Gerber Memorial to host free expo Wednesday on reducing dangerous falls that put seniors at risk
Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial is hosting an informational expo to highlight ways people can prevent falls that often lead to injuries and even death as part of No Falls Day 2019. Gerber Memorial’s free expo will be held Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the main lobby of the hospital 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free event will feature information from Gerber Memorial’s pharmacy team about medications that can contribute to falls, as well as free blood pressure screenings. Physical therapists and visiting nurses will be on hand to provide additional information and resources. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls affect one in four Americans 65 and older, and older Americans die from falls every 19 minutes, making falls the leading cause of fatal injury – more than 27,000 deaths a year – and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. Falls also cost families more than $34 billion a year, the CDC reports.
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Michigan Primary Care Association Awards Family Health Care Employee
BALDWIN- Passion for improving the health of rural communities is a commitment by all those who work for Family Health Care (FHC). Recently, the Michigan Primary Care Association awarded the 2019 Distinguished Service Award to Ian Farquhar, Analytics Optimization Analyst, at Family Health Care. As an integral part of Family Health Care’s quality department, Ian keeps the organization focused on patient health improvement programs while providing necessary reporting through registry systems. He pays close attention to indicators that improve health outcome. “Ian has a passion for helping the organization succeed in its mission to serve the community,” said Kathy Sather, President and CEO. “While his work is not in direct patient contact, what he does for the organization directly benefits and makes an impact on the services we can offer to our patients.” Ian was recently promoted to Analytics Optimization Analyst. He began his journey contributing to FHC’s sustainability four years ago as a Health Administration Intern while attending Grand Valley State University. Ian continues to uncover information that helps move FHC forward in its mission of providing quality, integrated and comprehensive health care services that are accessible to all. Being a self-starter, Ian recognized early on the challenges in optimal health care outcomes and how to develop programs to enhance health. He works closely with clinical staff and the quality director to ensure FHC can fund programs that impact lives of its patients. Local events can help families prepare for, talk about healthcare wishes
FREMONT – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial is shining a spotlight on the importance of educating people about expressing their healthcare wishes through preemptive planning by offering what are known as advanced care planning sessions. The sessions are free to the public and will be held at multiple locations throughout Newaygo County, starting Oct. 1. “Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial looks forward to providing this free service as part of our effort to empower our community with as much healthcare information as possible, and that includes raising awareness about how important it is to clearly identify the wishes of people and their advocates, who will ensure those wishes are respected,” said Stephanie Kooistra, community health program specialist who will be leading the advanced care planning sessions. “Everyone should be thinking about the kind of life they want to live, especially as they age, and we can’t always plan for the unexpected. What doesn’t always happen are communications and conversation between a person and their advocate about decisions affecting their future medical care. Through our free advance care planning program, Gerber Memorial is encouraging people to have those conversations as a key step toward more peace of mind.” The sessions, which all start at 10:30 a.m., are scheduled at:
The sessions will help people identify their wishes in anticipation of moments when they can’t communicate their healthcare wishes themselves. The sessions will also help people better discuss the scope of care and treatment that should be honored and executed by that person’s advocate, who could be anyone from a spouse to a relative to a friend – anyone who the client believes is most likely to uphold their wishes. “Whoever that person is, you have to be able to trust and know they’ll follow your wishes,” Kooistra said. said. “If it’s a close relative, it may be hard because they may not want to withhold treatment. They may want the person to stay around longer but that could affect the patient’s quality of life.” Kooistra said some people can identify their wishes and find a resolution in one conversation. Others may take more. She said advance directives are important, even when a person has a will. New Gerber Memorial diabetes support group begins on Oct. 2
FREMONT – People living with diabetes, their caregivers and family members will soon have a place to share stories of hope and inspiration, and share tips and best practices, at a free diabetes support group that begins Oct. 2. The support group will be held the first Wednesday of every month at Tamarac. All sessions will be at Tamarac, 1401 West Main, Fremont, and led by Geri Merkey, RN. The group meets from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. “Our support group is all about letting people living with diabetes know that they aren’t alone,” Merkey said. “People with diabetes who learn more about the illness and combine it with group support do better than those who don’t manage the disease. The goal of our support group is to motivate and inspire people, by sharing helpful tips, lessons, information and hope. By being part of a group, we can draw strength from others who’ve been in the same shoes and walked a similar journey. I highly encourage everyone who’s faced diabetes to join our group and share stories of hope.” Nearly one in 10 American adults and children have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association, with a quarter of all Americans 65 and older suffering from the disease. People with diabetes are expected to have medical financial burdens 2.5 times greater than people without diabetes. Newaygo County’s current and most recent previous community health needs assessments identified diabetes as the region’s number one health concern. The ADA identifies diabetes as the nation’s seventh-leading cause of death. Gerber Memorial’s diabetes support group is free and open to the public. For more information: 231.924.3073 (Not to be confused with Foo Fighters because that’s a rock band)
N3- There’s nothing like autumn. It’s the time of year to capture all the things the season brings. Time to go to a local football game, take in some fall colors, do a little apple picking, visit a corn maze, get a flu shot… Yep. Get a flu shot. We are on the cusp, I fear, of that time of year when the flu bug begins its attempt to meander its way through our community. So here is a bit of info sent to us by those ever-vigilant folks at our Health Department. District Health Department #10 (DHD#10) is helping communities prepare for the upcoming flu season by offering flu vaccines to children, adults, and seniors. Flu season is unpredictable - even healthy people can become seriously ill. The best way to protect you and your family against influenza is to get an annual flu vaccine and the time to do so is now. The following are walk-in flu clinics – no appointment necessary: Location: Croton American Legion Address: 6812 S. Croton Dr., Newaygo MI 49337 Date: 9/30/2019 Time: 9:00 – 11:00 AM Location: Grant Township Hall Address: 1617 E. 120th, Grant MI 49327 Date: 10/03/2019 Time: 1:00 - 3:00 PM Location: First Congregational Church Address: 714 Hillcrest Ave, Fremont MI Date: 10/09/2019 Time: 9:00 – 11:00 AM You can also schedule an appointment for a flu shot at DHD#10. Location: District Health Department#10 Address: 1049 E Newell St., White Cloud MI 49349 Number: 888-217-3904 Time: 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. The cost for the seasonal flu vaccination without insurance is $37. High dose and preservative-free flu shots are available for $42. Many health insurance plans now cover the cost of flu vaccines. If not, DHD#10 may be able to help through Vaccines for Children (VFC) or other programs. DHD#10 will bill Medicare or Medicare Health Plans (only for flu, pneumococcal, and PCV13 vaccinations), Medicaid, Medicaid Health Plans, Priority Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network (excludes Mercy Partnered Plans), Cigna, McLaren Commercial, ASR, TRICARE and United Health Care with an insurance card present at the time of appointment. It is important to be aware of your insurance benefit rules. For more information, call DHD#10 at 231-689-7300 or visit www.dhd10.org/locate-flu-clinic. Make plans. We need you healthy and no one wants you down and out during the holidays. The time to prepare, as the DHD#10 peeps put so eloquently, is NOW!- N3 |
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