SHOTS CAN HELP YOU
AVOID THE FLU
WHAT IS INFLUENZA ("FLU")?
Influenza (or "flu") is a vital infection of the nose,
throat, bronchial tubes, and lungs that can make
someone of any age ill. Usually the flu occurs in the
United States from about November to April. If you get
the flu, you usually have fever, chills, cough, and sore
ness and aching in your back, arms and legs. Although
most people are ill for only a few days, some persons
have a much more serious illness and may need to go to
the hospital. Many people die each year in the United
States from the flu or related complications.
WHO SHOULD GET A FLU SHOT?
Because influenza is usually mild and most people
recover fully, health officials emphasize the use of
vaccine for the elderly and people with other health
problems most likely to be seriously ill or to die from
the flu or its complications. For example, people who
after light exercise become short of breath due to
disease affecting their heart or lungs, and people who
have low resistance to infection, are likely to be more
seriously affected by the flu.
Groups who are at increased risk for serious illness with
the flu and who public health authorities feel should be
vaccinated if possible are:
Health people over 65 years of age.
People of any age who during the past year have
regularly seen a doctor or have been admitted to a
hospital for treatment of kidney disease, cystic fibrosis,
diabetes, anemia ("low blood"), or severe asthma.
People who have a type of cancer or immunological
disorder (or use certain types of medications) that lower
the body's normal resistance to infections.
Children or long-term treatment with aspirin who, if
they catch the flu, may be at risk of getting Reye
Syndrome ( a childhood disease that causes coma, liver
damage, and death).
WARNING-SOME PEOPLE SHOULD CHECK "
WITH A DOCTOR BEFORE GETTING A FLU
SHOT:
Persons who should not be given the flu shot include
those with an allergy to eggs that causes dangerous
reactions if they eat eggs.
Anyone who has been paralyzed with Guillain Barre
Syndrome, as well as women who might be or are
pregnant, should get advice from their doctor about
special risks that might exist in their cases.
Persons who are ill and have a fever should delay
vaccination until the fever and other temporary symp
toms have gone.
Carol Terp.RNC
Community Health Nurse
Weekly Diabetes Prevention and Manage
ment Classes begin October 20, 1988 at
2:00 p.m. at the Tribal Office
DIABETES AND AMERICAN
INDIANS
FACTS ABOUT DIABETES:
-One in every 20 Americans has diabetes
-Diabetes, with it's complications, is the number three
cause of death by disease in the United States.
-People with diabetes are twice as prone to heart disease
and stroke.
-Diabetes causes 40,000 leg and foot amputations, which
represents one half of all amputations performed
annually.
WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO GET DIABETES?
-People who are overweight
-People with diabetic relatives
-People over age 40
-American Indians, Hispanics and Blacks are more
prone to diabetes than other groups.
Whether or not you are in one of these high risk
categories, we encourage you to participate in the
Diabetes classes.
Diabetes occurs much more frequently in the American
Indian populations than in the general United States
population. In some tribes, its effects about one-half the
adult population. Complications of the disease among
Indians are also occurring at an unusually early age with
excessive mortality in the early and mid-adult years.
The burdens of this disease, both for the patient and the
health care system, are growing rapidly. There have
been dramatic increases in diabetes-related kidney
failure, blindness and amputations. In recognition of
this problem, we urge not only those who have the
disease, but also family members, friends and any other
interested person to attend our DIABETES PREVEN
TION AND MANAGEMENT CLASSES. Learn what
you can do to prevent the complications.
Carol Terp, RNC
Tribal Health Nurse
HOUSING ASSISTANCE
Since housing assistance funding is not adequate to meet
the needs of tribal members at this time and the near
future does not look much better for increased funding,
I urge tribal members needing housing to pursue other
programs.
One program worth looking into for tribal members is
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Farmers Home Administration (FmHA). FmHA
distributes an informative booklet titled "USDA
Programs of Interest to American Indians" that may
help you to obtain information related to your housing
needs. It should be available at your county FmHA
office.
Following is a description of an FmHA program listed in
the booklet. This program should be very beneficial to
tribal members wishing to purchase housing outside
metropolitan areas.
RURAL HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM (From
FmHA Booklet)
PAGE 6
Assistance Available: Loan funds may be used to buy,
build, repair, or relocate homes and to buy minimum
adequate sites. Funds may also be used to provide
adequate and safe water supply, sewage disposal
facilities, and storm shelters, and to pay expenses of
obtaining plans and loan closing costs. Loans may also
be made to install plumbing, repair roofs, and remove
health and safety hazards.
Interest rates are established periodically and can be
obtained by contacting local FmHA Offices. Interest
credit may be granted on loans to low-income families
to reduce the effective rate to as low as 1 percent.
Cosigners may be used, and the repayment period may
extend up to 33 years. For repair and rehabilitation
loans where the amount of the loan will not exceed'
$10,000, loans may be amortized over a period of 25
years as follows: For borrowers whose adjusted annual
income is not more than $5,000, $7,000, or $10,000,
interest credit may be calculated to reduce the effective
interest rate to 1, 2, and 3 percent, respectively. Loans
for regular housing purposes may be made to an
applicant with a leasehold interest in the land only when
the lease is for at least 50 years. In certain instances
where small repair loans are involved, the lease may be
for a shorter period but in any case, the length of the
lease must be 1 12 times the repayment periods of the
loan.
How to Apply - The following are eligible to apply by
contacting the local county FmHA office: (1) low- and
moderate income Indian families who are without
adequate housing and related facilities and who will
become the owner-occupant of a home located on a site
owned by the applicant or on which the applicant has an
acceptable long-term lease.
To obtain more information about these programs
contact your local county office. Some realtors also deal
in FmHA repo properties and are familiar with the
FmHA programs and can be very helpful in helping you
purchase a home.
If you are really interested in home ownership I urge
you to give these programs a try, you may be surprised
at how little money you need to move into a new home.
If you have any questions or problems making contact,
please feel free to call the tribal housing office at 879
5211 and we will do our best to assist you.
Good Luck!
Dave Bailey "
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9
,4
Elementary grade students help plant tree for National
Indian Youth Heritage Day.