1. health and fitness

Allenmore Hospital | good Samaritan Community Healthcare | Mar y Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center | Tacoma general Hospital | MultiCare Clinics
HealthyLiving
WINTER 2008 | www.multicare.org
Jillian
Michaels
of Tv’s The Biggest Loser
wants you to
Do Something Healthy!
Meet her Jan.
24
PAg e 8
KIDS
COUNT!
expansion
news!
PAg e 6
[spotlight]
An exciting new year
Dear Healthy Living readers,
The new year is a time
to look to the future. We
here at Good Samaritan are
ringing in 2008 with much
anticipation for what is to
come.
Later this year, we will
begin moving ground for our new 350,000square-foot Patient Care Tower, forever changing the Good Samaritan campus and the
community.
Our expansion will position Good Samaritan
as a regional medical center, able to serve
a greater number of patients in our community. In February we will be hosting the first of
many celebrations at Good Samaritan with a
ceremony designating our construction site.
This site celebration will serve as the kick-off
for our multiyear construction plan. Read more
about our expansion plans in this issue of
Healthy Living on page 6.
Meanwhile, get inspired for your own exciting new year at the ninth annual Do Something
Healthy—featuring keynote speaker Jillian
Michaels, from The Biggest Loser television
program—Thursday, Jan. 24, from 6 to 9pm
at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade
Center (see page 8 for details).
Last year, more than 1,000 people attended
this inspiring event, which also kicked off
Pierce County’s Biggest Winner, a partnership
with the YMCA of Tacoma–Pierce County, the
MultiCare goes red
Taking care of your heart is more important than you may
know. That’s why MultiCare Health System has joined
forces with the American Heart Association to launch
Pierce County Goes Red. This yearlong movement gives
women the tools and knowledge they need to reduce
their risk of heart disease and stroke and protect their
health.
“Too few people realize that heart disease is
the No. 1 killer of women—and men,” says Uma
Krishnan, MD, cardiologist and Go Red For Women
ambassador. “But the good news is heart disease
can be largely prevented.”
How can you Go Red? Learn the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Schedule a heart checkup.
Wear a red dress. However you choose to Go Red, do it
for the health of your heart.
To schedule your heart checkup, call 253-403-2898.
MultiCare Health System is a leading-edge,
integrated health organization made up of four
hospitals, numerous primary care and urgent
care clinics, multispecialty centers, Hospice and Home
Health services, and many other services. A not-for-profit
organization based in Tacoma since 1882, MultiCare has
grown over the years in response to community needs.
Today we are the area’s largest provider of health care
services, serving patients at 93 locations in Pierce,
South King, Kitsap and Thurston counties. Learn more
at www.multicare.org.
Healthy Living is published as a community service for the
friends and patients of MultiCare Health System, P.O. Box 5299,
Tacoma, WA 98415-0299. 800-342-9919, www.multicare.org
For comments or suggestions about HEALTHY LIVING, please write
to us at [email protected]. Information in HEALTHY LIVING
comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any
concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your
health, please contact your health care provider.
Copyright © 2007 Coffey Communications, Inc.
| Healthy Living
CUN21161c
Join MultiCare and the
American Heart Association
on National Wear Red Day
for our Go Red For Women Rally,
featuring free health screenings,
food, entertainment and more!
Friday, Feb. 1
Tacoma Mall
(outside of Macy’s)
11am to 1pm
Tacoma–Pierce County Health Department and
our affiliate, MultiCare Health System. Two teams
totaling 10 community members competed to
reach their fitness and weight-loss goals.
I invite you to take a few minutes to read
about the exciting changes taking place here
at Good Samaritan. I find the excitement on
our campus contagious, and I believe that,
after reading Healthy Living, you will feel it too.
Yours truly,
John Long, President
Good Samaritan Community Healthcare
Thoracic surgery
expanded to east
Pierce County
MultiCare Cardiothoracic Surgical
Associates—Allen Graeve, MD;
Charles Anderson, MD; and Dennis
Nichols, MD—are now performing
thoracic surgery at Good Samaritan
Hospital, as well as offering consultations and follow-ups at the Good
Samaritan Ambulatory Surgery Center.
For more information, call 253403-7257.
Go Red and Go Red For Women are trademarks of AHA.
The Red Dress Design is a trademark of U.S. DHHS.
10
Kids’ weight:
Tackle the
issue now
Nowadays it’s
not just adults
who deal with
weight—your
kids are also
fighting the battle
of the bulge.
11
Catching
up with
the losers
Pierce County’s
Biggest Winners
are still going
strong. Check
their progress
since the
contest.
New docs on the block
Jeffrey Newman, MD
Specialty: Dermatology
Puyallup Dermatology Clinic
929 e. Main Ave., Suite 210
Puyallup, WA 98372
253-841-2453
Please welcome the following physicians to the good Samaritan
community. For more information, visit www.goodsamhealth.org
and click on “Find a Physician” or call our physician referral line
at 253-697-4444.
Sheela Ahmed, MD
Specialty: Pulmonary/Critical Care
good Samaritan Pulmonary/
Critical Care Clinic
702 23rd Ave. S.e.
