02 Oct 2015

New Autism Care Demonstration Updates

By TRICARE
In an effort to continually improve the benefit, the Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration (ACD) was recently updated to reduce the potential financial burden of applied behavior analysis (ABA) services for non-active duty families. As of October 1, 2015, all ACD cost-shares will match TRICARE Prime and Standard cost-shares for all ABA services provided by authorized ABA supervisors, assistant behavior analysts, and behavior technicians.

Read about the other updates here.

30 Sep 2015

Donate blood with the Red Cross to support cancer patients and others needing blood

By Tracy Fox

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

(Sept. 30, 2015) ? During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to support cancer patients and others needing blood products.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the U.S., with one in eight developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer patients may need blood products during chemotherapy, mastectomy surgery or treatment of complications.

Blood donor Mary Thorngate Hall is one such example. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2010.

"I began treatment (with) my first round of chemotherapy lasting six hours. My body did not tolerate it, and I began to hemorrhage," she said. "I needed blood to survive. I cannot express my gratitude to the people who donated their lifesaving blood."

Volunteer donors are the only source of blood products for those needing transfusions. Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB blood.

To make an appointment to donate blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores or text BLOODAPP to 90999 to receive a download link, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Carroll County

Mount Carroll

10/22/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Good Samaritan Nursing Home, PO Box 8, 1006 N. Lowden

Clinton County

Clinton

10/29/2015: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., LyondellBasell Clinton, 3400 Anamosa Rd.

Henry County

Kewanee

10/22/2015: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., Kewanee OSF Saint Luke Medical Center, 1051 W. South St.

Lee County

Dixon

10/20/2015: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, 403 E. First St.

Mercer County

Aledo

10/20/2015: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., VFW Hall, 106 SW 3rd Ave.

Whiteside County

Fulton

10/27/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Robert Fulton Community Center, 912 4th St.


Morrison

10/27/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Morrison Institute of Technology, 701 Portland


Rock Falls

10/21/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St.

10/28/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St.


Sterling

10/17/2015: 6 a.m. - 12 p.m., CGH Medical Center, 100 E. LeFevre Rd.

10/28/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sterling High School, 1608 4th Ave.


How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

 



About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.


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30 Sep 2015

Smiddy Highlights Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By Paul Ferrero
PORT BYRON, Ill. - State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, is encouraging local women to ensure they are utilizing all resources available to prevent and treat breast cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed each October.
"As a husband of a breast cancer survivor, I know how traumatic a breast cancer diagnosis can be, but science has shown how early detection can improve outcomes and survival rates," Smiddy said. "I encourage women everywhere to use Breast Cancer Awareness Month as an opportunity to get preventative screenings we know help save lives."
The state sponsors the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP), a program which offsets the costs of preventative mammograms for Illinois women. Smiddy continues to fight for this program during the ongoing budget negotiations to ensure that income doesn't prevent women in Illinois from getting the testing they need. Additionally, Smiddy introduced legislation during the spring legislative session requiring all insurance plans in Illinois to cover preventative breast screenings as of this law's passage on August 21.
"The new law in Illinois will help more women have access to the preventative testing that we know that can be so important when fighting this disease," Smiddy said. "You don't have to be a woman or a cancer patient to participate and join the fight against breast cancer this October."
For more information on Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to learn how you can join the fight against breast cancer, please call Smiddy's full time constituent service office at 309-848-9098 or email at Repsmiddy@gmail.com. To speak to someone about breast health, breast cancer concerns or help finding local resources, please call Susan G. Komen Quad Cities at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636).
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25 Sep 2015

DIY Body Care Class

By Greatest Grains
Sunday, September 27, 2015
1pm - 2pm

Conventional body care products are known to have toxic chemicals and are often tested on animals. Learn how to make your own body care items for your home! During this class we will be demonstrating how to make toothpaste, body scrub, and lip balm. You will even be able to take home samples of the products we make to get you started!

Greatest Grains

1600 N. Harrison St.
Davenport, IA 52803
25 Sep 2015

Cure It With Corn - Beatin' Leukemia Iowa Style in LeClaire!

