Looser standards undermined early research on accuracy of COVID-19 tests
HOUSTON – (Nov. 9, 2020) – The COVID-19 pandemic was met with a rush of research on the many factors related to the crisis, including the accuracy of different testing methods. However, many of the studies conducted in the early stages of the pandemic did not meet the usual rigorous scientific standards, according to researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine.
In "The estimation of diagnostic accuracy of tests for COVID-19: A scoping review," which will appear in an upcoming edition of the Journal of Infection, authors Dierdre Axell-House, Richa Lavingia, Megan Rafferty, Eva Clark, E. Susan Amirian and Elizabeth Chiao found that better-designed studies are needed to appropriately evaluate the different types of COVID-19 tests.
They reviewed 49 articles published between Dec. 31, 2019, and June 19, 2020, that evaluated the validity of different types of coronavirus testing. These studies were assessed using elements of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) guidelines, which are used to evaluate if bias could be playing a role in the results of studies on diagnostic test accuracy.
Amirian, an epidemiologist at Rice's Texas Policy Lab (TPL), said when it comes to conducting studies on testing accuracy, design is critically important. She said the major limitations found in the design of most of the studies they examined could lead to erroneous or misleading results.
"Without rigorous evaluations of which tests are the most accurate, it’s hard to know which tests are more likely to lead to false negatives, which could contribute to greater spread of the virus," said Rafferty, a health data analyst at the TPL. "Although it’s difficult to say, some of the quality issues may have resulted from these studies being streamlined in response to the immediate need for timely information."
"COVID-19 has now been a health crisis for nearly a year," Amirian said. "With regard to research, the academic community needs to move away from being in acute emergency mode and think about how we're going to handle this as a chronic crisis. When researchers are in emergency mode, we tend to be more open to sacrificing a lot of the strict quality standards for conducting research that we usually uphold."
Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,978 undergraduates and 3,192 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 1 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
Don’t Let COVID Prevent You from Protecting Your Eye Health
New York, NY, November 9, 2020 — Make a resolution to get your eyes checked before the new year arrives, advises Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York. While it’s easy to get swept up in the approaching holiday season, it’s still important to stay on top of regular doctor visits, including visits with your eye doctor.
People with conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy that could lead to blindness if left unchecked need to stay particularly vigilant with their checkups. The pandemic shouldn’t keep you from visiting your doctor, but for patients over 60, Dr. Laroche advises it's better to stay home and do telehealth over the phone or video consultation until the pandemic flattens. He also encourages people to wear face masks on visits and maintain social distancing, even if they are in a health clinic, and if you’re high-risk, consider adding eye protection when in public spaces.
“Eyesight or human vision is one of the most important senses. As much as 80 percent of what we feel comes through our sense of sight. By protecting the eyes, people will reduce the chance of blindness and vision loss while also staying on top of any developing eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts. A healthy brain function requires a healthy vision. The brain is our most essential organ, and it allows us to control other organs. Normal and healthy vision contributes to improved learning and comprehension for a better quality of life,” says Dr. Laroche.
Dr. Laroche says there is another critical issue that the pandemic has brought to the forefront and that is the issue of health care disparities among Black and Brown people.
“Nationally, African American deaths from COVID-19 are nearly two times greater than would be expected based on their share of the population. In four states, the rate is three or more times greater. In 42 states, plus Washington, D.C., Hispanics make up a greater share of confirmed cases than their share of the population. In eight states it’s more than four times greater,” he says, adding: “In stark contrast, white deaths from COVID-19 are lower than their share of the population in 37 states.”
Dr. Laroche says there are several things that can be done to not only address but to help combat this issue:
1. Increase the number of Black and Afro-Latino physicians worldwide.
2. Implement universal health care.
3. Increase wealth and education which produces better health.
4. Provide a living income stipend for poor people to access food and reduce malnutrition.
5. Eliminate racism to reduce stress.
6. Identify white supremacist organizations as terrorist groups.
7. Recommend all corporations have people of color in the top management and leadership positions.
8. Eliminate sole reliance on standardized testing as the criteria to be used at entry to magnet schools.
9. Provide more funding to reduce homelessness and for mental health.
10. The government should also require medical school, research and hospital funding to diversify and benefit people of color.
