Our education segment was presented by Alan Palmer, D.C., C.C.S.T., director of the Palmer Center for Natural Healing. Dr. Palmer's topic was "The Importance of Maintaining Life Balance." He spoke about how to maintain a healthy immune system through proper diet, adequate hydration, and a non-toxic environment. The 5 habits for maintaining a healthy life balance are:

1. Adequate sleep
2. Regular exercise
3. An attitude of gratitude
4. Positive stress management
5. A balance in work/life practices  

Dr. Palmer is offering a $57 special for an initial consultation/evaluation for AALHA members only. This special offer will expire on June 16. Contact him at 480-443-2584 or Dr.Palmer@wellnessdoc.com. If you were not at the meeting and would like a copy of Dr. Palmer's handout, please send your request to admin@aalha.com.  

Our forum sponsor was Mobile Doctors. Lisa Guida offered information about Mobile Doctors, and how they assist the residents of care homes and the community. Thank you Lisa, for the great refreshments.  

 In a May 5 press release, The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona's single state Medicaid agency, has awarded nine contracts to three successful managed care companies that will provide services to Arizonans enrolled in the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) program. The contracts were awarded for up to five years, beginning on October 1, 2011. To learn more, click here.  In a phone conversation with a SCAN representative, we have learned that SCAN will continue to serve current contracts (pending management approval), but will not accept new contracts.. 

Our May forum will be our spring/summer social. It will be held at Encore Senior Living, Paradise Valley, 16621 N. 31st St., Phoenix. No CEUs at this event - just good food and great networking. This social will be sponsored by Saliba's Extended Care Pharmacy. 

Our June monthly forum will be held at our NEW location at United Healthcare, 3141 N. 3rd Ave., Phoenix in the Cafeteria Room. Park on the west - to the north side of the building. All meetings thereafter (unless otherwise advised) will be held at United Healthcare.

A word from our sponsor:  

                              Don't Dodge the Docs

                                   by Brian Barrick

Records are a durable account of what has happened. Courts may place more trust in records than in eyewitnesses. This may be true because documentation is an immediate response, and eyewitness accounts may be told long after the event is fresh in the observer's memory. Documentation can be the facility's tool in defending against charges of errors and misconduct. In addition to background material, treatment plan, record of treatment interventions, progress notes, critical incident reports and routine information, the record should contain documentation of all unusual events.

All documentation should be a clear and accurate accounting of the situation.  Do not make the assumption that you will remember the incident exactly as it occurred.Record the incident as soon as possible following the occurrence.When documenting the incident, deal only with the facts and what actually happened; do not provide opinions or personal feelings in your documentation.Be specific. Include what staff members had been present, date, time, and witnesses other than staff. Also include conversations with any physicians, family members, other responsible parties and other medical professionals.Always keep in mind that these documents could be used in defending a court case or reviewed by the licensing department and others outside the company.   

For your FREE Copy of Don't Dodge the Docs, including sample policies, procedures and forms for proper documentation, simply e-mail  kathi@pcalic.com, visit our website at www.pcalic.com or call 1-800-673-2558. 

As you may have heard, there have been some amazing breakthroughs this past month in linking certain genes to Alzheimer's, but there is still a lot of work to be done. This year, the first of the Boomer Generation turns 65. To bring urgently needed attention to the risk facing the Boomers, The Alzheimer's Association released a groundbreaking study, Generation Alzheimer's: The Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers. For more, click here.  

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We are very close to full functionality at our new website. AALHA members - watch for an email advising how to access your directory listing and add information.  

Our new events calendar is online now and we encourage you to visit this page often. AALHA events, as well as other events and networking opportunities, are being added constantly. This calendar provides directional maps, RSVP links, and much more. For complete information (including links to maps), click on the event.