Kare Bears’ Korner

ER preparation – keep a grip on the ball when you take a fall

Kare Bears would like to invite you to hear Dr. Kevin J. Haselhorst at the Kare Bears monthly presentation on Wednesday, February 17 at 11:00 a.m. at the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.

Dr. Haselhorst is a veteran of Emergency Medicine. Growing up in Trenton, Illinois, his life’s ambition was to be a doctor. His career in medicine began with a nurse assistant certification and enrollment in pre-med at St. Louis University, culminating in acceptance to Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. During his residency in Internal Medicine at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, he was captivated with Emergency Medicine while moonlighting at Mercy’s Level 1 Trauma Center. He was fortunate to practice there for many years before relocating to Arizona

Dr. Haselhorst is a local ER doctor who advocates for patient empowerment and compassionate end-of-life care. He was taught that it takes a good patient to make a good physician. Therefore, he is on a mission to be the best physician possible through coaching us to achieve our personal best.

Dr. Haselhorst knows that the nature of our community is to be actively engaged in the game of life, learning how to best be in it to win it. Emergency Department visits often feel like a setback and leave patients playing defense instead of offense. Patients often fear the emergency department because of the uncertainty surrounding wait times, proper diagnoses, possible hospitalization and unknown healthcare providers attending to their life and death situations.

Any Emergency Department visit is a wake-up call. Patients are asked about what medical conditions they have, what medications they take and if they have a healthcare directive. These are straightforward questions, yet patients are often befuddled and don’t know how to handle them.

The most important medical conditions are the ones that people die from, such as heart, lung, stroke, cancer and infection. When patients feel like they have no control over their medical conditions, they are less able to participate in shared decision making with their physicians. Dr. Haselhorst will be sharing pertinent information on being prepared and maintaining some control over healthcare decisions in the Emergency Department.

Kevin Haselhorst, MD practices emergency medicine at Abrazo Health in Arizona and is the author of Wishes to Die For and Sail the 7 C’s of Graceful Departures. He is a keynote speaker and contributing writer for the Arizona Republic’s Ask the Expert column and posts blogs on KevinMD, the Conversation Project and wishestodiefor.com.

Light refreshments will be served prior to the presentation.

We look forward to seeing you on February 17!

Calendar of events

Sue White

Calendar of Events:

February 11: Hacienda del Ray Tour

February 13: Annual Health Fair – Tuscany Falls Ballroom – 9:00 a.m. to noon

February 17: Monthly Presentation – Eagle’s Nest Ballroom – 11:00 a.m.

February 25: Abrazo Tour – 10:00 a.m.

March 11: Blood Drive – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Tuscany Falls Ballroom 3

March 16: Monthly Presentation – Eagle’s Nest Ballroom – 11:00 a.m.

March 17: Abrazo Tour – 10:00 a.m.

Annual Health Fair – February 13

Sue White

The annual Health Fair for PebbleCreek residents will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. until noon in the Tuscany Falls Ballroom.

The fair will consist of approximately 55 professional doctors, dentists, chiropractors, orthopedic specialists and health service specialists. They all will have information to cater to everyone’s special needs, some of which will be breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. These concerns regarding health, special services, in-home help, facilities for special needs and products to aid health issues will be answered. Some of the services will be able to perform minimal checks, such as hearing, eye exams and blood pressure checks.

We look forward to seeing you at the fair!

If you have questions, please call the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.

December donations

Sue White

The Kare Bears Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge the following donations received in December.

Non-campaign donations were received from the following residents and groups: Melvin and Michele Shipp, Barbara Wood, Richard and Christine Cameron, Kenneth and Nancy Hess, Carol Dedoncker, Terry and Phyllis Outland, Tuscany Falls Golf Cart Carolers, Steffen and Sheila Jacobson, Earl and Althea Smith, Mah Jongg Group, Claudia Lancaster, John and Melanie Fitzsimmons, Tony and Joan Suriano, William and Illene Hodgdon, Cynthia Huff, Gordon Andersen, William and Beverly Gustafson, Jane Pulley and Thomas Piggins, Leonard and Roberta Harris, Unit 42B, Gary and Ann Eppen, Alexander and Lynn Lucas, Linda Krier, PebbleCreek Wine Club, Dan and Marian Carew, Wayne and Carolyn Moore, John and Mary Alexander, Charles Mitchell, Jr., Duane and Virginia Warden, Harold and Peggy Miller, Lee and Marcia McDonell, Monte and Thelma Sriver, Betsy Porter, Sharma Fleming, Harold and Patricia Atkinson, Terry Roth, John and Deborah Fox, James and Sheila Hooks, Paul and Marilyn Logan, Terry and Katherine Cummings, Steven and Karen Harper, Charles and Marilyn Truscan, Barbara Kripps, Ronald and Patty Colville, Harold and Gloria Rathman and George and Margaret Schwab.

