Boquete Health and Hospice

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View this email in your browser General Meeting Boquete Health and Hospice ZOOM ONLY - NO IN PERSON Date Wednesday, June 9th Time: 1:00 to 2:00 pm Click Below to Join https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83479158890 Meeting ID: 834 7915 8890 Due to the recommendations from MINSA, the General Meeting for Boquete Health and Hospice will be a ZOOM only meeting. Join the Meeting If you don't know how to use zoom watch this short video MEETING AGENDA Our mailing address is: Boquete Health and Hospice Bajo Boquete Boquete Panama Add us to your address book

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View this email in your browser Table of Contents Dr Gottula on Medical Cannabis Boquete Health & Hospice Blood Program World Blood Donor Day Music's Impact on Sleep Disorders Handicap Parking Permits ¡Un enorme agradecimiento! Boquete Home Care Next General Meeting Tree of Life Update BHH Policies Dr. Rod Gottula at the General Meeting June 9th 1 pm via Zoom Only General Meeting Zoom Boquete Health & Hospice Blood Program It is amazing. You can be aware of things, but until they touch your life it is an academic exercise. I have been aware of the Boquete Health and Hospice Blood Program and have even donated, but until early May had never had a need to use it. Our neighbor called me early on Sunday saying her husband was having chest pains. We got him down to the MINSA clinic. Just 20 minutes later he was on his way to a hospital in David. I am so impressed with the care that the MINSA doctor gave him – she even went in the ambulance with him to David. We got to the hospital, and after lots of tests, and many hours, it was determined that he needed surgery and that blood was required. The wife called me asking what to do. I WhatsApp-ed our Blood Team (6590-2000) and explained the situation. The BHH Blood Coordinator called the wife, for the details, then she called the Blood Coordinator at Hospital Regional. (all this at 8:00 p.m. on a Sunday evening). Within 30 minutes the Hospital Regional Coordinator was speaking with the surgeon, and all was arranged. Without the blood program, our wonderful Blood Team, and the generous people who donate blood or money via our matching blood program, this would have been a much different story. Friends and family would have been begged to drive to David, fill out paperwork, get tested, donate, fill out more paperwork and drive home (sometimes this takes eight hours to accomplish). The surgery would have been delayed, and the outcome for the patient may not have been as positive. No one ever expects emergencies to happen to them, but they do. Our next blood drive is in June. Please consider donating (you must be under 65 years of age) or helping with a matching gift. You, your family, neighbors or friends may be the next person to call for blood. We want to be there for you. Sign Up to Donate Blood EnglishnForm Sign Up to Join Matching Fund Sign Up to Donate Blood -Spanish Form Music's Impact on Sleep Disorders" from the "Magic of Music" Team Sleep, that deep peaceful, rejuvenating sleep we all want and need, often eludes many of us. Sleep disturbances are highly common in our society, with increased prevalence in aging. In the United States approximately 50–70 million American adults report sleep difficulties. Sleep loss has been linked to a range of physical and mental health issues, with short-term effects evident after a single night of poor sleep. Short-term memory may be impaired and those affected report lower levels of happiness and more feelings of depression. If short term sleep loss is not remedied there is the risk that it may become chronic, a situation associated with serious health and well-being challenges. Science tells us, of course, that music can be beneficial in achieving better health and well-being. In the “Magic of Music” Team’s latest article, they review what the research tells us about why music can improve the quality of sleep. Based on this research, we offer some suggestions and recommendations on how you can begin to improve the quality of your sleep using music, including new playlists from the Magic of Music team. So, take a look and try it out for yourself! zzzzz.... Read the Full Article Handicap Parking Permits The Permit is prepared in PC, takes about 30 days. An original “prescription” signed by Dr Diaz or another specialist in Internal Medicine is needed. It will include what device e.g. wheelchair the person needs. Copy of Cedula, Drivers License. Copy of the Cedula of the “responsible person”. 2 photos the size of the Carnet. Copy of the Registration form of the vehicle. The Government office responsible for issuing parking permits is SENADIS (Sec. National for Discapacitados ) LOCATION OF OFFICE: Go to the Cervantes Park in the centre of David. Take the street on the west side of the park heading south. Romero is on the corner. Go one block (to the back of Romero) and turn right. The Senadis office is 1 ½ blocks ahead on the right. I was told that it is on Calle Quinta. I didn’t see a sign, but there is a store on the left before you get to the Senadis office that says Quinta. That was how I found the office. There were 2 forms to be completed. I filled out one form; he filled out the other. He said they would call when the card was ready in about a month. The Permit is a plasticized Card with the bearer's FOTO. It can be transferred from car to car. This gives you 2 hours of parking in the Blue spaces. Try to get one for as long as