Attention business professionals and medical personnel!!

The University of Louisville is playing a very active role in meeting the unique
challenges of caring for older adults. Faculty in the Department of Family and
Geriatric Medicine are utilizing an interdisciplinary team approach to caring for
patients 65 and older.
Geriatricians, gerontologists, pharmacologists, nurse practitioners, and
other professionals are working together to solve the problems of
treating multiple chronic conditions, managing side effects and
interactions of medications, and aiding older adults in maintaining
independent lifestyles.
Please join UofL Geriatrics, as we highlight our clinical, education, and research
initiatives geared toward caring for older adults and helping them find fulfillment
and exceptional quality of life.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
5:30-7:00 PM
Founder’s Union Hall at ShelbyHurst
(formerly the UofL Shelby Campus)
The event includes presentations by:
James G. O’Brien, MD, Chair and Professor, Family and Geriatric Medicine
Christian Davis Furman, MD, MSPH, Vice Chair, Geriatric Medicine
Panel of Geriatrics Faculty
R.S.V.P. to Monica Sivori at 502-852-7001 by August 5.   Seating is limited!

By Mona Huff, Henry County KRDC Organizer

 When I was first diagnosed as a diabetic, I was scared.  What will happen to me?  Will I ever understand all this talk about carbs, insulin to scale and understand what to eat and not to eat?  I went to a diabetic specialist and a diabetes educator.  I read everything that I could get my hands on.  After a while it was not quite so frightening.  I learned to listen to my body.  I started a journal and when I had problems with my blood sugar most of the time I could track down what I had done wrong.  But sometimes, I found that worry or anxiety caused me as much of a problem with control of the blood sugar as what I ate or did not eat.

The American Association of Diabetes Education advocates AADE 7 Self Care Behaviors.  You can get a great deal of information by going to: http://diabeteseducator.og.   However, this is information for diabetic educators, but is good for the patient if you want science- based information.  I am going to mention the healthy behaviors and suggest that anyone needing work with your physician to get a referral to a diabetic educator.  It may cost you if your insurance does not cover it, however it can make the difference in how you live out the rest of your life.  A diabetic educator is worth their weight in gold!

The 7 Self-Care Behaviors are:

1. Healthy eating: Understand how to make healthy choices, portion sizes, and the best times to eat.
2. Being active:  Being active helps control blood sugar, weight, lipids and blood pressure.  It certainly helps control stress.
3. Taking medication:  Understand and have knowledge of your medication.  Take as prescribed.
4. Monitoring:  Take blood sugars as suggested by your doctor or diabetic educator and journal the results.  Also, know blood pressure and cholesterol numbers.  Maintain a healthy weight and have regular check-ups with your physicians including foot, eye and dentist.
5. Problem solving:  One must keep problem solving skills sharp because when problems occur and they do in everyday life; one must be able to think how to handle it quickly.  If finances are a problem learn about the resources in your community.
6. Reducing risks:  Eliminating behaviors such as smoking. Reducing anxiety and stress is important for overall health and especially for the diabetic.
7. Healthy coping:  Your diabetes will be greatly affected by psychological and social factors.  Do your best to stay positive and find encouragement from friends and family.  Again, know the resources in your community, if you need support.

In Henry County, you are invited to come to our Diabetes Coalition.  Diabetics and or their families are welcome.  We meet the second Thursday of every month at 10:30 A.M. until Noon at the 4-H Building at the Fair Grounds.  We will help you become an advocate for diabetes and provide nutritional and emotional support.

For additional information contact Mona Huff, Community Diabetic Organizer at 502-845-6849 or monahuff.henrykipda@gmail.com.

 

 

 

By:   Elaina Burks, KIPDA’s Shelby County Organizer–

        KIPDA’s Tri-County Rural Diabetes Coalition

It’s summer time and vegetables are plentiful.  Here is a stir fry recipe that is tasty.

