In this day and age of social media, if you would have told me 10 years ago that email would still the most trusted form of online communication, I would have laughed at you.

Well, you would have been right.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

Patients and visitors to Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, as well as all Sentara Healthcare hospitals and outpatient facilities, are now able to receive timely text messages during critical safety events. A new opt-in emergency notification service dubbed SentarAlert allows anyone in Sentara facilities to receive the same texts Sentara employees receive through our emergency notification system (ENS).

SentarAlert allows patients and visitors to text a keyword unique to each Sentara facility or region to 333111 and immediately begin receiving critical safety messages. SentarAlert will begin the service with two critical safety notifications: Active Shooter and Evacuation. At 120 characters, notifications are brief and cryptic, like tweets, and designed to be augmented by overhead pages in hospitals and sites with public address systems.

“Sentara takes safety very seriously. We want to ensure our patients and guests are informed of emergency situations as they arise,” explains Tim Bowers, MS, CHSO, Director of Security for Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. “Sentara is offering a new emergency notification system to anyone who signs up. This system is very similar to those used on college campuses and by governments across the nation to alert authorized people of emergency situations. To receive the Sentara Northern Virginia emergency notifications on your phone, please text the keyword SENTARANV to 333111.”

Opt-in subscriptions last for seven-day cycles when subscribers are notified by text that they are unsubscribed. But they can subscribe again right away for the next cycle. SentarAlert is designed as a safety enhancement for patients and visitors while they are in Sentara hospitals, nursing centers, therapy centers and other ambulatory sites of care. The texts are designed to help employees, patients and visitors make informed decisions during critical safety events.

Call to Action is a column written by Volunteer Prince William Executive Director Mary Foley.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

Maybe the name Kris Kristofferson rings a bell, or maybe it doesn’t. Either way, here’s a little story about the songwriter and actor who is now 80.

For several years, it was thought he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or some other kind of dementia. His memory had been deteriorating. Then in June 2016, he revealed he was misdiagnosed. What he actually had was Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is contracted from the bite of an infected deer tick, a year-round threat. If left untreated, the disease can progress and cause a number of debilitating symptoms. Seniors can be highly vulnerable because they may have weakened immune systems or pre-existing conditions that can be exacerbated by Lyme.

Here’s why it was such an easy mistake for Kristofferson’s doctors to make. In seniors especially, Lyme disease can result in short-term memory loss. And according to the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center of Columbia University Medical Center, problems like these can occur months or years after a person contracts Lyme disease:

• Problems remembering names or words
• Slowed thinking
• “Brain fog”
• Difficulty following conversations

Other symptoms can include:

• “Bulls-eye” rash at the bite site
• Fever and chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Increased heart rate
• Meningitis
• Nervous system damage
• Arthritis
• Heart damage

Let’s take a look at the symptoms more closely.

“Bulls-eye” rash at the bite site

This might be one of the first symptoms you notice. The telltale rash is red and may have a bullseye rash around it. This is where bacteria makes its first entry.

Fever and chills, headache, fatigue, joint pain

If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s probably that they resemble the flu. Lack of energy, a mild fever, headaches, achy joints and muscles and swollen lymph nodes…all these can come along with Lyme disease. In seniors who already have daily aches and pains, it can be difficult to distinguish these symptoms from the norm.

Increased heart rate

Many people with Lyme disease develop a rapid heart rate that does not stabilize even when the sufferer is at rest. Since many seniors regularly take blood pressure and other heart medication, it is easy to see why this symptom could be confused with medication failure or side effects. According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 46 percent of seniors between 70 and 79 take at least five prescription drugs to treat chronic conditions, which can make it difficult to distinguish between disease symptoms and medication reactions.

Meningitis

Lyme meningitis can set in once the bacteria have spread throughout the body, causing fever, migraines, neck stiffness, eye issues, seizures, and confusion. In seniors, these can be confused with viral symptoms or even regular meningitis, both of which require treatments different from the kind Lyme disease requires.

Nervous system damage

Seizures, spasms, larger uncontrolled body movements and tremors – these can all be part of Lyme disease and easily mistaken for conditions like early Parkinson’s disease, diabetic seizures, or other specific nerve damage.

Arthritis

Symptoms of arthritis include stiffening of the joints, inflammation, and pain, which many seniors experience on a daily basis. But if they do not have arthritis already, untreated Lyme disease can put the disease in motion. If they do have arthritis, Lyme disease can make it worse.  

Heart damage

When Lyme disease goes untreated for a period of time, the bacteria can weaken the heart, cause swelling, arrhythmia and even heart failure. In seniors with pre-existing heart-related conditions, this can prove deadly.