possible. Hang it on the rear view mirror. There is no charge for this service. SENADIS David 777-5608. I called several times and got no answer. I was about to give up, thinking it was a wrong number, when got someone who told me the permit was ready for us to pick it up. ¡Un enorme agradecimiento! A huge thank you to our Translator Team this month! Behind the scenes, we have a tremendous team of volunteers who quietly assist with translation to ensure everything in our organization runs smoothly. Their work is quite vital to our organization. Many times they are contacted at the last minute to assist with calls from clients and families who do not speak English. Prior to the COVID lockdown, if needed they assisted the Administrator Team with client home visits, follow-ups and equipment demonstrations for Spanish speaking clients and families. Since home visits are not possible at this time, Translator Team members are actively assisting with a number of essential document translations that include updating policies, forms, resources lists, website content, marketing and training materials. They assist our Blood Team with blood drives and donations. Translator Team members also continue to serve as outreach members for new medical facilities. Recently, members of the team visited a new clinic to explain our services to the Spanish speaking staff. We want to thank Luis, Carmen, Claudia, Char, Marjorie, Susan, Tamera, Sally, Zaida and Noemi. ¡Gracias por todo lo que hacen! Letter From Boquete Home Care Services: We offer lodging, food (breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 3 daily snacks) personalized attention and care 24 hours a day. We have daily occupational therapies and the support of a general practitioner. Medicine administration. Ordered by the doctor and supplied by the family member. Costs: We offer shared or individual rooms. Depending on the room to choose and the patient's condition, the cost of the monthly payment may vary. Requirements: Medical reference Medicines instructions or schedule ID copy of the patient and the responsible or family member. We have 4 different locations: 1. Home & Care Altos del Golf, Panama City 2. Home & Care Coco Del Mar, Panama City 3. Home & Care San Miguel Arcangel, David 4. Boquete Home & Care, Alto Boquete I’m at your services Liz Cianca Manager After our interesting conversation last general meeting with Liz on having Covid, and Kelly having long-haul covid, we thought you may like to see the list of symptoms. The link to the full AARP article is below. Common Long COVID Symptoms Tiredness or fatigue Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog") Headache Loss of smell or taste Dizziness on standing Fast-beating or pounding heart Chest pain Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Cough Joint or muscle pain Depression or anxiety Fever Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities Source: CDC Full AARP Articule on Long-haul Covid The Next General Meeting Wednesday, June 9th – 1pm ZOOM ONLY Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83479158890 Meeting ID: 834 7915 8890 About the Tree of Life The tree was created to honor our donors and volunteers. The roots are volunteers, the trunk is the council, the leaves are people who have donated $100 or more. The two color leaves are people who have donated for two years. The flowers are business sponsors who donate $100 or more every year. The Lilies are new. They are memorials to people who have passed. Family or friends have donated $200 or more to honor them. Add your leaf or flower or Lily. Click the button to make our tree grow. Thank you. Donate Click Here to Enlarge Tree Many Thanks to Our New Donors Jamison Savage Linda Rutherford Laurie & Kelly Collie Over the past year there have been questions about WHY Boquete Health and Hospice was doing things in a certain way. The policies of the organization have now been posted on our website. There is a link at the bottom of the home page or you can go to the “More” page to read them or download a PDF version. The policies will be updated as needed. View BHH Policies Our Mission Our mission is to provide palliative care for the terminally ill in order that they may experience death with dignity and limited pain; to inform and promote community health; and, to support people with health and wellness needs by providing information, equipment and volunteer services. To Make a Donation BHHF functions with donations provided by the community. If you are interested in supporting the work we do, please make a donation. To make a financial contribution by check or cash contact Merl Will-Wallace,our treasurer,at dharma49@icloud.com to arrange a time and place to pick up your donation. You can also click here to make an online Paypal donation. For more information visit our website: http://www.boquetehealth.org We also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boqueteheartshandsandhelp/?ref=bookmarks Please Like our page and share the contents with your family and friends. Confidentiality All patient information shared with any Boquete Health and Hospice volunteer is kept in the strictest confidence. To Contact Us Hospice/Health: (507) 6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday Please! Blood Donor Program: WhatApp (507)-6590-2000 or call (507)-6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday, Please. Email: info@boquetehealth.org Freely send this to anyone, use any part. Our mailing address is: info@boquetehealth.org

Check out our new Facebook page to learn more about the Magic of Music!