Puyallup, WA 98372
253-841-4378
Kenneth Berger, MD
Specialty: Urology
Puyallup Surgical Consultants
1519 3rd St. S.e., Suite 210
Puyallup, WA 98372
253-840-4994
Hani Ghali, MD*
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Sound inpatient Physicians
253-697-4000
Ashley Keays, DO
Specialty: Family Medicine
good Samaritan Family Medicine
1518 Main St.
Sumner, WA 98390
253-697-7400
12
Jay Klarnet, MD
Specialty: Hematology/Oncology
MultiCare Hematology/
Oncology Clinics
Tacoma, gig Harbor and Covington
253-403-1677
Christine Lee, MD*
Specialty: Anesthesiology
Rainier Anesthesia Associates
253-445-5828
Jason Love, MD*
Specialty: Pathology
Western Washington
Pathology Associates
253-403-1043
Rajesh Manam, MD
Specialty: Gastroenterology
Digestive Health Specialists
1703 S. Meridian, Suite 305
Puyallup, WA 98371
253-841-3933
Nellie Nanda, MD*
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Sound inpatient Physicians
253-697-4000
Mischief
makers at
it again?
Sharing toys and
games is great,
but germs? No,
thanks. Here are
a few quick tips
to keep pesky
germs at bay.
Anahita Rezaie, MD*
Specialty: Gastroenterology
Digestive Health Specialists
253-272-5127
Derek Scott, MD
Specialty: Physical
Medicine and Rehab
U.S. Healthworks
3850 S. Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98373
253-840-1840
J. Scott Taylor, MD*
Specialty: Emergency Medicine
Mt. Rainier emergency Physicians
good Samaritan Hospital
emergency Department
253-697-4000
Kevin Trice, MD
Specialty: Pulmonary/Critical Care
good Samaritan
Pulmonary/Critical Care Clinic
702 23rd Ave. S.e.
Puyallup, WA 98372
253-841-4378
Scott Walker, MD
Specialty: Radiology/
Neuroradiology
Medical imaging Northwest
222 15th Ave. S.e.
Puyallup, WA 98372
253-841-4353
Lori Walund, MD*
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Sound inpatient Physicians
253-697-4000
Anna Zampona, MD*
Specialty: Family Medicine
Sound inpatient Physicians
253-697-4000
*Hospital-based physicians
13
Take steps
for better
health
From yoga and
aerobics to support groups and
safety classes,
good Samaritan
wants to be
involved in
your health.
interested in
weight control?
Look for the tape
measure!
Pages 8 to 11
www.goodsamhealth.org | 3
[winter sports]
Protecting your knees this winter sports season
The slippery slope of
winter sports
Regardless of the type of activity you
choose this winter, safety should be a top
priority—especially when it comes to protecting your knees.
“Knees are more prone
to injury when individuals
try to perform above their
skill level or when they
aren’t physically in shape
for an activity, such as skiing,” says James Wyman,
MD, a board-certified
James Wyman, orthopedic surgeon at
MD
Advanced Orthopaedic
Specialists in Puyallup,
who regularly performs surgery at Good
Samaritan.
When pain management and lifestyle
changes are not enough to keep knee pain
from interfering with your life, surgery may
be a good option. With recent advances
in surgical procedures, knee surgery has
become far less invasive, reducing pain,
scarring and recovery time. Specialists like
Dr. Wyman can offer the most advanced
procedures, such as ligament reconstruction
and cartilage transplants, to help individuals
return to their active lifestyles following a
knee injury.
meniscal tear is removal of the torn tissue,”
Dr. Wyman says. “But if the tear is in a
favorable area, where there is still blood
3 common injuries
supply available, it can sometimes be repaired.”
The three most common winter sports
Cartilage is a smooth tissue that covers
knee injuries are anterior cruciate ligament
the ends of bones in a joint and enables
(ACL) injuries, meniscus tears and cartilage joints to support your weight when you
damage.
bend, stretch, walk and run. Cartilage loss,
Ligaments are bands of tough, elastic
where divots, or pieces, of the cartilage
connective tissue that surround a joint
are broken free, can occur when there
to give support and limit the joint’s moveis trauma to the knee caused by a sports
ment. The ACL is frequently injured when injury or accident.
force is applied to the knee, such as falling
A cartilage transplant—taking healthy
while skiing or snowboarding. This force
cartilage from a donor or from another
causes the ligaments within the knee to tear location in the joint and placing it in the
as they work to keep the knee from being
damaged area—may be the best option.
dislocated. The damaged ligament can be
In some cases replacement cartilage can be
reconstructed using a strip of tendon from
grown in a lab and then inserted into the
the patient’s knee or donor tissue.
patient’s knee. This requires two surgerThe meniscus is cartilage that acts as a
ies, one where cartilage cells are harvested
buffer between the two large bones of
from the knee to be cultured, and a second
the knee.
to insert the new cartilage after a sufficient
“Meniscal tears are less common in skiers number of new cells have been grown.
than anterior cruciate ligament injuries,”
Another option for repairing damaged
cartilage is microfracture surgery, in which
Dr. Wyman explains. But they can occur
when the knee is twisted or overflexed.
the bone is penetrated to expose marrow
“The most common treatment for a
cells. The cells can then access the damaged
3 1 2 Children on the slopes: Playing it safe
More than 60,000 children are treated
in emergency rooms each year for winter
sports-related injuries. Help your kids stay
safe this season.
