health

From the Genesee County Health Department:

August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month. Today’s vaccines protect against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases, including polio, measles, whooping cough, and chickenpox.

Because of advances in medical science, your children and family can be protected against more diseases than ever before.

Paul Pettit, Public Health director of Genesee and Orleans counties, has continually supported vaccination and vaccine education in our communities and believes vaccines are the best defense against preventable diseases.

“Vaccination is safe and effective," Pettit said. "All vaccines undergo long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and the federal government to make sure they are safe."

Immunizations are important for a variety of reasons. When you get vaccinated, you not only protect yourself but you also help protect the people around you who might be too young or too sick to get vaccinated themselves. This is called “community immunity” or “herd immunity.”

If enough people stop getting vaccinated, more outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, will occur.

On June 13, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation removing nonmedical exemptions from school vaccination requirements for children.

Public Health Law §2164(1)(a) defines “school” to include any public, private or parochial child caring center, day nursery, day care agency, nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate or secondary school.

This means that if your child does not have a medical exemption, your child must receive vaccines in order to attend school. This new law will help protect against vaccine-preventable diseases within our communities.

For more information on the law, please click here.

From infants to senior citizens, getting vaccines on time is one of the most important way to protect yourself and your family from serious diseases and infections.

During NIAM, the Genesee and Orleans County health departments encourage you to talk to your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional to ensure that you and your family are up to date on recommended vaccines.

We also encourage you to visit CDC’s Interactive Vaccine Guide, which provides information on the vaccines recommended during pregnancy and throughoutyour child’s life. Adults can use the CDC’s adult vaccine assessment tool to see which vaccines might be right for you.

For information about this article or health department services contact the Genesee County Health Department at: 344-2580, ext. 5555, or visit their website here.

Stretch your soul this Lent. If you are longing for the gift of inner peace, we invite you to experience the power of inner stillness through stretching the body and attending to the soul. Join us during the season of Lent for contemplative prayer through chair yoga and centering prayer. No previous experience necessary. The yoga will be very gentle, anyone with any level of ability can participate. Batavia First Presbyterian is located at 300 E. Main Street in Batavia.

Press release:

To help reduce further transmission of influenza, Rochester Regional Health is instituting visitor restrictions for the following hospitals:

• United Memorial Medical Center
• Rochester General Hospital (Rochester) 
• Unity Hospital (Greece)

Visitor restrictions:

• Visitors will be limited to no more than two people per patient at a time;
• All visitors must be at least 14 years old;
• Please do not visit a patient if you feel you are ill, including sore throat, fever, runny nose, coughing, sneezing or other flu-like symptoms - even if you have been vaccinated against the flu.

NOTE: The Batavian spoke briefly with Paul Pettit, county health director, and he said flu reports this season are above average -- about 40 cases -- but well below the 200 or so that were reported by this time last year.

Press release:

Cornell Cooperative extensions of Chautauqua and Erie counties are leading a regional initiative to increase awareness of tick-borne diseases and tick management in the Western New York Region. There will be several opportunities to participate in the WNY Tick Awareness Forum.

Lyme disease and several other devastating tick-borne diseases are on the rise in New York due to an increase in the prevalence of ticks and human and tick encounters.

Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature have deemed Lyme and other tick-borne diseases a public health priority and are working to raise awareness about ticks, tick avoidance and management.

Please consider joining us at either of our regional forums, featuring a presentation from Lynn Braband of NYSIPM, health department officials, and a panel of community leaders.

There are multiple ways to participate. The two main live events will be held in Erie County and Chautauqua County. There will also be satellite locations viewing the event via a live stream in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. Register for the live events online by visiting www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Contact the local Cooperative Extension office to register for the live stream event.

The fee to participate in a live stream event is $5/person.

Event details are as follows:

Genesee County: Satellite viewing on Jan. 24, 4 – 6 p.m., at CCE Genesee, 420 E. Main St., Batavia. Contact Jan Beglinger at 585-343-3040, ext. 132, or jmb374@cornell.edu. Register by Jan. 17 to get a tick removal kit.

Erie County: Live event on Jan. 24, 4 – 6 p.m., at West Seneca Community Center, 1300 Union Road, West Seneca. Contact Sharon Bachman, CCE Erie County, at sin2@cornell.edu or 716-652-5400, ext.150. Register by Jan. 17 to get a tick removal kit.

