Home Health Care for Children with Cerebral Palsy

(HAUPPAUGE, NY) – Gabe DaCosta, 10 (below), is happily watching one of his favorite movies, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. For good measure, he also holds the book of the same name on his lap.

“He doesn’t just watch movies, he wants to learn everything about them,” says Gabe’s mom Savine DaCosta, describing her good-natured son. “The best thing of all is that his home health care nurses understand his likes and dislikes, and go the extra mile to make him happy.”

Gabe is one of an estimated 764,000 children and adults in the United States who have cerebral palsy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions, such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking.

Gabe DaCosta, 10, who has cerebral palsy, is pictured with his home care nurse John Bowen, RN

Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain. This usually occurs during pregnancy, childbirth, or early childhood (up to about age three).

There are several different types of cerebral palsy, including:

• Spastic: characterized by muscle stiffness and permanent contractions
• Athetoid or dyskinetic: characterized by uncontrolled, slow, writhing movements
• Ataxic: characterized by poor coordination and balance

According to the National Institutes of Health, there is no cure for the developmental brain damage that causes cerebral palsy. However, the goal of treatment is to help the person be as independent as possible. Home health care can be a beneficial part of a team approach to treatment that includes primary care doctors; physician specialists in neurology, pulmonology, and gastroenterology; dentists; social workers; nurses, and occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech language pathologists.

Specially trained home health care nurses can improve and maintain muscle function and coordination, encourage healthy nutrition, and monitor and treat the physical symptoms that may accompany the disorder.

For Gabe, even though he has the use of his arms and legs, spasticity causes a lack of coordination, making movement difficult. His home health care nurses perform range of motion and strengthening exercises, and help him get around using a special wheelchair. His nurses also monitor his fragile respiratory system and provide care for the feeding tube he relies on to prevent severe reflux and take in the calories he needs to thrive.

“At first I was scared. I didn’t think anyone could care for my child better than I could,” shared DaCosta. “But I soon realized that the nurses had special training to deal with all sorts of situations, especially when Gabe stopped breathing. They knew exactly what to do.”

Nurses from BAYADA Pediatrics undergo special age and diagnosis-specific training to care for children with mild to severe symptoms of the disorder, according to BAYADA Director of Pediatric Clinical Operations Kathy Pfeiffer, BSN, RN.

BAYADA provides the following services for children with cerebral palsy:

• Enteral (tube) feeding and feeding tube care
• Tracheostomy and ventilator care
• Care during and after seizures
• Respiratory care
• Assistance with toileting
• Therapeutic play, range of motion, and strengthening exercises
• Assistance with ambulation, including help with a wheelchair, walker, or other assistive devices
• Assistance with verbalization and communication devices
• One-on-one care at school, including transportation to and from school, and field trips

In addition, Pfeiffer says, the following may help with communication, learning, and mobility:

• Computer devices to enhance language and communication skills
• Glasses
• Hearing aides
• Braces and splints to assist with mobility of extremities
• Walkers and gait trainers
• Wheelchairs

“Gabe’s nurses have taught our family so much,” said DaCosta. “They helped us understand cerebral palsy and get the support we needed. They have become an active partner in Gabe’s care.”

Founded in 1975 by J. Mark Baiada, BAYADA Home Health Care provides nursing, rehabilitative, therapeutic, hospice, and assistive care services to children, adults, and seniors in the comfort of their homes. Headquartered in suburban Philadelphia, BAYADA employs more than 18,000 nurses, home health aides, therapists, medical social workers, and other home health care professionals who serve their communities in 25 states from more than 250 offices.

For more information about home health care services for children with special needs, call 631-863-3700 or visit www.bayada.com.

TGA Award given to individuals who’ve made significant contributions to the travel goods industry

(Hauppauge, NY) Richard Krulik, CEO of U.S. Luggage, parent company of Hauppauge based Briggs & Riley Travelware and SOLO, has been selected as the 2013 TGA Award winner, the travel goods industry’s ultimate recognition of outstanding professional achievement. The TGA Award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the travel goods industry, the Travel Goods Association, and the community. Mr. Krulik was honored at this 75th Anniversary year for TGA at The Travel Goods Show Awards Ceremony on Thursday, February 28, 2013.