• Buy your children properly fitted winter
sports helmets for skiing, sledding and
snowboarding.
• Make certain that their helmets and other
equipment are in good working order.
| Healthy Living
• Look for clothing made of newer coldweather fabrics that provide warmth without
bulk.
• Ensure that they wear sunglasses or
goggles.
• Arrange for them to take lessons before
they try to ski or snowboard.
• Remind them to watch out for trees, rocks
and other people.
• Train them to monitor their speed so that
they can stay in control.
• Supervise their activities.
• Direct them to skating rinks instead of
ponds.
For more information about keeping
your family safe this winter or helmet sales
and rentals, call the Mar y Bridge Center for
Childhood Safety at 253-403-1234.
area and fill in the cartilage gap.
“Microfracture surgery is one of the
most common cartilage procedures performed,” dr. Wyman says. “But it may
not be the best procedure for everyone.”
Small incisions mean
big improvements
arthroscopy enables dr. Wyman to diagnose and treat knee disorders by providing
a clear view of the inside of the knee with
small incisions, using a pencil-size instrument called an arthroscope. The scope has
a small camera that transmits an image of
the knee to a television monitor. during
the procedure, surgical instruments can
be inserted through other small incisions
in the knee to remove or repair damaged
tissue.
“almost all the sports-related injuries
that require surgery are being done arthroscopically,” says dr. Wyman.
The benefits of arthroscopy include
smaller incisions, less pain, faster healing,
a more rapid recovery and less scarring.
arthroscopic surgical procedures are typically performed on an outpatient basis and
take only a few hours, and the patient is
able to return home the same day. every case
and patient is unique, dr. Wyman notes,
but typical full recovery time from arthroscopic knee surgery is three to six months,
depending on the procedure.
getting you back in action
The best course of treatment for a knee
injury depends on a number of factors,
dr. Wyman notes, including how the
injury occurred, the severity of the injury
and the age of the patient. But regardless of
those factors, dr. Wyman’s ultimate goal is
to get his patients back to their pre-injury
performance level.
“Typically over 90 out of 100 patients
will return to their prior level of performance,” dr. Wyman says. “That should be
the expectation.”
Need a referral to an orthopedic
surgeon? Call good samaritan’s
Physician Referral line at 253-697-4444.
www.goodsamhealth.org | 5
[Patient Care Tower]
Build
i
n
g
for the future
Watch our progress and mark the milestones
THRee YeaRs, 350,000 square feet and
$400 million dollars. Those are the numbers surrounding the biggest construction
project in east Pierce County. last year
good samaritan’s Board of directors and
the City of Puyallup unanimously approved
plans for the construction of good samaritan’s new Patient Care Tower and Medical
office Building. This project will provide
the community with a new emergency
department, surgery and Imaging departments, and private patient rooms.
This good samaritan legacy project will
require hundreds of construction workers,
thousands of construction hours and plenty
of construction plans. along the way, there
will be many milestones that we plan to
share with our community.
6 | Healthy Living
The first milestone in 2008 is the designa- heavy-construction period on the campus.
tion of the construction site. In february
Below is an architect’s drawing of how the
good samaritan will host a public site
campus will look when construction is
celebration that will provide an opportunity
complete in late 2010.
for the community to
see the latest construction plans along
with an actual scale
model depicting the
new good samaritan
campus.
later in the year,
good samaritan
will host a groundbreaking for the
new Patient Care
Tower. This event
For progress updates on good Samaritan’s new Patient Care
will kick off the
Tower, be sure to visit www.goodsamhealth.org.
The Mobile Health
vehicle visits Bonney Lake
and the greater Puyallup area.
Save the dates!
good Samaritan Foundation is working on
some fantastic events for 2008. Stay tuned
for more information about the following:
Feb. 22—good Samaritan Construction
Site Celebration
March 27—Annual Meeting
Spring—girls Night Out at Windmill gardens
June 21—Northwest Corks & Crush
July 25—19th Annual good Samaritan
golf Classic
August—Home Team Northwest Rummage
Sale
September—Toscanos Café & Wine Bar
Anniversary Benefit
October—Come Walk With Me Cancer Benefit
November—Tis the Season
visit www.goodsamhealth.org/foundation
for more details.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Foundation supports
Mobile Health at good Samaritan
Mobile Health at good Samaritan has a
fantastic community vaccination program,
and the Foundation was glad to lend support
to it last year.
vaccines are extremely vulnerable and need
to be maintained within a temperature range
of only 11 degrees. in the past 12 months,
Mobile Health tried three domestic-grade refrigerators in an effort to find the temperature
sweet spot for its vaccine inventory. employees of Mobile Health were required to wear an
alarm pager to notify them if the temperature
varied beyond the allowable range. When this
happened, employees often had to return to
work after hours to move vaccines—hoping
to arrive in time to preserve the quality of
the vaccines.
