MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
CELEBRATING NURSES ON THE FRONTLINE OF HEALTHCARE SPONSORED BY
WORDS FROM THE EDITOR
NEWSPAPER READING IS A HABIT DON’T BREAK THE HABIT!
READ THE WASHINGTON INFORMER YOUR WAY: In Print – feel the ink between your fingers of our Award Winning Print Edition
n
On the Web – www.washingtoninformer.com updated throughout the day, every day
n
n
On your tablet
n
On your smartphone
n
n
n
Weekly Email Blast – sign up at www.washingtoninformer.com
202-561-4100 For advertising contact Ron Burke at rburke@washingtoninformer.com
...Informing you everyday in every way
In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Washington, D.C. 20032 Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 news@washingtoninformer.com www.washingtoninformer.com
PUBLISHER Denise Barnes STAFF D. Kevin McNeir, Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, Assistant Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Sports Photo Editor Dorothy Rowley, Online Editor ZebraDesigns.net, Design & Layout Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Dr. Charles Vincent, Social Sightings columnist Tatiana Moten, Social Media Specialist Angie Johnson, Circulation REPORTERS Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Will Ford (Prince George’s County Writer), Hamil Harris, Tatyana Hopkins, Jade JamesGist, D. Kevin McNeir, Lauren Poteat, Lee Ross, Dorothy Rowley, Ronda Smith, Sophia Sparks, Sarafina Wright (General Assignment Writer)
PHOTOGRAPHERS John E. DeFreitas, Shevry Lassiter, Roy Lewis, Demetrious Kinney, Mark Mahonny, Lateef Mangum, Travis Riddick
Black Nurses: Leading the Charge with Love Dr. Shantella Y. Sherman WI Special Editions Editor In 1953, filmmaker George Stoney, working with the Georgia Department of Public Health, documented the life’s work of Mary Frances Hill Coley, a revered mid-wife in rural, segregated Albany, Georgia. I first encountered the documentary as part of a Women & Gender course that sought to establish the role of elder Black women as informal healthcare professionals, community soothers, and extended family. And while the documentary was meant to serve as a teaching tool for young Black women interested in entering the medical profession as midwives, it became a strengthening tool among the informally-educated apprentice-class. It held that providing Dr. Shantella Sherman needed care and healing others was as much a function of bedside manner as licensing among official bodies. Coley’s story, All My Babies, follows the midwife as she walks down dirt roads, sometimes in the stark of night to shotgun houses and anxious families awaiting the arrival of a new life. In each case, Coley checks on her patients, but also tends to the needs of the entire family during the course and immediately following the birth of their babies. In addition to cooking meals, sweeping, “minding” other children already within the household, and calming the fears of nervous fathers-tobe, Coley demonstrates a stern, but loving bedside manner that ensures the health of mothers and babies. After both easy and challenging births, Coley assisted the new mother and household for days sometimes, allowing a smooth transition for the household. More than sixty years following the documentary, Coley’s amazing efforts – having “birthed” more than 3,000 babies in four counThe Georgia midwife, Mary Frances Hill ties – immediately sprang to mind when considering the Coley, epitomized home healthcare, work of today’s home healthcare nurses. Many, having having delivered more than 3,000 been fitted with the same expanse of duties, like Coley, babies and cared for their families through labor, delivery, and postsee their efforts as divine acts of human kindness, rather delivery. / Courtesy photo than just a profession. This spirit of acting on human kindness to improve the health outcomes of African Americans has been shared by Black women’s clubs, churches, social leaders and early Black insurance companies since Emancipation. In 1914, Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute, said at the annual Tuskegee Negro Conference: “At the last session of the Tuskegee Negro Conference, some startling facts were brought out concerning the health of the colored people of the United States… 45 percent of all deaths among Negroes were preventable; there are 450,000 Negroes seriously ill all the time; the annual cost of this illness is $75 million; that sickness and death costs Negroes annually $100 million.” The resulting clarion call established National Negro Health Week, an annual effort spearheaded by Black women who provided door-to-door canvassing, home healthcare, and instruction on preventative and convalescing care to the infirmed and elderly. More than 100 years later, many of Washington’s concerns remain, and still, it is the core of Black nurses and other health providers who lead the charge. As the Informer celebrates the Herculean-efforts of the nation’s nurses, both within established medical facilities and in private homes, we’ve worked to acknowledge that much of the work is underpaid, under-recognized, and stressful, but also the lifeblood of our progress. Please celebrate with us. Read. Learn. Grow. Dr. S www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-2
Lee Ross Special to the Informer In 1914, Booker T. Washington stated, “Without health, and until we reduce the high death rate, it will be impossible for us to have permanent success in business, in property getting, in acquiring education, or to show other evidences of progress.� He launched the National Health Improvement Week in 1915, later known as National Negro Health Week (NNHW). According to Sandra Crouse Quinn and Stephen B. Thomas, in their work, The National Negro Health Week, 1915 to 1951, the NNHW was managed by an oversight committee at Tuskegee Institute. There were two primary objectives: "1) to provide practical suggestions for local Health Week committees that conduct the observance; and 2) to stimulate the people as a whole to cooperative endeavor in clean-up, educational, and specific hygienic and clinical services for general sanitary improvement of the community and for health betterment of the individual, family, and home." National Negro Health Week was
A Closer Look at Negro Health Week planned as an eight-day week with a different focus for each day of the week. An 8-day week beginning and ending on Sunday was deliberately established to take advantage of the church as a major convener of community groups.
Concentrated on the specific health problem identified in the community needs assessment conducted by the Health Week Central Committee.
SUNDAY MOBILIZATION DAY
Focused on health sermons during church services and popular mass meetings.
Emphasized annual health examinations for adults through health education programs with men's and women's organizations and clinics operated by the local medical society.
MONDAY HOME HYGIENE DAY
FRIDAY SCHOOL HEALTH DAY
Distributed pamphlets and presented lectures and demonstrations for adults and children on the importance of personal and household cleanliness.
TUESDAY COMMUNITY SANITATION DAY
Presented educational activities promoting safe water, food and milk supplies, waste disposal, clean streets, safe wells, and destruction of swamp breeding grounds of insects.
