Allergy season has come earlier in some parts of the country, thanks to the unseasonable mild weather. 

And, if you haven’t started taking your preventive allergy meds, you may want to get right to it, said Dr. Stanley Fineman, an allergist and president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “We’re seeing patients who started to have symptoms a month earlier than usual, in early February.” 

Last year pollen counts were barely recorded in the first week of February in Atlanta, but this year the first week of February saw numbers above 80 and as high as 250. Pollen counts above 50 are considered high.  

Though it’s worse in the South, allergy season is also arriving early in the North.

Why the early sniffles? the warmer winter can cause trees to pollinate earlier. In addition, some studies have shown that pollen season is not only getting earlier, but the pollen is getting more potent. 

“With the higher concentration of carbon dioxide in the air, plants seem to produce more potent pollen,” said Fineman, who has a private practice in Atlanta.  

Another factor causing more severe allergies is the priming factor. 

“People who are exposed early in the season to an allergen, which then goes away and then comes back a week or two later, are primed for a more severe reaction,” Fineman said. 

Making things worse for allergy sufferers, a combination of mild weather and rain can lead to an increase in mold spore counts as well.

Many people this time of year may mistake an allergic reaction to a respiratory illness like winter colds and flu. 

“Doctors have to consider that these may be allergies, not viruses,” Fineman added.

Allergists recommend that people who know they’re allergic to certain pollens start medication before allergy season starts. that may be too late for the South, but you may be able to get a headstart on allergies in the Northern states, where pollen counts haven’t gotten that high yet. 

To monitor pollen levels in your area, go to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s pollen count map. Pollen counts can not only help you avoid the outdoors when the count is high, but can help you better determine what types of pollens are triggering your symptoms.

Laurie Tarkan is an award-winning health journalist whose work appears in the new York Times, among other national magazines and websites. She has authored several health books, including “Perfect Hormone Balance for Fertility.” Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. 

Pat Duckett deals with death every day. she works for an NHS trust in which 1,600 people die every year, and she has seen many things. One of her more extreme encounters was when one man asked her to hold a stethoscope over the chest of his dead father while he chanted prayers. “He thought he would wake up and they could take him home in the car. the son said: ‘We’ve got the engine running outside. Wake up, Daddy. It’s time to go.’ I had to say: ‘I’m afraid his heart isn’t going to start beating, because he died last week.”

As anyone who has ever been suddenly bereaved knows, the death of a loved one can have an explosive effect – following the immediate trauma of loss comes a prolonged period of shock, and questions: “When did this illness start?”, “How could someone die so suddenly?”, or just “Why?”

Pat is a bereavement co-ordinator for the North West London hospitals NHS trust, a major acute trust. in the majority of cases, relatives find a way of coming to terms with their loss. but for a significant minority, making sense of what has happened is extremely difficult. “Most people will grieve and be perfectly OK, with support from family,” she says. “They get over it. Grief is, after all, a natural process. but sometimes when someone dies, it is literally incomprehensible to their loved ones.”

Her role is to help the bereaved edge closer to some form of closure. she is not a counsellor, but rather a liaison officer between a hospital and families in mourning. more often than not, her work involves guiding them through medical notes, enabling them to have a better medical understanding of the events that led to the death.

“If a patient is in intensive care, then typically the family is bombarded with a lot of medical information at the time,” she explains. “But then, when the person dies, that’s it.”

I am speaking to Pat in one of her consulting rooms at Northwick Park hospital (whose trust has one of the lowest mortality rates in the country). the room is designed to exude serenity – sunshine cascades through the venetian blinds; a pot of brightly coloured synthetic flowers sits in one corner, and there is a box of tissues on a coffee table. in this room she arranges 40 meetings a month with bereaved relatives, taking them through folder after folder of medical notes, jargon-heavy texts that provide a medical synopsis of the final chapter in someone’s life.

“I’ll explain to them, ‘So at this point, there was an X-ray, which indicated this. then, here we can see that they took a blood test.’” a frequent reaction to revisiting the past in this way is that family members will suddenly realise just how ill their relative was, she says. “In hospital, when you are losing a loved one, it’s very intense. You don’t always listen to what medical people are telling you.”

While guiding relatives through medical notes is a central part of what she does, her role as bereavement co-ordinator involves other strands: she advises families of other services, including counselling, and helps organise funerals when, for instance, families are too overwhelmed to cope, or when elderly patients die in hospital with no apparent family.