Richard Krulik, Briggs and Riley CEO Wins 2013 TGA Award

Krulik has contributed to the travel goods industry for over 25 years, bringing innovation, leadership and community service to the forefront. Among many new concepts, Krulik introduced “reality engineering” to the industry, referring to the process of designing specifically based on real-world feedback of customers. An avid community supporter and donor, Krulik and the U.S. Luggage family are proud supporters of JDRF, (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund) and have raised more than quarter of a million dollars in donations. Krulik serves as Vice Chair on the Travel Goods Association and sits on the Board of Directors of the Cradle of Aviation, Long Island’s Air and Space Museum.

“I was thrilled to learn that the Awards Committee selected Richard as the recipient of this year’s TGA Award. Between Richard’s leadership at Briggs & Riley, his ongoing commitment and charitable efforts, and his contributions to the travel goods industry, he exemplifies what the TGA Award is all about,” said Michele Marini Pittenger, President, Travel Goods Association.

According to Krulik, the most difficult challenges of the past 10 years in luggage have been adapting to constantly changing airline guidelines, engineering luggage that meets the lightweight needs of the consumer, while maintaining the industry’s highest durability standards that Briggs & Riley holds itself to.

About Briggs & Riley Travelware
Briggs & Riley Travelware is dedicated to building a lifelong relationship with its consumers by fulfilling all of their travel needs. The company’s wide variety of innovative, high-quality luggage and business cases match smart design and exclusive features, with maximum durability and superb value. Briggs & Riley backs all of its products with the best-in-the-industry Simple as that® lifetime performance guarantee, a guarantee that even covers damage caused by an airline. ?Visit briggs-riley.com to view all of our collections and learn about our latest products and store locations. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook; @briggsandriley, Briggs & Riley on Facebook for announcements on specials, promotions and new products.

To present the Dakin Memorial Lecture entitled “From Basic Research to Advanced Antibiotics”

(GARDEN CITY, NY) Adelphi University is proud to announce that Dr.Ada Yonath (Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2009) will present the Dakin Memorial Lecture entitled “From Basic Research to Advanced Antibiotics.” The event is co-sponsored by the Dakin Memorial Lecture Fund and the Department of Chemistry. It is free and open to the public. It will take place on April 29, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom, located in the Ruth S. Harley University Center, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, NY.

A professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) and director of the Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure, Dr. Yonath focuses her studies on deciphering the detailed functions of ribosomes, the cellular factories for the translation of the genetic code to proteins. Additionally, she is currently investigating how antibiotics paralyze bacterial ribosomes and how resistance is acquired by pathogenic bacteria. These studies may well provide insights leading to the development new classes of antibiotic drugs.

Dr. Yonath graduated from Hebrew University, earned a Ph.D. at WIS and did postdoctoral work at Carnegie-Mellon University and MIT. She is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the European Academy of Sciences and Art, the Korean Academy of Sciences and Technology, and the US National Academy of Sciences, among others. She has received honorary doctorates from academic institutions all over the world, including, to name a few, Fujou University (China), the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York University, Oslo University, and Oxford University.

The list of prizes and awards she has received in addition to the Nobel Prize includes the Erice Science for Peace Prize (Vatican), the 1st European Crystallography Prize (Nancy, France), the Israel Prize, the Harvey Prize (Technion, Israel), the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize (Germany), the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize (Columbia, USA), the Rothschild Prize in Life Sciences, the Paul Karrer Gold Medal (Zurich), the Wolf Prize (Israel), the Linus Pauling Medal (Stanford, USA), the L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science, the Albert Einstein World Award of Science (Princeton, USA),, and many others.

The Dakin Memorial Lecture was instituted in 1953 after the College received the scientific library, laboratory, equipment and memorabilia of Dr. Henry Drysdale Dakin. Further gifts from his surviving relatives made possible the Dakin room, which now houses the entire collection. Dakin, gained international fame for developing the life-saving, buffered hypochlorite solution which bears his name. It was first used in World War I for the irrigation of infected wounds.

To learn more about the Dakin Memorial Lecture or the Department of Chemistry, please visit adelphi.edu.

