In the past 20 years, opioid overdose has mushroomed from an anomaly into an epidemic.
During that span, opioid-related deaths in Kent County soared fourfold—from fewer than 20 a year to more than 80.
The strongest predictor of opioid overdose is clear: a previous history of overdose. That being the case, the ER will soon begin giving Narcan kits to overdose patients at no cost before discharge, becoming the first hospital in the region to do so. Narcan is the only FDA-approved nasal form of naloxone, which counteracts the life-threatening effects of opioid overdose.
Called O-180—O is the street name for opiates and 180 signifies reversal—the program is funded by a $40,000 grant from the Metro Health Hospital Foundation.
With Narcan nasal spray on hand, discharged patients who experience a subsequent overdose at home can be treated immediately before placing a call to 911. The Narcan kits will contain two doses of naloxone, along with information about community resources available to overdose patients and their families.
“Our goal is to reduce deaths in the community related to opioid overdoses, while also removing some of the stigma of opioid addiction,” says Crystal Gaylord, a quality and safety nurse specialist in the ER.
In preparation for an upcoming Poverty Simulation, volunteer staffers Mary, Cindy, Tom and Rhoeda were busy at work compiling participant packets and organizing materials.
The Poverty Simulation is just one of many programs at Access of West Michigan to create solutions to poverty through education and collaboration. The goal in these seminars is to bring awareness of the realities of poverty and to encourage people to get involved.
The “Living on the Edge” poverty simulation provides an opportunity for participants to walk in the shoes of someone living in a low-income environment. The participant must navigate with their “family” how to provide for expenses, make ends meet and be sustainable throughout the event.
As staffers of the events, Tom and Rhoeda have been working with and learning from these simulations. What began as a way to simply get involved with the community has become a meaningful experience of inspiring participants to engage and learn.
Both Tom and Rhoeda, married, retired and living in Muskegon, volunteer to prepare for the simulations by preparing the packages of money and ensuring all participants will have what they need. At the simulation events, Rhoeda loves interacting with the “family members” working hard to stay afloat.
“I like interacting with the participants,” she said, “watching them get into their roles, with their comments, discussions — they’re deep in thought.”
Tom has also been moved by his experiences of being a part of the simulations.
“I heard a participant comment on how she really thought about it when she had to go do the different things, like leaving her child home to go work,” he said. When families are involved, things get personal.
Rhoeda gets excited about these events, because they’re so important.
“The way it changes people’s attitudes,” she said. “The way they treat people in poverty can make a big difference.”
Mary and Cindy also volunteer in the preparation for the simulation, and equally appreciate the opportunity to watch people’s attitudes change.
“I like to see the interactions with the families,” Mary said. “They cooperate with families, make a community of their own.”
After an afternoon of packing, planning and preparing, the team of volunteers was ready for the upcoming event. For them, it’s not just hours to fill their time, it’s an opportunity to create an awareness of poverty — on a personal level.
And these staffers would know. Some have lived it.
According to a 2015 report on caregiving by the AARP, 16.6% of adults act as an unpaid caregiver of another adult age 50 or over. This may be a spouse caring for their husband/wife, a family caring for their mother/father, or even a friend caring for another who doesn’t have family available. As our aging population continues to grow, so will the number of people who find themselves in position of caring for a loved one.
Often when we begin having discussions about those we are caring for, with them or other family members, we often assume that the decisions are “Who is mom going to live with?” or “Should we start looking at nursing homes for dad?” A person caring for their spouse may be reluctant to ask for help, believing that it means they are incapable of providing for their loved one, and fear losing them as a result. Many people are unaware that there are options available for older adults that may not require a move or loss of independence at all.
The MI Choice Medicaid WaiverProgram is one of these options. Created in 1992, MI Choice is an income-eligible program providing in-home services to older adults in order to help them remain in their own homes rather than a nursing home or to move in with a relative. With assistance, many older adults are able to live independently for the remainder of their lives.
Individuals in the MI Choice program can receive help with all sorts of daily living tasks, like in-home cleaning services, bathing and dressing, nursing, and meal delivery. Individuals may qualify for services like home modifications, personal emergency response systems, and transportation. For those families who already made the choice to have a loved one move in with them, these services are available to help care for a loved one in your home, as well as respite services for those times when family caregivers need a break. In addition, MI Choice Medicaid Waiver saves Michigan tax-payers money.
Providing in-home services costs far less than a move into a nursing home. Applying for the MI Choice program begins with a phone call to Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan. Applicants to the program are pre-screened for income eligibility, so it is important to have financial information on hand. Once an applicant’s income is verified, a Care Management team, comprised of a Social Worker and an R.N., is sent to the home to do an assessment. This assessment determines what supports are necessary to help an older adult remain at home.
Throughout this process, the individual and anyone else they choose to have involved has a say in what services they want and how they want them delivered. There are supports we may be qualified to have, but we do not want them, or we want less of them. The Care Management team will work to insure you have a say in decisions made about your care every step of the way.
If you are interested in learning more about the services that may be available to you or your loved ones or you would like to begin the application process, contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at 888.456.5664 or email at aaainfo@aaawm.org. Even if the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver program isn’t for you, there are a number of other services available through Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan and their partners for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. Visit our website: www.aaawm.org or find us on Facebook.
Think about West Michigan. What do you love about it? What about it could improve?
The first question should (hopefully) be an easy one. The second one is probably more challenging. Change is often scary and almost always involves a long, complicated process. How can one person change anything? Here’s the thing: It takes a community to change a community.
Over the past year, a diverse group of community members has been forming with a shared goal: to better address LGBTQ youth homelessness in our community. Led by Arbor Circle, the group includes folks working in shelters, local businesses, libraries, schools, child welfare, juvenile justice groups and more.
Arbor Circle and the Safe Impact Community Group have announced a partnership with the True Colors Fund to create a strategic plan to better address LGBTQ youth homelessness in West Michigan.
What does that mean, exactly? Think of it this way: the Safe Impact Community Group is a football team, out on the field every day running plays, making moves, and training to accomplish their goal. The True Colors Fund acts as a coach, helping the team develop strategies, facilitate meetings and utilize new technologies to stay organized and focused.
Over the coming months, the partnership will develop a community-wide plan together to bring the number of LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness in West Michigan down to none.
Who is a part of the Safe Impact Community Group?
The group consists of concerned community members, as well as representatives from partner organizations who are working to address LGBTQ youth homelessness. This includes the Coalition to End Homelessness, Grand Rapids Pride Center, Grand Rapids Public Schools, HQ, Kent ISD, Our LGBT Fund, and Wellhouse. If you or your community group is interested in getting involved, please reach out at the contact provided below.
What can you do?
If you’d like to get involved, please contact Julie Cnossen at Arbor Circle. Go here for more information.
The Children’s Assessment Center of Kent County is designated as a Darkness to Light ‘Partner in Prevention’.
Staff members are trained in award-winning Stewards of Children® Program for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention.
By Misti DeVries, Children’s Assessment Center
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, as well as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It is estimated that one in 10 children will be sexually abused before the age of 18. That means here in Kent County thousands of children are victimized every year —but national statistics tell us that only 14% of those cases are ever reported to law enforcement.
Committed to “Hearing the Story and Healing the Pain” of child sexual abuse and also “Halting the Cycle”, the Children’s Assessment Center of Kent Countyhas been designated as a Partner in Prevention which is awarded by the international Darkness to Light organization whose mission is educate responsible adults to reduce child sexual abuse. The Partner in Prevention program was created as a national standard to help communities take child protection seriously by parents and caregivers to prevent child sexual abuse.
The recent sexual abuse allegations by numerous MSU and Team USA gymnasts, that went unheeded for years against Dr. Larry Nassar, makes it clear that every adult in the community needs to take a strong stand against the routine behavior of silencing and shaming victims and allowing perpetrators of status in our communities to escape accountability.
The CAC now offers the highly recognized program, “Stewards of Children”, to parents, community youth groups, sports organizations, medical personnel, faith-based communities as well as others which would benefit from this award-winning training. Stewards of Children will guide adults in understanding the issue of child sexual abuse, identifying unsafe situations and practices, and reacting responsibly in the best interest of the children they serve and care for.
This evidence-informed program is scientifically proven to help participants prevent and respond to child sexual abuse. To learn more about child sexual abuse prevention training in Kent County or to enroll your organization in a Darkness to Light training through the CAC, please email Community Advocate, Misti, at mdevries@cac-kent.org .
About The Children’s Assessment Center (CAC)
The only agency in Kent County providing child-centered comprehensive services to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse all under one roof: forensic interview, investigative reporting, medical examination and therapy, the agency sees 800 children annually.
In addition to CAC staff, GRPD and the Kent County Sheriff’s department each have three detectives stationed full time at the Center to investigate suspected child sexual abuse cases. Four Child Protective Services investigators also work out of the CAC.
To learn more about CAC’s services, community events and trainings, or information on how to report, please visit the website.
About Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light (D2L) has championed the movement to end child sexual abuse since its founding in 2000. With affiliates in all 50 U.S. states and 16 additional countries, D2L provides individuals, organizations, and communities with the tools to protect children from sexual abuse. To date, the D2L network of 7,000 authorized facilitators has trained over 900,000 parents, youth serving professionals, and organization volunteers in D2L’s award-winning Stewards of Children® child sexual abuse prevention program.
What better way to support the community than through listening to local artists, enjoying delicious food and drink and having the opportunity to win prizes.
On Sunday, April 9 from 4-10 p.m., Access of West Michigan is hosting the annual Feedback Concert, held at Founders Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids.
The evening will feature three great local artists who also call Grand Rapids home. The Legal Immigrants, Conrad Shock and The Noise and the Honeytones will light up the stage with their unique sound and high energy.
Founders Brewing Co. offers a venue full of atmosphere and fun.
Access of West Michigan will be there with a 50/50 raffle for prizes to win. A silent auction, featuring cool merchandise from some great area organizations, will also raise support for Access of West Michigan.
Access of West Michigan is a nonprofit organization serving Grand Rapids in developing holistic solutions to poverty by cultivating equitable systems through education and collaboration. Since 1981, Access has been committed to serving those in need and promoting opportunities for access to good food.
Tickets for Feedback 2017 are $5, with all proceeds going to Access.
Come join Access and the community in celebrating and supporting holistic solutions to poverty!
The CVS Health Foundation has awarded Catherine’s Health Center $35,000 to support chronic disease management and prevention for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and asthma, improved care coordination and increased access to care programs.
As the need for access to affordable care and improved health outcomes continue to weigh on the U.S. health care system, the CVS Health Foundation is providing grants, ranging from $20,000 to $35,000 this year.
In all, 33 free and charitable clinics nationwide are receiving more than $1 million in grants from the CVS Health Foundation as part of a multi-year grant program with the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC). Over the past four years, the Foundation has donated nearly $5 million to NAFC to increase access to quality care and support the management of chronic disease.
For more information on how the Free and Charitable Clinics will be utilizing their grants to improve community health, please go here.
About Catherine’s Health Center
Established in 1996, Catherine’s Health Center is a 501(c)(3) safety net medical clinic serving more than 6,000 patients annually. Using a small core of paid staff and many dedicated volunteers, Catherine’s mission is to provide free or low-cost medical services to low-income, uninsured, underinsured and newly insured residents of Kent County. Support for the mission is provided by generous friends who share our belief that access to health care should be provided for all people, businesses, foundations, religious groups and others. Catherine’s Health Center does not discriminate; services are available to the broader community. Learn more at www.catherineshc.org.
About the CVS Health Foundation
The CVS Health Foundation is a private charitable organization created by CVS Health that works to build healthier communities, enabling people of all ages to lead healthy, productive lives. The Foundation provides strategic investments to nonprofit partners throughout the U.S. who help increase community-based access to health care for underserved populations, create innovative approaches to chronic disease management and provide tobacco cessation and youth prevention programming. To learn more about the CVS Health Foundation and its giving, go here.
Health professionals gather in “families” in preparation to experience a “month” in poverty. Photo by Ellie Walburg
By Ellie Walburg, Access of West Michigan
Reading a news article about someone living in poverty is one thing.
Actually experiencing it is another.
Metro Health Hospital Servicesrecently hosted a poverty simulation workshop with Access of West Michigan. The goal of the poverty education program is to create awareness of the realities of poverty and bring inspiration for change in an experiential way.
Participants in the ‘Living on the Edge’ poverty simulation at Metro Health were assigned profiles detailing their name, age, family, income level and other related details. Each “family” then completed four weeks, made up of 15-minute increments, in providing groceries, paying bills, attending doctor’s appointments and other requirements as outlined on their profiles.
Afterwards, participants engaged in small group discussions to debrief and learn from one another’s insights.
Linda Bos is a registered nurse with Metro Health and attended the workshop. She, along with Heather Rayman, were given the roles of a 75- and 72-year-old couple struggling to make ends meet. Bos, playing the role of Anthony Xanthos, and Rayman playing his wife, Zelda, spent each “week” trying to keep up on their mortgage payments, provide $50 for food and make it to expensive doctor appointments.
At one point during the four weeks, they couldn’t buy groceries. Towards the end of the month, they were evicted from their home as they couldn’t provide proof of their mortgage payment.
Mobility was also a major issue for them.
‘We were struck that we were always concerned about traveling places,” Bos said. “We were never together — it split us up. We never did things together.”
Conversations about how they were doing or if they wanted to plan a vacation never arose during their time of balancing their meager budget and keep all their bills afloat “We sure didn’t talk about anything fun,” Bos added.
To accompany the small social assistance check they received for the month, Bos sought out other options.
“I also tried to get a job, but there was age discrimination,” she said. “There were forms to fill out that were difficult.”
Access of West Michigan Staffers share their own story of poverty during group discussions. Photo by Ellie Walburg
Not having an opportunity for additional income made balancing finances even more troublesome.
“There was no way out for us,” Bos said. “Neither one of us could get a job.”
Rayman was reminded, “Don’t forget we have to eat at some point in our life,” as she recalled the struggle of purchasing weekly groceries.
For both Bos and Rayman, living life as an elderly couple with little money was an eye-opening experience.
“Everything was tension-producing rather than pleasurable,” Bos noted.
That tension is something Bos knows first-hand. While currently employed and doing well, she has felt that same stress.
“There was a time when I didn’t have money to buy diapers, when we didn’t have money to pay the mortgage,” she said
Bos and Rayman agreed that this simulation could change the way they work with their patients and others they encounter.
“I think for me, I’ll be much more cognizant of transportation needs,” Bos said. “I’ll think, ‘What can I do to relieve some of those transportation issues.’”
Bos’s work as a nurse involves serving moms and newborns.
“I try to be very intentional with younger moms,” she said. “I’ll ask, ‘Do you need anything else for your child?’ ‘Do you have diapers?’ ‘Do you have formula?’”
She said she anticipates building upon that intention with those she sees.
“I think so often we don’t want to offend people,” she added. “But it’s really just about asking, ‘I want to help, what is it that you need?’” That intention, she said, can come through her following up with her clients through phone calls or other additional conversations.
Staffers Candice and Cindy are ready at their “health clinic” table to help participants. Photo by Ellie Walburg
Rayman added, “I feel like this makes me much more aware of things like transportation, medication, samples, getting them to a care manager or something like that — things I didn’t really think of before.”
As the simulation event drew to a close, attendees were reminded that while they stopped playing a role in a fictitious family, there are so many in the community who must continue with that difficult reality everyday. And now that the participants had experienced the frustration and stress of living in poverty, they, and all, are left with the question Bos wondered, “What might you do differently?”
Nationally recognized artist Ted Meyer believes in the power of art to heal both physical and emotional scars.
Through a collaboration between The Bonnie Wesorick Center for Health Care Transformation at Grand Valley State University and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD), Meyer will visit West Michigan to discuss his journey and share stories of the patients he has chronicled on canvas.
He will present a lecture at Grand Valley in conjunction with an exhibit of his artwork at KCAD. Details of these events, which are free and open to the public, are below.
• “Art and Healing,” a collaborative exhibition between KCAD students and Meyer will run March 21 – April 8 at KCAD’s Helen Miller Kendall Gallery, 17 Fountain St. NW. More information at www.kcad.edu/events/healing-through-art/.
• “Scarred for Life: Healing Through Art,” the Distinguished Wesorick Lectureship, sponsored by the Wesorick Center, is Tuesday, March 28, from 1-2 p.m. at the DeVos Center, Loosemore Auditorium, on the GVSU Pew Grand Rapids Campus. RSVP online at www.gvsu.edu/wesorick/.
• Meyer will give an informal presentation on March 28 from 5-6 p.m. at the Mary Idema Pew Library on GVSU’s Allendale Campus. This event is sponsored by several Grand Valley departments and colleges.
Meyer will discuss his project, “Scarred for Life: Monoprints of Human Scars,” which highlights the courage of people who have been in medical crises or accidents through artwork. Evelyn Clingerman, executive director of the Wesorick Center, said research shows that engaging with art has positive health and spiritual benefits.
“In the Wesorick Center we role-model and teach others how to create places where people can thrive, not simply survive, and how to apply a health care paradigm that is more than fixing a scar or a body part,” Clingerman said. The Wesorick Center is an endowed center promoting interprofessional collaboration through the Kirkhof College of Nursing.
Sarah Joseph, KCAD director of exhibitions, said she is proud to collaborate with the Wesorick Center and Grand Valley for Meyer’s exhibition.
“Ted’s work is a powerful reminder of how integral art is to the human experience,” Joseph said. “We look forward to seeing the community enlivened and inspired by Ted’s work and mission.”
Meyer is the current artist-in-residence at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. His artwork has been displayed internationally at museums, hospitals and galleries. Learn more about Meyer at www.tedmeyer.com.
Hoop Heaven Basketball Academy will be holding introductory events this month and in April. (Supplied)
WKTV Staff
Wyoming’s Hoop Heaven Basketball Academy recently announced several youth basketball programs, including a March 11 trial event of its Travel Ball League Play and the Saturday afternoon Biddy Ball program starting in April.
