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Giving Back to Our Communities

Fidelis Care Presents Brady Market with $5,000 Food Insecurity Grant

In observance of National Nutrition Month, Fidelis Care presented a $5,000 grant to support Brady Market’s programs to combat food insecurity in the Syracuse region. The grant is part of $315,000 in donations by Fidelis Care to nonprofit organizations on the front lines of fighting hunger across New York State. Food insecurity impacts about one in 10 New York households.

“Nutrition is healthcare,” said Fidelis Care Sales and Marketing Director Shannon Lombardo.  “Fidelis Care is committed to promoting health and well-being in Syracuse and communities across New York State. That begins by partnering with organizations like Brady Market to help families and individuals gain access to healthy, nutritious foods.”

Brady Market in Syracuse, operated by not-for-profit Brady Social Enterprises, Inc., is a grocery store with retail and wholesale operations, deli and catering, job training, and wraparound support services. It was inspired by the 70-plus year history of Brady Faith Center’s engagement with generations of individuals and families in some of the community’s most impoverished neighborhoods.

“Brady Market is very grateful for this Fidelis Care grant,” said Brady Faith Center Director Kevin Frank. “We absolutely can’t do what we do without wonderful partners. For many who live in the community, Brady Market is the only place to get fresh fruits and vegetables. We plan to use the Fidelis Care funding to take the lead in collaborating with 20 neighborhood organizations to deliver meals for 220 families. One of the wonderful things about this program is that our partner organizations know who needs food support the most. It’s just one of the ways that we are more than a market in this community.”

Lombardo added, “We know that one meal is not going to solve a family’s food insecurity, but these grants give us an opportunity to connect people with agencies and organizations like Brady Market to help them find the resources they need for long-term solutions.”

Fidelis Care takes pride in supporting the vital work of Brady Market and the other food insecurity grant recipients across New York State because no one should suffer from hunger. Click here to see the full list of Fidelis Care food insecurity grant recipient organizations.


Screener Program Provides Support to Families Impacted by Social Determinants of Health

SDoH-chart

Fidelis Care’s innovative SDoH screener program was launched two years ago as a grassroots health equity initiative to address conditions in the environments where people are born, live, work, and play that affect their health, well-being, and quality of life. Social Determinants of Health can affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes – particularly among vulnerable populations and in underserved areas.

The screener enables trained Fidelis Care representatives to assess an individual’s immediate needs and challenges related to SDoH through a brief series of questions covering areas such as access to transportation, food, and secure and safe housing. More than 450,000 Fidelis Care members have participated to date.


Click 
here to learn more about the different Social Determinants of Health and find available resources.


More News:


Understanding Diabetic Ketoacidosis
11/15/2021 • Posted by By Dr. Natalie Schwartz, Fidelis Care Medical Director and endocrinologist in Diabetes, Health and Wellness

Woman talking to doctorWhat is Diabetic Ketoacidosis or “DKA”?

Glucose (sugar) is your body’s normal source of energy. When the body doesn’t have enough insulin to use glucose the right way for fuel, it starts to break down fat for energy. Burning a lot of fat very quickly causes a buildup of acids, called “ketones,” which can become toxic to many of the body’s key  functions. When ketone levels become too high, it can lead to a severe, and potentially life-threatening condition, called diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA.  

 


I have type 1 diabetes (T1DM).  Am I at risk of developing DKA?

DKA mostly occurs in people with T1DM. About of the time DKA is a common sign of the disease. DKA is more common in young children and adolescents (under age 19), but can occur at any age. The most common causes of DKA are: not taking insulin injections as directed; missing insulin doses due to illness, vomiting, or alcohol intake; bacterial and other types of infections (especially, urine infections); medical or emotional stress; and faulty or clogged insulin infusion pump.

I have type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and my doctor said I still make insulin. Can I still get DKA?

While DKA is less likely to occur with T2DM, it is not uncommon in certain types of T2DM that are more likely to develop ketones. It can also occur with stressful medical conditions (like having a heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, an inflamed pancreas, urine infection, or other type of infection); taking certain drugs (like prednisone) for other illnesses or even one of the drugs used to treat diabetes (called “SGLT2 inhibitors”); and using illegal drugs (for example, cocaine). COVID-19 infection may also increase the risk of DKA.

What are the signs and symptoms of DKA?

The most common early symptoms of DKA are feeling very thirsty, drinking a lot, and urinating a lot - especially at night. Other signs and symptoms can develop and progress quickly (within 24 hours) and include:

  • Generalized weakness and becoming easily tired
  • • Nausea and vomiting, often associated with belly pain and decreased appetite
  • Rapid weight loss, especially in newly diagnosed T1DM
  • Decreased sweating
  • Confusion, disorientation, and rarely, difficulty being awakened
  • Rapid breathing and fruity smelling breath
  • Symptoms of heart attack (chest pain), pneumonia (fever, cough), other infections (fever, chills)

Contact your healthcare provider immediately, if you have any of the symptoms listed above. If you cannot reach your provider and you have blood sugars consistently over 300 mg/dl and/or positive ketones in your urine, go to your nearest emergency room.  

