Category Archives: Health & Fitness

Skidmore College became a smoke-free and tobacco-free campus on Jan. 1. Smoking and tobacco use —including the use of all e-cigarettes and vaping device —is prohibited throughout all of the college property, including outdoor areas.

“The smoke-free and tobacco-free policy promotes a culture of wellness and provides the community with a healthy, respectful working and learning environment by limiting the potential exposure of students, faculty, staff and visitors to the effects of secondhand smoke and by reducing the risk of fires,” said Cerri Banks, dean of students and vice president for student affairs. “In addition, the policy is in alignment with the college’s strategic goals which support health and wellness initiatives throughout our campus community.”

“We included e-cigarettes and vaping devices in the policy because nicotine in any form is highly addictive,” Banks said. “Our health and wellness staff are trained to advise those who are interested in breaking the dependency on nicotine products.”

Dr. JoAnne McDonough of Round Lake is the new medical director of urgent care services at Malta Med Emergent Care.

The emergency medicine physician is assigned to Malta Med full time, treating patients and overseeing all medical care at the facility, officials said.

 Although they were always available for consultation, previous medical directors also spent time providing care off site, officials noted. The change in coverage reflects increased demand at the 24/7 facility—and is the latest example of Malta Med’s responsiveness to patients and the community.

By Maureen Werther

In 2006, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that many diseases that were a direct result of nutritional deficiencies in populations had increasingly given way to chronic diseases related to dietary imbalances and poor nutritional habits.

At the time, the journal pointed to the need to focus on preventive approaches to healthcare that include assessments of nutritional intake on both the individual and the community levels.

Twelve years later, the need for proper nutritional balance and better dietary choices is more urgent than ever. A 2018 article in U.S. News & World Report stated that 39.6 percent of Americans over age 20 are considered to be obese. The figure is up nearly six percent from 2008.

By Jill Nagy

Hudson Headwaters Health Network plans to break ground this fall for a new, larger, family medical center in Moreau, about a mile from the existing Moreau facility. 

The new medical center will be built on 5.1 acres of land Hudson Headwaters purchased last June at 1299 Route 9 and 34 Fawn Road, close to the Northway.

Plans call for a 24,000-square-foot facility, most of which will be occupied by Hudson Headwaters. There will be 18 examination rooms, two procedure rooms, a health behavior room, and space for care management and nutrition, officials said. 

By Rachel Phillips

Families with members suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s have a new place to seek care, thanks to Home of the Good Shepherd.

On July 31, the organization opened a new memory care community, located at the organization’s building at 390 Church St., Saratoga Springs.

The non-profit organization, affiliated with the Bethesda Episcopal Church in Saratoga Springs, has been in operation since 1870, provides care for elderly residents, and has communities in Saratoga, Wilton, Malta and Moreau.

While they offer traditional nursing home services, including housekeeping, meal preparation, medication management, assistance with daily living, Home of the Good Shepherd boasts a more comfortable, home-like environment, while still providing a continuum of care that allows residents to “age in place.”

Along with sunlit, private suites, residents also enjoy a safe, landscaped outdoor courtyard, as well as a highly trained and caring staff, dedicated to celebrating the life of each individual in the community.

New York state has been designated the first age-friendly state in the nation by the AARP and the World Health Organization. This achievement is a result of a directive to include health in state agency policy-making, an effort that will result in more livable communities for people of all ages and enable more New Yorkers to age comfortably in their homes.

“This administration has worked to create livable communities that support the unique needs of seniors and improve quality of life for all New Yorkers,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “As we continue to support community development efforts that deliver health and wellness opportunities for residents, we are honored to be recognized by two of the world’s most prestigious organizations for establishing New York as the first age-friendly state in the nation.”

In order to achieve this designation, New York ranked high in the eight age-friendly and livable community domains outlined by WHO and AARP, which include: outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, work and civic engagement, communication and information, and community and health services.

New York also ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for health, up from its ranking as the 40th healthiest state in 1990. This marks the largest five-year gain of all 50 states in the 2017 annual America’s Health Rankings report.

The state Department of Health today announced plans to enhance and expand its tick surveillance and education efforts to safeguard New Yorkers from tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease.

The stepped-up efforts come as the state confronts a growing number of ticks, tick-borne diseases, and an increase in the geographic distribution of ticks.

“New York has long been a national leader in tick collection and testing and through our actions to inform the public on how to best protect themselves, their children, and their pets from tick bites,” said Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “The Department of Health’s expanded tick surveillance and education efforts will help ensure that New Yorkers have the information they need to better avoid tick borne disease.”

Earlier this summer, the department expanded tick collection efforts in Saratoga County after confirming three human cases of Powassan virus, a rare viral disease that can cause symptoms ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to life threatening encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

Officials said the disease remains extremely rare in New York state with only 26 confirmed cases since 2000. The three cases in Saratoga County are the only confirmed cases of Powassan this year.

As part of the expanded collection efforts in Saratoga County, the department visited 30 unique locations and collected approximately 2,700 ticks for testing at the Wadsworth Center, officials said. Five positive pools, comprised of 22 ticks, tested positive for Powassan.

Saratoga Hospital now offers emergency cardiac interventions 24/7 for heart attack patients, officials said.

That means emergency medical services teams can save precious time by bringing heart attack patients straight to Saratoga Hospital for potentially lifesaving procedures such as coronary angioplasty and stenting.

Saratoga Hospital has provided these services since 2014, but not on an emergency basis. Instead, heart attack patients were rushed to hospitals outside Saratoga County—a trip that could delay treatment by 30 minutes or more, officials said.

Now, because of the new, emergency cardiac program, specialists are available at Saratoga Hospital around the clock to provide expert care as quickly as possible.

“Saratoga Hospital assembled the ideal combination of experience, talent and technology,” said Dr. Patrick H. McNulty, the hospital’s director of interventional cardiology. “As a result, the opportunities to be taken care of for heart attack at Saratoga Hospital are as good as anywhere in the Capital Region.”

Interventional cardiology is a branch of cardiology that deals specifically with minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures—including balloon angioplasty and stenting—to diagnose and treat heart conditions. Procedures are performed in high-tech cardiac catheterization laboratories by specially trained cardiologists.