By Rick Martin
LECLAIRE, Iowa - Join us on Saturday, September 26 from 11am-10pm for "Cure It With Corn - Beatin' Leukemia Iowa Style" on Levee in LeClaire, Iowa. It is a fun event for a great cause! Enjoy Live Music from: Tapestry 11am-12pm, Candymakers 12:30-2:30pm, Just Chords 3-5pm, Rude Punch 5:30-7:30pm, and Moonshine Run 8-10pm. There will be a silent auction, Kids' Zone, pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, beverages, and sweet corn. Admission is $10 at gate. All proceeds are going to LLS (Leukemia, Lymphoma Society) and the University of Iowa Marrow Donor registry, bethematch.org . T-shirts are available for purchase at Happy Joe's in LeClaire or online at www.cureitwithcorn.com. T-shirts and koozies will also be available for sale at the event. More information at https://www.facebook.com/cureitwithcorn
James "Jimmy" Lange, a LeClaire Paramedic with Medic EMS, was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in October of 2014. This type of Leukemia is a long, drawn out type, and until symptoms get stronger, there is not much that can be done but monitoring. One day Jimmy went to the doctor and was basically told there is nothing he can do right now to help himself. Jimmy then said "I can do something, let's find a cure for leukemia!" He rallied a group of people on Facebook and now we have "Cure It With Corn". This is not a fundraiser for Jimmy. This is a fundraiser to raise money to help find a cure for leukemia, but this is Jimmy's brainchild. So, join us in celebrating life, and please help us find a cure.
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23 Sep 2015

Smiddy Urges Safe Disposal of Prescription Drugs

By Paul Ferrero
PORT BYRON, Ill. - State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, is encouraging residents to safely dispose of old prescription medication at local drop-off sites as part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, Sept. 26.
"Old medications left in the medicine cabinet too often become dangerous in the hands of young people," Smiddy said. "To ensure everyone has a safe place to dispose of old prescriptions, local law enforcement is providing free locations in our community to dispose of unused medications as part of this nation-wide event."
Smiddy is encouraging constituents to bring unused or leftover medications to any of the area locations listed in the table below. The collection drives are being held as part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which is sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The goal is to provide locations across the country for the safe and responsible disposal of prescription medication. For information on other collection sites, visit dea.gov or contact the DEA's Office of Diversion Control at 800-882-9539.
Smiddy is promoting the take-back day as part of his effort to reduce dangerous drugs in the community. During the spring legislative session, Smiddy supported a comprehensive approach to preventing drug abuse by expanding access to life-saving treatments, monitoring the distribution of commonly abused prescription medications and promoting drug take-back programs throughout the state.
"Many medications that are critical to healing and recovery in medical settings are dangerous and habit-forming when not disposed of correctly," Smiddy said. "I'll continue to work in Springfield to prevent the spread of dangerous drug, but I also want to ensure people in the community have access to the all the resources at their disposal to keep us safe."
21 Sep 2015

FRANKLY SPEAKING ABOUT CANCER TREATMENT

By Kelly Hendershot
FREE WORKSHOP TO HELP PEOPLE BETTER MANAGE SIDE EFFECTS

DAVENPORT, IA (September 2015) - Gilda's Club will host a free workshop for cancer patients and their caregivers entitled "Frankly Speaking About Cancer Treatment."  Designed to help people understand and manage the physical and psychological side effects of treatment, the online workshop will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2015, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Please register online at http://iowacancerconsortium.wildapricot.org/event-2008204.  

"As people live longer with cancer," said Melissa Wright, Program Director, Gilda's Club, "effectively managing the physical and psychological effects of treatment is increasingly important to improving quality of life."  Today more than 10 million Americans are cancer survivors, many of whom regularly receive a range of cancer-related treatments.

This is an online educational webinar, call-in information will be provided once registered. Advance registration is required at http://iowacancerconsortium.wildapricot.org/event-2008204.  

The Workshop will Include: Katie Browne MS, RN, NP-C, Iowa Cancer Specialists, Davenport, Iowa

Frankly Speaking About Cancer Treatment is part of a Frankly Speaking About Cancer series, a collection of cancer-related education programs created by Cancer Support Community.  The Frankly Speaking About Cancer Treatment program is made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Amgen Inc.

About Gilda's Club

Free of charge, Gilda's Club Quad Cities provides support, education and hope to all people affected by cancer.  As a Cancer Support Community affiliate, we are part of the largest employer of psychosocial oncology mental health professionals in the United States.  Our global network brings the highest quality cancer support to the millions of
people touched by cancer.