All that came to an end when the good
Samaritan Foundation Board of Trustees
allocated funding for a new, medical-grade
refrigerator to replace—once and for all—
the standard, domestic-grade refrigerators
that were less than adequate.
Thanks in part to this newly funded refrigerator, vaccines have been available this flu
season all around eastern Pierce County.
Another extraordinary event!
The fifth annual Tis the Season, held
Nov. 16, was a great success and raised
a total of $212,000 to benefit children’s programs at good Samaritan! The sold-out event
welcomed more than 460 guests to Watson’s
greenhouse & Nursery for an evening of shopping and bidding with KiNg Tv’s John Curley
as master of ceremonies.
A special appeal was made to support
good Samaritan’s Level ii Special Care
Nursery for acutely ill and premature infants,
and the crowd responded with amazing
generosity, raising their paddles until a total
of $60,000 was reached!
Benefiting children’s programs
at Good Samaritan:
Special Care Nursery
inpatient Pediatrics
Children’s Therapy Unit
Family Support Center
•
•
•
•
www.goodsamhealth.org | 7
The Big
T
THeRe’s a picture of Jillian Michaels on her website
sporting a black, sleeveless T-shirt with “Bully”
written across the front.
sure, the black team’s coach on TV’s The
Biggest Loser has the title of television’s toughest
trainer. But ask MultiCare Center for Healthy
living’s elizabeth Barnard her impressions of
the weight-loss reality show star, and she’ll
point out how Michaels cares and wants
others to reach their healthy goals.
“she’s trying to help people realize that
they can do it,” says Barnard, the Center’s
Community events Coordinator. “she’s not
pushing them beyond their capabilities—
she’s pushing them to their capabilities.”
If you’ve seen the show, you know
Michaels is extremely fit, and you’ve watched
her help others lose a lot of unwanted
pounds and learn how to live healthy lives.
Now you can see Michaels in person at
this year’s do something Healthy event,
which is bound to include an inspirational
dose of “anybody can do it” when it comes
to getting physical, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight, Barnard says.
“People want to live a healthy life, but
you can win by
Jan. 24
Do Something Healthy 9
Meet Jillian Michaels and sign up
for the Million Minute Mission.
8 | Healthy Living
February
Start classes at the
yMCA. (Register online:
www.tacomaymca.org.)
gest Winners
are the biggest losers
sometimes they don’t know how to get motivated or where to start,” Barnard says. “Do
Something Healthy is a great first step to
learning more about health and nutrition
and getting the motivation to make healthy
changes to their lives.”
In addition to helping others succeed,
Michaels’ own healthy pursuits have led to
several personal successes. She has a weekly
radio show, fitness DVDs and two published
books, including her latest, Making the Cut:
Thirty Days to the Strongest, Sexiest You.
According to her website, the energetic fitness trainer and life coach struggled with her
own weight, so she knows firsthand about the
challenges. Then came martial arts, a source
of her passion for fitness training.
This passion, along with Michaels’
desire to help people reach their fitness goals,
should make the Do Something Healthy
event all the more inspirational and exciting.
In addition to Michaels’ featured presentation, Do Something Healthy will include
a health fair and screenings, and a registered
dietitian and personal trainer will be available
to answer attendees’ questions about nutrition, healthy eating and physical activity.
And if previous events are an indication—
this is the ninth year Do Something Healthy
is taking place—people will walk away with
something they can use to better their health,
perhaps profoundly so. Barnard has seen it
before: “Participants have taken information
from this event,” she says, “and used it to
change their lives.”
Do Something Healthy 9
Meet Jillian!
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, 6 to 9pm
Where: Greater Tacoma Convention and
Trade Center, 1500 Broadway, Tacoma
Join the Million Minute Mission
Here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it: Help your Pierce County friends and neighbors reach a goal of logging millions of exercise minutes.
It’s called the Million Minute Mission—a community-wide fitness event led by the MultiCare Center
For Healthy Living—and it’s a fun way to get physical, get healthy, and win individual or team prizes.
Here’s how it works: You register online—it’s easy—and then log
an average of 30 minutes of physical activity five or more days a week,
Jan. 24 through June 14. Kids can aim for 30 to 60 minutes.
You also track your progress online, so you can see your healthy
minutes add up! Get the details at www.multicare.org/mission.
This year’s theme: Weight Maintenance—
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Special guest: Jillian Michaels, trainer from
NBC’s The Biggest Loser, 7pm
•
•
•
•
Health fair and screenings, 6 to 7pm
Bring a question for “Ask the Dietitian”
Have Michaels sign her book
Cost: $10
Preregistration is required.
Register online at www.multicare.org.
losing­ — one inch at a time
March
Get your Passport
to Healthy Dining at
www.piercecountygetsfit.org.
April
Tracking your weight each
week is one good way
to monitor your health.
www.multicare.org/mission
May
Thirty minutes a day:
Keep logging your exercise at
www.multicare.org/mission.