Hoop Heaven events are held at the Elevation Church, 2141B Porter St. SW. The program’s mission, according to supplied material, is “Pursuing gospel transformation and leadership development in Wyoming area youth through the game of basketball.”
The Travel Ball League Play event on March 11 will start at 1 p.m. and is for both boys and girls grades 3-12. The cost of tryout is $5 per players and you must pre-register. For registration and more information on this event contact Phyllis Harder at 616-498-1128, email her at phyllis@elevationhoopheaven.org or visit their website at elevationhoopheaven.org or visit them on Facebook at /hoopheavenbasketballacademy
The Biddy Ball program will run April 15 through May 13 and is open to both boys and girls K-2nd grade. Both friend (of teams) and entire team requests will be considered. The cost if $55 per child, with partial scholarships available, which includes a t-shirt. For more information contact Eric Vandyke at 616-272-6244, email him at ericvandyke15@gmail.com or visit elevationhoopheaven.com .
The new concept of “precision medicine” and how it’s revolutionizing the delivery of healthcare is the next topic in the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ Intriguing Conversation series. The free program takes place Tuesday, Feb. 21, at its new morning time of 8 – 9 a.m.
Big data analytics, artificial intelligence, pharmacogencomics, and wearable are all under the umbrella of “precision medicine. Dr. Adam Kadlec will dig into these topics and answer questions about how the intersection of technology and medicine is changing how we manage our own health care and interact with our health care providers.
Kadlec is a fellowship-trained Endourologist with expertise in all forms of minimally invasive surgery. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees with highest honors at the University of Wisconsin and completed residency training in Urology and a fellowship in Endourology and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Kadlec practices at the Western Michigan Urological Associates. His model of care is shared decision making, and he’s passionate about building long-term and trusting relationships with his patients as he helps them navigate health-related decisions both big and small.
Mix and mingle, grab a cup of coffee and breakfast nibbles from Uncommon Grounds, and take a peek into the future of technology and medicine.
The Saugatuck Center for the Arts is located at 400 Culver, Saugatuck. More information on this event can be found by visiting sc4a.org or calling 269-857-2399.
It seems to be that the last trend in fitness is the merging of fitness and technology. Pedometers got us started a while back but as the smartphones came into our lives the pedometer had to go high tech as well. With in a few years a plethora of options were on the market. I dip my toe into two different devices and spoke to friends who had other devices. Here’s what our opinions on a few of the options out there.
I turned to Groupon hoping for a good deal on something nice and affordable. Several options laid before from the cheap Fitbit wannabe’s to higher end devices. The Jawbone Up24 caught my eye. A refurbished model that would track steps and sleep as well as various food and drink I consume throughout the day. At $30 it seemed like a nice entry level option.
A week after purchasing it arrived in the mail. Setup was quick and easy. It came with its own USB changing adapter that I can plug into my computer or phone wall charging port. Once charged, I downloaded the free app and connected the wristband to my phone via bluetooth. After that it was time to set some goals, 3 goals to be exact. Move, sleep and weight. While many people are being told that they should get 10,000 steps in a day, I decided not jump on that band wagon and settled for 8,000 steps a day. Sleep however, I thought, 8 hours still sounded good and well a lady never discuss her weight.
As directed, I wore the band on my non dominate wrist and I wore it continually, except in water. The band is not recommended for full submersion into water. Wash your hands and get splashed but do not bath or swim with it. The band is semi flexible so putting it on doesn’t take a lot of effort and took only maybe a day or two to get used to having on my wrist. Along with tracking my steps through the day, it also tracked my sleep, as long as I did not remove the Jawbone from my wrist. This was interesting to me as I’m not 100 percent sure what type of Harry Potter magic is involved, but every morning I got a sleep log review that showed a variety of sleep facts: It took me 29 minutes to fall asleep last night. Of the 6 hours and 56 minutes I was in bed, 3:17 minutes were a sound sleep while the rest was light sleep. After 7 days I can see a trend of what my sleep patterns are like.
Of course the idea for me having this partly was to be moving more. The built in health coach chimes in facts and tidbits and reminds me that I just need 347 more steps to beat my daily average for the last 7 days. The band provides a gentle buzz after I’ve been sedentary for 90 minutes. The battery life was one of the things I liked the most as on average a full charge would last anywhere from 12-14 days. For a device that is on me collecting data nearly 24/7, I think that is outstanding.
Now the particular mode I bought has been discontinued but the link in the article shows you the current Jawbone line up. I was fairly happy with it overall.
FitBit – Fitbit has been around for several years now and continues to be one of the leaders in activity tracking. Two friends of mine wear their Fitbits daily. Courtney who recent upgrade from the Fitbit Flex to the Fitbit Alta is very happy with the features even though it lacks a heart rate monitor. While it is heavier than her old Fitbit Flex, it was easy to adjust to and she found that the step tracking is very accurate. Her Alta will giver her a gentle reminder to move when she’s moved less than 250 steps in a hour. The battery life is about a week and charges over night, just like you. 😉
While Courtney is looking at being overall healthy and losing a tiny, tiny amount of weight, my friend Nathan was hoping that his FitBit Surge would help him gain better movement tracking and sleep. A auto sensing sleep feature comes with most models. The Surge is one of the the top end models from Fitbit that also allow not just heart rate monitoring but also receive notifications from your phone such as phone calls and texts and it plays music.
A weekly summary is mailed to Fitbit owners so they may review their activity and make adjustments as they see fit.
Leaf Nature – One thing that seems to be a trend is that the majority or tracking devices have to be worn on your wrist and they are not that stylish. Enter Bellabeat and its fashion versatile Leaf. This device worn by my friend Amy can easily be worn on your wrist like many others on the market. However if you want to free the wrist you can wear it as a necklace or even make it a nice belt accessory. The companion app gives you many of the same useless data recordings. While it does lack heart monitoring it makes up for that on its battery. No charge needed. Leaf runs on an actual battery. Amy likes her leaf and recommends it highly especially if you’re looking “for something pretty.”
Apple Watch – My watch was a surprise Christmas gift, so I’m still getting used to it. In order to use an apple watch an iPhone is required. Setting the watch was surprisingly simple. Take your iPhone open the watch app and it will use the camera in your phone. Align the watch in the designated area on the phone’s screen and poof the two devices sync up to each other. The watch comes with 2 bands to fit a variety of wrist and are available in multiple styles and colors. Now I highly recommend trying the bands out before buying. My normally thought of small wrist end up more on the medium wrist scale for the watch.
The watch comes with many installed apps including a remote camera app, heart monitor and Activity. Activity is a monitoring system that comes setup with a basic guideline. Your goal is to get all 3 Activities to complete a ring. Your rings complete when the watch tracks 280 calorie Moves, 30 minutes of Exercise and 1 Stand up per hour for a total of 12 hours. I do enjoy the freedom from the phone that the watch provides. I can receive and send text messages, phone calls and email. I can add apps as well like a sleep tracking app, Night sky apps to enhance your night sky viewing options and yes Pokemon Go is also available.
The watch comes with a hand full of faces including the fun Mickie or Minnie Mouse classic face. While it was temping, I choose to make a custom watch face and a quick search on the internet opened my options. Since I have not had the the watch that long I have not really tested out all the features for fitness. I have found some neat insight’s on my heartrate. Appearently Benedict Cumberbatch does not be still my heart, but slightly increases it. Now the one truly downside I find is that battery life is no where near that of my Jawbone. In fact I’m averaging about 18-24 hours per charge. Usually I charge it a few hours before I go to bed so I can wear it to track my sleep.
Now hopefully you have a little more insight into what device might work best for you and your lifestyle. Just maybe a little wrist movement will help you to get moving forward this new year.
Helping senior citizens “age in place” longer and successfully will be the topic of the February Health Forum of West Michigan held at Grand Valley’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
“Aging in Place” is set for Friday, Feb. 3, from 8-9:30 a.m. in the DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton St. A light breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m.
Panelists are Julie Alicki, social work consultant with West Michigan Area Agency on Aging, and Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids; Dr. Iris Boettcher, geriatrics, Spectrum Health Medical Group; Mina Breuker, CEO and president of Holland Home; and Richard Kline, senior deputy director of the State of Michigan Aging and Adult Services Agency. Rebecca Davis, professor of nursing, Kirkhof College of Nursing, will serve as moderator.
The event is free and open to the public; RSVP online at www.gvsu.edu/vphealth. Free parking is available in Grand Valley’s Seward Street lot.
Discussion will focus on area programs and resources that help seniors age in place, and the support that’s needed. Kline will discuss the state’s plan to provide services for this population.
Want to run through the streets of Holland at Tulip Time? There is a run for you. (Supplied)
WKTV Staff
The Tulip Time Festival has announced the opening of online registration and details for the Tulip Time Run on Saturday, May 6, at Kollen Park in Holland. The run — with a 5K, 10K and kids fun run — gives the opportunity to run or walk through Holland’s tulip-lined streets.
