Dear Savvy Senior, What tips do you recommend for making a bathroom safer and more functional for seniors. My 79-year-old mother slipped and fell getting out of the shower last month, and I’d like to modify her bathroom a bit with some safety features that can help protect her. Searching Daughter

Dear Searching,
Because more accidents and injuries happen in the bathroom than any other room in the house, this is a very important room to modify for aging in place. Depending on your mom’s needs, here are some tips for each part of the bathroom that can make it safer and easier to use.
Flooring: To avoid slipping, a simple fix is to get non-skid bath rugs for the floors. Or if you want to put in a new floor get slip-resistant tiles, rubber or vinyl flooring, or install wall-to-wall carpeting.
Lighting: Good lighting is also very important, so install the highest wattage bulbs allowed for your mom’s bathroom fixtures, and get a plug-in nightlight that automatically turns on when the room gets dark.
Bathtub/shower: To make bathing safer, purchase a rubber suction-grip mat, or put down adhesive nonskid tape on the tub/shower floor. And have a carpenter install grab bars in and around the tub/shower for support.
If your mom uses a shower curtain, install a screw or bolt-mounted curtain rod, versus a tension-mounted rod, so that if she loses her balance and grabs the shower curtain the rod won’t spring loose.
If your mom has mobility issues or balance problems, get her a shower or bathtub seat so she can bathe from a seated position. In addition, you may also want to get a handheld, adjustable-height showerhead installed that will make washing while sitting down easier.
Another, pricier option is to install a walk-in-bathtub or a prefabricated curbless shower. Walk-in tubs have a door in front that provides a much lower threshold to step over than a standard tub. They also typically have a built-in seat, handrails and a slip resistant bottom, and some have therapeutic spa features with whirlpool water jets and/or bubble massage air jets.
Curbless showers have no threshold to step over, and typically come with a built-in seat, grab bars, slip resistant floors and an adjustable handheld showerhead. Prefabricated curbless showers and walk-in-tubs typically cost anywhere between $2,500 and $10,000 installed.
Toilet: Most toilets are about 14 to 16 inches high which can be an issue for many people with arthritis, back, hip or knee problems. To raise the toilet height, which can make sitting down and getting back up a little easier, you can purchase a raised toilet seat that clamps to the toilet bowl, and/or purchase toilet safety rails that sit on each side of the seat for support. Or, you can install an ADA compliant toilet that ranges between 17 and 19 inches high.
Faucets: If your mom has twist handles on the sink, bathtub or shower faucets, replace them with lever handle faucets. They’re easier to operate, especially for seniors with arthritis or limited hand strength. Also note that it only takes 130-degree water to scald someone, so turn her hot water heater down to 120 degrees.
Entrance: If your mom needs a wider bathroom entrance to accommodate a walker or wheelchair, install some “swing clear” offset hinges on the door which will widen the doorway an additional two inches.
Emergency assistance: As a safety precaution, purchase a waterproof phone for the bathroom or get a medical alert device (SOS emergency call button) that your mom could wear in case she falls and needs to call for help.
You can find all of the products suggested in this column at either medical supply stores, pharmacies, big-box stores, home improvement stores, hardware and plumbing supply stores as well as online.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

