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M A R C H 25, 1998
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Legacy Helps Caregivers
Take Care of Themselves
Fosamax Prevented and Treated
Osteoporosis Study Shows
The
m edicine
Fosam ax
astating outcome for millions of
(alendronate sodium) both treated
people who depend on steroids to
and prevented the bone-thinning dis
control serious diseases including
ease osteoporosis in men and women
asthma and COPD,” said Ronald
who had or were at risk for it because
Emkey, M.D., investigator o f the
ofthe glucocorticoids (steroids) they
study and director o f The Bone Re
took for asthma or chronic obstruc
search Center o f The Reading
tive pulmonary disease (COPD), ac
Hospital and Medical Center,
cording to new data presented at the
West Reading, PA. “This new
annual meeting o f the American
research offers a promising solu
Academy of Allergy, Asthma and
tion in helping to prevent and
Immunology (A AAAI).
reverse osteoporosis in men and
About 30 million Americans have
women of all ages who need to
diseases that often required treat
take steroid medications.”
ment with steroids. O f these, more
“Although the study was not
than 4 million Americans take ste powered to detect fracture risk
roid drugs to control asthma and other reductions, the study showed a
diseases characterized by shortness
trend with Fosamax and those on
ofbreath (COPD). Bone loss is rapid
placebo in these studies. Despite
in people who take steroids-they can
the concomitant use of steroids
lose up to 10% of their bone mineral
and the extensive use o f aspirin
density (BMD) in the first year of and NSAIDS, medications that
treatment alone, with much o f the are known to cause G1 side ef
bone loss occurring within weeks to fects, there was no difference in
months after starting treatment. In the rate of esophageal adverse
fact, 11 % of those who have taken events and peptic ulcers between
steroids for at least one year for people treated with Fosamax and
asthma suffer spine fractures. Ac those given placebo.
cording to epidemiological studies,
To receive maximum benetit from
the risk of fracture from osteoporosis
Fosamax and to reduce the potential
doubles with each 10% o f BMD lost.
for esophageal irritation, patients
B M D is an indicator ofbone strength.
must take the medicine upon waking
In this study, men and women
for the day at least 30 minutes before
treated with Fosamax stopped bone
the first food, beverage or other medi
loss and increase bone mineral den
cation ofthe day with a full glass of
sity (BMD) at the spine and hip, two
water(six to eight ounces) only. After
common sites o f osteoporotic frac
swallowing Fosamax, patients must
ture.
not lie down and should stay fully
“For more than 40 years, os
upright (sitting or standing) for at
teoporosis has been avoidable, dev
least 30 minutes and until after first
food ofthe day. Patients should not
chew or suck on the tablets.
Osteoporosis is a bone-thinning
d i sease th at I eads to 1.8
mil-
Legacy Health System has de
veloped an innovative educational
program to give caregivers the skills
to take care of themselves. “T a k
in g C a r e o f Y ou : P o w
e r fu l
T o o ls
fo r
C a r e g i v i n g ” is de
signed to aid those who
c a re
lio n
fractures per year
in the United States alone. The
disease costs the U.S. health care
system $13.8 billion annually.
Fosamax was cleared in 1995 for
the treatment of osteoporosis in post
menopausal women and Paget’s dis
ease and in 1997 for prevention of
osteoporosis in post menopausal
women. Fosamax is marketed by
Merck & Co., Inc.
for loved
ones with stroke, Alzheimer’s or
Parkinson’s Disease. Participants
range in age from spouses caring for
husbands or wives, adult children
caring for parents, and friends who
help care for neighbors. The next
series will be held during April and
May at five locations throughout the
Portland metropolitan area as well as
in the Redmond, Bend, Ashland and
Grants Pass areas. The course is free
thanks to a generous grant form
the Meyer Memorial Trust.
