Community Connections
Feb / Mar 2014

Northeast Missouri Area Health Education Center 

Phone 660.665.6404     Fax 660.665.6439     Toll free 1.877.303.2938 

Visit our website at: www.nemoahec.org 

 

In This Issue
TSU "The Big Event"
Agency Spotlight
Links
ATSU-KCOM & TSU Health Partners Program
Message From the Adair Co. Division of Senior & Disability Services
National Public Health Week
Healthy Woman logo
Monday, March 31st 
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
El Kadir Shrine Club
2401 South Baltimore Street, Kirksville 
 
The speaker will be Carrol Davenport, CT, Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator with Hospice of Northeast Missouri.

 

Admit it - we have all been there - you have just run into an acquaintance who has just suffered a great loss and you don't know what to say.  Do you:

A.  Duck you head and run?

B.  Make awkward small talk and ignore the elephant?

C.  Say what?

 

Come learn what is best to say, or not say, to your friend at our next Healthy Woman Event.


For more information: contact Laura Gruber at Laura_Gruber@chs.net or 660.785.1153.  
 Truman State University's 
13th Annual
"The Big Event"
Need some help with yard or house work? Ask TSU students to help you during "The Big Event" on Saturday, March 29, 2014.

 volunteers3_hdr.jpg

On the day of The Big Event, hundreds of Truman State University (TSU) students will provide service to the residents of the community by raking leaves, washing windows, painting, and more! The Big Event gives TSU students the opportunity to show appreciation for all of the support the Kirksville community has offered to them.  

 

If you or your organization are interested, click here: THE BIG EVENT to find out more and click on "Registration" and "Community Registration". It's not too late to get your name on the list seeking volunteers to help you!

Agency Spotlight
Twin Pines Adult Care Center

"Where Care & Choices Come Together" 
 
Twin Pines Adult Care Center is a leading provider of senior care serving seniors of Northeast Missouri for over 40 years. Nestled adjacent 100 acres of trees, Twin Pines Adult Care Center is directly across the street from Northeast Regional Medical Center for easy access to acute medical care.   
  
Twin Pines is a non-profit, licensed, skilled nursing facility and is a Charter Member of the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes quality excellence campaign. Their success in areas such as infections, pressure ulcers, falls and weight loss all demonstrate our commitment to quality resident care. 
 
"Our motto, "Where Care and Choices Come Together" is the cornerstone of our community and our goal is to make each person feel at home with us. From our warm, home-like decor to our home-style choice dining to our full-service "Signature Styles" Beauty Salon with full time beautician, we have the amenities to make you or your loved one feel right at home." 
 
Services include but not limited to:
  • Transportation provided at no additional charge, with an escort, to Physician Appointments in Kirksville and out of town
  • New renovated Special Care Unit caring for those with Alzheimer's or related Dementia
  • 16 New Renovated Private Rooms with in-room refrigerators; 33 Private Rooms in all
  • Skilled Nursing: IV therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Wound Care, Coordination of Hospice Services, Medication Management, Diabetic Services, Patient/Family Education
  • Skilled Therapy: In-House Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy including the New VitalStim Therapy
  • Home-style Choice Menu with special attention to each individual's preferences and likes/dislikes
  • Soft-serve ice cream machine
  • Full-Service "Signature Styles" Beauty Salon with full-time Beautician
  • Free Basic Cable
  • Home-Like Atmosphere

For more information, please contact Twin Pines Adult Care Center at 660-665-2887, or at TPACC@cableone.net. 
 
Address:  316 S. Osteopathy                                  Kirksville, MO 63501

 

Website:  www.twinpinesadultcarecenter.com 

NEMO AHEC Staff

Becky Dawson, Executive Director

Dinah Coles, Office Manager

Anna Kaminski, Health Career/ Education Coordinator

Emilie Maierhofer, Program Coordinator   

MAHEC logo blue


NEMO AHEC, 312 S. Elson St.

Kirksville, MO  63501

Board Members

Janice Clark, EdD, M-CHES

Sandra Clarkson, FNP-BC

Audrey Gough, BSN   

Leanna Leake, FNP

Tanya Taylor, BS 

Connie Thompson, RN, ADN

Susan Wathen, SPHR

   

NEMO AHEC serves 21 counties:

map 
MAHEC Mission
To enhance access to quality health care, particularly primary and preventative care, by growing and supporting Missouri's healthcare workforce. 
Links
SAVE THE DATE

"So Many Drugs, So Little Time"

 Thursday, April 3, 2014 at Noon

 

Location: Couts Classroom, A.T. Still University 

(800 W.Jefferson St. Kirksville, MO) 

 

SpeakerJoseph Flaherty, MD

 

Dr. Flaherty is a professor of medicine at Saint Louis University and is also the Assistant Program Director for the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship program.

 

ATSU's Aging Studies Project is an university-wide program with a mandate for community outreach to elders and service agencies. The project's goal is to bring students into direct contact with community-based elders, expand learning resources for students and community members, and provide opportunities for interdisciplinary clinical interaction to strengthen student capacity for the interprofessional teamwork needed in healthcare, especially for geriatric care.

 

For more information, contact Becky at 660.665.6404 or bdawson@nemoahec.org 

Health Partners Program (HPP)

ATSU--KCOM and Truman State University are now offering a new, interdisciplinary program, Health Partners Program (HPP), giving students the opportunity to work with community elders and students from other disciplines to gather a health history, assess vital signs, plan and provide condition-specific education to patients in their home. While this is the inaugural beginning of HPP, over the past 10 years, a group of Truman and ATSU faculty have worked together annually with a sizable group of students to complete a similar program. 

HPP is designed to allow students the opportunity to practice interviewing skills, learn about geriatric health issues and assessment resources, and establish a professional relationship with an elder for the purposes of developing knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes necessary for delivering high quality care to older adult patients. This program also incorporates information and activities that introduce students to interprofessional teamwork and patient safety strategies.

The interdisciplinary, patient teams consist of three students selected from the following programs: 
  • Truman State University
    • Athletic Training
    • Communication Disorders
    • Health & Exercise Science
    • Nursing
  • A.T. Still University
    • Osteopathic Medicine 
    • Dental (Beginning in 2015)
This course has start-up funding and implementation support from the ATSU Aging Studies Project, the ATSU-KCOM AHEC Program office, the Department of Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Community Health, and the Truman Health Professions Programs. 

For more information about this program, please contact Angela Daniels at (660) 626-2887 or adaniels@atsu.edu. 

 Message from the
Adair County Division of Senior & Disability Services

Flu Vaccinations

It has been recognized for many years that people 65 years and older are at greater risk of serious complications from the flu compared with young, healthy adults. It's estimated that 90 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths and more than 60 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations in the United States each year occur in people 65 years and older. This is because human immune defenses become weaker with age.

 

The single best way to protect against the flu is to get a flu vaccine each year.  CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older, especially seniors, as they are at high risk for developing serious complications from flu, get vaccinated each season.

 

You can get vaccinated wherever you see vaccine available in your community.  Your doctor's office, a public health clinic, supermarkets, pharmacies, schools, churches, senior centers, and a variety of other places are offering flu vaccine this season.  Visit http://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/immunizations/ for more information.

 

Home and Community Based Services

As we age, basic activities of daily living can become more difficult. Many individuals prefer to stay in their homes rather than move to a facility. Older people may choose to live independently in their homes with the help of home and community based services.  Medicaid will cover these services for seniors and disabled adults who meet income and eligibility guidelines.  To make a referral for Medicaid home and community based services, please contact the Division of Senior and Disability Services at 866-835-3505.

  

Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation Hotline

If you suspect an elderly or disabled person is being abused or financially exploited, call the department's hotline (1-800-392-0210), 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., seven days a week.

 

Your call may generate an immediate response from the department if the victim is in immediate danger. For less urgent situations, the department may need several days to respond. Either way, a departmental investigator will follow up and contact you for more information. 

  

National Public Health Week

 

 

 

National Public Health Week is April 7-13, 2014.  More information including a media kit can be found at http://www.nphw.org/.  

 

 

 

 

The daily themes are:  

Monday, April 7: Be Healthy from the Start: Public health starts at home...from family nutrition and maternal health to safety precautions and disaster preparedness, the first step the community takes toward public health are in the comfort of their own home. Empower your community to take action at home through better meal planning, conducting safety upgrades and preparing for emergencies

 

Tuesday, April 8: Don't Panic: Public health professionals help communities withstand the impact of a natural or man-made disaster by planning ahead, acting as a source of information during the crisis and helping to mitigate the long and short-term effects. Share tips for disaster preparedness with your community so they can take steps at home to plan ahead for the unexpected.  

 

Wednesday, April 9: Get Out Ahead: Prevention is now a nationwide priority, and as the public health system evolves, there are more options than ever when it comes to preventive health measures.  Public health and clinical health professionals must work collaboratively to help individuals identify and pursue the best preventative health options.

 

Thursday, April 10:  Eat Well: The system that keeps our nation's food safe and healthy is complex. Public health professionals can help guide people and teach them how to better understand food labels, and how to protect their loved ones from potential food borne illnesses. 

 

Friday, April 11:  Be the Healthiest Nation in One Generation: For the first time in decades, the current generation is not as healthy as the one that came before. Communities need to band together to take a stance against this trend to make sure that our children and young adults have bright, healthy futures. Public health professionals can lead the way by helping communities identify the resources and information available to keep everyone healthy and safe. 

National Public Health Week: Public Health is ROI - Save Lives, Save Money
National Public Health Week: Public Health is ROI - Save Lives, Save Money