Author: Linda Rider

  • Community Partners Executive Director to retire: Seacoast health news

    Community Partners Executive Director to retire: Seacoast health news

    Neighborhood Companions Executive Director, Brian Collins, to retire

    DOVER — Wayne Goss, Neighborhood Associates Board President, has declared that Brian Collins has determined to retire immediately after serving 27 a long time as the agency’s Executive Director. Local community Companions is Strafford County’s Space Agency for Developmental Companies, Relatives Guidance Program, Early Supports and Providers Method, ServiceLink Middle, and Community Psychological Wellbeing Middle. They provide Strafford County individuals who expertise psychological distress, psychological health problems, co-happening material use diseases, developmental disabilities, chronic health and fitness wants, obtained brain disorder, as well as all those who require data and referral to access prolonged-term supports and services.

    Collins’ tenure at the helm of Community Companions commenced in May possibly of 1995.  Prior to his arrival he served as the Govt Director at The Moreover Enterprise in Nashua, from 1989 to 1995. The Furthermore Business is a nonprofit firm that serves more than 400 grownups with disabilities in Southern New Hampshire and the Higher Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts.

  • Missouri COVID update: Health officials report 825 new cases, 13 virus deaths

    Missouri COVID update: Health officials report 825 new cases, 13 virus deaths

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Health officials in Missouri updated the state’s COVID-19 Dashboard on Wednesday with the latest information on cases, deaths, and hospitalizations.

    According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), the state has recorded 1,120,269 cumulative cases of SARS-CoV-2—an increase of 825 positive cases (PCR testing only)—and 14,907 total deaths as of Wednesday, Feb. 23, an increase of 13 from the day prior. That’s a case fatality rate of 1.33{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}.

    It’s important to keep in mind that not all cases and deaths announced on a particular day occurred in the last 24 hours.

    The 7-day rolling average for cases in Missouri sits at 736; yesterday, it was 843. Exactly one month ago, the state rolling average was 9,999. That’s a decline of 92.6{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} month-over-month.

    (Source: Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services)

    The state has administered 26,178 doses—including booster shots—of the vaccine in the last 7 days (this metric is subject to a delay, meaning the last three days are not factored in). The highest vaccination rates are among people over 65.

    State health officials report 63.1{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the total population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Approximately 74.1{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of all adults 18 years of age and older have initiated the process.

    Vaccination remains the safest way to achieve herd immunity. Herd immunity for COVID-19 requires 80{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} to 90{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the population to have immunity, either by vaccination or recovery from the virus.

    Just 7.61{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of 3.43 million fully vaccinated Missourians (or 261,333 people) have tested positive for COVID-19 since Jan. 1, 2021. And 1,277 people (or 0.04{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}) of those vaccinated individuals have died from the virus.

    The first doses were administered in Missouri on Dec. 13, 2020.

    The city of Joplin, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County have vaccinated at least 60{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of their populations. St. Louis City, Kansas City, and Independence, as well as the counties of Boone, Atchison, Jackson, Franklin, Cole, and Greene, have at least 50{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of their populations fully vaccinated.

    The Bureau of Vital Records at DHSS performs a weekly linkage between deaths to the state and death certificates to improve quality and ensure all decedents that died of COVID-19 are reflected in the systems. As a result, the state’s death toll will see a sharp increase from time to time. Again, that does not mean a large number of deaths happened in one day; instead, it is a single-day reported increase.

    At the state level, DHSS does track probable or pending COVID deaths. However, those numbers are not added to the state’s death count until confirmed in the disease surveillance system either by the county or through analysis of death certificates. FOX 2 does not include probable or pending numbers.

    Approximately 51.9{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of all reported cases are for individuals 39 years of age and younger. The state has further broken down the age groups into smaller units. The 18 to 24 age group has 132,417 recorded cases, while 25 to 29-year-olds have 97,179 cases.

    People 80 years of age and older account for approximately 39.9{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of all recorded deaths in the state.

    Month / Year Missouri COVID cases*
    (reported that month)
    March 2020 1,327
    April 2020 6,235
    May 2020 5,585
    June 2020 8,404
    July 2020 28,772
    August 2020 34,374
    September 2020 41,416
    October 2020 57,073
    November 2020 116,576
    December 2020 92,808
    January 2021 66,249
    February 2021 19,405
    March 2021 11,150
    April 2021 12,165
    May 2021 9,913
    June 2021 12,680
    July 2021 42,780
    August 2021 60,275
    September 2021 45,707
    October 2021 33,855
    November 2021 37,594
    December 2021 74,376
    January 2022 255,880
    February 2022 48,555
    (Source: Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services)

    Missouri has administered 9,575,339 PCR tests for COVID-19 over the entirety of the pandemic and as of Feb. 22, 22.0{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of those tests have come back positive. People who have received multiple PCR tests are not counted twice, according to the state health department.