View this email in your browser General Meeting Boquete Health and Hospice ZOOM ONLY - NO IN PERSON Date Wednesday, May 12th Time: 1:00 to 2:00 pm Due to the recommendations from MINSA, the General Meeting for Boquete Health and Hospice will be a ZOOM only meeting. Date Wednesday, May 12th Time: 1:00 to 2:00 pm Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83887079356 Meeting ID: 838 8707 9356 Go to Meeting MEETING AGENDA Surviving Covid-19 - Liz Bolt Long Haul Covid Discussion - Kelly Collier Highlights from the Council Meeting- Administrator Report - Financials - Respiratory - Need a Team Leader The CPR training will be rescheduled. Our mailing address is: Boquete Health and Hospice Bajo Boquete Boquete Panama Add us to your address book

View this email in your browser Table of Contents Don't Let Your Guard Down Incredible Volunteers Music Wellness Guide CPR Training Announcement CPR Testimonial Being Prepared Workshop Review Giving Blood in Boquete Next General Meeting The Tale of the Behemoth World Blood Donor Day is Coming Tree of Life Update BHH Policies Letter from the President Don’t Let Your Guard Down It is easy to believe that Covid-19 is on the way to being beaten. Daily new cases have dropped from over 5000 in early January to an average of 300 in April. And while most of the vaccine is being administered in Panama City, we expect/hope it will be available in Boquete soon. However, the virus is still active. In early April one of our members was exposed and then, unknowingly, exposed another member. Both have since tested negative. Then news was received that another one of our members and her husband had active Covid-19. Please – wash your hands, use hand sanitizer/alcohol gel, social distance and wear masks. Showing respect for others (and yourself) is what makes Boquete such a great community. A question was asked why Boquete Health and Hospice had started having meeting and presentations again. The short answer is that last year having a meeting was against the law and this year it is not. BHH adheres to the MINSA guidelines and keeps up to date on the CDC/WHO recommendations regarding gatherings. All of our meetings at the Animales Event Center require attendees to use the step-through tray, use alcohol gel, have their temperatures taken, remain socially distanced, wear masks and provide names, emails and phone numbers in case it becomes necessary to contact them. The building is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before and after each event. BHH wants people to feel safe coming to the events but understands if they do not. Database Update The database project is moving along. Christine has returned to the states but will help us long distance. The hope is that testing will be done during April and that the database can go “live” by the end of the month. Christine has been working hard with both the Administrator Team and the Equipment Team, making sure that all their needs are taken into account. Music Wellness Playlist Guide & Explanation from the "Magic of Music" Team Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory. ‘Music Wellness’ is focused on tailoring your music experience to take advantage of these benefits. However, rather than just reading about the benefits of music wellness, why not try it out for yourself? The Magic of Music team at Boquete Health & Hospice has assembled a Music Wellness Guide with links to over a hundred music playlists that you can use to explore the landscape of music wellness! Backed by research from Harvard Medical School, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medical School, AARP, and the Global Council on Brain Health, our Music Wellness Guide is accompanied by an Explanation Document which briefly describes the benefits of wellness music and how to select the playlists that best suit your wellness needs. Music Wellness Guide Explanation Document We would like to hear from you regarding your experience with these music wellness playlists! Email the BHH Magic of Music Team and let us know! Email: music@boquetehospice.org 
 Incredible Volunteers Two of our wonderful volunteers are going to be stepping down from their positions. 1. Merl Will-Wallace will be leaving his position as Team Leader for the Respiratory Team. But (thankfully) he will be continuing as our Treasurer. Merl joined Boquete Health and Hospice in 2015 and has been on the Respiratory Team since he joined. In addition to keeping track of BHH’s funds, he has kept track of the respiratory equipment (concentrators, cpap and bipap machines and the various other parts that are needed by patients), makes sure that the equipment is working and is sanitized before and after each use, follows up with patients making sure that all is working satisfactorily, and works with the team members making sure they are comfortable with the equipment so they can explain its use to the patients. The Council is currently exploring ways to make the job easier. The new database will be expanded to be able to handle the respiratory equipment, keeping track of who has what piece, inventory and ordering of more of the consumables. The team will be retrained on a regular basis so that when home visits re-commence, everyone will be up-to-speed. Merl – the entire organization thanks you for everything you have done for the respiratory team and are so happy you will continue as Treasurer. 