Summer 2009 - West Texas AHEC

The
Summer 2009 Vol. 7/No.3
Rural and
Community
Health
Messenger
Rural Scholar Named
Texas Tech Student Regent
J
ust entering his second year of medical school, Kyle Miller has taken
on a new challenge—one that has
already opened his eyes to the big picture of higher education administration.
Miller was appointed by Governor
Rick Perry as the Student Regent for
Texas Tech University System in May,
and he took the oath of office on June
2. He represents the student government associations of Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health
Sciences Center, and Angelo State
University. Miller is the voice for over
40,000 students when it comes to looking at budgets and policies that directly
affect his peers. He serves alongside 9
other Regents.
The position of Student Regent is
something that is not to be taken lightly;
there is an application process, background checks, and a multitude of interviews until the final candidate is selected.
Miller says,”This has been an interesting opportunity to gain leadership
experience. I have to be aware of a
lot different issues that can affect the
different campuses and their students.
My first official meeting was in early
August, and I learned a lot. There is so
much work that goes into the meeting
before hand; we pour over and over
the information that is presented so we
are well informed. You just don’t realize how much work goes on behind the
scenes. I am so excited about what is to
come; we as a board are helping pave
the way for the Texas Tech System. We
are definitely working towards the best
interest of those who are invested.”
Miller was born and raised in Plainview, Texas. After receiving a degree in
Chemistry from Texas Tech University
in 2007, Miller entered the joint MBA/
MD (Master’s of Business Administration/Medical Degree) program at Texas
Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Miller became interested in medicine his junior year of high school when
he injured his knee and had to have
surgery. “I had always had great experiences with health care professionals
who took care of me, and it was then
that I decided I wanted to be a doctor. I
saw their compassion and willingness to
serve others; I wanted to be like them
having the opportunity to give back to
the community.”
Miller reflects on his upbringing
and experiences. “I am so grateful for
West Texas and Texas Tech because I
have been given a lot of opportunities
to grow and learn. I want to be able to
show my appreciation by giving back to
the community of citizens, faculty, staff,
and students.”
When Miller is asked what he plans
to do after he finishes medical school
and his residency, he just smiles. He
mentions there are a lot of options he is
looking to; he does not have his heart
set in only one direction.
Miller adds, “Since I am getting my
MBA and MD, it opens a lot of doors
for me. I am interested in a number of
areas like family medicine, OB/GYN,
being a health care consultant, heath
care executive, health care policy. I
want to practice in West Texas.”
Above: Kyle Miller, a second-year
medical student at TTUHSC and a Rural
Health Education Scholar, was named as
Student Regent in May.
Also in this issue...
page
City mouse, country mouse
2
Rural health trends
3
FRONTIER receives grants
4
CHART telemedicine consult extends
pediactric specialty care
5
Dental students complete rotations
in West Texas
6
Rural physiican profile: 7
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
8
Go to page 3
T E X A S T E C H U N I V E R S I T Y H E A LT H S C I E N C E S C E N T E R
A publication of the F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health
Word from the Vice President
The City Mouse and the Country Mouse
and Health Reform
W
hen my children were young, I often read to them at bedtime – it was part of the
ritual of sleep. Each of my four children loved a book entitled, “The City Mouse and
the Country Mouse”. It is a story emanating from Aesop’s fable about the contrast
between life in the city and life in the country. As I recall the last line goes something like
this, “Thank you cousin, but I’ll take my humble crumbs in comfort over all your finery in
fear!”
I have lived in West Texas about four months and I am reminded often of this children’s
story. I hear it in statistics like 25% of Americans who live in rural areas are poorer, older,
heavier, and sicker than their city neighbors. Sometimes people tell the story anew as they
Philips
describe that they live farther from doctors and have a harder time getting to appointments,
many depending on neighbors or church volunteers for a ride, because public transportation
Billy Philips
doesn’t exist out here. Sometimes the story is repeated as people describe how small towns
often lack specialists and thus must rely on family physicians or nurse practitioners for their care. I even caught myself
in this little fable, as I read a recent report of the National Rural Health Association that when small towns do find doctors, their patients are less likely to be able to afford treatment because about 23% of people who live in communities
smaller than 2,500 people have no health insurance, compared to 19 percent in urban areas. It even said that rural doctors get paid at a lesser rate for the same procedures because they have lesser volume.