All run participants will be issued a race bib, a complimentary gear check tag and a free beverage ticket, redeemable at the after-party at Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant. Registering before April 2 ensures runners a participant shirt and a personalized race bib featuring their name.
The 5K will start at 8 a.m. and the 10K will start at 9 a.m. Both races will start at the corner of 12th Street and Kollen Park Drive and finish on 12th Street in the West-bound lane. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age division (male and female). The kids’ run will start at 9:15am at the playground in Kollen Park.
Registration for the 5K and/or 10K is $30, $35 after Feb. 28 and $40 on race day; registration for the kids’ run is $10 through May 3 and $15 on race day. A discount of $2 off each registration is available for families of three to five people. Registration is available online at tulip tuliptime.com/run
When Metro Health moved to Wyoming about nine years ago, it was tasked with not being just a boutique hospital in a suburban community, but a catalysis to bring quality care to not only its immediate community of Wyoming but the West Michigan region. With Metro Health’s affiliation with the University of Michigan Health System, Metro Health President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Faas believes the hospital has achieved that.
Metro Health President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Faas
“We were faced with trying to clinically integrate and grow while at the same time maintain services and infrastructure that we have,” Faas said during a recent interview about the new affiliation between Metro Health and U-M. “There is having more importance to the community, more market share, more money and new buildings and as these issues kept circling we knew that we needed to get a lot bigger and more significant for some of these things to happen.”
To achieve this, according to Faas, Metro Health started exploring the possibility of a partnership with another institution. Metro Health officials first went to non-profit U-M as the hospital had formed a relationship with U-M providing radiation oncology. However, Metro Health ended up courting a few other possibilities including the for-profit Tennessee-based Community Health Systems. The deal with Community Health Systems did not happen and Metro Health officials began to look at other possibilities.
“We knew one day it could happen,” Faas said of Metro Health’s affiliation with U-M. “We had favored that one the most because we felt it was the best match. Good things came to fruition for all the right reasons.”
In fact the affiliation between U-M and Metro Health is not that unusual especially as hospital officials deal with the many challenges in health care from reform efforts to becoming more clinically integrated. Just recently, Grinnell Regional Medical Center in Toledo announced negotiations with UnityPoint Health Des Moines and University of Iowa Health Care. Several hospitals in the Upper Peninsula have similar partnerships.
While Wyoming City officials have not had any meetings with Metro Health or U-M on the affiliation, City Manager Curtis Holt said he sees it being a great thing for the community, especially since health care is one of the fastest growing industries.
“I have said ever since Metro Health came to Wyoming that it is a great addition to the City of Wyoming,” Holt said. “They do a great job. I think they are beneficial to our community and to our residents which is the most important thing.”
Holt said he is cautious over the dollar value that the new affiliation will bring to the city since it is a non-profit venture and collection from this type of development is limited. The city could benefit from the spin off ventures such as restaurants, stores, commercial businesses and other small industries that develop from the affiliation, he said, adding that he is looking forward to meeting with Metro Health officials in the coming weeks to discuss Metro Health/U-M’s plans for the future.
“I believe that [Metro Health] has been so focused on getting this affiliation in place, and now that it is, they can start to focus on how they are going to make a difference in the community,” Holt said.
Which is exactly correct according to Faas. Now that the affiliation is in place, plans will begin to move forward on various projects which will include the building up of the Metro Health Village. However, the biggest change area residents will see is that for the first time in awhile, there will be a real choice in health care services in West Michigan, Faas said.
“U-M has been providing health care to all the residents of Michigan for more than a century,” Faas said. “Now with this relationship with Metro Health, U-M health care is more accessible, more convenient, and less expensive then everyone driving to Ann Arbor.”
The Kent County Senior Millage (KCSM) was passed in 1998 as a way to help older adults live in their own homes. Now in its 19th year, the millage has grown to offer more than 51 unique services, with three new services starting in January 2017; Handy Helen, Community Food Club, and Dental Services.
The KCSM services are available to Kent County residents age 60 and over and may require individuals to pay part of the cost (based on their income). The three new services below will help meet the diverse needs of a growing senior population.
Community Food Club: Some older adults with low incomes have difficulty affording groceries; especially fresh fruit and vegetables. Others without the means to afford food simply skip meals and go without. The Community Food Club (CFC) is designed to help meet nutritional needs, reduce the use of emergency food resources and make sure people are not going hungry. Individuals pay a small membership fee to participate in the CFC and are then given a set number of points for the month. Members can shop at the CFC and spend their points for whatever grocery items they choose such as milk, eggs, fresh produce, meats and more. The CFC is set up like a regular grocery store and includes a check out where items are added up and the points spent are deducted from their monthly total. Members can come as many times as they would like in a month until their points are gone. For more information including how to become a CFC member, contact Community Food Club of Greater Grand Rapids at 616-288-5550.
Dental Care: Regular dental care can be expensive, causing older adults without coverage to delay or ignore recommended dental hygiene. When not dealt with, dental issues often affect the whole body and can cause additional complications and health issues. Exalta Health (formerly Health Intervention Services) will be providing dental care to eligible older adults. Services offered will include general dentistry such as teeth cleaning, examination, x-rays, fillings and tooth removals, root canal treatment to diminish pain or eliminate infection of the tooth or jawbone and dentures and partials for those needing to replace missing teeth. For more information, including eligibility requirements and appointment scheduling, contact Exalta Health at 616-988-4301.
Handy Helen: Due to traditional gender roles some older women may have relied on their husband to be the handyman around the house; fixing the leaky faucets and keeping up with the home maintenance. But, what happens when their husbands are not able to do these chores due to health or memory issues and the role of wife now also includes caregiver? For some women, the added task of home repairs becomes an additional stress and expense. Handy Helen is a class designed to empower female caregivers (age 60 and over) with the skills they need to tackle minor home maintenance projects. Each interactive series will include instruction in minor plumbing, electrical and seasonal home maintenance. Participants will also learn how to use the more common tools in the toolbox and who to call when you can’t fix it yourself. Classes are offered by Home Repair Services. For more information, including class schedules and registration information, call Home Repair Service at 616-241-2601.
Each year the KCSM holds an open proposal process and proposals are reviewed by the Millage Review Committee, a group consisting of Kent County Commissioners and older adults that live in Kent County. Agencies whose proposals are approved then make a presentation to the committee in the fall. Funding recommendations for KCSM services is determined by the Millage Review Committee and approved by the Kent County Board of Commissioners. This year the committee and the Commissioners approved adding the three new services above to an already robust list of services ranging from in-home care to healthy aging programs. Funding for the services come from taxes paid by Kent County homeowners and is anticipated to be over $10.2 million for 2017.
Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan administers the KCSM, including a full list of KCSM services, visit www.aaawm.org/senior_millage.
Effective today, Nov. 4, Metro Health’s Heart and Vascular Holland office will have a new home.
The new office location, just around the corner from the previous site, signals the success of the practice which opened in February 2014.
The new office is located at 904 S. Washington, Suite 120 in Holland and offer the practice room for future growth of services to meet patient needs.
Dr. Rony Gorges is the lead physician at the Heart and Vascular Holland practice.
Metro Heart & Vascular Holland offers cardiovascular appointments, as well as diagnostic testing for cardiovascular disease, including peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. PAD is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries block the blood flow to arms and legs, causing numbness, leg pain, tissue damage and leading to amputation.
The hospital has developed a nationally recognized specialty in the treatment of PAD and amputation prevention, last year treating scores of patients from around Michigan, across the country and throughout the world. Led by Dr. Jihad Mustapha, Metro Heart & Vascular physicians utilize leading-edge technology to clear blockages and restore circulation in even the most challenging of cases.
Mike Faas
“We are listening to our patients on the Lakeshore,” said Mike Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health. “They want to receive health services near their home. Deciding where to locate services is a patient-driven decision designed to make it easy and convenient to experience care.
“Having Heart and Vascular practices outside the hospital has also been a satisfier for patients. As word spreads about the successes our physicians have had in treating cardiovascular conditions, we have seen increasing demand for our services. Whenever possible, we want patients to have choice in where they are seen.”
Metro Health & Vascular provides a coordinated approach to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, working with patients, coordinating care with their family physician and other specialists and educating family members.
Besides Holland, other satellite offices are located in Allegan, downtown Grand Rapids, Greenville and Sheridan.
The struggle is real: Getting your child to eat just a few bites of his vegetables can be like pulling teeth. Frustrated? Well, here are five ways you can trick your kid into eating vegetables:
Blend them into a smoothie. Add some kale into a strawberry and banana smoothie. Your child will never know the difference.
Sneak them into baked goods. There are many baked treats that you can sneak nutritious veggies in. Check out this recipe for green zucchini muffins!
Take your kids grocery shopping with you. Allow them to pick out their own vegetables. It will get them more excited to try them.
Serve food your child already likes. Try adding peas or other vegetables into macaroni and cheese. This is an easy way to ease your children into vegetables. And who doesn’t like vegetables covered in melted cheese?