# # #
16 Sep 2015

Local Health Partners Release Findings from the 2015 Quad Cities Community Health Assessment.

By Nicole Carkner
The Quad City Health Initiative, Genesis Health System, UnityPoint Health-Trinity, Community Health Care, Inc., Rock Island County Health Department and Scott County Health Department, are pleased to share their findings from the 2015 Quad Cities Community Health Assessment.  The assessment and associated documents are available for viewing and download at http://quadcities.healthforecast.net and on the websites of the study sponsors.
This Community Health Assessment is a systematic, data-driven approach to determining the health status, behaviors and needs of residents in the Quad Cities Area.  The study is a follow-up to similar studies conducted since 2002.  This study is innovative for its alignment of methodology between the local health providers and public health systems.
The 2015 Community Health Assessment included a telephone survey of over 900 individuals in Scott and Rock Island counties, extensive secondary data analysis and the gathering of input and priorities from local community leaders.  With funding provided by Genesis Health System and UnityPoint Health-Trinity, the partners hired Professional Research Consultants of Omaha, NE to conduct a survey, analyze data and provide a comprehensive report.  Additional secondary data analysis, stakeholder meetings and issue prioritization were administered by staff at the Rock Island and Scott County Health Departments with input from Community Health Care.  Quad City Health Initiative staff facilitated the assessment work across the partnering organizations.
The integrated process met the assessment reporting requirements of the Scott County and Rock Island County Health Departments as well as the assessment requirements for Genesis Health System and UnityPoint Health-Trinity as established by the Affordable Care Act.   The assessment was designed to have wide benchmarking potential at the state and national levels, as well as to Healthy People 2020 targets.
"As members of the Quad City Health Initiative, our health organizations have a long history of partnering together.  This is our fourth comprehensive community health assessment conducted since 2002 and in each cycle we've honed a process that is efficient and respectful of community stakeholders' time while also being effective in providing critical data for our community health improvement partners," says Nicole Carkner, Executive Director of the Quad City Health Initiative.
"We were one of the first communities in our region to successfully integrate health system and public health assessment processes," says Nita Ludwig, Administrator for the Rock Island County Health Department.  "The comprehensive assessment provides data for the entire Quad Cities region that can be used by our community partners to improve the health of all Quad Citians."
"Our assessment process provides the foundation for greater alignment in developing community health improvement plans and recognizes the critical role of all community sectors in creating a healthy community," continues Ed Rivers, Director for the Scott County Health Department.
The 2015 Quad Cities Community Health Assessment identified some improvements in community health status since the prior assessments.  Notably, a higher percentage of children have visited a dentist or dental clinic in the past year and fewer adults now smoke.  In addition, the Quad Cities also fares better than the national average on selected indicators such as the percentage of adults who have health care insurance, low-weight births, and the percentage of adults and children who have had routine check-ups in the past year.
The findings of this study will be used to inform decisions and guide future efforts to improve health status and quality of life in our area.  Issues identified in prior studies, such as the percentage of adults who have one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease, continue to be a concern.  "These findings renew the importance of addressing and promoting healthy behaviors such as healthy eating and active living," says Ken Croken, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Genesis Health System.  "Although the Quad City Health Initiative has been responding to many of these challenges through its Be Healthy QC projects, we welcome this opportunity to highlight the importance of creating a culture that supports health and wellness."
One of the overarching themes of the assessment is that lower-income residents in the Quad Cities experience notably poorer health status including physical and mental health.  "We understand that lower-income residents tend to have a higher prevalence of chronic disease but greater difficulty accessing healthcare," says Tom Bowman, CEO of Community Health Care, Inc.  "It is very important for our community to understand how societal issues such as income and education levels translate to health status."
Qualitative input from community stakeholders also identified access to mental health care as a continuing priority for the Quad Cities.  "Our community is at the forefront of developing integrated health care," says Pat Shouse, Vice President Community Advocacy, UnityPoint Health-Trinity.  "Behavioral health and physical health are linked and we understand that we need to have an integrated approach. By having our primary and behavioral health providers working together and coordinating care with each other, there is an opportunity to better identify and provide for the total health needs for people and for our community."
Questions on the 2015 Community Health Assessment may be directed to the Quad City Health Initiative which will be working with the study sponsors to improve health status and quality of life through ongoing projects and community assessments.  Please see our website for more information:  www.qchealthinitiative.org.
15 Sep 2015