New Service Aims to Help Oklahomans Find Lost

admin

Apr 24, 2015

Starting today, Oklahomans can use a new tool from the Oklahoma Insurance Department to find insurance money they may be owed using the Lost Life Policy Locator Service.
The Lost Life Policy Locator Service will help Oklahomans find a life insurance policy or annuity contract left by a deceased loved one. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak asked his staff to find a way to help Oklahomans get money they are owed and bridge the gap between insurance companies and Oklahomans who think they may be listed as a beneficiary.
“Many times finding life insurance policies can be difficult and time consuming after a loved one’s death,” said Doak. “But with this new service, consumers can request help from the Oklahoma Insurance Department to simplify the process of locating lost life insurance policies.”
After the necessary information is submitted, OID will contact all state-licensed life insurance companies asking them to search their records for any life insurance policies or annuity contracts insuring the decedent. If a policy is found, that insurance company will contact the beneficiary to complete the claim.
Two legislative proposals on this topic have been introduced this session in an effort to protect consumers’ ability to collect lost policies. Doak is working with legislators to find a solution that best meets the needs of beneficiaries within the confines of the law.
“Commissioner Doak has taken an important step to help Oklahoma citizens claim the life insurance benefits they may be owed,” said Rep. Glen Mulready, author of SB 298. “I applaud this effort and I look forward to partnering with him and his team on this issue going forward.”
“I’m delighted that the citizens of Oklahoma will now have a process to inquire about family policies that may have been forgotten over the years,” said Sen. Gary Stanislawski, Senate author of HB 2066. “I commend Commissioner Doak for developing this innovative solution.”
“I applaud Commissioner Doak for implementing a lost policy finder process as an effort to offer protection to consumers. It coincides perfectly with my legislation that will make the consumer whole by requiring the companies to seek out lost or unpaid policies on a go forward basis,” Sen. Marty Quinn, author of SB 298.

To learn more about this new service, visit the Lost Life Policy Locator Service on our website or contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 1-800-522-0071.

El Reno Welcomes New ER Department Provider

admin

Apr 24, 2015

As a former firefighter and paramedic-turned-nurse practitioner, Antoinette Thompson-Ducasse has always been dedicated to public service and believes her profession chose her.
She brings that dedication to her new role as a nurse practitioner at Mercy Hospital El Reno.
During her 23-year career as a firefighter, Thompson-Ducasse became a paramedic and eventually went on to nursing school where she discovered her deep passion for caring for others.
“I love caring for people, teaching them, being straight with them and everything about it,” she said. “I treat people like family with the respect and dignity they deserve. I like to have an open relationship with patients so they know they can trust me since I will listen and care for their needs.”
Thompson-Ducasse received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and her master’s degree in nursing from the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
For the past several years, Thompson-Ducasse has volunteered at the Royal Family Kids Camp and the Teen Reach Adventure Camp as a camp nurse. For three years, she has also volunteered for the 1040 Initiative where she provides medical care to patients in a village in West Africa.

Pop the Cork on the Good Life

admin

Apr 24, 2015

About Stephen F. Lovell, MBA, ChFC®, CLU®, CFP®, CFS, BCM, CRPC®, AEP®, RHU®, AIF®