About Adelphi University:
Adelphi is a world-class, modern university with excellent and highly relevant programs where students prepare for lives of active citizenship and professional careers. Through its schools and programs—The College of Arts and Sciences, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Honors College, Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, and the Schools of Nursing and Social Work—the coeducational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,000 students from 43 states and 45 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and its centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University, chartered in 1896, maintains a commitment to liberal studies, in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.

Continues to utilize the theme “Elks Care – Elks Share” as a foundation for their philanthropic efforts

(Long Island, NY) Members of the Huntington Elks Lodge donated over 70 dictionaries to students at Trinity Regional School as part of their philanthropic efforts within the Huntington community. Through philanthropic initiatives like this, the Huntington Elks continue to utilize the theme “Elks Care – Elks Share” as a foundation for their philanthropic efforts.

“We are honored to be able to support our younger generation with their educational initiatives,” said Jack Safarik, former Elks Exalted Ruler. “The excitement, enthusiasm and smiles from the students were absolutely heartwarming. That type of response is a great benefit as we fulfill our commitment to the community.”

Pictured are students from Trinity Regional School with Jack Safarik, former Elks Exalted Ruler and Elks Member Alyssa Nightingale.

About the Elks: The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States is one of the most active fraternal organizations in the world with more than 1 million members in more than 2,000 lodges across the country. Utilizing the theme “Elks Care – Elks Share” as a foundation for their philanthropic efforts, the organization serves people and communities through benevolent initiatives including veterans programs, drug awareness, providing scholarships to our youth and much more. For more information on the Elks, call (646) 504-ELKS (3557).

Legislators, advocacy groups highlight need for aid to local roads

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,WF,I-Huntington Station) today joined a bipartisan group of Senators and Assembly members to call on the governor and Department of Transportation (DOT) to allocate greater funding through the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) directly to municipalities to improve local roads. Lupinacci was joined by officials from the NYS County Highway Superintendents Association (NYSCHSA), NYS Association of Town Superintendents of Highways (NYSAOTSOH), NYS Association of Counties (NYSAC), New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) and the Association of Towns of the State of New York.

“Long Island families pay among the highest taxes in the nation and yet we still continue to experience crumbling roads and bridges,” said Lupiancci. “Giving our local communities greater CHIPS funding isn’t just to make them aesthetically pleasing, but it also reinvigorates our local economy, creates new jobs and makes our communities safer for all. In addition, high-quality roads and bridges allow us to promote economic development to new businesses and encourage already-existing businesses to reinvest in our communities.”

One advocate for greater CHIPS funding is the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

Stephen J. Acquario, Executive Director for NYSAC said, “Increased CHIPS funding is one of the best investments we can make in New York. It will help stimulate the economy by creating new jobs, shore up our critical local highway infrastructure that is used for transporting kids to school, parents to work and home, and goods to retailers and manufacturing facilities across the state. Crumbling roads and bridges reflects neglect, while an increased investment into our local infrastructure reflects a strong commitment to a more prosperous future.”

According to a recent report from the state comptroller’s office, 32 percent of bridges are deficient and 40 percent of roads are rated fair or poor and getting worse in New York State. Forty-eight percent of vehicle travel in the state takes place on local roads, yet less than 12 percent of road maintenance fees go to local upkeep.

“Increasing our funding for local roads reaffirms our commitment to the safety and prosperity of our communities and residents. I hope that the governor and our legislative leaders will take this into account as we continue to discuss the upcoming state budget,” concluded Lupinacci.

Storm which is predicted to bring rain, snow, localized flooding and damaging winds to Long Island

(Long Island, NY) National Grid has taken advance steps to prepare LIPA’s system for an impending storm which is predicted to bring rain, snow, localized flooding and damaging winds to Long Island, with sustained winds of 30-35 mph and gusts potentially reaching 50 mph. Weather forecasters are predicting that this slow moving storm will impact Long Island for an extended period, arriving mid-afternoon today and continuing into Friday. As a result, there is a potential for the storm to cause widespread electrical outages.

We are closely monitoring the storm’s progress as we continue to take numerous advance steps to prepare the system for the predicted weather and to position the company for an efficient and timely restoration effort. Among other actions, we have secured extra repair crews and support personnel, increased staffing at our Customer Call Center, prepared all restoration equipment and inventories and pre-stocked strategic locations across the Island with wires, transformers, and additional restoration equipment. Additionally, we continue to proactively contact critical care facilities, elected officials and municipal leaders to discuss our storm preparation efforts and ensure that they are taking appropriate actions to prepare themselves for the upcoming weather.

