| Leadership Letter
❤️ Happy Healthy February! ❤️
February is the month of love, and we want you to feel the love we have for our community! Our volunteers have been very busy working to improve our services by increasing the number of volunteers. In January we trained eight new volunteers, and we are currently placing them where they are needed in our organization. Max Wolf and her team always do a thorough job of presenting the organization. Training is very important and requires three full days to get an overall picture of BHH functions.
We also offered three Being Prepared classes led by Sandra Cripe, Kelly Honyak, and Dave Nichols. We were excited to have so much demand for this information that we offered three classes in January to accommodate everyone who wanted to attend. It is so wonderful to see the community active again and supporting BHH. Please remember to donate at the Tuesday Market or by direct bank transfer.
❤️ Share your love for our community and become a volunteer. ❤️
Best Wishes,
Kat McKay
Vice President, Operations | | |
CPR Training is Back at BHH
The BHH CPR team is planning its first training/re-training to be held on Wednesday, April 12. This free class will be held at the Animales Event Center in Alto Boquete and will start at 11am following our April general meeting. It will last about an hour. A group comprised of a retired paramedic, EMTs, and registered nurses will teach the course and cover hands-on CPR chest compressions (no mouth-to-mouth) and the Heimlich maneuver for airway obstruction. This is a non-certified course. The class size is limited to 16, so please register by emailing your name, email address, and WhatsApp number to CPR@boquetehealth.org. | | | Welcome Nina Haldeman, New Volunteer Coordinator! BHH extends a warm welcome to our new Volunteer Coordinator, Nina Haldeman. Nina and her husband Bill moved to Boquete from Quakertown, Pennsylvania, about four years ago. In the US, Nina owned a small business and Bill worked for an engineering firm.
"We both knew that we wanted to get involved in some volunteer work in retirement," says Nina. "I knew that I wanted to get involved with Boquete Health and Hospice. But shortly after we got here, the pandemic hit. I really like to interact with people, and that part of it wasn't happening anymore."
Once BHH started providing in person services again last year, Bill, who Nina says "can fix anything," responded quickly to an urgent call for someone to maintain and repair our medical equipment. Soon thereafter, the volunteer coordinator position became available, and Nina stepped up to take it on.
"I will focus on bringing back in-person volunteering. A lot of activities were suspended because of Covid, but those activities are coming back." Nina was a volunteer herself for many years in her local hospital emergency department back in Pennsylvania. "I just like to make a difference in people's lives," she explains. Nina also enjoys art, reading, and hiking.
We thank Nina for accepting the important role of recruiting new volunteers and matching their skill sets to our community's needs. Please reach out via our website if you would like to explore volunteer opportunities with BHH. | | |
Welcome New Volunteers!
A big welcome to our newest members who completed the Volunteer Training class in January. Everyone is getting settled into their new roles, and we are so happy to have them! The next BHH New Volunteer Training class will be scheduled in the late spring. Alcira Hernandez – Translation and Community Outreach teams
Bill Haldeman – Equipment and Respiratory teams
Carol Jones – Newsletter and Equipment teams
Donna Robinson – Ambassador, Hospice and Home Care, and CPR teams
Keith Daniels – Secretary
Maria Vincent – Ambassador team
Nina Haldeman – Volunteer Coordinator
Warren Schoonmaker – Technology team
There are still many opportunities available to new volunteers. If you are interested in attending the next class, simply fill out the volunteer application on the BHH website. | |  | Kneeling: Max Wolfe (Lead Trainer).
First row, left to right: New volunteers Carol Jones, Keith Daniels, Nina Haldeman, Maria Vincent, Donna Robinson, Bill Haldeman, and Alcira Hernandez (not shown).
Back row: New volunteer Warren Schoonmaker, Craig Gatrel (PCC), and Lesley Hughes (Vice President, Community Outreach). | | | Record Turnout at Being Prepared Workshop
January was a busy month for the Being Prepared team. When we advertised the workshop in December, within 48 hours we had so many replies that we needed to set up a second workshop on January 19 and a third on January 31. Clearly, expats in Boquete understand the importance of being prepared for emergencies and end-of-life realities. Sixty-two people attended the workshops. A total of ten Boquete Health and Hospice members assisted with various tasks and added their support to the programs. | |  | | Being Prepared workshop team for January 31, left to right: Cat Vann, Kat McKay, Dave Nichols, Kelly Honyak, Sandra Cripe, and not pictured, Lesley Hughes. | | The Being Prepared team included presenters Kelly Honyak, a retired nurse with over 32 years of experience, who spoke about medical issues and decisions that must be made as illness or end-of-life evolves, and Dave Nichols, who drew on his extensive experience in the US Army and emergency management for the Red Cross and public health groups to address financial and legal issues affecting expats in Panamá.