    According to the state health department’s COVID-19 Dashboard, “A PCR test looks for the viral RNA in the nose, throat, or other areas in the respiratory tract to determine if there is an active infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. A positive PCR test means that the person has an active COVID-19 infection.”

    The Missouri COVID Dashboard no longer includes the deduplicated method of testing when compiling the 7-day moving average of positive tests. The state is now only using the non-deduplicated method, which is the CDC’s preferred method. That number is calculated using the number of tests taken over the period since many people take multiple tests. Under this way of tabulating things, Missouri has an 8.3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} positivity rate as of Feb. 20. Health officials exclude the most recent three days to ensure data accuracy when calculating the moving average.

    The 7-day positivity rate was 4.5{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} on June 1, 15.0{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} on Aug. 1, and 13.2{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} on Dec. 1, 2021.

    As of Feb. 20, Missouri is reporting 1,638 COVID hospitalizations. The remaining inpatient hospital bed capacity sits at 21{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} statewide. The state’s public health care metrics lag behind by three days due to reporting delays, especially on weekends. Keep in mind that the state counts all beds available and not just beds that are staffed by medical personnel.

    Across Missouri, 335 COVID patients are in ICU beds, leaving the state’s remaining intensive care capacity at 22{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}.

    If you have additional questions about the coronavirus, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is available at 877-435-8411.

    As of Feb. 22, the CDC identified 78,389,155 cases of COVID-19 and 932,894 deaths across all 50 states and 9 U.S.-affiliated districts, jurisdictions, and affiliated territories, for a national case-fatality rate of 1.19{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}.

    How do COVID deaths compare to other illnesses, like the flu or even the H1N1 pandemics of 1918 and 2009? It’s a common question.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), preliminary data on the 2018-2019 influenza season in the United States shows an estimated 35,520,883 cases and 34,157 deaths; that would mean a case-fatality rate of 0.09 percent. Case-fatality rates on previous seasons are as follows: 0.136 percent (2017-2018), 0.131 percent (2016-2017), 0.096 percent (2015-2016), and 0.17 percent (2014-2015).

    The 1918 H1N1 epidemic, commonly referred to as the “Spanish Flu,” is estimated to have infected 29.4 million Americans and claimed 675,000 lives as a result; a case-fatality rate of 2.3 percent. The Spanish Flu claimed greater numbers of young people than typically expected from other influenzas.

    Beginning in January 2009, another H1N1 virus—known as the “swine flu”—spread around the globe and was first detected in the US in April of that year. The CDC identified an estimated 60.8 million cases and 12,469 deaths; a 0.021 percent case-fatality rate.

    For more information and updates regarding COVID mandates, data, and the vaccine, click here.

  • Fitness Column: 12 nutrition tips for 2022

    Fitness Column: 12 nutrition tips for 2022

    As we make our way into 2022, there are several diet suggestions to preserve in mind. Picking just one of these for every single month of the calendar year could increase your dietary plan, make improvements to your weight management functionality, and supply a much healthier, happier way of living through the yr.

    As normally, prior to commencing any training or nutrition software, you should check with your health practitioner.

    No. 1 — Start 2022 with a clear slate! Clean up out your pantry and refrigerator leaving only the essentials. All of the specific treats of the holiday year need to be still left powering in 2021. (This involves fridges at the place of work!)



    No. 2 — Even though numerous people have started to lessen the volume of sugary sodas they intake, there appears to be an increase in the gross sales of athletics and electrical power drinks, some of which possess sizeable quantities of sugar. Consuming simple, interesting water if you are performing exercises for 90 minutes or significantly less, is completely satisfactory in phrases of hydration. Arduous physical exercise exceeding 90 minutes, may perhaps have to have electrolyte substitution. On the other hand, browse the labels meticulously to stay clear of abnormal sugar content material.

    No. 3— Steer clear of vilifying macronutrients. Usually shoppers will state that they stay away from consuming carbohydrates to which we reply that advanced carbohydrates are 1 of our most important a few macronutrients (i.e., fats, carbohydrates, proteins) and 1 of the six essential nutrients (i.e., fats, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins and h2o). These nutrition, the moment digested, provide the human entire body with the vitality we need to operate. Carbs and fats are utilized as fuel sources and the primary functionality of protein is for expansion and fix.



