05
Apr
2005
Come on, Davenport! Think "positive" for once! Where does all this negative anti-development craziness come from?
A major national (and international) company offers to build a classy $40-million-plus hotel project on our riverfront - to replace the rather hokey gaming vision that presently occupies our riverfront. The company's chairman of the board is a born and raised Quad Citian who has owned/operated major businesses here for over 50 years. The company bows to the city fathers' request and offers to move the project upriver, upgrade the hotel design (very classy), and restore all of the ugly flat parking lots to a park-like setting - all of which adds several million dollars to the cost.
And how does the city view the new hotel project? With typical Davenport anti-development negativism - as if it were a Trojan Horse full of vile unknown evils! What is wrong with Mayor Charlie Brooke, Craig Malin, and the 10 alderman who are supposed to be in charge of making Davenport more forward? Are they afraid of development? Of success? Of looking like a modern, progressive city?
If we lose the Isle of Capri hotel project, we will be the laughingstock of Iowa! Remember, Davenport, we truly only have two choices. Either a new classy hotel or the present second class facility we have sitting on the river. There is no other choice.
Let's be "positive" and move forward on this first-class hotel. There is no net cost to the taxpayers, and the economic benefit to the area is projected to be $360 million over the next 10 years. What are we waiting for? The future is now. Come on city leaders; take action!
Donald A. Decker
Former Treasurer, Riverboat Development Authority
Former President, Rejuvenate Davenport
Senior Vice President, Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.
Make End-of-Life Choices in Advance
This past year, Generations Area Agency on Aging joined with Trinity Regional Health System and Genesis Health System to create Advocates for Advanced Care Planning. Together we have established a coalition to standardize the advanced-care planning process among hospitals in the Quad Cities.
Advocates for Advanced Care Planning started as Scott County's End-of-Life Coalition looking for ways to make end-of-life issues easier for families. When a loved one is in the hospital, it can be emotionally draining for family members who may be faced with understanding and carrying out end-of-life decisions. Both individuals and health-care providers want to be certain that personal wishes are honored, but what happens if an advanced-care plan does not exist or is incomplete? Confusion reigns!
Terri Schiavo's circumstance, grown out of a very personal tragedy, has achieved national attention, bringing each of us closer to the issue of making choices in advance, or advanced-care planning as it's now called.
Through Advocates for Advanced Care Planning, a specially trained community facilitator will talk with you and your families about advanced-care planning prior to filling out forms. This encourages discussion helpful to the individual making the care plan as well as to that person's family and health-care providers. This is a community-wide volunteer initiative, so there is no cost for this part of the process.
Trinity and Genesis worked together to standardize the advance-care planning forms with only slight differences needed to meet both Iowa and Illinois requirements. Each health system also has a repository where people can file their completed documents before ever needing admittance. Once filed, you will receive a wallet card identifying the location of your form should you ever need it when traveling out of town. Copies of your completed form also should be given to your family members and your physicians.
An advantage of the new process includes only needing one form to direct your care instead of having both a living will and durable power of attorney for health care. The new advanced-care planning forms also ask very specific questions about common decisions that need to be made, such as when and if you would need a feeding tube, CPR, and the type of comfort care you prefer for pain and symptom management.
April 4 begins National Public Health Week. Consider completing an advanced-care plan as taking preventative action - action equally as beneficial as other preventative care you provide for yourself and your family.
To schedule a discussion with a facilitator and receive your advanced-care planning packet, contact Generations Area Agency on Aging at (563)324-9085.
Marvin Webb
Executive Director/CEO
Generations Area Agency on Aging
Correction
In last week's story "In the Wake of Defeat, Progressives Organize in the Quad Cities," the name of the president of Quad City Right to Life was incorrect. The correct name is Lorrie Bowman. The Reader regrets the error.
And how does the city view the new hotel project? With typical Davenport anti-development negativism - as if it were a Trojan Horse full of vile unknown evils! What is wrong with Mayor Charlie Brooke, Craig Malin, and the 10 alderman who are supposed to be in charge of making Davenport more forward? Are they afraid of development? Of success? Of looking like a modern, progressive city?
If we lose the Isle of Capri hotel project, we will be the laughingstock of Iowa! Remember, Davenport, we truly only have two choices. Either a new classy hotel or the present second class facility we have sitting on the river. There is no other choice.
Let's be "positive" and move forward on this first-class hotel. There is no net cost to the taxpayers, and the economic benefit to the area is projected to be $360 million over the next 10 years. What are we waiting for? The future is now. Come on city leaders; take action!
Donald A. Decker
Former Treasurer, Riverboat Development Authority
Former President, Rejuvenate Davenport
Senior Vice President, Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.
Make End-of-Life Choices in Advance
This past year, Generations Area Agency on Aging joined with Trinity Regional Health System and Genesis Health System to create Advocates for Advanced Care Planning. Together we have established a coalition to standardize the advanced-care planning process among hospitals in the Quad Cities.
Advocates for Advanced Care Planning started as Scott County's End-of-Life Coalition looking for ways to make end-of-life issues easier for families. When a loved one is in the hospital, it can be emotionally draining for family members who may be faced with understanding and carrying out end-of-life decisions. Both individuals and health-care providers want to be certain that personal wishes are honored, but what happens if an advanced-care plan does not exist or is incomplete? Confusion reigns!
Terri Schiavo's circumstance, grown out of a very personal tragedy, has achieved national attention, bringing each of us closer to the issue of making choices in advance, or advanced-care planning as it's now called.
Through Advocates for Advanced Care Planning, a specially trained community facilitator will talk with you and your families about advanced-care planning prior to filling out forms. This encourages discussion helpful to the individual making the care plan as well as to that person's family and health-care providers. This is a community-wide volunteer initiative, so there is no cost for this part of the process.
Trinity and Genesis worked together to standardize the advance-care planning forms with only slight differences needed to meet both Iowa and Illinois requirements. Each health system also has a repository where people can file their completed documents before ever needing admittance. Once filed, you will receive a wallet card identifying the location of your form should you ever need it when traveling out of town. Copies of your completed form also should be given to your family members and your physicians.
An advantage of the new process includes only needing one form to direct your care instead of having both a living will and durable power of attorney for health care. The new advanced-care planning forms also ask very specific questions about common decisions that need to be made, such as when and if you would need a feeding tube, CPR, and the type of comfort care you prefer for pain and symptom management.
April 4 begins National Public Health Week. Consider completing an advanced-care plan as taking preventative action - action equally as beneficial as other preventative care you provide for yourself and your family.
To schedule a discussion with a facilitator and receive your advanced-care planning packet, contact Generations Area Agency on Aging at (563)324-9085.
Marvin Webb
Executive Director/CEO
Generations Area Agency on Aging
Correction
In last week's story "In the Wake of Defeat, Progressives Organize in the Quad Cities," the name of the president of Quad City Right to Life was incorrect. The correct name is Lorrie Bowman. The Reader regrets the error.