Imagine a bright, golden vista filled with soothing, warm sunshine – perhaps it is California’s Highway 29. You’re driving this scenic route after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on a Tuesday during working hours. That’s right, you’re going to Napa.
Of course, this is precisely the kind of thing you’re getting used to doing on Tuesdays – not only because you’re becoming a wine connoisseur, but also because Tuesdays no longer belong to hours under the glare of fluorescent lights in front of your work computer. Aah, you’re retired.
“That’s the dream, and as a native San Franciscan I know it well. I myself have traveled the byways of food and wine in the Bay Area. More Americans could be living their dream during retirement, wherever they go to play,” says Stephen F. Lovell, a nationally recognized retirement expert who emphasizes a comprehensive approach for well-being during one’s golden years.
“Many baby boomers will retire in the next few years, and for many of them that dream has a nightmarish tinge—they’re worried they’ll run out of money.”
Lovell, president of Lovell Wealth Legacy, (www.lovellwealthlegacy.com), says 2015 can and should be the start of that good life. He offers three simple ways to bring your dream into reality.
• Revise your budget at the year’s beginning. Ask yourself: How do I spend my money? Many of us believe we have a reasonable idea of where we put our money, but unless you account for your spending, you may miss out by not putting away enough for your happy retirement.
A household’s discretionary spending on nonessential goods and services like a second smart phone case or the premier movie channel is could top 30 percent. And that is often twice what you intended—but you don’t see it until you budget. “Budgeting puts you in the driver’s seat,” Lovell says. “From there you can control where you spend. You’re buying on purpose, and sometimes you get a nice surprise. That alluring vacation is now within reach.”
• Be proactive about your financial interests before visiting a professional. Knowing which financial products may work best for your personal needs and how to protect your hard-earned money from unnecessary taxation is not what most laypeople excel at. That job is best handled by working with a professional. But, as with your health, you reap the benefits of being aware of your needs and of initiating the process of looking after yourself.
“Remember, 40 percent of retirees underestimate their life expectancy, according to an Ernst & Young study,” Lovell says, “so if you don’t want to run out of money, create your financial plan to cover this extended retirement period. Then, you odds for a comfortable retirement are improved.”
• Consider alternatives to stocks, bonds and cash. Many new investment types have appeared to solve planning and retirement issues. Yet most investors limit their choices by relying exclusively on stocks, bonds and cash. From 2000 to 2013, the stock market, for all its ups and downs, wound up at roughly the same place, around 1527. At a 2 to 3 percent investment cost per year, many investors, for all their efforts, lost money! “I educate my clients by bringing to their attention the wide universe of investment types. Results are that more suitable solutions are uncovered and then applied for the client’s benefit.”
Stephen F. Lovell is a thoroughly credentialed, nationally recognized financial professional. Since 1990, he has been gathering various licenses — in insurance, securities, real estate, commodities and as a registered principle — to offer his clients a thoroughly comprehensive perspective on their wealth. He is president of Lovell Wealth Legacy, (www.lovellwealthlegacy.com), and a branch manager at LPL Financial. Lovell has earned several professional honors and memberships. Since walking with his mother as a child for the March of Dimes in San Francisco, he has been active in local and national charities. More recently, Lovell has taken to the airwaves as a radio host at KDOW, where he hosts a weekly show about pursuing financial success and, of course, enjoying the fruits of that financial success.

Prevent Clinic helping Brookhaven residents stay healthy

admin

Apr 24, 2015

Like any good administrator, Brookhaven Extensive Care’s Mollie Woolridge is constantly looking for better ways to help her residents.
So when she heard about the Prevent Clinic and what it could do she was sold.
“We always want to give the best care for our residents so anything that’s new and can make their lives better or easier we want to try,” Wooldridge said. “What they pitched to us was what we needed because readmissions are an issue and these can prevent some. It can at least let us know when someone is declining.”
Enter John Murgai and Lee Rose with Prevent Clinic – an on-site health monitoring and management firm that specializes in identifying patients who are at-risk for hospital readmission.
Once those patients are identified, Prevent Clinic focuses on continued monitoring until the patient’s prognosis improves.
Patients in the Prevent Clinic – largely those with congestive heart failure – are examined once they begin the program and are then seen weekly.
“We know from the start if they are at risk and what to look for and they are monitored regularly by additional people,” Wooldridge said. “And it’s people that learn to know them.”
Brookhaven specializes in nursing care. And Dustin Schuler is the Director of Nursing.
From a clinical standpoint, he was all for using Prevent Clinic.
“It was just giving us an extra tool to care for the residents,” he said. “For a long time with skilled care you had to send them out to the hospital to get any kind of testing done. It was just a great option to help the residents.”
Wooldridge monitored the numbers and liked what she saw.
“When did this work? From the very beginning,” she said.
Prevent Clinic’s ultrasounds and dopplers are also at Schuler and his staff’s disposal.
“The technology the mobile x-ray has is pretty high-end,” he said.
“Once I got the nurses on board 100 percent it was definitely additional peace of mind,” he continued. “I think they like it, knowing there’s another test they could run. It gives them something else we can go to. They realize sending the resident to the hospital isn’t good for them and it isn’t good for the family.”
Health care reform has pinpointed hospital readmissions as a key area for improving care coordination and achieving potential savings. Medicare patients have the largest share of total readmissions and the highest associated costs for readmission.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there were approximately 3.3 million adult hospital readmissions in the U.S. in 2011. That resulted in $41.3 billion in additional hospital costs.
For Medicare patients, the No. 1 condition resulting in readmission was congestive heart failure which was responsible for 134,500 readmissions. Septicemia and pneumonia were the next two conditions responsible for the majority of readmissions. These three conditions alone resulted in $4.3 billion in hospital costs.
At a time when hospitals are trying to lower a patient’s length of stay, patients are unfortunately coming home sicker than before.
The thinking is that objective hemodynamic data can lead to better outcomes and ultimately a lower cost of care.
“It’s an added plus on our side because we do something nobody else does,” Wooldridge said.
Initially, Wooldridge admits her staff was leary of taking on a new process. But Murgai quickly won them over.
“Trying new things is always difficult because you don’t want to add more work to already overworked people,” Wooldridge said. “But I think this helps them in so many different ways. It’s not additional work it’s additional eyes on our residents. More people can see a decline or an improvement.”
Murgai said Brookhaven is the first facility to use Prevent Clinic’s optimized program.
“We test every patient here,” Murgai said. “Every patient gets tested … that way nothing falls through the cracks for them.”
And the cracks are where patients can slip through, leading them back to the hospital.
“Hospitals are where sick people are and people get sicker sometimes when they go there,” Rose said.
That’s why keeping them out of the hospital is the best prescription.