Not all bereaved families wish to take up Pat’s services: the majority navigate their own way through grief. but in some cases, that is too hard a path to travel alone. a lot of Pat’s time is spent talking to couples whose children have died unexpectedly, or to families who have suffered a traumatic death, or to those who find it too difficult to accept that someone has died.

“Through this job, I’ve learned the true meaning of being ‘grief-stricken’,” she says. “I’ve encountered a couple who have broken up after losing their child. Grief tore them apart. I’ve dealt with a wife who insisted on seeing her husband in the mortuary for several consecutive days. she arrived each day to dress him ritualistically. she even shaved him.”

Everyone responds differently to death. One of Pat’s mantras is “nothing is wrong in grief”. she almost always honours requests from bereaved relatives, however unusual. a common wish is to touch the body of a loved one: hold their hands, or kiss their foreheads or even wash their face. One woman asked Pat if she could help her retrace the journey her 15-year-old daughter’s body made from the hospital to the mortuary, after she died from a very protracted illness. she then wanted to see where she had been blessed in the mortuary. “And there’s nothing wrong with that,” she says.

While a lot of NHS trusts can provide some form of bereavement advice, the services on offer can vary greatly and there is no standard model, she says. Her role as bereavement co-ordinator was conceived two years ago, the idea behind it partly stemming from the fact that a significant number of complaints to any hospital trust are to do with deaths: according to Pat, 60% of deaths take place in hospital, and 60% of complaints to the Care Quality Commission, the organisation that monitors hospital care, are about bereavement.

The thought was that if bereaved people could be empowered with facts about someone’s death, they might be less inclined to make a formal complaint, and be able to find closure more quickly. Neonatal deaths are often a focus of her work: she will sit down with parents and discuss the, often not wholly knowable reasons why a baby has died before even leaving hospital.

“If people get stuck into protracted correspondence with a hospital, it doesn’t help with their grief,” she says. “What helps is having knowledge about the events that led to that death, so they get a better understanding and proper support, bringing them out of the loop so their grief can progress.” (In the past two years, the trust has seen a drop in bereavement complaints of 48%.)

Pat’s theory is that grief itself has evolved in the last century. “We have lost this pattern of sharing the death in the family. in Victorian times, when someone died, the neighbours would all come in and see the dead person in the parlour. And the family would pay their respects up close with the body.”

She experienced her first sense of true bereavement when her grandmother died. but this was infused with a sense of happiness: “She died at home, after falling asleep with her hairnet on, her brandy glass empty, a smile on her face. it was a kind death.”

If death had dealt a kind hand to her grandmother, it was much crueller to Pat’s father seven years ago. a serious bowel condition meant his gut used to “twist”, resulting in emergency procedures. Finally, he came to Northwick Park hospital (where Pat is now based) to have most of his colon removed. He lost six stone, and was a shadow of his former self. When he succumbed to organ failure it was a release for everyone, she says.

Pat was keen that her own daughter, then aged six, was involved in his death. she encouraged her to “do her homework on her grandpa’s deathbed” then attend his funeral. “I wanted her to see that death is a process that is part of life,” she says.

How has her job changed her view of death? How does she feel about her own death now? “I’m not afraid of it. In fact, I revere death. that might sound odd, but I see it as something phenomenal. the effects of it on families are so powerful, how it casts such a long shadow over so many people. Being involved in that, I feel quite honoured.”

When she started her job, Pat admits she brimmed with enthusiasm, but the work took its toll. she initially saw up to three families a day, but got exhausted – physically not emotionally. she developed intense headaches and decided on a strategy of limiting her meetings to just one or two a day.

The overriding feeling that she has about her job, however, is that she is privileged. every day she finds herself embroiled in the most emotionally profound experiences of people’s lives and for that, she says, she feels deeply honoured.

“I always acknowledge the intimacy of strangers. the people I meet tell me the most intimate things and I’ve never met them before in their life.”

My husband James was 59 when he was admitted to hospital on 10 December last year. He had been feeling lethargic but was not in pain. He was working on the Thursday when he told me when he went to the toilet that he found he had passed black motions.

Doctors said internal bleeding and an enlarged liver could be symptoms of alcohol-related liver disease. I knew that could not be the case with James: he drank four or five times a week, but was certainly not an alcoholic.

He was given blood transfusions and heavily sedated. He really didn’t know what was going on. As the days proceeded, he seemed increasingly agitated, but the doctors put this down to withdrawal from cigarettes and alcohol. Ten days after he was admitted, we received the phone call: he had had a cardiac arrest. By the time we arrived, he had died.