Wyoming County: Satellite viewing on Jan. 24, 4 – 6 p.m. at the Wyoming County Agriculture and Business Center, 36 Center St., Warsaw. Contact Don Gasiewicz at 585 786 2251 drg35@cornell.edu. Register by Jan. 17 to get a tick removal kit.

Chautauqua County: Live event on Feb. 16, 1 – 3 p.m., at the Frank W Bratt Agricultural Center, 3542 Turner Road, Jamestown. Contact Katelyn Walley-Stoll, CCE-Chautauqua County, at kaw249@cornell.edu or 716-664-9502, ext. 202. Register by Feb. 8 to get a tick removal kit.

Orleans County: Satellite viewing on Feb. 16, 1 – 3 p.m., at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County (Trolley Building), 12690 State Route 31, Albion. Contact Katie Oakes at 585-798-4265 or klo54@cornell.edu. Register by Feb. 8 to get a tick removal kit.

Attendees who register for one of these events, at least one week in advance, will receive a FREE tick removal kit. There will also be an opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session.

This event is brought to you by the New York State IPM Program and Cornell Cooperative extensions of Chautauqua, Erie, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Cattaraugus counties.

Press release:

"Holistic Wellness through Ayurveda: Intro to Yoga's Sister Science" will be taught by K. Sonam Targee of Ancient Universal Medicine from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Blue Pearl Yoga in Downtown Batavia.

Cost is $60.

Have you heard about Ayurveda but don't quite know where to start?

Are you interested in learning more about the body’s natural rhythms and how you can use the five elements to bring balance to the body mind, and spirit?

Did you know that simple dietary and lifestyle adjustments can have a dramatic impact on your physical, mental and emotional well-being?

Not sure how to detect an imbalace in the body?

If you answered yes or maybe to any of the questions above, then this course is for you.

In this introductory class, we will focus on making the information immediately useful and easy to understand with practical applications.

Ayurvedic theory is explained, including the three Doshas, the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether), and the viewpoint of Ayurveda in anatomy, subtle anatomy and physiology.

Diagnosis and treatment strategies will be discussed including herbal medicines and dietetics. The information is for anyone who has an interest in self-healing and wellness, or would like to simply understand the basics of this ancient Indian modality.

Lastly, this class will discuss Prana and how this energy moves in the body and mind. Acknowledging that there is an inner vitality circulating throughout the body is a profound gift from Asian medicine to the world. Learning how to consciously work with it is a tremendous advantage for living a healthy life.

Imagine having great mental clarity, emotional stability, and peace of mind and heart.

Includes yogasanas and pranayama where applicable.

Blue Pearl Yoga is located in the Masonic Temple building atop Charles Mens Shop at Main and Center streets.

bp-yoga.com

About K. Sonam Targee

K. Sonam Targee is a professional complementary medicine practitioner with more than three decades of experience counseling thousands of people in the art of gaining the knowledge necessary to improve their health. Sonam endeavors to help the individual do what works for them, given the wide array of therapeutic modalities in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine.

Press release:

Genesee County Office for the Aging and Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) will be holding a FREE six-week Living Well with Type II Diabetes workshop for the community, beginning on Friday, Sept. 7.

The peer-led health education program complements the health care participants may already be receiving. The purpose of the workshop is to enhance one’s skills and ability to manage one's health and maintain an active and fulfilling lifestyle. 

* Contributions are appreciated but are not required for participation.

The program content includes: decision making and problem-solving skills; developing and maintaining a safe, long-term physical activity program; preventing complications; dealing with anger, depression and difficult emotions; communicating effectively with family, friends and health professionals; using prescribed medication appropriately; healthy eating; blood sugar monitoring; skin and foot care; and planning for future health care.

Snacks will be provided.

The workshop takes place at The Greens of Le Roy, 1 West Ave., Le Roy, over six Fridays, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; on Sept. 7^th, 14^th, 21^st. 28^th, Oct. 5^th and 12^th. Participants who complete the series will receive a great resource book and a gift card.

For individuals with disabilities or language interpretation needs, requests for reasonable accommodations should be made with at least five days’ notice. Preregistration is required by Sept. 5^th. You can receive more information and sign up for the workshop by contacting The Greens of Le Roy at 585-768-2740. 

