Kare Bears office volunteers Diane Pratuch (left) and Tisha Johnson
Win prizes by viewing website
Rayma Scalzo
Want to win $50 cash or a $20 gift card just by viewing a website? If so, now is your chance! There will be five lucky winners!
It will only take a few minutes of your time and you will find it to be a fun and informative way to see what the Kare Bears Resource Guide is about.
To participate, go to the Kare Bears website at www.karebears.org and click on Resource Guide. Scroll down to the bottom and click on The Full File to download the guide. Now, all you have to do is look in the guide for two words. It is just that easy!
The TWO consecutive words you must find are BEST RESOURCE.
Those two words are mentioned FOUR different times in the Resource Guide. Find the page numbers where those words are bolded. (Hint: Look for Area Agency on Aging. It is the best resource for seniors and we want you to become familiar with it.)
Write the FOUR page numbers down where you found the words BEST RESOURCE and take them to the Kare Bears House (15383 W. Cheery Lynn Road) or to the Eagle’s Nest or Tuscany Falls library. A tan lock box will be on a table along with contest entry forms located beside the box. Complete a form and deposit it in the box. (Only one entry per household.) A copy of the Resource Guide (in a red notebook) will also be there for your review just in case you don’t have Internet access.
You might ask why we are doing this. Well, we want you to use our website. In addition to the Resource Guide, there is a wealth of information on the site. It includes our mission, upcoming events, address of our house and hours of operation, Unit Coordinators, names of Kare Bears Board members and much more!
The drawing for the five prizes will take place at the Kare Bears meeting on Wednesday, March 16 at 11:00 a.m. The first and second prize winners will each receive $50 cash and the third, fourth and fifth place winners will receive a $20 gift card for use at PebbleCreek restaurants.
You do not have to be present to win.
Remember: If you don’t enter, you can’t win! Good luck!
A special thanks to Marian and Jim See. They donated two prizes in memory of Joan Hanson who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2014
Hearing tests offered
Sue White
As part of Kare Bears Health and Wellness programs, we are offering hearing tests by Costco on Friday, March 18 from 8:00 a.m. until noon in the Milan Room at Tuscany Falls.
Hearing tests will be given in five to seven minute increments. When you sign up, you will be able to sign up for the time you would like to have the test. There will be approximately 10 tests done per hour.
A sign-up sheet is in the Kare Bears folder at the Community Information Mailbox across from the Eagle’s Nest Pro Shop.
If you have questions, please call the Kare Bears House at 623-536-1200.
Lucas Nyabero, PharmD is the featured speaker at the Kare Bears presentation on Wednesday, March 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Precision medicine through pharmacogenetic testing
Kare Bears would like to invite you to hear Dr. Lucas Nyabero, PharmD at the Kare Bears monthly presentation on Wednesday, March 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom.
Dr. Lucas Kimanga Nyabero has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from MCPHS University Worcester. He is now C.E.O. of NewSpring Pharmacy, a compounding pharmacy in Avondale which specializes in customized medicine. Prior to his current position, he worked as a hospital pharmacist at Scottsdale Healthcare, Arizona Heart Hospital and as CEO of RxGems. He is also a Rotarian at the Rotary Club of Litchfield. Dr. Nyabero’s thorough knowledge of medications and his ability to communicate his knowledge to the public has made him a very popular guest speaker. Dr. Nyabero is married to Wambui. James, Kerubo and Tenzin are their pride and joy.
Currently, most medications are available as “one size fits all,” but we all react differently to the same drugs. Precision Medicine will change this paradigm. With a simple cheek swab you can learn which drugs and at what dosage is most appropriate for you. A simple buccal swab test can decrease adverse drug reactions, accelerate medication titration and improve patient outcomes.
* Identify how a patient’s genetic makeup contributes to a positive therapeutic result and/or adverse reactions to prescribed medications.
* Analyze clinically relevant genetic variants for 17 gene targets. Understanding the patient’s metabolism can help providers accelerate months of prescription trial and error, prescribe the right dosage of the right medications, thus dramatically impact patient care and quality of life
* Provide Medication Therapy Management: Current patient medications are analyzed to provide recommendation on optimized therapy
Dr. Nyabero will be sharing detailed information on how this new technology will change healthcare for the better.
Precision Medicine is the way of the future and the future is now!
Light refreshments will be served prior to the presentation.
This a free event open to all PebbleCreek residents!
We hope you all can join us at the presentation!
CPR/AED class – April 29
Have you always wanted to learn CPR but never took the time—well, here’s your opportunity to learn a lifesaving technique. The class will be held on Friday, April 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Tuscany Falls Ballroom, Room 1.
The CPR/AED defibrillator and resuscitation class is open to all employees and residents of PebbleCreek. The certified instructor does an excellent presentation with hands-on training in all equipment and technique.
The cost is $30 for residents and can be paid with cash or checks to AZ Pro CPR and First Aid LLC at the beginning of the class.
A sign-up sheet will be available after March 29 in the Kare Bears folder at the Community Information Mailbox across from the Eagle’s Nest Pro Shop.
Any questions, please call the Kare Bears house at 536-1200.
January donations
The Kare Bears Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge the following donations received in January.
Non-campaign donations were received from the following residents and groups: Ken Kurtz, James and Margery Ellison, Clifford and Sara Mercer, Iain and Donna Weatherston, William and Sue Gainer, Linda and Randy Sinley, Sei and Pauline Furukawa, PC Senior Softball 50-50 Raffle, Martin Tollefson – 50-50 Raffle prize returned, Joseph and Mary Shepard, Mary and Paul Mack, Richard and Gloria Fulton, Stephanie and Ted Jensen, Donna Frole, Howard and Cheryl Brodbeck and Mary Couzens Realty
Memorial contributions were received from: Kathy Castillo and Steven Rhude in memory of Larry Seavert; Carol Patricka, Jim and Averill Swenson and Theodore and Debra Blaine in memory of Stan Wisnes and Ted and Thelma Lindhorn, Thomas and Peg Janssen, Karen Sweet and Judy Zuccola in memory of Andrea Tabasko.
The generosity and thoughtfulness of these residents and groups will enable Kare Bears to continue to serve the needs of our PebbleCreek residents.
Assisted living tours planned
Sue White
Kare Bears is arranging the following Assisted Living Tours in the next two months.
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.
On Thursday, April 14 we will tour and lunch at the Groves. The Groves is located at 2655 N. PebbleCreek Parkway. We will meet at the main entrance at 11:30 a.m.
These communities offer all utilities (except phone), 24 hour staff on duty, housekeeping, dining, a 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.
Hospital tours
Kare Bears has scheduled a tour of Abrazo Hospital, formerly West Valley Hospital, on Thursday, March 17 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 March is full, you may sign up for one of the next two scheduled tours on either Thursday, April 21 or Thursday, May 19.
We know you’ll enjoy this tour and appreciate all the much 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.
Calendar of events
March 11 – Blood Drive – 8:30 to 12:30 p.m. – Tuscany Falls Ballroom 3
March 16 – Monthly Presentation – Eagle’s Nest Ballroom – 11:00 a.m.
March 17 – Abrazo Hospital Tour – 10:00 a.m.
March 18 – Costco Hearing Tests – 8:00 a.m. – Milan Room
March 31 – La Loma Tour – 11:30 a.m.
April 14 – The Groves Tour – 11:30 a.m.
April 21 – Abrazo Hospital Tour – 10:00 a.m.
April 29 – CPR/AED class – TFBR#1
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 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, 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!