SaddleBrooke Stroke/Neuro Support Group program announced

Educational programs are planned by the SaddleBrooke Stroke/Neuro Support Group for the community; all are welcome to this series of free programs. Our initial session for fall 2014 will be a health advocacy forum presented by representatives of SaddleBrooke Drug and the independent RNPatient Advocates, who partner with the University of Arizona College of Nursing. These programs advocate for better health care at home for the SaddleBrooke community. This forum will be presented Saturday, October 25 at 10:00 a.m. in the handicap accessible Coyote Room of the HOA 1 clubhouse following the SaddleBrooke Walkathon and brunch scheduled earlier in the morning.

SaddleBrooke Drug is starting an exclusive program called Total Pharmacy Care, which will provide comprehensive medication management and delivery to those considering assisted living. The program involves both state of the art software and specialized packaging to ensure accurate dosing and elimination of unacceptable drug interactions. Total Pharmacy Care aims to allow receipt of medications in patients’ own homes rather than requiring residence in an often costly extended care facility.

Independent RNPatient Advocates aim to define problems and assist patients facing major healthcare issues. The local program represents a national network which has been developed to provide each patient with the benefits of an extended team of collaborative medical professionals and is now offered in association with the University of Arizona College of Nursing.

As is our custom, an optional no-host luncheon will follow in the Roadrunner Grill.

September’s caregiver luncheon will be held at the Roadrunner Grill of the HOA 1 clubhouse at 11:30 a.m. Friday, September 19. Please come to join us to share your concerns and our friendship at these lunches. To join us for lunch, or for more information, please call our membership chairperson Elke Mulligan at 825-3641 or Jackie McCarthy, social committee, at 818-0531 so that we may reserve space for you at our table. If you are a caregiver for a loved one who has had a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis or debilitating neuromuscular conditions or if you are your own caregiver, consider yourself invited to join us.

A recent topic of discussion (over lunch) related to caregiver health and weight management with the remark that regular exercise does not seem to guarantee weight loss. Recent published analysis shows that weight loss is 20% exercise and 80% calorie management, but you do need both! Worse still, humans tend to reward exercise efforts with extra calories!