Mercy has again expanded services in Edmond with the addition of a new emergency department and primary care clinic. The new facility is now open just south of the original facility on Mercy’s Edmond I-35 campus.
Mercy broke ground on the $30 million, 49,000-square-foot building in January 2018. The facility is two levels. The first level ER is an extension of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City’s emergency department and features 11 exam rooms, ultrasound, imaging services, full laboratory services, an infectious disease isolation room and a generator that allows the facility to run on full power in the event of an outage.
Fifteen emergency medicine physicians, 20 nurses and several support staff will take shifts serving patients around-the-clock. Patient care will be streamlined thanks to the ER’s modern design and dedicated, in-house lab and imaging services.
On the second floor, Mercy Clinic will have 16 primary care providers including family medicine and pediatrics.
Dr. Jesse Campbell serves as chief administrative officer for Mercy Clinic and has seen patients as a primary care physician at Edmond I-35 since the first building opened in 2014.
“We have had multiple patients come into our I-35 facility looking for an emergency room,” said Dr. Campbell. “I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had to call an ambulance to take those patients to an emergency department, ultimately delaying their care. Now, we’ll be able to take those patients downstairs from the primary care clinic or across the parking lot from the specialty care clinic building for the appropriate, convenient care they need.”
Through Mercy’s comprehensive electronic health record, care team members at the new Mercy Edmond I-35 facility will have immediate access to patient records, electronically creating a seamless experience for current Mercy patients.
“Over the last two years, we know most Edmond residents have visited a Mercy hospital or clinic,” said Jim Gebhart, president of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and regional strategy officer. “By expanding our Edmond I-35 campus, we are now able to serve even more people and make a significant impact in our growing community.”
The original Edmond I-35 facility features an outpatient surgery center, imaging, laboratory, specialty physician offices, a first-of-its-kind wellness center and Mercy Sports Performance powered by EXOS.
The new Mercy Edmond I-35 facility is located at 2301 W. I-35 Frontage Road in Edmond.

If you could give the world a present this Christmas what would it be? Tealridge Retirement Community

Peace on Earth. Linda Lee

That’s hard. I guess to just love one another. Karen O’Neill

Compassion for all. Lola Coons

For everyone to just get along. Diann Estrada

integris.com/seniorlifewellness.com

Beginning December 1, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will be beautifully transformed for the holiday season with festive decorations that will remain on public view during the entire month of December. Visitors can view the decorations for free during normal hours of operation.
One great opportunity to experience the holidays at Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum comes on Saturday, December 14, with the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association meeting and the Holiday Open House. The Pawnee Bill Ranch Association will hold its annual meeting in the Big Barn beginning at 11:30 a.m., with a noon meal for members following the short business meeting. For more information or to join the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association, please call 918-762-2513.
Immediately following the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association meeting on December 14, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host its annual Holiday Open House for the public from 1 to 4 p.m. Holiday Open House activities will include surrey rides and camel rides outside (weather permitting), a children’s craft area inside the museum, a silent auction fundraiser and hot cocoa and cookies. Money raised from the silent auction will help to fund exhibits at the museum.
As a special treat later that Saturday, the ranch will host a Santas of the World Tour from 5 to 7 p.m. in the mansion. The tour is free and open to the public. Come to the ranch for a visit and photographs with these historic Santas. They are dressed authentically from their particular time period and country of origin. Some of the gift-bringers that may be featured are:
Black Peter (Holland, 1550); Grandfather Frost (Russia, 1900) and his granddaughter Babushka (Russia, 1800); Le Befana (Italy, 1800); Ophelia Noel (France, 1800); Civil War Santa (United States, 1861); Sinter Claus (The Netherlands, 1808) and his wife; Weihnachtsmann (Germany, 1800); Tundra Santa (United States, 1840); Tartan Santa (Nova Scotia, 1850s); and St. Nicholas (Turkey, 1100).
Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Road in Pawnee. Hours of operation for the months of November through March are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. For more information about these events, please call 918-762-2513 or email [email protected].
Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

