Wellness Words July 2018 Posted on July 10, 2018July 27, 2020 by Dakota PikeHealthLink Littauer’sWELLNESS WORDSSubmitted by Alicia DeRuscio, B.S.Community Education Assistant HepatitisWhat is Hepatitis?The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Hepatitis as an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is usually caused by Hepatitis viruses but can also occur from other infections, use of alcohol or drugs, certain medications and autoimmune diseases. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are five main types of Hepatitis: Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E; these types of Hepatitis cause the greatest burden of illness and death and have the most potential to spread among individuals. Hepatitis B and C, in particular, lead to chronic disease in millions of Americans, including liver cirrhosis and cancer. The most prevalent forms of Hepatitis in the United States are types A, B, and C.Hepatitis A (HAV)Hepatitis A is found in the waste of those who are infected and is usually spread by consuming contaminated water or food. HAV is most commonly found in areas with poor sanitation. According to the WHO, certain sexual practices can also spread HAV. Individuals infected with HAV often experience mild infections and make a full recovery. However, in some cases, the infection can be severe and life threatening. In orderto protect yourself from Hepatitis A, the CDC recommends getting vaccinated and practicing good personal hygiene by regularly washing your hands.Hepatitis B (HBV)The WHO estimates that approximately 257 million Americans are infected with Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B causes both acute, or short-term disease, as well as chronic or long-term disease, and can be life threatening. HBV is passed from person to person by contact with infected blood or body fluids, and can even be passed from mother to child at birth. Those infected with HBV are at an increased risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. Fortunately, there are safe and effective vaccines to prevent HBV infection. The WHO recommends that all infants be vaccinated for HBV within the first 24 hours of birth to protect against Hepatitis B infection.Hepatitis C (HCV)Globally, the WHO estimates 71 million people have Hepatitis C. Similar to the Hepatitis B virus, the Hepatitis C virus also causes both acute and chronic disease. Infections can range from a mild illness that lasts for a few weeks to a severe illness that lasts a lifetime. HCV is classified as a blood borne virus that is spread through direct contact with infected blood. Unsafe injection practices, like injection drug use, and unsafe healthcare practices can result in the spread of the Hepatitis C virus. Currently, there is no vaccine for HCV, but there are antiviral medications that can cure more than 95% of those infected. To avoid infection, the WHO urges individuals to refrain from sharing needles, syringes, razors or toothbrushes with others. If you are sexually active, always use protection.Protecting Yourself and OthersIf you currently have Hepatitis, it’s important to take care of yourself and your loved ones. To keep yourself healthy and free of infection, the CDC recommends visiting your healthcare professional on a regular basis, monitoring your liver, avoiding alcohol and staying up-to-date on the latest research, information, and treatment for Hepatitis. Chronic Hepatitis can often cause nausea, fatigue, and emotional stress. In order to ease your symptoms, make it a priority to eat a nutritious diet, take naps throughout the day as needed, and find ways to cope with your stress. To ensure the safety of your loved ones and others around you, don’t share toothbrushes, razors, needles, syringes, nail files, clippers, or any other objects that come into contact with blood or body fluids.For more information on hepatitis, talk your healthcare provider, or call HealthLink Littauer at 518-736-1120. You can email us at healthlink@nlh.org or visit our wellness center on 2 Colonial Court in downtown Johnstown. We’re your community health & wellness service of Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home. Additionally, more information on Hepatitis B can be found by visiting STDTesting.org’s article here: https://www.stdtesting.org/hepatitis-b-testing/