WEDNESDAY SPECIAL CAMPAIGN DAY
THURSDAY ADULT HEALTH DAY
SUNDAY REPORTS AND FOLLOW-UP DAY
Focused on community gatherings through church and large civic
meetings. The week concluded with a review of all activities and achievements, intermingled with food, music, and inspirational speeches. HS National Negro Health Week poster published by the U.S. Public Health Service in cooperation with the National Negro Health Week Committee, Tuskegee Institute, 1929. (Courtesy of Tuskegee University Archives)
Promoted health education programs and school-based health services. The education programs utilized essays, songs, games, and plays focused on good health habits and parental improvements were heavily emphasized. School cleanup activities were organized.
SATURDAY GENERAL CLEANUP DAY
Focused on cooperative large-scale cleanup activities and inspection of community health campaign results. Collecting data and taking pictures for reports and newspapers was a key activity.
Mrs. Mabel J. Kimbrough, (right) Public Health Nurse, District of Columbia Health Department from the National Negro Health Week Bulletin, 1937. (Courtesy photo)
Nurses are the heartbeat of healthcare. Happy
#NationalNurseWeek from HSC Home Care
hschealthcare.org/nurseweek H-3 HS-3
MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
Break the Cycle: Overcoming Opioid and Substance Use
Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia
The United States is in the middle of an opioid crisis. Although some opioids can help people, they are highly addictive and can be misused. Misuse of opioids can be unsafe for both people and communities. For instance, opioid overdoses caused about 33,000 deaths in 2015. That’s about 91 people each day. People all over the country are taking a stand and working to end opioid misuse.
OPIOID BASICS
Opioids, also known as painkillers, can be used to relieve pain when prescribed by a doctor. But some people misuse opioids by using them for non-medical reasons. Opioids can be prescription drugs or street drugs. Prescription opioids can include oxycodone (ox-eekoh-dohn) or morphine. Heroin, a street drug, is also an opioid. Using heroin or taking opioids differently than prescribed can be fatal. Substance and opioid use problems can be felt in the District of Columbia today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 11.3 percent of people in the District over age 11 use or are dependent upon drugs or alcohol. This is higher than the U.S. average of 8.9 percent and is the highest rate in the country.
Opioid side effects can include: • Drowsiness • Constipation • Fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat • Nausea and vomiting • Itchiness • Sweating • Addiction • Overdose • Death Someone with a substance use disorder may want to quit their drug use, but it can be hard to ask for help. A person using opioids may not know where to go or might be afraid of judgment. The good news is that you can recover from opioid and substance misuse. The first step is to learn about the signs of misuse and the help options available.
PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES
• Meperidine (Demerol®)
Many opioids are used as medicine. A doctor or hospital may give a person a painkiller to manage pain or a long-term illness. These drugs often come in a pill or liquid form. Some common prescription opioids include: • Morphine • Oxycodone (OxyContin® and Percoset®) • Hydrocodone (Vicodin®) • Fentanyl • Codeine
When used as directed, these drugs can help people with serious health issues. But when they are misused, they can lead to problems like addiction. Opioid misuse happens when a person takes drugs in the wrong way. This includes using street drugs or taking medicines not prescribed for you or differently than prescribed. If a family member gives you one of his or her pills, or if you take more pills than directed, then
you are misusing the medicine. Misuse is a concern with opioids because of their strength. Up to 1 in 4 people taking prescription opioids for a long-term illness will struggle with addiction. And the chance of addiction is greater when a person misuses the medicine. More than 4 million Americans were using medicines for non-medical reasons in 2014. Almost 2 million of those users were dependent on pain relievers. There are several risk factors that can lead to opioid misuse, such as: • Having a mental illness
• Having a history of other substance use, including drugs and alcohol • Taking high daily doses of pain relievers Not everyone with the above risk factors will misuse opioids. Many people use prescription opioids to manage long-term pain and health conditions. If you receive a prescription opioid for a health condition, you should not stop taking it unless directed by your doctor. Since opioids are so strong, it can OPIOD Page HS5
I got a gift card for getting my postpartum checkup. You can too. You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia member
Rewards Program
• See a midwife or OB/GYN within three to eight weeks (21 – 56 days) after giving birth
After your exam, you can sign up for a gift card to one of these retailers: • Walmart • Chipotle • H&M
• Downtown Locker Room (DTLR)
Visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/giftcard to learn more. Note: Member cannot get more than $50 in incentives each year. ACDC-17124963
www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com
All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model.
AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, at no cost, are available to you. Call 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 or 1-800-570-1190). Spanish: ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 o 1-800-570-1190). Amharic: ማሳሰቢያ፡ አማርኛ መናገር የሚችሉ ከሆነ፣ ከከፍያ ነጻ የሆነ የቋንቋ ድጋፍ አገልግሎት ይቀርብልዎታል፡፡ በስልክ ቁጥር 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 ወይም 1-800-570-1190) ይደውሉ. 1-800-408-7511 اﺗﺼﻞ ﺑﺮﻗﻢ.ﺎن ﻓﺈن ﺧﺪﻣﺎت اﳌﺴﺎﻋﺪة اﻟﻠﻐﻮﻳﺔ ﺗﺘﻮاﻓﺮ ﻟﻚ ﺑﺎ، إذا ﻛﻨﺖ ﺗﺘﺤﺪث اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ: ﻣﻠﺤﻮﻇﺔ: Arabic .(1-800-570-1190 أوTTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 )رﻗﻢ ﻫﺎﺗﻒ اﻟﺼﻢ واﻟﺒﻜﻢ
www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-4
OPIOD from Page HS4
be difficult to stop taking them. Stopping suddenly can be dangerous. People quitting opioids can suffer from withdrawal symptoms, like sweating, bone and joint pain, tremors, and vomiting or diarrhea. Your doctor can help you to stop taking opioids safely.
