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ASHEVILLE, NC  – October 10, 2023 – On May 2^nd, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory report that diagnosed a loneliness epidemic in America and included a roadmap for prevention. Relationships suffered from a shift in communication from person-to-person interaction to communication via technology-related devices. The coronavirus pandemic made it worse by separating people from friends, relatives, organizations, classmates and work associates. According to the CDC, one-half of American adults have experienced loneliness.

Social connectivity is fundamental to health and well-being. It includes having relationships with others and being involved in the community. Poor social connectivity can affect our mental, physical and societal health. Research indicates that loneliness is linked to many medical problems including early mortality, stroke, heart disease, dementia, and depression while increasing the risk of getting one of these illnesses between 30-100%. It contributes to about a billion-dollar health care cost. For these reasons, the Surgeon General feels that loneliness is as serious a public health problem as smoking and obesity.

Dr. Murthy has proposed a 6-point plan to build social connection and reduce loneliness:

1. Develop community social infrastructure and access, like organizations and groups to join, transportation, and public spaces for people to congregate
2. Create public policies that promote equitable social connection
3. Sensitize public health & health care systems to this growing epidemic
4. Reform digital communication systems. Some examples are: social media companies need to develop methods to reduce children’s time on social media to acceptable levels; people need to spend less time on the phone, social media, and working remote and spend more time at the office with others.
5. Have ongoing evaluations of the effect of interventions upon preventing loneliness
6. Create a culture of connectivity

So how does this play out in Buncombe County? Our residents are aging and many retirees are moving to the mountains to enjoy the outdoors and Asheville’s fine dining and music scene. We have government and local non-profit organizations that understand the aging community of WNC and how it is important to promote services and partnerships that foster independence and dignity. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNC Asheville is an international movement to promote lifelong learning, community leadership, and participation for people. Most of its members are over 55 years old. A popular fall course at OLLI is Leadership Asheville Seniors (LAS) that provides a comprehensive view of Asheville and Buncombe County.

On October 3^rd, LAS held their Health Day at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). The 35 attendees had 7 sessions about topics are varied as navigating the healthcare maze, the opioid epidemic, and what the Department of Public Health does. A highlight of the day was a symposium discussing the recent Surgeon General Advisory Report on the loneliness epidemic with an emphasis on seniors.

The LAS attendees came up with 8 interventions to reduce social isolation for seniors in Buncombe County. They were assisted by Elizabeth Williams, the Executive Director of Mountain Care Adult Day and the Hendersonville Council on Aging, and Billie Breeden, the age-friendly Coordinator for Buncombe County Health and Human Services in the Division of Aging and Adult Services.

Here are the 8 interventions:

• Increase funding for the Buncombe County Senior Center
• Reduce the labor shortage of caregivers to older adults
• Schedule more meet-ups
• Promote OLLI
• Promote sports and activities, like pickleball
• Create a locator to help people find others with similar interests
• Create a “Buddy-up” system to facilitate outreach
• Improve communication to promote local activity awareness, like the Asheville Ideas Fest

The Surgeon General Report was written to raise awareness about this overlooked but very significant health problem. Dr. Murthy says that loneliness is a feeling like hunger and thirst. People have always relied on each other for survival. If a person feels the ‘loneliness’ signal, then he/she engages in social activity. However, if the signal persists without anything being done to take care of the need for social connection, then health problems can occur. The Attorney General says that “there is really no substitution for interpersonal interaction.” The OLLI seniors agree and have come up with many innovative approaches to benefit Buncombe County.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

ASHEVILLE, NC –  October 11, 2023 – The COVID-19 metrics are on the CDC’s COVID Dashboard. For the week ending on September 23^rd:

• Hospital admission levels are low in every county in North Carolina, including Buncombe County, and almost 92% of the counties in the U.S. However, they have decreased in North Carolina and increased in Buncombe County from the previous week.
• Between 2-4% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 3^rd lowest level of 6 groups.
• Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are low in North Carolina. This represents about 2% of all ER visits, the 2^nd lowest of 5 levels and fewer than the prior week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data for the week ending on September 27^th is on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard.

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is at an orange level representing the 4^th highest level of 5 groups, currently between the 60^th and 80^th percentile relative to the past level measured at the same site.
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has decreased from the previous week, between -10 and -99%, the lowest group of the 2 groups for a negative rate of change.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wants everyone to know that:

• COVID-19 can affect people differently. Some people have mild symptoms like a cold and others have more severe symptoms like a bad case of the flu. Some effects can be long-lasting.
• Older adults and immunocompromised people are at a higher risk of developing severe illness and being hospitalized.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

• Stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines. The new updated vaccine is available locally at pharmacies, health centers and at the Buncombe County Health and Human Services Building at 40 Coxe Avenue in Asheville during regular business hours.
• For extra protection, wear an efficient medical grade mask
• People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home
• People with any COVID symptoms should get tested
• If you test positive, your doctor may recommend medical treatment

If you get COVID, here’s the latest CDC guidelines:

• Isolate for 5 days provided the fever has resolved for at least 24 hours without taking any fever-reducing medicine. (Day 0 is the day that symptoms first appear. If there are no symptoms but a positive test, then day 0 is the day the test was positive.) Isolation means staying home and away from others.
• After the isolation period, wear a high-quality mask around others at home and in public for the next 5 days
• Masking can stop earlier with 2 negative antigen tests taken 48 hours apart

More and more Americans have developed some immunity to COVID-19 from immunizations and previous infection. New variants continue to infect people with the most at-risk groups more susceptible to severe illness.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

WASHINGTON, DC –  September 18-22, 2023 – Did you know that National Fall Prevention Awareness Week was from September 18 to 22? People can reduce their risk of falling through better understanding their risk factors and by fall-proofing the home. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance of falling down. Some home hazards include broken or uneven steps, loose throw rugs or unnecessary items on the floor. National organizations like the CDC and state organizations like the North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition want to reduce the number of injuries and deaths from falls, particularly by seniors.