    No. 4 — Focus on meals parts. Evaluate a part, appreciate that part and then get on with your day. Great policies of thumb are the measurement of your fist or a deck of playing cards represents a serving of protein, this sort of as hen or fish. The sizing of a golf ball signifies a serving of nuts.

    No. 5 — Hold fresh fruit and veggies obtainable, probably in a bowl on the kitchen area counter.

    No. 6 — Carry your lunch or evening meal to work. Healthful parts of leftovers, salads and steamed greens are ideal solutions for mealtime at your place of work.

    No. 7 — Consume breakfast. People who try to eat breakfast tend to maintain their overall body bodyweight in excess of time and handle their blood sugar concentrations more successfully in the course of the day.

    No. 8 — Consider your time making the most of the meal you have organized. The time you choose to leisurely dine might slow down the usage tempo and might enable you to grow to be additional correctly satiated.

    No. 9 — Alcohol not at all or in moderation. Trying to keep in brain that one glass of wine eaten each day, 365 times a year, is ten kilos.

    No. 10 — Talk to with a nutrition expert to layout a dietary system particularly for you.

    No. 11 — Caveat Emptor! “Let the consumer beware” is a prudent technique as there are dozens of bogus foods items and dietary courses and people proclaiming to be nutrition experts that are not, lying in wait around for an uninformed consumer. Superior rule of thumb: execute your owing diligence and affirm their research is valid, peer reviewed and executed by scientists who do not have a doggy in the fight.

    No. 12 — Consume a wide assortment of food items, infusing exhilaration about enjoying delightful, healthy food items through the 12 months.

    Jackie Wright is the proprietor/supervisor of Mountain Lifestyle Physical fitness, LLC positioned in Granby, Colorado. She might be arrived at at her web site at http://www.mtnlifefitness.com and her e-mail at [email protected]

     

  • Nutrition Professor Shares Top Tips for Cardiovascular Health in Honor of American Heart Month

    Nutrition Professor Shares Top Tips for Cardiovascular Health in Honor of American Heart Month

    Jessica Garay

    Jessica Garay

    In accordance to latest statistics from the American Heart Association, additional than 874,000 People died of cardiovascular illness in 2019, and it continues to be the top trigger of dying in the United States. The pandemic may well additional exacerbate inadequate cardiovascular outcomes, as quite a few have documented ingesting harmful foodstuff, drinking extra alcoholic beverages and delaying health-related care over the past two years—all of which can negatively impact heart well being.

    February is American Heart Thirty day period, a time to target on decreasing your danger for hypertension (also regarded as significant blood force) and cardiovascular illness by producing coronary heart-healthy behaviors and options element of your everyday schedule. In this Q&A, Jessica Garay, assistant professor of nutrition and food items experiments in the Falk Higher education of Activity and Human Dynamics, offers simple recommendations to make heart health and fitness a priority for you and your household.

    What are some simple dietary approaches individuals can observe to retain fantastic heart health and fitness?

    “For excellent heart health and fitness, it’s critical to have nutritious blood strain and blood cholesterol ranges. Your diet can definitely effects all those values. Feeding on soluble fiber, which is observed in foods this kind of as oats, beans, fruits and vegetables, has been revealed to help lessen cholesterol amounts. Research has also instructed that a each day intake of ground flaxseed can lessen cholesterol concentrations. Keeping away from extremely processed meals that consist of excessive salt is also suggested.”

    Does any analysis suggest that specialty meal plans (i.e., vegan, vegetarian, or low-carbohydrate) are useful to cardiovascular health and fitness?

    “The greatest general food plan for reducing large blood tension is known as the Sprint (Nutritional Methods to Quit Hypertension) Diet program. This consuming pattern focuses on foods that are excellent sources of potassium, calcium and magnesium, though steering clear of meals superior in added sugars, saturated body fat and sodium (salt). The Mediterranean diet is also very rated for all round heart health. Although animal meals are a resource of dietary cholesterol, our bodies also make cholesterol. Subsequent a perfectly-balanced vegan or vegetarian eating plan can undoubtedly direct to decreased cholesterol intake, but this does not constantly translate to reduce blood cholesterol levels.”

    What are some sensible suggestions for occupied people or families who want to integrate a lot more coronary heart-balanced feeding on behaviors into their life?

    “Check out the Wholesome Monday strategies, which include Meatless Monday and Transfer-It Monday. These can be good motivators to not only make healthier foodstuff decisions to begin your 7 days, but also to get shifting. These times there are a assortment of selections presenting practical, balanced food stuff for hectic people today and people. Search for pre-slice or prepped fruits and veggies at the grocery keep, or check out a food delivery company to present some new heart-healthy recipe strategies.”