HEROIN
Heroin is an illegal opioid that appears as a white or brown powder. It can also appear as a black, sticky substance, known as “black tar heroin.” Nicknames for heroin are horse, H, and smack. Heroin is usually injected with a needle, smoked, or sniffed up the nose. Heroin is a fast-acting drug, which makes it highly addictive. Almost 23 percent of heroin users are dependent on the drug. There were more than 430,000 regular heroin users in the United States in 2014 — about 10 percent of all opioid users. Most heroin users also use other substances. About 3 out of 4 new heroin users first used prescription opioids before trying heroin. Many of those users take both heroin and prescription opioids at the same time. People addicted to prescription opioids are nearly 40 times more likely to also be addicted to heroin. Unlike prescription drugs, hero-
in is not made in a laboratory. Because of this, the strength of heroin can vary. The drug is often mixed with other materials like sugar and starch. Sometimes it is mixed with other drugs, or with toxic or harmful chemicals. Someone using heroin never knows what is in the drug, which can be dangerous and even fatal. In 2015, nearly 13,000 people died because of the drug. Heroin may have more side effects than other opioids. For example, people who inject the drug are at risk for diseases like HIV or hepatitis C. These diseases spread through the blood or other bodily fluids. People sharing needles could get the diseases from another user. Overdoses are also a greater threat for heroin users. Although heroin users make up only 10 percent of all opioid users, they account for nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths. If you or someone you know is using heroin, or is at risk for using heroin, help is available. Speak with your doctor or call one of our Care Coaches to learn more about your health options.
OTHER SUBSTANCES
There are many substances besides opioids that can be dangerous. Some of these are illegal drugs, while others are legal but may be unsafe when used in excess. • Cigarettes and tobacco products: Tobacco can be found in cig-
arettes, cigars, snuff, and chewing tobacco. It contains nicotine, an addictive substance. The use of tobacco causes many serious health problems, including lung cancer, oral cancer, bronchitis (bron-ki-tis), and emphysema (em-fa-ze-ma). It also increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. • Marijuana: Marijuana is a drug that can be inhaled or eaten. It is illegal in much of the United States, and its use is governed by law where it is allowed. In the District, marijuana use is legal on private property. It is not legal to sell the drug or to use it in a public place. Health effects of marijuana use include changes in mood, slow thinking and movement, breathing problems, and paranoia. • Cocaine: Cocaine is an illegal drug that looks like a fine, white powder. It can also appear as rock crystals known as crack. Cocaine is snorted through the nose, rubbed into the gums, injected, or smoked as crack. Side effects of cocaine use include changes in blood pressure, faster heartbeat, the loss of the sense of smell, and addiction. People who inject cocaine are also at risk for HIV and hepatitis C. It is possible to overdose on the drug, which can lead to death. Many opioid users first start by using drugs like marijuana and cocaine. Some of those users will continue using multiple drugs at the
same time. This can cause harmful drug interactions. The chance of dangerous side effects including death increases when taking several drugs at once.
FINDING HELP
Although prescription opioids can help some people, there are many risks if opioids are misused. If you or someone you know is using drugs, there is treatment available that can help. There are resources in the District of Columbia to help Medicaid members with their substance use problems. The DC Department of Health Addiction, Prevention, and Recovery Administration (APRA) can aid you to recover and improve your health. You can contact APRA at 202-727-8473. The DC Department of Behavioral Health may also be able to help and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-888-793-4357. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They do more than
suicide prevention and can help with issues like drug and alcohol use. They can also connect you to a nearby professional to assist you. Call them anytime at 1-800-273TALK (8255). For people who want to quit taking drugs, there may be medicines that can help cope with withdrawal. Ask your primary care provider (PCP) about what treatments would be best for your condition. AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia members can call us to be connected with a Care Coach. Our Care Coaches can help you make sense of your health care options. Call us at 1-800-408-7511 to learn more about how you can break the cycle of opioid misuse. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model
w
Find us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AmeriHealthDC • Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmeriHealthCaritasDC • Find us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/AmeriHealthCaritasDC
I got a gift card for getting my prenatal checkup. You can too. You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are pregnant and within your first trimester • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia member
Rewards Program
• See a midwife or OB/GYN for your first prenatal office visit
Visit www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com/giftcard to learn more. Note: A member cannot get more than $50 in incentives each year.
ACDC-1776299
www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, at no cost, are available to you. Call 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 or 1-800-570-1190). Spanish: ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 o 1-800-570-1190). Amharic: ማሳሰቢያ፡ አማርኛ መናገር የሚችሉ ከሆነ፣ ከከፍያ ነጻ የሆነ የቋንቋ ድጋፍ አገልግሎት ይቀርብልዎታል፡፡ በስልክ ቁጥር 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 ወይም 1-800-570-1190) ይደውሉ. 1-800-408-7511 اﺗﺼﻞ ﺑﺮﻗﻢ.ﺎن ﻓﺈن ﺧﺪﻣﺎت اﳌﺴﺎﻋﺪة اﻟﻠﻐﻮﻳﺔ ﺗﺘﻮاﻓﺮ ﻟﻚ ﺑﺎ، إذا ﻛﻨﺖ ﺗﺘﺤﺪث اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ: ﻣﻠﺤﻮﻇﺔ: Arabic .(1-800-570-1190 أوTTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 )رﻗﻢ ﻫﺎﺗﻒ اﻟﺼﻢ واﻟﺒﻜﻢ
H-5 HS-5
MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model.
By the Numbers: Nursing Shortage Predicted, Warnings Unheeded By Lee Ross Special to the Informer The Health Resources and Services Administration projects that more than 1 million registered nurses will reach retirement age within the next 10 to 15
According to the “United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast” published in the January 2012 issue of the American Journal of Medical Quality, a shortage of registered nurses is projected to spread across the country between 2009 and 2030. In this state-by-state analysis, the authors forecast the RN shortage to be most intense in the South and the West.
80%
In October 2010, the Institute of Medicine released its landmark report on The Future of Nursing, initiated by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which called for increasing the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the workforce to 80% and doubling the population of nurses with doctoral degrees. The current nursing workforce falls far short of these recommendations with only 56 percent of RNs prepared at the baccalaureate or graduate degree level.