When in doubt, turn them into soup. You can make vegetables savory and delicious by adding them to a stew or soup.
There’s much more than just delicious vegetables and beautiful flowers to be gained by gardening — it can also improve your mental and physical well-being.
And although gardening season is just about over, it helps to know that there are three entities in the area that are actively involved in providing food to the community as well as patients and hospital staff.
Founded in 2014 and measuring approximately 1,380-sq.-ft. divided into 11 raised garden beds, the Community Garden is a partnership between United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM),Metro Heath Hospital and the City of Wyoming. Ten of the beds measure 4×8’ and one bed is raised up on legs, positioned near the front gate of the garden allowing mobility impaired gardeners access to fresh, healthy produce.
The Community Garden’s goal is to introduce fresh, organic produce into gardeners’ and their families’ diets. Over 150 lbs of tomatoes, radishes, lettuces, broccoli, collard greens, kale, spinach, carrots and beets are donated to UCOM’s food pantry each year, with much more produced and shared between gardeners, friends and family.
In addition to fighting hunger in the Wyoming community, UCOM helps neighbors build healthy lifestyles beginning with the food they eat. The organization operates one of the largest pantries in the city, Client Choice Food Pantry, located at 1311 Chicago Dr. SW in Wyoming.
People living in the UCOM service area are able to access the pantry once a month and receive a three-day emergency supply of healthful and delicious food. Committed to personal empowerment, UCOM has encouraged people to select their own food for over seven years.
Starting October 1st, 2016, the food pantry is open to those in need on Mondays from 9 am-12 pm, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 am-3 pm, and Thursdays from 2-8 pm. Office hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am-5 pm.
Metro Health Garden works with its culinary team, master gardeners and community volunteers to grow fresh fruits and vegetables to be used in Metro Café’s patient and staff meals. The garden boasts an approximately 4,000-sq.-ft. area of rich, productive soil located east of the Hospital.
After being harvested, the produce is weighed and recorded. This information is used to track yields and productivity, as well as food costs saved by producing food on campus.
“Gardening helps relieve stress and improve mental health,” said Dr. Diana Dillman of Metro Health Jenison. “It is also a great way to get outside and get active. And of course the fresh fruits and vegetables are a healthy, tasty result of all that digging in the dirt.”
All-organic seeds and transplants are used to ensure that the produce is of peak flavor, nutritional value and integrity. A drip irrigation system allows efficient application of water, greatly reducing water waste.
Cooking classes, community presentations, and tours of the garden are open to the public and staff of Metro Health Hospital. Visit the Events Calendar or like us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information. If you are interested in volunteering time in the garden, please contact volunteer services.
The garden also offers educational opportunities for youth and community members. The teaching garden is located behind Metro Health Hospital, in Wyoming. To register for these classes, or any of the other free or low-cost Live Healthy programs, visit Metrohealth.net or call 616.252.7117.
The Metro Health Garden is managed by Metro Health’s Culinary Team and Master Gardeners.
Incorporating green living practices into your daily life may be easier (and more fun) than you think. Here are just a few of Metro Health’s favorite ideas:
Go Vegetarian Once a Week (Meatless Mondays)
One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet. For example: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rain forest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed. Find some meatless recipes featured by our Farm Markets and learn how to make your favorite recipes more heart healthy.
Rethink Bottled Water
Nearly 90% of plastic water bottles are not recycled, instead taking thousands of years to decompose. Buy a reusable container and fill it with tap water, a great choice for the environment, your wallet and possibly your health. The EPA’s standards for tap water are more stringent than the FDA’s standards for bottled water.
Make a Rain Barrel
Do your part to conserve water by taking a Rain Barrel Workshop. Rain barrels are effective in storm water usage and water quality. They can even help lower your water bill during those long, hot summer months.
Buy Local
Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers’ markets, supporting your local economy and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in. Click here to learn about the Metro Health Farm Markets.
Plant a Garden
Planting a garden is a great way to enjoy fresh produce at home! We are proud to supply our Metro Café with fresh produce and herbs from the Metro Health Garden. We also partner with the United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) and the City of Wyoming to provide a Community Garden in a neighborhood where there is great need and limited access to healthy food. Watch for information about our gardens and tips on making your own garden come to life.
Community Clean-Up Day
Metro Health Village is home to a number of walking and biking trails and Frog Hollow Park, making it a great escape for the whole family. So every spring, we host a day to spruce up Metro Health Village, making it ready for another season of family fun. Please join us – this may be the most fun you ever had picking up trash! (High school students can also earn Community Service Hours by participating.) Check Metro Health’s Live Healthy Calendar to learn more.
Metro Health has received approval from the state of Michigan to perform Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, or PCI, services in its cardiac catheterization laboratories at Metro Health Hospital.
Metro announced today that it has received approval from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to perform this life-saving service, restoring blood flow through heart vessels by using catheters with balloons and stents, without on-site Open Heart Surgery (OHS) services. The decision clears the way for Metro Health to expand services for its patients throughout West Michigan.
For more than a decade, Metro Health physicians have been performing the procedure on the most critical patients, those suffering a heart attack when they enter the hospital. Now, Metro Health will be able to offer this service to its patients who enter the hospital with chest pain or other conditions prompting diagnostic procedures which lead to elective, or scheduled non-emergent, PCI.
Previously, Metro Health patients requiring elective PCI had to be transferred to facilities that also offered back-up OHS services. A change in state regulations, prompted by quality data showing that PCI programs without OHS services in other states and Europe have quality indicators as high as those programs with OHS services and acceptance of the practice by the American College of Cardiology, made it possible for MDHHS to approve the Certificate of Need, or CON, request.
“Being able to offer elective PCI to our patients without transferring them to other institutions is a win for patient care and something patients have asked for,” said Paul Kovack, a cardiologist at Metro Heart and Vascular. “This decision will help us keep patients in their medical home and provides choice to patients. Additionally, it will cut down on unnecessary duplicate testing, costly ambulance transfers and delays in care, making care more timely and less costly.”
The MDHHS decision comes after a long effort to update Michigan PCI regulations to mirror those of other states and countries that have long allowed elective PCI without OHS backup.
“The CON process is valuable in holding down costs for Michigan residents, but it can be challenging to update regulations to reflect new medical research,” said Michael Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health. “It is a delicate balancing act to keep up with medical advances and hold down healthcare costs. We are pleased with this patient-driven decision and know that Metro Health patients will benefit from this update and our ability to provide the services they need, when they need them.”
PCI, also known as angioplasty, is a non-surgical procedure that uses a thin flexible tube, or catheter, to access blood vessels in the heart which are narrowed or blocked by plaque buildup, or atherosclerosis, and reopen them. The procedure is performed by an interventional cardiologist who gains access to blood vessels in the heart through the femoral artery in the groin or the radial artery in the wrist. A small balloon is then inflated to push away the plaque, thus opening the blood vessel for blood flow, and a stent can be placed to keep the plaque pushed to the walls of the blood vessel, thus maintaining the blood vessel open for blood flow.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 600,000 deaths each year.
The PCI procedure lasts from 30 minutes to several hours and provides patients with a number of benefits:
On Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., the Kentwood Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 12th opportunity in six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to Kentwood Police Department at 4742 Walma Ave SE, Kentwood. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharp objects, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
For those in the Wyoming area, Metro Health Hospital also will be hosting a Take Back program Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at its lobby, 590 Byron Center Ave. SW. The hospital will be accepting mercury thermometers as well. For those who bring in a thermometer, you will receive a digital one while supplies last. For more information on the Metro Health Take Back, visit metrohealt.net.
Last April, Americans turned in 447 tons (over 893,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 11 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 6.4 million pounds—about 3,200 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information on the about the disposal of prescription and over-the-counter drugs or about the Kentwood Take Back Day event, contact Vicki Highland at 616-656-6571.
Recyclekent.org offers a number of resources on recycling for a variety materials such as medical equipment and supplies such as needles.
Needles: The recyclekent.org website recently added a program called Safe Sharps, where residents can sign up at the Kent County Health Department. For more information, visit recyclekent.org/material/sharps/. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) also has a list places to take needles. Click here for the list.
Medical equipment: Recyclekent.org has a list of places that either recycle or dispose of the equipment or you can donate medical equipment to them. For a complete list, click here. One place that does take medical equipment is Spring Lake’s International Aid. For more about that organization, visit internationalaid.org.
Eye glasses: The Grand Rapids Lions Club has several locations where you can drop off old eyeglasses. For a complete list, click here.
Cold feet. Cramping in the legs. Legs falling asleep. These are all signs of peripheral artery disease or PAD.
This Saturday, Oct. 1, Metro Health Hospital will be hosting free screenings for PAD. The screenings are painless, usually involving taking a person’s blood pressure in the arms and ankles, with the screenings taking about 30 minutes. Screenings are available from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. Space is limited and registration is required. To register call, 616-242-4880 or visit metrohealth.net/pad.