About Dr. Daniel Laroche
Dr. Laroche is an exceptional glaucoma specialist in New York. He studied and received his bachelor's degree from New York University and a medical doctorate with honors in research from Weil Cornell University Medical College. He underwent a medical internship at Montefiore Hospital and finished his ophthalmology residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was the chief resident in his third year. He later completed his glaucoma fellowship at New York Eye and Ear.
For more information about Dr. Laroche, please call 212-663-0473 or visit: www.advancedeyecareny.com.
Stetson University Receives $296,000 from U.S. Department of Justice
Funding will be used to enhance safety, provide training, prevent crime
DELAND, Florida, Nov. 9, 2020 – A 2019 survey of 856 college students at two- and four-year public and private institutions revealed that 89% of students at four-year private universities feel having a safe and secure campus is a priority. Stetson University is helping ensure students feel safe on campus thanks to a $296,000, three-year grant from the United States Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women.
Stetson’s Wellness and Recreation Department is managing the grant, and will be teaming up with the DeLand Police Department and Volusia Rape Crisis Center to create a community collaborative response to enhance victim services, implement education and prevention programs, and strengthen campus security and investigation strategies in order to avert, prosecute and respond to dating and domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
“The grant will enable Stetson University to improve its prevention efforts to the campus community with a particular emphasis on fraternity and sorority involvement, athletics and students with disabilities,” said Colleen Vanderlip, MA, director of Stetson’s Wellness and Recreation Department. “Through the creation of a community collaborative response with local law enforcement and victim service organizations, students will be more aware, better supported and feel empowered if faced with challenges related to sexual, dating and domestic violence and stalking.”
Grant funds also will be used to employ a project director who will develop a coordinated community response plan during the first year of the grant program. The plan will include training staff and students along with ensuring there is a joint effort between Stetson, the DeLand Police Department and Volusia Rape Crisis Center. The grant is renewable for two additional three-year periods.
Stetson coordinates with local law enforcement and victim resources whenever a student requires assistance after a crime has been committed. The grant project will provide a clear connection for crime victims who need help with criminal justice processes and supportive services.
Open Letter Calls on Dr. Theresa Tam and PHAC to Amend Misleading New Guidelines for 3-Ply Masks
Suggestion to use filtering material made from reusable shopping bags not appropriate
OAKVILLE, ON, Nov. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - National supplier of safety and respiratory products, Levitt-Safety, is concerned that that newly updated wording on the Government of Canada website and as communicated by Dr. Theresa Tam and the Public Health Agency of Canada earlier this week is misleading. The wording may not be specific enough in terms of what is needed for the filtering layer of masks to ensure they are effective.
In an open letter posted November 6th to the company website, President Bruce Levitt clarified, "Medical masks and respirators are typically made using two very different types of polypropylene that serve different functions:
The inner and outer layer are made from spunbond polypropylene – the same type of material used in some shopping bags, disposable clothing etc.
The middle layer is made from specific grades of meltblown polypropylene – a completely different product and manufacturing process
The inner and outer layer of mask material are not designed to filter aerosols – they provide droplet protection, prevent the mask filter from getting soiled and provide physical integrity to the overall mask. The filtration is achieved primarily using the middle meltblown layer."
The Government of Canada's website currently suggests that appropriate filtering material includes "the non-woven fabric that's used to make some reusable shopping bags". That material is spunbond polypropylene. It is simply not effective as a filter for aerosols." The full letter can be viewed here.
Levitt-Safety was clear to express that the company supports the Public Health Agency of Canada's move to three-layer masks, in fact, they have suspended all promotion of two-ply masks to their customers, which include mines, hospitals and large manufacturing facilities across Canada. However, the company emphasizes that it is critical that Canadian public be provided with the right information to ensure they understand how to be adequately protected based the Agency's recommendations, and currently the guidance is misleading.
As COVID-19 cases rise across the country and around the world, it is more important now than ever to ensure Canadians are given the most accurate information so they can make the best decisions to stay safe.
SOURCE Levitt-Safety Ltd.