SUPPORT ORGAN, EYE AND TISSUE DONATION IT’S A DECISION EVERYONE CAN LIVE WITH
Register online or at the MVA when you obtain your license. DonateLifeMaryland.org
The need for registered nurses increases as young adults opt for more “glamorous” academic interests, and the number of nurses eligible to retire in the next decade grows. (Courtesy photo)
According to AACN’s report on 2018-2019 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, U.S. nursing schools turned away more than 75,000 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2018 due to insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, and clinical preceptors, as well as budget constraints. Almost two-thirds of the nursing schools responding to the survey pointed to a shortage of faculty and/or clinical preceptors as a reason for not accepting all qualified applicants into their programs.
In the September 21, 2015 issue of Science Daily, healthcare economist David Auerbach released findings from a new study, which found that almost 40 percent of RNs are over the age of 50. “The number of nurses leaving the workforce each year has been growing steadily from around 40,000 in 2010 to nearly 80,000 by 2020. Meanwhile, the dramatic growth in nursing school enrollment over the last 15 years has begun to level off.”
According to The American Nurses Association (ANA) (2018), there will be more registered nurse jobs available through 2022 than any other profession in the United States. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018) projects 1.1 million additional nurses are needed to avoid a further shortage. Employment opportunities for nurses are projected to grow at a faster rate (15 percent) than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026.
www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-6
Prince George’s County Board of Health Partners with RAND Corporation, County Residents and Stakeholders to Improve the Quality of Life in Prince George’s County Communities Terrence M. Fullum, MD, MBA Access to quality health care, health promotion and disease prevention are priority concerns for the Prince George’s County Council, in its role as the Board of Health, and for County residents. The Board of Health recognizes the importance of effectively addressing the health and human services needs of residents in every aspect of life in the County. But first, there needs to be an updated, clear picture of just how healthy County residents are; what challenges impact our ability to become healthier; and how we can build a more supportive social safety net. The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis. RAND completed an outstanding health needs assessment for Prince George’s County in 2009, focusing mostly on health and healthcare-related issues. The Board of Health is again partnering with RAND to conduct a new and expanded assessment to capture the full extent of human services that influence health outcomes. This new assessment reflects the Health-in-All-Policies approach embraced by the Board of Health, examining more closely what effect such factors as education, the economy, transportation, environment, social service delivery and even chronic stress have on the health and wellbeing of County residents and communities. As the Council considers future policies, plans, funding, and resources to improve health outcomes and strengthen communities with improved social service delivery, it will need a fuller understanding of the current and future health and human service needs among residents, the level of unmet need, the effectiveness of current services provided, and the roles of government agencies, non-profit organizations and other service providers in making necessary improvements. A major focus of the new study includes reaching out to County residents to participate in the June 11th countywide Town Hall Meeting, as well as to encourage your participation in focus groups planned for communities in the northern, central and southern portions of the County. This is important work that we must all do together. The Board of Health’s Health-in-All-Policies approach is a comprehensive strategy that requires significant input from County residents and stakeholders. Your voice is critical to efforts to Building a Healthier Prince George’s County Together. Your input and participation will help the Board of Health to identify our community’s health needs, discuss the best way to meet those needs, and enhance our Quality of Life. Please attend the Town Hall Meeting on June 11th, to take part in shaping policies that help Prince Georgians to live better and longer. Terrence M. Fullum, MD, MBA, of Glenn Dale, is a Howard University College of Medicine Professor of Surgery; Vice-Chair of the Department of Surgery; and Chief of the General Surgery, and Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery divisions at Howard University Hospital. A physician, surgeon and hospital executive, Dr. Fullum serves as the Prince George’s County Board of Health Consultant and Liaison. HS
H-7 HS-7
• What is your vision for a healthier community? • How can the County help improve the physical health of our communities?
Presentations by The Rand Corporation
• How can we promote exercise? Where can we buy healthy foods? • How can the County improve mental health in our communities?
• How does transportation, housing and the environment affect the health of our communities?
The Board of Health and the RAND Corporation are working together with YOU to learn how to make Prince George’s County communities healthier. As a County resident, we want you to share your thoughts and ideas about priority health and human service issues. Take part in the June 11th Town Hall Meeting and tell us what the County can do to improve healthcare and human services, and better serve the needs of County residents.
MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
County Administration Building First Floor Council Hearing Room 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
The New Nutritional Twist on Peanut Butter By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD Wellness Corporate Dietitian Albertsons Companies Calling all peanut butter lovers! We have a lot to celebrate starting with a revolution happening in the peanut butter aisle. Natural style peanut butter, made with only peanuts and salt, is taking center stage and organic peanut butter options are even available. You won’t believe how pure and amazing natural-style peanut butter tastes without the added sugar or saturated fat. Sure, you have to stir it with a long knife or mini spatula (to incorporate the natural oils) when you first open the jar, but then you store it in the refrigerator and you’re good to go until the jar is empty.
FROM PROTEIN TO SMART FATS
While an honorary member of the nut family, peanuts are technically a legume and they have their own nutritional story to tell. These amazing plant protein packages are balanced with monounsaturated “smart” fats, fiber vitamins, minerals, and powerful plant compounds. With 7 grams of protein
PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BITES Makes 18 bites (9 servings if 2 bites each)
per 1-ounce serving, peanuts have the highest amount of protein compared to other nuts. They also have the highest amount of two B-vitamins compared to other nuts, with one ounce of peanuts contributing 20% of the Daily value for niacin and 10% for folate. Peanuts also give several key minerals a boost including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
TOP NUT IN PHYTOSTEROLS
An ounce of peanuts or natural style peanut butter also adds a nice dose of several antioxidant-acting phytochemicals (plant compounds) starting with the highest amount of phytosterols compared to other nuts. Phytosterols might help inhibit the growth of some cancers and help reduce the risk of heart disease, in part through its effect on LDL “bad” cholesterol. Recent studies suggest that regular peanut con-
sumption may help decrease blood pressure, a condition that affects the majority of American adults. When you switch to natural-style peanut butter, it’s like eating peanuts because only salt is added!
