August 2014 Section B

24 Pages·2014·12.14 MB·English

4 SECTION B
1 AROUND
0
life
2

T
S
ALHAMBRA
U
G
community
U seniors / health
A PUBLISHED BY THE ALHAMBRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE dining / entertainment
auto / real estate
Pink Ladies from Jayvee Dance Center. The 2 on 2 BBoy Battle.
Hot Spot was the place to be for entertainment in July
The fifth annual Hot Spot, pre- Live painting and chalk art unfolded Several dance organizations, including ing, and dance school PopRock Acad-
sented by Downtown Alhambra, at- on the corner for everyone to see. Alhambra High School’s Orchesis and emy showcased their students’ talents,
tracted more than 3,000 residents and Dance was the theme for the second All-Male Dance Team and Jayvee Dance and DJ Esco kept the beats flowing in
visitors in July. week of Hot Spot. The Breakdance Center’s All Stars, hosted a dunk tank between performances.
The event featured more than 80 Battle for Alhambra energized the fundraiser during the event. Proceeds The public is asked to help spread
vendors and a stage for performers at crowd. will go to support the dance organiza- the word about Hot Spot by liking the
the Renaissance Plaza each Saturday in “We had more than 50 dancers par- tions in future competitions. Facebook page: www.facebook.com/
July. There was entertainment for all ticipate from all over the San Gabriel Fashion dominated the stage during downtownalhambra.
ages. Valley,” said Joanna Vargas, from the Hot Spot’s third week, while the Next year’s pre-sale booths are avail-
Art was the first week’s theme, and sponsoring Alhambra Downtown As- Alhambra Chamber Business Expo gave able for early-bird vendors, and Down-
Hot Spot brought visual and perform- sociation. residents and visitors a chance to con- town Alhambra is accepting volunteers
ing artists out to share their art with Local performers also showcased nect with local businesses. to help with next year’s production.
the community. Booths showcased jew- their routines during dance week, and Hot Spot’s final Saturday evening Contact [email protected],
elry, painting, and photography paired included Jayvee Dance Center All Stars, showcased the talents of five local bands or phone the Alhambra Chamber of
with musical performances on the Hot Pretty In Pink, Rated G, Wild Ones, including Grooveline. Commerce at 626-282-8481.
Spot stage. PopRock Academy, and The Granada. Each week, Alhambra’s music, act-
C F Braun –
Chamber Expo
An Alhambra engineering,
showcases local
manufacturing institution
business, services
BY GARY FRUEHOLZ
The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
presented its fifth annual Business Expo DILBECK REAL ESTATE
Historically, Alhambra had a sizeable
July 19 at Renaissance Plaza, in partner-
industrial base of civil engineering cor-
ship with the Downtown Alhambra Busi-
porations in its southwest section.
ness Association’s Hot Spot.
Companies that resided there included
Businesses from various industries were
Wells Fargo. the Vinnell Corporation and the
featured. They exhibited their services and
Alhambra Foundry.
products and had the
Vinnell gained a place in Southern
opportunity to connect
California lore by being the prime con-
with each other and at-
tractor for Dodger Stadium and doing
tract potential custom-
numerous international civil engineer- Gary Frueholz
ers. Visitors gathered in-
ing projects. The Alhambra Foundry
formation and discov-
specialized in metal works and produced items such as manhole
ered why they should
covers bearing their name which can still be seen throughout the
buy locally.
streets of Southern California.
Attendees were en-
I can remember as a young boy peering into the Alhambra
tertained by a fashion
Foundry and seeing molten metal being poured with sparks fly-
show and stage enter-
ing in all directions.
tainment as part of Hot
Another internationally known company that called Alhambra
Spot’s Fashion Week.
home was C F Braun & Company.
“This event gives
Located at the corner of Fremont Avenue and Mission Road,
each exhibiter the op- Evike.com.
