InterGen Health is pleased to recognize and thank social workers in our communities for the vital services they provide to our family, friends and neighbors .

Social workers are known for their dedication to all especially seniors, children and families in need. Their work requires warmth, integrity and an unwavering commitment. Their work is demanding and challenging.

In the light of today’s tough economic times, we especially appreciate all that you do and especially the way you do it.

First of all, before beginning any new exercise program, it is important to take stock of your current state of physical health.  You know your body and its limits better than anyone, and you should try to stick to exercises that are within your comfort zone, at least to start out.  Also, do not feel as though you have to overexert yourself to get the benefits of exercising – any exercise you can incorporate into your life is good for your overall physical health.  Generally, it is best to start slow and easy and build the intensity and length of your workouts gradually over time.

If you are in poor physical health, you should take extra precautions when beginning or modifying any exercise program.  For example, anyone with a heart condition, high blood pressure, a thyroid condition, osteoporosis or arthritis, asthma or emphysema, seizure disorder or other potentially dangerous underlying health condition, you should always run your exercise plans by your doctor before beginning a new program.  This can ensure that you do not overdo it and turn a potentially beneficial healthcare decision, such as getting more exercise, into something that may be harmful.

Once you are ready to begin your exercise routine, it is important to start out slow.  Always warm up before you begin any actual exercises to prevent muscle pulls and strains.  Simple stretches such as toe-touches and cardio such as running in place make great warm-ups.  Additionally, it is also important to cool down after exercising.  This prevents muscle cramps and other discomfort from occurring post workout.  Generally, you should plan on at least 5 minutes before and after each workout for warming up and cooling down.  Also, if at any time during your workout you feel as though you may be pushing yourself too hard, stop.  You should not feel actual pain while working out.

The elderly are particularly susceptible to issues such as heat exhaustion and dehydration.  For this reason it is imperative to maintain proper hydration and core temperature while exercising, especially if you are age 60 or older.  This can be accomplished by exercising in an air conditioned facilities or during the cooler parts of the day such as early morning or later in the evening.Additionally, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of overexertion.  Among the most common early symptoms of overexertion are headache, nausea, and dizziness.  If you begin to feel any of these symptoms, it is time to let up on yourself, cool off, and get rehydrated; this can prevent overexertion or heat exhaustion from progressing into a dangerous case of full-blown heatstroke, which can be fatal.

One of the first and most important things to remember about Swine Flu is that it is NOT the same as the seasonal flu; this means that having had the seasonal flu in the past gives you zero immunity to Swine Flu, and that getting vaccinated against the seasonal flu does not protect you from the Swine Flu.  In order to be adequately protected against Swine flu, you will need a separate vaccine.  While plans are currently to begin distribution of the newly approved Swine Flu vaccine in early to mid-October, all of the kinks have yet to be completely worked out.

Among the concerns regarding the Swine Flu vaccine is whether or not a single dose will be adequate.  There is still some controversy surrounding whether the majority of the population can get by with a single dose, and the FDA has recommended that young children get two in order to be properly protected.  Additionally, as pregnant women have been determined to be among the groups at highest risk of death from the swine flu, the FDA has recommended that they be among the first to get the vaccine.

Another disturbing fact regarding the Swine Flu has recently come to light, and was only really discovered when autopsies were performed on those who had succumbed to the Swine Flu.  In a study involving more than 70 deaths, it was determined that the type of damage inflicted upon the lungs from the Swine Flu is closer to that which is caused by the avian (or bird) flu than the seasonal flu.   More specifically, it appears that the Swine Flu may contribute to a difficult to treat and often deadly lung condition known as Acute Respiratory Distress (or ARD).

However, despite widespread fears and even panic, the general consensus regarding the Swine Flu is that it is generally as mild (or even milder) than the seasonal flu.  Most people who get ill from the virus will recover rapidly, and have no after-effects whatsoever.  The best way to protect yourself and your family from contracting this virus (keeping in mind that total prevention is impossible) is to practice good hygiene by washing hands frequently, coughing into your shoulder rather than into your hands, utilizing sanitizer gel when soap and water are unavailable, and staying home when you are sick (to prevent infecting others).

Finally, while there have been Swine Flu related deaths around the world, the vast majority of those who have succumbed to the disease have had underlying medical conditions.  Keeping yourself as healthy as possible will go a long way towards protecting you from serious illness.

While questions regarding health care reform’s potential impact on the aging senior population have received mixed and often contradictory answers, most agree that seniors will not lose any existing coverage should a sweeping healthcare reform bill pass and be signed into law.  However, while benefits should not decrease and may even increase, the bureaucracy surrounding these benefits will likely change dramatically and may cause confusion and potentially loss of benefits due to lack of understanding of changes.

One of the most important things to keep in mind at this point in time is that nothing regarding any potential healthcare reform has been finalized, and what is true today may not necessarily be true tomorrow.  However, certain things have been implicitly ensured by the president himself.  First of all, regarding the idea that people will be denied crucial healthcare procedures and allowed to simply die based upon age.  That is not true, at least not more so than it is already.  For example, such procedures as organ transplants are already meted out to only those candidates who meet certain criteria, including optimum age and lifestyle designations.

One thing that is certain when it comes to the affect any changes made to the healthcare system may have on seniors is that they will continued to be covered, and Medicare is slated to remain intact.  This is something that could not even have been said with any real assurance even a year ago, as many people estimated that the program would be bankrupt within years.

And while the Medicare budget is expected to be cut to help fund more comprehensive healthcare (the money has to come from somewhere) many people believe that Medicare costs are going to be reduced in general based upon the fact that American’s will not have to wait until they are old enough to be covered by Medicare to see a doctor regularly.  The hope is that preventative care will become the norm, negating the need for more expensive treatments on the large scale.  If this happens (and it is reasonable to expect that it will, to some degree at least, if all American’s have affordable access to medical care), then it is fathomable that Medicare will be sustainable on a smaller annual budget.

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