STIR IT UP WITH NATURAL-STYLE PEANUT BUTTER
With all of this going for peanuts, the time has come to promote natural-style peanut butter beyond the predictable PB & J. Natural style peanut butter is a powerful addition to smoothies, oatmeal or overnight oats and works well as a base for energy bites and balls. The whole family will love this easy recipe for Peanut Butter Energy Bites. You can design your own version of these bites by putting dried cherries or strawberries in the center of the bite and rolling the bites in everything from unsweetened coconut to unsweetened cocoa powder. HS
Ingredients: 1/2 cup O Organics creamy peanut butter (stir well to blend) 3 tablespoons O Organics maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon maple extract 1/3 cup Signature Select nonfat dry milk powder 1/3 cup ground old fashioned oats (add oats to a mini food processor or similar and pulse to grind) 1/3 cup Signature Select Nutty Nuggets Cereal (similar to Grape Nuts) Optional: Date pieces, Dried cherries or berries (to put in the center of the energy bites) Granola, Unsweetened shredded coconut or Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (to roll the energy bites in) Directions: 1. In a medium sized bowl, blend peanut butter, maple syrup, and maple extract together with a spatula or spoon. Stir in nonfat dry milk powder, ground oats and nuggets cereal until blended. 2. Use a mini cookie scoop (or tablespoon measure) to grab about a tablespoon of the mixture. Add a dried fruit piece to the center if desired and roll into a ball. Roll the ball in shredded unsweetened coconut, mini semisweet chocolate chips, granola or nugget cereal if desired. 3. Store in the refrigerator in a sealable bag or container until ready to serve or pack in your backpack/briefcase for the day.
Nutritional Information: Per 2 bites Calories 157, Total Fat 7.6 g, Saturated Fat 1.2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 4.1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 2.2 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol .4 mg, Sodium 81 mg, Potassium 99 mg, Total Carbohydrate 15 g, Dietary Fiber 1.5 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 5.5 g, Calcium 42 mg, Iron 1.6 mg
NATURALLY DELICIOUS CHOICES MADE WITH REAL INGREDIENTS.
NO A R T IF ICI A L F L AV OR S Open Nature Whole Roasted Chicken 37-oz.
Open Nature Grass Fed 85% Lean Ground Beef 16-oz.
Open Nature Lamb Leg Bone-in Semi Boneless. Open Nature Open Nature Grass Fed Boneless New York Strip Steak
Wild Sockeye Salmon Fillets
Open Nature Lamb Loin Chops
EXCLUSIVELY AT Q2 supplement-WashInformer 5.9.19.indd 1
5/1/19 11:18 AM
www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-8
Your One-Stop
VACCINATION STATION
4/21/06
Safeway version
• Flu • Hepatitis • HPV
• Meningitis • Pneumonia • Shingles
• Tetanus • and more!
Stop by the pharmacy, walk-ins welcome! 10% OFF Grocery Purchase *Available vaccinations vary by location and are subject to state law restrictions.
NEW SHINGLES VACCINE 1 in 3 people will get shingles in their lifetime and the CDC recommends this vaccine for those 50 and older.
Get vaccinated today!
GET 25% OFF
your next grocery purchase when you
TRANSFER & FILL your FIRST prescription at our pharmacy.*
20% OFF +
*Offer not valid for beneficiaries of state and federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid or Tricare or if otherwise prohibited by law. Valid on prescriptions filled and purchased at a Safeway Pharmacy. Limit one per customer. Additional limitations and restrictions apply. See Pharmacy for details. Limited time offer.
your next grocery purchase after every FIVE prescriptions you fill at our pharmacy.*
Pharmacy Full page-WashInformer.indd 1
H-9 HS-9
MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
3/6/19 10:18 AM
Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE) Wellness Circles John Singleton, acclaimed movie producer, director and screenwriter, made his transition at the age of 51 – apparently from a stroke caused by uncontrolled blood pressure. All untimely departures give us reason to pause, reflect and often grieve. But a preventable untimely death sounds an alarm that we must heed. African Americans cannot afford to lose anyone unnecessarily – famous or not – especially when we can stem the tide. Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE) made a commitment in 1997 to help African Americans of all ages “stem the tide”. Since 2006 we have worked tirelessly to help DC residents to “take charge of our health.” Our initial focus was on preventing childhood
obesity, but it soon became clear that embracing health and wellness had to be a family affair. In 2014 we began a partnership with AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (ACDC) to conduct Wellness Circles for their members with diabetes and hypertension. Our collaboration has been hugely successful as confirmed by ACDC data. Members have lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and blood sugar levels. They have supported each other, family members and neighbors in making lifestyle choices that help them manage their conditions and improve their health
status. ACDC has reported fewer visits to emergency departments as another benefit. SHIRE and ACDC have worked together for five years and have helped launch Wellness Circles conducted by
THANK YOU
Together we’re leading the fight for the health of all moms and babies.
other community leaders that serve residents in five DC wards. We know that Wellness Circles work. Participants receive the latest information about diabetes and hypertension which helps them understand causes and how to manage their conditions. Experts share tips about label reading, portion size, foods for health and foods to avoid. We promote movement at every session – Tai Chi, yoga, and especially exercises you can do at home. Breathologists and meditation practitioners guide members through stress-reducing techniques. We provide a healthful meal at each session and incentives, such as grocery gift cards and prizes for improved health numbers. A key success factor is creating an environment that encourages participants to take that first step on the path to wellness, and to set and achieve health improvement goals. Also essential is the engagement of community residents as peer educators and site assistants who recruit participants and follow-up to encourage their continued participation. These individuals have become wellness champions in the community as they serve as role models for self-care and life-
style changes. SHIRE is planning a new Wellness Circle series this fall. We encourage eligible AmeriHealth members to say “yes” when invited by SHIRE and other outreach teams. SHIRE also invites health providers and agencies to contact us that seek to really involve those they serve as partners in their own healing process. We are also looking for partners who share our desire to involve young people in Wellness Circles that are designed with and for them. Interested parties are welcome to reach us at 202-371-0277, extension 1317. Please also visit our website at www.shireinc.org for more information about SHIRE. It is time not only to “stem” but to turn the tide. To quote civil rights heroine, Fannie Lou Hamer, we don’t have to continue to be “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” In 400 years, we have set the high mark and led the way time and time again. It is time, way past time, for African Americans to take charge of our health and our lives so that we can fulfill our God-given potential. HS Ruth T. Perot - Executive Director/CEO Canary Girardeau - Senior Program Associate Dawn Covin - Program Manager
In 400 years, we have set
the high mark and led the
way time and time again.