C F Braun & Company was one of the most formidable petro-
portunity to update po-
chemical engineering companies in the world during the post
tential customers on their latest products and ser- Union of Southern California; Curves of
World War II period. During the 1950s, C F Braun would em-
vices, as well as exchange information and ideas Alhambra; GEO Promotions, LLC; Green
ploy over six thousand employees and have annual business rev-
with fellow local companies,” said Sharon Gibbs, Menu Organization; Recyclebank; San
enues exceeding $100 million. And by this time C F Braun had
Chamber executive director. Gabriel Mission; Sunrider International;
constructed more than 250 chemical and industrial complexes
The City of Alhambra gave out information VCA Mission Animal Hospital; Wells Fargo
throughout the world.
about city services and programs including leisure Bank – Alhambra/Main; W.Y. International;
The company reflected the personality of its founder and
classes and the Fire Department’s CERT program. and the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce.
leader, Carl Braun, in its thorough and organized approach to
There was also a prize wheel, where winners re- The Business Expo’s exhibitors included
ceived City giveaways. sponsors Evike.Com, Inc.; Southern Califor- CONTINUED ON PAGE 5B
Many of the exhibitors had raffles for a variety nia Gas Co.; City of Alhambra; and Charter Gary Frueholz is a realtor with Dilbeck Real Estate, a past member
of the Alhambra Planning Commission, and a certified Senior Real
of prizes. Business.
Estate Specialist. He can be reached at 626-318-9436. See his stories at
Participants were All Souls School; Credit
www.garysstories.com.
PAGE 2B SENIOR NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA 8/2014
|
Seniors / Retirees News
Activities, Projects, Features
U S E
NDERSTANDING THE ENIOR XPERIENCE
Falling is greatest fear of seniors
BY DENNIS MCFADDEN First, identify physical and environ- a treadmill can be great for cardio
ATHERTON BAPTIST HOMES mental hazards. Clutter presents the health, it lacks the component neces-
It is all about balance. If you ask the most obvious concern for visually im- sary to prevent falls. Dance and tai chi,
senior in your world about his or her paired older persons. Often frail and less on the other hand, can be especially ef-
greatest fear, after a litany of the stan- able to react quickly than younger fective. “The purposeful movements
dard concerns, it will not be long before people, seniors may find themselves trip- and fluid, repetitious motions in tai chi
you hear about a fear of falling and ping over a number of things in their not only boost muscle function but also
“breaking” something. The common home. Loose handholds, knobs, and stimulate the mental functions that
lore about a friend who fell, broke a hip, handles should be repaired promptly. make mobility a lot easier,” writes
and died soon afterward often haunts Carpets and mats famously present trip Manor.
many older adults. hazards for the elderly. Do the steps lead- Another suggestion bolstered by a
Both my wife and I are still in our ing out the back door have adequate raft of scientific research suggests that
early 60s but have each experienced our lighting and secure handrails? trekking or Nordic poles can bring nu-
own painful falls with slow recoveries. Second, assess the health and phar- merous benefits to seniors, particularly
In my case, it required a painful and maceutical causes for falls. Macular de- when navigating out of doors. In place
expensive shoulder surgery and a nine- generation, dizziness due to an ear in- of the stooped position required for tra-
month convalescence to regain a sense fection, an unsteady gait, weakness fol- ditional wheeled assistive devices, walk-
of “normal.” lowing surgery, or lightheadedness when ing poles bring an immediate improve-
Approximately one third of all adults rising from bed or a chair can lead to ment in posture, walking mechanics,
over 65 suffer a fall each year. And, while unplanned dives to the floor. Many se- stability, and a rapid shift from self-per-
only 6% of them result in a serious in- Dr. Dennis E. McFadden has recently retired niors take nine or more prescription ceived “invalid” images to those of an
jury, the ranks of the emergency room as president and CEO of Atherton Baptist medications. And even if there are no “athlete.” Not only will pole walking
swell by 2 million fall-related treatments Homes. interactions between them, many of reduce falls, it will contribute to the
annually. And fall risk increases with age them clearly warn of dangers driving or ability to extend one’s independence.