June 14
Sound to Narrows
Fun and fitness for a great
cause and the Biggest Winner
finale. See you there!
www.goodsamhealth.org | [healthy families]
gRoWNUPs aReN’T the only ones at
risk for being overweight or obese. More
and more children are too.
What can parents do to help? Take
action, says nutrition expert Monica
dixon, Phd, Rd.
dixon is researching the causes of the
childhood obesity epidemic and exploring
what hospitals, schools, governments and
others can do to turn the tide.
It’s a complex matter, she says. But she
adds that the best place to begin preventing
childhood obesity is at home.
“There’s a lot parents can do to help kids
manage their weight,” dixon says.
get started by following these tips:
Serve whole foods. “Think fresh fruit,
vegetables and dairy, whole grains, nuts and
oils, and less processed foods,” dixon says.
offer kids water instead of pop or juice.
Eat together. family meals give you
better control of food choices and are also
a chance to bond with your kids and teach
them manners.
“There are so many advantages,” dixon
says. “There are even studies that show that
kids who eat with their families often are
10 | Healthy Living
Help your kids
manage their weight
less likely to use drugs or join gangs.”
Exercise as a family. “There are lots
of things you can do together—hiking,
biking, playing in the park,” dixon says.
“Having an active family helps children
remain active as adults.”
Talk to your doctor. a pediatrician can
determine if your child is overweight. He or
she also can give you advice on safe ways to
help children take off extra pounds.
Call good samaritan’s 24-hour Physician Referral line at 253-697-4444.
Pierce County gets your family fit
Pierce County residents, are you ready to
make good on those New year’s resolutions?
Let Pierce County gets Fit help you and your
family meet your 2008 fitness goals.
Pierce County gets Fit is a partnership
between MultiCare Health System, the
Tacoma–Pierce County Health Department
and the yMCA of Tacoma–Pierce County.
Formed in 2005, the goal of Pierce County
gets Fit is simple: Help
you and your family get
fit. Best of all, it’s easy
to participate.
Whatever your health challenges or fitness
goals, Pierce County gets Fit has something
for everyone. For health, nutrition and fitness
resources for adults and kids alike, visit
www.piercecountygetsfit.org.
[update]
Catching up with
the Biggest Winners
lasT feBRUaRY, two teams of five contestants took part in a four-month weight-loss
competition modeled after The Biggest Loser
TV show. a collaborative effort of MultiCare
Health system, the YMCa of Tacoma–Pierce
County and the Tacoma–Pierce County
Health department, Pierce County’s
Biggest Winner contest and ongoing
weight-maintenance program were
designed to help Pierce County residents
adopt healthier lifestyles.
While the competition ended months
ago, the contest’s top two “losers” are still
going strong.
What’s new with Aaron
aaron stewart may have been the contest’s
first-place winner, but he considers his improved health and lifestyle the real prize.
“It was the best experience of my life—
from the fellowship to the weight loss to
the whole transformation of my diet and
how I think about food,” he says.
a 32-year-old executive pastor from
University Place, aaron is a former college
football player who feels just as strong today
as he did while playing for Pacific lutheran
University more than a decade ago. aaron
weighed 295 pounds coming into the competition and has lost a total of 52 pounds,
or 20 percent of his body weight. He credits
MultiCare dietitians, the YMCa trainer,
fellow teammates and his wife for his success.
“What I really learned is that it’s
not about dieting,” he says. “It’s about
changing the way we eat.”
aaron continues to exercise
regularly at the YMCa with
his wife, as well as fellow team
member Chris Waiss. He’s kept
the weight off and plans to lose
five to 10 more pounds.
Checking in with April
april Waddington was determined to make
a dramatic change in her weight and lifestyle. and she did, coming in second overall
in the contest and losing nearly 50 pounds
and 17 percent of her body weight.
The 34-year-old family support worker
from Puyallup battled her weight for more
than a decade and was 278 pounds when
the competition began. athletic in school,
april was inspired to participate by the
competitive nature of the contest.
“Having such a great team motivated
me to do more—for myself and the team,”
she explains. “I had to be accountable to
someone, and that made a big difference.”
april looks forward to reaching her goal
weight of 165 pounds. The key, she says,
is combining low-fat proteins
and a high-fiber diet chock-full
of fruits and vegetables with an
exercise program that includes
fitness classes, weight training
and yoga.
“There’s no magic pill,” she
says. “It takes work, but it’s worth
it. I feel 100 percent better!”
2008: Be our next Biggest Winner!
MultiCare Health System, the yMCA of Tacoma–Pierce County and the Tacoma–Pierce County
Health Department challenge you to get fit and be healthy in 2008. A MultiCare physician and
registered dietitian, along with a personal trainer from the yMCA, will oversee the Pierce County
Biggest Winner program to ensure that participants are losing weight and exercising in a safe,
healthy way. Applications for the program are available at www.piercecountygetsfit.org.
www.goodsamhealth.org | 11
Be a germbuster!