“Peripheral artery disease is where there is blockage and plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the legs,” said Dr. Fadi Saab, who specializes in cardiovascular disease at Metro Health, during a recent interview. Saab said the same can happen in the arteries to the heart or brain with people having PAD being a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
People who have PAD usually have other health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol, Saab said. Those at-risk include those over 50 with diabetes, those who are obese or those who have a family history of heart disease. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, other circulatory problems and a family history of PAD also put patients at advanced risk. Those who are African-American and Native-American also are at a higher risk.
The free PAD screenings can help high-risk patients learn about the disease early enough so they can make lifestyle changes to help their circulatory system. The goal is to detect issues early enough in patients to reduce the risk of amputation.
Anyone experiencing leg cramping or pain with walking or leg pain at rest should get screened. Slow-healing wounds or sores on legs or feet also call for a screening.
Results will be provided to the participant to take back to their physician for further review. For more information, visit the Metro Health website.
Metro Health Hospital has been recognized for its exceptional care and treatment of patients with four awards from The Women’s Choice Awards.
The recognition includes the following honors:
One of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience as judged by scores derived by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, or HCAHPS, database on questions of patient’s willingness to recommend, doctor and nurse communications, staff help, pain management, cleanliness and explanation of medications.
One of America’s Best Hospitals for Emergency Care as judged by Emergency Department, or ED, performance measures reported by CMS for average time before outpatients with chest pain or possible heart attack receive an ECG, average time spent in the ED before being admitted, average time in the ED before being seen by a healthcare professional, percentage of patients who came to the ED with stroke symptoms who received brain scan results within 45 minutes of arrival and more.
One of America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics as judged by data reported in HCAHPS surveys and additional consideration for ranking above the national average for patient safety, low rates of early elective deliveries and more.
One of America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics as judged by services offered, results from HCAHPS surveys for patient recommendations and post-operative recovery instructions and rates of surgical complications and infections.
Women’s Choice Awards are unique in that they focus on evidence-based measures of issues that matter most to women. Scores are generated using data hospitals participating with CMS report through their HCAHPS surveys.
“Women are the Chief Medical Officer for the household, making upwards of 90 percent of all healthcare decisions. Considering she bears the responsibility of making these incredibly important decisions, the Women’s Choice Award offers a trusted solution by identifying the hospitals that have proven superior patient experience. Finally, a source that shares her values and priorities is available,” said Delia Passi, CEO and founder of the Women’s Choice Award.
The list of award winners, including Metro Health Hospital, represents hospitals that create an extraordinary patient experience for women and their families by providing exceptional care.
“We are pleased to be rated among the nation’s top performing hospitals in these four important categories,” said Mike Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health. “We want to create an environment where every member of the family is welcome and can receive the highest quality care and experience. Knowing that family decision makers recognize our efforts helps us know we are meeting the needs of our community.”
Metro Health Hospital has appointed Tom Heetderks as vice president of human resources, Thomas Mulder as vice president of practice administration for the Metro Health Medical Group, Penny DeVries as director of marketing and Laura Smith as director of its cancer center.
Heetderks brings more than 20 years of human resources leadership to his new role, which includes implementing strategic human resource initiatives and leading the day-to-day operations of the human resources team. He will lead the organization’s focus on employee relations, recruitment and retention, management and staff development, HR technology and innovation, and compensation and benefit programs.
Before joining Metro, Heetderks served as the vice president of human resources at ResCare in Louisville, Ky. Earlier, he was vice president, strategic accounts with Kenexa/IBM, where he was the lead human capital consultant on strategic HR/talent initiatives with several Fortune 100 companies. Also, Heetderks was a human resources executive with PepsiCo/Yum! Brands for 15 years.
Thomas Mulder
Heetderks holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Calvin College. He has been published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Advances in Industrial and Labor Relations and the Journal of Labor Research, in addition to co-authoring a book on compensation structures.
Mulder is also a healthcare veteran bringing more than 15 years of experience to his role. As vice president and practice administrator of the Metro Health Medical Group, Mulder is responsible for maintaining relationships with physicians, the hospital and ancillary providers. He is also responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Metro Health Medical Group, including quality improvement activities.
Most recently, Mulder served as the director of operations for the Emory Clinic in Atlanta, Ga. There he was the regional administrator and focused on business development, practice evaluation and acquisition, physician recruitment and organizational alignment with physicians, ancillary services, acute care and community stakeholders. Also, Mulder has held leadership positions with St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare and Humboldt Medical Specialists in Calif. and Centura Health in Denver, Colo.
He holds a Master of Business Administration in health administration from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and Spanish from Calvin College in Grand Rapids.
“We are very pleased to welcome both Tom Heetderks and Thomas Mulder home to their West Michigan roots,” said Mike Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health. “Their expertise and experience will be a great asset as we work to position Metro Health for an exciting and successful future.”
DeVries joins Metro Health as director of marketing after having owned and operated her own marketing agency and consulting firm for more than 20 years. With a client list that included a variety of Fortune 500 clients, DeVries is known for bringing both creative and business thinking to problem solving and strategy development.
In the marketing director role, DeVries will be responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring ongoing strategic marketing plans for key service lines and organizational initiatives. She will also be responsible for website development and physician marketing.
DeVries studied marketing, merchandising, film and video at Grand Valley State University and Ferris State University. She is a native of Wyoming and resides in West Olive with her daughter.
Smith will serve as the new director at the Cancer Center at Metro Health Village. In this role, she will manage the clinical and financial operations of the cancer center. She will also serve as a liaison between physicians, staff and Board of Managers of the West Michigan Radiation Oncology, LLC, a joint venture between Metro Health and University of Michigan Health System Division of Radiation Oncology.
Smith brings nearly 10 years of healthcare operations leadership and consulting experience with her. Most recently she managed two outpatient cancer centers that saw more than 100,000 patients per year at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Ill.
Smith holds a Master of Technology from Eastern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Science from Ferris State University. She is originally from southern Michigan and resides in Grand Rapids.
“I am excited to welcome these dynamic professionals to the Metro Health team and to our community,” said Faas. “This is an exciting time to be part of Metro Health, and I am sure they will help lead us forward.”
Are you 60 or older? Need a ride to a medical appointment or other local destination?
The Rapid’s Go!Bus TicketProgram offers a door-to-door transportation service for seniors age 65+ and persons with disabilities who cannot ride a fixed-route bus.
GO!Bus is a shared ride, advanced reservation, ADA paratransit service. GO!Bus riders share trips traveling in the same direction at the same time. Trips are scheduled without regard to the purpose of the trip. The Rapid also provides GO!Bus service to non-disabled seniors (NDS) aged 65 and older.
Non-disabled senior citizens must present proof of age (i.e., copy of driver’s license, birth certificate, etc.) with their completed application. To use the service due to disability, you must complete an ADA application AND ‘Professional Verification of Functional Disability’ form.
Once you’re approved, the GO!Bus provides service in the same area and at the same days and times as The Rapid fixed-route buses. Go!Bus is also available to companions of qualified riders, personal care attendants (PCAs) and service animals. To ensure there is a seat available for companions, be sure to notify GO!Bus that you will have someone accompanying you when you make your reservation. Read the Go!Bus rider’s guide here.
Reduced-price tickets for the Inter-urban Transit Partnership (ITP) Go!Bus service are available to Kent County residents who are approved Go!Bus riders, thanks to funding by the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan. If you are 60 or older, live in Kent County and are an approved Go!Bus rider, you may apply to purchase the discounted tickets at the Wyoming Senior Center. Please call the Wyoming Senior Center at 616.530.3190 or email mywsc@wyomingmi.gov. More info about Go!Bus here.
Amongst all the medical facilities and providers in the greater Grand Rapids area, Metro Health Corporation can now be considered one of the ‘Leaders and Best’ after recently announcing their intent to join the University of Michigan Health System.
Both organizations signed a letter of intent to bring Metro Health’s hospital and network of doctors, nurses and other providers together with U-M (health system), expanding this academic medical center’s care in western Michigan.
“The U-M Health System is a top-ranked academic medical center with a world-class medical school, extraordinary hospitals and clinics, and groundbreaking research facilities focused on moving cutting edge discovery to patients’ bedsides in order to improve lives,” said Marschall Runge, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president of medical affairs and Dean of the U-M Medical School. “We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Metro Health’s expert physicians and health care professionals in stepped up ways.”
While Metro Health already partners with U-M for clinical services like radiation oncology, this affiliation agreement gives U-M its first hospital near Grand Rapids.
Michael Faas, President of Metro Health, added that joining with the U-M clinical enterprise will bring additional options for complex care to Metro Health patients and to the greater Grand Rapids community.
“It is no secret that U-M has some of the best providers in the state and country,” said Faas. “By joining the ‘leaders and best’ we can build on our existing expertise and provide our patients and community with enhanced access to specialized health care services, scientific discovery and advanced technology.”
The letter of intent signed by both organizations is not a sale and no layoffs are expected at either health system. Also not expected, a U-M satellite medical campus like Michigan State University has with Spectrum Health.
“There are currently no plans for a medical school to come as a result of the partnership,” said Metro Health spokeswoman Ellen Bristol.
A $115,000 grant may have given the Kentwood Fire Department an edge in saving a life.
