VNAIC - Home Health and Hospice Services

VNAIC VICTORVILLE HOSPICE PATIENT PASSES

vnaic — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:07:21 +0000

The VNAIC’s program of remembrance of their patients that have passed and whose families have acknowledged their appreciation of VNAIC’s services within published obituaries continues by remembering Paula Seeger of Victorville, who passed away on January 14, 2012. Born in Pasadena, CA, Paula was the youngest of three children. Paula worked tirelessly as a bookeeper until her retirement. After moving to the high desert, Paula’s passion changed to living her life for Jesus Christ, having a deep love and devotion for her Savior. She had a generous spirit and the gift of hospitality. She leaves behind her daughter Jenee Tapert and her husband Rob, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to the VNAIC’s Victorville Hospice and to the American Cancer Society.

VNAIC HOSPICE PATIENT WAS ALSO A TUSKEGEE AIRMAN

vnaic — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:04:26 +0000

Luther Jefferson Sr., a patient of the VNAIC’s Victorville Hospice branch, passed away recently at home. Jefferson, a retired 88-year-old chief master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, was one of the original World War II Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black group credited with paving the way for the integration of the military. Drafted at 19 in March of 1943, Jefferson logged more than 5000 hours in various aircraft, including P-40 fighters and B-25 bombers while stationed in Italy. According to family members, Jefferson maintained a relentlessly positive attitude, determined work ethic and forgiving nature – this in spite of growing up on a Louisiana sharecropper’s farm in the 1920′s, walking 18 miles to get to the nearest school for black children each week, then making the trek back home on weekends to toil away the weekend, working on his father’s farm. His daughter Yvonne Atkinson said “He had the idea that ‘Live a good life and you can win’”. A Victorville resident since being stationed at George Air Force base in the 1960′s, Jefferson mostly kept quiet about his trailblazing experience as a Tuskegee Airman, though his family has now discovered he’d been writing down reflections in the form of memoirs and material to be read at his funeral, which was held January 25th in Victorville. “I ask for neither glory nor praise, and I am not bragging or complaining. I’m just explaining the situation,” Jefferson wrote in a personal account. “We had to fight on two fronts. Because the military was not integrated, we had to fight the American society and government to have the right to fight our European and Japanese enemies. We wanted to be treated as full-fledged Americans during World War II; we wanted to fight. But most of all we wanted to world to know that we were Americans, in every sense of the word”. He retired from his post at George Air Force Base in 1972, capping off his career as one of the first black chief master sergeants. Jefferson said “I have learned that none of us can do anything about the past; but because of the past, we can learn and build a better future.” In lieu of flowers, the Jefferson family asks that donations go to the Visiting Nurse Association of the Inland Counties’ Victorville Hospice, located at 12421 Hesperia Road, Suite 11, Victorville, CA, 92395.

VNAIC’S HEMET BRANCH TO HOST HEALTH FAIR AT THE CAMELOT

vnaic — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:39:25 +0000

The VNAIC’s Hemet branch will be hosting a Health Fair at The Camelot Independent Living on Thursday, January 26 from 10 AM to Noon. Open to both residents and the public, it will feature various health-related vendors, blood pressure checks, bone density tests, door prizes and more! Come on by and meet the VNAIC Pet Therapy team! Come visit the new Wellness Center for the residents, which focuses on health, education and prevention, on January 26 and 27 from 10 AM to 2 PM; food and drinks will be provided as well as raffle drawings (please RSVP to 951-807-5365 as space is limited). The Camelot is located at 800 West Oakland in Hemet.

