Healthy Aging Podcast

Health Care Proxies: Why Are They Vital? Insights from Providers

Christine Cernak, RN, BBA, MPH She received her Diploma in Nursing from the Christ Hospital School of Nursing, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business and a Master of Public Health from the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health & Health Sciences in Amherst.
Professionally Christine has practiced Medical-Surgical and Hematology-Oncology nursing in the Acute Care setting, home infusion therapy nursing and chronic disease self-management support and education.
Christine enjoys leading complex health and social needs care management teams within Southcoast Provider Group, Hospital Group and Health Network. She also focuses on the integration of a variety of community organization services and supports for people receiving care within Southcoast Health System.
Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Surgical Precision with Heart: Navigating Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Dr. Iraklis Gerogiannis, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Southcoast Health, shares insightful information on cardiovascular surgery prevention, and the peace of mind you should have about Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and other procedures that have been around for many years. The longer a surgery or procedure has been around the longer the medical community has been able to modify, perfect, and reduce risks. Modern medicine can help those who have been dealt defective genes, who have a heart disease, or diabetes. But you have to ask for the help. You need to see your doctor regularly. You wouldn’t miss your mammogram so don’t miss your annual check-up with your primary doctor because they screen for risk factors and can see differences from year to year in your tests.
 
Hear from Terri Monteiro, a patient who was referred to Dr. G after having trouble breathing going uphill at a concert. It turned out she had blockages and Dr. G was just the surgeon to fix this issue. Terri is grateful for the way he and his staff treated Terri and supported her family through a scary time. Terri had ignored some of the warning signs thinking they were due to menopause. Dr. G confirmed in the past the medical community would do the same. They started to notice men get the classic “Hollywood” symptoms we see in the movies while women’s symptoms are more subtle. Women’s focus is on breast cancer and early detection when maybe it should be shifted to heart disease and the subtle symptoms women can expect. This is also the reason we lose more women to heart disease than men. Tune in to the full episode to learn More!
Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Bariatric Surgery: A Head Start On Your Weight Loss Journey

Who is the appropriate patient to entertain Gastric Bypass or a sleeve Gastronomy? Dr. Huaco joined us to explain the appropriate patients that he would recommend this surgery to. One of the most obvious reasons is if you are obese. But Dr. Huaco broke down what obesity means and at what point could this be an option. He’s very careful to point out that this is not just because someone eats too much. there are many factors that play into how we gain weight like hormones, environmental factors, and genes. He does warn there’s work to be done after the surgery like
Maintain Diet restrictions
Protein, low sugar, low carbs
Exercise
Adequate hydration
His patient Darlene Boutin shared her experience from 2019. She was transparent that it has been work but she’s so thankful to have had the surgery. She also helps bariatric patients pre and post-op! She loves the success stories and they both love supporting struggling patients because they know the impact the weight loss has on someone's life. Darlene takes advantage of all the support and encourages patients to…
Go the the nurse education workshops
Attend follow-up appointments
Go to nutritional appointments
Get labs done when needed
And join the support groups
And nowadays the surgery is done laparoscopically, led by Dr. Huaco’s knowledge. This makes post-op recovery quick without the large scars of the past. If you have considered this procedure in the past it may be time to listen in and get all the details of what to expect.
Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Authentic Conversations: Fostering Honesty and Openness in Your Doctor’s Office

It is so important we set examples for our children. In business, family life, self-care, sleep, hygiene, and of course diet and exercise. Dr. Stephen Finney specifically points out normalizing eating and exercising. Dr. Finney realizes some people don’t grow up with that example.
He ensures each patient who enters his office feels comfortable enough to open up to him so that he can customize a care plan according to each patient's needs. He wants to treat his patients (young and aging) as a whole not just the primary reason for the visit. He wants to get to the root cause of the need for medication and possibly find an alternative such as meditation. Dr. Finney also shares his stance on vaccines and their place in medicine.
His patient, Tim Hughes, feels very comfortable talking to Dr. Finney about anything. Honesty is so important in your care especially if you are currently on any medications. He trusts Dr. Finney and his advice on how to stay active and be aware of his diet.
Resource for patients about healthy eating click here 
Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Bouncing Back: The Patient Experience and Dr. Chung’s Expert Insights on Breast Cancer

Is there a cure? No, but Dr. Chung shares very encouraging insights that one day we can view this more as a disease than breast cancer. It's highly detectable and treatable these days. Doctors now have computers that assist and calculate and the field is looking into AI to help them more quickly detect and pinpoint treatment for breast cancer.
Susan Nordest, a patient of Dr. Chungs, shares her experience. When Susan got the call back on her mammogram, she expected the best-case scenario. Susan was surprised to find out it was breast cancer. She was given her options and took action. Dr. Chung prides herself in communication and letting patients know what to expect beforehand, and Susan agrees that is the care she received. Hear how Susan is doing now and what’s ahead for Breast Cancer.
Learn More at Southcoast.org.