1
LATHER UP! Use soap and water all over
your hands—don’t miss a fingernail! Scrub
20 seconds, long enough to sing the “Happy
Birthday” song twice.
2
AH-CHOO! if you
can’t reach a
tissue, sneeze
or cough into the inside
of your elbow (not your
hands).
NO WATER? gellin’
works too. Rub cleaning
gel (at least 60 percent
alcohol) all over your
hands until they’re dry.
Are
your
kids
making
you
sick?
3
YoU TeaCH your kids to share their toys
and games. But how do you teach them not
to share their germs?
“Think about the 25 to 30 students in
typical classrooms,” says Marcia Patrick, RN,
MsN, CIC, director, Infection Prevention
and Control at MultiCare. “That’s a lot of
germs being shared, and lots of opportunities to bring something home.”
Consider all of the shared areas in
classrooms—desks, pencil sharpeners,
pencils, crayons, light switches, textbooks
and other instructional materials, computer
keyboards, and cafeteria and gym surfaces.
“any or all of these can contain germs
from the mouths and noses of kids, as well
as fecal matter from hands not washed
thoroughly after using the toilet,” Patrick
says. “another child comes along and
touches that surface, then rubs his eyes or
nose and ends up with the infection, which
he, of course, takes home with him.”
4
BE SURE
TO WASH:
• Before
touching food
• After handling pets
• After coughing,
sneezing or noseblowing • Before
and after touching a
wound or being with a sick person • After
touching garbage • After using the
toilet (FOR SURe)!
12 | Healthy Living
✂
Keep germs at bay
Sources: Marcia Patrick, RN, MSN, CiC, and the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
There are several ways to reduce the germs
your kids bring home, Patrick advises:
• Teach kids to wash their hands well,
especially after using the toilet. You can
find pointers for effective handwashing
techniques at left or at the U.s. Centers for
disease Control and Prevention’s website,
www.cdc.gov/cleanhands.
show kids how to cough and sneeze into
their sleeves rather than into their hands.
encourage kids to keep their hands away
from their faces.
find out if your child’s school permits
the use of alcohol-based sanitizers or
antibacterial cloths. Wiping off shared
surfaces will reduce the germ load in the
environment.
In addition, a strong immune system
helps kids fight off infections, Patrick says.
so make sure your child is eating right and
getting enough rest and exercise.
“getting vaccinated for vaccinepreventable illness is [another] good way
to stay healthy this winter,” adds Rosalind
Ball, RN, MN, CIC, Infection Control
Practitioner, good samaritan Hospital.
Visit www.multicare.org/kids for more
tips about keeping kids healthy.
•
•
•
January
through
March 2008
Smart steps for a healthy life
Visit www.goodsamhealth.org for a complete calendar list or
to register. Click on “Classes and events for the public.”
DIABETES
Diabetes Education
Registration and a physician referral
are required.
253-770-2300
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Heart Healthy Eating Class
Perfect for anyone with a personal or family history of heart disease or high cholesterol.
Learn how fats, cholesterol, carbohydrates and
salt affect heart health, plus how to look out
for your heart at the grocery store and in
restaurants.
253-697-8141
Life Vest and Helmet Fitting Program
The Helmet and Life Vest Program is active
all year. Helmet and life vests are fitted and
VOLUNTEERING
sold by trained volunteers.
Good Samaritan’s strong force of more than
Throughout the year, program volunteers
900 volunteers has discovered the secret of
go to special events, including the Spring
feeling great. By sharing some of your time, Fair, Fall Fair, Tour de Pierce, and health
you can too. Volunteer opportunities are
and safety fairs. A variety of helmets are sold,
available in a variety of areas.
including bike helmets, multi-impact helmets
253-697-1568
and ski helmets. The life vests for sale are
type III, which are great for the local lakes.
STAYING SAFE
Good Samaritan Celebrate Seniority
First Aid
Office: Thursdays, 2 to 4pm
Understanding of standard first aid and
Good Samaritan kiosk at South Hill Mall:
adult CPR. Certification requires written
Second Saturday of each month, 11am to 3pm
and skills exams.
253-474-0600
•
•
PATHWAYS
LECTURE SERIES
“Hold Onto Your Kids”—Dr. Gordon Neufeld
Best-selling author dr. gordon Neufeld talks about the pivotal role a good bond with parents plays in a child’s healthy
development. according to dr. Neufeld, societal change is
endangering the child-parent relationship, and peers are increasingly replacing parents as key players in kids’ lives. Join
us for a dynamic, inspiring discussion about what we can do
to cultivate the kind of relationships with our children that
keep them safe, healthy and thriving throughout their lives.
fee: $18 in advance; $25 at the door
Tuesday, March 11, 7 to 9pm, annie Wright school–Kemper Center,
Tacoma. Register online at www.parentmap.com; click on “Pathways.”
SENIORS
EnhanceFitness
An ongoing senior exercise class offered
by the Good Samaritan Celebrate Seniority program designed to improve strength,
flexibility and balance and improve your
cardiorespiratory system. This class is three
days a week, Monday, Wednesday and
Friday, at various locations and times.
Call Sarita Stotler, certified instructor, at
253-697-7389 for further information.