Grief Support Groups Offered

admin

Apr 24, 2015

If you have experienced the death of a loved one, grief is the normal and natural response to loss. INTEGRIS Hospice provides on-going grief support.
Conducted by certified grief specialist, Marla Mercer Cole, MS, the six-week free evening program provides a step-by-step approach for those who wish to resolve their loss issues and move beyond their grief toward a richer quality of life.
Dates: Feb. 2 through March 9 (Monday evenings) Time: 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Place: Southwest Christian University, 7210 NW 39th Expressway • Bethany, OK 73008, Room 1 • North Dormitory Building
To enroll: Call 405-603-1708. Programs are free of charge; space limited.
Cole is a licensed professional counselor specializing in the field of grief and loss. As current vice president of Mercer Adams Funeral Service in Bethany, she also directs the aftercare program for families they serve and oversees community relations.
Normal grief responses include appetite loss, difficulty sleeping, feelings of guilt or regret, lack of concentration, mood changes, numbness or crying.

Proposed Bill Close to Commissioner’s Heart

admin

Apr 24, 2015

Sudden Cardiac Arrest can strike at any time and at any age. A new bill supported by Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak hopes to educate Oklahomans about this condition.
Doak is supporting Michael Morris, a father who lost his teenage son to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Morris hopes legislative proposals will help educate other parents and save lives. Michael’s son, Chase, died suddenly in 2013. His death came as a shock, because Chase was an active 16-year-old athlete with no family history of heart disease.
Commissioner Doak attended the “Play for Chase” Youth Heart Screening event yesterday. Student athletes received blood pressure checks, physicals and an EKG exam for low or no cost. These types of test are not normally part of routine check-ups for teenagers. More than 275 students were screened at this event and three had serious heart conditions.
“This is an issue that is close to my family. My daughter has had multiple heart surgeries, and my son is a student athlete,” Doak said. “We support this bill 100 percent. I commend the Morris family for all their hard work and dedication to this important cause.”
The Chase Morris Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act will be introduced as proposed legislation in Oklahoma this session.
“This is the first time in Oklahoma’s history that we’ve had doctors in both the House and the Senate,” said Rep. Doug Cox, M.D., who is sponsoring the legislation. “So what better way to introduce our first bill than by using what we do in our real lives to propose legislation that will save young athletes and prevent death.”
The bill includes:
* The development of educational materials on Sudden Cardiac Arrest for student athletes
* A requirement that all student athletes and their parents read the materials and sign a yearly waiver
* Guidelines for removing a student who show signs of Sudden Cardiac Arrest during a sporting event and when they can return to athletics
* Yearly training course on Sudden Cardiac Arrest for coaches
* Penalties for coaches who violate the act
“Chase would be very proud. He was a loving son, and we’re taking the tragedy of our son’s death and trying to make a difference in the lives of other children,” said Morris.