As we prepare, it is also important that our customers take steps to prepare as well. As the storm approaches, customers should take the following steps to prepare:

• Make sure you have a working, battery powered radio or TV and a good supply of fresh replacement batteries. Have flashlights available for all family members.
• If an electric pump supplies your water, fill spare food-grade containers with water for cooking and washing in anticipation of a possible power interruption.
• Make sure all motor driven equipment, such as garage door openers, can be operated manually.
• When using a portable generator, make sure all LIPA-powered equipment is disconnected. This will avoid severe hazards when reconnecting the power to your home or business.
• Have a first aid kit at home and check its contents to make sure they are complete and up to date. If you have family members with special medical needs, such as insulin or other prescription drugs, check to make sure you have an adequate supply.
• Do not use charcoal to cook indoors: deadly carbon monoxide gas can accumulate in your home.
• If you have an elderly neighbor, be a Good Samaritan and check on his or her status.

Additional storm safety and preparedness tips and an informational video and guidance are available on the Long Island Power Authority’s (LIPA) Storm Center website at
http://www.lipower.org/stormcenter/safety.html.

In the event of outages resulting from the storm, power will be restored to all customers affected as quickly and safely as possible. Should you experience an outage as a result of the storm, it is important that you report it to through the Long Island Power Authority’s (LIPA) hotline: 1-800-490-0075 or at 631-755-6900 or by visiting their Storm Center website at www.lipower.org/stormcenter from a computer or mobile device. To report via text messaging, text OUT to myLIPA (695472) – pre-registration is required.

We would also like to remind customers to be alert. Please drive carefully and exercise caution when driving near any of the repair crews working to restore power. If you see any downed wire, assume it is live and do not go near it. Report it immediately to 1-800- 490-0075 or at 631-755-6900.

Firm Invited Bankers Throughout the Tri-State Area to Attend a Presentation to Learn About the New Standard

(Syosset, NY) In response to the changes made by the AICPA Accounting Standards Board (ASB), MayerMeinberg LLP invited bankers throughout the tri-state area to attend a presentation to learn about the new standards that will be implemented. The presentation was held at the Holiday Inn in Plainview on March 5th at 8:30am and presented by Woody Goldstein, CPA, Senior Manager.

“The Clarity Project” was implemented by the ASB to enhance the quality of the financial statements. The main focus of the project is to address concerns over length and of complexity standards, make standards easier to read, understand and apply, lead to enhancements in audit quality, and converge with International Standards on Auditing.

“Our goal is to help the banking community to learn about the changes and in particular how it will impact their evaluation of clients’ financial statements. Those who attended this presentation gained a key understanding of the changes and how they impact the reports,” said Robert O. Mayer and Mark L. Meinberg, Managing Partners of MayerMeinberg LLP.

As a result of the ASB’s new codified auditing standards, various segments of the financial statements have been modified, including the Auditor’s Report and notes to the financial statements. Changes include a new look to reports, new terminology and other differences in presentation that impact the documents that bankers will be receiving for audited financials dated after December 25, 2012. Although the Auditor’s Report is unchanged in content, the new format is very different. The standard report is now six paragraphs instead of three, which can be an alarming change if you are not expecting it.

For more information on these topics and future events call, 516-921-8900, ext. 102.

About MayerMeinberg
MayerMeinberg has quickly become one of the top accounting firms in the tri-state region, with offices on Long Island and in New York City. The firm works with businesses through their start-up, growth and transition phases, as well as individuals, to offer strategic advice and pro-active services, which facilitate success, minimize taxes and maximize wealth. Core competencies include real estate, construction, professional services, medical services, digital media, fashion, e-commerce, entrainment, leisure and fashion. Services include lifestyle management, cash management, turnaround management, and CFO services.

Annual College Scholarship Fundraiser School House Rock LIVE in the Elmont Library Theatre Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 1:00pm

(Long Island, NY) The Elmont Memorial Library and the BroadHollow Theatre Company are proud to hold their Annual College Scholarship Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 1:00pm LIVE in Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont! Purchase tickets for only $ 5.00 each to a LIVE performance of the popular play School House Rock. The Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday morning cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math, science and politics through clever, tuneful songs instructing a whole new generation to “Unpack Your Adjectives” and “Do The Circulations” lights up the stage! Bring your children and sing along (you know the words) to beloved School House Rock songs like “Just A Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly” and “Conjunction Junction.”