for a variety of reasons. operating heavy equipment. The same Senior communities, such as
One arena of particular concern fo- Another danger relates to especially concerns often apply to navigating the Atherton Homes, offer organized exer-
cuses on the place where you might least frail and often cognitively impaired nurs- house or apartment. cise classes for achieving better balance
expect it: the hospital. Physician Jenni- ing home residents. Statistics for this Third, develop a program for mak- as well as professional training and su-
fer Rhodes-Kropf explains that “Older population suggests that more than half ing the senior in your life fall resistant. pervised instruction. Some of the pro-
adults are more likely to have a fall while of them can be expected to experience Studies have shown that balance exer- grams are open to the public and do not
in a hospital. Increased weakness related at least one fall yearly. cise and modest weight and resistance require residing in the community. Tak-
to illness, unfamiliar surroundings, noise How does one reduce the likelihood training (with one- or two-pound neo- ing part in a social activity that enhances
and hospital routines, medications, con- of a senior taking a tumble? Experts rec- prene dumbbell or exercise stretch health and reduces the risk of a fall may
fusion, and exacerbations of chronic ommend that an examination of the bands, for example) can bring a dramatic be part of an overall program of living
conditions are all contributing factors home and outdoor environment will reduction in fall statistics. life to the fullest for the senior in your
to the increased risk of falls.” contribute to mitigating falls. Dr. Brad Manor comments that while life.
“When we needed help,
we discovered Vista Cove at San Gabriel”
QQuuaalliittyy • Assisted Living
• Memory Care
• Respite Care
AT SAN GABRIEL
For more information or to schedule a tour, please phone
[phone]
901 W. Santa Anita St., San Gabriel, CA 91776 Lic. #197606796
Around Alhambra
For advertising rates and other information, contact
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
104 S. First St., Alhambra, CA 91801
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.alhambrachamber.org
8/2014 SENIOR NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA PAGE 3B
PAGE 4B SENIOR NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA 8/2014
Joslyn Adult Recreation Center
Something for every senior at Joslyn Adult Recreation Center
Alhambra seniors are invited to drop required. Each August birthday celebrant AARP Driver Safety Program - 12:30 Attorney Carlos A. Arcos.
by the Joslyn Adult Recreation Center, in attendance will receive a token gift. p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Choosing the Right Caregiver semi-
210 N. Chapel Ave., in Story Park, week- Musical Moments and Lunch special Thursday, Aug. 20 and 21. The fee is nar - 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26. Pre-
days to enjoy a hot, nutritionally balanced program - 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8. A $15 for AARP members and $20 for non- sented by Care 4 You in the Home.
lunch, relax in the library with a good part of the weekday Senior Nutrition Pro- members. This two-day defensive driving Classes, seminars, and screenings are free
book, and sample some of the activities gram luncheon. Reservations are required. class is accepted by many auto insurance unless otherwise noted, but with limited
that are scheduled. Enjoy the budding musical talents of the companies for a discount. Advance regis- space, reservations are recommended. Phone
Special August activities include: San Marino Music Center’s Guitar En- tration required. 626-570-5056, or visit the Joslyn office. The
Happy August Birthday luncheon semble. Powers of Attorney and Trusts semi- daily lunch, including celebratory luncheons,
celebration - 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. The Road to Happiness seminar - 10 nar - 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21. A part requires a reservation one day in advance.
6. A part of the weekday Senior Nutri- a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13. Presented by of the “Managing Elder Care, Trusts & Phone [phone], weekdays at 9:30
tion Program luncheon. Reservations are VITAS Innovative Hospice Care. Medi-Cal” series presented by Elder Law a.m. A $2 donation is suggested.