Gentle Yoga for Seniors
Three-week series offered by the Good
Samaritan Celebrate Seniority program.
Give it a try! Learn about strength, stretching, balance, relaxation and more efficient
breathing.
Fee: $15 per series
For dates and times, visit www.goodsam
health.org or call 253-697-7385.
Tai Chi Class
A class designed to reduce stress,
improve strength, increase circulation,
and enhance focus and concentration.
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays,
8:30 to 9:30am, Sumner Senior Center,
15506 62nd St. Court E.
Call David Lettich or Sumner Senior
Center at 253-863-2910.
www.goodsamhealth.org | 13
[calendar of events]
Smart steps for a healthy life
PARENTING AND CHILDREN
Childhood Immunizations
Free to qualified parents.
253-697-8160
Children’s Diabetes Education and Clinic
Individual education for children newly
diagnosed with diabetes and for their
families. By appointment for those who
need further education or review. Classes,
camps and support groups also available.
Mom and Baby Support Group
Prepared Childbirth
New moms find opportunities to meet other
new moms and discuss the joys and challenges
of adjusting to parenthood. Separate one-hour
sessions for newborns to 6-month-olds and for
6- to 12-month-olds.
Fee: $3/session
Five-week sessions as well as some weekend
and one-day sessions for first-time parents-tobe. Comprehensive topics include breathing
and relaxation techniques, stages of labor
and delivery, medications, cesarean delivery,
caring for yourself after delivery, newborn
characteristics, and feeding your newborn.
Fee: $85 or medical coupon; $75 for
one-day class
Register online at www.goodsambaby.org
or call 253-697-5300.
Children’s Asthma Education
Education for children with asthma
and their families.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
253-403-3131
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
253-403-3131
Kangaroo Kapers
Water Babies
Children ages 3 through 7 who are about to
become big brothers or sisters will love this!
The one-hour class provides nonmedical,
nontechnical information about childbirth.
Fee: $15/family
In-pool exercise class for new moms and their
babies ages 3 to 12 months. Includes cardiovascular and strengthening exercises specifically designed for postpartum moms along
with movement games and water acclimation
activities for the babies.
Fee: $72/six-week session
To register, call Glenda at 253-697-2775.
Tour the Family Birth Center
Saturdays, 1pm
No registration required.
QUITSMART™
TOBACCO CESSATION
BOOT CAMP FOR NEW DADS
as the Johnson & Johnson® commercial
says, “Having a baby changes everything.”
It can be the most rewarding experience,
but for a first-time dad, it can also be a bit
overwhelming. so if you’re a new dad or
dad-to-be, take Boot Camp for New dads
at good samaritan’s family Birth Center.
14 | Healthy Living
This three-hour class trains first-time fathers to become knowledgeable, confident
dads. Taught by experienced fathers who
bring their own babies, this class teaches
participants about feeding, diaper changing
and supporting mom.
Fee: $25; preregistration is required.
Call 253-697-5300 for more information.
A medically based program that prepares you mentally and physically to
quit using tobacco. A trained facilitator
helps you identify and conquer challenges that may prevent you from succeeding and teaches you new, healthy
habits to replace the unhealthy ones.
Fee: $80 (partial scholarships available for income-qualified participants)
Allenmore Hospital: Saturday,
Jan. 19, 9:30am to 3:30pm
Good Samaritan Community
Healthcare: Saturday, Feb. 9,
9:30am to 3:30pm
MultiCare Gig Harbor Medical
Park: Saturday, March 15, 9:30am
to 3:30pm
•
•
•
Unless otherwise noted, visit www.goodsamhealth.org for information or to register.
Unless otherwise noted, visit www.goodsamhealth.org
for information or to register.
SUPPORT GROUPS
Caregiver Support Group
QuitTobacco Support Group
Good Samaritan hosts support groups for
a variety of topics, including brain injury,
cancer, chronic fatigue/immune dysfunction syndrome, bereavement, sarcoidosis
and parent support.
This group is open to caregivers of any diagnosis. It is a place to receive support, ask
questions and connect with other caregivers.
Second Monday of each month,
1:30 to 3pm, Good Samaritan Community Services (Behavioral Healthcare),
325 E. Pioneer Ave., Room C113
(middle entrance)
Fee: Suggested donation is $2/meeting
Call Kathie McCormack, LMFT, at
253-697-8532.
Great success rates! No matter where you
are in the quit process, this group is for
you. Topics include tobacco addiction, successful cessation practices, individualized
quit plans, nicotine replacement therapies,
cessation medications, withdrawal symptoms,
coping skills, relapse and recovery. Drop-ins
are welcome; low-cost nicotine patches are
available. For best results, we recommend
weekly group attendance for one year following your final quit date.
Good Samaritan Community
Healthcare: Mondays, 7 to 8pm
Allenmore Hospital, boardroom:
Mondays, Noon to 1pm
Tacoma General Hospital, 6M:
Tuesdays, 11:45am to 12:45pm
MultiCare Gig Harbor Medical Park:
Wednesdays, 7 to 8pm
For more information, contact Heidi Henson at 253-223-7538.