Memorial contributions were received from Rod and Linda Grabau in memory of Andrea Tabasko; Knimble Kneedles in memory of Beaulah Brown; Ollie and Carol Biederman in memory of Jack Godebu; Rod and Linda Grabau in memory of Stan Wisnes and Gloria and Les Reister in memory of Larry Seavert.

Transportation Use donations were received from Joanne Bell and Rose Barry.

The generosity and thoughtfulness of these residents and groups will enable Kare Bears to continue to serve the needs of our PebbleCreek residents.

Abrazo Hospital tours planned for February 25

Sue White

Kare Bears has scheduled a tour of Abrazo Hospital, formerly West Valley Hospital, on Thursday, February 25 at 10:00 a.m. We are offering a tour and lunch to the first 16 people to sign up.

Please call the Kare Bear House at 623-536-1200 to make a reservation. Your name must be on the list to attend the tour.

If February is full, you may sign up for one of the next two scheduled tours on either Thursday, March 17 or Thursday, April 21.

We know you’ll enjoy this tour and appreciate all the must needed information. The hospital has undergone tremendous new construction which we feel everyone will be pleased to see.

This is the nearest hospital to PebbleCreek offering a Level 1 Trauma Center, accredited chest pain center, cardiac arrest center, joint commission certified, primary stroke center and board certified physicians.

Abrazo Hospital has the Robotic Surgical Services using the de Vinci Surgical Platform, outpatient wound care and Hyperbaric Medicine. They do offer free wellness events on living with knee or hip pain.

Abrazo Hospital is located at 13677 W. McDowell Road. We will meet at the hospital’s main entrance for the tour just before 10:00 a.m.!

Assisted Living Tours planned

Sue White

Kare Bears is arranging the following Assisted Living Tours in the next two months.

On Thursday, February 11 we will tour and lunch at Hacienda del Ray. Hacienda del Ray is located behind the Albertson’s Grocery Store, just off of Indian School Road. We will meet at the main entrance at 11:30 a.m.

On Thursday, March 31 we will tour and lunch at La Loma. La Loma is located at the corner of Camelback and Litchfield Roads. We will meet at the main entrance at 11:30 a.m.

These communities offer all utilities (except phone), 24 hour staff on duty, weekly housekeeping, dining, full activities program and scheduled transportation. Join us on the tours to see the complete list of amenities for each community.

Please, don’t wait until you need to find somewhere to get assistance—be prepared!

Space is limited – don’t delay!

You can sign up by calling the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.

Blood drive – March 11

Sue White

As part of Kare Bears Health and Wellness effort, we are pleased to be offering a Blood Drive open to all residents on Friday, March 11 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Tuscany Falls Ballroom 3.

The sign-up sheet is at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse across from the Pro Shop. Appointments are scheduled every 15 minutes starting at 8:00 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Two appointments can be scheduled at the same time. If you would rather sign up at home on your computer, there is an instruction sheet explaining this process.

In addition, for those signing up on the computer and to streamline the process on March 6, United Blood Services asks that you register online by completing the Health History Questionnaire. The instructions, entitled “Streamline your next donation: Complete your health history online” are with the signup sheet or instructions can be found at www.UnitedBloodServices.org/HealthHIstory.html. Donors who complete the online health history questionnaire should print out the Fast Track Donation Ticket and bring it with you to the donor mobile on March 6.

Again, the United Blood Services Mobile Unit will be at the Eagle’s Nest Parking Lot near the Activities Center.

Blood Donation reminders on the day of the drive:

1. Hydrate and eat a meal prior to your donation; even better, start hydrating the day before.

2. Bring ID with you (UBS Donor Card or driver’s license work well)

3. Make sure you are free of any cold or flu symptoms.

4. Have medication list available if needed.

5. Wear a top with loose fitting sleeves (preferably short sleeves) so that we can check blood pressure and locate the best vein to use to collect your blood.

6. Bring a list of all countries (and cities/areas you have visited – with dates – in the past 12 months and do the same for all European countries you have visited since 1980.

7. You must weigh at least 110 pounds.

8. Waiting period between donations is 56 days for whole blood, 112 for double red cell donations.

Did you know, you can save three lives just by donating your blood and it will only take a half hour out of your day. In addition, your body produces healthier red cells after a donation: red cells carry oxygen to your vital organs. The blood supply at valley hospitals is in need of constant replenishing. UBS-AZ is one of three approved blood banks that can send blood to our military overseas.

Also, if you are taking prescription medications, 95% of them are fine and will not prevent you from donating blood. Some examples of acceptable meds are insulin, blood pressure, cholesterol, anti-depressants, thyroid, allergy and aspirin.

If you have any questions, please contact the Kare Bears House at 536-1200.

Many thanks for helping Kare Bears helping neighbors!