Well this country mouse made a choice just like my friend in the story and I don’t have enough space left in this
column to recount all the things that make that a good choice. What it comes down to is what we consider as our
“humble crumbs” and what we consider as “comfort”. Like the country mouse, I made the better choice – even perhaps
a shrewder one. More is not better and country life is more serene. There is a reason we’re older – we live longer out
here. The food is good and it’s fresh, often having been grown just a few miles from where we live. Our physician
knows us by name and treats each one like a friend. Most often, what ails us can be treated just fine by our nurse practitioner – plus she takes time to talk to us and explain things in ways we understand. But the best thing about country life
is the people – they still care out here – there is a greater dependence on each other.
Most people are sympathetic to the idea of caring for those in need. It’s considered to be a worthy task. I know
of few occasions when caring is more critical than in any health encounter. Yet, the question about how we ought to
provide health care in the United States has never been more contentious. The different solutions offered have spilled
over on to debates on the American street or in the center of the town square. The tone of the debate reminds me again
about this children’s story. Passion is great in love and sports but rational thought ought to be the guide for discussions
of health care reform – and civility. I hope as we continue these critical discussions that the cold-eyed pragmatism of us
country folk will prevail. I hope too, that as we talk, we do so in civility – like neighbors do out here – because county
folks know that tomorrow, after the talk is done, we’ll still be neighbors. One thing is sure, you never know when you’ll
need a good neighbor in the country.
HealthFind 2009
October 16-17, 2009
Lubbock, Texas
Holiday Inn Hotel and Towers
The F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health West Texas AHEC has partnered with the Texas Office of Rural Community
Affairs to host HealthFind 2009. Mark your calendars for this statewide rural recruiting event that brings together rural communities and
hospitals with physicians and mid-level practitioners to network for rural practice opportunities.
Registration information is available online at www.westtexasahec.org or www.orca.state.tx.us, or call Loni Flores at 806.743.1338.
Scholar Named
Student Regent
cont’d from page 1
Miller spent this summer completing an internship in Chicago, Illinois,
working for Marshall Steele, a health
care consulting firm, where he worked
on a series of white papers analyzing
joint replacement surgery techniques
and protocols, as well as developing an
electronic assessment of patients for
quality assurance.
“This internship gave me new
insight into being a healthcare consultant for improving patient health outcomes,” he explains.
With his involvement with the F.
Marie Hall Institute of Rural and Community Health, West Texas AHEC Program, and the Double T Health Service
Corps, Miller has been able to keep his
priorities in-line. As a Rural Health
Education Scholarship recipient and
member of the Corps he has the opportunity to volunteer with other students
who share his interest in health careers
and working with underserved populations. Miller serves as a role model
for undergraduate students who want
to pursue medical school and also
participates in various community service events. From Christmas stocking
“stuffing” for soldiers overseas, raising
teddy bears for the Children’s Advocacy Center or Pop Tarts™ for the Junior
League of Lubbock’s Food2Kids program, he has learned how important it
is to be aware of the needs of the community and to find ways to meet those
needs.
Being a native of West Texas Miller
understands the importance of rural
health and has a passion for it. He
strongly believes underserved policies
must be in place to provide incentives
for loan repayment programs and other
benefits for health care professionals
to attract them to West Texas. “There
are good people in West Texas and
they deserve the same health care as
those who live in Dallas and Houston;
it is not fair for anyone to have to drive
over 2 hours or more for care.”
No matter what path Miller decides
to follow, he will be a passionate and
well-informed advocate for rural health
in West Texas.
