Glendale Adventist Medical | Healthline Quarterly | Winter 2016

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ONE TO 2 MILLION AMERICANS age 65 and older report having
been abused by a loved one or someone they depend on for care. Thou-
sands of families are torn apart every day due to an abusive caretaker
alienating or isolating a spouse, sibling or parent from their loved ones.
Corresponding with the case of the children of famed radio host and
DJ Casey Kasem, a “Senior Scam Stopper” lecture was held at Glendale
Adventist Medical Center’s Main Auditorium addressing the issues of
hospital visitation rights for seniors, as well as fraud, financial abuse
and identity theft.
EDUCATING SENIORS The lecture was hosted by assemblyman Mike
Gatto, the Contractors State License Board and the Live Well Senior
Program at GAMC. The keynote speaker was Kerri Kasem, daughter of
the late Casey Kasem, who, alongside her siblings, faced barriers to ac-
cess when trying to visit their father in the hospital. During the lecture,
Kerri urged seniors in the audience to document their wishes carefully
in order to prevent disputes.
“It is important that seniors protect themselves and their estates,” says
Denise Miller, director of the Live Well Senior Program at GAMC. The
Live Well Senior Program is dedicated to serving those age 55 and older
by providing easy access to health care information, resources
and wellness and prevention programs. For information about
future seminars through the Live Well Senior Program, please
call (818) 409-8091.
SCAM STOPPERS
GAMC LiveWell
Senior Programhelps
protect our seniors
Let’s root for winter’s fresh bounty
Many of us buy the same fruits
and vegetables every time we
go to the grocery store—regard-
less of the season.
According to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, fresh, in-season produce is of-
ten less expensive and more flavorful than
out-of-season options. Also, eating a variety
of fruits and veggies can help you get the
range of nutrients your body needs.
So what produce is at its peak in win-
ter? Some root vegetables and long-storing
produce shine during the darkest months.
Try these options:
Parsnips, turnips and rutabagas.
These root vegetables are high in nu-
trients, including potassium, which can
help control blood pressure. They can be
slow-baked to bring out their sweetness or
chopped into a soup, stew or stir-fry.
Sweet potatoes. Prepare these sweet
orange veggies (high in vitamins A and C
and potassium) the same way you might
cook a regular potato—sliced into fries and
baked or mashed. Tip: Try the mashed vari-
ety with a little brown sugar and nutmeg.
Winter squash. Higher in vitamins
than summer squash, winter squash comes
in many varieties, including acorn, butter-
nut and Hubbard. It can be roasted, added
to soups, baked in puddings or pies, or
cooked and mashed with spices like cin-
namon, ginger, allspice, coriander, fennel or
rosemary.
standards and requirements in health care.
A CSC certified by DNV GL encompasses
the full spectrum of stroke care—from the
initial and rapid diagnosis to advanced and
state-of-the art treatment to a comprehensive
rehabilitation program and communitywide
stroke education—while establishing clear
metrics to evaluate outcomes.
“In treating Peter, we used all our re-
sources, including partnerships with phy-
sicians of various specialties, a consulting
neurologist and the entire stroke team to rap-
idly assess his condition, establish a diagnosis
and direct the proper treatment,” explains
Lance Lee, MD, stroke neurologist and medi-
cal director of the Neuroscience Institute and
Peter’s treating physician at GAMC.
This ability to rapidly diagnose and pro-
vide treatment is particularly important
for patients like Peter who have to receive
an emergency dosage of the clot-busting
medication tissue plasminogen activator
(tPA), which reduces the risk of disability
or death when given at the onset of stroke.
SERVICE FROM THE HEART “Peter was
so impressed by the neurologist and team,”
Shirley says. “The physicians communi-
cated clearly with Peter, and it was truly a
collaborative process to expedite my hus-
band’s care.”
Within just a few minutes of administer-
ing the medication, Peter started to regain
feeling in his arms and legs and felt alert.
He was then transferred to the intensive
care unit for continued monitoring. “The
whole process was fast and efficient,” Peter
says. “During my recovery, I was visited
daily by Dr. Lee and a physical therapist
to help me walk. Everyone at GAMC made
sure I had complete care from beginning
to end. We were amazed to have been vis-
ited by an occupational therapist, a speech
therapist and a physical therapist shortly
after my admission.”
According to the staff and doctors in-
volved, Peter would have been permanently
paralyzed on his left side if he had not re-
ceived the tPA in time. “For every minute
that treatment is delayed, the chances of
long-term disability increase,” Dr. Lee says.
“Therefore, rapid treatment is a critical fac-
tor in the outcomes of patients with acute
stroke who are treated with tPA.”
“The doctors and staff at GAMC were
serving us from the heart,” Peter and
Shirley say. “We truly thank God for this
miracle and we are grateful for the team
at GAMC.”
LIFESAVING
STROKE CARE
—Continued from front page
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