Living Well Into The Future: CASI's Jane's Place Celebrates Adult Day Services Week

By Cheryl Frame

Davenport, IA - When Rita and her brother realized their mother could no longer live at home safely; they struggled wondering how they would care for her while juggling their own family and job responsibilities.  Knowing how important it was for her to stay a part of her community without having to move into an assisted living center, they looked to CASI's Jane's Place.  The only Adult Day Service Center in the Iowa Quad Cities, Jane's Place gave Rita's mother a sense of belonging and purpose keeping her safe while they continued to work.

"Without Jane's Place, we simply could not have had Mom move in with us while we continued to work," said Rita P, a Jane's Place Family.  "Each time she went to Jane's Place, she would enter, turn around and wave with a big smile.  We knew we had found the right place at the right time for our mom," she added.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, every 60 seconds, someone in the United States is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and one in three adults living with it will die from the disease.  Staggering statistics.  Yet, thousands of Quad City families deal with the challenge of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's each and every day.  Living well into the future - The Power of Adult Day Services will commence the week of September 14th honoring, recognizing and celebrating Adult Day Services around the country. Jane's Place Adult Day Services Center at CASI will host special events including an informational Open House Tuesday, September 15, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Jane's Place, Eastern Iowa's only adult day service center provides care to those with early-age and on-set Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.  Jane's Place serves older adults dealing with memory loss, confusion, effects from stroke and disabilities, as well as those who may need socialization or simply cannot be left home alone during the day.  Located at The Center for Active Seniors, Jane's Place provides a low-cost alternative to a nursing home or assisted living facility.  Offering a secure, structured home-like environment, Jane's Place encourages fun interaction through social and therapeutic group activities.

Living with Alzheimer's

Nearly 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's including 13% of Iowa adults age 65 and older.  "Feeling overwhelmed and as if they have few options, family members and caregivers often believe their only choice is to place their loved one in a nursing home," said Laura Kopp, CASI's CEO/President. "Adult day services are a cost effective alternative for older adults who cannot be left home alone while providing respite to caregivers who may still be working or simply need a break from their responsibilities," added Kopp.

According Genworth, a Fortune 500 Insurance company, the average care in an Iowa nursing home is just over $5300 per month compared to just $1300 at an adult day service center like Jane's Place.

The need for adult day services was first recognized by President Ronald Reagan on September 27, 1983 when he signed Proclamation 5107, recognizing the third week of September as National Adult Day Care Week, calling upon "every American community to consider the value of adult day care centers and to give appropriate recognition to centers offering these important services."   In 2004, former President Regan died from complications associated with Alzheimer's.

"Thank goodness for Jane's Place.  They always treated our mom with respect and kindness," said Rita P. "When asked how her day was each time we picked her up, mom would always respond 'It was a good day.  They're always good at Jane's Place'."

Jane's Place is celebrating Adult Day Services September 14th through the 24th with special events each day - culminating with Caring for the Caregiver, presented by Dr. Steven Kopp, Ph.D., LMFT, LMHC Genesis Psychology Associates, on Tuesday, September 24th.
11 Sep 2015

Local Health Partners To Release Findings from the 2015 Quad Cities Community Health Assessment

By Nicole Carkner
The Quad City Health Initiative, Genesis Health System, UnityPoint Health-Trinity, Community Health Care, Inc., Rock Island County Health Department and Scott County Health Department will be releasing their findings from the 2015 Quad Cities Community Health Assessment on Tuesday, September 15, 2015.

Representatives from the media are invited to join the partners at Community Health Care's Rock Island clinic at 10 a.m. that morning. Leadership and staff from the partnering organizations are scheduled to provide introductory remarks and will be available for questions at or after the event. The assessment and associated documents will be available for viewing and download at http://quadcities.healthforecast.net as of September 15, 2015.

The Community Health Assessment is a systematic, data-driven approach to determining the health status, behaviors and needs of residents in the Quad Cities Area. The study is a follow-up to similar studies conducted since 2002. This study is innovative for its alignment of methodology between the local health providers and public health systems.

For more information, please contact the Quad City Health Initiative office at 563-421-2815.

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