The shock for me, and my son and daughter, was immense. He had died so suddenly. we all wanted to get to the bottom of what had happened. that was when we met Pat. we went through the coroner’s report and began to get some answers.

Pat explained that while James had symptoms exactly like those of liver disease, the breakdown of his liver had been secondary to the main cause of his illness: lung cancer. He’d had the worst form, “small cell” lung cancer, which had spread rapidly from the lungs to his liver and renal glands.

Pat explained the detail calmly and with sympathy. we had so many questions but the doctors were often too busy to answer. I had three more sessions with Pat, which were more informal, less medical. Meeting her helped enormously. I had been angry about the misdiagnosis of alcohol-related disease, but came to understand why it was made, and was more accepting of James’s death.

- Safe Harbor Behavioral Health has introduced SAFELine, an Anti-Bullying Hotline for students who are the victims of bullying. the service will provide immediate, anonymous intervention support 24 hours a day. In addition to telephone services, callers will have an option to meet face to face with SAFELine clinical staff for immediate intervention and ongoing support. SAFELine staff will also have the capacity to connect youth, families and schools to additional resources. the number is (814) 456-SAFE, or 456-7233.

- the International Cesarean Awareness Network of Erie will hold a Spa Night fundraiser on Friday, April 22, 6-8 p.m., at Dharma Yoga Studio, 722 W. Eighth St. enjoy free chair massages by Katlyn Basilone, LMT, and Richard Moss, LMT; aromatherapy foot baths, nail painting, henna, chocolate and more. Donations will be accepted; a portion of the proceeds will go to ICAN of Erie.

- the Bereavement Support Group meets the third Thursday of each month, 3 to 5 p.m., Community Nursing Services Office, 7 Park St., North East. anyone from within or outside the North East area who has suffered a significant loss — no matter how long ago the loss occurred — can attend. Information shared is held in strict confidence. call 725-4300 for more information or to register.

- the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program is a free, 12-week course for family members of individuals with severe mental illnesses. the course is taught by trained family members, and offers a safe, confidential haven to those who may not know where else to turn. call the Erie County NAMI office at 456-1773 for information.

- the NWPA Charcot-Marie-Tooth Support Group 2011 meeting schedule is as follows: Saturdays, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., on may 14, July 23, Sept. 10 and Nov. 12. All meetings will be held in the Admiral Room of Blasco Library, 160 E. front St. No reservations necessary. For information, call Joyce Steinkamp at 833-8495 or send e-mail to joyceanns@roadrunner.com.

- Rainbows is a support group for children ages 4 to 14 who have suffered a significant loss in their lives through separation, divorce, or any other painful transition. Meetings are held at St. mark Catholic Center, 429 E. Grandview Blvd., and are moderated by Sister Ann Bannon, of the order of St. Benedict. For more information, contact Sister Ann Bannon at 824-1253.

- Erie Sisters is a local transgender support group that provides support and encouragement for both MTF and FTM transgender individuals. the group meets for discussion the fourth Saturday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 7180 Perry Highway, followed by dinner at a local restaurant and dancing at the Zone Dance Club. if you have questions, please call Melanie at (440) 265-8191 or visit erieisisters.ning.com.

- GriefShare is a nondenominational grief-recovery-support group for people grieving the loss of someone close. Meetings are Mondays from 7-9 p.m. at First Alliance Church, 2939 Zimmerly Road. call 833-6435 or 833-9862. A $12 fee covers the cost of materials.

- the Alzheimer’s Support Group, Meadville area, for those caring for senior citizens with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, meets the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m., Lew Davies Community Center, 1034 Park Ave., Meadville. For information, call (814) 336-1792 or (800) 321-7705.

- the Erie Lupus Support Group usually meets the fourth Thursday of each month, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Saint Vincent Health Center, 232 W. 25th St., in 1 East Conference Room. however, for the April meeting, the group will meet on Thursday, April 14, 6 p.m., at Panera Bread, 1935 Keystone Drive (off upper Peach Street). Attorney Terry Toomey will speak about the disability process, over dinner. There will be no meeting at Saint Vincent Health System in April. Erie lupus patients are also invited to attend a dinner on Thursday, April 7, at 6 p.m. at Carini’s on Main Street, Greenville, with Dr. Denise Johnson, chief medical officer, Meadville Medical Center. Johnson will present Positive Life Adjustments with Lupus. please call Jane Lippincott at (866) 292-1472 or send e-mail to if you are planning to attend. All lupus patients, family and friends are invited to attend support group meetings or the dinners being held in April.