Healthy Vegetable Stir Fry

Ingredients  Makes 4 servings

Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp
Green Peppers (bell peppers), 1 cup, strips
Cabbage, fresh, 1 head, medium (about 5-3/4″ dia)
Mushrooms, fresh, 15 medium
Onions, raw, 3 medium (2-1/2″ dia)
Carrots, raw, 3 cup, grated
Bean sprouts, 2 cup
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
Salt to taste  (use Sparely)

Directions

Cut all the ingredients in strips.
Fry the Onions and Green Pepper in the Olive Oil for 2 minutes then add the Cabbage, Mushrooms, Carrots and Bean Sprouts.
Add Soy Sauce and Salt to taste.

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving Calories: 225.0

Total Fat: 8.1 g

Cholesterol: 0.0 mg

Sodium: 332.1 mg

Total Carbs: 35.5 g

Dietary Fiber: 11.3 g

Protein: 9.4 g

On July 20^th, KIPDA representatives will be in Washington, DC to urge policymakers to protect the vital programs that help older adults maintain their health and independence and age in place in their homes and communities for as long as possible.  The Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency (KIPDA) is an association of local governments in a nine-county region of southern Indiana and north central Kentucky.

KIPDA Region’s (including Jefferson, Bullitt, Henry, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble Counties) aging population is exploding at precisely the time federal policymakers are considering drastic changes to key programs that help older adults age independently. The potential impact of reforms to programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security is troubling.

In addition to visits with Senator Rand Paul and Senator Mitch McConnell, KIPDA will participate in the 36th Annual Conference of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, where leading aging experts will gather to address key issues affecting America’s rapidly aging population.

For More information >Contact: Barbara Gordon, Director, KIPDA AREA AGENCY ON AGING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING/AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER   Phone: 502-266-5571

By Mona Huff,  Henry County Organizer, KRDC Coalition

Do you feel nervous, jittery and sometimes just plain mean?  Do you say things and wonder where in the world did that come from?  Are you quivering inside and just cannot explain the feeling?  CHECK YOUR BLOOD SUGAR!

Sometimes, if my blood sugar is too high or too low I can be really hard to get along with.  If I am not acting right, my husband will get my monitor for me.  That can make me mad at times, can you imagine that?   In my confused mind, it is his fault that I am acting that way.    If he would only drive right or do just what I think he should do everything would be fine.  When it is over with; thank goodness we can laugh.

I am married to a saint.  He has researched and understands a lot about diabetes and how it affects ones emotions.  Most of the time, he can take me with a grain of salt.  He hands me a tomato juice even when I am not being very nice.

If you are family to a diabetic, try and be understanding and remember they don’t like themselves either when they act that way.  When the blood sugar gets out of range, it is out of our control.  We can do and say things that do not make any sense.

If emotions are running high in the family, try and get the diabetic to a doctor so an evaluation can be made.  Often, medications and diet needs to be adjusted.  If one is adjusting their exercise; change may need to be made to diet and/or medication.  Occasionally, blood sugars may be too low or high without apparent reason.  However, if it happens frequently medical advice is in order.  Keep journals of blood sugars, emotions, medicine dosages, with food and exercise entries so the medical staff can help adjust your life style to keep your diabetes under control.

Listen to your family if you are the diabetic because they can see changes in you that you may not be able to see!  My husband knows me better than I know myself.

If you want support with your diabetes or as a family member join our Henry County Diabetic Coalition on the second Thursday of every month at the 4-H Building at the Fair Grounds from 10:30 A.M. until Noon.  You can learn how to become an advocate for diabetes and understand the disease better.  For further information contact:  Monahuff.henrykipda@gmail.com  or call 502-845-6849.

By Joe D’Ambrosio, Program Manager, University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work

This is a grassroots project, called PhotoVoice, that will allow residents in Bullitt, Henry and Shelby Counties to take photos of their everyday environment and community in order to show how their daily life affects their diabetes.  It is part of the KRDC (Kentucky Regional Diabetes Coalition) grant activity underway in Kentucky’s rural counties, and receives its funding from CDC.