    How does strain management match into the image?

    “Stress can also direct to high blood tension. Investigation has demonstrated that more heart assaults arise on Mondays, presumably related to tension from returning to function. Participating in a assortment of stress reduction strategies, together with workout, meditation and other varieties of self-treatment, can assistance to improve general wellbeing position, but particularly coronary heart overall health.”

    Source: The American Coronary heart Affiliation

  • Shared Decision-Making Engages Patients With Depression

    Shared Decision-Making Engages Patients With Depression

    There is a wide selection of selections obtainable to take care of depression. But that does not automatically make it less complicated for about a 3rd of grownup clients with melancholy to overcome the issue, which can be serious for lots of.

    For around 2.8 million persons—or 1.1 percent of the grownup inhabitants in the United States—treatment-resistant despair (TRD) is a actuality.

    It also can be complicated to arrive by a clear definition of the problem, although the Foods and Drug Administration “considers clients to have TRD if they have big depressive disorder and, even with at the very least two trials of antidepressant treatment presented at suitable doses for an sufficient duration in the present episode, they have not responded to treatment.”

    Two unsuccessful classes of medicine can come to feel endless to someone who’s struggling. Those people tries signify time put in battling. Trying to get, striving, and failing to control despair can be draining and chip away at hope. But when sufferers operate with suppliers who embrace shared decision-building to discover cure alternatives, it can improve the program of melancholy and make a beneficial variance.

    The ability of shared choice-generating

    Shared conclusion-earning involves overall health care companies and clients working jointly to identify certain treatment ambitions and talk about how to attain them. Clients do not passively undergo treatment method they enjoy a significant position in their care.

    Which includes clients in their have treatment may perhaps make it more probable that they’ll entire therapy homework and adhere to a medicine routine, 1 report has identified. Shared choice-generating can aid the progress of far more productive treatment method plans, which is critical with a serious affliction that necessitates ongoing participation and investment decision.

    It adds a layer of complexity when depression will become therapy-resistant. Sufferers currently have exhausted some procedure choices, and other people could demand more recent techniques or a wide variety of tactics, just about every of which necessitates a different patient commitment.

    With numerous choice treatment options now out there for TRD, thoughts abound. The cure choices vary from psychotherapy, trials of medications or a mixture of prescription drugs, and newer psychedelic agents these as ketamine and mind stimulation.

    Can ketamine support?

    Ketamine is a medicine generally utilised for anesthesia. However, in sub-anesthetic doses, it has emerged as an interesting new treatment method for TRD (and suicidality), typically with a incredibly immediate reaction price. To know whether ketamine is appropriate for a patient, it’s significant for patients to think about the subsequent questions with a experienced, reliable health care, mental wellness husband or wife.

    How does ketamine operate?

    Ketamine, which is Fda-permitted when supplied as a nasal spray, may well support develop synapses (connections) in the mind that are dropped since of melancholy. It also may perhaps activate a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the brain.

    How is ketamine administered?

    Ketamine is specified to clients both intranasally or intravenously. Clinical supervision is essential when a affected individual is undergoing ketamine treatment options.

    When patients are offered ketamine nasally, it is typically finished 2 times a week for a person to 4 months and is protected by insurance. After that, it is provided weekly for another four months and goes down to the moment each individual other week. Clients getting ketamine intranasally can still be on an antidepressant.

    Intravenous infusions, which are generally not covered by insurance plan, come about on a different schedule. To start, they’re ordinarily administered six instances in excess of the training course of three weeks. Sufferers on ketamine infusions aren’t typically getting antidepressants, also. Infusions are generally more effective than ketamine taken by using a nasal inhaler.

    What are the aspect effects of taking ketamine?

    Some patients who take ketamine expertise transient thoughts of unreality, sensory distortions, a sense-very good “buzz,” sedation, and a attainable blood tension improve.

    Discovering mind stimulation

    Brain stimulation is one more effective remedy for TRD. The oldest form of brain stimulation is electroconvulsive treatment (ECT). Inspite of inaccurate depictions of the treatment method, ECT has a 50-70 p.c response amount. Disadvantages can contain that it needs anesthesia and might cause facet consequences these as short-term memory deficits, critical factors that providers and people need to explore.

