All Posts in "Month: June 2018"

Wesley Health and Home Care’s hospice care services in King County have been accredited by Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) and approved by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in a process that validates compliance with state and national standards.

“Hospice is an important component of care that’s been on the strategic plan of our Board of Trustees for a long time,” said Melinda Moore, Wesley Homes’ community health services. “We are honored that ACHC and CMS certified our ability to demonstrate our commitment to delivering the highest quality services in patient experience.”

Accreditation is a process in which healthcare organizations demonstrate compliance with state and national standards.

“We met 550 individual standards and demonstrated we can sustain those best practices,” said Melinda Moore, Wesley’s executive director of health and homecare.

Hospice services will be provided at Wesley Homes Des Moines Health Center and Wesley Homes Lea Hill Rehabilitation and Care Center in Auburn, as well as in greater King County, Moore said. She added that the next steps include creating bereavement groups, building staffs and a resident volunteer program, creating a guide for families about end-of-life conversation, and education about hospice services.

srmedia by — June 7, 2018 in Personal Finance/Consumers

This is the third in a series of articles sponsored by the City of Tacoma, its Environmental Services Department, and the Make a Splash grant program to inform people about ways to limit their impact on local waterways and the overall environment.

 

More than dirt comes off a car when it’s washed. There’s also grime that contains oil, solvents, anti-freeze and heavy metals such as zinc, lead and copper. That’s important to remember if you wash your car at home, where the dirty soap and water carrying all those chemicals can start a journey that ends in streams, rivers and Puget Sound.

As the City of Tacoma’s Office of Environmental Services points out, water that goes down storm drains flows directly into Tacoma waterways –and so do all the pollutants the draining water picks up along the way. A city program marks storm drains with a friendly reminder that stormwater winds up in the nearest creeks, streams or Commencement Bay. In an ongoing effort to prevent that pollution, the city’s Surface Water Management program maintains more than 500 miles of public stormwater pipe, 22,000-plus storm drains (catch basins,) four pump stations and numerous detention ponds.

Car owners can help by washing their vehicles the right way by taking them to a commercial car wash, which recycles, collects and treats wastewater.

Professional car washes use oil/water separators that remove pollutants, which are ultimately pumped out and properly disposed of. Wastewater is discharged into the sanitary sewer.  In addition, professional washes use minimal amounts of water compared to do-it-yourselfers.

Here’s some more advice from Environmental Services for washing your car in ways that prevent negative impacts downstream:

  • Use soap or detergent that is phosphate-free. Phosphates can strip water of oxygen that fish need to survive.
  • Sweep driveways and street gutters before you wash your car in order to prevent dirt, leaves and trash from going down the drain.
  • Groups that want to raise money from car washes should consider selling car wash tickets or from professional car washes instead. The Puget Sound Car Wash Association offers car wash coupons at charitycarwash.org, or call 206-622-8425.

The Puget Sound Car Wash Association is at the forefront of its industry’s effort to protect waterways from pollution caused by washing cars and trucks.  It received the Community Service Leadership Award from the International Car Wash Association for educating the public on facts about car washes and water pollution, such as this: A 10-minute home car wash can use as much as 140 gallons of water.  Commercial car wash equipment can clean a car in a few minutes, using between 15 and 60 gallons, depending on the equipment used and whether it is a self-serve or conveyor wash. Compare those numbers with some other common uses of water: Flushing a toilet, five to seven gallons; a 10-minute shower, 25 to 50 gallons; running a washing machine at top water level, 60 gallons; brushing teeth, two gallons.

DO PUGET SOUND A FAVOR: PUT THE BRAKES ON DRIPS

Watching for and fixing oil leaks is another way that car owners can help the environment.

An estimated 7 million quarts of motor oil that leaks from vehicles finds its way into the Puget Sound watershed each year. The state Department of Ecology says one-third of Washington’s water pollution comes from chemicals such as automotive oil and other vehicle fluids flowing into storm drains. You’ll know your car is part of the problem if an oil stain or drip spot appears on the ground where you park it. Here’s what may be leaking from your vehicle, based on what you see:

  • Brake fluid. Clear to brown, slightly yellow and slick; often appears near a wheel.
  • Engine oil. Light brown to black, very greasy and slick; shows up under the front half of the vehicle.
  • Transmission fluid. Reddish and thin, or brown and thick; middle and front of vehicle.
  • Power steering fluid. Amber, reddish or light-brown in color, and thin; it’s at the very front of the vehicle.
  • Coolant (anti-freeze). Yellow, green or pink, greasy and slimy; watch for it at the front of the vehicle near the radiator or under the engine.

Besides protecting waterways, fixing leaks makes cars run better, too. For help in the process, go online at fixcarleaks.org for information about certified repair shops in the Puget Sound area that offer free leak inspections. You can also find out about free workshops that give advice on how you can maintain your car.

One more tip: City of Tacoma residents can recycle used motor oil at the city’s Household Hazardous Waste facility at the Tacoma Recovery and Transfer Center. Additional information is available at 253- 591-5418.

srmedia by — June 7, 2018 in Lifestyles

Between April 2018 and April 2019, Medicare will mail new Medicare cards to help protect you and your clients from identity theft. Fraudsters are always looking for ways to get your Social Security number. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is removing Social Security numbers from all Medicare cards to make them safer. 