ST. MARY’S NEW HOSPITAL IN VICTORVILLE ON TRACK FOR COMPLETION

vnaic — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:01:30 +0000

St. Mary Medical Center’s new Victorville Oasis complex is on track for a proposed 2016 opening, despite talk that the 260 million dollar project had been shelved. “We’ve heard rumors that our interest in purchasing Victor Valley (Community) Hospital put the new Victorville hospital on hold,” said Larry Woodard, VP of St. Mary Medical Foundation. “Nothing could be further from the truth – all systems are go for the new hospital.” The nearly-250,000 square foot hospital will include 30 emergency medical bays, a helipad, two trauma rooms, four operating rooms, a large labor and delivery department, chapel and dining facilities. “We’ll be the only trauma center between the Las Vegas and San Bernardino area,” said Kevin Mahany, Director of Advocacy and Healthy Communities. The Oasis facility will also be more than just a hospital; the hospital and medical facilities will be surrounded by meditation areas, a church, recreation area, restaurants, hotel, retail units and a spiritual center. Grading will begin in March 2012 with actual construction slated to start January 2014. Once completed, the four-story hospital will bring an additional 128 beds to the High Desert, which is in dire need of more space. The new hospital is being built with the flexibility for future expansion with 300 beds targeted. Once everything is in place, the new facility will have 900 full-time employees and volunteers.

INTER VALLEY HEALTH PLAN TO HOLD VITALITY SEMINARS IN HEMET

vnaic — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:31:04 +0000

Inter Valley Health Plan invites the public to their Vitality Series health seminars, open to ages 55+ to learn how to keep vitality and good health. Seminars are held at the Inter Valley Health Plan office located in the Village West Shopping Center, 3077 West Florida Avenue, Suite C, in Hemet. Classes for February 2012 include Stressbusters, Beginning Tai Chi, Treat Yourself Sweet, Facebook 101 and 201, Anyone Can Paint, Focus On Your Heart and Medicare 101. For complete information please visit IVHP’s website www.ivhp.com. RSVP’s are required as space is limited; call 800-251-8191, ext. 625 to reserve your spot!

ARMC PHYSICIAN LOOKS TO BRING CUTTING EDGE MEDICINE TO SWAT TEAMS

vnaic — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:41:53 +0000

Dr. Michael Neeki, an emergency room physician at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center is also a member of the Rialto Police Department SWAT team, working to to upgrade the medical assistance team members can deliver in the field. He’s certified to carry a gun and participates in the team’s tactical drills. He wants to expand the emergency medicine residency at ARMC to give young doctors the exposure to SWAT teams. Dr. Neeki envisions ARMC residents playing roles in the developing field of tactical medicine by connecting with several area SWAT teams. The training Dr. Neeki took to become certified by the State of California as a SWAT member included an intensive, two-week course taught by the International School of Tactical Medicine in Palm Springs. Clients of the school include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service and many local and state police agencies. Dr. Lawrence Heiskell, founder and medical director of the school, said that state law requires there be a doctor involved with paramedics and emergency medical technicians on tactical teams, but the law does not require the doctor to be part of the team. However, “It has been documented time and again when a doctor is on the scene, lives are saved,” Dr. Heiskell said.

ACS’s RELAY FOR LIFE IN BARSTOW RAISES OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS

vnaic — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:10:17 +0000

With more than a decade of community participation, The American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Barstow has been honored by the society for raising over $1 million. The Relay for Life of Barstow has been an annual community event since 1998 where teams camp out for 24 hours and try to keep at least one team member on the track. According to a press release sent from the American Cancer Society, teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold fundraisers at their camp sites during Relay. Barstow passed the million dollar mark during last year’s event. Roughly five percent of the state’s 360 Relay for Life events have reached this monumental peak, according to the report. Danielle Chrisinger, the new relay manager in Barstow said this is a huge achievement for a community like Barstow. “Everyone in Barstow is like a family. They all pull together. I’m really proud of them for this achievement,” Chrisinger said. “(The million dollar mark) is a huge step for our cancer patients and it provides them with more hope.” With our local Relay for Life in higher spirits than ever after this achievement, plans are on the way for this year’s event. According to Chrisinger, this year’s theme will be “Armed Forces for Hope”. A kick-off celebration is also in the works and will feature information on the cause and the event, a meet and greet with the committee. Also at the event local Kevin Banks, a cancer survivor, will be speaking. According to Tanya Padilla, a co-chair to Barstow’s Relay for Life, last year’s event had about 30-40 teams participating. Padilla said all of the teams should be returning this year but she hopes more teams will form to support the cause.