Assisted Living Association announces members listed on Caring.com 2015’s Top-Rated

admin

Apr 24, 2015

Assisted Living Association announces members listed on Caring.com 2015’s Top-Rated

Caring.com is recognizing more than 800 assisted living and memory care communities as part of the online senior care resource and review site’s fourth annual “Caring Stars” award program. Eight (8) communities were selected from Oklahoma and Seven (7) of those are members of the Oklahoma Assisted Living Association. They are:
Arbor House – Norman; Bradford Village – Edmond; Copperlake Estates – Edmond; Sterling House West – Oklahoma City; Tamarack – Altus; Ten Oaks – Lawton; and The Parke – Tulsa.
To be considered for Caring Stars 2015, the community had to: receive at least three new consumer reviews between Dec. 1, 2013 and Dec. 1, 2014, including at least one 5-star review; possess a high overall average rating across all reviews on their listing; and have no unresolved negative reviews, to demonstrate responsiveness to online feedback.
“Reviews are more important than your website,” said Caring.com CEO Andy Cohen. “Consumers want to know you’re listening. Even responding to positive reviews, not just negative reviews, can go a long way [in establishing a quality lead].” “We congratulate every Caring Star for earning this recognition, and thank the families who shared their feedback in reviews on Caring.com.”
Research shows, online reviews have become the first stop for the majority of senior living shoppers. Seventy-three percent of Americans say they would pay more for a community with favorable online reviews, and 82% say they use online reviews as part of their assisted living selection research, according to a recent study by assisted living software review and research company Software Advice.
The Oklahoma Assisted Living Association is proud to have these outstanding communities as their members.

Change for Good – Nurse seeks to change hospice market

admin

Apr 24, 2015

by Mike Lee
Staff Writer

Debra Moore, RN, didn’t sleep much the night before.
Her new job as clinical director of Oklahoma Hospice Care is a daunting one and keeps her busy.
But the award-winning nurse wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“I feel like I make a difference,” she said, just a few hours removed from sitting up most of the night with a dying patient and their family.
Moore became Oklahoma Hospice Care clinical director near the end of 2014, accepting a staff of more than 10.
“She’s just an amazing, charismatic leader,” says Jennifer Forrester, RT, community relations director. “People want to follow her and she takes ownership and the magnitude of responsibility for that position.”
Moore was the gem Oklahoma Hospice Care had been looking for.
And Moore is a firm believer that Oklahoma Hospice Care is poised for expansion. Oklahoma Hospice Care has offices in Oklahoma City and Shawnee with a radius stretching 50 miles from each office.
She floats the idea of one day having an inpatient hospital.
She’s never been one that dares to dream.
“Here I get the best of both worlds,” Moore said. “I still get to teach about oncology and I get to take care of patients because I’m not a behind-the-desk clinical director. I feel like the only way you’re going to lead something is if you have your hands on it and know what’s going on.”
Oklahoma Hospice Care is a Christian-principled organization specializing in caring for their patients and the patient’s families wherever they call home through personalized plans of care developed with input from the family physician, the hospice physician, the patient, the patient’s family and the members of the hospice interdisciplinary team.
Community Relations Representative Tori Aldridge sums up the task at hand nicely.
“Families invite us into their lives at their most vulnerable point,” Aldridge said. “We get one opportunity to take a tragic situation and make it bearable, even good. We aren’t there to focus on a person’s death. Instead, we focus on the remainder of their life.”
“We don’t speed up their disease process and we don’t slow it down. We go at their pace and do our best to minimize the surprises. The diagnosis and prognosis have been the most paramount surprises in their lives.”
Moore is a native of Oklahoma City. She obtained her nursing degree from Oklahoma City Community College in 1999. She began her nursing career at Presbyterian Hospital in the Med Surgery/Neurological Center and served as RN charge nurse.
Moore spent the next chapter of her career at Midwest Regional Hospital where during her tenure she worked as an oncology certified RN, manager of the Outpatient Oncology Center and finally director of inpatient and outpatient services.
She received the Nursing Award of Excellence in 2008 and the Spirit of Transformation Award in 2011 from the Oklahoma Hospital Association. She has also been an Ambassador for the United Way and served many years as team captain for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
Moore credits her mother, Anna Rose Wilson, for instilling love and compassion that has led her to be the woman and nurse she is today.
With five children and two grandchildren, Moore stays busy even when she’s not busy at work.
She exudes happiness. It’s hard to ever find her in a down mood. And that’s who she looks for when she hires.
“I was looking for caring, compassion and someone who didn’t mind hard work,” Moore said of the opportunity to hire new staff when she got the job. “I was looking for someone to go into the home when I couldn’t be there.
“As far as a clinical perspective you can have all the commercials and advertising you want but word-of-mouth and letting people see what we do, that tells it all right there,” she said. “We’re different because we all do actually care and that’s why I’m glad we handpick our people. We know the people we have working for us.”
And that’s a comfort for both Moore and her patients.
“I measure success by the patient saying ‘job well done,’” Moore said. “It’s simple. Being in this field and probably any field it just takes common sense. What would you want done for your mom? What would you want done for your grandmother? Whatever you would want done for them that’s what you do for the patient.”
And sometimes that means getting a few hours less sleep than she’s used to, like the night before.
“I asked (the family member) if we could have done anything else. She said ‘Debra, you guys were amazing,’” Moore said. “That’s what keeps us going. I got a couple hours of sleep last night but that’s what keeps me going. That’s what makes me not even care about sleep. I can wait until Friday.”

