Medicare Changes for 2005

Medicare has never covered preventable physical exams in the past.  They have only covered “sick visits”, in other words you go to the doctor with a problem.  However, as of January, 2005, Medicare will cover new enrollees for one preventable physical exam.  Also included is an electrocardiogram and counseling about preventative services that are already available to all Medicare patients.  These include:
 Colorectal cancer screening
 Glaucoma screening (if at risk)
Medical nutritional therapy (for patients with diabetes and renal disease)
Prostate cancer screening
Screening for cardiovascular disease (if at risk)
Screening for diabetes (if at risk)
Screening mammograms
Screening pelvic exams and pap smears
Vaccinations for the flu, pneumonia, and hepatitis 
This is an excellent way for you and your doctor to take charge of your health before a problem is evident. However, you must have this exam done within six months of enrolling in Medicare!  Be sure to let your family, friends and neighbors who are new to Medicare know about this change! 

Medical Recourses Lee Moulds. R.N., B.S. lmoulds@earthlink.net

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that gradually destroys brain cells and leads to a progressive decline in mental function.  It destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, communicate and carry out daily activities.  Often it is accompanied by personality and behavior changes such as moodiness, anxiety, and delusions or hallucinations.  

The duration of the disease varies greatly from as little as three to twenty years.  The areas of the brain that affect memory and thinking skills are the first affected, but as the disease progresses cells in other regions of the brain die as well.  Eventually, the person with Alzheimer’s will need complete care.  

Unfortunately, many folks confuse the early symptoms of dementia with those of normal aging.  Although there is no known cure, it is important to have an early diagnosis as there are medications that can slow the progression of the disease, and allow for treatment of psychiatric symptoms when they exist.  

Some of the early signs of dementia are a decrease in personal hygiene.  Because of the memory loss folks don’t remember whether they have bathed, laundered their clothes; and may begin to have difficulties with toileting habits and continence issues.  As they attempt to dress themselves, clothes may be put on in the wrong order, or even on the wrong parts of the body.  Eventually a loss of motor skills becomes apparent – evidenced by unsteady gait, restlessness or directionless movements that show a disregard for safety.  Their facial expressions may show feelings of anxiety, agitation, bewilderment,  or depression.

Early diagnosis allows the individual and the family to educate themselves about the disease and its effects, as well as:
 plan for the safety of the individual, allow treatment for the symptoms that are reversible, or slow the progression,
 provide time to make important decisions including financial and legal planning.
Once an individual is diagnosed, certain activities will need to be supervised, limited, or stopped; including driving, using heavy machinery, and caring for other family members.  Research into the ways the brain is affected by the disease may lead to new treatments in the near future.  Until a cure can be found, it has been shown that effective care and support can drastically improve the quality of life for those with the disease, as well their loved ones.  The Alzheimer’s Association has a 24-hour help line (1-800-272-3900), and a local chapter located at 1850 York Rd, Suite D, Timonium, MD 21093, 410-561-9095.  Support groups are being formed now in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.  Call Lisa Peterson @ 410-561-9099 for more information.   

Lee Moulds, RN, BS
Highlandtown Lutheran Ministries
 
 

In case of emergency (ICE) Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone no. of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only  takes a few moments of your time to do. Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it immediately. ICE your cell phone NOW! Are You Practicing Safe Cell?  Did you know that, according to the American Automobile Association, between 4,000 and 8,000 automobile accidents related to distracted  driving occur daily in the United States?  Annually, they contribute to as many as one-half of the 6 million U.S. crashes that are reported. While not the only cause of distraction, cell phone use while operating a motor vehicle is a large, and growing, danger.  The temptations for cell phone use while driving are mighty - friends to talk to, work to get done, children to check on, helping time to pass on a long and boring highway.  However, as God's people of health and hope, we have the opportunity to be good stewards and to demonstrate care for others on streets and highways by minimizing cell phone use while  driving.  Consider the following tips from the A.A.A. (www.aaawa.com):  * Recognize that driving requires your full attention.  *  Before you get behind the wheel, familiarize yourself with the features of your cell phone.  *  Use your cell phone only if it is absolutely necessary.  *  If you must use your phone, do so at a safe time and place.  *  Ask a passenger in the car to place the call for you and, if possible, speak in your place.  *  Plan your conversation in advance and keep it short.