Articles Explore Texas’ Rural
Health Trends
I
n a state as big and diverse as Texas, it is not surprising to find important
regional differences. Two recently accepted publications out of the F. Marie
Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health Rural Health Research
Group take a close look at these differences and their effects on health and
healthcare in East, South, and West Texas. Dr. Gordon Gong, lead author
on both articles, says, “This research will help achieve the ultimate goal of
improving health in rural communities by revealing the current state of the
physician supply and public health status in these areas.” He also believes that
this research will provide a foundation for future collaboration with rural physicians, a key goal for the F. Marie Hall Institute and Texas Tech University
Health Sciences Center.
The first article, “Trend Analysis of the Supply of Primary Care Physicians
in Rural and Urban East, South, and West Texas from 1981 to 2007,” which
will be published in the 2009 summer issue of the Texas Public Health Journal, found that East Texas had a significantly higher primary care physician
(PCP) supply than the other two regions in both rural and urban areas. The
research also showed a recent trend for decreasing PCP supply in all of the
Texas regions, a trend that was especially sharp in rural South and rural West
Texas.
The second article, “Trend and Racial Disparities in Infant Mortality
Rate in Texas from 1990 to 2004,” has been accepted for publication in the
November 2009 issue of the Journal of the National Medical Association.
This article found that the infant mortality rate (IMR) was increasing in all
regions of Texas, a trend which coincides with the decrease in PCP supply and
a decrease or slowing increase in median income. IMR was more than two
times higher in African American populations than in other ethnic groups,
and this gap has been increasing since 1997.
The results from these two articles suggest the need for actions to be
taken to reduce regional disparities and to reverse the worsening trend in
infant mortality rate across the state. The articles also suggest the need for
using a local perspective when addressing health and healthcare challenges.
While problems like decreasing PCP supply and increasing infant mortality
rates exist throughout the nation, the scope and impact of these problems are
certainly affected by the local context. Therefore, policy-makers and other
stake holders should consider regional differences when taking actions to
improve the health of Texans as a whole.
At left: Texas Tech undergraduates Mike Obot and Damon Sneed,
and medical student Kyle Miller,
man a food drive for the Double T
Health Service Corps last year to
benefit children in Lubbock. The
Double T student leadership team
is now planning volunteer projects
for Fall. For more information about
the Health Service Corps or opportunities for the Corps to support
projects in your rural community,
contact Loni Flores at 806.743.1338
or [email protected].
3
Project FRONTIER Receives Grants to Study
Factors Affecting Aging and Memory
P
roject FRONTIER (Facing Rural
Obstacles to healthcare Now
Through Intervention, Education,
and Research), the longitudinal rural
health research study co-sponsored by
the F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural &
Community Health, will be supporting
work funded by two recently awarded
research grants to study health issues
important to rural West Texans.
The National Academy of Neuropsychology has granted Project FRONTIER researchers $15,000 to create
normative references for Englishspeaking Mexican Americans on a test
commonly used to assess memory and
thinking problems (the RBANS).
How a person scores on such a test
can be affected by a number of things,
including age, race/ethnicity, country
of origin, and education. Therefore, to
fully understand people’s scores, you
must know how they perform compared to others like them (normative
references). While there are published
norms for non-Hispanic whites and
African-Americans on the RBANS,
there currently are no published norms
for Mexican-Americans, making interpretation of test results very difficult.
Hispanics/Latinos are the largest
ethnic minority group in the United
States, 64% of which are MexicanAmericans. There is also expected to
be a sharp growth in conditions that
impact memory and thinking, such as
Alzheimer’s disease, among Mexican
Americans over the next several years,
making it imperative that appropriate
tests be available so accurate diagnoses
and treatments can be generated.