“Our program is modeled
after Stanford University’s
successful chronic Disease
Self-Management Program,”
states Leslie C'ongleton, pro-
I gram manager. “ Participants
are instructed by trained lead
ers, many o f us experienced
caregivers ourselves who have
successfully adopted the tech
niques we teach."
The six-week class meets
once a week for two and one-
half hours. Convenient day
and evening classes are avail
able. Participants develop their
own personalized action plans
and goals as they cover a vari
ety o f topics, including:
•Tools to help reduce stress
* How to communicate effec
tively with other family mem
bers, their doctor, and service pro
viders
•The importance of self care
•How to reduce guilt, anger and
depression
•Relaxation techniques
•How to approach tough deci
sions
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in
Gresham, Oregon, recently hosted
the program’s pilot class. “Testing
the model and incorporating our
team’s high degree of skill and
knowledge of care giving has pro
vided an exciting laboratory for all
involved,” adds Congelton.
Participants also were very en
thusiastic with the results. Edythe
H ansen, w hose husband has
Alzheimer’s, was battling guilt and
depression that caring for a loved
one can bring. “As I look back, I
realize I was on the verge of de
pression,” state Hansen. “By tak
ing this class, I now take care of
myself by doing for myself. I’ve
learned how to retain and balance
my hobbies and the joys of living
with taking excellent care o f my
husband.”
Registration for the April/May
series is required by April 3, 1998.
For specific dates, times and loca
tions to register for the Portland
area classes, call 503-335-3500.
For classes outside Portland, call
503-413-7032.
Fight The Fear: Self-Defense For Every Woman
Join us for the next Fight The Fear
self-defense classes for women and
teen girls. Located at One With
Heart in Southeast Portland, Satur
day workshops are held 11 am-4pm
and full six-week courses meet Mon
days and Wednesdays from 7:30-
9pm.
In the classes, girls and women
learn practical physical and verbal
self-defense skills taught by certified
women’s self-defense instructors.
Also learn strategies for preventing
threats to your personal safety as
well as information about assailant’s
pre-assaultive behavior.
The next workshop will be held
Saturday, May 30th.
The next 6 week course begins
March 30th.
For more information please con
tact Antonia or Michelle,
One With Heart Physical Fitness
With Purpose, 231-1999
A female kangaroo will not give birth to a joey ( baby), if she has an older joey still In the pouch. Once
the older joey leaves the pouch (usually within 8 months), the kangaroo will give birth within a day.
Tobacco-tax increase helps Oregon
As the Oregon Health Plan be
gins its fifth year this month, it is
preparing to bring an estim ated
27,700 pregnant women, college
students, and children and teen
agers under M edicaid coverage
financed by a 1996 voter ap
proved increase in the state to
bacco tax.
These new Oregon Health Plan
m embers will join about 335,000
current members and increase the
share o f state resid en ts w ith
health insurance, now about 89%.
The health p lan ’s M edicaid pro
gram covers both O regonians on
public assistance and the w ork
ing poor.
These are scheduled changes
in M edicaid coverage, all fi
nanced by the tobacco tax in
crease:
•B eginning March I, an e sti
mated 1,800 additional pregnant
women will be eligible for the
health plan. To qualify, a preg
nant woman and her family could
have an incom e o f up to $ 2 2 ,6 6 1,
or 170% o f the federal poverty
level.
•S in c e J a n .l, an estim ated
1,700 college students form low-
incom e fam ilies have been eli
gible for the health plan if they
qualify for federal Pell Grants
and have been uninsured for at
least six m onths.
