Community Health
Page 4
ANNOUNCING
Dia6etes (Day
Monday, Judy 27th
at the
S ile tz Com munity Jfeaith C&nic
This special opportunity for multiple screenings
during one visit will be offered once each quarter,
SCHC medical and dental staff invite all diabetic clients
to schedule an appointment on Diabetes Day to
receive screenings including:
(BloodPressure and CBQ
Vision • (Dented
tfem ogbB in^lC • Toot Checks
to announce that Janet Meirelles will be giving
an inspirational and educational presentation in the morning,
Janet is a nationally known speaker on diabetes and the author of
D i a f io f o e * «
Un/ a if ¡tuna nf fialen
Janet Meireffes,
Certtfùd (Diabetes Educator • Certified tfeaüb Education Specialist
Member Editorial (Board, "(Diabetes Forecast"
■ i i
■ ■
9:30 am-12:00 noon
Sifctz Community Center
Lunch tofottbw.
Please contact Sandra Hahn, RN, a t SCHC
fo r more inform ation:
(541)444-1030/(800)648-0449
I available to tribal members in other areas:
contact your local Area Office.
Effective January 1. 1998
CHS Optometry Benefit Explained
■
News for a ll' CHS-eligible
Tribal Members (Inside the
11 -county service area):
Priority #1 Patients (Elders 55
years of age and over; full-time
students; and diabetics)
Currently, for Priority #1
patients, CHS will pay up to $250.
■of eye ware and one optometry
exam every 12 months. The $250.
limit applies to the cost of glasses
and/or contact lenses. CHS
normally pays for medically
necessary items only. You can
order tints, progressive ("no-line
bifocal") lenses, and transition
("photogray") lenses if you agree
to pay any additional costs beyond
the $250. allowance. Tints are not
covered beyond the $250. limit
unless prescribed by your eye
doctor and approved by CHS. If a
second optometry exam is
necessary in a 12-month period, a
gatekeeping request must be
approved or the cost of the exam
Will become part of the $250.
allowance. ,
Patients who do not fit into the
Priority #1 Category
For CEB-eligible patients who
are , not in Priority #1 category,
CHS will pay up to $250. of eye
ware and one optometry exam
eyery 24 months. The $250. limit
applies to the cost of the glasses
and/or contact lenses, not the
optometry exam. CHS normally
pays for medically necessary items
only. You can order tints, progres
sive lenses, and transition lenses if
you agree to pay any additional
costs beyond tire $250. allowance.
Tints are not covered beyond the
$250. limit unless prescribed by
your eye doctor and approved by
CHS. If a second optometry exam
is necessary in a 24-month period,
a gatekeeping request must be
approved or the cost of the exam
will become part of the $250.
allowance.
Diabetes is affecting too many
Native American families
GLORIA VANDEHEY, RN
Siletz Community HealihClinic
What is SCHC doing to helpyon?
Fortunately,
the
Clinton
Administration is very aware of
iabetes is à disease that affects
the Native Americans7 unique
the way the body uses food
and turns it info energy. Diabetes position with diabetes, and they
have allocated $300 million to
is a serious condition that can
provide grants over five years for
cause problem^ with yòur heart,
the. prevention and treatment of
eyes, kidneys and your feet.
diabetes
in
Indian
health
Diabetes keeps your body from
programs. This is where your
properly using the food you eat
Clinic comes in: to take advantage
for energy.
of those funds to help in this
Diabetes causes sugar in your
community.
blood to build up and not be used
A grant has been secured for the
for energy. People with diabetes
Siletz Tribal Council and the Siletz
have high blood sugar, which
Tribal Management. The Nurse
causes damage to feet, heart, eyes
Educator and the medical staff are
and kidneys.
forming a Medical Steering
Eating sugar does n ot cause
Committee. Also, a Siletz Tribal
diabetes. The causes are too much
weight for your size, not enough
Advisory Council will be estab
activity - like walking, and eating
lished. This Advisory Council will
too much fatty food.
decide what educational events
Sometimes. yóu -can feel good
and clinical services they want to
and still have diabetes. Some of
have. This council will be made up
of tribal members interested in
the sighs and symptoms might be:
developing an ongoing diabetes
.♦ You feel tired
education program.
♦ You have blurry vision.
♦ Each month there will be a
♦ You are thirsty all of the time
free walk-in clinic for screenings.
♦ You have to urinate often
♦ M ed ical,
d e n ta l,
an d
optometry and nursing services
Some people with diabetes do
and nutritional services and a
hot feel body changes. Unfortu
podiatrist will be included.
nately, American Indians are mòre
♦ Individual, group, and family
likely to get diabetes. The reason
diabetic management Will be
goes ,100 to 300 years back to your
offered.
ancestors. Years ; ago, Native
♦ A quarterly "Diabetes Day"
Americans did , not have-diabetes;
will be offered every three months.
In traditional times, sugar and fat.
♦ The quarterly 'Diabetes Day"
and salt were available in Only
will include educational activities,
yery
small amounts.
Your
a traditional meal, and expanded
ancestors had what is called the
clinical services (eg, eye arid foot
"thrifty gene." That simply means
exams).
that they had. limited access to
♦ Tobacco-cessation classes will
food and had to spend a relatively
be offered,
large amount of high energy to
Watch for these events, or call if
find the food. They had to hunt
you are interested in becoming
and gather and prepare their food.
So your ancestors had a metabolic
part of the Siletz Tribal Diabetes
efficiency gene built in and you
Education Advisory Board.
still carry oh that genetic message.
Let's celebrate life and aim to
The only problem is that was 100
get back that harmony and
to 300 years ago; now thè Native
balance your ancestors had in
American just has to drive to the
nature.
store and buy the fried chicken
Gloria VanDeHey is a student at
and bread and the sweets and
drive home and eat it and then sit
Oregon Health Sciences University
and watchTV.
(OHSU) specializing in Diabetes
The good news is diabetes can
Education studying at the Siletz
be controlled and you can live a
Clinic. "Thanks for this opportunity."
long, healthy life in harmony and
balance. You will need to balance
your food and exercise.
D