According to Dr. Sid O’Bryant, the
lead investigator on the study, “The
provision of the data that will come
from this grant will have a very significant impact on clinicians working
with Hispanic populations across the
country.” Work funded by this grant
will also consider the influence of cardiovascular disease risk factors, such
as hypertension and diabetes (risk
factors that have been linked to cognitive impairment and decline), on the
RBANS norms for this group. Mexican
Americansas a group have been found
to have increased CVD morbidity and
risk for going without treatment.
F. Marie Hall Institute researcher
Dr. Gordon Gong and collaborators
also received $15,000 from the South
Plains Foundation to study the effects
of arsenic exposure in water used for
Office of Rural Community Affairs – Critical Access Hospitals
Texas Hospital Association and its Rural Constituency Section
Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
Texas Rural Health Association
Nov. 9 -10, 2009
Hyatt Regency Austin
For anyone involved in rural health care
in Texas, the 2009 Texas Rural Health
Forum is the must-attend event of the year.
The Rural Health Forum brings together
hundreds of rural health care professionals
from across the state, along with leaders
from local communities, businesses,
state agencies, academia and nonprofit
organizations... all focused on one mission:
improving the lives of rural Texans.
Mark your calendar now for two
information-packed days on topics like:
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The Texas Hospital Association is an approved provider
of continuing nursing education by the Texas Nurses
Association, an accredited approver by the American
Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on
Accreditation.
drinking or cooking on Alzheimer’s
disease.
Arsenic found in water can occur
naturally from mineral deposits in
groundwater or through contamination
from industrial or agricultural sources,
and the level of arsenic exposure a
person may experience will vary based
on where that person lives, where that
person works, and the water source
that person has used. While it has
been known for a while that exposure
to large amounts of arsenic is dangerous, recent research has suggested that
exposure to small amounts of arsenic
over a long period of time can also
have damaging health effects.
Research is needed to better inform
health officials and policy-makers what
levels are truly safe. One hundred
patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
disease and 100 normal controls will
be recruited from the Lubbock community through ongoing efforts in
Alzheimer’s disease research. An
additional grant proposal is under
review with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take this same
research protocol into rural areas,
recruiting through Project FRONTIER.
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Workforce retention and recruitment;
Reimbursement;
Rural health policy;
Public health issues;
Community economic development and health;
Demographics;
Funding;
Access;
Uninsured;
Information technology;
Wellness and quality of life;
Infrastructure; and
Quality improvement.
2009 Texas Rural Health Forum • A joint education conference of the following organizations:
Office of Rural Community Affairs – Critical Access Hospitals
www.orca.state.tx.us
Texas Hospital Association and its Rural Hospital Constituency Section
www.texashospitalsonline.org/forum09
Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
www.torchnet.org
Texas Rural Health Assocaition
www.trha.org/conferences.htm
Questions: Lynn Heimerl, [email protected] • 512/472-8921 ext. 305
Exhibits/Sponsorships: Susan VanSlyke, [email protected] • 512/465-1524
4
Telemedicine Report
Advanced Health Care Through Advanced Technolog y
First CHART Pediatric Consult Extends
Specialty Care to Stratford, Texas
P
eople living in rural or remote
frontier areas, like many in West
Texas communities, know that
one of the biggest challenges is accessing pediatric healthcare services.
The Telemedicine Program of the
F. Marie Hall Institute of the Texas
Tech University Health Sciences
Center through Project CHART began
to help overcome those challenges by
delivering the first live pediatric specialty consultation for a child in Stratford, Texas, on August 31.
Stratford is a small rural community at the very top of the Texas
Panhandle, over an hour’s drive from
Amarillo. The community’s only
health care services are provided by
the solo nurse practitioner in the community, Ward Palmer.
“We are excited to partner with
Texas Tech and explore how this tool
can improve access to health care for
our community,” Palmer says.
While it is an historic day in Stratford, many rural and underserved
West Texas communities continue
to face a severe shortage of general
pediatricians and pediatric specialists.
Over half of the counties in Texas do
not have a general pediatrician and in
many cases, gaining access to pediatric health care involves lengthy travel
to locations where health care specialists are available. Sometimes, that
travel can be very expensive in money
and lost work/school time – expenses
that many families simply cannot
afford.