Senior Outings
Rec. Center plans Senior Outings to fair, beach
Alhambra seniors are headed for a full day at Southern California beach scene, but also Hunting-
the Los Angeles County Fair from 11 a.m. to 6 ton Beach’s outstanding Farmers Market and Craft
p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10. The fee is $20. Regis- Fair. This is a relaxing day with endless possibili-
ter by Aug. 5. ties.
One of the best County Fairs in the nation, the Additional outings throughout the fall months
L.A. County Fair in Pomona promises shows; ex- take Alhambra seniors to some notable and fasci-
hibits; craft and nating Southern California sites:
other vendors; • Register on Sept. 2 for the Natural History
and a variety of Museum from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 10. The
food providers, fee is $17. Also sign up for the BAPS Hindu Temple
for lunch on and the Shoppes at Chino Hills from 8:30 a.m. to
one’s own. 4 p.m. Oct. 23. The fee is $12.
An outing to • Register on Oct. 7 for visits to Pilgrim Place
Huntington from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 14 (fee: $12) and
Beach from 10 the Reagan Library from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 20
a.m. to 4 p.m. (fee: $30).
Friday, Sept. 26 • Register on Nov. 4 for outings to Fashion Is-
ends the sum- land and Roger’s Garden from 9 a.m. to 4:30
mer series of trips to some of Southern California’s p.m. Dec. 5 (fee: $12) and Huntington Harbor
prime seaside communities. Register with the City Cruise of Lights from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 18
of Alhambra Senior Outings (fee: $20).
program on Tuesday, Aug. 5. It See registration procedures in the City of Alhambra
will be a day that participants Summer/Fall 2014 Leisure Classes, Activities & Ex-
can enjoy not only the normal cursions Guide at www.cityofalhambra.org.
Understanding tax benefits of DSUE
(Deceased Spousal Unused Exclusion)
BY FANNY WONG TAGAWA, ESQ. less her assets at death, plus taxable gifts,
LAURIE SHIGEKUNI AND ASSOCIATES exceeded $8.59 million.
As 2013 opened, the “American Tax-
So why does this matter for middle-
payer Relief Act of 2012” (ATRA) gave
class taxpayers? Because to claim port-
permanence to the estate tax “portabil-
ability rights at all, the surviving spouse
ity” rule. For deaths since
must file a Form 706 estate tax return
2010, this rule has allowed
on time, generally within nine months
the surviving spouse of a
of the first spouse’s death, without know-
married couple to claim and
ing if later changes in tax codes or fam-
carry forward a “deceased FANNY ily fortunes will make the filing worth-
spousal unused exclusion WONG
TAGAWA while.
(DSUE) amount.” But to
The need to claim the DSUE amount
do this, the surviving spouse must file a
timely means a surviving spouse may
timely Form 706 estate return, whether
want to file a 706 estate tax return even
or not either spouse’s assets exceed the
if no estate tax is due at the time be-
estate tax threshold at the time of the
cause the deceased spouse had much less
filing.
than $5 million in assets. If a portabil-
The basic exclusion amount was
ity claim is the only reason for the fil-
$5.25 million in 2013 and will be $5.34
ing, a special, easier asset reporting pro-
million in 2014. This is a lifetime uni-
cedure is allowed on the 706 under tem-
fied estate tax exclusion for the total
porary Treasury regulations at Sec. 20-
value of each deceased person’s property,
2010-2T(a)(7)(ii). It allows the values
plus the total value of that person’s tax-
of some categories of assets to be esti-
able gifts. In 2014 gifts are again ex-
mated very generally in increments of
cluded from tax below $14,000 per re-
$250,000.
cipient per year.