Recruitment Phase: July 1^st – July 19^th

• Participants will be identified in Henry County (2 groups of 8 persons), Shelby County (3 groups of 8 persons) and Bullitt County (4 groups of 8 persons).
• Participants are eligible if they are 50+ years of age and have Type 2 diabetes.
• Participants should represent different distinct geographical areas (clusters) of each county. Each group will be developing one communal poster to use with their community and government representatives to foster change.
• Community Organizers (COs) will use approved and stamped recruitment flyers to identify participants.
• • COs will email or mail directions to training site and details of the training session to participants.
  • COs will contact the participants by phone or email on July 16th to remind them of the training session.

   

  Training Session:  July 20^th Bullitt: Extension Office from 9-noon; July 22^nd Shelby/Henry: Extension Office from 9-noon

   

  • At the 3-hour training:
    • Participants will sign in.
    • Uof L  team:
      • Will explain photovoice method and informed consent
      • Ask participants to complete a short demographic survey and W-9
      • Provide instruction on
        • How to take meaningful photos about their everyday personal environment and community that affects their diabetes
        • How to take photos from an ethical perspective
        • How to log thoughts about their photos on a spiral bound notebook
        • How to secure photo releases if they take photos of other people (photo release forms will be given)
        • How to get their cameras to the COs for photo development
      • Participants will be given a disposable camera labeled with a number.
    • Sign in sheet will be given to KIPDA for payment of $50.00 to each participant.

  Photo-taking, Processing and Selection Phase: July 23^rd to August 26^th

  • Participants will take photos over a 2-week period (July 23^rd to August 5^th).
  • On July 30^th, the COs will call each participant to answer questions, remind them of the return deadline and advise them of the focus group meeting which will take place on August 29^th (Shelby/Henry) or August 31^st  (Bullitt).
  • On August 5^th, participants will return cameras to their CO and COs will deliver cameras to KIPDA on August 6^th.
  • KIPDA will create a list of all returned cameras and forward a payment of $75.00 to each participant who returned a camera.
  • KIPDA will send the cameras for processing on August 8^th and photographs will be returned Aug 12^th (estimated). KIPDA will request  5”x7” doubles, with a CD and thumbnail.
  • KIPDA will keep one set of 5”x7” photos, the CD and thumbnail.
  • One set of 5”X7” photos will be given to the COs to be given to the participants on August 15^th and 16^th.
  • Participants will have one week August 17^th-23^rd to pick out 6 photos and complete the caption sheets.
  • COs will schedule a meeting with participants on August 24^thto give
    • 27 -5”x7” photos with thumbnail
    • 6-10 caption sheets for participants to choose 6 of their most meaningful photos and write or revise their captions for the selected photos and
    • Instruction sheet to discuss how to return 6 photos with captions to the COs and directions to the focus group.
    • On August 25^th, the COs will collect the list of the six pictures and corresponding caption sheets, place the materials in an envelope and label the envelope with the assigned number of the participant and get them to KIPDA.
    • COs will also remind the participants of the focus group meeting at that time [August 29^th (Shelby/Henry) or August 31^st  (Bullitt)].
    • KIPDA will forward the picture lists and captions to the UofL team IMMEDIATELY for weekend work.

  Preparation for Focus Group Meetings: August 27^th-28^th

  • UofL team will create plain poster boards for each participant including the 6 selected pictures with captions.

  Focus Group Meetings: August 29^th  Shelby/Henry – Extension Office 9- 2 p.m.;  August 31^st Bullitt County Extension Office 9 – 2:00 p.m., Lunch served in both locations.)

  • Participants will sign-in.
  • UofL will be responsible for facilitating the focus group.
  • Participants will attend a half-day focus group session in their county, where they will take part in developing one poster board that shows common themes from the photos.
  • During focus group meeting, time will be allotted for each group to
    • Review and comment on the pictures and captions of each other’s photos
    • Note similarities and differences
    • Develop collective group board
    • Showcase each group’s collective boards during lunch
    • Meet with community organizer to talk about best venues to use the collective and individual boards to advocate for change in their communities.
    • KIPDA will make a payment of $75.00 after the focus group meeting per sign in sheet.

