THE REVERE ADVOCATE – WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022 Page 17 Baker-Polito Administration Awards $485K to Combat Human Trafficking How Leg Pains Could be an Early Sign of Heart Attack or Stroke Dear Savvy Senior, I started a walking program a few months ago to help me lose weight but I’ve been having problems with my legs and hips hurting during my walk, although they feel better once I stop. I thought it was just because I’m getting old, but my neighbor was telling me about a leg vein disease she has called PAD and thinks I may have something similar. What can you tell me about this? Limping Linda Dear Linda, The health condition your neighbor is telling you about is known as “peripheral arterial disease” (or PAD), which is an under the radar disease that affects approximately 8 to 12 million Americans. It happens when the arteries that carry blood to the legs and feet become narrowed or clogged over the years with fatty deposits or plaque, causing poor circulation. But you also need to be aware that because PAD is a systemic disease, people that have it are also much more likely to have clogged arteries in other areas of the body like the heart, neck and brain, which greatly increase the risks of heart attack or stroke. Few Symptoms Unfortunately, PAD goes undiagnosed and untreated way too often because most people that have it experience few, if any symptoms. The most common symptom, however, is similar to what you’re experiencing: pain and cramping in the hip, thigh or calf muscles, especially when walking or exercising but usually disappears after resting for a few minutes. Another reason PAD is underdiagnosed is because many people assume that aches and pains go along with aging and simply live with it instead of reporting it to their doctor. Other possible symptoms to be aware of include leg numbness or weakness, coldness or skin color changes in the lower legs and feet, or ulcers or sores on the legs or feet that don’t heal. Are You at Risk? Like most other health conditions, the risk of developing PAD increases with age. Those most vulnerable are people over the age of 50 who smoke or used to smoke, have elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, are overweight, or have a family history of PAD, heart attack or stroke. African Americans are also twice as likely to have PAD as Caucasians. If you’re experiencing any symptoms or if you’re at increased risk of PAD, you need to be tested by your doctor or a vascular specialist. He or she will probably perform a quick and painless ankle-brachial index test, which is done by measuring your blood pressure in your ankle as well as your arm and compare the two numbers. Your doctor may also do imaging tests such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and computed tomographic (CT) angiography. With early detection, many cases of PAD can be treated with lifestyle modifi cations including an improved diet, increased physical activity and smoking cessation. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your doctor may also prescribe medicine to prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and control pain and other symptoms. And for severe PAD, the treatment options are angioplasty (infl ating a tiny balloon in the artery to restore blood flow then removed), the insertion or a stent to reopen the artery, or a graft bypass to reroute blood around the blockage. To learn more about PAD, visit the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at NHLBI.NIH. gov/health-topics/peripheralartery-disease. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Five District Attorney’s Offi ces will use Funds for Training, Investigations and Victim Services BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration this past week awarded grant funding to fi ve Massachusetts prosecutor’s offi ces to increase their capacity to investigate and prosecute human trafficking while improving services for victims of exploitation. The 2023 Human Trafficking Enforcement and Training Grant Program was announced in September of this year. The program supports efforts by district attorneys and their law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute human traffi cking, strengthen community relationships and expand the use of victim-centered and multi-disciplinary approaches to serving traffi cking victims. “For the past eight years, our administration has focused on supporting a comprehensive approach to combatting human traffi cking, and we are proud to sustain that eff ort with these latest grants. This grant funding aims to further ensure that law enforcement and service providers are equipped to provide victims with the help they need while holding acRecipient Berkshire County District Attorney’s Offi ce Hampden County District Attorney’s Offi ce Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offi ce Plymouth County District Attorney’s Offi ce Suff olk County District Attorney’s Offi ce Total countable those who would commit these traumatic crimes,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Providing trauma-informed, victim-centered services to survivors of exploitation is vital not only to rebuilding lives, but to building the relationships necessary to hold accountable those who commit these crimes. These funds help ensure that prosecutors have the resources necessary to combat human traffi cking in our communities,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. Funding is being awarded to the Berkshire County District Attorney, Hampden County District Attorney, Middlesex County District Attorney, Plymouth County District Attorney and Suff olk County District Attorney. The funded programs will build upon the success of pilot programs launched in the Hampden County District Attorney and Worcester County District Attorney offices through the FFY 2019 Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Traffi cking Grant. These federal funds were awarded by the Offi ce of Victims of Crime (OVC), which is part of the Department of Justice’s Offi ce of Justice Programs. The Human Trafficking Enforcement and Training Grant Program is administered by the Offi ce of Grants and Research (OGR), a state agency that is a part of the Executive Offi ce of Public Safety and Security. “These funds will ensure that prosecutors and their law enforcement partners have the capacity to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from exploitation. They also allow law enforcement to expand services and strengthen relationships with the communities they serve,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “I commend each of the district attorney’s offi ces receiving these grants for the excellent work they are doing to combat human traffi cking and serve victims of these terrible off enses. My offi ce is committed to helping build on the success of these eff orts and expand services to survivors,” said OGR Executive Director Kevin Stanton. The award recipients are: Award Amount $97,000.00 $97,000.00 $97,000.00 $97,000.00 $97,000.00 $485,000.00
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