2. Joanie Feuerstein (and her husband Will) have returned to the United States. Joanie has been one of the driving forces behind the Being Prepared Team (along with Char Lintz, Genie Vidal and Christine Kunert, Carmen Restrepo and Luis Botero). Joanie joined BHH in 2019 and jumped in by agreeing to work on the revising of the Being Prepared guide and presentations. A great deal of time and effort went into the preparation of the new guide, and then the presentations (most of which were cancelled in 2020 but have since recommenced. Joanie coordinated a team who spent quite a bit of time verifying the information contained in the guide. A new, updated version of the guide is now available. Joanie’s love for the organization and the community is readily apparent and we are so thankful that she has given her time and talent to help everyone. Joanie, the entire organization is honored you have been one of our volunteers. 3. Noemi Montenegro was honored at our last General Meeting for her outstanding volunteer work during the blood drive. Thank you for assisting so many of our donors. CPR 2021 Announcement Couples CPR Training in May When: May 12th, 2021, 2:30-3:30 pm (after the BHHF General Meeting)
 Where: Animales Event Center – The Ruby McKenzie Clinic Following Minsa’s guidelines: masks, social distancing, hand and foot sanitizing, and temperature check.
 Details: Since there are only 4 mannequins and 4 training AEDs, we can only have 3 couple participants (students). Each couple will have their own mannequin and AED. The 4th set is for the instructor. This is an abbreviated training session, even more abbreviated by Covid precautions. It will include one-man CPR, hands-on only CPR (chest compressions), use of the AED and Demonstration only of Heimlich Maneuver. At this time, the CPR Review Course is open only to BHHF members. Register quickly as again there are only 3 couples spots available. A waiting/cancellation list will be started. If all goes well, we plan on having this class after each BHHF General Meeting each month. Looking forward to seeing you,
 Linda Archer/CPR Coordinator
 rlaarcher@sbcglobal.net
 Couples Sign Up for the CPR Class CPR TESTIMONIAL “I am so grateful to BHH for offering this CPR class. It is was a great learning experience for me. I highly recommend taking this class. Some life could be saved by what it is learned taking this class. Linda Archer thank you; you made the class interesting and fun.” Yolanda Vega. Being Prepared Workshop Dying Ain’t Easy in Panama…...However, the April Being Prepared workshop just made it easier to navigate for 40 attendees. Char Lintz (retired ICU and geriatric nurse) guided us through the step-by-step process that she recently experienced with the death of her father. Our job now is to complete the detailed forms, to make known our final wishes and to Be Prepared for the unexpected. The next workshop will be held in July. But no need to wait to get your affairs in order. Being Prepared booklets are available for a $10 donation at Mailboxes, Etc. and at our BHH table at the Tuesday Tap Out Market (by the theater door). A PDF version is also available online for a $5 donation at www.boquetehealth.org Get a booklet now and follow the simple guidelines. You and your family deserve the peace of mind. Giving Blood in Boquete A testimonial from our President, Lesley Hughes “On Saturday, March 6, I was fortunate enough to be able to donate blood at the Boquete Health and Hospice Blood Drive because I hadn’t traveled out of the country for three months. Pre-registration was easy by email, and I was given an appointment time of 7:30 to donate. I arrived about five minutes early and was checked in. My information was on the pre-registration sheet. I was given a number and asked to sit in a chair outside. About 3 minutes later I was called inside. I had my temperature taken, answered a few questions and was given a paper to take to the first blood draw station (to check for anemia). After that I sat for about four minutes before I was asked to speak with a doctor. Since my Spanish language skills are still developing, one of the volunteers acted as a translator. Shortly after answering the questions, I was directed to a chair for the actual blood donation. A wonderful technician inserted the needle, and the process began. (I have to say he did a wonderful job – in the US when I have donated, I have ended up with a large bruise. Here no bruise at all!). Ten minutes later I was all done, and I