KatieThompson

Islamic community succeeds in bringing health awareness to Nassau County

By: Katie Thompson

The Islamic Center of Long Island and Nassau University Medical Center teamed for their 3^rd annual health fair this past Sunday, meant to bring health awareness and information to communities in Nassau County who may be having trouble providing for their health in this struggling economy.

“This was definitely our most successful fair yet,” said Dr. Steven Walerstein, Executive Vice President for medical affairs and Medical Director at NUMC. “There was much more direct involvement between the physicians and the people, and each screening table was constantly being used.”

Walerstein, who coordinated the event with the Islamic Center, said he was also constantly addressed about one of Nassau County’s growing problems: health insurance. A U.S. Census Bureau survey released in September estimated that 8.7 percent of people in Nassau County lack health insurance. The county’s uninsured rate ranked 28^th out of 38 counties in New York with 65,000 people or more.

The fair addressed this problem by offering a series of theme related screening tables checking blood pressure, weight, diabetes and certain cancers. Physicians, resident doctors and medical students were available to answer any questions.

“We’re here to help teach people about better living and taking care of themselves,” said Habeeb Ahmed, President of the Islamic Center. “Sometimes, some people are a little bit lazy to go to the doctors, so this is a situation where it’s already brought to you.”

Ahmed stressed that there is a need for the community to learn about their health, in order to better understand the recent health care reform proposed by President Obama.

“People are thinking about it. These kinds of situations will make people think about it and take part in it. It’s not just for the politicians to decide, it’s for us to decide what has to happen.”

Citizens of Nassau County like Zeba Rahman, a medical student and member of the Islamic center, spoke out at the fair about what they think is the most important aspect of the health care reform.

“Whether it’s major medical or a more advanced plan, they should make it affordable. The only thing that is affordable now is to the very poor and the very rich, and the middle class who pays all the taxes and does all the work can’t afford it,” Rahmen said.

For those who simply cannot afford it, The Institute for Healthcare Disparities offered their services at the fair. As a part of NUMC, the organization seeks to provide free insurance to low-income and minority communities, which Nassau County has an abundance of.

“If someone has a problem or issue we will then come up with a primary care giver to provide the care and try to take away the barrier of access that the economy often plays,” said Nicole Alford, a representative from the organization.

And while the economy is continuing to be that barrier for many, for some, the efforts that the Islamic community and NUMC are making may have made life a little easier.

“Each community has its own perspective on health care, health care delivery, and medical decision making, so the relationship with the Islamic center to reach out to the growing Muslim community and beyond is very important to us,” said Walerstein.

Whatever the outcome of the national health care reform may be, Walerstein says the two organizations plan to continue these fairs annually.

North Hempstead provides independence for seniors

By: Katie Thompson

It’s been almost five years since the town of North Hempstead began “Project Independence”, a program that provides help for seniors in areas like transportation, nursing, grocery shopping, and everyday household chores. A state and federally funded initiative, Project Independence has turned into a number of extremely successful programs designed to connect local government to its most loyal citizens, seniors.

CNNmoney.com recently designated North Hempstead the second-healthiest place to retire in America. A little over 20 percent of the population are senior citizens spread out among it’s parts of Manhasset, Great Neck, New Hyde Park, Port Washington, Roslyn, Mineola, Westbury, Herricks, Searingtown and Albertson, it’s not surprising that the project, and the local government, has gained so much support.

Town official Evelyn Roth and Supervisor Jon Kaiman modeled the project using the four-letter acronym NORC. Coined in the early 1980’s by Professor Michael Hunt of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the NORC is a “naturally occurring retirement community”, which was first used to describe co-ops and large apartment buildings in New York City. The idea was to help seniors “age in place”, in other words to allow those who had lived in the same apartment for generations to remain independent enough to survive alone throughout their elderly years.

“The housing entity found that it had to provide some support for people to be able to age in place and remain in their own homes,” said Roth, whose position as Commissioner on Aging was just created by the town last year.

In 2000, AARP conducted a survey of New York residents to find out their opinions of where they would like to age. It found that 90 percent wanted to remain in the communities where they were currently living. It was this fact that caught the attention of Roth, who knew that something needed to be done in the suburban town.

“Especially in our community we find they don’t want to go to Florida, they don’t want to go to a seniors only community. They want to be in an intergenerational community,” said Roth, “and it’s just an overwhelming percentage”.

Defined by New York State Law, a “neighborhood” NORC can receive state funding if it includes a community of no more than 2000 homes, where 40 percent or more of the people are age 60 or older. Roth brought the idea to Kaiman in 2004, and they began to track the census in their area to find a match. Two neighborhoods in New Hyde Park qualified. Kaiman applied for a state grant and was awarded the funding. His next challenge was engaging all members of his community.

“I looked at the plan and I immediately thought it was a little bit offensive to call this area of suburban Long Island a ‘retirement community’. We see ourselves as a family based community with seniors and young people every which way. So the approach I took was, what are we trying to achieve?” Kaiman said of the plan, “it’s about being independent, project independence.”

The project quickly gained attention from state senators who were able to secure federal grants to add to the Project Independence funding pool. New York Assemblyman Charles Lavine, a big supporter of the NORC movement, also recognized the plan as essential to the success of the town.

“These are communities in which we have substantial numbers of senior citizens. And one of the challenges of maintaining a sense of community is to make sure that we have people of all demographics involved in one civic entity,” said Lavine.

Supervisor Kaiman recognized that this plan needed to go town-wide, and with the help of Roth, they created a system that will be tweaked and worked on for the next few years.

“The rest of us have a responsibility, I mean, these are the people who built our community,” said Roth.

They broke up the town into 8 regions, and by next year each region will have its own Project Independence office. Right now, any senior can dial the town’s 311 call center, and register for the program. Fully computerized, the operator then enters the caller’s address to find out what services they are able to have at this time. These operators are trained by social workers to distinguish exactly what the caller may need.

The town is partnered with local not for profits, hospitals, and universities that will provide in home nurses, handyman services, social workers, and their newest addition: a free taxi ride to go shopping.

In just a month’s time, the town has received over 50 calls from seniors seeking free taxi rides. The service, which is contracted by Delux Transportation in Port Washington and Taxi Hispanico in Westbury, is practical not only to the seniors but the taxi services as well.

Andrea Major of Delux Transportation, says this was a no-brainer for her company.

“I’ve been here 37 years and this is the first time that the town has reached out to the private sector. We already have the drivers, the vehicles, the insurance, all they have to do is give me the customers and we’re good to go,” said Major.

Major says she’s already heard a great reaction from the newest addition to the program. Her mother’s 84-year old friend is among the many no longer able to drive.

“It’s not that she couldn’t get someone else to do it, but it’s the fact of getting out of the house,” Major said.

That seems to be the echoing sentiment among seniors in the community. Maureen Droge, Executive Director of the Westbury Senior Center, says that her members seem overjoyed about the program.

“To be able to age while still being a part of your own community is a wonderful thing,” said Droge

Supervisor Kaiman cited one woman who wrote a letter to President Obama about how positively Project Independence has affected her.

“She said this is the first time she feels like she’s part of a community. She doesn’t feel like she’s all alone anymore because of this program. And not only is she part of a community, but her government is part of that community with her,” Kaiman explained.

For now, Kaiman says responses from not only seniors but also their caregivers and the entire community has been extraordinary. In five short years this program has expanded, and the goal of officials like Roth and Kaiman is to fill in gaps where they’re needed overtime.

“Little by little we will expand Project Independence into all eight areas of the town,” said Roth, “so that every senior who wants to remain in their homes can do it with maximum independence, self efficiency and safety.”