Gifts of the Season: Friendship and guidance

Holiday Party

All members of the SaddleBrooke Stroke/Neuro Support Group, caregivers and caregivees alike, were invited to our sixth annual Holiday Party Monday, December 8 at the home of Carolee and Ed Lawrence. After a coordinated potluck dinner and conversation, our traditional white elephant exchange of unusual treasures followed. We thank Ed and Carolee for sharing their home with us. A collection was taken for holiday outreach programs of our Golder Ranch firefighters. This traditional celebration united our entire group and allowed us to count our blessings.

Caregivers’ Luncheons

Thanks are also extended to our hostess for the November luncheon, our Co-President Liz Boyd. We all enjoyed the opportunity to discuss problems and certainly did not go away hungry! While the December Holiday Party took the place of our usual luncheon, third Friday luncheons resume January 17 at 11:30 a.m. in the home of a member. Caregivers’ luncheons afford caregivers a chance to discuss concerns about assisting loved ones affected by stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and rare neurologic disorders. If you are your own caregiver, we welcome you. If you wish to join us, please contact Elke Mulligan, membership chairperson at 825-3641, Sigrid Silverman, social chairperson at 825-8684 or Jackie McCarthy, social committee at 818-0531 so that we may include you.

RN Patient Advocates

Karen Mersereau, executive director of RN Patient Advocates, partner of the University of Arizona College of Nursing, spoke at our late October educational meeting. A dynamic speaker, she stressed the difficulties involved in coordinating care for patients with complicated medical problems. Patients needing more help accessing their physicians, whether in a more timely fashion or due to today’s rapid changes in insurance coverage and changing physician panels, may be particularly benefited by this approach. The nurses of RN Patient Advocates develop a MEDiKEY™ which highlights trends in an individual patient’s status, possible gaps in care and significant single events which may be of great clinical significance.

While the services of RN Patient Advocates may not be covered by insurance, their expertise in coordinating care and ability to adapt to changing insurance coverage may turn countless hours of searching for care into a more navigable path. RN Patient Advocates describe themselves as “Your Health Care Safety Net.” They may be reached at 520-743-7008.

January Educational Program

“Reverse Mortgages in Today’s Market” will be the subject of January’s educational program, rescheduled to the fifth Saturday, January 31, at 10:00 a.m. in the Coyote room of the HOA No. 1 Clubhouse. Steve Wolf, who has extensive experience in this field, will be the featured speaker.