was escorted to a table and chair outside where I was given a bottle of water, a new water bottle gift, crackers and a small container of yogurt. All done and back in the car by 8:15. It was a fast, efficient, painless and pleasant experience.” Sign Up to Donate Blood The Tale of the Behemoth Once upon a time, BEFORE our equipment loan team started buying more portable hospital beds, Boquete Health & Hospice had this beautiful hospital bed taking up a lot of space in our storage locker. Sela Burkholder fondly named it the “behemoth” due to its size, weight and the difficulty transporting it to a patient’s home. Then one day, Sela decided it was best to donate the bed to a more fixed location. The perfect solution arose when our medical director, Dra. Diaz and Boquete Medical Associates, moved to a new location in Alto Boquete and had a special resting place for the bed. Shedding tears, Sela and her husband Al moved the bed to its final destination and bid the “behemoth” a fond farewell. (The tears may have been due to back strain, we aren’t sure.) And so, the story has a happy ending. The End! The Next General Meeting Wednesday, May 12th – 1pm IN PERSON AND ZOOM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83887079356 Meeting ID: 838 8707 9356 About the Tree of Life The tree was created to honor our donors and volunteers. The roots are volunteers, the trunk is the council, the leaves are people who have donated $100 or more. The two color leaves are people who have donated for two years. The flowers are business sponsors who donate $100 or more every year. The Lilies are new. They are memorials to people who have passed. Family or friends have donated $200 or more to honor them. Add your leaf or flower or Lily. Click the button to make our tree grow. Thank you. Donate Click Here to Enlarge Tree Many Thanks to Our New Donors Ginny Woolley Over the past year there have been questions about WHY Boquete Health and Hospice was doing things in a certain way. The policies of the organization have now been posted on our website. There is a link at the bottom of the home page or you can go to the “More” page to read them or download a PDF version. The policies will be updated as needed. View BHH Policies Our Mission Our mission is to provide palliative care for the terminally ill in order that they may experience death with dignity and limited pain; to inform and promote community health; and, to support people with health and wellness needs by providing information, equipment and volunteer services. To Make a Donation BHHF functions with donations provided by the community. If you are interested in supporting the work we do, please make a donation. To make a financial contribution by check or cash contact Merl Will-Wallace,our treasurer,at dharma49@icloud.com to arrange a time and place to pick up your donation. You can also click here to make an online Paypal donation. For more information visit our website: http://www.boquetehealth.org We also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boqueteheartshandsandhelp/?ref=bookmarks Please Like our page and share the contents with your family and friends. Confidentiality All patient information shared with any Boquete Health and Hospice volunteer is kept in the strictest confidence. To Contact Us Hospice/Health: (507) 6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday Please! Blood Donor Program: WhatApp (507)-6590-2000 or call (507)-6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday, Please. Email: info@boquetehealth.org Freely send this to anyone, use any part.

Being Prepared in Boquete for Life and Death Take the FEAR out of an unexpected health crisis! LAST CHANCE to Join this valuable discussion 5 Seats Available Wed., April 21st 11:00 - 12:30pm Animales Event Center - Ruby McKenzie Clinic NOW is the time to: Provide peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones. Navigate the paperwork that will put you in legal compliance with Panama. Think about the difficult questions on your end-of-life care. Get your affairs in order Bring your hard copy of the Being Prepared Guide, and your questions. (Guides are available at our BHH Tap Out Tuesday market table, at Mailboxes, Etc., or at the event for a $10 donation.) For reservations email: prepared@boquetehealth.org

Take the FEAR out of an unexpected health crisis! Join this valuable discussion Wed., April 21st 11:00 - 12:30pm Animales Event Center - Ruby McKenzie Clinic NOW is the time to: Provide peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones. Navigate the paperwork that will put you in legal compliance with Panama. Think about the difficult questions on your end-of-life care. Get your affairs in order Bring your hard copy of the Being Prepared Guide, and your questions. (Guides are available at our BHH Tap Out Tuesday market table, at Mailboxes, Etc., or at the event for a $10 donation.) For reservations email: prepared@boquetehealth.org