OCU Hosts Exercise Pioneer Dr.

admin

Apr 25, 2015

Dr-Cooper_4289_suit-coat — Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper

Oklahoma City University will host preventive medicine pioneer Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper for a presentation, open to the public, at 3 p.m. March 26 in the Kerr McGee Auditorium in Meinders School of Business. Following his presentation, the university will bestow Cooper with an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Cooper, the founder and chairman of Cooper Aerobics in Dallas and an Oklahoma native, is credited with starting the international fitness movement following the release of his best-selling book, “Aerobics,” in 1968. This year marks the 45th anniversary of Cooper Aerobics inspiring millions of people to live healthier, longer lives.
He has lectured in more than 50 countries and is most famous in Brazil, having trained the 1970 Brazilian soccer team to a World Cup victory. As a result, jogging is translated as “coopering” in Portuguese.
Cooper’s efforts have also impacted the American diet. His collaboration with PepsiCo to eliminate trans fats from its Frito-Lay snack line encouraged other companies to follow suit.
Cooper was born in Oklahoma City in 1931. During his 13 years of service in the U.S. Army and Air Force, he served as a flight surgeon and director of the Aerospace Medical Laboratory. He developed the 12-minute and 1.5-mile fitness tests and the Aerobics Point System still used today by branches of the military, schools and organizations worldwide.
In 1970 Cooper resigned from the military and founded Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas with the mission to explore the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and health and longevity. With the popularity of his book “Aerobics,” which has been translated into 41 languages and Braille, he also coined the term “aerobics” and submitted the official definition to the Oxford English Dictionary. He has authored 18 additional books, which combined have sold more than 30 million copies.
Cooper’s mission is for people of all ages to Get Cooperized™. As a leading pioneer of preventive medicine, he is challenging the world to follow his “8 Healthy Steps” to live better: maintain a healthy weight; eat healthy most of the time; exercise most days of the week; take the right supplements for you; stop smoking; control alcohol; manage stress; and get a regular, comprehensive physical exam. Founder and Chairman of Cooper Aerobics, Dr. Kenneth Cooper continues to lead the organization alongside his son, Dr. Tyler Cooper, president and CEO.