The key to recovery is knowing what symptoms to look for and treating Lyme disease right away before it takes a toll on the senior in your life. If you suspect the senior in your life has been bitten by a tick or has any of the above symptoms, seek medical treatment from a professional immediately. In a future article, we will discuss prevention and treatment of Lyme disease. Stay tuned.

This post is written by Potomac Local for Home Instead Senior Care of Manassas serving Prince William and Fauquier counties.

Mindful eating is the act of being conscious of the flavor, texture, and smell of our foods as well as our thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations as we eat. This requires one to eat slowly and genuinely relish each bite.  It is not a diet, but mindful eating can help us achieve a healthy weight.

Eating mindlessly is an unconscious habit of eating without paying attention to what, how, why or how much we eat.  Have you ever sat in front of the TV or computer and eaten a meal, but didn’t savor a single bite?

This is an example of mindless eating and it can be triggered by external factors such as stress, food advertisements, or when the time of day tells us to eat. Mindless eating often includes “comfort foods” chosen to soothe our emotions, rather than to nourish our bodies.  Eating mindlessly or while distracted, we tend to ignore our bodies’ “full signals” and consume excess calories, which can lead to weight gain.

To begin eating mindfully, start by asking some of the following questions:

• Am I hungry?
• Why am I eating this?
• Does my body need this? Does this food promote health or not?
• Pay attention to how full you are before, during and after eating.
• Notice the colors, smells, textures, and flavors of your food.
• Investigate where your food came from: Was it grown on a local farm or processed in a factory? Who prepared it? 
• Notice how the food makes you feel while eating it
• Be aware of cravings and what triggers them: Are you bored? Lonely? Tired? Angry?  You may discover that you eat to mask uncomfortable feelings or emotions.

Keep a food journal of what you eat and your mood, hunger, and fullness levels before and after eating to increase your awareness of your eating habits.  Once aware, you can make small changes one at a time, to help develop a mindful relationship with food.

Consider:

• Eating seated (rather than standing at the fridge or counter)
• Eating undistracted (rather than in front of an electronic device)
• Eating with your non-dominant hand 

(Fun fact: one of my clients broke her wrist and lost eight pounds in the month that she used her non-dominant hand to eat.)

One benefit of mindful eating you may notice is an increased enjoyment of food as you slow down and savor meals.  You may learn to enjoy healthy food and how it makes you feel. 

You may slowly begin to realize that unhealthy food does not taste as good as you previously thought and it does not make you feel good. You may also learn to eat when you are truly hungry and stop when you are full, but not stuffed. All of the above benefits of mindful eating may naturally lead to some weight loss.

Finally, as you start to enjoy the experience of being present as you eat, you may become more present in life and enjoy life more.

Good Morning Prince William –Saved Hands Foundation is collecting school supplies for kids in the Woodbridge area on Wednesday, August 8^th at the Potomac Community Library from noon-3:30pm. They would greatly appreciate loose-leaf paper, binders, composition books, spiral notebooks and pencil holders.  It’s a great way to send a child off with a couple of the basics to make them successful in school.

