With the recent outbreak of Swine Flu across the country, and especially in the New York area, we at InterGen suggest the necessary precautions to ensure the safety and well being of our patients and staff.

Frequent Hand Washing can prevent the spread of the Swine Flu, Antibacterial soap, Gloves and Department of Health recommended N95 face masks are available at all InterGen Locations.

Below is the New York State Department of Health information regarding the outbreak. The team at InterGen is working hard to keep our field staff informed. Feel free to call us with concerns or if you think you or your patient may be exhibiting signs of Swine Flu.

Stay Safe,

Jason

Swine Influenza (swine flu) Questions and Answers

What is swine flu?

Swine Influenza, also called swine flu, is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it’s possible for swine flu viruses to spread from person to person also.

Is swine flu the same as seasonal flu?

No. Seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by human influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and at times can lead to death. Human flu viruses change a little bit every year which is why people can get sick from the flu more than once. It is also why a new flu vaccine is produced each year; the vaccine must be made to protect against the particular viruses circulating that year.

Is this the same as the bird flu that has been in the news in recent years?

No. There are many different types of influenza viruses. The bird flu virus that has been watched closely is categorized as influenza A (H5N1), and is transmitted primarily among birds. This virus has not been found in the United States.

Is swine flu the same as pandemic flu?

No. Rarely, an influenza virus undergoes a major change that results in a completely new virus. If the new virus spreads easily from person to person it is called a pandemic. Swine flu is not the same as pandemic flu. All human influenza pandemics in the past have been caused by human influenza viruses. Swine flu viruses have caused human infections before without becoming a pandemic flu virus. It is unknown whether this current swine flu A (H1N1) virus could become a pandemic.

Are there people infected with swine flu in the U.S.?

Yes. Cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) have been confirmed in California, Texas, Kansas, Ohio and New York City. It is the same virus found in people in Mexico. The current U.S. case count is provided below.

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection State # of laboratory
confirmed cases

• California     7 cases
• Kansas     2 cases
• New York City     8 cases
• Ohio     1 case
• Texas     2 cases
• Total Count     20 cases

International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
See: World Health Organization WHO – As of April 26, 2009 9:00 AM ET

What is the current swine flu situation in New York State?

New York City health officials report that more than 100 students at the private St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens have come down with mild flu-like symptoms. CDC officials have confirmed that eight of these students have swine flu and it is the same strain of the virus as the one in Mexico. The school is cancelling classes on Monday and Tuesday in response to the outbreak.

The NYCDOHMH has issued recommendations for New York City residents on their web site, at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr2009/pr015-09.shtml

What is New York State doing to identify additional swine flu cases in New York?

The New York State Department of Health conducts flu surveillance throughout the year. To ensure rapid detection if any swine flu cases occur here, the New York State Department of Health is testing selected laboratory samples from people who are suspected of having swine flu.
Should I keep my child home from school as a precaution?

No. Parents do not need to keep otherwise healthy children home from school unless directed to do so by local school and health officials.

Children who are ill should not attend school. In this case, monitor your child for influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and keep your child home if they are sick. You may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if symptoms are severe. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have recently traveled, especially to those areas where swine flu has already been found, including San Diego County and Imperial County, California; San Antonio, Texas; Dickinson County, Kansas; Lorain County, Ohio; and New York City. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

How are people getting sick from swine flu?

CDC has determined that this swine flu virus is spreading from person to person. Spread from person to person is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu, mainly through coughing or sneezing of infected people. However, at this time, it not known how easily the swine flu virus spreads between people.
What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Like seasonal flu, swine flu can vary in severity from mild to severe, and may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions. The severity of illness from the current swine flu strain is not yet clear. The few cases found in the United States so far have been mild.

Can swine flu be treated?

Yes. This swine flu virus is susceptible to certain antiviral drugs used to treat flu infections (oseltamivir, or Tamiflu, and zanamivir, or Relenza). For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). If you become ill and are diagnosed with influenza, your doctor can determine if you should take antiviral drugs.

Should I ask my doctor for a prescription anti-flu drug?

No. Antiviral drugs are usually used to treat people who are at risk for developing life-threatening complications from the flu. There is no reason to routinely ask for one of these drugs to keep at home, or to take them just as a precaution. Over-use could result in limited supplies for those who need it most. In addition, over-use of antiviral drugs has been known to lead to flu viruses becoming resistant to the drugs. All drugs, including antivirals, can cause side effects and should only be used when necessary under the direction of a health care provider.

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?

People with swine flu infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic or possibly for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
Is there a vaccine against swine flu?

There is currently no human vaccine against swine flu. It is not known whether the current human flu vaccine provides partial protection against swine flu. CDC has already begun development of a vaccine for swine flu, but this will not be available for months.
Can I get tested for swine flu?

The New York State Department of Health has provided guidance to health care providers and hospitals throughout the state regarding who should be tested for swine flu and what specimens to collect. If you are severely ill or worried about your symptoms, contact your health care provider who will determine whether testing is necessary.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact your health care provider particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have recently travelled, especially to those areas where swine flu has already been found, including San Diego County and Imperial County, California; San Antonio, Texas; Dickinson County, Kansas; Lorain County, Ohio; and New York City. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
Should I avoid travel to other countries or areas of the United States where swine flu has been identified?