It is time, way past time, for
NATIONALS STADIUM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
African Americans to take
MARCHFORBABIES.ORG
charge of our health
Thank you to the thousands of walkers, sponsors and volunteers who helped make March for Babies a success.
and our lives so that we can fulfill our
National sponsors National sponsors
Regional sponsor © 2019 March of Dimes
God-given potential.
www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-10
Recommended Texts about the Historical Power of Black Nurses By Lee Ross Special to the Informer The history of Black women in the nursing profession is storied and layered – and includes those practitioners who utilized traditional African healing remedies and those who spearheaded new and innovative Western therapies, as well as many who merged the two. Among the most in-depth and intriguing examinations of Black women in nursing are those by Darlene Clark Hine, Board of Trustees Emeritus Professor of African American Studies and Professor of History at Northwestern University. Hine once wrote, “If I can impress upon the historical profession how important it is to talk to and illuminate the lives of people who did not leave written records, but who also influenced generations of women all over the globe, then I will feel that my career is worthwhile.” The Informer acknowledges Hine’s scholarship and offers a few additional titles as recommended reading material on the power of Black nurses.
Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired: Black Women's Health Activism in America, 1890-1950 Susan Smith Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired moves beyond the depiction of African Americans as mere recipients of aid or as victims of neglect and highlights the ways black health activists created public health programs and influenced public policy at every opportunity. Smith also sheds new light on the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment by situating it within the context of black public health activity, reminding us that public health work had oppressive as well as progressive consequences.
Black Women in White: Racial onflict and Cooperation in the ursing Profession, 1890-1950 Darlene Clark Hine Analyzes the impact of racism on the development of the nursing profession in both the northern and southern US. Traces the growth of a parallel networks of hospitals, training schools, and nurses' associations in reaction to white hospitals excluding black patients, nurses, and doctors. Examines the exploitation of racism in white nurses' struggles for autonomy, status, and freedom within the white male medical establishment.
Health in the City: Race, Poverty, and the Negotiation of Women’s Health in New York City, 1915–1930 Tanya Hart Shortly after the dawn of the twentieth century, the New York City Department of Health decided to address what it perceived as the racial nature of health. It delivered heavily racialized care in different neighborhoods throughout the city: syphilis treatment among African Americans, tuberculosis for Italian Americans, and so on. It was a challenging and ambitious program, dangerous for the providers, and troublingly reductive for the patients. Nevertheless, poor and working-class African American, British West Indian, and Southern Italian women all received some of the nation’s best health care during this period. Health in the City challenges traditional ideas of early twentieth-century urban black health care by showing a program that was simultaneously racialized and cutting-edge. It reveals that even the most well-meaning public health programs may inadvertently reinforce perceptions of inferiority that they were created to fix.
Nursing Civil Rights: Gender and Race in the Army Nurse Corps Charissa J. Threat In Nursing Civil Rights, Charissa J. Threat investigates the parallel battles against occupational segregation by African American women and white men in the U.S. Army. As Threat reveals, both groups viewed their circumstances with the Army Nurse Corps as a civil rights matter. Each conducted separate integration campaigns to end the discrimination they suffered. Yet their stories defy the narrative that Civil Rights struggles inevitably arced toward social justice. Threat tells how progressive elements in the campaigns did indeed break down barriers in both military and civilian nursing. At the same time, she follows conservative threads to portray how some of the women who succeeded as agents of change became defenders of exclusionary practices when men sought military nursing careers.
GET MORE OUT OF A MEDICARE HEALTH PLAN THAN YOU THOUGHT POSSIBLE. You want to live life to the fullest, and Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans offer benefits and services to help you stay healthy, active, and independent. Call us at 1-301-204-0320 (TTY 711) for more information. Calling this number will direct you to a licensed sales specialist.
In DC, Kaiser Permanente is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. In MD, Kaiser Permanente is an HMO plan and a Cost plan with a Medicare contract. In VA, Kaiser Permanente is a Cost plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Kaiser Permanente depends on contract renewal.You must reside in the Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan service area in which you enroll. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. 2101 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, MD 20852
H-11 HS-11
MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
60652108 MAS 10/1/17–9/30/18 H2150_H2172_17_08 accepted
Black Nurses Filling Key Voids at Nursing Schools, ER By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia Experienced nurses in the United States are retiring at a rapid clip, and there aren’t enough new nursing graduates to replenish the workforce, according to a recent CNN Money investigation. At the same time, the nation’s population is aging and requires more care. “It’s really a catch 22 situation,” Robert Rosseter, spokesman for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, said at the time. For many years, nursing has been a great career for African American women – from the bedside, to advanced practice, and even in health systems administration and dean’s offices at prominent nursing schools, African American women are leaders in nursing and healthcare here in the U.S. and abroad, said Randolph F.R. Rasch, the dean at the Michigan State University College of Nursing. As healthcare in the U.S. – and around the world – evolves, this is nursing’s time, Rasch said. “Nursing is also a great career for men and, increasingly, for African American men, as evidenced by the current president of the American Nurses Association, Dr. Ernest Grant, who is the first African American man to hold the position,” he said. “And then there is also myself, who was the first African American man to graduate with a bachelor’s of science in nursing from my university, first African American male public health nurse in Michigan, and the first African American nurse practitioner and first African American male to hold a Ph.D. in nursing in the world,” Rasch said. When it comes to the state of nursing schools, there are many strong programs in the country; however, the challenge for nursing education is to increase capacity to address the need for more nurses and the increasing demand for nursing education, and especially bachelor’s-prepared nurses, he said. “There is also a need for nursing programs to find ways to expand capacity without compromising quality. We must ensure that we are preparing nurses to practice in a rapidly changing health care en-
vironment and to use rapid – and radical – changes in technology in our work with patients,” Rasch said. When comparing the ethnic diversity of nurses to the general public in the U.S., the 2010 Census found that 12.6 percent identify as Black or African American. A 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistic’s population survey reported that, of the 2.875 million nurses in America, 11.5 percent were black. “Nursing schools in America are only getting better, but also harder to get into, which is a good thing [because] the nursing profession is not for the faint of hearts,” said Shantay Carter, Founder, Women Of Integrity Inc. “You just can’t go into nursing for the money … Nursing schools now have high tech state of the art simulation facilities, which have seem to enhance the clinical skills of nursing students and they have evolved to the point that students have access to get their degree online,” Carter said. “I think the reason that many Black women are getting into triage and nursing care services, is because of the fact that the profession is held in such a high regard – remember, nursing is the number one most trusted profession and as a black woman myself, I remember growing up seeing my grandmother and others as nurses and they showed so much pride for their job that it made me aspire to be like them because as a nurse, you’re a teacher, caregiver and an advocate,” Carter said. Nursing schools in America are typically a direct reflection of the economy, so currently they are thriving, said Catherine Burger, a RN and media specialist and contributor for RegisteredNursing.org. “The real challenge has been in new grads getting their first job as a nurse since most employers require experience. In a slow economy, experienced nurses are working two or three jobs which absorbs the entry-level positions,” Burger said. “However, with a healthy economy, experienced nurses are working only one job which leads to the need for more ‘New Grad’ or Nurse Residency programs that provide inexperienced nurses with the additional required clinical experience. With these programs, nurses can choose specialty areas such a triage earlier in their careers,” she said. HS
Randolph F.R. Rasch, the dean at the Michigan State University College of Nursing (Courtesy MSU)
“Nursing is also a great career for men and, increasingly, for African American men, as evidenced by the current president of the American Nurses Association, Dr. Ernest Grant, who is the first African American man to hold the position.” – Randolph F.R. Rasch