•In July, up to 16,800 children
will become eligible for the health
plan as a result o f the federal
Children’s Health Insurance Pro
gram, or CHIP, which Congress au
thorized to deliver coverage to more
low-income children. Another 7,400
children and their families who al
ready qualify for the health plan, but
don’t currently participate, also are
expected to enroll.
fabric
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300,000 Oregonians will Breathe Easier May 30th
8th Annual “Reach the Beach” Clean Air Bicycle Challenge
The American Lung Association
of Oregon is holding its 8th annual
“Reach the Beach” Clear Air Bicycle
Challenge on S a tu r d a y , M a y 3 0 ,
1998. Participants form the begin
ner to the seasoned cyclist are invited
to join an expected 1500 Northwest-
emers on one o f four different bi
cycle routes through breathtaking
scenery. Thanks to the support of
our presenting sponsor, Portland
General Electric, and other spon
sors, this year’s Reach the Beach
promises to be another great day for
families, neighbors, corporate teams,
and friends old and new. Proceeds
support medical research and pro
grams benefiting 300,000 Orego
nians with asthma and other lung
disease, and help ensure healthy air
for future generations.
Riders can choose a route -start
ing from Portland, Salem, Amity, or
Grand Ronde—to best fit their abil
ity. Courses wind through lush
Willamette Valley farms and vine
yards and the majestic coast range
forest. The G rand Ronde route
covers terrain especially for m oun
tain bikers. Rest stops with food,
water, and medical and mechanical
services support participants along
the way. All the routes end in Pacific
City, where beautiful Cape Kiwanda
and Haystack Rock are the backdrop
to a finish festival with food and
entertainment.
Biking isn’t the only way to join
the fun. Volunteers are welcome to
help make the event a great success
again this year. For more informa
tion, call the Lung Association at
503-246-1997or I -800-LUNG-USA
in Oregon.
Special Sale!
2 Days O nly
Fri, & Sat., March 27-28
Extended Hours: Saturday Open til 9PM
European Flower
Reduces Wrinkles
On the sun-drenched fields of
Spain, European dermatologists have
found a rare flower that has remark
able skin smoothing powers. It’s a
special strain o f a chamomile flower
that’s unusually rich in three compo
nents— Levomenol, flavonoids and
essential oils.
Clinical studies have shown that
this European chamomile can dra
matically reduce fine lines and
wrinkles. Example: A recent study,
conducted under controlled protocol
at the Dermatological Clinic o f the
University o f Bonn, Germany, re
vealed specific smoothing effects of
the chamomile on skin which had
been damaged by UV radiation.
Is this the world’s best kept beauty
secret? For more information and a
sample, contact Paul Ross at I -800-
226-6227 extension 102.
Teen Tobacco Facts:
4 0 off
1. Joe Camel may be on the way out, but his deadly legacy remains. Since the Joe campaign started
in 1988, C am el’s share o f the illegal children’s market increased from one-half percent (0.5) to 32.8
percent. (“T h e U.S. Surgeon General’s report for kids about smoking.”)
2. Each day another 3 ,000 young persons become smokers, according to D r. D avid Kessler, former
commissioner o f the U.S. Food and D rug Administration.
3. In 1996, approximately 2 8% o f 1 lth-grade students in Oregon considered themselves smokers.
Most smokers start before they are 18 (from an Oregon H ealth Division survey),
ALL FABRIC
4. C urrently, 3 0 % o f smokers say they started by the age o f 15 (from an Oregon Health Division
survey).
5. M ore than 6,00 0 Oregonians die each year form tobacco-related diseases, according to the
L im ited to stock on hand!
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
BF, SURE TO CHECK O l !R STORE FOR “MANAGER'S SPECIALS”
6. 6 1 ,3 4 0 Oregon children currently under age 18 will die prematurely form tobacco-related
•D is o w s is not .trrh 1,1 Tecial purchase«>r previously Jiscmmted i t marked down items, 327 thru) 2898.
““
disease. (C D C projection)
7. 2 3.6 % o f 11 grade boys in Oregon currently use smokeless tobacco. (19 96 Oregon Public School
D rug Use Survey)
N
&
/
8. H a lf o f all adolescent smokers and one quarter o f adolescent nonsmokers own at least one
promotional item from a tobacco company. (1992 Gallup Survey)
/
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