Project CHART, Children’s Healthcare Access for Rural Texas, is funded
by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and over the next
26 months will establish 30 additional
Photo, hopefully of Ward Palmer and equipment, showing a physician
from this end. Also will add a quote from Ward Palmer to story to give
the community perspective.
Above:
sites to expand and study access to
pediatric primary and specialty care
for Medicaid-enrolled children in rural
communities throughout the 108 most
western counties in Texas.
Dr. John C. Baldwin, president of
the Health Sciences Center, said, “This
project will help us demonstrate the
technological advantages of telemedicine and allows us to connect rural
children from across the region with
the best specialty pediatric care available even though their physician may
be hundreds of miles away,”
“This technology and the partnerships between the community and the
Health Science Center puts a whole
new meaning on our university motto
‘From here, it’s possible,’” says Debbie
Voyles, director of the Telemedicine
Program, who spoke from the Stratford. The technology consists of a
television that is linked to a security
encrypted network that allows the
patient to be presented by another
physician or nurse from a remote location to a pediatric specialist located at
one of the TTUHSC campuses.
“He won’t even miss school,” said
the mother of the famous first patient.
“It was really painless.”
Thirty West Texas communities
will be selected to receive telemedicine equipment at no charge to the
communities through the project.
For more information on joining
Project CHART contact Debbie Voyles
at 806.743.4440.
5
AHEC Update
WEST TEXAS AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER PROGR AM
Dental Students Participate in Clinical
Rotations in West Texas for First Time
I
n July and August, four fourth-year
dental students from the Baylor
College of Dentistry completed a
week-long rotations at the Medical Care
Mission in Abilene.
These were the first dental students to come to the region, facilitated
through the Big Country AHEC.
Leeanna Bartlett, director of the
Social Services Division at Baylor College of Dentistry says, “This opportunity to utilize Big Country AHEC’s
network will hopefully be a starting
point toward expansion into providing
exposure to training with underserved
populations throughout the West Texas
region.
“Like other health professions
training programs, dental schools
also are in need of community-based
training experiences,” says Ronnie
Laurance, program director at the Big
Country AHEC.
Providing the opportunity for students in health professions programs to
complete clinical training
in community settings not
only gives the student a
glimpse of what the future
may hold for them but
also allows the community
the opportunity to recruit
health professionals for
their long-term future.
“As a dentist, hosting a student gave me the
chance to also learn from
them about the latest that
is being taught in dental
school,” says Gene ShelRight: Dakota Davis and Leslie Norwood, students at Baylor
hamer, DDS. “At the same College of Dentistry, enjoy lunch with Dr. Gene Shelhamer
time, students got a realis- during their clinical rotation in Abilene.
tic view of dental care outside of the academic setting.
side of the academic setting.
Community based education expeStudents were able to stay free-ofriences
like these are the result of a
charge in housing donated by the Medpartnership between communities,
ical Care Mission, as well. This pulling
community health professionals, health
together of resources is what allows
professions training schools and the
training programs the opportunity to
AHEC.
send health professionals to train out-
Institute Awards Rural Scholarships to 41
Texas Tech Students for New School Year
T
he F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural
and Community Health has awarded Rural Health Scholarships to 41
health professions students at Texas Tech
University Health Sciences Center and prehealth professions students at Texas Tech
University. This year’s awards mark the
eighth year of the scholarship program.
“The purpose of the Rural Health
Scholarship is to facilitate health professions education for rural students
who are interested in returning to a
rural community to practice,” says Pam
Danner, director of the West Texas AHEC
program. “Scholarships help reduce the
loans that many students must take out,
6
which helps to reduce the burden students face after they’ve completed their
education.”