Morneau Shepell expands iCBT programs to continue supporting Canadians' declining mental health
Programs focus on managing trauma, grief and loss, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder and social anxiety
TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - Morneau Shepell announced today the expansion of programs for its therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) solution, AbilitiCBT.
The new programs are designed to help people deal with trauma, grief and loss and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and round out the current AbilitiCBT programs: anxiety (expanding to better support panic disorder and social anxiety), anxiety related to a pandemic, depression, combined anxiety/depression, insomnia and pain management.
The new AbilitiCBT programs were developed in response to increased need for therapist-assisted digital services as Canadians continue to struggle with mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Morneau Shepell's monthly Mental Health Index™ reports have continued to show a trend of declining mental health for Canadians, with findings showing that the strained mental health of Canadians may be here for the long term.
"Over the past few months alone, we have provided support to tens of thousands of Canadians, through both corporate programs and our partnerships with the governments of Ontario and Manitoba. Our work, however, is just beginning," said Nigel Branker, president, health and productivity solutions. "Our extensive clinical data and comprehensive mental health research continues to indicate a strong and growing need for additional therapist-assisted digital mental health programs during these challenging times. We are committed to expanding our support and working with our partners to help as many Canadians as we can."
AbilitiCBT therapists are well-versed in all aspects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is one of the most effective forms of therapy. "The clinical efficacy of our AbilitiCBT programs is rooted in the combination of accessible, user-friendly digital content and professional guidance by a therapist, who not only completes the online health assessment with a phone or video consultation, but also provides ongoing monitoring and regular check-ins throughout the program," explained Linda Naranjit, clinical director for AbilitiCBT. "The structured approach to providing clinical support allows users to work through our programs at the pace that works best for them, knowing a therapist is there to help them every step of the way."
Morneau Shepell is a leading global provider of wellbeing services, with thousands of therapists in an extensive network, including crisis counsellors, who offer support to any AbilitiCBT user who needs help.
The new trauma and grief and loss programs will be available by the end of 2020, while the OCD and the expanded anxiety programs will be on the AbilitiCBT platform in early 2021, in both English and French.
About Morneau Shepell Morneau Shepell is a leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee wellbeing through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. Morneau Shepell is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.
SOURCE Morneau Shepell Inc.
This November, Treat Tastebuds to an Indulgent, No-Nonsense Sipping Chocolate Mix That Leaves Other Instant Cocoa Varieties Out in the Cold
Warm up to Good Dee’s versatile, clean-crafted take on a winter classic, made with simple ingredients and free of sugar, soy, and gluten
NEW YORK – The holiday season hasn’t yet hit full swing, but Good Dee’s is already full of sweet surprises! Meet the conscious baking brand’s newest creation: a Low Carb Sipping Chocolate Drink Mix. Founded by resourceful, clean-eating mompreneur Deana Karim, Good Dee’s brings guilt-free goodness to the American pantry all year long. Using only the highest-quality ingredients with no added sugar, the innovative company offers a growing selection of simple, low carb baking mixes and pantry essentials full of rich flavor and safe for most diets - including those avoiding gluten, soy, wheat, and sugar. This winter, Good Dee’s whips up a fresh take on a cold-weather classic with a sumptuous (sugar-free!) Sipping Chocolate mix that is so much more than a drink.
Indulge in the rich, chocolate taste with none of the nonsense. New Sipping Chocolate Low Carb Drink Mix is naturally sweetened with Allulose and free of gluten, soy, and sugar alcohols. Plus, it features just 1.5g of net carbs per serving - approximately 25g less than traditional mixes! Warm up to a frothy, full-flavored mix that pairs delightfully with milk, smoothies, chia pudding, and more. Enjoy a morning mocha by adding a spoonful to coffee. Sprinkle over kettle corn for a tasty anytime treat. Stir into whipped cream, pancake batter, oatmeal, or yogurt for an instant touch of decadence.