- Homicide Grief Support Group meets the last Wednesday of the month, 5-6:30 p.m., at the Crime Victim Center of Erie County, 125 W. 18th St. the group provides a chance for people to come together, support each other and share their feelings and experiences as they continue to cope with their loss. Some educational information is also provided. if you have questions, call Darlene at 451-7496 or visit cvcerie.org.

- the Alzheimer’s Association provides several support groups in the Erie County region. Support groups allow the opportunity to connect with other families and caregivers who are dealing with the disease and reduce feelings of isolation; learn techniques that can help ease the physical and emotional burden for both patient and caregiver; and share practical ideas and feelings in a supportive setting. For more information, contact Debbie Wisinski, Family Service Coordinator, at 456-9200.

– the first Wednesday of the month, 10 a.m., Saint Mary’s East, 607 E. 26th St.

– the fourth Thursday of the month, 3 to 4:30 p.m., Community Nursing Services of North East, 7 Park St., North East. call 725-4300.

– the third Monday of the month, 2 p.m., Brevillier Village, 5416 East Lake Road

– the last Tuesday of the month, 6 p.m., Sunrise Assisted Living 1012 West Bayfront Parkway

– the second Wednesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., Pleasant Ridge Manor, 8300 West Ridge Road

– the second Monday of the month 1 p.m., Corry Support Group, 221 North Center St., Corry

– the third Monday of the month, 1:30 p.m., Springhill Retirement Community, 2323 Edinboro Road.

- Family Connections, a Family Support Group at Stairways Behavioral Health, meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Free gathering for family members or friends of individuals with mental health-care challenges. Meetings take place at Stairways Behavioral Health, 2185 W. Eighth St. call Rita at 866-1179 for information.

- Parent Bereavement Group, Angels Too Soon/Coping with the Loss of a Child, meets the second Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Visiting Nurse Association of Erie County, 2253 W. Grandview Blvd. For more information, contact the coordinator of bereavement and volunteer services, Dave Kuchta, at 454-2831.

- General Bereavement Group meets the third Wednesday of every month, 3 to 4:30 p.m., at the Visiting Nurse Association of Erie County, 2253 W. Grandview Blvd. this program is ongoing and is open to anyone who is coping with or has experienced the loss of a family member or friend. For more information, contact the coordinator of bereavement and volunteer services, Dave Kuchta, at 454-2831.

- Erie MS Support Group meets the first Wednesday of each month, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Heart Institute, 120 E. second St., first floor conference room. Family members and friends are welcome to attend. No cost to attend. call 464-2900 or e-mail for more information.

- Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania is a statewide program that provides support for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities and special needs by connecting parents with volunteers who have gone through similar experiences. if you are a parent of a child with a disability or special needs and would like to be in touch with someone who understands, call the Parent to Parent program at (888) 727-2706 or visit parenttoparent.org.

- DivorceCare offers support for people suffering from the pain of separation or divorce, on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Grace Church, 7300 Grubb Road, McKean. For more information, call 790-4973 or visit whoisgrace.com.

- an ongoing support group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease is held at the Golden Living Center’s new location, 4850 Zuck Road. Meetings are held the first Monday of each month and will focus on emotional support and sharing experiences, or on topics such as legal issues, nutrition, caregiving techniques and community resources. To learn more or to RSVP, call Wendy Wallace at (877) 892-5688.

- Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous is a free, 12-step recovery program for those suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating and bulimia. the following Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous meetings are held in Erie each week: Sunday, 6:30 p.m., Hamot Heart Institute, 201 E. second St.; Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Millcreek Community Church, 4444 Sterrettania Road; Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Park United Methodist Church, 30 North Lake St., Route 89, North East; Friday, 9:30 a.m., Asbury United Methodist Church, 4703 West Ridge Road. call FA at (781) 932-6300 or visit the website at foodaddicts.org.

- the International Cesarean Awareness Network of Erie meets the second Wednesday of each month, 6 to 7:45 p.m., in Blasco Library’s Admiral Room, 160 E. front St. call Sarah Imig at 460-7636 or e-mail her at icanoferie@yahoo.com or visit icanoferie.org. the topic for the Wednesday, April 13, meeting is birth stories, and an open discussion.

- Grace Church offers a Woman’s Relocation Group, titled MIMO, as a community service. Learn about Erie, including places to go and things to do, and meet other new women. this group has three seven-week sessions each year in the spring, summer and fall at Grace Church, 7300 Grubb Road, McKean. Free child care. For more information, send e-mail to EriePaMIMO@gmail.com.