Wellness Words June 2018 Posted on June 14, 2018 by Dakota PikeHealthLink Littauer’sWELLNESS WORDSSubmitted by Alicia DeRuscio, B.S.Community Education Assistant Men’s Health: Prostate & Bladder CancerThe National Cancer Institute estimates that men in the United States will face 856,370 new cases of cancer in 2018. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), two of the top five most common forms of cancer that affect men include prostate cancer and bladder cancer. Prostate CancerAside from skin cancer, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) classifies prostate cancer as the most common cancer among men. Prostate cancer occurs when cells within the prostate gland, a gland only found in men, begin to grow uncontrollably. Researchers from ACS do not know the exact cause of prostate cancer, but they do know that it begins when there are changes to the DNA of a normal prostate cell. These changes can occur during a person’s lifetime or can be passed on from generation to generation. In order to protect yourself, it’s important to know the risk factors of prostate cancer and the steps you can take to lower your risk. Certain risk factors, including age, family history, and race can increase the likelihood of developing prostate cancer. While prostate cancer can occur at any time, the CDC states that the risk for developing prostate cancer increases as men get older; most cases occur in men over the age of 65. Family history can also affect a man’s chances of developing prostate cancer. According to the CDC, if a man has a father, brother, or son who currently has or had prostate cancer in the past, they are two to three times more likely to also develop the disease. For reasons unknown, prostate cancer more commonly occurs in African American men than any other race.There is no specific way to prevent prostate cancer, but there are certain preventative steps men can take to lower their risk of developing it. ACS recommends maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, and eating a balanced diet. This means getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity and 2 days of strength training activities each week, as well as eating 2 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables every day. Bladder CancerHarvard Health classifies bladder cancer as the fourth most common, lethal internal disease in American men, and one of the top ten deadliest cancers. According to ACS, bladder cancer occurs when cells in the urinary bladder grow uncontrollably. As the cancer cells continue to develop, tumors may form and the cancer may spread to other areas of the body. There are several layers within the bladder, all made up of different types of cells. ACS believes that most bladder cancers begin in the innermost lining of the bladder, and then continue to spread to the outer layers.There are a number of risk factors that affect a person’s likelihood of developing bladder cancer. According to the CDC, these risk factors include smoking, exposure to chemicals in the workplace, and not drinking enough fluids. Smoking is the biggest risk factor of developing bladder cancer. ACS deems smokers three times more likely to develop bladder cancer than nonsmokers. If you smoke, talk to your healthcare provider about quitting.Exposure to certain chemicals has also been linked to developing bladder cancer. Workers in the rubber, leather, textiles, or painting industries are at an increased risk for bladder cancer, as well as machinists, printers, hair dressers, and truck drivers. Lastly, those who don’t drink enough fluids each day, especially water, tend to have higher rates of bladder cancer. ACS believes this may be due to the fact that those that drink more often empty their bladders more frequently, which prevents chemicals from lingering in the bladder.Like prostate cancer, there is no specific way to prevent bladder cancer, but there are steps you can take to lower your risk. ACS recommends not smoking, limiting your exposure to chemicals in the workplace, following proper safety precautions if you work in an industry that may expose you to chemicals, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Studies have suggested that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help protect against bladder cancer.There is no guarantee to preventing cancer, but the best defense is to take control of your health. To best decrease your chances of developing cancer, the ACS suggests:Maintaining a healthy weightGetting regular physical activityAvoiding all forms of tobaccoLimiting alcohol intakeProtecting your skinKnowing yourself, your family history and your risksVisiting your healthcare provider regularly and getting screened for cancerFor more information on men’s health, talk your healthcare provider, or call HealthLink Littauer at 518-736-1120. You can email us at healthlink@nlh.org or visit our wellness center on 2 Colonial Court in downtown Johnstown. We’re your community health & wellness service of Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home.