Be sure to add Good Dee’s Sipping Chocolate Low Carb Drink Mix to your holiday shopping list, along with pantry essentials like “Just Add Water” frosting mixes, dairy and sugar-free chocolate chips, and sugar-free sprinkles. Plus, discover holiday baking made simpler (and healthier) with Good Dee’s delectable collection of cookie and brownie mixes. Stock up on seasonal, low carb favorites like Double Chocolate Chip Cookie, Snickerdoodle, Butter Pecan Cookie, and Chocolate Brownie - each KETO-friendly, 80 calories or less per serving, and effortlessly customizable to suit vegan diets.
Treat tastebuds to Good Dee’s Sipping Chocolate Low Carb Drink Mix, available mid November exclusively online. Shop seasonal favorite baking mixes now at select natural food stores, supermarket chains, and independent grocery stores nationwide. Browse the full sweet and savory collection, plus health-conscious pantry staples like our Signature Sweetener Blend, online at GoodDees.com, along with complete nutrition information and mouthwatering recipes. Get inspired by innovative clean eating baking ideas to satisfy every holiday craving on Instagram @GoodDeesMix.
About Good Dee’s:
Created and founded by native Texan-turned-New Yorker Deana Karim, Good Dee’s proves that health-conscious living and decadent indulgence really do mix. Give in to cravings guilt-free with Good Dee’s complete collection of baking mixes designed for low-carb, restricted, and special diets. The tasty solution to a lifetime of deprivation and struggle with weight gain, Good Dee’s offers innovative, full-flavor mixes free of gluten, soy, wheat, and added sugar. Also available in nut-free brownie, blondies, chocolate snack cake, and muffin mix. Learn more and shop all flavors and varieties - priced at just $11.99 each - online at GoodDees.com. Find inspirational recipes and baking ideas on Instagram @GoodDeesMix.
Call for a National Covid-19 Resilience Programme to keep older people healthy and resilient
NEWS RELEASE
UNDER EMBARGO – 00:01 MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER
ISSUED BY THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND CENTRE FOR AGEING BETTER
Public health agencies across the UK should launch a National Covid-19 Resilience Programme to support older people through the pandemic and to keep them healthy and resilient over the winter – that’s the recommendation from a leading group of scientists and clinicians working in the fields of physiology, nutrition and physiotherapy.
The recommendation will be made in a new report by The Physiological Society and Centre for Ageing Better to be launched this Monday at a meeting of Parliamentary and Scientific Committee (1). The Expert Panel for the project brought together 20 leading scientists and clinicians. (2)
New polling carried out by YouGov for the project found that almost 1 in 3 older people did less physical activity during the first lockdown in March. Of those, 43% said that this was because they no longer had a reason, or had less reason, to get out of the house and be active; 32% were worried about catching Covid-19; and 29% reported lacking motivation to exercise. (3)
Physical activity is an important factor in staying healthy and resilient. Home confinement in older people will be associated with muscle loss, body fat gain and the development of insulin resistance, which are driving factors in the development of weakness and Type 2 diabetes. These changes happen within days if inactivity is marked. This could have dramatic functional consequences for older people, perhaps tilting the balance from being just able to do something, such as rise from a chair, to not.
Increased risks of Covid-19 hospitalisation, disease severity and death are associated with a high body mass index and frailty in older people. Therefore, it is essential to support older people in staying fit and healthy during lockdown to improve their resilience to Covid-19.
A National Covid-19 Resilience Programme would bring together a package of measures to support older people through the lockdown and beyond, keeping them healthy and resilient over the winter. The Government should repeat the approach taken at the start of the first national lockdown in March to identify and proactively contact those at highest risk to offer support and advice (4).
A National Covid-19 Resilience Programme should include:
A tailored exercise programme, focused on older people with key Covid-19 risk factors (obesity, type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and sarcopenia). This can draw on existing programmes such as “Make Movement Your Mission”; (www.facebook.com/groups/MakeMovementYourMission);
Clear guidance about the importance of a healthy balanced diet containing sufficient levels of protein and appropriate energy content;
Enhance mental health through the creation of virtual communities to counter social isolation;
Enlist help of relatives and volunteers to support behaviour change among older people.
This programme should be supported by a digital platform and by national broadcasters such as through regular televised activity classes on the BBC.
Professor Paul Greenhaff, University of Nottingham, UK and Expert Panel Co-Chair said:
“With England now in its second lockdown it is likely that people across the country will be less physically active. Physical activity is an important factor in staying healthy and resilient and will help protect against risks from Covid-19.