- Heartland Hospice, 719 Indiana Drive, offers grief education classes on the first Monday of each month, 6:30 to 8 p.m. call Jenna Clark at 878-5990 for more information.

- the Rev. Tom Aleksa, senior associate at St. Luke Catholic Church parish, leads a cancer support group that meets the second Tuesday of each month, 7 to 8:30 p.m., St. mark Catholic Center, 429 E. Grandview Blvd., in the Bishop Michael J. Murphy Conference Room. call 824-1240. please note a date change for the April meeting, to Thursday, April 7, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Eileen Zinchiak, representing the Erie County Department of Health, will speak about risk factors, symptoms and cancer screenings for colorectal, ovarian, prostrate and skin cancers. Friends and family members are welcome to attend the presentation.

- the National Federation of the Blind meets the third Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. call Connie Johnson at 440-7565 for details.

- Trichotillomania Support Group provides help for hair-pullers. Meets the first Wednesday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Mental Health Association of Northwest Pennsylvania, 1101 Peach St. Contact Janelle at erietrich@gmail.com.

- the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia Chapter, offers a Blood Cancer Support Group for patients and families on the last Wednesday of each month, 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the conference room at Saint Vincent Health System’s Professional Building, 311 W. 24th St. call (800) 726-2873 to register.

- Crohn’s and colitis support groups meet third Thursday of every month, 6 to 7:30 p.m., St. George Catholic Church, 5145 Peach St. call 866-5013.

- the Stuttering Foundation of America can provide a list of local resources to those who call (800) 992-9392, or visit stutteringhelp.org and click on “Resources.” Write to the foundation at 3100 Walnut Grove Road, Suite 603, Memphis, TN 38111-0749.

- Cerebral palsy parents’ support group meets monthly, 3745 W. 12th St.; morning and evening times available for parents of children with cerebral palsy. call MECA United Cerebral Palsy at 836-9113, Ext. 223.

- DMDA Peer Support Group for people diagnosed with depression, manic depression or bipolar illness meets first, third and fifth Tuesdays, 6 to 7:30 p.m., and second and fourth Tuesdays, 2:30 to 4 p.m., Mental Health Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 1101 Peach St.; offers information, peer support and encouragement to deal with the diagnosis. call 452-4462.

- always Our Children support group for Catholic parents of gay children. Group discusses relational, social and emotional aspects and more. call Rosemarie Radomski at 456-2091.

- Parental Alienation Syndrome Support Group; write to PAS Support Group, P.O. Box 10451, Erie, PA 16514-0451 and provide a phone number or e-mail address.

- Nar-Anon for families and friends of people dealing with addictions; meets Mondays, 7:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church-Erie, 707 Sassafras St.; Tuesdays, 7 p.m., at Lamb of God Lutheran Church, 606 E. 38th St.; Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., 1910 Sassafras St.; Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., St. Julia Catholic Church, 638 Roslyn Ave.; Fridays, 7:30 p.m., Saint Vincent Health Center, Spencer Conference Room, 232 W. 25th St. Visit nar-anon.org.

- Families and loved Ones of Homicide Victims support group meets on the last Wednesday of each month, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Crime Victim Center of Erie County, 125 W. 18th St. call 455-9414.

- Bereavement support group meets second Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m., and third Thursday of every month, 10 a.m., Hospice of Metropolitan Erie, 202 E. 10th St. call 456-6689.

- Al-Anon Family Group meetings held daily at a variety of times and locations for families and friends of alcoholics. Visit pa-al-anon.org.

__Mondays, 8 p.m., meeting for newcomers only, Saint Vincent Health Center, rehabilitation entrance at West 25th and Sassafras streets.

__Mondays, 7 p.m., the Meeting Place, 4108 Avonia Road, Fairview.

__Mondays, 8 p.m., Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, 5312 Peach St.

__Tuesdays, 10 a.m., Asbury United Methodist Church, 4703 West Ridge Road.

__Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., Christ the Redeemer Church, 830 Silliman Ave., Lawrence Park.

__Tuesdays, 8 p.m., Millcreek Community Hospital, 5515 Peach St.

__Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m., Messiah Lutheran Church, Eastern and Gray avenues, Wesleyville.

__Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m., Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 327 N. Center St., Corry.

__Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m., St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Route 20, Girard. (Also Alateen.)