The LUCAS Chest Compression System
The Kentwood Fire Department recently received a big hand with the help of LUCAS.
The 2014 FEMA Assistance to Firefighter grant – which totaled $114,949 – was used to purchase four LUCAS chest compression devices. These devices are designed to allow CPR to be done without human help, outside the first initial 15 – 20 seconds it take to set up the device
“The LUCAS devices will be a great asset to the Kentwood Fire Department and the community,” said Kentwood Fire Department Deputy Chief Greg Ginebaugh. “Having the LUCAS CPR device allows more time for airways to be made on the patient, as well as starting IV’s and completing all other needs on the patient.”
The idea for the CPR assisted mechanical device derived back in 1991 by Norwegian paramedic Willy Vistung. Years later, the first LUCAS was created and has since progressed throughout the years.
The LUCAS device is used during pre-hospital treatments, in-hospital treatments, and even percutaneous coronary intervention (also known as a PCI, a non-surgical procedure used to open narrow or blocked coronary arteries). LUCAS is equipped with 10 accessories that allow it to work to its full function.
It takes a maximum of 20 seconds to set up and adjust LUCAS correctly on a patient. LUCAS is intended to save time for first responders to help in other areas the patient may need, or lack assistance, during manual CPR.
Manual (human to human) CPR requires first responders to rotate performing CPR on the patient every two minutes. Since CPR can sometimes last up to 30 minutes, the availability of a LUCAS can save precious time for help in other areas.
As of right now the Kentwood Fire Department has four LUCAS devices. There are three fire stations with four primary vehicles and one LUCAS device is placed in each vehicle. There are currently no future plans to receive additional LUCAS devices.
Nothing can be more confusing then the nutrition labels on the cereal box. Is it really healthy or not.
In celebration of the fact that March is Nutrition Month, we gathered a few tips on how to read those nutrition labels from our friends at MetroHealth and the hospital’s Healthy Living Blog.
Understanding what’s in your food can help you maintain a healthy, balanced diet. All of the information on nutrition labels can be overwhelming, so here are five things to look for.
Serving size and servings per container. These are the first things listed on the label. Be aware of how many servings are in a package because an item that seems like a single serving could actually contain two or three, causing you to consume double or triple the amount of calories listed.
Percent Daily Value. This is the percent listed on the right side of the label. Everyone should eat a certain amount of each nutrient daily to stay healthy. This number tells you the fraction of the daily amount that is in one serving. A serving with 5 percent or less is considered low, and 20 percent or more is considered high. You will also notice a footnote at the bottom of the label that states “daily values are based off a 2,000 or 2,500 calorie diet”, so depending on how many calories you consume daily you may need to adjust these amounts.
Total, saturated, and trans fat. Try to limit the amount of saturated and trans fat in your diet because it can increase your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. The average individual should eat less than 20 grams of saturated fat per day and zero grams of trans fat. Be aware that companies are allowed to list the amount of trans fat as zero grams if it contains less than half a gram per serving. Check the ingredients list for items that contain trans fat, like partially hydrogenated oils.
Cholesterol. The average person should eat less than 300 milligrams per day.
Fiber and Nutrients. Nutrients like fiber, Vitamin A and C, Calcium, and Iron can improve your health, but most people do not consume enough of them daily. Try to eat foods with high amounts of these nutrients to maintain a balanced diet.
If you have any questions or concerns about the amount of nutrients you are eating daily, contact your primary care physician to talk through your diet and daily nutrition goals.
Youth Librarian and workshop presenter Kristen “Kris” Siegel demonstrated how to cook easy, delectable vegan comfort foods this past weekend, proving that opting for vegan does not equate a sacrifice for the palate. The spread included demos and taste samples for brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert, using a multiple-table spread spanning half the width of the Wyoming KDL community room.
“I’m a vegan for animal rights, environmental and health reasons,” said Kris, who has been vegan since 2009. She admitted to the audience that switching to vegan wasn’t easy, initially. It took practice, preparation, trials and errors and a great deal of help from her ever-growing collection of vegan cookbooks. She’s found a routine, formed her own adaptations, and she’s willing to share her tips for cooking vegan with all who seek the knowledge.
Being a taste-tester myself of each of the samples, I’d say it is absolutely time for Kris to write her own cookbook. Who knew the secret ingredient in Tofu Scramble was the sulfury-smelling black salt? Or that pulverized cashews could replace cheese for a creamy, comfort-food pasta? Or that nutritional yeast can be substituted for cheese in thousands of recipes, including Vegan Basil Pasta?
Vegan Pesto
But wait, did I mention there was dessert? A 95-calorie serving of Genius Chocolate-Chip Blondies, created with the unlikely combo of a 15-ounce can of white beans and peanut butter, among other ingredients.
After successfully entrancing us with the kind of spell only expertly prepared comfort food can induce, Kris sent us on our way with an impressive list of her favorite Vegan resources in Grand Rapids (email Kris Siegel at ksiegel@kdl.org for a copy), a brochure highlighting her favorite vegan cookbooks (circulated by KDL!) and eight pages of vegan honorable mention comfort food recipes. The recipes included her own addendums with tips on substitutions and meal leftover uses.
While the Wyoming KDL Vegan Cooking Demo left vegans, omnivores and multi-faceted dabbler like me, dazzled and impressed, Kris finds a comfort of her own in her vegan venture. “It makes me feel like I’m in alignment with my beliefs,” she said.
The workshop was not only impressive and educational, but also incredibly genuine.
Next up for Wyoming KDL: Parent and Child Yoga. Visit the KDL Events Website for more info on upcoming events.
Carrie Bistline is a freelance writer, blogger and marketer with an MFA in Creative Writing. She divides her free time amongst family, work, sports and Jane Austen, and uses what’s left to chip away at her every-growing bucket list.
Joy Tatum said she decided Leap Day is a great day for her daughter’s birthday. “It makes it more special,” she said. “She is unique. So, I’m happy.” (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma and Victoria Mullen
The chances of being born on Feb. 29 are about 1 in 1,461. So for brand-spanking-new Grand Rapids-area babies, Skylar Tyler, Luke VanWoerkom, and Riley Ann Schiefla, the odds were in their favor this year.
Just for the record, there are about 187,000 people who were born on what many call Leap Day, Feb. 29, which occurs only once every four years. Although according to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who took to Twitter to debunk Leap Day naming, the day is not about leaping anywhere. “The calendar is simply, and abruptly, catching up with Earth’s orbit,” according to Tyson’s tweet.
We’re fans of Neil’s just like the next guy, but geeze, what a wet blanket.
Actually it takes the earth 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds to go around the sun. In order to even out the calendar, a day was added every four years. Otherwise our calendar would be off by about 25 years every 100.
The VanWoerkoms said they plan to let Luke choose the day he celebrates his birthday. They might even celebrate two days – from Feb. 28 to March 1- in years when his birthdate is not on the calendar. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
On the plus side, Leap Day babies have an awful lot of freedom with their birthday. Some may choose to strictly adhere to Feb. 29, while others elect to melt in with the crowd with Feb. 28 or March 1. Tatum said her family plans to celebrate Skylar’s birthday on March 1. We’ll have to ask Skylar how she feels about that when she’s old enough to have an opinion. By then, she’ll be either 8 or 2. Or maybe 4 or 1, depending on how precocious she turns out to be.
Aside from these fun facts, what can leaplings look forward to throughout their special lives? Here are but a few of the emotional and psychological benefits:
Leaplings may be buffered from the emotional pressure of aging one year at a time. Instead, they’re reminded only every four years. (But we must take into account petty annoyances, which we address below.)
Some may choose to take advantage of this quirk in time and celebrate their birthdays on both February 28 and March 1 in off-leap years. More cake and ice cream. And maybe more presents, too.
Others make the most of a fabulous thing and pull out all the stops, throwing an amazing party every four years on their real birthdays. One leapling’s parents rented a pony for her when she turned 4 on her first real birthday. And for her 16th birthday, her parents sent a limo to pick her up from school.
Having a Feb. 29 birthday is a great conversation-starter at parties, on first dates, while waiting in line, etc.
Holly Mercer and her husband laughed about the chance they would have a Leap Day baby. “I said, ‘Oh, that will never happen,'” she recalled. “I always go late.” (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
On the minus side, there are way too many documented cases of tasteless jokes by well-meaning friends, such as gifts of coloring books and crayons on a leapling’s “real” birthday; being told they look old for their age (e.g., 24, or 6). Etc. In our opinion, these stunts are merely displays of ill-concealed envy.
But life isn’t easy for any of us, and this shouldn’t scare any baby away from being born on Leap Day.
Thankfully, our three little leaplings won’t have to worry about any of these things for a few years. For now, let’s just welcome these little cutie pies into the world and wish them all the best. Being a leapling can be enormous fun, and that’s what we hope for Skylar, Luke and Riley Ann.
No, Virginia. There is no St. Baldrick. Nope, no such saint. But there is a St. Baldrick’s Foundation. And every year, people around the U.S. and in some countries shave their heads to raise awareness and money to fund childhood cancer research.