Sports Medicine: A Doctor for All Joints

Sports Medicine Doctors are not just for professional, college, and high school athletes. Did you know they even help people with arthritis and occupational injuries? A Sports Medicine Doctor is for ALL joints and all ages! As we age the actual collagen we produce changes. Sports Medicine Doctors can offer a nonsurgical approach to musculoskeletal conditions. Most commonly Dr. Ponti sees…
Younger Athletes: Ankle injuries, ACL, and rotator cuff injuries
Middle-Aged Population: Overuse injury from sports, repetitive motion at work, or caring for a a loved one
Mature Population: Arthritis
Dr. Ponti discusses anti-inflammatory medicine, foods, and injectable therapies. He also suggests staying away from processed foods boxed, bagged, or wrapped to reduce inflammation. Dr. Ponti explains a minimally invasive solution using needling by way of ultrasound to break up scar tissue.
Dr. Ponti is careful to encourage his patients to train for current goals instead of what they used to be able to do.
Learn More at Southcoast.org

Is a Stroke Like a Heart Attack? An Inside View with Dr. Sacchetti

A stroke, in its simplest explanation, is impaired blood flow to the brain. A heart attack is impaired blood flow to the heart. Did you know there are three types of strokes? In this episode, Dr. Sacchetti sat down and explained all aspects of stroke, the 5th most common cause of death in the U.S. and 2nd worldwide.
Dr. Sacchetti explained modifiable aspects of our lives, that we control, to help us reduce the risk of stroke. He went on to share signs of a stroke, the biggest one being an "all the sudden" change be it slurred speech, impaired vision on one side of the field of vision, difficulty walking or balancing, or tingling sensations. Dr. Sacchetti stressed the importance of getting to the hospital in time to receive therapies available as they have limited windows in which they are effective. That being said there are encouraging studies coming out with neuroprotective agents that will lengthen those windows allowing care. 
Learn More at Southcoast.org

Urology and Pelvic Floor More Than Your Core Health

Is a Urologist just for women? Once you hear this episode you will know why a woman, man, and even pediatric patients are under Dr. Didi Theva's care. A Urologist cares for all the pelvic floor space including the organs in that area of the body, including the urinary tract.  She explained the care she can provide and the frequent diagnoses that brings patients to her.   Southcoast uses the DaVinci robot allowing minimal invasion and precision. Times have changed and this procedure does not come with the pain and recovery it used to. 
Noreen Obin was a patient referred to Dr. Theva after she told her primary Dr. that she had a prolapsed bladder.  You see Noreen is a hairdresser and spends long hours on her feet which heightens symptoms.  After her surgery she was relieved to realize thoughts of her bladder were no longer consuming her. She was hesitant to have the surgery but was relieved when she woke to no pain and basically immediate relief.  Dr. Theva explained that it's an adjustment of anatomy and that's why patients experience immediate relief. 
Learn More at Southcoast.org

There’s No Free Lunch: Diabetes-The Myths, Diagnosis & Management

Everything you need to know about diabetes was covered in this episode with Dr. Eil and his patient, whom he's treated for 20+ years,  John McGlynn. Dr. Eli pointed out the difference between type I diabetes, being a deficiency in insulin, and type II where the body is still making insulin just not enough and not using it effectively. Dr. Eil & John discussed symptoms and the diagnosis options.
While Dr. Eil pointed out there is no cure for Type I diabetes, there is research being done and he explained multiple options to manage diabetes.  He explained the different types of insulin and methods of getting it into the body. There is encouraging news with Type II in that diet and weight loss can really help even reverse Type II diabetes! The newest thing, he talked about was the bionic pancreas! It was so cool to hear how it works! Dr. Eil also explained the first three things he does with his patients to set up a management plan.
While John admits he's not the perfect patient when it comes to diet, he enjoys being treated by Dr. Eil.  He has learned to go brown with rice and bread and to enjoy a sweet potato here and there. And when his prescription prices skyrocketed, Dr. Eil was able to offer a less expensive options.  If you or someone you know has diabetes then this is an episode you don't want to miss!
Learn More at Southcoast.org
 

Empowering the Birth and Labor Journey In the Hands of Midwives

When Sarah Dexter, heard a loud pop, she knew her water broke.  Her son, Prince, was on his way and fast.   When Sarah saw Christine Pereira, CNM at Southcoast Health, Sarah knew everything was going to be ok despite labor pain suggesting otherwise. 
Christine Pereira and Sarah Dexter shared their journey as Christine provided prenatal care to Sarah. Sarah was educated on all the pre and post-natal services available to expecting mothers. She was never made to feel like just another patient.  Click on the link below to see baby Prince.
What is the difference between the RN (registered nurse), CNM (certified nurse midwife), and the OBGYN? They all have vital roles in successfully adding a baby to the world. Being a CNM, Christine explained her role more specifically and what to expect from Southcoast Health before and after baby. 
Picture of mother Sarah Dexter and her son Prince (5mo in this pic)
Learn More at Southcoast.org