Portability is no substitute for a trust,
Under “portability,” if a husband died
but it can help with retirement planning
in 2013 and left $2 million in assets to
and basic step-ups.
his children, his wife could claim his
(Main source: S. Andrew Pharies and
unused $3.25 million DSUE amount. Erin E. Norberg, “Portability: The Basics
If she died in 2014, it would be added And Beyond,” California Trusts and Estates
to her own 2014 exclusion of $5.34 mil- Quarterly, Vol. 18, Issue 4, 2013.)
lion. She would not owe estate tax un-
8/2014 SENIOR NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA PAGE 5B
B G F , D R E
Y ARY RUEHOLZ ILBECK EAL STATE
Braun plant, headquarters moved to Alhambra in late 1922
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B As Carl Braun’s company progressed through the 1920s,
business and its unique corporate culture. it innovated techniques in cast iron fabrication and electric
Carl Franklin Braun graduated from Stanford Univer- welding. By the end of the decade, C F Braun had expanded
sity in 1907 with a degree in mechanical engineering. After in to Texas and New York. As the company prospered, its
two years of working as a manufacturer’s agent, Braun started headquarters and main campus remained in Alhambra.
his own engineering and The Braun corporate culture included Carl Braun’s in-
manufacturing company sistence on clear and precise communication. He required
with $500. It was located in all company communications to include the five “W’s”: who,
San Francisco and special- what, when, where, and why. If a supervisor directed a sub-
ized in hydraulic valves, wa- ordinate without explaining why the direction was given,
ter pumps, water treatment they could be fired on the spot.
filters, and condensers. Characteristic of the Braun Culture of not only produc-
Braun’s products were ing a quality product but of also enhancing its workers, a
used in office buildings, major league dimension baseball field and tennis courts be-
power plants, oil refineries, came part of the Alhambra campus. Braun personally pre-
and ships at a time when the sided over the company’s Annual Sports Awards Ceremo-
world saw Industrial nies and the Annual Trophy Dance Contest for employees
America on the march. and their spouses. C F Braun & Co. headquarters in Alhambra circ. 1950s.
Characteristic of Braun’s Carl F, Braun, founder The Braun Culture was distinctive and at times intimi-
hands-on leadership style, and leader of C F Braun dating. Male workers were expected to wear white shirts cupies the site of the old baseball field. The beautiful brick
the early C F Braun & Com- & Co. with ties and tip their hats to women workers when they office buildings that now stand at the corner of Fremont
pany in San Francisco had passed them in the hallways. If you had a older car that Avenue and Mission Road were constructed by C.F. Braun
one and only one salesman: Carl F. Braun. potentially could drip oil, you were asked to park your car in the 1940s and ’50s.
With the signing of the Armistice in 1918 that ended at the back section of the parking lot. Carl F. Braun died of a heart attack at the age of 69 in
World War I, C F Braun & Company saw a dramatic de- “It (the Braun Culture) was intimidating when you first 1954. His company continued to display the Braun Cor-
cline in contracts for manufactured ship components. Rather came into the company,” said Ron Lund, who worked at porate Culture and effectively operate until the 1980s.
than retrenching, Braun saw an opportunity in a new world CF Braun from 1978 to 1997. “I was petrified the first day A series of new owners, first Santa Fe Industries and then
of exploration, petroleum processing plants. I started.” Lund added that after he got his bearings, people the Kuwait Oil Corporation, slowly dismantled the once
Realizing a potential in this market that few others fully at the company were very nice and there was “a mystique” mighty company. Halliburton was the final owner of the
appreciated, Braun knew his company needed to dramati- with working for C F Braun. old C F Braun Company and closed the Alhambra offices
cally expand. And it needed to expand in an area that had C F Braun developed new techniques for refining avia- in 1997 and sold the facilities to The Ratkovich Company.
moderately priced land for expansion. San Francisco already tion fuel during World War II. After the war, C F Braun Ratkovich has kept and revitalized the old Braun headquar-
experienced prohibitively priced real estate. directed more of its efforts to petrochemical processing ters and named the complex The Alhambra.