Littauer welcomes Karen Bruce, FNP, to Johnstown Primary/Specialty Care Posted on June 6, 2018 by Dakota Pike– Nathan Littauer Hospital is proud to welcome Karen Bruce, RN, MS, FNP-C, to the Perry Street Johnstown Primary/Specialty Care Center. Ms. Bruce comes to Littauer from Cambridge, New York where she was working as a Nurse Practitioner in family health. She is a graduate of The Sage Colleges and is currently working on her PMHNP – Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.“Karen comes to us at a time when her services couldn’t be more welcomed and needed,” said Littauer’s Patrice McMahon – Vice President, Primary/Specialty Care Services. “We are thrilled to have her join the Littauer healthcare team.”“I loved being a nurse,” said Bruce. “I just felt that I would be more effective and better benefit my patients as a Nurse Practitioner. “Bruce has practiced all over the country and treated all age groups. “I have enjoyed every single one too,” added Bruce.Bruce is currently seeing patients at the Johnstown Primary Specialty Care, Perry Street location. Appointments cam be made by calling (518) 736-1500. She will also be the Littauer Primary Care presence with The Family Counseling Center in Gloversville.Karen Bruce, RN, MS, FNP-C, joins the Perry Street Johnstown Primary/Specialty Care Center
The Littauer Foundation Mardi Gras EVENT to be a grand celebration Posted on June 5, 2018 by Dakota PikeDeb McFarland of McFarland Designs busy creating a backdrop for the Littauer Foundation’s 2018 EVENT taking place 7 p.m. Friday, June 8, at the Johnstown Holiday Inn. GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (May 31, 2018) – THE EVENT is an ever-changing extraordinary gala to benefit Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home. Each year The Nathan Littauer Foundation chooses a theme and creates an experience to remember. Tickets are still available for this year’s gala celebration. The Nathan Littauer Foundation’s 2018 Mardi Gras will be held 7 p.m. Friday, June 8, at the Johnstown Holiday Inn, 308 N. Comrie Ave. Proceeds from The Event will support Littauer Foundation priority projects.“The EVENT is a wonderful opportunity for individuals to become a significant part of Nathan Littauer Hospital’s ongoing expansion,” states Geoffrey Peck, Vice President and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation. “Littauer’s priority projects continuously improve and expand our community services with world-class quality health services.”Guests will mingle amid the New Orleans, Mardi Gras decor, created by Deb McFarland of McFarland Designs, listen to live music by Cutting Edge Dueling Pianos and experience Cajun cuisine. The popular chocolate fountain and a caricature artist will be back and new this year for Mardi Gras is a psychic doing individual readings.Silent auction items including art and travel packages will be available, and a 50/50 raffle will give guests a chance to have a winning evening.Last year our generous guests and sponsors helped the foundation raise more than $100,000 toward the building of the Littauer campus Gloversville Dialysis Center and the Fonda Primary/Specialty Care Center. This year there is mounting excitement for Littauer’s Broadalbin Primary/Specialty Care Center, as well as the addition of new facilities on the hospital campus.For a memorable evening, please join this year’s Littauer Foundation Mardi Gras. It is a great party for a great cause. Tickets for guests under 30 years of age are $75 and general admission tickets start at just $125. Please call (518) 773-5505 for reservations and questions.
Littauer’s Geoffrey Peck presents at health symposium in NYC Posted on June 5, 2018 by Dakota PikeNathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home is proud to announce that Littauer’s Vice President of Population Health and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation, Geoffrey Peck, was the featured speaker at the Medicaid Accelerated eXchange Series (MAX Series) Symposium. The event took place on Wednesday, May 30, at Metropolitan West in New York City.Peck spoke at the MAX Series Symposium. The goal of the symposium is to reduce 30-day readmissions, emergency department visits, and overall hospital utilization by successfully implementing multidisciplinary action plans. He shared best practices, and celebrate the success of Littauer’s initiatives to reduce readmissions.“Our shared goal is to find methods to connect patients to the most appropriate and cost-effective services available to help them stay healthy and live better lives,” said Peck ahead of the conference. “We discovered that some patients need assistance navigating through the systems of health care and social programs.”According to Peck, Littauer and a network of regional partners are successfully addressing these issues. “Partnerships with community-based organizations have made these care-management improvements possible. We have an incredible group of service agencies in Fulton County,” he continued.The MAX Series program is supported by the New York State Department of Health. This is Peck’s third presentation in the series with others to follow over the next few months.Littauer’s Vice President of Population Health and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation, Geoffrey Peck