www.mcmmedicare.com

Story by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

EXCELL’s mission is to provide the highest quality of genuine care for our clients and their families. Through personalized service and coordinated assistance, Excell Home Care, Hospice and Personal Care are committed to helping individuals maintain their comfort, independence and dignity.
Excell provides exceptional, comprehensive assistance to ensure the well-being of each patient we serve. As an established, reputable and highly-diversified service provider, Excell offers a wide array of skilled nursing and rehabilitation services, hospice care, personal care, Geriatric Care Management and the ADvantage Program.
Excell’s commitment to excellence, integrity, honesty, caring, compassion, attentiveness, creativity and innovation means that all of our customer’s needs, both expressed and unspoken, are met with the highest level of attention. –Excell Private Care Services-
Carol Mulligan, LPN is the backup case manager supervisor at Excell Private Care Services. “I started out as a nurse’s aide in a nursing home in 1990. I really enjoyed working with the elderly and I worked in several nursing facilities over the years. It was around 1995 that I found that it was hard for me to continue as a nurse due to being on my feet for eight hours a day. I still wanted to continue my career in nursing, yet I wanted to find something a little less strenuous. That is when I found out about Excell Private Care Services. I can still be a nurse and help the patients with the ADvantage program, finding them a place to live that suits them, along with a place that makes them feel comfortable and at home. There are some apartments and assisted living facilities in Oklahoma that are contracted with the state. That means that there are a certain number of rooms that might be available if they are an ADvantage member,” Carol commented.
“On an average, we have about eight case managers and each one of them usually carries forty to fifty members throughout Oklahoma. I worked with elderly people for numerous years while being a nurse. Working with the ADvantage program, I feel like I am on the other side of the spectrum now; helping the people get to a place that they enjoy as much as they can without putting them in nursing homes,” Carol said.
What qualities do you feel like make a good nurse? “I think one of the most important qualities to have is to be a good listener. It makes such a difference to both the nurse and the patient. Also, a nurse needs to be able to get along with others, no matter what the setting, whether it is in a hospital, home health or hospice. Teamwork always plays a big part in any job, no matter what the situation might be,” Carol replied.
Asking Carol how she can relate to patients in a positive way, she replied, “I realize how some people feel a little awkward about meeting a nurse or case worker for the first time and discussing their medical issues. When I meet a patient or a family member that may have someone that qualifies for one of our programs, I try to show kindness and compassion. They are more likely to relax and open up and know that I am there to help them. They just need someone to listen to them.”
Carol is married to her wonderful husband and they enjoy spending time with their three children, thirteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren. That makes for a fun time when they all get together! Adding to the fun are their four Boxers; Gus, Molly, Jojo and Bess. What motivates Carol? “My motivation comes from my family and spending time with them. They keep me going,” Carol smiled.
What advice would you give to someone going into the medical field? “I would tell them to start off as a nurse’s aide first. You need to go into nursing with a genuine love and compassion for it. If you don’t feel that from the beginning, nursing is not the right job for you. Move forward and don’t look back,” she said. “You will find out that it can be the most rewarding job that you have ever had. Working for Excell has shown me how much it means to help others, getting them to their comfort place that they can call HOME. I love being a nurse, helping others and making them happy,” Carol added.
Asking Carol how she would sum up her life in one word, she replied, “FULL.”

www.excellcares.com

Daily Living Centers of Oklahoma welcomes Bob Chamberlain to their board of directors. Chamberlain is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist.
“I can’t think of anything more important than helping care for and improve the quality of life of others,” said Chamberlain. “That’s why I’m honored to serve on the Daily Living Center’s board of directors.”
As President of Chamberlain & Sons LLC and owner/partner of Full Circle Home Technologies, Chamberlain brings with him an uncommon technology and construction background. He has held senior management positions in technology, building material distribution and new home construction. He is a current member of Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders. The Daily Living Centers of Oklahoma is an adult day health non-profit organization offering affordable non-residential facilities that support the health, nutritional and social needs of disabled or elderly Oklahomans. For more information please visit, www.dailylivingcenters.org.

Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security, and Gail S. Ennis, the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, announce the launch of a dedicated online form at www.oig.ssa.gov to receive reports from the public of Social Security-related scams. These scams—in which fraudulent callers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for purported Social Security number problems—skyrocketed over the past year to become the #1 type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration.
To combat these scams, Social Security and the OIG will use the new online form to capture data that will be analyzed for trends and commonalities. The OIG will use the data to identify investigative leads, which could help identify criminal entities or individuals participating in or facilitating the scams. Ultimately, these efforts are expected to disrupt the scammers, help reduce this type of fraud, and reduce the number of victims.
“We are taking action to raise awareness and prevent scammers from harming Americans,” Commissioner Saul said. “I am deeply troubled that our country has not been able to stop these crooks from deceiving some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”
Commissioner Saul and Inspector General Ennis encourage the public to use the new online form to report Social Security phone scams including robocalls and live callers, as well as email, text, and in-person scams. The form allows people to create a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN), so if OIG contacts a person about their report, they will know the call is legitimate.
“Awareness is our best hope to thwart the scammers,” said Inspector General Ennis. “Tell your friends and family about them and report them to us when you receive them, but most importantly, just hang up and ignore the calls.”
Social Security employees do occasionally contact people–generally those who have ongoing business with the agency–by telephone for business purposes. However, Social Security employees will never threaten a person, or promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money. In those cases, the call is fraudulent and people should just hang up.
Generally, the agency mainly calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, someone who is already receiving payments and requires an update to their record, or a person who has requested a phone call from the agency. If a person is not in one of these situations, they normally would not receive a call from the agency.
Social Security will not:
* Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended.
* Contact you to demand an immediate payment.
* Ask you for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
* Require a specific means of debt repayment, like a prepaid debit card, a retail gift card, or cash.
* Demand that you pay a Social Security debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.
* Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.
If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, in most cases Social Security will mail a letter. If a person needs to submit payments to Social Security, the agency will send a letter with instructions and payment options. People should never provide information or payment over the phone or Internet unless they are certain of who is receiving it.
The Social Security OIG will also continue to take reports of fraud, waste, and abuse in Social Security’s programs and operations. A separate online form for those reports remains available at their website.