Recipient
Hometown
Billy Aaron
Clarendon
Melissa Ames
Dumas
Vanessa Arnwine
Rankin
Leslee Avalos
Friona
Daniela Baca
Presidio
Heather Cave
Monahans
Vanessa Costilla
Anton
Jentry Edwards
Alex Halfmann
Garden City
Erin Hammett
Henderson
Jeremy Harrison
Wink
Casey Henderson
Bridgeport
Jessica Hensley
Santa Anna
Robert Ory Johnson Silverton
Tausha Kemp
Bowie
Amanda Klein
Fredericksburg
Kristi McCaleb
Utopia
Jill Merritt
Dimmitt
Spearman
Kyle Miller
Plainview
Lucy Estes
Wellington
Jae Palentinos
Andrews
Jennifer Farber
Haskell
Go to page 7
Rural Scholars
cont’d from page 6
Roshni Patel
Childress
Kaylee Ruff
Kaufman
Cristalyn Sageser
Cotton Center
Melonie Sandoval
Hale Center
Amanda Saunders
Cisco
Jacob Sellers
Sulfur Springs
William Sherman
Lockney
Katherine Toon
Granbury
Kelsie Traynham
Fort Stocton
Lance Trojcak
Refugio
Amanda Ulibarri
Nocona
Brandi Ventura
Dumas
Riesa Welch
Levelland
Shannon Wickson
Seminole
Krista Hutchison
Stephenville
Kelsey Kelso
Graford
Tyler Wood
Muleshoe
Natalie Zimmerer
Valley View
Rural Health Award
Nominations Sought
D
oes your community, an organization, or individual in your community, excel at improving health for its rural residents? The Texas Rural
Health Association is seeking nominations for its annual Rural Health
Champion Award and Outstanding Program Award. Nominations are due by
September ___.
Awards will be presented at the Texas Rural Health Forum’s Awards luncheon on November 10, in Austin.
Last year’s award recipients were Dr. Ciro Sumaya for the Champion
Award; and Jack County Health Colaition, the HOPE Porject (Shelby County),
Giddings Economic Development Corporation, Seton Care-A-Van (Burnet and
Llano counties), and the Partnership of Lillian Hudspeth Memorial Hospital
and Sonora ISD for the Outstanding Program awards.
Texas Health Steps Conference
Highlights Opportunities to Improve Preventive Care for Children
T
he Texas Department of State
Health Services (DSHS) and the
F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural
and Community Health conducted the
“Texas Health Steps Rural Health Clinic
Round Up” conference on August 7 at
the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The conference focused
on the unique issues of Medicaid providers in rural West Texas and promoted Texas Health Steps medical checkups for rural health clinic providers.
The keynote speaker was Billy Philips, Ph.D., vice president for Rural and
Community Health who addressed the
unique challenges of providing healthcare in rural areas of West Texas.
Other speakers included Jane Rider,
M.D., from San Angelo who provided
an update, summary and recent strategic Medicaid-related healthcare initiatives stemming from the Frew Advisory
Committee. David Lefforge presented
the Institute’s Project CHART (Children’s Healthcare Access for Rural
Texas) in addition to a discussion on
telemedicine technology for communities and medical providers.
The conference was well-received
Above and Right: Dr.
Billy Philips gave the
keynote presentation at
the Texas Health Steps
conference on August 6
in Lubbock.
and 95% of the 101 participants
indicated the event met or exceeded
their expectations and improved their
knowledge of the subjects presented. DSHS plans to continue developing
a coalition of partners and stakeholders in West Texas to promote the Texas
Health Steps Program. Future events
and conferences will focus on recruiting and enhancing health care in rural
areas.
Texas Health Steps is a comprehen-
sive preventive program for children
from birth through age 20 who have
Medicaid. The program provides regular medical and dental checkups and
case management services.
More information, both for Medicaid clients and for health providers
interested in participating, can be
found at www.dshs.state.tx.us/thsteps/
default.shtm.
7
HEALTHBeat
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER™
F. Marie Hall Institute for
Rural and Community Health
3601 4th Street STOP 6232 | Lubbock, TX 79430
Dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Lubbock, TX
Permit No. 68
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
W
hat is dementia? What is Alzheimer’s
disease? Are they the same thing?