New cards will have a new Medicare number that’s unique to its owner. The new card will help protect their identity and keep their personal information more secure. Your Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same. 

Medicare will automatically mail a new card at no cost to the address you and your clients have on file with Social Security. If you need to update your official mailing address, you can do that with your online my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.  You can also call us at 800-772-1213, however the best way to update, is online. 

Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask you to give personal or private information to get your new Medicare Number and card. Scam artists may try to get personal information (like your current Medicare Number) by contacting you about your new card. If someone asks you for your information, for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits if you don’t share your personal information, hang up and call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).  

This is a sample of the new Medicare cards that authorities say do a better job of safeguarding people’s personal information.

For more information about the new Medicare card, visit go.medicare.gov/newcard. You can also visit www.Medicare.gov/fraud for tips to prevent Medicare fraud.

 

Kirk Larson, who wrote this article, is a Social Security public affairs specialist for Washington.  

Contributing Author by — June 6, 2018 in Spotlight

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and the Alzheimer’s Association, together with advocates in the early stages of the disease, are encouraging families to talk about memory and cognition concerns sooner.

These advocates know first-hand that an early diagnosis offers many benefits, including access to more effective medical and lifestyle interventions and the ability to take an active role in planning with family members for the future, Darrell Foss, a member of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Early-Stage Advisory Group, which is comprised of people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

“Too often, people experiencing symptoms, or family members seeing them, wait to speak up, even when they know something is wrong. It can be scary, but that is why I’m sharing my personal experience – to illustrate why talking about Alzheimer’s concerns early is so important,” Foss said.

To help people understand early symptoms of Alzheimer’s or behaviors that merit discussion, the Alzheimer’s Association offers 10 warning signs. Should these signs appear, it is important to talk about them with the person experiencing symptoms and encourage them to speak with a medical professional.

“Unfortunately, people often avoid conversations due to denial, fear, anxiety, lack of awareness and difficulty having hard conversations about health issues, particularly with Alzheimer’s or other dementias due to stigma and perceptions associated with the disease,” said Ruth Drew, director of family and information services for the Alzheimer’s Association.

New findings from an Alzheimer’s Association survey found a majority of Americans would be concerned about offending a family member or ruining their relationship if they were to talk to that person about observed signs of Alzheimer’s. Thirty-eight percent said they would wait until a family member’s Alzheimer’s symptoms worsened before approaching them with concerns. Additionally, nearly a third of Americans wouldn’t say anything to a family member despite their concerns, according to the survey results.

To help families overcome common communication obstacles, the Alzheimer’s Association is offering 6 Tips for Approaching Alzheimer’s, a list of best practices for talking about the disease with someone who may be experiencing symptoms:

  • Have the conversation as early as possible.
  • Think about who’s best-suited to have the conversation.
  • Practice conversation starters.
  • Offer support and companionship.
  • Anticipate gaps in self-awareness.
  • Recognize the conversation may not go as planned.

“We know that initiating conversations can be difficult,” said Drew. “We also know from talking to families that, while individuals may wish they didn’t have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, they never regret being able to prepare for the future, play an active role in their own financial and care planning, and make their wishes known to their family members.”

Mary Tarbell, 66, an Alzheimer’s Association Early-Stage Advisor who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, said getting her diagnosis has helped refocus her priorities.

“Learning I had Alzheimer’s was painful,” said Tarbell. “But getting an early diagnosis has given me the chance to make informed decisions about the future with my family. My husband and I are using this time to plan some vacations and do the things we want to do while we still can.”

In addition to encouraging families to talk about Alzheimer’s openly and to seek diagnosis earlier, Alzheimer’s Association Early-Stage Advisors are sharing their stories about life after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, including steps individuals can take to move forward and live their best lives.

“Many see Alzheimer’s disease as the end of life and, while there is currently no cure, living with the disease is a complex experience that often runs the course of many years,” said Pam Montana, an Alzheimer’s Association Early-Stage Advisor who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016 at age 61. “It is so important for me to encourage others with a diagnosis to stay active and engaged as long as possible. I encourage people to seek out life-affirming moments. For example, I’m an advocate for the cause, it is important for me to face this disease and share my story while I’m able, and that leads to an enormous sense of accomplishment, even with this extremely difficult diagnosis. I want to tell these stories and let others know they are not alone.”

Throughout Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, the Alzheimer’s Association is highlighting resources that can help individuals in the wake of a diagnosis. The Association’s Livewell resources offer insights from people living in the early stages of the disease and address important topics, including life after diagnosis, living healthy with Alzheimer’s and finding strength to move forward.

To help families and friends navigate challenges at each stage of the disease, the association offers its 24/7 Helpline (800-272-3900) and comprehensive support and resources at alz.org. On the same note, check out the ad in the June edition of Senior Scene for the Washington chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

srmedia by — June 6, 2018 in Health & Fitness