www.harborchase.com

With cold and flu season in full swing, Oklahoma seniors are more at risk of getting sick this winter due to their lowered immune response. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand-washing can prevent one in three diarrhea-related illnesses and one in five infections, including the flu. This is why it is important for seniors, and those who care for them, to be proactive about washing their hands.
Dec. 1-7 is National Handwashing Awareness Week, and GlobalHealth, an Oklahoma-based health insurance provider, is sharing information to educate Oklahomans on the importance of hand hygiene.
“Because our immune systems weaken with age, it’s important for seniors to wash their hands regularly to guard against germs that contribute to colds and other diseases,” said Dr. Wesley Williams, medical director at GlobalHealth. “In addition to washing your hands, remember to not cough or sneeze into them and do not put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth. While practicing good hand hygiene can help stop the spread of germs and sickness this winter, it’s also important to get a flu shot each year.”
GlobalHealth is providing information to help raise awareness of the importance of washing your hands regularly.
When to wash your hands. Four out of five germs and 80% of infectious diseases cause illness and are usually spread by touching something, such as handling food, emptying trash, using the toilet or handling pets and their waste. You should always wash your hands before eating, treating wounds or caring for a sick person, and inserting or removing contact lenses.
How to wash properly. You should always wash your hands with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds to ensure they are properly cleaned. If you need a timer, you can hum “Happy Birthday” twice. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including between your fingers, under your fingernails and on the backs of your wrists. Be sure to rinse your hands under clean, running water, which removes the dirt and microbes you loosened when scrubbing.
Handwashing for seniors. Diseases, such as the flu and the common cold, can also cause seniors to develop infections like pneumonia or complicate existing conditions like asthma and heart disease. With more than 200 different viruses able to cause the common cold, the CDC says that hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs that contribute to dangerous diseases for seniors.

www.tealridge.com

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Winter is coming.
So are changes to virtually every Medicare plan as the annual enrollment window opens.
For several years, MCM Insurance has helped seniors in our community navigate what can be murky health care insurance waters as time ticks down on a decision they will have to live with for an entire year.
“The biggest thing we want seniors to know is that every plan changes in some way, every year,” said MCM owner Ginny Curtis. “They need to know what those changes are before they enroll or stay on the same plan. “They also need to make sure they’re not paying too much for the benefits.”
As 2019 begins to wind down, one of the most important times of the year for seniors is here. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) occurs annually from (Oct. 15-Dec. 7). AEP is a time in which current Medicare beneficiaries can choose to change part of their coverage. They can change their Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) and/or Prescription Drug Plan (Part D). It’s a time to reevaluate based on their benefits, health, and finances. If they find a plan that is a better fit for their needs than their current plan, they can then switch to, drop or add a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
October 1 is the date consumers can start looking over new plans.
During AEP Curtis’ agency goes into overdrive to make sure that everyone that needs help facilitating the changes coming their way is reached.
“It’s very important to us that each person that comes through our agency chooses their plan based on their specific needs,” said Curtis. During an appointment with the agents from MCM, they will compare plans based on the customer’s list of medicines and doctors to narrow down which plan will cover all their needs the best.
In addition to individual appointments, MCM offers no-cost Navigating Through Medicare informational sessions around the metro.
The hour-long informational sessions allow people to become more familiar with the ins and outs of Medicare in a low-key setting.
“I think the big thing we focus on is people know why they made a decision or why they stayed,” said agent Jennifer Melton. “They need to know that.”
Melton recalled a recent conversation with a client who has had the same supplement and drug plan since turning 65.
“That’s OK, but it’s also problematic in that premiums for Part D can be over $100 whereas the average right now is just around $35. They just stay on that because they feel like that’s what they’re supposed to do,” she said.
Answering those questions and comparing plans is paramount.
“The cool part about dealing with a group like us is they can come in here without the fear of just being enrolled or sold something,” Melton said. “We consistently tell people ‘nope, that’s good, stay on that – even if they’re not our client.”
“I feel like it’s a safe place for them to come and say ‘I’ve been on this forever. Is this what I should be doing or do I need to do something different?”
While many appointments are scheduled in the comfort of client homes, Curtis staffs the office at 2232 W. Hefner Road in the Village so that clients can walk in anytime 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and speak with an agent directly without an appointment. During AEP they extend their hours.
Having those free conversations can take a load off of someone’s mind, especially when health care costs are eating into their retirement savings.
“You don’t want to change for the purpose of changing but when it comes to Advantage plans because the plans change and the drugs change every year they need to know the plan they’re going to be on next year will work as good as the plan this year and not all of them will do that,” Curtis said.
“That’s what I want, a whole bunch of savvy seniors that have done their research and know what they’re doing.”
MCM also has agents in Tulsa, Claremore and Lawton. You can reach the OKC office by calling 405-842-0494. You can also view their calendar and get more info on their website at www.mcmmedicare.com as well as www.navigatingthroughmedicare.info.

www.mcmmedicare.com