CDC maintains a Travelers’ Health web site at: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluUS.aspx

You should check this site for any restrictions. This site also provides recommendations to help you reduce your risk of infection.
Can I get swine flu from eating or preparing pork?

No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

Additional information can be found at the following web sites:

General influenza information: http://www.nyhealth.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/

CDC Information about swine flu http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/general_info.htm

Do you blog? How about your grandmother?

NEW YORK (AP) — New Yorkers over the age of 60 will participate in a blog-a-thon next month.

The event will promote issues important to older people. May is Older Americans Month.

The New York City nonprofit Older Adults Technology Services is organizing the blog-a-thon.

Participants also will recruit family and friends to pledge donations. The money will fund free computer classes for low-income seniors.

The group says people over 60 currently make up a just small fraction of the 15 million U.S. bloggers.

Participants will blog as many times as they can at www.SeniorPlanet.org. The Web site connects seniors to resources, events and commentary.

Source

Older Adults Technology Services

Check back often for more happenings!

March is Women’s History Month, a month to celebrate those that have come before us and those that have inspired us. It was first introduced in 1911 as International Women’s Day, but it was not a popular or well known holiday until the late seventies. Today, schools and organizations take the month of March and not only learn about woman in history, but promote the equality of the sexes. Usually, it is declared Women of History Week, where a community takes a week to celebrate with activities and events, but congress has given the entire month to celebrate.

We all know some of the names of females in history that this National Holiday should focus on. To name just a few, Amelia Earnhardt, Jacqueline Kennedy, Mother Theresa, Princess Diana and countless others are women who are recognized each year as famous women of history. These women are known as going above and beyond, stepping outside of themselves and giving selflessly to others. Many of these woman did this at a time when being a female was not as easy as it is today. They didn’t always have the rights that men did, but they worked around it.

But you don’t need to be famous to be a woman of history. You don’t have to have flown an airplane, created foundations, saved lives or been superwoman; ordinary, everyday woman of today could be the woman of history tomorrow.

Take a moment and think about all of the woman in your community that give of themselves day in and day out. The teachers, the emergency responders, the classroom single mom who volunteers, works and runs her home seamlessly. These women around us are normal people, just like you and I, but they are never recognized for who they are and what they do.

Home Health Aides, like those at InterGen Health of New York, give of themselves each day to the seniors and infants in their community. They are there for moral support, emotional support, and even physical support. They are unrecognized for what they do, but they do it every day because that is what they love to do.

These everyday women, the women in your community who give of themselves even when they run out of the time to do it, will probably never be written about in the history books or be honored as a woman of history, but they should be. Every woman should be.

Hillary Clinton will most likely be written into history books, five generations from now, her name will be a household name. But is she really any different than other woman? She is a wife, a mother, a daughter, a grand-daughter, just like other woman. She keeps house, volunteers and has a full time job, just like other woman.

Hillary Clinton, and all of the woman of history, deserve their honor of being in our history books. They deserve a month to celebrate who they are and what they stood for, but remember those around you who are making history everyday themselves, just by living their everyday lives.

Who are the social workers of America? They are the people that day in and day out selflessly give their time and skills to those in need. They spend hours upon hours, days upon days, and months upon months helping one person, one family, one organization; for one purpose. A better tomorrow.

March is Social Worker Month, a time to learn about and honor the social workers of America. In 1984 the White House officially recognized March as National Professional Social Workers month. They too saw the greatness that these workers perform on a daily basis and wanted to designate a month where they could be recognized and honored. In 2005, The National Social Work Public Education Campaign was started to educate and improve the public perception of Social Workers. Each year the campaign is built around a theme and that theme is used to promote a better tomorrow.

There are many different Social Workers in America today. Some work exclusively with families with young children and adolescents, some work with disaster relief organizations and reach out to those who are in dire need of emotional help, others work in the field of home health care for seniors and infants. Not one field is more important than the other; each has its own need and purpose.

The aides, social workers, and support staff all deserve a round of applause for their hard work, dedication and their never failing sensitivity to their clients. Agencies like InterGen Health of New York are lifesaving; emotionally, physically and sometimes even literally. These home care social workers work exclusively with seniors and infants who need in home care. Their desire to help those in need outweighs their desire to do a job, to them, social work is not just a job; it’s a way of life.

With years of experience and education, a devotion to human life and their mental health and compassion that can’t be taught, the social workers of America deserve more than a month of respect from their peers. Underpaid and overworked, these social workers have gone through years of training to be where they are today. Their goal is to bring strength, growth and unity to an individual person, a family, or a community as whole; and they achieve this on a daily basis; or in InterGen Health of New York’s case, one home at a time.

The home health aides and the disaster relief social workers have seen more need for their services this year more than ever. With an ever increasing financial crisis and more natural disasters, this group of dedicated workers are finding their workload has increased ten-fold. There mental health services are in demand and their skills as mental health workers are being utilized as more people stress out their daily lives.

Take a moment this month to think about the social workers in your area. Maybe it is the home aide that visits with your elderly neighbor on a daily basis, or perhaps it is the person who was there for your cousin who lives in Oklahoma when the tornado came through their town. Even if you don’t personally know anyone who has a social worker in their life, take a moment, because you never know when one may be needed.

Here is the latest newsletter from our favorite Dietician Sharon Richter MS, RD, CDN — (republished with permission).

For more great tips and articles visit www.sharonrichter.com.