How is DKA treated?

If you have symptoms and signs of DKA, you will likely need treatment in a hospital. With DKA and high blood sugars, excessive fluid is drawn out of your body (in the urine), along with important chemicals in the blood (called electrolytes)- like sodium (salt) and potassium. An essential part of treatment is the replacement of these lost fluids and electrolytes. The other part of treatment is giving back enough insulin to restore your body’s ability to use glucose for fuel and to stop its breakdown of fat into ketones. With proper treatment, the prognosis of DKA is excellent.

How can I reduce my chances of developing DKA?

  • Take your insulin exactly as instructed by your healthcare provider
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Get adequate sleep and exercise
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Stay hydrated
  • Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly
  • If you are feeling ill, are under extreme stress, and especially, if you are unable to tolerate food or are vomiting, check your blood sugar levels more frequently, and call your healthcare provider for instructions on how to adjust your insulin.

For more resources about diabetes prevention and management, visit our Diabetes Resources page.

 

Tagged:  
Diabetes

Understanding Diabetic Ketoacidosis
11/15/2021 • Posted by By Dr. Natalie Schwartz, Fidelis Care Medical Director and endocrinologist in Diabetes, Health and Wellness

Woman talking to doctorWhat is Diabetic Ketoacidosis or “DKA”?

Glucose (sugar) is your body’s normal source of energy. When the body doesn’t have enough insulin to use glucose the right way for fuel, it starts to break down fat for energy. Burning a lot of fat very quickly causes a buildup of acids, called “ketones,” which can become toxic to many of the body’s key  functions. When ketone levels become too high, it can lead to a severe, and potentially life-threatening condition, called diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA.  

 


I have type 1 diabetes (T1DM).  Am I at risk of developing DKA?

DKA mostly occurs in people with T1DM. About of the time DKA is a common sign of the disease. DKA is more common in young children and adolescents (under age 19), but can occur at any age. The most common causes of DKA are: not taking insulin injections as directed; missing insulin doses due to illness, vomiting, or alcohol intake; bacterial and other types of infections (especially, urine infections); medical or emotional stress; and faulty or clogged insulin infusion pump.

I have type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and my doctor said I still make insulin. Can I still get DKA?

While DKA is less likely to occur with T2DM, it is not uncommon in certain types of T2DM that are more likely to develop ketones. It can also occur with stressful medical conditions (like having a heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, an inflamed pancreas, urine infection, or other type of infection); taking certain drugs (like prednisone) for other illnesses or even one of the drugs used to treat diabetes (called “SGLT2 inhibitors”); and using illegal drugs (for example, cocaine). COVID-19 infection may also increase the risk of DKA.

What are the signs and symptoms of DKA?

The most common early symptoms of DKA are feeling very thirsty, drinking a lot, and urinating a lot - especially at night. Other signs and symptoms can develop and progress quickly (within 24 hours) and include:

  • Generalized weakness and becoming easily tired
  • • Nausea and vomiting, often associated with belly pain and decreased appetite
  • Rapid weight loss, especially in newly diagnosed T1DM
  • Decreased sweating
  • Confusion, disorientation, and rarely, difficulty being awakened
  • Rapid breathing and fruity smelling breath
  • Symptoms of heart attack (chest pain), pneumonia (fever, cough), other infections (fever, chills)

Contact your healthcare provider immediately, if you have any of the symptoms listed above. If you cannot reach your provider and you have blood sugars consistently over 300 mg/dl and/or positive ketones in your urine, go to your nearest emergency room.  

How is DKA treated?

If you have symptoms and signs of DKA, you will likely need treatment in a hospital. With DKA and high blood sugars, excessive fluid is drawn out of your body (in the urine), along with important chemicals in the blood (called electrolytes)- like sodium (salt) and potassium. An essential part of treatment is the replacement of these lost fluids and electrolytes. The other part of treatment is giving back enough insulin to restore your body’s ability to use glucose for fuel and to stop its breakdown of fat into ketones. With proper treatment, the prognosis of DKA is excellent.

How can I reduce my chances of developing DKA?

  • Take your insulin exactly as instructed by your healthcare provider
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Get adequate sleep and exercise
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Stay hydrated
  • Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly
  • If you are feeling ill, are under extreme stress, and especially, if you are unable to tolerate food or are vomiting, check your blood sugar levels more frequently, and call your healthcare provider for instructions on how to adjust your insulin.

For more resources about diabetes prevention and management, visit our Diabetes Resources page.

 

Tagged:  
Diabetes