typically younger (less than 3 months old), non-Hispanic Black, publicly insured, and either in the care of a parent at the time of death or being supervised by someone impaired by drugs or alcohol. These infants were typically found in an adult bed, chair or couch instead of the crib or bassinet recommended by sleep experts.
“The large number of hazardous sleep practices for both infants who were sharing a sleep surface and sleeping alone at the time of death is alarming,” said researcher Fern Hauck, MD, MS, a safe-sleep expert at UVA Health and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “These are known risk factors for SUID [Sudden Unexpected Infant Death], and tells us that we need to do a better job of working with families to increase acceptance of the recommendations to create safer sleep spaces for their infants.”
Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths
To better understand the factors contributing to SUID and improve safe-sleep messaging, Hauck and her collaborators analyzed data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s SUID Case Registry. That data reflects localities from Alaska to Wyoming, including the Tidewater area of Virginia.
Examining the registry allowed the researchers to obtain important insights on the prevalence of practices such as prenatal smoking, a known risk factor for SUID, and breastfeeding, which is thought to have a protective benefit. More than 36% of mothers of infants who died had smoked while pregnant. This percentage was higher among moms who bed shared than those who didn’t, 41.4% to 30.5%. Both bed sharers and non-bed sharers had breastfed at similar rates.
The researchers note that it was rare for bedsharing to be the only risk factor present during a child’s death. The findings highlight the need for better public education about safe-sleep practices, and for care providers to take a more active role in teaching new parents about the practices, the researchers say.
“Our findings support comprehensive safe sleep counseling for every family at every encounter beyond just asking where an infant is sleeping,” the researchers write in a new paper in the journal Pediatrics.
In addition to helping parents understand safe-sleep practices, care providers should take steps to ensure parents can follow those practices once they leave the hospital. For example, some families may not have the means to purchase a crib or bassinet; a hospital might direct them to resources to help with that.
“SUID deaths in the U.S. are still higher than in most other countries, and this is unacceptable,” Hauck said. “Clinicians and others caring for infants need to have thoughtful conversations with families at risk to understand the barriers to following safe-sleep guidelines and find ways to work together to overcome them.”
Simple Blood Test Could Predict Risk of Long-Term COVID-19 Lung Problems UVA Research Identifies Promising Tool to Improve Patient Care
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 14, 2024 – UVA Health researchers have discovered a potential way to predict which patients with severe COVID-19 are likely to recover well and which are likely to suffer “long-haul” lung problems. That finding could help doctors better personalize treatments for individual patients.
UVA’s new research also alleviates concerns that severe COVID-19 could trigger relentless, ongoing lung scarring akin to the chronic lung disease known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the researchers report. That type of continuing lung damage would mean that patients’ ability to breathe would continue to worsen over time.
“We are excited to find that people with long-haul COVID have an immune system that is totally different from people who have lung scarring that doesn’t stop,” said researcher Catherine A. Bonham, MD, a pulmonary and critical care expert who serves as scientific director of UVA Health’s Interstitial Lung Disease Program. “This offers hope that even patients with the worst COVID do not have progressive scarring of the lung that leads to death.”
Long-Haul COVID-19
Up to 30% of patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 continue to suffer persistent symptoms months after recovering from the virus. Many of these patients develop lung scarring – some early on in their hospitalization, and others within six months of their initial illness, prior research has found. Bonham and her collaborators wanted to better understand why this scarring occurs, to determine if it is similar to progressive pulmonary fibrosis and to see if there is a way to identify patients at risk.
To do this, the researchers followed 16 UVA Health patients who had survived severe COVID-19. Fourteen had been hospitalized and placed on a ventilator. All continued to have trouble breathing and suffered fatigue and abnormal lung function at their first outpatient checkup.
After six months, the researchers found that the patients could be divided into two groups: One group’s lung health improved, prompting the researchers to label them “early resolvers,” while the other group, dubbed “late resolvers,” continued to suffer lung problems and pulmonary fibrosis.
Looking at blood samples taken before the patients’ recovery began to diverge, the UVA team found that the late resolvers had significantly fewer immune cells known as monocytes circulating in their blood. These white blood cells play a critical role in our ability to fend off disease, and the cells were abnormally depleted in patients who continued to suffer lung problems compared both to those who recovered and healthy control subjects.
Further, the decrease in monocytes correlated with the severity of the patients’ ongoing symptoms. That suggests that doctors may be able to use a simple blood test to identify patients likely to become long-haulers — and to improve their care.
“About half of the patients we examined still had lingering, bothersome symptoms and abnormal tests after six months,” Bonham said. “We were able to detect differences in their blood from the first visit, with fewer blood monocytes mapping to lower lung function.”
The researchers also wanted to determine if severe COVID-19 could cause progressive lung scarring as in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. They found that the two conditions had very different effects on immune cells, suggesting that even when the symptoms were similar, the underlying causes were very different. This held true even in patients with the most persistent long-haul COVID-19 symptoms. “Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is progressive and kills patients within three to five years,” Bonham said. “It was a relief to see that all our COVID patients, even those with long-haul symptoms, were not similar.”
Because of the small numbers of participants in UVA’s study, and because they were mostly male (for easier comparison with IPF, a disease that strikes mostly men), the researchers say larger, multi-center studies are needed to bear out the findings. But they are hopeful that their new discovery will provide doctors a useful tool to identify COVID-19 patients at risk for long-haul lung problems and help guide them to recovery.
“We are only beginning to understand the biology of how the immune system impacts pulmonary fibrosis,” Bonham said. “My team and I were humbled and grateful to work with the outstanding patients who made this study possible.”