FORT IRWIN PLANS NEW HOSPITAL

vnaic — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:50:08 +0000

Fort Irwin, 37 miles Northeast of Barstow, has plans to build a $400 million hospital on post that is expected to break ground this summer. The new facility will replace the post’s current 40-year-old hospital, said Col. Michael Kiefer, Fort Irwin’s Medical Department Activity commander. Construction on the new facility should begin in June and wrap up the summer of 2015, Kiefer said. The new hospital will have the same capacity and offer similar services as the former facility, except it will consolidate all the services and administration offices into one building. The new hospital will also feature updated design and adhere to California seismic regulations. Kiefer said a team of engineers have been developing its design for about a year and a half, after the Department of Defense approved the request for proposal. Kiefer said the hospital is small compared to other Army hospitals. He said a new hospital is necessary because the base is so far from the nearest hospital in Barstow and also because of the dangerous nature of the post’s training with tanks rolling, planes flying, and bombs dropping, Kiefer said. “It’s a small hospital, but we’re capable,” Kiefer said. “It’s a significant improvement and upgrade for the community.” The hospital was build with sustainability in mind, featuring solar energy, recycled materials, tight water usage, and rooms designed to take advantage of natural sunlight, Kiefer said. He said the hospital will likely be the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified platinum hospital in the DOD. LEED is a certification that measures how environmentally responsible a building is. Though the post did not release an architectural rendering of the facility, Kiefer said designers used large windows and open spaces that “takes advantage of the beauty of the desert.” “When you look, it’s just breathtaking,” Kiefer said. “All of the equipmemt, all the actual design of the building, were designed with patient in mind.”

MURRIETA ATHLETE SEEKS BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT

vnaic — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:39:01 +0000

Murrieta residents are being asked to come out and support one of their own this weekend. A bone marrow drive for Murrieta resident Ricky Martinez will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 14. Nine-year-old Ricky Martinez, nicknamed Smiley for his broad, infectious grin, was recently diagnosed with aplastic anemia — a bone marrow disease that prevents the marrow from making enough red and white blood cells and platelets for the body. With the depletion of those red and white blood cells comes the risk of infection or bleeding that in some cases can be life-threatening. Now the community is rallying to find a bone marrow donor with a drive scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 14 at the Murrieta Fire Station #4 Community Room, located at 28155 Baxter Road in Murrieta. “I coached Ricky in baseball and I promised his father I would do what I can to help,” said Murrieta resident and event organizer Craig Harrington. “He’s a great kid and a good athlete.” According to Shelley Baker with Be the Match Registry, anyone who wishes to come out needn’t be worried about a painful, invasive experience. “There are so many misconceptions out there about becoming a bone marrow donor,” Baker said. According to Baker, the process involves testing four cotton swabs on the inside of the cheek after joining the registry and filling out a consent form. Participants should be between the age of 18 and 60 and in fairly good health, Baker said. “We really want people to understand that we are there to support Ricky, but that this is a national registry so donors must be willing to help whoever needs it,” she said. According to BeTheMatch.org, more than 10,000 patients in the United States are diagnosed each year with a life-threatening disease that can be cured with a transplant from an unrelated donor. “Donors are matched with someone based on a person’s heritage, so we need a diverse community of donors to come out and be tested,” Baker said. Once a match is made, the donor process is not the painful ordeal that many may assume, with roughly 76 percent of the procedures needed is as simple as a blood filtering process much like giving blood. Those already part of the registry are still invited to join Saturday’s event either as a sponsor or volunteer. Baker said,” The family has been extremely supportive. We’re hoping for a good turnout.” To learn more, visit BeTheMatch.org or contact Shelley Baker at sbaker@nmbp.org.

INTRODUCING THE VNAIC PET THERAPY TEAM

vnaic — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:22:04 +0000

Introducing the VNAIC Pet Therapy Team! From left to right: Doc, a 6-year old Maltese; Jada, an 8-year old Labrador and Malibu, a 5-year old Golden Retreiver. With a combined resume of almost 15 years, these wonderful dogs have offered therapy to many seniors throughtout the Temecula and Hemet valleys. Owners Carol Betzer and Paula Sargent, who have a combined total of 11 years doing pet therapy, take great pride in the training, care and grooming of the dogs, who are always warmly-received throughout their travels. They are members of the Delta Society, the Pet Therapy parent organization as well as the Temecula Valley chapter of the Paws 4 Healing organization. Paws up for this wonderful group!