These are common questions. The
term dementia means that someone has experienced
a change in his or her memory and/
or other thinking abilities. Dementia is the
“umbrella” term, and Alzheimer’s disease
refers to the most common form of dementia.
While we have learned a great deal about
the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, we do not
know what the cause of the disease is and
there are no cures available.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s
disease, how is it different from “normal”
aging, and what should you do if you suspect
Alzheimer’s disease in yourself or someone
else? Alzheimer’s disease typically first presents with difficulties learning and remembering new information even though information
from long ago remains intact. While occasional forgetfulness is common, consistent
forgetting of recently learned information
that is not recalled at some later point can be
reflective of this disease. Other early symptoms include frequently misplacing things,
repeating questions, becoming disoriented in
once familiar places, and having trouble finding words. Sometimes people’s moods change
with this disease as well as becoming socially
withdrawn and isolated. If these changes in
memory and thinking have somehow caused
the person to change his or her daily life (no
longer balancing the checkbook, forgetting
food on the stove, difficulty driving), then
Alzheimer’s disease or some other dementia
diagnosis is likely.
It is also important that people pay close
attention to things like high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, and diabetes as these conditions can put you at increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. It is also recommend
people pay close attention to their diets and
get regular exercise.
If your doctor has suggested that you or a
loved one might have dementia, they simply
mean that there has been a change in memory
and/or thinking abilities. Second, being diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
does not mean that you will lose your sense of
self by tomorrow. Alzheimer’s disease typically
progresses slowly over several years, and there
are treatments that can help.
Upcoming Events
Sept 21
Senior Citizen’s Day Health Fair
& Program at the Tri-State Fiar
Amarillo, TX
Contact: Karen Russell, Panhandle
Sept
21-22
OB Update
San Angelo, TX
Contact: Patty Murphy, Permian
Sept 23, Pediatric Advanced Life Support
24
Abilene, TX
Contact: Kelly Cheek, Big Country
Sept 24
Denver City, TX
Contact: Cheri Read, Plains
Documentation
Sept 26, ONS Chemotherapy Course
27
San Angelo, TX
Contact: Patty Murphy, Permian
Oct 2
Mental Health and Emotional
Illness Across the Life Span
Lubbock, TX
www.ttuhsc.edu/son/cne/courses.aspx
Oct 3
Cardiovascular Conference (CE Amarillo, TX
for nurses, LSWs, LMFTs, LPCs) Contact: Karen Russell, Panhandle
Oct 3-4
Oncology Certification Review
Course
Oct 6
Senior Ambassadors: Coalition
Amarillo, TX
Fall Eldercare Conference (CE
Contact: Karen Russell, Panhandle
for nurses, LSWs, LMFTs, LPCs;
TCLEOSE Credit)
Oct 1416
Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum
Amarillo, TX
Contact: Karen Russell, Panhandle
Lubbock, TX
Contact: Cheri Read, Plains
Oct 14ACLS Course (Brownwood 1415, 21-22 15, Abilene 21-22)
Brownwood and Abilene, TX
Contact: Kelly Cheek, Big Country
Oct 1415
Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum
Abilene, TX
Contact: Kelly Cheek, Big Country
Oct 1617
ACLS Provider
San Angelo, TX
Contact: Patty Murphy, Permian
Oct 1617
Basic & Advanced Fetal
Monitoring
Amarillo, TX
Contact: Karen Russell, Panhandle
Oct 28,
29
Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum
Midland, TX
Contact: Patty Murphy, Permian
Nov 3
Understanding Infant Adoption
Perryton, TX
Contact: Karen Russell, Panhandle
AHEC of the Plains 806.291.0101 Big Country AHEC
325.793.8484
Borderland AHEC 915.757.1080
Panhandle AHEC
806.651.3480
Permian Basin AHEC 432.685.8306