“Lockdowns, while important to reduce transmission of Covid-19, can have a detrimental effect on both the physical and mental health of older people. These changes happen rapidly: within 3 days of not using muscles, people can experience significant decreases in muscle mass and quality which might be the difference of an older people being able to get out of a chair by themselves or not.
“We are calling on public health agencies to urgently address this by launching a National Covid-19 Resilience Programme to support older people through the pandemic. Older people need clear, tailored guidance, about how to keep healthy and resilient, that covers physical activity, nutrition and mental wellbeing.
“Older people are facing this lockdown as the days are getting shorter and colder and therefore we must all re-double efforts to keep older people healthy.”
Dr Alison Giles, Centre for Ageing Better, and Expert Panel Co-Chair said:
“As this report highlights, coronavirus lockdowns can be particularly challenging for older people as they can exacerbate a variety of health issues, such as cardiorespiratory deconditioning and weight gain, as well as increased loneliness and social isolation.
“As the country enters a second national lockdown it’s important to acknowledge that blanket advice based on age can lead people to feel that they don’t have control over managing their own health and risk around COVID-19.
“A National Covid-19 Resilience Programme would give older people more control and offer guidance on how to take care of themselves as the pandemic continues. We must provide people with tools that will allow them to make their own informed decisions on their health, wellbeing and resilience.”
ENDS
NOTES
(1) The Physiological Society brings together over 4,500 scientists from over 60 countries. The Society promotes physiology with the public and parliament alike. It supports physiologists by organising world-class conferences and offering grants for research and also publishes the latest developments in the field in its three leading scientific journals, The Journal of Physiology, Experimental Physiology and Physiological Reports.
Centre for Ageing Better: The UK’s population is undergoing a massive age shift. In less than 20 years, one in four people will be over 65. The fact that many of us are living longer is a great achievement. But unless radical action is taken by government, business and others in society, millions of us risk missing out on enjoying those extra years. At the Centre for Ageing Better we want everyone to enjoy later life. We create change in policy and practice informed by evidence and work with partners across England to improve employment, housing, health and communities. We are a charitable foundation, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, and part of the Government’s What Works Network. Visit us at ageing-better.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @Ageing_Better.
Please see the website for more information about the report and the Expert Panel.
The report is going to be launched at Parliamentary and Scientific Committee taking place at 17:30 GMT on Monday 9 November.
(3) All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2226 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th - 16th October 2020. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 50+).
(4) A National Covid-19 Resilience Programme should comprise the following elements:
Encourage appropriate exercise:
A tailored exercise programme should be made available nationally, focusing on older people with key Covid-19 risk factors (obesity, type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and sarcopenia). This should offer indoor physical activity recommendations designed for people with different levels of fitness. It will need to be designed in conjunction with exercise scientists and older people themselves and need to generate benefits within a short space of time. This could draw on the “Make Movement Your Mission” model (www.facebook.com/groups/MakeMovementYourMission) or similar schemes, with public health authorities across the UK (Public Health England, Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales and the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland) rolling a programme like this out nationally.
A broader intervention to support increased activity levels with guidelines detailed enough to cover “when”, “how” and “how frequently” to exercise, which should be provided using multiple channels. As well as a digital platform, the national broadcasters should promote the benefits of physical activity by running regular televised activity classes. These should be developed in conjunction with exercise scientists in order to ensure that the approach is suitable for older people with different underlying levels of fitness and frailty.
Support optimised nutrition:
Clear guidance about the importance of a healthy balanced diet containing sufficient levels of protein, with an appropriate energy content. This advice should be linked explicitly to maintaining health and the body’s resilience against Covid-19, so that older people understand the direct link between lifestyle choices and health and resilience.
Enhance mental health and wellbeing:
Using communities (both virtual and physical) to counter loneliness and isolation in order to improve mental health. Virtual communities, such as the community that has formed around Make Movement Your Mission, can also be of benefit to mental health – existing organisations and charities could be supported to explore widening the participation of older people in virtual communities using social media and video conferencing.