www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-12
135 Years of Caring for Children and Youth, and The HSC Pediatric Center has just Gotten Started.
Celebrating its 135th Anniversary, The HSC Pediatric Center is one component of The HSC Health Care System, a nonprofit, Washington, DC-based health care organization committed to serving individuals with complex health needs and eliminating barriers to health services. The HSC Pediatric Center, located in a historic building in the Michigan Park neighborhood of Northeast DC, is a pediatric specialty hospital that serves children and young adults with complex health needs and/or disabilities from infancy through age 21. We provide a range of family-centered medical, behavioral health, and therapy services to meet the individual needs of our patients who are leaving a traditional, acute care hospital, and aren’t quite ready to be cared for at home. From your child's first day at The HSC Pediatric Center, our staff works with you and your family to determine health and life goals beyond the hospital stay. Our team of skilled professionals includes pediatricians, nurses, an array of therapists, psychologists, social workers, dieticians, and assistive technology and equipment specialists, all dedicated to helping your child gain the skills and confidence they need to reach their full potential. We are focused on providing expert medical care that only a pediatric specialty hospital can provide, but also work to create an environment where a kid can be a kid. We treat the whole child, taking into account interests and goals, and involving the entire family in your child’s care. Our team of child life specialists, social workers and psychologists focus on the emotional and developmental needs of your child and family. Through the use of play and other forms of communication and interaction, they seek to reduce the stress that can come with health care experiences and enable children to cope in a positive manner. We strive and encourage patients to engage in activities of life, play and learning, even while in a hospital setting. We understand a hospital stay can be daunting for both the child and family, and our team works to make the experience the best it can be. Our staff partners with families to help prepare your child to return to the community by providing activities and outings that increase confidence and connect you to external resources that make the process as smooth as possible. At The HSC Pediatric Center, we believe in caring, serving, and empowering our patients and families. HS
Happy National Hospital Week!
Thank you for making us more than a hospital.
National Hospitals Week May 12-18
The HSC Pediatric Center would like to recognize all hospital employees for the outstanding care they provide to the community. For more information, please visit hschealth.org/hospitalsweek NHW_PrintAd_050119.indd 1
H-13 HS-13
MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
5/2/19 8:38 AM
Knowing your Numbers can Help Save Your Life.
Contributed by Kaiser Permanente
This month, across the country health professionals are raising awareness about the risks of hypertension, also called high blood pressure, and encouraging communities to keep blood pressure at healthy levels.
WHAT IS HYPERTENSION AND WHY IS IT HARMFUL?
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States and many cardiovascular health problems are linked to hypertension. One out of every three adults has hypertension and if it is not controlled, it can lead to stroke, heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, or other serious health problems. This condition occurs when a person’s blood pressure rises and stays high over time. As a person’s blood pressure goes up, the force of blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels also increases. This can increase the stress on your blood vessels, resulting in damage, and can make
your heart work harder, resulting in risks to your heart. To be in a healthy range, aim for a blood pressure reading of 140 over 80 or less. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your blood pressure target is 139 over 89 or less. Your blood pressure consists of two numbers—systolic and diastolic. The systolic number is the first number and shows how hard the blood pushes with each pump of the heart. The diastolic number is the second number and tells us the blood pressure when the heart is relaxed and filling in preparation for the next squeeze. So, a systolic pressure of 119 and a diastolic pressure of 79 is usually read as “119 over 79” and written as 119/79.
ARE YOU AT RISK FOR HYPERTENSION?
Many factors can contribute to having high blood pressure, like family history. When your immediate family members have high blood pressure, you have an increased likelihood of developing it. Your lifestyle (diet, exercise, smoking habits, alcohol intake) may increase your risk too.
Certain communities have higher rates of blood pressure than others as well. According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure is highest within the African American community and develops at an earlier age than other ethnic groups. In many cases, high blood pressure has no symptoms. The only way to know if your blood pressure is high is to have it checked. Most people don't know they have it until they go to the doctor for some other reason.
HOW CAN YOU PREVENT HYPERTENSION?
There are five lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent high blood pressure. Try to eat less salt and learn about the DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This diet is low in fat, and includes fruits, whole grains, poultry, fish, nuts, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. There are many low sodium or reduced salt recipes to add more flavor to these healthy options. Plan to get enough physical ac-
tivity or exercise for about 30 minutes each day, on most days of the week. Limit your alcohol intake also to two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.
IF YOU HAVE HYPERTENSION, HOW CAN YOU TAKE CONTROL?