St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. Its name is a combination of “St. Patrick’s Day” and the word, “bald.” People who shave their heads are known as “Shavees.”
Things sure have changed since the event’s inception on March 17, 2000, at Jim Brady’s Bar and Restaurant in New York City. What began as a challenge between three friends has morphed into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraiser to benefit childhood cancer research.
Childhood cancer affects thousands of kids and families around the world each year. It’s the #1 disease killer of children in the U.S. The statistics are sobering: Worldwide, a child is diagnosed every three minutes. (Worldwide, 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.) And in the U.S., more children die of childhood cancer than any other disease—more than AIDS, asthma, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and diabetes combined.
Approximately 1 in 285 kids in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before they turn 20. What’s particularly tragic is that at the average age of 6, kids will lose 71 years of life to cancer. They won’t grow up, marry or have children of their own.
“I can’t wait for the event!” said Patrick Schrager, who is organizing the March 6 event. This will be his eighth year as a Shavee and his third year running an event. His fundraising goal is $15,000. If you’re interested in making a donation on Schrager’s head, go to St. Baldrick’s website or call 888.899.BALD.
Now you won’t be blindsided when you happen across a bunch of bald folks Sunday, March 6, at 84th Street Pub &Grille (8282 Pfeiffer Farms Dr SW, Byron Center). Au contraire. You’ll know that they stand in solidarity with kids being treated for cancer.
With spring just around the corner, a time when many people take advantage of the warmer weather and head outdoors, the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the first ever Wyoming Community Health & Wellness Expo Saturday, March 5.
“Spring is a great time to focus on health and wellness,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “This event was created to inspire the community to prioritize their well-being, and connect them to local resources.
The free event will run from 1 – 3 pm. at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. About 20 different businesses, clubs and organizations from the Wyoming area will host tables and hand out samples, coupons, and other goodies. Fitness demonstrations, nutritious snacks, speakers, and health screenings will be some of the activities.
The Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department will be offering a sampling of its fitness programs such as yoga, Zumba and line dancing, said Valarie Mester, a recreation programmer for the department.
“We offer a number of programs through our offerings at the senior center and through our youth and family programs,” Mester said, adding this is a chance for people to try these programs and see what they are like.
Also on hand will be Shape for Life Studios, 1290 36th St. SW. Through its partnership with the recreation department, Shape for Life Studios offers spin classes and personal training. Mester said the studio representatives will be bringing in spin bikes for participants to try. Another recreation department partner is Metro Health, which will be providing health information.
Several other city departments will be at the expo such as the city’s water department, which will be covering the topic of clean water, and both the fire and police departments will be on hand to talk about related health and safety issues.
“It’s really about getting people more active, thinking about the food that they are eating and making sure they are visiting their physicians for regular check ups and screenings,” Mester said.
While a brand new event, Mester said organizers are expecting between 200 to 400 participants this year which is based on the number of current participants in the Parks and Recreation Department’s programs.
“The event is free and open to anyone, both residents and non-residents,” Mester said.
For more about the Wyoming Community Health and Wellness Expo or other programs offered by the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or call 616-530-3164.
Trees are not only beautiful, but they add many other benefits to a community
By: Mike DeWitt
What started as a routine tree removal ended up igniting an inner-passion in Wyoming resident, and former city commissioner, Greg Bryan.
“If the city was smart, they would’ve replaced my tree and this group never would’ve been created,” exclaimed Greg with a tinge of humor in his voice before getting serious once again. “When the city came in and chopped down my trees, I said to myself, ’this has to stop!’ So, I called [city council member] Kent Vanderwood and told him we have to do something.”
That ‘something’ has morphed itself into a group called the ‘Tree Amigos,’ a Wyoming, Michigan citizens committee supporting a vibrant tree canopy. The group started as a Neighborhood Watch campaign to raise awareness of the Gypsy moth blight in the Oriole Park neighborhood.
Now the group has a new focus: to establish a new commission centered on planting trees in the City of Wyoming. Ultimately, the goal is to have Wyoming become the 120th city in Michigan, and part of 3,400 communities nationwide, to become a part of Tree City USA. In order to achieve status as a member of Tree City USA, a community must meet four core standards of sound forestry management: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and celebrating Arbor Day.
Wyoming’s former tree planting program
A tree planting program is nothing new for Wyoming. In fact, a program existed back in the 70’s to plant and install trees under contract by the township. However, the program ran out of money due to budget cuts and the city hasn’t planted trees since.
“There’s so much beauty and serenity in trees and the wildlife that comes with them. There are also huge health benefits as well,” explained Tree Amigos member Stelle Slootmaker on her decision to help lead the group.
Those benefits? Well, trees are extraordinarily energy-efficient. Amazingly, 100 trees remove 26 tons of CO2 and 300 pounds of pollutants from the air. They provide the net cooling effect of 1,000 air conditioners! The same number of trees can also intercept more than 200,000 gallons of rainwater each year, reducing the need for storm water controls, and providing cleaner water.
On top of reducing costs for the city over time, trees can also add market value to residential real estate. One large tree can add 10 percent.
While trees are helpful from a numbers perspective, they also benefit in ways that are more difficult to measure. Trees build strong ties to neighborhoods and communities. They help promote better psychological well-being and make people happier. More trees are linked to faster hospital recoveries, increased employee productivity, less crime, and reduction in stress and anxiety.
According to one survey, having on average 10 more trees in a city block improved how someone rated their health by a level comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $10,000, moving to a neighborhood with a $10,000 median income, or being seven years younger.
With all the benefits of trees, it seems like a no-brainer for the city to implement a tree planting plan. However, whenever there’s work to be done, there needs to be someone willing to take up the new workload. It’s always easier said than done.
That’s where the Tree Amigos come in. The group has already put in the time and effort to research the steps to make Wyoming a part of Tree City USA. They have also taken the time to present the idea of forming a new commission to the City Council. Most importantly, the Tree Amigos aren’t simply dropping the workload for someone else to pick up. They’re looking to be on the front line as volunteers wherever this effort takes them.
Stelle Slootmaker and Bill Brown addressing the Wyoming City Council
“It’s important to Greg. He represents a neighborhood that needs help with trees,” said Wyoming City Council Member Kent Vanderwood. “It’s the right response for us to get behind as a city. Whatever I can do to help, I’m going to do.”
Two members of the Tree Amigos, Stelle and Arborist Bill Brown, gave a formal presentation at the City Council meeting on February 8. They are meeting with the Council again this Wednesday, February 24, to talk about the next step.
Bill is hoping everyone is on the same page going forward, “I grew up in Wyoming. This is what I do everyday. I understand the importance of trees. It’s something Wyoming needs now.”
Praised as “an excellent documentary… about basic human value” by The New York Times, Angela Peavey’s heartrending documentary, Our Beautiful Secret, follows the remarkable story of her brother Jonathan who has Cerebral Palsy and how he overcomes his medical and social issues through road racing, family, and his faith in God. You can view the docudrama on WKTV Saturday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. More information can be found at www.ourbeautifulsecretmovie.com or on the films Facebook page.
Our Beautiful Secret has received international exposure with red carpet premieres in India, Canada, Taiwan, Europe, South Africa, and the United States. The film also beat box office numbers in its one-week run at Celebration Cinema theaters in West Michigan. Beating out major Hollywood movies such as Despicable Me 2, World War Z, and Grown Ups 2 (note: local numbers, not national).Our Beautiful Secret was also featured on Real Sports with ByrantGumble on HBO and seen nationally on PBS. In the last year the film has gone viral in Japan and South Africa. “We’ve gone so viral we’re now providing resources to organizations in Japan and South Africa on topics that are in the film,” Peavey said. “It’s humbling to know how this film has been seen all over the globe, but what really pleases me is the lives that this film has changed through telling Jonathan’s story.”
“People have told me to separate myself from being Jonathan’s sister while directing and producing this film. I don’t agree. Who else could be the best advocate for people living with disabilities than someone who lived right along side a family member struggling with it?” Peavey said. “I was there when my family got turned away from restaurants because of Jonathan’s disability. I was there when Jonathan was mocked and bullied. I was there when doctors told my family Jonathan’s value of life isn’t worth the procedures we wanted for him. I understand and that voice will not be silenced.”
The film stars cast members Scott Goudie (Transformers 2,3, & 4, Real Steel, Machine Gun Preacher, Detroit 1-8-7), Carrie Foster (A Dog for Christmas), Sophie Bolen (A Christmas Bunny, Mary’s Buttons, A Dog for Christmas, Rodeo Girl), Paul Tierney (Thirty Minutes or Less, A Dog for Christmas), Elonzo Peavey (Ralph & Me, The Redeeming Duck), and Elizabeth Foster (A Dog for Christmas, Mary and the Fox). “This is a story that the Peavey family has lived through,” said actor Scott Goudie. “The story is real, the characters are real, the emotion is real, and those tears on your Kleenex – they’re real.”
Our Beautiful Secret was filmed and produced in its entirety throughout West Michigan with production assistance from WKTV.
By Metro Health-University of Michigan Health