Explore viability of allowing older people to form “super bubbles” to enable them to interact in slightly larger groups (e.g. four people across two households), provided social interactions are restricted beyond the super bubble.
Embed behaviour change:
None of this will work unless we can successfully re-build older adults’ confidence and support them to stay active and keep well. Therefore, we will need to be able to enlist the help of relatives, care workers and other professionals to reinforce messages around resilience in their day-to-day interactions with older people in their families or for whom they care. There may also be a role for NHS Volunteer Responders to play in supporting this behaviour change, perhaps through telephone befriending or other schemes, provided appropriate safety checks have been carried out.
Repeat the approaches taken at the start of the first national lockdown in March to identify and proactively contact those at highest risk to offer support and advice, using social prescribing link workers and the NHS responders.
4 Truths About Older People and the Pandemic
New York, NY, Nov. 6, 2020 — Life spans are getting longer, and the pandemic is greatly affecting older people (and their younger counterparts). Erica Baird and Karen E. Wagner are two successful lawyers, now retired, who cofounded Lustre.net, an online community aimed at redefining retirement for modern career women by confronting outdated stereotypes as they step into their next two to three decades. Together, Baird and Wagner reveal 4 Truths About Older People and the Pandemic:
1. Older people are people, too. According to theWorld Health Organization, ageism affects at least 600 million people worldwide. Ageism, the last acceptable ‘ism,’ serves only to legitimize stereotypes of older people and leads to views, such as those articulated during the pandemic, that maybe the pandemic is not so bad if it only affects older people (which of course it does not). It is time to ditch those false assumptions. Older people are living longer and better than ever. Every lucky person will, in fact, one day be older. Long before that day, everyone needs to understand that older people are people, too.
2.Boomers have skills that help them handle the pandemic.Boomers have solved many problems in their time—especially women, who have to solve problems at home, at work and everywhere else. They also know that crises can bring about positive change—they lived through the dawn of modern feminism, the birth of the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War protests and the AIDS crisis. So while they hate the pandemic, they know how to deal with the daily dramas, and they know it will bring some useful changes when it is over.
3.Younger and older people have better lives if they live in the same communities.Older people are in the prime of their lives, and have experience and perspective to offer younger people. Younger people, in turn, have energy and exuberance that can benefit older people. Diversity of perspectives is always a good thing. Isolating older people, by housing them in retirement communities and excluding them from the workforce, is a waste for both generations. Never before have so many generations lived at the same time. Keeping them together profits everyone.
4.Older people should participate in tech design. Thanks to the pandemic, right now is Zoom time, and everyone is connecting virtually. Older people know this is not the way anyone wants to live, but they also know how to make it work for the moment. In their careers, when technology flowered, they learned well its value and how to use it. Zoom is just an extension of what they already know. As Forbesreported, older people do sometimes get frustrated with technology—and who doesn’t—but older people are seldom asked for input on the design of anything. Maybe if someone over 16 who isn’t a gamer were asked for her opinion, everyone’s frustration would disappear.
Lustre.net is an online forum founded by Erica Baird and Karen Wagner, two New York City retired attorneys. Together, Baird and Wagner are on a mission to redefine retirement for modern career women by confronting outdated concepts, defying stereotypes and raising our collective voices to ensure that retirement for all of us is shaped by women, for women. Baird and Wagner want women to “tap into our experiences and passions, forge new identities and find new purpose—and pass on what we know to the next generation.”
Don’t Let COVID Prevent You from Protecting Your Eye Health
New York, NY, November 6, 2020 — Make a resolution to get your eyes checked before the new year arrives, advises Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York. While it’s easy to get swept up in the approaching holiday season, it’s still important to stay on top of regular doctor visits, including visits with your eye doctor.
People with conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy that could lead to blindness if left unchecked need to stay particularly vigilant with their checkups. The pandemic shouldn’t keep you from visiting your doctor, but for patients over 60, Dr. Laroche advises it's better to stay home and do telehealth over the phone or video consultation until the pandemic flattens. He also encourages people to wear face masks on visits and maintain social distancing, even if they are in a health clinic, and if you’re high-risk, consider adding eye protection when in public spaces.