More than one out of four senior citizens fall each year, a total of 37 million people. Fewer than half tell their doctor about their fall. Did you know that people who fall are twice as likely to fall again? 20% of falls cause a serious injury like broken bones or a head injury. You may have close relatives like I do that have died after falling down. My uncle fell, didn’t see a doctor right away even though he struck his head against a wall, and became confused 1 week later. He passed away a few days afterwards because of a slow brain bleed.

Here’s some more facts about falls:

• 3 million people are seen in the emergency department for falls every year
• More than 800 thousand patients are hospitalized annually because of an injury after a fall
• More than 300 thousand seniors fall and break their hip
• Falls are the #1 cause of traumatic brain injuries
• Falls resulted in more than $50 billion dollars of total medical costs in 2015
• Falls are the leading cause of accidental deaths in people 65 and older

As an orthopedic surgeon for 35 years, I cared for many people who injured themselves from falls. People can frequently fall at home or around the yard. They can fall down stairs or off a ladder. Wet floors inside, and ice and snow outside are potentially dangerous environments that can cause someone to fall down and injure themselves from the trauma of landing. As a result, I fixed many broken hips, wrists, ankles and feet. I really wish that there is a way to prevent these accidents. Now as a senior citizen, I’m extra-careful on stairs, stay away from most ladders, and make sure that there are no loose items on my floor at home.

What you can do to prevent falls:

• See your doctor for a fall risk evaluation and a review of all prescription and over-the-counter medicines that may contribute to unsteadiness
• Do exercises for leg strength and balance. Tai chi is a great exercise. Having more muscle is highly correlated with a lower risk of falling.
• Check your vision
• Make your house safe. De-clutter your home, add grab bars to your bathroom, have rails on both sides of the stairs, and make sure there is lots of light.

Preventive measures also include upstream interventions like policy changes and resources to reduce falls.

The National Council of Aging has a Falls Free Check-up that consists of 12 questions to determine your falls risk score. They can be answered with either a yes or no response. How would you answer these questions?

• I have fallen in the past year
• I have been advised to use a cane or a walker to get around safely
• Sometimes I feel unsteady when I am walking
• I steady myself by holding onto furniture when walking at home
• I am worried about falling
• I need to push with my hands to stand up from a chair.
• I have some trouble stepping up onto a curb
• I often have to rush to the toilet
• I have lost some feeling in my feet.
• I take medicine that sometimes make me feel light-headed or more tired than usual
• I take medicine to help me sleep or improve my mood
• I often feel sad or depressed

How many did you answer no? Too many ‘no’s’ may mean that you are at a higher risk of falling in the future.

For more information about at-risk screening and what you can do about preventing falls, please visit the North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition website at www.ncfallsprevention.org

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

ASHEVILLE, NC –  October 4, 2023 – The COVID-19 metrics are on the CDC’s COVID Dashboard. For the week ending on September 23^rd:

• Hospital admission levels are low in every county in North Carolina, including Buncombe County, and almost 92% of the counties in the U.S. However, they have decreased in North Carolina and increased in Buncombe County from the previous week.
• Between 2-4% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 3^rd lowest level of 6 groups.
• Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are low in North Carolina. This represents about 2% of all ER visits, the 2^nd lowest of 5 levels and fewer than last week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data for the week ending on September 20^th is on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard.

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is at an orange level representing the 4^th highest level of 5 groups, currently between the 60^th and 80^th percentile relative to the past level measured at the same site.
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample is decreasing from the previous week, between -10 and -99%, the lowest group of the 2 groups for a negative rate of change.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wants everyone to know that:

• COVID-19 can affect people differently. Some people have mild symptoms like a cold and others have more severe symptoms like a bad case of the flu. Some effects can be long-lasting.
• Older adults and immunocompromised people are at a higher risk of developing severe illness and being hospitalized.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

• Stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines. The new updated vaccine is available locally at pharmacies, health centers and at the Buncombe County Health and Human Services Building at 40 Coxe Avenue, Asheville during regular business hours.
• For extra protection, wear an efficient medical grade mask
• People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home
• People with any COVID symptoms should get tested
• If you test positive, your doctor may recommend medical treatment

If you get COVID, here’s the latest CDC guidelines:

• Isolate for 5 days provided the fever has resolved for at least 24 hours without taking any fever-reducing medicine. (Day 0 is the day that symptoms first appear. If there are no symptoms but a positive test, then day 0 is the day the test was positive.) Isolation means staying home and away from others.
• After the isolation period, wear a high-quality mask around others at home and in public for the next 5 days
• Masking can stop earlier with 2 negative antigen tests taken 48 hours apart

More and more Americans have developed some immunity to COVID-19 from immunizations and previous infection. New variants continue to infect people with the most at-risk groups more susceptible to severe illness.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour