It was a splendid early afternoonin mid-April when C. ScottVanderhoef, the County Executiveof Rockland, paid a wonderful visitto Hamaspik agency offices inMonsey.

There, the honorable executivelearned first-hand of Hamaspik sup-ports and services for people withdisabilities - one of which turned outto be the star of the moment.

Eliezer Friedrich, though physi-cally handicapped, is a very activeadvocate on behalf of his fellowconsumers. With his energetic mind,and grasp of government and poli-tics, Eliezer serves as a tirelessactivist for all his colleagues. As partof his role, Mr. Friedrich successful-ly maintains friendships with manyofficials and personal who appreci-ate his devotion to assist people inneed.

In short order, the CountyExecutive and Mr. Friedrich wereseen talking like best of friends,together headlining the lavishly pre-

pared tables in Hamaspik's largeconference room at the MonseyHub. Mr. Friedrich then introducedattending office staff to Mr.Vanderhoef.

Indeed, it was a remarkablescene to watch this energetic con-sumer seriously politicizing and dis-cussing important issues subjectswith the chief executive. Among

other themes of importance toHamaspik and people with disabili-ties, they discussed the growingarray of services tailored to the spe-cific needs of people with different

disabilities and health challenges.Mr. Friedrich told the visiting

county leader how fortunate he feels,living with several friendly con-sumers under utmost care andrespect at the "Forshay Briederheim"- one of half a dozen HamaspikCommunity Residences inRockland. It was in the grand diningroom of Forshay, Mr. Friedrich relat-ed, where he recently hosted a lunchin honor of John Faso, the GOPgubernatorial candidate in '06. Thereach of Mr. Friedrich's dynamicadvocacy brought a very positivereaction from the county leader.

Mr. Vanderhoef stronglyadmired Mr. Friedrich's broad acu-men, including his insights aboutgovernment on local, state and fed-eral levels. He was particularlyamazed, seeing Mr. Friedrich'sknack for remembering phone num-bers, as Eliezer pulled out - offhand -a direct contact number of a closeacquaintance to Mr. Vanderhoef.

* * * * ** * * * *I N S I D EI N S I D E

* * * * ** * * * *Alarm ClockIn a Pill? ......................E4

* * * * ** * * * *The Brand New

"Nursing Home andTransition Waiver"......E2

* * * * ** * * * *What's Happening in Your Health Today.......E4

* * * * ** * * * *

Hamaspik Gazette Hamaspik GazetteHamaspik Gazette Hamaspik GazetteHamaspik Gazette Hamaspik GazetteNews of Hamaspik Agencies and General HealthDecember 2005 • Issue No. 24May. 2008 . Issue No. 47

The new set of Hamaspik groupresidences for special girls inBorough Park is inching forward ona steady pace, just recently winningthe green-light of Community Board12 to go ahead with the project.

Hamaspik, as you will recallfrom early winter, purchased a sig-nificant 3 story house, a traditionalyet attractive Brownstone building,

located at 1115 38th street, between12th and Ft. Hamilton avenues, to beconverted into separate IRA commu-nity residences for 2 groups for spe-cial needs girls.

Both group-homes will have itsown set of full accommodations andcomplete furnishings for the con-sumers, including kitchen, dinette,dining room and recreational areas,

says Mr. Joel Freund, ExecutiveDirector of Hamaspik of KingsCounty.

The long journey of such a com-plex project finds Hamaspik advanc-

ing, slowly but steady, one step inthe process, then another, one ofwhich is the official approval formthe local Community Board. This,after the wholehearted support and

devotion from thehonorable WolfSender, longtimeDistrict Managerof CB12.

As of today,the Hamaspik net-work of agenciesis featuring morethan a dozen resi-dences for specialconsumers in theheart of their localcommunity.

HAMASPIK GAZETTEPublished and © Copyright May 2008 by:HAMASPIK 58 Rt. 59 Suite 1 Monsey NY 10952Telephone: (845) 503-0212 / Fax (845) 503-1212

Non Profit Org.US PostagePAID

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ROCKLAND JOURNAL:

County Executive Scott Vanderhoef, Visiting Hamaspik Offices, Honors Special Consumer

Lively Discussion of Voting Access for Disabled

Hamaspik Group-Home Project in BoroughPark Wins "Community Board 12" Approval

Continued on Page E2

E2 May '08 | Hamaspik Gazette

Project VOTEMr. Friedrich brought up the

issue of limited wheelchair access atvoting booths, stressing the chal-lenge of people with limited abilitiesto cast their vote. If all citizens withdisabilities would be given an equalopportunity to vote, Mr. Friedrichexplained, their voices would be lis-tened to more closely with very pos-itive results.

Mr. Vanderhoef appreciated Mr.Friedrich for bringing up this issue,asserting that New York State offi-cials as well as the JusticeDepartment in Washington are con-stantly seeking solutions to improvevoter accessibility. The procedure ofreforming the voting system is tak-ing longer than expected. However,said Vanderhouf, wheelchair accesswill be implemented sooner thanmany expect.

The issue of voter accessibilityis dear to Mr. Friedrich, who is head-ing the Hamaspik "Project VOTE"and will thus lead a major votingdrive amongst hundreds ofHamaspik consumers, staff, andtheir respective family members,urging everyone to exercise theirfreedom to vote and actively partakein the elections this season. Heexpressed optimism that the refor-mation of the voting system willalready be in place by then, so thatthe disabled consumers shall easilycast their vote to elect the nextPresident of the United States andother government officials.

Ready to AssistMr. Vanderhoef thanked

Hamaspik for their vital role in help-ing so many individuals of all ages,in group homes, family care or otheralternative settings and, of course, in

the comfort of their own home. In sodoing, Hamaspik serves an example,locally and statewide, of how anagency for health and human servic-es should perform.

Turning his attention to Mr.Friedrich, Mr. Vanderhoef expressedhis gratitude for his advocacy anddevotion. He assured Mr. Friedrichthat he will keep him informed aboutimportant County developmentsconcerning him and the general dis-abled population.

In conclusion, Mr. Vanderhoefthanked Hamaspik for arranging thisimportant meeting and committed

himself to be of assistance to theagency in their effort to provide con-tinuing services and expand its pro-grams. He then mentioned some ofHamaspik's useful programs whichhave a positive impact on the greatercommunity, such as the full service"Early Intervention" program withHamaspik's in-house therapists,"Pace" aides - for senior citizenand/or physically limited persons,"Access to Home" - which renovatesthe home of the disabled, etc.

"This is merely the commence-ment of a positive associationbetween Hamaspik consumers and

Rockland County", Mr. Vanderhoefconcluded with enthusiasm as Mr.

Friedrich and Hamaspik staff warm-ly applauded.

ROCKLAND JOURNAL:

County Executive Scott Vanderhoef, Visiting Hamaspik Offices, Honors Special Consumer

Lively Discussion of Voting Access for DisabledContinued from Page 1

E3Hamaspik Gazette | May '08

A WAKE UP PILL? There is a new "Wake Up on

Time" pill developed by CathyBeggan, New Jersey, because of herown need to wake up, instead ofsnoozing six times, and to be morealert in the mornings. She used totake a special blend of herbs andvitamins in the morning, and it gaveher energy through the day.

Beggan consulted with chemistsand developed a special coating todelay the release of the pill's ingredi-ents for five to seven hours, aboutthe average night of sleep for anAmerican. She concocted a blend ofenergy-boosting B-vitamins, guar-ana seed extract, riboflavin andniacin. She claims that after 7 hoursof sleep she wakes up without analarm clock and has energy that adrink of coffee may be too much.However, Dr. Gary Zammit, directorof the Sleep Disorder Institute inManhattan and clinical associateprofessor at Columbia University,says "I don't know of anything thatindicates that these ingredients arehelpful in improving daytime func-tion when taken at night."

Wake Up on Time ($29.95 for 40pills) is currently available at WallMart. It will be in all major retailoutlets by August.

HEALTH VIOLATIONS, AREVENUE SOURCE

In 1982, there were 200 out-breaks linked to tainted foods. In2006, the most recent year for com-plete statistics, there were only 85.Regardless, violations of safety stan-dards in public eateries are still soprevalent that Suffolk County col-lects $300 million annually in fines.

David Graham of the SuffolkCounty Health Department agreedthat problems with tainted foods aredeclining. But outbreaks and safetyviolations at restaurants and otherfood establishments remain publichealth realities.

A DOCTOR AND CLINICAT... YOUR OFFICE

American employers are offer-ing wellness coaching to employeesat on-site clinics, discovering a waythey can save money they spend onhealth insurance and boost employeeproductivity. Large employers --from financial firms to health-carecompanies -- have on-site clinics,offering everything from primarycare to travel medicine and nutritioncounseling, through staff of physi-cians, nurse practitioners, registerednurses including specialists, such asnutritionists. Some also offer phar-macy services.

With the average cost of provid-ing health care to an employee at

about $10,000 a year, businesses cansee big savings fast by offering one-stop health-and-wellness shops.David Beech, a senior health-man-agement consultant at HewittAssociates Inc., said a clinic servingabout 1,000 employees -- usuallyconsidered the minimum number forcritical mass -- can expect to makehard-dollar savings of $70,000 in thefirst year, mainly because of fewervisits to the emergency room andself-referrals to outside specialists.These savings can rise to $250,000annually by the third year when pre-ventive savings kick in. Productivityalso gets a boost because workersspend more time on the job.

Because of employees' concernsabout privacy, clinics typically arerun by outside parties.

THIRD DEGREE FAULT

In papers filed in theMassachusetts state court, a plaintiffcharges that a Petsmart in Warwick,Rhode Island, in March 2005 sold aseverely infected hamster to awoman [not named in the suit.] Thatwoman later died of stroke and herliver was implanted in the plaintiff'shusband. A month later, he died ofthe same hamster-based infection.

Two other people who receivedorgans from the same woman diedand one became seriously ill, the suitsays.

SAFETY AT WORK

The House and Senate laborcommittees are calling for tighterregulations on hazards such as flam-mable dust and more protectionunder official law for workers in theoil, gas and food-processing indus-tries, while the Occupational Safetyand Health Administration (OSHA)prefers to seek voluntary compliancefrom employers on safety goalsrather than establishing new manda-tory regulations.

OSHA says it has exceeded its

inspection goals in each of the pasttwo years, and that recent declines inthe rates of reported workplaceinjuries and illnesses, including a17% reduction since 2002, indicateits success.

BILL TO SUSPEND MEDICAID PAY CUTS

The House Energy andCommerce Committee's health panelunanimously passed a bill, whichwould put a moratorium on sevenrules that, among other things,would end federal payments forphysician training and transportationof Medicaid-eligible children toschool. Congress put some of therules on hold last year; that morato-rium expires June 30. The new legis-lation would hold the rules inabeyance until April 1, 2009.

The push to stop the rules hassupport from all of the nation's gov-ernors, who already face budgetcrunches because of declining rev-enue: more than half the states pre-dict budget deficits for next year.Medicaid accounts for 20% or moreof state spending, and the number ofenrollees tends to rise when theeconomy slows.

The Congressional BudgetOffice has estimated the rules wouldsave the federal government $1.65billion for fiscal 2008 and 2009. Inthe current fiscal year, federal gov-ernment will pay $196 billion ofMedicaid's $345.6 billion.

HANDS-ONLY "C. P. R."

According to new guidelinesfrom the American HeartAssociation, lives can be savedthrough chest-compression - thehands-only portion of CPR - avoid-ing the need for mouth-to-mouthventilation for adults who have col-lapsed. The heart association issuedthe statement after concluding thathand compressions can sustain lifeuntil emergency personnel arrives.

An estimated 310,000 adults inthe United States die each year fromsudden cardiac arrest, occurring out-side a hospital or emergency room.Without immediate, effective CPR, aperson's chance of survivingdecreases 7 percent to 10 percent perminute. With the new guidelines,"We may be able to double or triplethe number of people who survive,"said Dr. Akram Boutros, chiefadministrative officer at St. FrancisHeart Hospital in Roslyn.

MADE IN THE U.S.,APPROVED IN RUSSIA

Russia's health authorityapproved Oncophage, a new drug tohelp stem the growth of cancer cellsin kidneys.

Traditional cancer treatmentskill both cancerous and normal cells.But after many years of setbacks,research in therapeutic cancer vac-cines is starting to show promisingresults and attract the investments oflarge pharmaceutical firms, but thefield remains risky and so far, nodrugs have been approved for use inthe States.

Oncophage, therefore, as one aofa new class of anti-cancer agents,has not met the stringent tresh-holdsof U.S. regulations, so the drug'sdeveloper, Antigenics, took its caseto Moscow.

US FIRM IN RUSSIANPHARMACEUTICALS

MARKET

Speaking of Mother Russia -TPG, the U.S. leveraged-buyoutgiant, paid $800 million to buy amajority stake in SIA InternationalLtd., the largest pharmaceutical dis-tributor in Russia. The deal isnotable because TPG is paying cashfor the stake, rather than borrowingmuch of the money, and it's thelargest private-equity transactionever in Russia

SIA, which had revenue of $2.7

billion last year and has 15,500employees, distributes almost aquarter of all the pharmaceuticalssold in Russia.

FISH OIL IS BRAIN BOOST

Researchers at AberdeenUniversity in the UK found thatsome older people whose diets arehigh in omega-3 oils do better inmental tests than those without theoils in their diets. In other words: theoils can reduce the risk of develop-ing Alzheimer's.

Omega-3 oils are found in nuts,seeds and oily fish like salmon.

PHYSICIANS SUPPORTNATIONALIZING HEALTH

INSURANCE

Approximately 59% of U.S.physicians support legislation thatwould establish a national healthinsurance program, and 32% opposesuch a system, according to a surveyby the Indiana University School ofMedicine.

Back in 2002, a survey foundthat 49% of physicians supportednational health insurance and fortypercent opposed it.

For the current poll, the authorssurveyed more than 2,000 physi-cians, which researches say reflectsthe opinion of the nation's 800,000physicians.

TREXIMET APPROVALFOR MIGRAINE

The U.S. Food and DrugAdministration has approvedGlaxoSmithKline’s migraine pillTreximet. Treximet is a follow-onproduct for Glaxo's migraine drugImitrex which will lose its patentprotection in 2009.

Other pills to lose patent areLamictal for epilepsy and Requip forParkinson's disease and restless-legsyndrome, and Imitrex formigraines. Glaxo has sought regula-tory approval for modified versionsof all three.

JOHNSON & JOHNSON UP40%

Health products maker Johnson& Johnson reported a 40 percentjump in first-quarter profit, mainlydue to the weak dollar boosting for-eign revenues and a charge thatdepressed results a year ago.

The world's No. 6 pharmaceuti-cal company based in NJ reportednet income of $3.6 billion, for thefirst three months of the year, upfrom $2.57 billion a year ago.Revenues rose 7.7 percent to $16.19billion from $15.04 billion a yearearlier.

E4 May '08 | Hamaspik Gazette

So, What's Happening in Your Health Today...?

Hamaspik Gazette© 2003-2008 All Rights ReservedPublished Monthly by "Hamaspik"Distributed free.USPS Presorted Non-profit Mail.Postmaster: Return service requested.

President Executive Director Managing Editor Contributing Writers & EditorsHershel Weiss Meyer Wertheimer Isaac Schnitzler Shaya Rothbard

A. J. M.Joseph LandauJoseph Gestetner

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