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HealthWays
P
erhaps it should be called the boomerang bug. Year after
year, the flu returns to wreak havoc on the young, the old and
everyone in between. Yet there is a way to fight back against
this seasonal menace: Get an annual flu vaccine.
WHY GET IT?
Along with protecting yourself against the flu, getting vaccinated also
helps you avoid spreading the virus to others. Both are important,
because the flu can make people seriously sick. Flu can cause high
fever and pneumonia and make existing medical conditions worse. It
can also cause diarrhea and seizures in children.
And every year, thousands of people die from the flu and many
more require hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).
WHO SHOULD GET IT ANDWHEN?
The CDC recommends that nearly everyone older than 6 months
get the flu vaccine. It’s particularly important that people who are at
high risk for getting severely ill with the flu, and people who regularly
come in contact with them, be vaccinated. Visit
www.cdc.gov
for
more information.
The best time to get the flu vaccine is in the fall, but it’s OK to get
it in the winter.
For information on flu vaccines, call the ValleyCare Flu Hotline
at
925-416-6888
.
THE FLU
Protect Yourself
andYour Family
Late-Life
Depression
Legends Offers Hope
A
s we embark
on the next
50 years at
ValleyCare Health
System, I would like
to briefly reflect on
the beginnings of
this organization.
Recently, I received
a box containing
material on the
original Valley
Memorial Hospital
fundraising
campaign from Jim and Maggie Merritt.
Jim’s grandfather, Ralph Merritt, chaired
the committee. I want to thank the
Merritts for helping to preserve and
protect our heritage.
Mr. Merritt and other community
leaders rallied local residents, and, within a
few short months, the community surpassed
the fundraising goal! These funds, along
with Kaiser Paving Company’s land
donation, a large donation by the Merritts
and government matching funds,
launched the construction of
Valley Memorial Hospital, which
opened in October 1961—and we
have been serving the health care needs of
the community ever since.
WINE AUCTION HELPS
LIFESAVINGWORK OF NICU
That was then. Just this past May, the
Livermore Valley Winegrowers
Foundation held a fundraiser for four
Tri-Valley charities. ValleyCare Charitable
Foundation was among them, and I wish
to thank the Winegrowers Foundation for
making us a charity of choice. Henry
Lee, MD, a UCSF Benioff Children’s
Hospital neonatologist at ValleyCare, gave
a short talk on the lifesaving teamwork
that goes on in the ValleyCare neonatal
intensive care unit (NICU). Every day
the ValleyCare team is there to save the
lives of premature babies born right here
in our valley. I was amazed and proud of
the local residents who attended the event,
ValleyCare—
ThenandNow
A Message from the Chairman of the Board
and within a few
minutes, we received donations totaling
nearly $50,000 to support our NICU.
CONTINUING OUR MISSION
ValleyCare was created on the strong
financial backing and support of local
residents to bring basic medical care
to the Tri-Valley. Today, providing
state-of-the-art health care such as a
NICU, cancer diagnostics and treatment,
emergency services, cardiac catheterization,
and orthopedic and surgical technology
takes enormous resources, and no gift is too
small. As we look forward to the next
50 years, collaborating with our local
leaders and individuals for support
will remain a strong foundation for
ValleyCare’s future.
Help us continue the mission.
To
make a gift of any size, please call
the ValleyCare Charitable Foundation at
925-373-4560
or visit www.valleycare.com/
charitablefoundation.
Thank you.
Marty Inderbitzen,
Chairman, ValleyCare
Health SystemBoard
of Directors
T
here are times in life when we feel down—and
events in life that can trigger those feelings.
Certainly things like the loss of independence,
a serious illness or the death of a spouse would
qualify.
It may be tempting to think that depression is
normal as people grow older. In reality, though,
it’s not. And it’s not a character flaw or a sign of
personal weakness either.
True depression is a medical illness that affects
more than 2 million older adults, reports Mental
Health America. And just like other illnesses, it
must be treated in order for a person to live life
to the fullest. If it’s not, it can worsen a person’s
health, lead to disability and even result in suicide.
KNOWTHE SYMPTOMS
According to the Geriatric Mental Health
Foundation, recognizing depression in seniors can
be difficult. Older people may not vocalize how
they’re feeling. And sometimes sadness—which is
frequently associated with depression—isn’t their
main symptom.
While there are times in life when some grief
may be expected, depression causes people to have
trouble functioning for weeks on end. Common
symptoms of depression in older adults include:
◆
◆
Feeling slowed down
◆
◆
Worrying excessively about finances and health
◆
◆
Being frequently tearful
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Feeling worthless or helpless
◆
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Experiencing changes in weight
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Pacing and fidgeting
◆
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Having difficulty sleeping
◆
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Having difficulty concentrating
◆
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Experiencing physical symptoms, such as pain
or gastrointestinal problems
◆
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Withdrawing from regular social activities
If you suspect that depression might be
affecting a loved one, the help of a doctor is
a must.
LEGENDS OFFERS HOPE
ValleyCare’s Legends unit is designed
for older adults with unique emotional
and mental health disorders, such as
memory loss, depression, disorientation,
hallucinations and anxiety. This short-term, inpatient
program brings together an interdisciplinary team
of health care providers that includes psychiatrists,
primary care physicians, neuropsychologists, nurses,
therapists and social workers.
Medication management and program participation
will encourage the patient to improve his or her quality
of life and independence. Neuropsychological testing
(dementia testing) gives patients and families the
information to cope with the progression of memory
loss. Admission to this program is voluntary. Initial
consultation is free and confidential.
For more information, visit
www.valleycare.com/legends or call
800-884-8038
.