  Community Advocacy Meetings (TBA)

  • COs will ensure participants use the collective/individuals boards at desired events, governmental offices and public venues.
  • At the showcase a representative from KIPDA will be present to register the participants after which payment in the amount of $25.00 will be sent to the participants who presented.

TIMELINE

Recruitment Phase: July 1 – July 19

Training Session:  July 22 Shelby/Henry: Extension Office from 9-noon; July 20 Bullitt: Extension Office from 9-noon Photo-taking, processing and photo selection phase: July 23rd to August 26th Preparation for Focus Group Meetings: August 27th-28th

Focus Group Meetings: August 29th  Shelby/Henry – Extension Office 9- 2 p.m.; August 31st , Bullitt County Extension Office   9 – 2:00 p.m., Lunch served in both locations.)

By:   Elaina Burks, KIPDA’s Shelby County Organizer–

        KIPDA’s Tri-County Rural Diabetes Coalition

Playing Footsies with Diabetes

Footsies may be a cute term; however foot care is imperative for someone with Diabetes.

When you have diabetes, proper foot care is very important. Poor foot care with diabetes can lead to serious health problems, including possibly having to remove the foot or leg (amputation).  It’s important to understand the connection between diabetes and foot care. As a person with diabetes, you are more vulnerable to foot problems because diabetes can damage your nerves and reduce blood flow to your feet. The American Diabetes Association estimates that one in five people with diabetes who seek hospital care do so for foot problems. By taking proper care of your feet, most serious health problems associated with diabetes can be prevented

 

Here are just a few steps to keeping your feet healthy:

Examine Your Feet Each Day

• Check the tops and bottoms of your feet. Have someone else look at your feet if you cannot see them.
• Check for dry, cracked skin.
• Look for blisters, cuts, scratches, or other sores.
• Check for redness, increased warmth, or tenderness when touching any area of your feet.
• Check for ingrown toenails, corns, and calluses.
• If you get a blister or sore from your shoes, do not “pop” it. Apply a bandage and wear a different pair of shoes.

Wash and Dry Your Feet Daily

• Use mild soaps.
• Use warm water.
• Pat your skin dry; do not rub. Thoroughly dry your feet.
• After washing, use lotion on your feet to prevent cracking. Do not put

lotion between your toes.

Tips for Foot Care in Diabetes

• Don’t wait to treat a minor foot problem if you have diabetes.
• Follow your health care provider’s guidelines and the first aid guidelines.
  • Report foot injuries and infections to your health care provider

immediately.

• Check water temperature with your elbow, not your foot.
• Do not use a heating pad on your feet.
• Do not cross your legs.
  • Do not self-treat your corns, calluses, or other foot problems. Go to your health care

provider or podiatrist to treat these conditions.

• These are just a few foot care tips, if you have any questions consult your healthcare professional.

By Mona Huff, Henry County Community Diabetic Organizer

Take me out to the ballgame is as American as Apple Pie.  However, this article is going to talk about nuts and apples in the pure form.   That is where we have gone wrong with our diets; adding all the wrong things to the good things.  Peanuts in moderation are healthy without the cracker jacks.  Apples are full of nutrients and fiber without the sugar, butter and crust.  Why do we adulterate good food?

How can a high fat food such as nuts be good for you?  The fat in most nuts is unsaturated, the

kind that lowers LDLs, known as bad cholesterol.  Cashews, almonds, and peanuts are full of monounsaturated fats.  Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are polyunsaturated fats similar to oils found in fish such as salmon.

Nuts are nutritious too.  They are packed with essential vitamins such as A and E, and minerals such s as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc.  And their high fiber content helps lower cholesterol, as well.  A handful gives you the wonderful benefits; more than that gives you calories that you don’t need.

What about the good ol’ apple?  Mom used to say “An apple a day will keep the doctor away.”