*  Inform the person you're calling that you are speaking from the car.  *  Hang up the phone as soon as possible, especially in heavy traffic and hazardous weather conditions.  *  Secure your phone in the car so that it doesn't become a projectile in a crash.  Free Medication Program MedBank of Maryland, Inc. is a new nonprofit organization in Maryland which will help connect residents with free prescription medications from the drug companies.  Income limits do apply, but there are no age restrictions.  Once you are found eligible and enrolled in the program, a MedBank representative will work with you, your doctor and the drug companies to keep you supplied with maintenance medications for your high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or other illnesses requiring medications on a daily basis.  Diane Kretzschmar, Parish Nurse at FSH has already helped enrolled several folks from her Church in the program. Mark your calendars for March 14, Sunday at 12 Noon.  Amber Harris from MedBank of Maryland, Inc will be at Nazareth Lutheran Church to explain the program and how to enroll.  The Ladies Guild of Nazareth will also be holding a luncheon  for a nominal fee.  Proceeds are to be used to remodel the ladies room.  Please feel free to come hear about MedBank.  Lunch is optional!

We are blessed to be Americans and be able to live in the land of plenty!  However, having plenty is not always good for us!  Too much watching television deprives us of vital exercise, and we become “couch potatoes”.  Too much fast food deprives us of making good food choices, and learning to cook healthy dishes.  Our dependence on our cars not only deprives us of exercise, but also gives us a “handy dining room” to consume our meals with in-car dining!  Often these “quick meals” consist of thousands of calories and are consumed over a very short time and frequently while we are alone!
 What’s healthy about any of the above behaviors?  Do you see yourself in any of these scenarios?  If so, do you want to make any changes?  That’s the greatest gift we have as Americans!  The freedom to be able to make changes when/if we want to!  That is also one of the gifts of being a Christian.  Our God has given us the intelligence and ability to make choices!  He has also given us the freedom to start each day anew in His sight!  When we confess our sins to Him, He forgives us! 

Healthy living is consciously making choices each day to change our old “bad” behaviors with new ones.  Let’s talk about food choices first.  Plan regular meals and eat them at regular intervals.  Skipping meals doesn’t save calories.  You don’t expect your car to run without gas.  Why would you expect your body to function well without food, which is our energy source?  Calories count!  Most of us only need between 1500 and 2200 calories a day, depending on how active we are during the day.  Frequent small meals are good for you.  This keeps you from getting overly hungry.  Borrow a nutrition book from the library for help in planning meals.  Chose foods you love in moderation.  Go for quality and not quantity!  You should be able to eat anything you want while trying to lose weight, but the amount is important.  Don’t do anything else when you eat!  Watching TV, driving, talking on the phone are all distractions, and we tend to eat more without realizing it.  Eating with someone else is always more enjoyable.  However, since that is not always possible, learn to eat alone with joy.  Set the table for yourself.  Make the setting attractive.  Take the time to say “Grace.”  It helps to keep your faith in view, and reminds you with our Lord’s help you can achieve great things!  Always eat at the table.  This will help prevent snacking in front of the TV, or eating on the run.  If it’s not meal time, ask yourself why you are eating.  Are you bored, lonely, stressed, fearful?   Food will not relieve those feelings.  Address these feelings separately without food!   Find a hobby, call a friend, pray, take a walk and meditate.  Work through the problem.  Eating is not the answer for every problem.

The big news in healthy living is 10,000 steps.  There has been much news coverage on the concept.  It’s a way to get us up and moving.  This is what our bodies were made to do.  No one expects you to suddenly start walking 10,000 steps.  Start with a walk around the block.  When you are comfortable with that, increase it to two blocks.  This is not an exercise program, it’s just moving.   Almost everyone can do it.  Choose times during the coolness of the day in the summer and in the warm sun during the winter.  Park your car at the end of the parking lot when you shop.  All those extra steps add up.  These are all choices for you to consider.   Healthy living is making healthy choices.  Feel free to call me if you have questions about this article or other health concerns. 

Lee Moulds, RN, BS, Parish Nurse 

Highlandtown Lutheran Ministries and Wheat Ridge Ministries