Mr. Braun looked to the southern section of the state plants, which not only were being built across the United There was a time when Alhambra was nationally known
and found a location ideally situated in an area with abun- States, but throughout the world. for the large civil engineering institutions that called this
dant oil exploration, significant sea ports nearby, rail trans- By the early 1950s, the Braun Athletic Association in- city home. Part of our city’s prosperity from the last cen-
portation, and an emerging mega city. This new location cluded more than 600 employees and their families enjoy- tury is clearly traced to these companies and their unique
was a city named Alhambra. ing competition and fellowship in archery, bowling, soft- leaders like C F Braun.
Land at the northeast corner of Fremont Avenue and ball, golf, stamp collecting, basketball, skiing, photography, Wikipedia defines an institution is an individual or so-
Mission Road was initially purchased at this time and the volleyball, swimming, marksmanship, badminton, and scuba cial order that has a profound impact on human behavior.
formal opening of the new Braun plant and transfer of Braun diving. Both Braun and his company qualify as an institution by
administrative headquarters to Alhambra was completed in The large glass Los Angeles County building on Fremont, this standard since the lives of so many Alhambrans were
late 1922. which used to be the west coast headquarters for Sears, oc- significantly impacted by C F Braun and his company.
PAGE 6B HEALTH NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA 8/2014
Health & Medical News|
Hospitals, Physicians, Dentists, Facilities
Dental X-rays are vital
Ask
During my discussions with patients, • Small areas of decay between the teeth
a few have told me their concerns about or below fillings.
dental X-rays. Are X-rays necessary? Are • Bone loss due to periodontal (gum) dis- Dr. Dara,
they safe? ease.
I would like to address some of these • Bone destruction from a tooth infec-
concerns and share this information with tion (such as an abscess) or a cyst.
you. • Developmental defects and some types DDS
Necessity of tumors.
Dental X-rays are pictures of the teeth. • The position of unerupted teeth in chil-
X-rays can show many problems with the dren and adults.
teeth, tissues, and bone that a dentist can- • The effects of trauma.
not see just by looking in your mouth. Most of the above problems can be si-
They allow dentists to detect: lent and don’t hurt until an advanced stage
Dr. Dara Gashparova, D.D.S. is located at 1933 W Valley Blvd. Readers with dental
questions or concerns should contact her at 626-289-6131, or e-mail [email protected].
geted to a small part of the body. To make
things even better, digital X-rays are avail-
able now.
We can now use computers to help
take, store, and send dental X-rays with-
out using film or chemicals. Digital X-rays
reduce the radiation you are exposed to
by up to 90%. For example, the dosage
from full mouth X-rays (20) is an equiva-
lent exposure to the background radiation
on a flight from L.A. to New York.
in which the treatment is more compli-
With these safeguards in place, the
cated and more unpredictable.
small amount of radiation you are exposed
Because X-rays help us detect dental
to from dental X-rays generally represents
conditions early, they play an important
a much smaller risk to your health than
role in the diagnosis, treatment, and pre-
an undetected and untreated dental prob-
vention of dental problems.
lem.
Safety Please feel free to contact us at 626-289-
Unlike conventional X-rays on other 6131, or e-mail us at [email protected]
parts of the body, which usually take a pic- to ask any questions related to your dental
ture of a large area, dental X-rays are tar- health.
8/2014 HEALTH NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA PAGE 7B
Karen H. Chao, O.D.
Back to school prep — are
you missing something?
By Karen Chao, O.D.
It’s hard to believe, but another
school year is about to start. The quest
for the perfect book bag or the first day
of school outfit is all many kids can
think about. It is the parents’ job to
ensure that their children begin the year
with all their supplies. A child’s vision
can have a huge impact on academic
performance and behavior in the class-
room, and an eye exam is often not on
the back-to-school checklist.