Again, please be sure to RSVP if you are interested! 

This program is made possible through funds from the NY State Office for the Aging, NY Connects, the Older Americans Act, the generous support of the Genesee County Legislature, and in partnership with Independent Living of the Genesee Region.

Press release:

The New York State Department of Health announced today that an international traveler from Europe who has been confirmed to have measles visited multiple venues in New York State potentially exposing others to measles on April 30^th, May 1^st and May 2^nd.

Anyone who visited the following locations may have been exposed:

• Old Country Buffet, 821 County Road 64, Elmira, on April 30^th between 1 and 4 p.m.;
• Ontario Travel Plaza on NYS Thruway (I-90) in Le Roy, on April 30^th between 4 and 6:30 p.m.;
• Sheraton Niagara Falls, 300 3^rd St., Niagara Falls, from 5:30 p.m. on April 30^th to 9:30 a.m. on May 2^nd;
• Niagara Falls Urgent Care, 3117 Military Road, Suite 2, Niagara Falls, on May 1^st between 3 and 6 p.m.;
• Exit 5 on Interstate 390 in Dansville, on May 2^nd between 9:30 a.m. and noon.

These times reflect the period that the infected individual was in these areas and a two-hour period after the individual left the area, as the virus remains alive in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours.

Individuals are considered protected or immune to measles if they were born before 1957, have received two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, have had measles disease, or have a lab test confirming immunity. Individuals who are not immune to measles and were exposed are at risk for developing measles. The risk of developing measles is low for people who have been vaccinated or are immune.

All individuals who were exposed, especially those without immunity or who are not sure if they have been vaccinated, should monitor for symptoms of measles. Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis or runny nose.

Symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after exposure but may appear as early as 7 days and as late as 21 days after exposure. Individuals should contact their health care provider if they develop measles symptoms.

To prevent the spread of illness, the Department is advising individuals who may have been exposed and who have symptoms consistent with measles to contact their health care provider, a local clinic, or a local emergency department before going for care. This will help to prevent others at these facilities from being exposed to the illness.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus that is spread by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people. People first develop a fever, then may have a cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by appearance of the rash. People are considered infectious from four days before to four days after the appearance of the rash.

The single best way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated. Individuals should receive two doses of MMR vaccine to be fully protected. If a person is unsure if they are immune they should contact their healthcare provider.

Typically, the first dose of MMR vaccine should be given at 12-15 months of age and the second dose should be given at 4 to 6 years of age (age of school entry), although individuals may also be vaccinated later in life. In New York State, measles immunization is required of children enrolled in schools, daycare, and prekindergarten. Since August 1990, college students have also been required to demonstrate immunity against measles.

Health care providers should report all suspected cases of measles to their local health department. More information about measles can be found at https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2170.pdf

The second consecutive year, the team in the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at UMMC received the Robert A. Warriner III, M.D., Center of Excellence Award.

UMMC achieved patient satisfaction rates of higher than 92 percent and a healing rate of at least 91 percent in less than 30 median days to heal. The award was presented by Healogics, the nation's largest provider of advanced wound care services.

Pictured are: Emily Casaceli, Dr. Samar Alami, Lisa Albanese, Monika Ghise, Alicia Ryan and Holly Siverling in the first row. In the back, Alecia Grandy, Teresa Conti, Dr. Joseph Canzoneri, Dr. John Wickett and Sharon Grimes.

Press release:

Genesee County Office for the Aging and Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) will be holding a FREE six-week Chronic Disease Self-Management (CDSM) workshop for the community, beginning on Friday, May 11.

Those who attend the CDSM workshops will be shown practical steps to gain control of their daily health concerns.

Participants will learn about healthy eating, problem-solving, action plans, medications, weight management, physical activity, sleep, and relationship communication skills.

The workshop information is relevant for those experiencing chronic conditions such as: arthritis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and eating disorders.

The workshop is taking place at 2 Bank St., Batavia, at the Genesee County Office for the Aging, from 9:30 AM to noon over six Friday’s; the dates are May 11, May 18, May 25, June 1, June 8 and June 15^th.

Participants who complete the series will receive free materials and a gift card.

Preregistration by Wednesday, May 9, is required.

You can receive more information, and sign up for the workshop by contacting Donna Becker at (585) 815-8501, ext. 411.  

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.