BY NICKI MAYO
National Urban Fellow Cathy Mays, RN says Niagara Falls is a community in crisis.
She is working with 17 Niagara Falls community leaders to help find cures for the city’s health woes. They have their work cut out for them.
*Thirty seven percent of the Falls’ residents are regular smokers.
*The Cataract City has the highest teen pregnancy rate in Upstate New York.
*It also has the highest rate of low birth weight babies from teenage mothers.
*Niagara Falls exceeds the national average for diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and arthritis.
*Less than half of Falls Seniors get the seasonal flu shot…
*Only 50% of women over 40 get routine mammograms.
The Healthier Niagara Falls Task Force is comprised of Medical, religious and economic leaders hoping to give residents a wellness booster shot in the arm.
“We have 1.5 million people in Western New York. Fifty thousand in Niagara Falls. How do we get people motivated to really take control of their own health?” said Shelley Hirshberg with the P2 Collaborative of WNY, Inc.
“We have to motivate the community. We have to motivate the residents of the city to use the resources of the city. And that’s what the task force is all about,” added Mays.
According to the task force, Niagara Falls has the highest rate of emergency room visits for preventable conditions in Western New York. The group wants to reduce the number of unnecessary trips to the ER, by encouraging people to get primary care physicians. But with more people falling on tough economic times, more people are turning to public health care options.
“Stop using the emergency room for acute care when preventative care could have happened maybe six months ago or even two years ago,” Mays said.
The group plans to meet monthly throughout 2010 to devise and action plan for the City.
“It isn’t just this task force, it’s exponential. You know how do we work with the block clubs? How do we work with the churches? How do we work with everyone, all the community organizations that touch people in Niagara Falls,” added Hirshberg.
She is working with 17 Niagara Falls community leaders to help find cures for the city’s health woes. They have their work cut out for them.
*Thirty seven percent of the Falls’ residents are regular smokers.
*The Cataract City has the highest teen pregnancy rate in Upstate New York.
*It also has the highest rate of low birth weight babies from teenage mothers.
*Niagara Falls exceeds the national average for diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and arthritis.
*Less than half of Falls Seniors get the seasonal flu shot…
*Only 50% of women over 40 get routine mammograms.
The Healthier Niagara Falls Task Force is comprised of Medical, religious and economic leaders hoping to give residents a wellness booster shot in the arm.
“We have 1.5 million people in Western New York. Fifty thousand in Niagara Falls. How do we get people motivated to really take control of their own health?” said Shelley Hirshberg with the P2 Collaborative of WNY, Inc.
“We have to motivate the community. We have to motivate the residents of the city to use the resources of the city. And that’s what the task force is all about,” added Mays.
According to the task force, Niagara Falls has the highest rate of emergency room visits for preventable conditions in Western New York. The group wants to reduce the number of unnecessary trips to the ER, by encouraging people to get primary care physicians. But with more people falling on tough economic times, more people are turning to public health care options.
“Stop using the emergency room for acute care when preventative care could have happened maybe six months ago or even two years ago,” Mays said.
The group plans to meet monthly throughout 2010 to devise and action plan for the City.
“It isn’t just this task force, it’s exponential. You know how do we work with the block clubs? How do we work with the churches? How do we work with everyone, all the community organizations that touch people in Niagara Falls,” added Hirshberg.
