Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Jan. 12, 2006, edition 1 / Page 9
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Roundtable invites community to discuss issues BY SANDRA ISLEY THE CHRONICLE Local issues such as housing, schools, drugs anil racism will be poudered next week dunng the Black leadership Kounduiblc's umiml Stale ul African Americans in Winston Salem Eursyth County forum Organizers say the loruin will he open-ended, allowing anyone in attendance to present any issue that he or she w ould like "Anybody can bnng any thing that they leel like they want to tiring This is the one time we're i Kit going to worry about yoor grammar We're not going to worn about dangling parucipies," said State Rep I-anVTVnqiblc, a co-convener of the Roun&taNe "We want to hear the essence of what's on your he^A" The theme of this year's lorum is 'The Community Speaks." It will be held Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Head Sum Center 011 East End Boulevard. On the agenda will be the dis cussion of the new voting machines that w ill be used in this year's elections. Co-convener I inda Sutton w ants to make sure that everybody will be educated on how to use the new voting machines. "One of the major issues will be trying to make sure that our right lo vote is guaranteed and making sure our votes are counted and ptxipioare educated, especial ly senior citizens that don't know how to use the new equipment," said Sutton, a well known local x oting rights activist. 'They're not computer sa\ vy, so that's going lo he a big issue " There are man) other issues thai Womble hopes will be addressed. One issue is the lack of economic grow th in East Winston. As he handed out fliers iuiiKMincing the meeting, Womble said he w as approached by a man w ho w anted to know w hat was going to be done about the mini mum wage. "Only $5.15 an hour - a per son cannot live on that kint) of salary Those are slaver) time salaries. You can't advance," Womble said. He encouraged the man to bring the issue before the RoundtaMe and let the group see what it could do about it. Another issue centered around economic growth is the lack of quality businesses moving iijto Mack communities. Womble says man) have complained about there being Ux> many hot dog and burger stands. People want to see more sit-down restaurants move into the area. Others complained about scarcity of jobs and lack of promo tions once they get a job. I ik PtKHn Roundtable leader Linda Sutton speaks during one of the organization's most recent news conferences. .These are all issues that the Roundtable wants to hear about VVomble called the Roundtable a group of action. In the past, the group has addressed complaints from residents via protests and other pro-active meanires. "We don't have to answer to any boards. We don't have to answer to any rules and regula tions We don't have to answer to a whole lot of bureaucracy . . We can act on things in a quick and effective way," Womble said. A few years ago, the Roundtable w as the only African American organization to call for the city manager to hire an African-American police chief. Roundtable members argued that a black chief could better bridge the gap betw een law enforcement and the black community. A few da) s .dk'i iln Koundtahlc in.uk lis declaration. I'al Slims was named the cil\ '$ first black police chiel "Our population is -16 percent Uack. and we want our I '< dice Department to tuinur thai. so we knew thai an African American police chiel would be sensitive h> thai." Sutton said. "She is slnmg enough, and she has the knowl edge, the abilit). the tenure and everything else to do the job " ^ The gniup also was instru mental ui gelling City Hall to expand New Evergreen ( enieten , a historic Mack grave) ard in East W inston, and implement an ordi nance limiting the use cC pepper spra> b> police officers. The >, Koundtahlc addressed the pepper spra) issue alter there were fatal conscquenccs fur a local person sprayed with it. Members of the public are invited to come out and air what ever grie\ances they may have. For more information abiltil the meeting, call 776-2404 or 7X4 9373. ' wssu /r< >m pox* AS of (i uil lord Count) , Moure fount) Department t>f Social Services; and the Atlanta Regional ( \ >1111111 s sion - Area Agency on Agiug, Adult Da\ I'rogram Gerontology is no longer the field to enter in the luturc . The need for aging services professionals is a current con cern, particular!) with the large number of bab\ boomers approaching retirement. *The oldest bab\ J* vomers reached age 6() on Jan I, 2(K)6 A variet) of career paths are available in the aging field, including personal, care assistant, administrator, pro gram director, activity coordi nator, ombudsman, advocate and educator. For more information on the gerontology program at Winston-Salem State University, contact Dr. Althea Taylor-Jones, program coor dinator, by voicemail at (336) 750-3231 or by e-mail at lay I or jones (? wssu.edu. Hispanics from page A8 published report, in Community, Work, and Family (August, 2005), Grzywacz sought to bring .Ihc "voices, needs and experi ences" of migrant workers to the PTSD from page A8 experience thai he or she devel ops PTSD. In addition, females, people who have other psycho logical illnesses or a family histo ry of mental disorders, and people who experienced their ow n trau ma, such as the recent loss of a loved one, may be especially vul nerable to the condition. How to recognize PTSD PTSD can manifest in a vari ety of ways. Its symptoms often appear within weeks of the trau matic event and may persist for ila\ s, months, or even years. These symptoms may be fright ening and disabling, affecting all aspects of a person's life. . V ictims of PTSD often expe rience panic attacks - sudden feelings of extreme anxiety dur ing w hich their heart rate increas es and breathing becon^s more rapid (hyperventilation). During panic attacks, it is common for the person to feel as if he or she were dying or losing control, or to feci dizzy or unsteady. Panic attacks usually last only a few minutes, but sometimes last for 20 minutes or more. A person with PTSD often experiences flashbacks, or vivid recollections of the traumatic event. Flashbacks may cause severe emotional stress that can often result in further injur). He or she may momentarily lose touch with reality, reliving that event in his or her mind. During the flashback, the person experi ences the same sort of fear, anxi ety, and horror that he or she felt during the actual event. The distress can often leave the person feeling numb and detached from others. It may prove difficult to express normal, everyday emotions and feelings toward " other* people. Relationships may be damaged if people with. PTSD cut themselves 0$ from the rest of the world: And too frequently, alcohol or drugs may be used to numb their pain. This psychological distress can also result in other anxiety ?? related symptoms I-'or example, the person may have difficulty sleeping due to feelings of rest lessness or even recurrent night mares. I-eelings of irritability, anger, or guilt - especially sur vivor's guilt - can interrupt nor mal functioning and have a nega tive impact on one's well-being The person may feel especially vulnerable and possibly paranoid, fearing that his or her life might be in danger. For children, school perform ance may suffer from difficulty concentrating, and for adults, inability to concentrate may result in poor job performance Finally, the person with PTSD may devel op major depressiv e symptoms. What treatments are available? t> Treatment lor PTSD is two pronged: it involves both therapy and medication- Cognitive behavioral therapy by trained psychologists or therapists can teach the person how to cope with the ' trauma-induced stress. RX froti j page A8 results in December to the World Health Organization. During the project, furberg said .he was struck by proven methods to reduce costs that could be put to use in this country. 'Taking steps to" reduce drug costs doesn't have Jo hamper drug development, as drug makers claim," Furberg said. "Adapting policies and tools already in wide spread use around the world could produce major savings for U.S. consumers w ithout compromising the quality of medical care." l urberg said the proven meth ods being used in other countries are: * / Government establishment of drug reimbursement rates. The I 'nited States is the only, country with open, essentially unrestricted pricing. A dnig maker can set any price that the market can bear, and payer reimbursement rates are based on this price. In all other countries, governments establish drug reimbursement rates based on potential benefit to patients, disease severity, availability of treatment alternatives, numbers of potential users, cost-effectiveness and drug prices in otfier countries. 7. Restrictions on price increas es. While there are no restrictions on price increases in the United States, some other countries restrict increases and regularly review drugs every two to four years af ter initial approval. 7 Mandated price cuts. Countries such as Australia, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom impose mandated price duts. China recently announced plans to cut the average cost of prescription drugs by 40 percent. 2 Reference pricing. In con trast to many high-income coiin tries, the United States has never accepted reference pricing, which sets reimbursement at or near the lowest-price drug within a drug class. 7. Manufacturer rebates. Many countries use -this option, leading to major cost savings. The rebate, amounts arc not openly discussed, as part of the negotiated agree ment. In return for rebates, drug..., companies typically require that health plans limit access to com petitors' drugs. The United States has allowed this ^>n a limited' basis: The departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense have negotiated very favorable Furherg deals with pharmaceu tical companies. X Competitive bid ding. Although com petition may be good for price control, brand-name drugs are shielded from direct competition through patent protection. In the United States, competitive bidding for purchasing con tracts applies mostly to generic drugs. After the patent on a brand; name drug expires, several com panics typically market their less expensive generic versions. "'Something must be done to counteract the cscalating cost of prescription drugs," said l urbet^, who estimates that drug expend! tures could be reduced by 30 per cent to 50 percent by lowering the cost of brand-name drugs and stimulating the use of generic products. I UPPER LEVEL OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF PERSONAL CARE SERVICES INCLUDING:", | ? Supervision | I ? ? v. preparat I ? C ? WE ALSO PROVIDE MANY HOME CARE SERVICES INCLUDING : ? _ turn ?/? HOME( ARf.fr PERSONAL C ARK StRVICtS I.I.t (' ( cv't ^ (? hbVc Now Accepting New Clients Call us today at 336.659.1901 or 877.659.1901 Therapy is highly recommended and helps the person come to grips with both tiff traumatic event and the anxiety symptoms Behavioral activities such as exercising, eating a healthy diet, and choosing relaxing activities like meditation or yoga relieve sfress and therefore may help in the healing process. Medications, including anti depressants and anti-anxiety: drugs, may also be prescribed cither short-term or long-term Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; (SSRIs) are often cho sen as the first-line treatment because they maintain healthy levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is associated with feeling stable; low levels of serotonin can result in feelings of apathy , depression, and anxiety Only a doctor can dccidc which medication is appropriate and prescribe it. Seeking professional assis tance from a therapist or trained crisis counselor as early as possi ble alter experiencing trauma may help to prevent PTSD from occurring in the first place. Crisis counselors can help identify stress triggers and help the person cope before the situation becomes unmanageable. Cognitive-behav ioral therapy has also proven to be especially useful for address ing stress and anxiety early on With the help of your doctor and therapist, FTSD is not only treatable; it is preventable. Remember, knowledge is power, but it is what you do with it that makes all the difference! - Contribution by Jaimie Hunter, MPH For more information about the Maya Angelou Research Cenf&r on Minority Health, visit our Web site at http://www.wfiibriu?du/fhinority health. Or, for health information, call (336) 713-7578. attention of work-family scholars The article included this inten iew with a migrant farm .worker "I left Mexico when my older son was 1 year old I alway s tell my friends how bad it hurts doing Quit. I feel sad when I remember my son in Mexico because my wife and I arc eating meat here and maybe he is only eating beans and rice thcTe 'This is ven upsetting to me I talk to him every two weeks or once a month Once I asked him w hat he would like for me to get him, and, he told me that the only thing he wanted was lor us to come back to Mexico. This broke my heart because he is a child and he needs his parents w ith him." Grzywacz said the study results suggest that agencies and professionals who work with migrant workers should focus on ways to enhance communication between migrants and their fami lies as one w ay to meet the mental health needs of Latinos, lor example, placing public tele phones in rural areas would allow workers to talk to their families more frequently. Co- researchers were Siira A. Quandt Ph.D., Thomas A. Arcury, Ph.D , ;ind Antonio Marin, M.D., all with Wake Forest Baptist. Puzzled by the changes in Medicare? PARTNERS Medicare plans make your health care benefits simple. Monday, January 16 10:30 a.m. Golden Corral 180 Hanes Mall Circle Winston Salem (I-40 to Stratford Road to Hanes Mall) Thursday, January 26 3:00 p.m. Golden Corral 4965 University Pkwy Winston Salem (Silas Creek Pkwy to University Pkwy) PARTNERS# Medicare ? More coverage than Original Medicare alone NEW! * Health care benefits and the new Medicare prescription drug coverage in ONE plan ? 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TM Mark of PARTNERS National Health Plans of North Carolina, Inc. *With no obligation CMS .4002 .2151 - A9/0S* BRING THIS COUPON to one of the meetings showo^Ve and exchange it for a FREE GIFT*, compliments of PARTNERS. - Or, MAIL THIS COUPON to receive FREE INFORMATION by mail, with no oration A Sales Representative May Contact You by Phone. Name Address 1 . . City ST NC Zip Date of Birth / / ? Male ? Female Phone ( J Email Address ? Mail to: PARTNERS, P.O. Box 17509, Winston-Salem. NX. 27199-3776
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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