Why an eye exam and not a vision
screening? Vision screenings typically
test to see how well your child can see
the letters on the eye chart. Most people
don’t realize that all 20/20 means is that
you are looking at the eye chart from a
distance of 20 feet, and you are able to
see the size of letter you are supposed to
see from 20 feet. That’s it! Dr. Karen H. Chao, O.D. has been an
If you think about it for a minute, Optometrist in private practice for more
where does a child do most of his or her than 20 years. In addition to general opto-
learning? Most reading, writing, home-
metric care, her services include Vision
work, and test taking is done up close
Therapy, Neuro-Optometric Evaluation for
(one may see well at distance, but not
Traumatic Brain Injury, Corneal Refrac-
see properly at 16 inches in front of
tive Therapy, and Low Vision Services. She
them, which is the recommended read-
can be reached at 121 S. Del Mar Ave.,
ing distance).
Ste. A, San Gabriel 91776. Phone Dr.
So, what are some of the skills that
Chao at 626-287-0401 or visit
are missed if we only look at distance
www.TotalVisionDC.com for more informa-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9B tion.
PAGE 8B HEALTH NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA 8/2014
NIHSeniorHealth.gov offers info on
quitting smoking for older adults
The National Institutes of Health has
Cigarette smoking is the
released a new Web resource to help
older adults stop smoking. Quitting leading cause of prevent-
Smoking for Older Adults, a new topic able, premature death
from NIHSeniorHealth, offers videos,
and illness in the United
worksheets, interactive features, strate-
gies, quizzes, and more for older smok- States, responsible for al-
ers who want to or are thinking of quit- most half a million
ting.
deaths each year.
Cigarette smoking is the leading
cause of preventable, premature death
and illness in the United States, respon- included information about the chal-
sible for almost half a million deaths lenges and advantages of quitting when
each year. In addition to lung and other you’re older, smoking’s effect on medi-
cancers, smoking can cause heart disease, cations, and how to handle withdrawal,
stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmo- cravings, and more.
nary disease, commonly known as Quitting Smoking for Older Adults
COPD. joins an impressive roster of research-
The recent Surgeon General’s report, based health topics geared toward older
The Health Consequences of Smoking – adults, including exercise and physical
50 Years of Progress, provides new data activity, long-term care, safe use of medi-
that links smoking to bone disease, cata- cines, and management of diseases such
ract, diabetes, macular degeneration, as stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and
and erectile dysfunction. Alzheimer’s disease.
Research shows that people who quit NIHSeniorHealth.gov, a joint effort of the
smoking, regardless of their age, are less National Institute on Aging (NIA) and
likely than those who continue to smoke the National Library of Medicine
to die from smoking-related illness. Al- (NLM), components of NIH, is de-
though the rates of smoking have de- signed to be senior friendly and tailored
clined in recent years for all age groups, to the cognitive and visual needs of older
nearly 10% of adults over 65 – almost 4 adults. Short, easy-to-read segments of
million older Americans – continue to information, large print, opened cap-
smoke. tioned videos, and simple navigation
NCI, which based the topic on its re- make the information on the site easy
source, Clear Horizons: A Quit Smoking for older adults to find, see, and under-
Guide for People 50 and Older, has also stand.
8/2014 HEALTH NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA PAGE 9B
For Your Good Health
Mercury toxicity affects energy,
nervous system, cholesterol
BY SHEILA YONEMOTO, P.T. ing with enzymes
Dr. Chris Shade outlined the basics messes up body
of mercury toxicity and what can be chemistry and can
done to remedy the problem. Here are cause depression,
some of his key concepts. anxiety, hyperac-
Mercury toxicity presents a problem tivity, chronic fa-
because it is more binding than other tigue, and other
metals. It never exists as a free ion, and neurological con-
it attaches itself to enzymes in the body ditions.
making them inactive. It is a billion Mercury toxic-
times more attaching than zinc and will ity can come from
Sheila Yonemoto, P.T.
bind to cell membranes including the coal burning,
vasculature, causing holes in arteries and dental amalgams, vaccines, fish con-
triggering cholesterol production. Mess- CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Karen H. Chao, O.D. —
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7B school, then you need to schedule a
vision and only check if someone has yearly eye exam with any eye care pro-
“20/20”? When we are reading, we need fessional you trust. However, if your
to be able to: child struggles with reading, is smart in
everything but school, or is a bright
• Follow a line of print from left to right.