BHH co-vice presidents, Kat McKay and Lesley Hughes, were on-site to provide guidance and a steadying perspective, and to assist with practical details. BHH volunteers Cat Vann prepared the building and set up and put away tables and chairs, Herta Bernbach assisted with the check-in process to provide a smooth transition for attendees, and photographer Fran Hogan arrived on January 31 to record some workshop moments in-progress.
To assist expats in "preparing for the unexpected," a Being Prepared For End Of Life In Boquete manual is available for a donation of ten dollars or more at Mail Boxes Etc. in downtown Boquete or at the BHH table at the Tuesday Market. The manual is a tool to assist readers in thinking about these issues and facts of life and to provide a checklist for collecting personal information for inclusion in a personal notebook to be used when the need arises. | | Featured here are a few people who participated in the January 31 workshop. The photos were taken by Fran Hogan.
| | | Martha (Marty) Di-Noto and Cline Di-Noto, a mother/son duo, attended the workshop together, and Marty had this to say: "My apologies for the delay in responding. I got tangled up in some dogs and took a spill. Just got banged up a little but I was not feeling my best. Better now and on my way to recovery. Regarding the class, I walked away with a sense of urgency to complete the booklet and get some $$$ on hand in case of an emergency, but that was thwarted by my fall. | | | I did learn a lot and have no criticisms regarding the class. I am very pleased with all I learned and with the booklet that contains whatever information I may need. Cline told me that he was aware of the majority of the content of the class…but was happy to have it all in one place with the booklet. We both feel the class was informative and necessary and are glad to have attended. Thank you for providing that service for us."
Marty's message underscores how quickly an emergency can happen. We are glad she is recovering and moving on with Being Prepared. | | Eddie and Dee Perry attended, and Eddie had this to say: "The seminar was excellent. We had many questions before attending that were addressed, and our questions were answered before we had to ask. This proves the experience this team brings to the program. The presentation was presented in an informative, yet respectful, gentle manner.
We learned several things that we had not thought of, for example, what to do to make | | | | sure our five fur babies are taken care of! We appreciate all of the time, research, effort and care that went into this presentation." | | | Many thanks to Marty, Cline, Eddie, and Dee for attending a BP workshop and for providing feedback. More thanks to all who attended one of the three BP workshops. We hope you are encouraged to use the tools and knowledge you acquired and create your own end-of-life notebook. | | |
Seven Steps to Better Heart Health
February is recognized as Heart Health Month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease and the steps we can take to prevent it. | | | | Heart disease is a leading cause of death, especially for seniors, and it is important for them to take care of their heart health to reduce their risk. Here are some tips that seniors and anyone can follow for a healthy heart:
- Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity can improve heart health by reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Seniors can start with light activities such as walking or yoga and gradually increase their intensity.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive salt.
- Quit smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease and quitting can greatly reduce the risk. Seniors who smoke can talk to their doctor about the best ways to quit.
- Manage stress: Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. Seniors can manage stress by practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.
- Get enough sleep: Getting enough sleep is important for overall health and heart health. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- Limit alcohol consumption: Excessive alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. Seniors should limit their alcohol consumption to one drink per day.
- Get regular check-ups: Regular check-ups with a doctor can help monitor heart health and detect any issues early on. Seniors should get their blood pressure checked regularly and discuss any concerns with their doctor.
February is a great time to focus on heart health and make lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of heart disease. Seniors and anyone can take these simple steps to improve their heart health and enjoy living longer. | | |
BHH Provides Free Equipment Loans
We'd like to spread the word that Boquete Health and Hospice loans equipment to our community for FREE. | | | Our goal is to provide equipment on a short-term basis, usually 1-3 months, to help our community stay healthy and safe. We maintain four lockers in Alto Boquete filled with useful items that could cost you a lot of money if you had to purchase them. Some of the equipment available includes:
- 5 air mattresses
- 11 hospital beds
- 8 boots
- 18 bedside commodes
- 33 canes
- 18 pairs of crutches
- 21 oxygen concentrators
- 17 shower chairs
- 29 wheelchairs
- 54 walkers, with and without wheels
In 2022 we loaned 211 pieces of equipment to help 85 expats and 51 Panamanians. We are your health and hospice team, and we are here for you. Call 6781-9250 for more information. | | |
Please Return Loaned Equipment When You're Through!
If you have equipment from BHH and are no longer using it, please call the main number at 6781-9250 and arrange to return it soon so it will be available to others in need. | | |
Mark Your Calendars for World Blood Donor Day on June 14
| | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.