• Agape Love in Action will be collecting items for the homeless on Saturday, August 11^th at the Walmart in Haymarket, 9am-6pm.  The supplies needed include travel-size crackers, fruit snacks, wipes, cough drops, socks, tissues, toothpaste, toothbrushes, band-aids and chapstik to fill their Hope in a Bag with just a few simple treats.
• The Prince William Humane Society needs volunteers to provide pet care on Saturday and Sunday evenings, 5:30-7:30pm at their new facility in Dumfries.  Please call Jillian for more info at (703) 634-0880.
• Attention golfers! Serve our Willing Warriors invites you to their golf tournament on Tuesday September 4^th at Westfields Golf Club in Clifton. This is a great way to gather your friends and enjoy the day for a great cause.  It includes golf, breakfast, lunch, prizes and gifts for just $200/ player.  Please register online at: willingwarriors.org/golf.
• Historic Manassas needs volunteers age 21+ for the Annual Bands, Brews and Barbeque on Saturday, September 8^th. There are two shifts so you can help and then enjoy the rest of the day.  Please email Melissa for all the specifics at:[email protected].
• John Jenkins invites golfers to the Inaugural Fore the Kids Golf Tournament on Monday, October 22^nd at Old Hickory Club for the benefit of the Boys & Girls Club. Shotgun start at 12:30, post-tournament awards banquet, silent/live auction, raffles, and prizes.  Please email Nadia for more info at: [email protected].
• The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation needs volunteers to help at the Prince William Half Marathon Sunday, September 30^th.  This super fun event is at Jiffy Lube Live!  Tasks include handing out water to the runners or manning the beer garden. This is a family friendly event for all age 12 yrs. + Please visit their website for all the specifics at sjgfoundation.org.
• SERVE in Manassas has an urgent need for volunteer groups to purchase, prepare and serve a meal at the SERVE Family Shelter. This is the perfect opportunity to gather your friends and family to share your favorite menu with families living in the shelter. It definitely takes a fun group to serve up to 90 individuals!  They need brunch served on 8/5, 9/1, 9/2, 9/3 and 9/23 as well as dinner on 8/12, 9/3, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30.  Please call Julie for more info at (571) 748-2674.
• Manassas Museum is gearing up for their Annual Manassas history weekend on August 25^th & 26^th.  Volunteers are needed at both the museum in Old Town and at Liberia Plantation.  Duties include handing out information and helping with children’s activities.  There are two shifts – 9am-1pm and 1pm-5pm both days.  Please call Doug at (703) 257-8265 to learn more. This is a fun and very interactive experience.
• Virginia Cooperative Extension invites you to their next Understanding Your Credit Score seminar on Wednesday, August 15^th at the Sudley North Center, 6:30-8:30.  Please register online at:https://bit.ly/understandandimprovecredit.  They are also gearing up for their next Master Financial Education Volunteer Training. Come to learn the details to empower the community through financial education.  The course is held evenings once a week for 7 weeks.  Registration is $60 for course materials and background check.  Please register online at:pwcgov.org/money.
• Keep Prince William Beautiful needs volunteers to help them at community fairs and festivals by manning their both for just a couple of hours each day.  You’ll receive all the training and information needed and this is certainly a fun way to get out and meet people. Some of the dates needed are 8/27, 9/3, 9/6, 9/15, 9/23, 9/29, 9/30, 10/8 and 10/13. Please call Nicole to learn more at (571) 285-3772.
• ACTS in Dumfries is looking for volunteers in several admin offices within the organization.  This is a face paced, impactful organization that will have you feeling empowered.  Please send your resume with a cover letter that includes your availability and interest areas to Tamika at [email protected]
• The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is looking for volunteer’s age 55+ to deliver noon meals through the Meals on Wheels Program. Shifts are just 2-3 hours and available in throughout the greater area.  RSVP members receive a mileage reimbursement and additional insurance coverage at no cost to the volunteer.  Please call Jan at (571) 292-5307 to learn more.
• Mark your calendars for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, October 20 in Old Town Manassas.  Volunteers are needed for set-up, refreshments, advocacy, finish line brigade and route monitoring.  Please email Ben at:[email protected] to learn more.
• CASA Children’s Intervention Services needs volunteer advocates to help protect abused and neglected children in our community. You’ll receive fantastic training to give you all the skills needed to help these kids.  Please email Suzanne at [email protected] to learn more about the program and register for the next orientation session.
• Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 25^th for the 3^rd Annual Farm to Table event to support the Prince William Environmental Excellence Foundation at Windy Knoll Farm. The event runs from 3-8pm with 2 seating for dinner.  Tickets are just $40 for adults, $20 for children 13-18 and free for kids under 12.  There will be local vendors, artisan and farm sponsors and antique equipment.  It promises to fun for the entire family.  You can buy tickets online at princewilliamfarm2table2018.eventbrite.com.
• The Manassas Senior Center is looking for a volunteer to teach crafts to the members of the center each week.  Come to share your love of knitting, crocheting, painting, ceramics and such with others. Please call Jan at (571) 292-5307 for more info.  They also would love a volunteer to teach Sign Language class as well.  It’s a great way to share your skill. Please call Sue at 703-792-7154 to learn more.
• Youth for Tomorrow is looking for male mentors to share your time and talent with a young man. This promises to be a rewarding few hours per month. Please fill out the volunteer application: youthfortomorrow.org.
• The Greater Prince William Medical Reserve Corps needs both medical and non-medical volunteers to join their ranks.  These volunteers are trained to respond to public health emergencies as well as day to day health department activities.  They offer tons of training topics to build your skillset.  Please call Isabella at (703) 792-7341 to learn more.

If you are looking for other opportunities, please don’t forget to call my wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William. Jan can help you with the Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP) opportunities at (703) 369-5292 ext. 1, Shelley can help with any individual or group projects and send you weekly updates if you’d like. Shelley is at (703) 369-5292 ext. 2, and Bonnie can help you with opportunities available in Disaster Preparedness at (703) 369-5292 ext. 3. Please visit our website at www.volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.