Cancer Support Groups
See the cancer section below.
Brain Injury and Stroke Support Group:
Understanding Symptoms and Recovery
Helps families understand how neurologic
conditions affect thinking abilities and
emotions.
253-697-1807
Grief Support Groups
Good Samaritan Hospital offers bereavement
support groups. Registration is required.
253-697-2419
CANCER
For information about Good Samaritan’s
wide range of cancer support services, call
253-697-4899.
Puyallup Support Group
For patients, caregivers, adult family members
and friends. Meeting includes educational
program, refreshments, a sharing circle and a
lending library of resources.
First Thursday of each month, 1 to 3pm,
Puyallup United Methodist Church,
1919 W. Pioneer Ave.
253-697-4863
Women’s Support Group
This group is open to any female with
a diagnosis of cancer. The atmosphere is very
informal, and it is an excellent opportunity to
share and learn with others. Occasional speakers also present on topics of interest to group
members. If you are feeling alone or isolated,
please consider joining us.
Second Tuesday of the month, 6:30 to
8:30pm, Good Samaritan Cancer Center,
conference room, 400 15th Ave. S.E.,
first floor
Fee: Donations welcome
253-697-4863
Man-to-Man Prostate Cancer
Support Group
Do you have questions about prostate cancer?
Join a group that can provide answers and
support, facilitated by trained volunteers who
have recovered from prostate cancer.
First Wednesday of each month, 7 to 9pm,
Good Samaritan (call for room location)
Call Weldon Plett at 253-582-8440,
ext. 76531
Focus on Healing Dance
Movement Class
An exercise class specifically designed to address
concerns of lymphedema for breast cancer survivors. The class uses gentle dance movements
•
•
•
•
that target certain muscle groups and encourages overall body toning. The class is open to
any female with a diagnosis of cancer.
Mondays (except holidays), 5:15 to 6:15pm,
East Main Campus conference room,
1317 E. Main, Safeway plaza (enter at
the rear of the west end of the building)
Preregistration required.
Call Deb Makin 253-332-6154 to sign up
or 253-697-4863 for more information.
Look Good ... Feel Better
This program for female cancer patients is offered
in partnership with the American Cancer
Society, the National Cosmetology Association
and the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Foundation. Trained volunteer cosmetologists teach women how to cope with skin
changes and hair loss, using cosmetics and skin
care products donated by the cosmetics industry.
Women also learn ways to disguise hair loss
with wigs, scarves and other accessories.
253-697-4863
www.goodsamhealth.org | 15
Alphabet soup
Making sense of your health care team
oNCe UPoN a time when you visited
your doctor’s office, the only letters you
would see after people’s names were “RN”
or “Md.” But now it’s routine to see
“do,” “aRNP” and “Pa.” It can be
confusing to remember just what those
letters stand for.
DO: Doctor of
osteopathic medicine
osteopathy emphasizes a patient’s health as
a whole as well as the relationship between
the body’s nerves, muscles, bones and organs.
Instead of treating specific symptoms or
illnesses, dos—who frequently serve in
primary care areas, such as family medicine,
women’s health and pediatrics—treat the
body as an integrated whole, with a focus on
disease prevention and health maintenance.
like Mds (allopathic physicians), dos are
fully qualified physicians licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery.
dos also receive training in osteopathic
manipulative treatment, a technique
that allows them to use their hands to diag- either independently or as part of a larger
nose injury and illness and promote healing health care team.
with techniques including stretching, gentle
pressure and resistance.
PA: Physician assistant
Physician assistants are health care proARNP: Advanced registered
fessionals licensed to practice medicine
nurse practitioner
with physician supervision. Pas conduct
an aRNP is a registered nurse who has
physical exams, as well as diagnose and treat
earned a master’s degree in a nurse pracillnesses, order and interpret tests, offer
titioner program and who typically has
information on preventive health care,
extensive clinical experience prior to bewrite prescriptions, and assist in surgery.
coming an aRNP. although aRNPs often
like medical students, Pas receive trainwork alongside physicians, in Washington
ing in basic medical and behavioral sciences.
and other states they may also maintain
after completing a two-year accredited
their own private practices.
education program, Pas must pass a national
aRNPs provide care in a variety of setexam to become certified and qualify for a
tings, focusing mainly on health maintestate license. To maintain their certification,
nance, disease prevention, counseling and
Pas must complete 100 hours of education
patient education.
every two years and pass a recertification
aRNP specialties include neonatology,
exam every six years.
pediatrics, family and adult health, mental
No matter what initials you see after their
health, geriatrics, and many others. aRNPs names, these highly skilled professionals can
are able to diagnose and manage most
provide you with expanded options for your
common and many chronic illnesses,
health care.
See what Pierce
County’s 2007
Biggest Winners
look like now!
before
MultiCare Health System
P.O. Box 5299
Tacoma, WA 98415-0299
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
MultiCare
Health System
Page 11
gS
STAY HEALTHY THIS WINTER! | SigN UP FOR A CLASS. See PAge 13.