underachiever, you need to make sure
• See the letters clearly as our eyes are
your child has all the visual skills re-
moving.
quired for academic success. To do this,
• Move from line to line effortlessly and you need to see an optometrist who pro-
accurately. vides an in-depth binocular vision evalu-
In the classroom, we need to be able ation or will refer you to a colleague who
to look at our materials on our desk and does.
quickly focus on the teacher’s writing on So, as you make their back-to-school
the board so we can copy it back to our list of things to do, start with an eye
notes. And we need to be able to do exam to make sure your child’s eyes are
this all day. If any of these visual skills healthy and she doesn’t need glasses. But,
are missing or deficient, reading and if she struggles with reading or school-
learning will be difficult. work, also ask for a binocular vision
If your child is performing well in evaluation.
PAGE 10B HEALTH NEWS / AROUND ALHAMBRA 8/2014
Alhambra Hospital Medical Center receives ‘A’ in patient safety
The latest Hospital Safety Score, independent industry watchdog. mitment to delivering the highest level patients and their loved ones, visit the
which rates how well hospitals protect The score is free to the public and of quality patient care. Our entire staff Hospital Safety Score Web site at
patients from accidents, errors, injuries, designed to give consumers information is dedicated to exceeding our patients’ hospitalsafetyscore.org. Consumers can
and infections, honored Alhambra Hos- they can use to protect themselves and expectations by delivering outstanding also go to hospitalsafetyscore.org for a
pital Medical Center with an A – its top their families when facing a hospital stay. and safe medical care to every patient, free download of the Hospital Safety
grade in patient safety. The score is the first and only hospital every time,” said Iris Lai, chief execu- Score app.
The Hospital Safety Score is compiled safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the tive officer of Alhambra Hospital Medi- About the Leapfrog Group
under the guidance of the nation’s lead- Journal of Patient Safety, cal Center. The Hospital Safety Score
ing experts on patient safety and is ad- “The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Score The Hospital Safety Score uses 28 (hospitalsafetyscore.org) is an initiative of
ministered by The Leapfrog Group, an recognition is representative of our com- measures of publicly available hospital The Leapfrog Group (leapfroggroup.org),
safety data to produce a single A, B, C, a national nonprofit organization using
D, or F score representing a hospital’s the collective leverage of large purchas-
overall capacity to keep patients safe ers of health care to initiate breakthrough
from preventable harm. It is calculated improvements in the safety, quality, and
under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue affordability of health care for Ameri-
Ribbon Expert Panel. cans.
More than 2,500 U.S. general hospi- The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Sur-
tals were assigned scores in spring 2014, vey allows purchasers to structure their
with about 32% receiving an A grade. contracts and purchasing to reward the
The Hospital Safety Score is fully trans- highest performing hospitals. The Leap-
parent. Its Web site offers a full analysis frog Group was founded in November
of the data and methodology used in 2000 with support from the Business
determining grades. Roundtable and national funders and is
To see how Alhambra Hospital Medi- now independently operated with sup-
cal Center’s score compared locally and port from its purchaser and other mem-
nationally, and to access safety tips for bers.
Mercury toxicity —
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
sumption, and flu shots. more toxic but do not accumulate well
People who do not eat fish and have in tissues, while the organic and fish
numerous dental amalgams show low sources accumulate more.
mercury in the blood. People who are Detoxification from mercury should
sickest from mercury will show lower be done slowly, often over a period of
mercury in urine because problems with several years, requiring several rounds of
the kidneys will not let mercury pass into detoxification along with lifestyle
the urine. How well you excrete mer- changes.
cury makes a difference in the tests. Some ways to consider eliminating
Inorganic sources, i.e., dental, are
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