Findings Published
The researchers have published their findings in the scientific journal Frontiers in Immunology. The research team consisted of Grace C. Bingham, Lyndsey M. Muehling, Chaofan Li, Yong Huang, Shwu-Fan Ma, Daniel Abebayehu, Imre Noth, Jie Sun, Judith A. Woodfolk, Thomas H. Barker and Bonham. Noth disclosed that he has received personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech and Confo unrelated to the research project. In addition, he has a patent pending related to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Bonham and all other members of the research team had no financial conflicts to disclose.
The UVA research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, grants R21 AI160334 and U01 AI125056; NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, grants 5K23HL143135-04 and UG3HL145266; UVA’s Engineering in Medicine Seed Fund; the UVA Global Infectious Diseases Institute’s COVID-19 Rapid Response; a UVA Robert R. Wagner Fellowship; and a Sture G. Olsson Fellowship in Engineering.
UVA Health Developing ‘Paint’ to Spare Patients Repeated Surgeries Promising Approach Receives $2.8 Million From National Institutes of Health
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR REPORTERS: The researchers are available for interviews today, but K. Craig Kent, MD, has availability only between 12:30 and 1 and 2 and 2:30. To arrange interviews, please contact Josh Barney as early as possible at 434.906.8864 or jdb9a@uvahealth.org.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 7, 2024 – UVA Health researchers have received $2.8 million to advance their development of a high-tech way to save heart and dialysis patients from the need for multiple surgeries.
Researchers Lian-Wang Guo, PhD, and K. Craig Kent, MD, are pioneering a quick and gentle technique to “paint” tiny nanoparticles on transplanted veins to prevent the veins from becoming clogged in the future. This type of blockage often causes cardiovascular and dialysis patients to require repeated surgeries; approximately half of all heart bypass vein grafts fail and require another graft.
Dialysis patients, meanwhile, often require multiple surgeries to continue their lifesaving treatment. For some, this can lead to an endless series of surgeries on both arms and then the leg or collarbone area.
If UVA’s new approach is successful, it would be the first solution for these patients and a game-changing application of nanomedicine – medicine performed at an astonishingly small scale.
“Our approach is like deploying tiny guards to protect blood vessels from going bad, so that there is no need to open the body over and over again to repair them,” said Guo, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery and the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center. “It would save so much pain and money by sparing repeated surgeries.”
‘Painting’ for Better Health
Vascular surgeons commonly perform “revascularizations” to treat cardiovascular disease. This restores blood flow to areas that have lost it, or that are receiving an inadequate blood supply. For example, this might come in the form of a vein graft, which relocates a vein from one part of the body to another, such as from the leg to the heart for patients with heart failure.
People who need dialysis because of failing kidney function, meanwhile, undergo a surgical procedure to graft together an artery and a vein, typically in the arm, to provide dialysis access. This allows their blood to be removed from the body, cleansed of toxins and then returned. These dialysis connection points are called “arteriovenous fistulas,” or AVFs, and management of them in patients with end-stage renal disease is estimated to cost $5 billion per year in the United States alone.
Revascularizations are prone to fail with time. That’s because the procedures themselves encourage the same issue they’re trying to address: problems with blood flow. The surgery itself triggers the buildup of cells within the vessels that ultimately choke off blood supply once more.
Unfortunately, doctors have no good alternatives. There are no “standards of care” for AVFs because, despite much effort, nothing has been effective at keeping them open. Some AVFs never achieve sufficient blood flow to work properly at all. So patients’ only option is to have a new one installed when their old one fails – and they fail frequently.
“Coronary artery bypass grafting, called CABG, involves cutting open the patient’s chest for surgery on the heart. It is already so disruptive to the patient’s normal life, and imagine the surgery has to be repeated when the graft fails,” said Kent, a vascular surgeon who is also UVA Health’s chief executive officer and UVA’s executive vice president for health affairs. “Surgeons need an easy-to-use technology that enables them to just paint some protective nanoparticles onto grafts to keep the grafts functional so that repetitive surgeries become unnecessary.”
The Potential of EpiNanopaint
Kent, Guo and their team of UVA collaborators want to take a new approach. Their technique, called epiNanopaint, would let surgeons brush adhesive nanoparticles on the vessels during the initial surgery. These nanoparticles would contain a drug that would prevent the harmful growth of invasive cells.
Because the nanoparticles are sticky, they stay where they are placed, allowing long-term delivery of the drug exactly where needed. (That sort of precision is one of the great strengths of nanomedicine, a priority research area for the UVA School of Medicine and UVA’s under-construction Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology.)
Guo and Kent will use the $2.8 million from the National Institutes of Health to study whether a particular enzyme, DOT1L, can be targeted with drugs to prevent the vessels from narrowing. They’ll also work with Shaoqin Gong, PhD, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to determine how best to use the painting approach to deliver the drug. “To make sure this technology will be safe and effective for patients, we have a lot more work to do,” Guo said.
If the research is successful, the new approach could be transformative for vast numbers of patients around the world. More than 400,000 open vascular reconstructions are performed in the United States alone each year, while the number of Americans receiving dialysis almost doubled between 2000 and 2018, to more than a half-million.
“Our goal is to develop the first therapy that can reduce graft failure rates in patients who receive vascular reconstruction surgeries,” Kent said. “This would be a tremendous benefit for patients everywhere.”
More information about the research is available here. The research team consists of Takuro Shirasu, Nisakorn Yodsanit, Jing Li, Yitao Huang, Xiujie Xie, Runze Tang, Qingwei Wang, Mengxue Zhang, Go Urabe, Amy Webb, Yuyuan Wang, Xiuxiu Wang, Ruosen Xie, Bowen Wang, Kent, Shaoqin Gong and Guo.