Tickets are on sale now at the Circulation Desk in the Elmont Memorial Library. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the show at the box office in the Theatre. All proceeds will go toward awarding scholarship monies to local high school students. Everybody wins: enjoy some of the best live entertainment on Long Island, while helping students attend the colleges of their dreams.

For more information please visit www.elmontlibrary.org

Nassau Bar Association’s Next Free Mortgage Foreclosure Clinic Monday, April 1, 2013; All Mortgage Foreclosure Resources in One Room

(Long Island, NY) Mineola, NY –Mortgage foreclosure continues to affect a large number of homeowners on Long Island, and the recent damage caused by Superstorm Sandy has just added to the need for legal assistance. Nassau County Bar Association volunteer attorneys will help Nassau County homeowners who are concerned about foreclosure matters or are already in the foreclosure process involving property in Nassau County, with free legal guidance, loan modification assistance and bankruptcy information – all in one room — at the next free Nassau County Bar Association Mortgage Foreclosure Free Legal Consultation Clinic to be held Monday, April 1, 2013, 3-6 p.m. at the NCBA headquarters, 15th and West Streets, Mineola, NY.

NCBA volunteer attorneys will provide one-on-one guidance, advice and direction to residents. If needed, homeowners may meet with HUD-certified housing counselors from the Community Development Corporation of Long Island, Hispanic Brotherhood of Rockville Centre and LaFuerza Unieda. NCBA volunteer bankruptcy attorneys will also be available for one-on-one consultations, and residents under certain income guidelines may also meet with Nassau/Suffolk Law Services, which provides reduced fee legal services.

• Reservations are required by calling the Bar Association at 516-747-4070. Attendees are asked to bring their mortgage documents to the clinic.
• Bi-lingual attorneys fluent in Spanish will be on site. Attorneys bi-lingual in Russian, Haitian Creole, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, American Sign Language and many other languages will be made available upon request when homeowners call to make reservations.

Since launching the clinics in 2009, volunteer attorneys have helped more than 1,800 families with individual foreclosure issues, help them sort things out, and give advice or refer them to agencies and programs, right in the same room. The attorneys do not provide legal representation, but help homeowners find out if, indeed, they need a credit counselor or a lawyer, and put them in touch with available resources. The program is made possible in part by grants from the NYS Office of the Attorney General.

Founded in 1899, the Nassau County Bar Association, with a membership of nearly 6,000 private and public attorneys, judges, legal educators and law students, is the largest suburban bar association in the country. NCBA demonstrates its commitment to the community by offering a variety of services for the public, including lawyer referral services, senior citizen and mortgage foreclosure clinics, judicial screening, public education programs and support for the Volunteer Lawyers Project, which provides much-needed free legal services for the indigent of Nassau County. The WE CARE Fund, the NCBA’s charitable arm, assists children, the elderly and others in need, through countless projects and donations.

For more information, call (516) 747-4070 (language translation available), email info@nassaubar.org, or visit www.nassaubar.org.

Caumsett Park hosts USA Track & Field 50K National Championship and GLIRC 25K Run

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,WF,I-Huntington Station) recently joined nearly 4,000 runners from across the country for the USA Track & Field 50K National Championship and the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) 25K Run at Caumsett State Park. Franklin Diaz of Farmingdale and Stefanie Braun of Dix Hills were the winners of the 25k run, while Joseph Gray of Renton, Washington, and Shanna Ailes of Kent, Ohio, won their respective divisions for the 50k race.

Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (right) poses with Joseph Gray winner of the USA Track & Field 50K National Championship

“This weekend’s race was a spectacular opportunity to showcase the wonderful spaces our community has to offer,” said Lupinacci. “The runners all put on an incredible race and it was great to see so many community members in attendance to provide encouragement. I want to thank USA Track Field and GLIRC for their efforts and especially congratulate all the runners who took part.”

Gray finished the race in 2:55: 19, while Ailes took the women’s division with a time of 3:33:05.