Make it a priority to get your blood pressure checked once a year. You may need to check your blood pressure more often at first or until your blood pressure comes into the normal range. Follow the advice of your doctor including taking medicine exactly as prescribed. Some patients learn how to check blood pressure at home. By doing so, you can monitor your blood pressure and reach out for care if your numbers are consistently elevated. More resources can be found at kp.org. HS Ameya Kulkarni, MD FSCAI, was interviewed for this article, and is proud to be a practicing Interventional Cardiologist and Chief of Cardiology for the Northern Virginia Service Area for the Mid-Atlantic
Permanente Medical Group. Dr. Kulkarni cares for patients at the Kaiser Permanente Tysons Corner Medical Center. This article was contributed by Kaiser Permanente, a regional not-for-profit health system which provides top-rated care and coverage for its nearly 800,000 members in the Mid-Atlantic States region. The region achieved a rate of 92% for controlling high blood pressure, according to the 2018 National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Quality Compass® data. The annual Quality Compass data assesses the performance of nearly 400 Private/Commercial health plans nationwide spanning all lines of business on critical clinical quality and service standards. This controlling high blood pressure rate of 92% was the highest result among commercial health plans participating. The annual Quality Compass database includes scores from the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, or HEDIS, a tool that is used by more than 90 percent of America’s health plans to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service, including cancer screenings, immunizations, maternal care and cardiovascular conditions.
Our pharmacists go above and beyond. But you don’t have to go much farther than the Big Chair.
OPEN NOW! Whitman-Walker has a new pharmacy right in your neighborhood! Monday - Friday | 8:30 am - 6:30 pm
2303 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE
www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-14
Bedside Manners: Home Health Nurses Become First Line of Care
Lee Ross Special to the Informer
Perhaps not since the ushering in of U.S. public health policies, have visiting or home health nurses played such a vital role in the well-being of Americans. In fact, statistics provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine, note more than 12 million people in the United States currently require some form of home health care. And within the ranks of professional home care givers, 87 percent are women, 60 percent are people of color, and 29 percent are immigrants. The nation’s strained health-care system is trying to keep sick seniors out of hospitals, assisted-living facilities and nursing homes and instead have them cared for in their homes. When a person already feels vulnerable by illness – they heal at better rates and with more positive outcomes in familiar and comfortable surroundings, home health nurse, Tarita Bumbray told the Informer. She said that in addition to patients feeling intimidated by clinical surroundings, many develop conditions like “white coat hypertension” -- wherein a person’s blood pressure is elevated by being in a hospital. “When a person loses mobility or cannot manage basic tasks like going to the restroom without assistance, they often feel anxious, fearful – even angry that someone has to help them. My job is to show them the highest level of respect, while administering the care they need,” Bumbray said. “Because I am also a guest in their homes, I have to be certain that the boundaries of professionalism are never blurred, but that they also feel comfortable having me there for extended periods of time.” With the closure of a record number of D.C.-metropolitan area hospitals, healthcare services have extended into private homes for everything from acute and chronic health conditions to the managed care of a drastically increasing Baby Boom generation, who are now elders. A startling 75 percent of Americans over 65 live with multiple chronic health conditions, ranging from diabetes to dementia. “The duties of home health workers can include medical care, condition monitoring, and dispensing medication, but may also comprise cooking and cleaning for the patient, accompanying them to physicians’ appointments, and doing grocery shopping,” Bumbray said. “In some instances, we serve as extended family and missionaries to people who may feel isolated by their conditions.” Gladys Pulliam, co-signed Bumbray’s assertion. As a vibrant and active senior, Pulliam said she quickly became depressed and obstinate when a skiing accident caused her a rip in her knee’s lateral collateral ligament. “I hate hospitals but saw rehabilitation centers as a depressing last-stop to the cemetery, so I fought tooth and nail for home health care services,” Pulliam told the Informer. “It took a few weeks to get comfortable with my nurse, Fatima, but she often went above and beyond her duties, and I had her as company when my kids and grandkids didn’t bother to come by. Fatima was a godsend and she even played whist with me.” Pulliam said her emotional health helped speed the recovery of her physical health. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported the U.S. spent an estimated $103 billion on home health care last year, with a projected increase that will see an overall increase in home health care employment by 41 percent from 2016 to 2026. This translates into 7.8 million job openings. “Home health care nurses do a lot of the work that used to be handled by midwives and the ladies’ circles at churches, when family members were unable to tend to the needs of the elderly or infirmed,” Pulliam said. “While hospital closures may be responsible for this move back to home care, I think it is a good thing – especially since so many caregivers are Black women. It signals a return to community care, and I think that has always served Black bodies best.” HS
“I hate hospitals but saw rehabilitation centers
as a depressing last-stop to the cemetery, so I fought tooth and nail
for home health care services.” – Gladys Pulliam
H-15 HS-15
MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
(Top) Home health care nurse Tarita Bumbray checks the blood pressure of one of her clients, Mrs. Aliya Snyder at her Northeast home. (Shantella Y. Sherman/The Washington Informer) Tarita Bumbray, a D.C.-based home health care nurse says that caring for others in their homes is a matter of trust as well as skill. (Shantella Y. Sherman/The Washington Informer)
Your One-Stop
VACCINATION STATION
4/21/06
Safeway version
• Flu • Hepatitis • HPV
• Meningitis • Pneumonia • Shingles
• Tetanus • and more!
Stop by the pharmacy, walk-ins welcome! 10% OFF Grocery Purchase *Available vaccinations vary by location and are subject to state law restrictions.
NEW SHINGLES VACCINE 1 in 3 people will get shingles in their lifetime and the CDC recommends this vaccine for those 50 and older.
Get vaccinated today!
GET 25% OFF
your next grocery purchase when you
TRANSFER & FILL your FIRST prescription at our pharmacy.*
20% OFF +
*Offer not valid for beneficiaries of state and federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid or Tricare or if otherwise prohibited by law. Valid on prescriptions filled and purchased at a Safeway Pharmacy. Limit one per customer. Additional limitations and restrictions apply. See Pharmacy for details. Limited time offer.
Pharmacy Full page-WashInformer.indd 1
your next grocery purchase after every FIVE prescriptions you fill at our pharmacy.*
3/6/19 www.washingtoninformer.com / MAY 2019 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
HS-16 10:18 AM