__Thursdays, 10 a.m., Asbury United Methodist Church, 4703 West Ridge Road.

__Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1022 Powell Ave. (Also Alateen.)

__Thursdays, 8 p.m., Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, 3520 Perry St.

__Thursdays, 8 p.m., Holy Cross Episcopal Church, 53 W. Main St., North East.

__Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., McLane Church, 12511 Edinboro Road.

__Fridays, 8 p.m., Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 1603 W. 32nd St.

__Fridays, 7:30 p.m., St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 950 W. Seventh St.

__Saturdays, 7 p.m., Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 1603 W. 32nd St.

__Sundays, 11 a.m., Liberty Family Practice, 3413 Cherry St.

__Sundays, 7 p.m., Bethany Outreach Center, 254 E. 10th St. (Also Alateen.) – Overeaters Anonymous meets at a variety of times and locations. call 454-7486.

__Mondays, 7 to 8 p.m., Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 1603 W. 32nd St.

__Mondays, 10 to 11 a.m., Lake City United Methodist Church, 10087 Sampson Ave., Lake City.

–Tuesdays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 940 E. 22nd St.

__Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 649 Park Ave., Meadville.

__Wednesdays, noon to 1 p.m., Elmwood Avenue Presbyterian Church, 2816 Elmwood Ave.

__Wednesdays, 7 to 8 p.m., Seneca United Methodist Church, East State Road, Seneca.

__Thursdays, 5:45 to 6:45 p.m., Bethany Presbyterian Church, Venango Street, Mercer.

__Fridays, noon to 1 p.m., Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 1603 W. 32nd St.

__Saturdays, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, 5312 Peach St.

__Saturdays, 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., Presbyterian Church, 321 Rocky Grove Ave., Franklin.

- Cardiac Fitness Club and Family Support Group for aerobics, volleyball and strength training meets Mondays at 3 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays at varying times, Sterling Square, 3330 Peach St. call 864-3672.

- Greater Erie Area Narcotics Anonymous support groups meet at a variety of times and locations. call (888) 251-2426.

– Sundays, 7:30 p.m., Holy Trinity Church, 643 W. 17th St.

– Mondays, 6:30 p.m., Hamot Medical Center auditorium, 201 State St.

– Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m., Mount Pleasant Church, 1813 Schaal Ave.

– Tuesdays, 7 p.m., First Christian Church, 823 Cherry St.

– Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m., Holy Trinity Church, 643 W. 17th St.

– Thursdays, 6:30 p.m., AG Family Worship Center, 1201 Parade St.

– Fridays, 6:30 p.m., Morning Star Baptist Church, 321 E. 23rd St.

– Saturdays, 11 a.m., Morning Star Baptist Church, 321 E. 23rd St., and 7 p.m., Mount Pleasant Church, 1813 Schaal Ave.

- Gamblers Anonymous meets every Sunday, Ramada Inn, 18 W. 18th St. Those attending should meet between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m. in the hotel lobby. Meetings vary in length.

- Parents Sharing, formerly Parents Anonymous, is a group for parents who wish to improve their relationships with their children, meets Mondays, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Child care available. call Rose at 864-5621.

- Lost Chord laryngectomy support group meets first and third Tuesdays, Regional Cancer Center, 2500 W. 12th St. call 866-5077.

- Erie ostomy support group meets third Thursday of every month except January and February, 6:30 p.m., Saint Vincent Health Center Women’s Diagnostic Center. call 452-7214.

- Cambridge Springs Alzheimer’s Support Group meets second Wednesday of each month, Golden Living Center-Cambridge Springs. call (800) 272-3900.

- Continence hot line for people suffering from urinary incontinence; presented by Saint Vincent Center for Pelvic Health and the Women’s Center at Saint Vincent. Free. call 452-7214 or send e-mail to .

- Schizophrenics Anonymous, a six-step support program for adults who have schizophrenia or related illnesses, meets Thursdays, 4 to 5 p.m., Mental Health Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 1101 Peach St. call Kevin W. at 452-4462.

- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome support group. For information, call Char Riddle at 874-3391 or send e-mail to pcofriends@aol.com.

- PFLAG — Parent, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays meets second Monday of each month, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie, 7180 new Perry Highway. call John at 454-1392.

- Stroke Support Group meets first Thursday of each month (except holidays), 3 p.m., HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Erie, 143 E. second St. call Lorri MacIsaac at 878-1200.

- HIV/AIDS support group meets second and fourth Tuesdays, 6 p.m., St. mark Catholic Center, 429 E. Grandview Blvd.; for those infected with HIV/AIDS as well as friends and family. call 452-6113.

- empty Arms support group for parents who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or SIDS death meets second Tuesday of the month, 7:30 p.m., Liberty Family Practice Building, 3413 Cherry St.

