Medicare beneficiaries offered free assistance
A Part D enrollment event will be held 10 a.m. Oct. 17 at the Boyle County Senior Center to assist senior citizens in comparing their Medicare drug plan to other plans being offered in 2012.
Participants must bring Medicare cards and a complete list of medications, including the milligrams and quantity prescribed for each.
Representatives with the Bluegrass State Health Insurance Assistance Program will be on hand to provide the comparison assistance free of charge. The Bluegrass SHIP program does not sell insurance. Information provided by SHIP will be unbiased and assist participants in making an educated decision on Medicare drug plan coverage.
Any interested participants who are unable to attend may call the SHIP Program at ( 866) 516-3051 for assistance. Open enrollment will be Oct. 15-Dec. 7.
Wellness center offering ‘Lose Weight Feel Great’ program
McDowell Wellness Center is offering an eight-week weight loss program supervised by Janet Fluty, a registered dietitian on staff at the wellness center, in coordination with fitness trainers there. Free introductions to the program will be offered at 6 p.m. Oct. 11 and 9 a.m. Oct. 12.
The program includes group instruction and support, an individual consultation with the dietitian and a trainer and monthly follow-up meetings after the program has ended. It will have a special emphasis on surviving the holidays and preparing for the new year.
A “biggest loser” component is also included in the program. It includes prizes to individuals who lose the most weight, most inches and greatest percentage of body fat.
Participants may choose from 6 p.m. Tuesday or 9 a.m. Wednesday classes, beginning Oct. 18 and 19. For more information, call (859) 936-9355.
McDowell Health sponsoring free health screenings Monday
Ephraim McDowell Health will sponsor a free health screening 8 a.m.-noon Monday at the Perryville Community Center.
Health screenings offered are cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, body mass index, stroke risk scorecard and heart rate. After the screenings are complete, participants will have the opportunity to discuss their results with a licensed health professional.
Participants should not eat 12 hours prior to their screening if they would like to have the blood test that gives them a full lipid panel. This gives the participant detailed information including their HDL, LDL, triglycerides and glucose.
The screenings are open to the public for anyone 18 years and older.
For an appointment, call (859) 319-9966 or (859) 332-1863.
McDowell Health to assist government with records
Ephraim McDowell Health, recognized as a leader in the advancement of electronic health records systems, has been asked to help the United States government improve its health information systems.
Governor Steve Beshear’s office recently awarded Ephraim McDowell Health the Pioneer Award in recognition of its accomplishments in this critical area of patient care.
Angela Allen, director of information services, and IS project manager Becky Blevins will be featured speakers at the fourth Annual Electronic Health Records Summit, presented by the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement, Oct. 26-27.
The goal of the conference is to bring the federal health information systems more in line with those of the general public.
Allen and Blevins will be speaking on “The Current Challenges Impeding the Implementation of Electronic Health Record Systems.” Their expertise comes from the installation of an electronic health record system for Ephraim McDowell Health and connecting to the Kentucky Health Information Exchange.
The Veteran’s Administration, providers of health care to our military and veterans, operates independently of other health care providers in their record keeping and data collection.
Aligning the military electronic health records more closely with other healthcare providers means improved care for our veterans no matter where they seek treatment.
New program helps overwhelmed caregivers during Hospice care
SOMERSET — Recently, Hospice of Lake Cumberland announced a new program, Crisis Care, designed for in-home situations where extra care is needed. The program was launched earlier this year as a test project and has proved to be very beneficial for patients and their caregivers.
Crisis Care aligns with the HLC mission to provide exceptional care delivered with compassion to those at the end of life.
The service is unique because it provides short-term, around-the-clock care for those who are taking care of a loved one who is declining and having severe symptoms. The team is made up of nurses who work in shifts, teaching and assisting with giving medications, repositioning the patient in bed, bathing, shampooing, shaving and providing incontinent care and other help ordered by the physician.
“Crisis Care is one of the new services we are offering to our patients,” says executive director of Hospice of Lake Cumberland, Steve Mooney. “Meeting the physical needs of our patients and their families is our top priority. We wanted to help families who were in a crisis situation to keep their loved one at home and face the end of life with dignity.”
This program was created to provide support and care for persons in the last phase of an incurable disease so that they will be as comfortable as possible.
Hospice of the Lake Cumberland has been providing end of life care to terminally ill and their families for more than 20 years.
Grief and bereavement services extend to family members, caregivers and anyone in grief whether or not their loved one was a hospice patient.
Hospice of Lake Cumberland has received certification by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and is a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. For more information, call (800) 937-9596 or visit www.hospicelc.org.
Meetings
Gathering Artists — 10 a.m. Saturday in the Community Arts Center Kids World studio four (basement). Social time will follow the meeting. For more information, call Fox Hutt at (859) 332-7046.
Corrections
Boyle County Democrats have opened their headquarters Monday at 120 N. Third St., between the United Way office and Raggs clothing store, in Danville. The office is open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. weekdays 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturdays. The telephone number is (859) 712-0111.
The headquarters is the source for campaign literature, bumper stickers and yard signs for all the Democratic candidates. The address was incorrect in previous publications due to an incorrect submission.
Neal Gordon is the great-grandson of the Rev. Neal McDougal Gordon, a Presbyterian minister. The information was incorrect in an article that appeared in Sunday’s Advocate.
