CAMcare Health Transformation Newsletter: February 2022
In this issue: | |
Inspiration Station | African American Pioneers |
Health Awarenesses | American Heart Month, National Children's Dental Health Month, AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month |
Whats going on at CAMcare? | Events and More! |
Inspiration Station: African American Pioneers
The Selma, Alabama, native played a crucial part in the 1965 Selma Voting Rights Movement. But it wasn't until Oprah played her in the 2014 Oscar-nominated film, Selma, that people really took notice of Cooper's activism. She is lauded for punching Alabama Sheriff Jim Clark in the face, but she really deserves to be celebrated for fighting to restore and protect voting rights.
Dr. King is usually credited for the March on Washington in August 1963. But it was Rustin who organized and strategized in the shadows. As a gay man who had controversial ties to communism, he was considered too much of a liability to be on the front lines of the movement. Nonetheless, he was considered to be one of the most brilliant minds, and served his community tirelessly while pushing for more jobs and better wages.
Before Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, there was a brave 15-year-old who chose not to sit at the back of the bus. That young girl was Colvin. Touting her constitutional rights to remain seated near the middle of the vehicle, Colvin challenged the driver and was subsequently arrested. She was the first woman to be detained for her resistance. However, her story isn't nearly as well-known as Parks'.
Hailed the “godmother of the women’s movement,” Height used her background in education and social work to advance women’s rights. She was a leader in the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and the president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) for more than 40 years. She was also among the few women present at the 1963 March on Washington, where Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
Congress is more diverse now than it's ever been. However, when Chisholm was attempting to shatter the glass ceiling, the same couldn't be said. During the racially contentious period in the late '60s, she became the first Black woman elected to Congress. She represented New York's 12th District from 1969 to 1983, and in 1972, she became the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Her campaign slogan: "Unbought and Unbossed" rings even louder today. Senator Kamala Harris recently paid tribute to Chisholm in her presidential campaign announcement by using a similar logo to Chisholm's.
For more Pioneers and Black History, Check out this article: OPRAH DAILY BLACK HISTORY PIONEERS
Health Awarenesses
February is American Heart Month! The CDC recommends some tips to keep your heart healthy:
1. Learn about your health history
2. Eat a healthy balanced diet
3. Exercise for at least 150 minutes per week
4.Avoid smoking
5.Take all medications as prescribed by your provider
6. Drink water
Taking care of our hearts is the best way to continue to care for those we love and those who depend on us each day! Please enjoy this 5 minute fun video for your heart!
February is AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month!
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that may get worse over time. It’s the leading cause of severe, permanent vision loss in people over age 60. It happens when the small central portion of your retina, called the macula, wears down. The retina is the light-sensing nerve tissue at the back of your eye.
Because the disease happens as you get older, it’s often called age-related macular degeneration. It usually doesn’t cause blindness but might cause severe vision problems. Another form of macular degeneration, called Stargardt disease or juvenile macular degeneration, affects children and young adults.
Vision impairment — including low vision — affects millions of Americans, among them are many older adults. Vision impairment can make it hard to do things like reading, shopping, or cooking. And standard treatments — like eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicines, and surgery — can’t fix it completely.
The good news is that vision rehabilitation services can help people with vision impairment learn how to stay independent and make the most of their sight. Low Vision Awareness Month is a great time to spread the word about vision rehabilitation — and make sure that people with vision impairment know about the services available to them.
For more information, visit WEBMD ON AMD or The National Eye Institute on Low Vision.
"Flossie's Corner": CAMcare Events, Communication and Marketing
Our Diabetes Fast Pass(DFP) Re-launch was a success! On January 26 2022, we provided Internal Medicine, Labs, Dental, Care Coordination and Podiatry services to 5 additional Diabetic patients! Our upcoming dates for DFP for the first quarter are 2/23/22 and 3/23/22. A huge thank you to ALL the teams at GW that helped to make DFP's return a dynamic one! We Look forward to all the opportunities to reach the needs of our community!
National Children's Dental Health Month is here again!!
In 2002, Drs. Jeff Dalin and B. Ray Storm held the first Give Kids A Smile® (GKAS) event in a run-down, soon-to-be-demolished dental clinic in St. Louis, where 15 patient chairs were scraped together to deliver free dental care to nearly 400 children.
The ADA recognized that this grassroots effort had great potential to raise awareness nationally about the importance of oral health to overall health, and about the staggering need that exists among millions of children who go without care. So, in 2003, Give Kids A Smile evolved into a nationwide program with the goal of providing free oral health care to underserved children.
CAMcare Health Corporation proudly participates in this Nationwide initiative each year! Friday, February 4th, the dental department will begin a month long campaign, under the theme "Toothbrushes, Teddy Bears and Timers", as they work just as hard to provide oral health care to hundreds of pediatric patients!
Why is dental care in children so important?
About 1 of 5 (20%) children aged 5 to 11 years have at least one untreated decayed tooth.
1 of 7 (13%) adolescents aged 12 to 19 years have at least one untreated decayed tooth.
Children aged 5 to 19 years from low-income families are twice as likely (25%) to have cavities, compared with children from higher-income households (11%).
The good news is that cavities are preventable! Fluoride varnish can prevent about one-third (33%) of cavities in the primary (baby) teeth. Children living in communities with fluoridated tap water have fewer cavities than children whose water is not fluoridated. Similarly, children who brush daily with fluoride toothpaste will have fewer cavities.
For more information, be sure to speak with any of our Dental Providers and watch this amazing animation as we celebrate all the strides taken in dental care delivery!
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