- Diabetes support group meets second Monday of each month, 4 to 5 p.m., Great Lakes Diabetes Institute, 1700 Peach St., Suite 220. Meetings free to those with diabetes (can bring a guest). call 877-6130.

- Spirituality, a Christian nondenominational group, meets Thursdays, 3 to 3:45 p.m., Mental Health Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 1101 Peach St. call 452-4462.

- Erie SHHHoreline group, for those with hearing impairment, meets third Sunday of each month, 4 p.m., Edinboro United Methodist Church, 113 High St., Edinboro. call 734-8703.

- Mother-to-Mother support group, Mondays at 9:30 a.m., Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Bethany Outreach Center, 254 E. 10th St. Baby sitter provided. call 456-6254.

- Gluten-free support group of Northwest Pennsylvania meets the second Saturday of every month, 10 a.m., Hamot Heart Institute, 120 E. second St. call 474-5264.

- Bariatric Support Group meets first three Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m., Hamot Heart Institute, 120 E. second St. call 877-6997.

- ABC (Anorexia, Bulimia, Cutting) support group, Sundays, noon, McLane Church, 12511 Edinboro Road. call 460-1975.

- Parkinson Partners of Northwest Pennsylvania inc. meets fourth Sunday of every month (except holidays), 2-4 p.m., in the Hamot Heart Institute’s first floor conference room, 120 E. second St. call 899-3030.

- Amputees and Families Actively Caring together support group meets last Tuesday of each month, 6-7 p.m., Great Lakes Home Healthcare Services, 1700 Peach St. call 877-6350 to register.

- Project S.T.O.P., conversation on health and aging topics with Judy Bekeny, R.N., fourth Wednesday of month, 12:30 p.m., Mercy Hilltop Center, 444 E. Grandview Blvd. call 824-2214.

- American Cancer Society’s Man to Man program, support for prostate cancer survivors, meets second Thursday of every month, 7 p.m., Scottish Rite, 4710 Old Zuck Road. call (800) 227-2345. Corry group meets third Monday of every month, 7 p.m., Corry Memorial Hospital, 612 W. Smith St., Corry. call (814) 665-1691.

- the Northwest Pennsylvania Autism Society of America monthly support group for parents of children with autism meets the third Tuesday of every month, 7-8:30 p.m., Barber National Institute, 100 Barber Place. Baby-sitting available with reservations by calling 878-5961.

- Support group for those with severe vision loss meets every other Wednesday, noon-2 p.m., Sight Center, 2402 Cherry St. Certain criteria must be met and reservations are requested. call Cindy at 455-0995.

- Fluency support group for those who stutter, meets first and third Thursdays of every month, 7 p.m., Alpha Speech and Language Center, 2642 Glenwood Park Ave. call Bill Grabofski at 833-4794.

- Support group for adult males and females who were sexually assaulted as children meets every other Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m., Crime Victim Center, 125 W. 18th St. Free. call 455-9414.

- Peripheral neuropathy support group meets third Wednesday of every month except January, February and March, 3-5 p.m., Springhill Retirement Center, 2323 Edinboro Road. call 866-9355.

- Adoption parent support group meets fourth Monday of every month, 6:30 p.m., Admiral Room at Blasco Library. For parents who have recently adopted or are starting the process. call 825-1380.

- Erie Chapter, Pennsylvania Council of the Blind meets every other month on the fourth Thursday of the month, 6:30 p.m., Gannon University’s Palumbo Building, Room 1218, W. Eighth and Peach streets. call 866-8872.

- Catholic Fellowship of Separated/Divorced meets Wednesdays, 7:30-9 p.m., St. mark Catholic Center, 429 E. Grandview Blvd. call 824-1257.

- Prism support program for single parents and stepparents experiencing grief meets at St. mark Catholic Center, 429 E. Grandview Blvd. call 824-1253.

- Rainbows peer-support program available for children and adolescents who have suffered a significant loss. call 824-1253.

- Our Place member-run social center, 1101 Peach St., is open to those diagnosed with mental illness. call 452-4462.

- Parent-to-Parent Program offers one-on-one mentoring and support to parents or guardians of children with special needs. call Family Support Services at 453-7661, Ext. 435.

The aged woman had stopped biting aides and hitting other residents. That was the good news.

But in the North Shore nursing home’s efforts to achieve peace, she and many other residents were drugged into a stupor — sleepy, lethargic, with little interest in food, activities and other people.

"you see that in just about any nursing home,” said Eva Lanigan, a nurse and resident care coordinator at Sunrise Home in two Harbors, Minn. "But what kind of quality of life is that?"