“Eyesight or human vision is one of the most important senses. As much as 80 percent of what we feel comes through our sense of sight. By protecting the eyes, people will reduce the chance of blindness and vision loss while also staying on top of any developing eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts. A healthy brain function requires a healthy vision. The brain is our most essential organ, and it allows us to control other organs. Normal and healthy vision contributes to improved learning and comprehension for a better quality of life,” says Dr. Laroche.
Dr. Laroche says there is another critical issue that the pandemic has brought to the forefront and that is the issue of health care disparities among Black and Brown people.
“Nationally, African American deaths from COVID-19 are nearly two times greater than would be expected based on their share of the population. In four states, the rate is three or more times greater. In 42 states, plus Washington, D.C., Hispanics make up a greater share of confirmed cases than their share of the population. In eight states it’s more than four times greater,” he says, adding: “In stark contrast, white deaths from COVID-19 are lower than their share of the population in 37 states.”
Dr. Laroche says there are several things that can be done to not only address but to help combat this issue:
1. Increase the number of Black and Afro-Latino physicians worldwide.
2. Implement universal health care.
3. Increase wealth and education which produces better health.
4. Provide a living income stipend for poor people to access food and reduce malnutrition.
5. Eliminate racism to reduce stress.
6. Identify white supremacist organizations as terrorist groups.
7. Recommend all corporations have people of color in the top management and leadership positions.
8. Eliminate sole reliance on standardized testing as the criteria to be used at entry to magnet schools.
9. Provide more funding to reduce homelessness and for mental health.
10. The government should also require medical school, research and hospital funding to diversify and benefit people of color.
About Dr. Daniel Laroche
Dr. Laroche is an exceptional glaucoma specialist in New York. He studied and received his bachelor's degree from New York University and a medical doctorate with honors in research from Weil Cornell University Medical College. He underwent a medical internship at Montefiore Hospital and finished his ophthalmology residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was the chief resident in his third year. He later completed his glaucoma fellowship at New York Eye and Ear.
For more information about Dr. Laroche, please call 212-663-0473 or visit: www.advancedeyecareny.com.
Ontario's doctors welcome budget measures as a step in addressing "pandemic deficit" and say there is more to do
TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2020 /CNW/ - Ontario's doctors working on the front lines of one of the most significant global health crises welcomed the help offered in today's budget as an important step in addressing the growing "pandemic deficit," and said much work remains to catch up on months of delayed patient care.
"Ontario's doctors do not want any patient to suffer as a result of delayed care," said Dr. Samantha Hill, president of the Ontario Medical Association. "That is why we called for today's provincial budget to address the backlog of surgeries and other medical procedures that make up the growing pandemic deficit. While there is more to do, the backlog investment is a start."
Ontario's 32,500 doctors are on the front lines of the pandemic, caring for patients around-the-clock while working to contain the virus. They need to know the premier and his government will provide the resources patients require.
The OMA estimates patients received 12.3 million fewer health-care services between March and September 2020 compared with last year, a decrease of 18 per cent or almost one delayed service for every Ontarian. That includes not just surgeries but also checkups and screenings that catch cancers and other significant illnesses in their early, more treatable, stages and immunizations that protect children now and later in life.
"Ontario's doctors will continue to be there, but doctors and patients are going to need help in the next budget to cover the cost of the pandemic deficit," said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "The pandemic deficit isn't going away even after a vaccine is available. Delayed surgeries, other procedures and closed medical offices are going to need urgent help from Premier Ford and his government."
Ontario's doctors believe a healthy front-line is key to keeping Ontarians healthy and a healthy economic recovery.
A critical aspect of this recovery will be the expansion of virtual care. The OMA has long advocated for increased access to virtual care, especially for those living in rural areas and northern Ontario. This pandemic has taken the need to the next level.
"Ontario doctors are also pleased that the government has committed to expanding Ontario's broadband network," O'Dette said. "The next logical step is to make virtual care permanent – including care provided by telephone – which will both benefit patients and help reduce the pandemic backlog."
New money in the budget for long-term care homes and money to help keep seniors at home will improve quality of life for older Ontarians, help them stay in their homes longer and provide faster access to care homes when the time comes.
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
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