I Googled the nutrients of an apple; and found site after site boasting the benefits of eating an apple.  One site even claimed that it was the most wholesome of all foods!  The sayings of old are often true.

One medium apple with skin contains 0.47 protein and 4.4 grams of dietary fiber.  It contains measureable amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, iron, sodium, copper, zinc plus trace amount of others minerals.  It contains Vitamin A, B1, B2, Niacin, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, B6, C, E, K and other vitamins in small amounts.  Remember to eat the skin too, but wash well.

So, when you got to the ballgame or the park, take healthy snacks with you so that you will not be tempted with their peanuts and crackerjacks.  When you wake up refreshed the next day instead of high blood sugar from eating the wrong things you will be proud of your accomplishment.  For more help with your diabetes go to www.diabetes.org   or www.americandiabetes.org.

If you live in Henry County visit our Diabetic Coalition which meets the second Thursday of every month at 10:30 A.M. until Noon at the 4-H Building at the Fair Grounds.  For more information contact Mona Huff the Community Organizer at monahuff.henrykipda@gmail.com or call 502-845-6849.

By:   Elaina Burks, KIPDA’s Shelby County Organizer–

               KIPDA’s Tri-County Rural Diabetes Coalition

Review your check list before you exercise

When the weather gets warm, many people with diabetes may be interested in starting a new exercise routine, or increasing the intensity of a physical fitness plan they’ve already started. Either way, it’s important to keep in mind that if you have diabetes, you always need to speak with your diabetes care team prior to starting a new fitness routine. Once you’ve been given the all-clear for your workout regimen, ask yourself these questions prior to each workout.

What’s my blood glucose level?  Before exercising, it’s very important that you check your blood glucose to determine if it is low, high, or in a normal range. If it is low, have a snack with 15 grams of carbohydrate, and wait 15 minutes for your glucose to return to normal. Check your glucose again in fifteen minutes to make sure you’re glucose is rising. If it isn’t, continue to follow the “15/15″ rule (15 grams of carbohydrate for hypoglycemia, and check glucose again in fifteen minutes) until it is in a normal range. If your glucose is high, check for ketones; if ketones are present, don’t exercise.

Please carry these items. Bring some water to keep yourself hydrated while exercising. You may want to bring a healthy snack.

Do I have my glucose meter with me?  Bring your glucose meter, since you’ll want to check your glucose after every 30 minutes of exercise.

Is there something I am wearing that identifies me as a person with diabetes?  Wear a necklace, bracelet, or carry something that identifies you as a person with diabetes. Also, indicate whether or not you take insulin and list an emergency contact as well.

Are my shoes comfortable?  When you have diabetes, finding comfortable footwear that’s also supportive is key to avoid foot problems in the future.

Does someone know where you are?  Let someone know where you are for your safety.   Better yet exercise with a buddy.

 

 

Our first Bullitt County Group meeting was on June 9th at the Bullitt County Health Department.  Nine people (including two KIPDA staff and myself) were in attendance.

I started the meeting off with an overview of the grant; how far we have come, and our plans for the future.  We then discussed the kickoff event in August and what we could do to attract community members to attend.  It was suggested by Clifton Keller, who is also part of the regional group, that we organize a sort of “senior olympics” event.  Instead of the typical health fair/informational fair, Clifton thought this type of activity-based event would bring people out to at least watch the festivities, participate in the activities, and also learn about the grant and how it can help them as a community member.  The group was in agreement that an event like this would bring more of a crowd than your typical informational fair.  I agreed to pass it on to the regional group as a strong suggestion for the Bullitt County kickoff event.

We also discussed current resources Bullitt County offers; for example, organizing a walking group at Bernheim Forest or getting donations from large companies in the area for fitness contests and event prizes.  We are currently planning a walking group to meet once a month in between County Group Meetings.

Our next Bullitt County Group meeting is July 14th from 1-2 pm at the Bullitt County Health Department in the Community Room at the Annex Building.  Please contact Jessica Craddock:  JessCraddockBC@gmail.com or 502.930.2499 for more information.