    Melancholy Important Reads

    Affected individual-provider teams also may want to go over temporal magnetic stimulation (TMS), a sort of mind stimulation that has been Food and drug administration-authorized to handle melancholy for about two decades. With about 60 p.c response amount, it’s not as productive as ECT, but it does not demand anesthesia. This entails individuals wearing a equipped hat that triggers a tapping feeling on the scalp for every 40- to 45-moment session—typically four or 5 periods per week for many months. Wellbeing insurance policy firms largely protect TMS.

    When conclusion-making is shared, these treatment options may perhaps be applied alongside other individuals, such as medicine and, of class, converse treatment. Though most medicines by itself are about 60 percent productive, they may be additional helpful when people and companies discover an substitute treatment or a mix of treatments that performs for that personal patient’s despair.

    With so many potential treatments on the sector, it’s critical for patients suffering from procedure-resistant melancholy to have a proficient, reliable companion. Individuals frequently need suppliers who will enable map out prognosis, cure, and restoration in a detailed way. Nevertheless some people may well come to feel powerless around their issue, shared conclusion-building has the probable to assistance them regain some of that electrical power so they can have interaction in their own procedure and in their potential.

  • Healthy lifestyle is key for heart health, JMU expert says

    Healthy lifestyle is key for heart health, JMU expert says

    Harrisonburg, Virginia — Each individual calendar year, the thirty day period of February is committed to boosting recognition for heart well being. With coronary heart disorder as the quantity one particular cause of loss of life in the United States, wholesome routines are important to prevention.  

    JMU health sciences professor Santo Coleman supplies answers to significant coronary heart health queries. 

    What are some common coronary heart problems?

    Quite a few situations, the most widespread coronary heart difficulties go undetected for yrs and are asymptomatic in the early stages. The two most popular heart-relevant ailments are typically known as large cholesterol and significant blood strain. They typically operate hand in hand. Cholesterol clogs the pipes of the heart and as the system tries to press the blood via, the heart pumps more challenging which brings about large blood pressure. However, some persons have substantial cholesterol and regular blood pressure and vice versa. 

     

    What are some triggers of heart troubles?

    Though genetics play a role in coronary heart challenges, numerous heart troubles can be delayed or avoided completely by residing a healthful way of life. This means limited liquor consumption, a diet plan centered on healthier new fruits and veggies, not smoking, frequent physical training and satisfactory rest. 

    Also, you need to attempt to control unhealthy anxiety. This can be accomplished via physical exercise like strolling, yoga, swimming, and many others. Employing tension administration methods like talking to a therapist or executing mindfulness activities can assist. At times, even when a human being is dwelling a healthier lifestyle, they may nevertheless produce coronary heart disorder. This is why it is important to get once-a-year verify-ups with a medical doctor. You might have to have early health-related interventions to take care of your heart condition. 

     

    What are indicators that another person is possessing a heart assault?

    • The 5 most typical warning indicators in accordance to the American Coronary heart Affiliation are:
    • Suffering or soreness in the chest
    • Lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting
    • Jaw, neck or back again ache
    • Soreness or soreness in the arm or shoulder
    • Shortness of breath

    It is important to observe that the signs and symptoms between males and ladies vary, as ladies are a lot less possible to current or have all of these signs at after. Even though a lot of folks consider of obtaining a heart assault as what you see on Tv, this is not constantly the situation. Some people who have heart attacks are in a position to return to their normal routine in just a couple of weeks immediately after acquiring health-related focus. 

     

    Is it doable to have a coronary heart attack and not know it’s going on?

    Some individuals have what are termed silent heart assaults, which stay undiagnosed until finally a doctor’s check out for another cause. This is why is constantly significant to phone 911 if you truly feel like you are in cardiac distress. 

     

    What is cardiac rehab?

    Training and bodily exercise are the methods we fortify the coronary heart. Having said that, immediately after a heart attack, the coronary heart is weak and can not endure certain forms of stressors. Cardiac rehab is a healthful way to improve your coronary heart less than the supervision of coronary heart care authorities who will information you by way of distinct actions and provide educational data to assist you return to your day-to-day existence in the most best way. 

     

    The Facilities for Ailment Command and Avoidance says way of living variations can drastically reduce the danger of coronary heart ailment. What are some modifications persons must contemplate?

    Whilst rehabilitation is a way to address and manage coronary heart disease, the greatest treatment is avoidance. Set-up an appointment with your healthcare company to get a baseline of your coronary heart health and get started a discussion on which health options and alterations will match into your way of living. Modest adjustments can include a long time to your heart and existence. 

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    Call: Eric Gorton, [email protected], 540-908-1760 

    Extra info about James Madison College, including rankings and recognitions can be discovered at jmu.edu/about.