Working with a psychiatrist and a pharmacist, Lanigan started a project last year to find other ways to ease the yelling, moaning, crying, spitting, biting and other disruptive behavior that sometimes accompany dementia.

They wanted to replace drugs with aromatherapy, massage, games, exercise, personal attention, better pain control and other techniques. the entire staff was trained and encouraged to interact with residents with dementia.

Within six months, they eliminated antipsychotic drugs and cut the use of antidepressants by half. the result, Lanigan said: "the chaos level is down, but the noise is up — the noise of people laughing, talking, much more engaged with life. It’s amazing."

Now the home’s operator, Shoreview-based Ecumen, has started a project called Awakenings throughout its 15 long-term care nursing homes. It’s based on Lanigan’s work and funded with a two-year, $3.7 million state grant.

"We saw what Eva was doing — something everybody in the industry talks about — and we were impressed," said Mick Finn, an Ecumen vice president. "We said, ‘Hey, this is real. can we all do this?’ "

Powerful antipsychotic drugs have been used for years to reduce agitation, hallucinations and other debilitating symptoms among people with mental illnesses.

They also are widely used "off label" to quell disruptive behavior among people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Medicare spends more than $5 billion a year on those drugs for its beneficiaries, including about 30 percent of nursing home residents. Several studies have concluded that more than half are prescribed inappropriately. the drugs are especially hazardous to older people, raising the risk of strokes, pneumonia, confusion, falls, diabetes and hospitalization.

"There’s a bunch of problems, not least of which is those drugs can kill you," said Dr. Mark Kunik at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston who spoke last month at the Gerontological Society of America’s annual meeting in new Orleans.

Instead of looking for causes of disruptive behavior among dementia patients, doctors typically prescribe drugs to mask the symptoms, he said, because "It’s the easy thing to do. … That’s true in hospitals, in clinics and in nursing homes."

Federal regulators are cracking down on homes that don’t routinely reassess residents on psychotropic drugs. But use remains widespread.

"Whether you have Alzheimer’s or not, there’s a reason people get frustrated or upset — pain, urinary tract infections, hunger, fear of strangers or loud noises or strange settings, maybe drug interactions,” Kunik said. "If you figure that out, you likely can find a safer, nonpharmacologic treatment."

Treating loss with love

About 150 miles south of two Harbors, Bernice Brockelman, 91, was snacking on cookies last Wednesday beside the Christmas tree at Ecumen Parmly LifePointes, a nursing home in Center City — all the while alternating quickly from calm to worry to calm.

"can I stay here tonight? I don’t know where to go. can I stay with you?" she asked Christy Johnson, the home’s therapeutic recreation director. Though Johnson reassured her, she asked the question again — and again and again.

In an effort to calm her while preparing to wean her from pills, the Parmly staff invited Brockelman into a game of Bingo and to recite the Polish phrases she learned from her immigrant parents. then she spotted a male visitor.

"Hey, is he married?” she asked with a sparkle in her eye.

"When she’s feeling good, Mom’s an outrageous flirt and she can be really funny," said her daughter, Judy Balthazor of Center City. "But often there is the repetitive questions, the worry, sometimes just being washed out. I can’t wait for them to get her off her drugs."

Until the Awakenings project, few at the home knew Brockelman’s whole story — the loss of both parents when she was in high school, of her husband at age 46, then two sons, a close friend and a nephew. Found to have psychosis and dementia, she "just shut down because she had so many losses," Balthazor said.

Now, the Parmly staff is gaining deeper knowledge of 15 residents who are on psychotropic drugs and who frequently are agitated or upset. they are about to start weaning the residents from the drugs, but they’ve already started a range of activities tailored to each.

Some say nursing homes cannot afford to replace drugs with personal attention because it requires too much staff time.

"Our guess is that it will take the equivalent of two extra people at each home, spread across all job categories," said Finn, Ecuman’s vice president. "can we afford it? We think we have to, because it’s the right thing."

Brockelman, who lived nearly all of her life in northeast Minneapolis, loved to bake, so now she helps make bread and cookies. she danced and was physically active, so she walks with an aide and taps her toes to polka music. a devout Catholic, she attends several weekly church services. she plays Bingo with aide Jenna Miller and sometimes other residents.

"When [you] understand who Beatrice has been in the past, you know her a lot better in the present," Miller said. "With the Awakenings project, I have permission to spend the time I need with Bernice so she feels safe and loved."

Warren Wolfe • 612-673-7253