While meandering through the endless stream of pictures and captions force-fed on us on that all-you-can-eat information smorgasbord called the Internet, I was diverted from the latest Hollywood gossip by the revolving headline  “ 70-Year-Old MMA Fighter John Williams Got in the Cage to Feel Alive Again.”

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the acronym, MMA is Mixed Martial Arts, a combat sport that mixes several forms of martial arts with wrestling and boxing. The fact that someone of an older demographic was attempting what is also referred to as “no holds barred fighting”, strangely, created a parallel in my brain to nursing home residents.

In the article, Dr. John Williams, the MMA fighter in question, was asked why he had decided to throw his considerably older hat into the ring. “I was trying to bring attention to the fact that when a person becomes a senior, society kind of pushes them out of the loop. I wanted to find a way to show that life isn’t over at 55 or 60 years old. You’re not useless or obsolete. We live in a use-oriented society, and you get told that enough that even you start to believe you’re useless.” He continued, saying, “The point of life is living it. And I tell you, I got in that cage and I felt alive.”

For the 1.5 million seniors living in nursing homes across the country, cage fighting may not provide a realistic outlet to ensure they remain active and unforgotten members of society, but it should serve to remind us that leading a meaningful life requires more than receiving care, nutritious meals and being entertained. Often, when people think about the residents of a skilled nursing facility, they think about people who are in need of caring and support.  While this is true, many also wish to help provide caring and support; to have purpose and meaning and an outlet for their habits, talents and interests.

“I just love it that I can help somebody. I love anything I can do to help.”

-Alma Mazman, 93, San Luis Obispo resident

State-recognized for their unique and ground-breaking programs, Compass Health’s goal is to help these sometimes forgotten members of our community flourish by accentuating the parts of their personalities that make them unique. Residents are interviewed upon admission to determine their special talents and interests in an attempt to incorporate the interests, histories and strengths of each person directly into the Activities program. For instance a resident who was bilingual was enlisted to instruct a Spanish class for his peers once a week. Additionally, Residents are encouraged to remain an essential part of their community with the invention of programs that not only provide purpose to the residents within Compass Health-but inspiration to the people they touch through their local humanitarian efforts.

From raising money for various local and world charitable efforts through their “Helping Hands Hand Soap” to volunteering at the local homeless shelters, to their youth-oriented role model campaign and countless other innovative and award-winning programs, Compass Health’s seniors prove that life doesn’t end in a care center. On the contrary, daily life is amplified and enriched by the ability to help others and to remain vital members of their community-something we all can learn from.

SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS

For information on how to purchase “Helping Hands” Hand Soap, go to: http://missionviewhealthcenter.com/helping-hands.html

Coming together is a beginning…Keeping together is progress…Working together is success~ Henry Ford

Welcome! I am very pleased to introduce you to our newest community resource! For the past 15 years, I have assisted families through the many challenges they face as they make the transition to an assisted living or skilled nursing setting. Along with the opportunity to share some of my knowledge, I also encourage you to use this forum to share your own unique perspectives and personal experiences so that you, too, can be a part of the people, caring for people philosophy that this blog was created to represent.

Whether you are already part of a skilled nursing family, or you are at the beginning stages of exploring skilled nursing as an option, I encourage you to visit the www.medicare.gov website. This site offers a wealth of information regarding skilled nursing, Medicare, and new laws that are affecting healthcare today.  For those searching for a facility for their loved one, visit the Nursing Home Compare section, which provides the latest rankings of all skilled nursing facilities based on a five star quality rating system. Of special community interest, 5 of the 9 facilities located within San Luis Obispo County have been awarded a five-star ranking!

I look forward to providing our community’s residents with information they can use to make informed choices about senior living while also sharing new programs and resources that are available to enhance quality of life and care.  Please feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer them using my knowledge of short-term rehab, long term care, assisted living and the social and financial challenges-and rewards!- of both.  As someone who has been fortunate enough to help those within our community who have needed guidance through skilled nursing or assisted living placement, it is my hope that this blog will offer something of value to you as you navigate the health care options available within our community-or to be there for you when you need that extra shoulder to lean on.

Hello, Dr Dane Howalt here welcoming all to the new Central Coast Healthy Living blog.

I’ll try and check here frequently to answer questions as best I can.

You can also check the blog linked to SLOARC.com

I’d like to see some of the established SLOARC patients help with information from the patient point of view.

Welcome!

Dr H

Pacific Eye’s Dr. Abroms and Dr. Higginbotham are in Honduras performing 100 Cataract Surgeries in 1 week!

SAN LUIS OBISPO - Pacific Eye, leaders in comprehensive eye care on the Central Coast, have teamed up with Premier Surgery Center, Oak Park Surgery Center, and four local Rotary clubs to volunteer in Honduras.  Pacific Eye is proud to send Dr. Adam Abroms and Dr. Robert Higginbotham; making a major difference in the lives of the virtually blind.

The team will be operating in the city of El Progreso, which lies on important crossroads of Honduran Highways, making care accessible. The majority of patients will be traveling from remote villages, where eye care is non-existent. The clinic of El Progreso is conducting a screening to select 100 patients with the greatest need for cataract surgery.  The severity of cataracts causes blindness which affects both patients and their families.  With this surgery patients will regain their sight and independence.  Patients will now be able to move about without the support or navigation of a family member; more importantly, patients will now regain the ability to work which will allow them to provide for their families.

Rotary clubs often work together, however FOUR clubs working together on a project is unique.  For this project, the clubs of Arroyo Grande, Nipomo, Pismo Beach, and Grover Beach have joined forces.  They collaborated, applied and received two grants.  One grant was for $19, 950 to purchase the surgical microscopes & supplies for the surgeries and additional supplies for the El Progreso Clinic.  The second grant is a travel grant, which will defray some of the Rotarians’ expenses.

These life-changing grants will fund 100 cataract surgeries in just one week and donate high-tech surgical microscopes for the clinic to keep permanently.  The Rotary Clubs themselves are funding the transportation/accommodations for the surgical teams.  A representative from each Rotary will be going to Honduras: Jerry Kelly (AG), Judy Henbury (Nip), Martha Murphy (PB) and Steve Curry (GB). They will provide support for patient’s families, thus creating a well rounded experience for all parties involved.

The surgeons from Pacific Eye and both Oak Park and Premier Surgery Centers are excited to join forces to perform 100 life-changing cataract surgeries.  They have a shared passion for volunteer work abroad and look forward to their trip to Honduras.  This is a unique opportunity for the nurses and surgery technicians to give back; volunteer trips are generally reserved for doctors only.  The surgery techs are excited to be apart in this life changing project.

Dr. Higginbotham has a compassion for global medical care.  In the past, Dr. Higginbotham has participated in many medical missions in Mexico and has formed a non-profit corporation, Compassion Medical Care International.  The purpose of this non-profit is eye surgery clinics in Vietnam for teaching and research.  Rotary asked Dr. Higginbotham to accompany them to Honduras due his international knowledge, ophthalmology and surgery expertise.  Dr. Higginbotham is honored to help locally and globally, “It’s incredibly gratifying to help people see a new world.”

Dr. Abroms has been making an impact internationally for many years, as he has performed eye surgery in Vietnam, India, and South America. Dr. Abroms says, “I have always had a passion for fixing things.  As an ophthalmologist, I am challenged by fixing complicated medical problems.  Today with so many exciting technologies available, the solution to vision problems has never been more within reach.”

Pacific Eye’s physicians and staff are passionate about philanthropic opportunities which allow them to improve vision on a global scale. For more information contact Pacific Eye at (805) 545-8100 or visit them online at www.PacEyeMD.com.