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July Special Section
2 | July 2021 | NorthFulton.com | ForsythHerald.com
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Medicare is Confusing: Why and How To Better Understand It Brought to you by- Jay Looft, Medicare Insurance Broker, SeniorSource Medicare Solutions Medicare has been in existence since 1965 (fun fact: President Harry Truman was the first Medicare beneficiary), and the Medicare system has been changed or updated multiple times since. This is partially the reason for the confusion to Medicare consumers. Another reason is all the various sources coming at you with different bits and pieces of what they understand Medicare to be. These sources could be family, friends, insurance company advertisements, and even medical doctors. These sources can be helpful, and many times can point you in the direction you need to go, but take care to look at these sources as providing a “piece to the puzzle”. Medicare becomes a lot less confusing once you understand what you are looking at. One of the key concepts in understanding Medicare insurance is recognizing the two main paths when choosing how to get your Medicare. You are typically either going to keep Traditional Medicare and pair it with a Medicare Supplement
Plan and a Stand-Alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or choose to get it all through a Medicare Advantage Plan. Both are good options, but determining which option best meets your specific health and financial needs usually takes a bit of research. Monthly premiums, doctor co-pays, deductibles, prescription coverage and physician networks may differ between plans and even your county of residence. As you can see, there is a great deal of information you need to know about each of these plan options in order to make an informed decision. This is one of the first questions we help our clients figure out, Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage. At SeniorSource Medicare Solutions, we have the tools and years of experience to help guide you to a Medicare plan that fits your needs. Once we help find the right plan for your needs, we will help you with enrollment and be there for questions along the way. Our services come at no cost to you, and we would be delighted to work with you on your Medicare insurance needs. Call us at (770) 315-8145 or visit our website at www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com.
Your Local Broker for Medicare Insurance Needs
Your Local Broker for Medicare Insurance Needs
Specializing in Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement Plans
Specializing in Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement Plans
Serving North Atlanta Seniors for More Than 10 Years
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Living Healthy To 100
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WHEN:
• Provides Personalized Plan Analysis Paige Gorman Agent
• Annual Plan Updates, Including Upcoming Trends • No Cost to Use Our Services
770.315.8145
www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com
Jay Looft Owner/Agent
WHERE:
Wednesday, July 28th @ 10:30am Alpharetta Library, Upper Level
770.913.6464
www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com
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4 | July 2021 | NorthFulton.com | ForsythHerald.com
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Building Community - Designing Social Spaces for Connection Brought to you by – Village Park As the world begins to reopen, Village Park and its parent company, Galerie Living, are reflecting on the successes, challenges, and insights gained through navigating a global pandemic. From a human perspective, each of us learned to cherish life’s simple joys—a smile from a neighbor or a hug from a loved one—a little more. From an organizational perspective, we learned the importance of socialization to overall health and the powerful role spaces play in keeping people both safe and connected. “Socialization is vital to overall health,” said Tim Gary, Founder and CEO of Galerie Living. “We design our communities to provide a welcoming atmosphere for people of all ages to enjoy—residents and their grandkids alike.” Offering resort-style campuses suited to a diverse range of interests, Village Park neighborhoods are designed with the intention of creating daily experiences of unexpected happiness. As many of the outdoor spaces, dining venues, and lounges seamlessly connect, neighbors naturally develop healthy, supportive relationships. The team recognizes its ability to continue to provide residents
with engaging experiences as a major advantage to their overall success during the pandemic—especially when seniors at home were not able to enjoy public entertainment venues such as theaters, restaurants, etc. With multiple dining venues led by chefs, onsite theaters, fitness centers, and more, residents can enjoy a world of enriching experiences right outside their doors. As COVID-19 cases continue to drop and vaccinations continue to rise, Village Park is eager to safely share their intentionally designed communities with family and friends. Their newest community, Village Park Milton, welcomed back family celebrations with a summer luau last Thursday. The luau is the first of a series of themed concerts planned for the remaining summer and early fall months. Team members, residents, and visiting family members dressed in their tropical best gathered on the pool deck to enjoy various hawaiian themed hor d’oeuvres, drinks, and most importantly, each other. The event was filled with joyous tones as families celebrated at the home of their loved ones. Each Village Park community is designed for neighborly interactions with moments of unexpected happiness around every corner. To learn more
Bungalows & Cottages City Homes Independent Living Assisted Living Memory Care Village Park Milton 555 Wills Road Alpharetta, GA 30009 470.509.4557
Village Park Alpharetta 12300 Morris Road Alpharetta, GA 30005 678.740.3499
about upcoming family events or any of our award-winning communities, visit
www.villageparkseniorliving.com or give us a call at (470) 509-4557.
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Why do some tumors track along nerves? Brought to you by: Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta At a recent conference, an outstanding lecture by Dr. Scott Lester of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, provided insight into the question of why tumors exhibit “perineural invasion” – the behavior of tumors wrapping around and travelling along nerves. The answer is another example of how nature and biology never cease to surprise. In medical school, one of my favorite professors loved to say, “50% of what you are going to learn during these four years will ultimately be proved wrong.” As I sat in my hard wooden chair taking notes on apparently error-ridden knowledge, I hoped that the 50% that was misinformation was at least not the half that mattered. As it turns out, one of the pieces of misinformation apparently concerned perineural invasion. In medical school, I was taught that some tumors track along nerves because nerves are convenient highways to other parts of the body. This was the “path of least resistance idea.” Professors also posited that some of the vessels and lymphatics running along with the nerve are an additional reason for tumor growth along nerves – essentially the idea that tumors spreading along nerves is really just tumors spreading along the surrounding lymphatics and blood vessels – “business as usual.” Several recent studies presented by Dr. Lester have provided data that sheds new light on this subject: In one experiment, scientists placed a nerve next to but well apart from a tumor growing in a petri dish. The tumor extended a strand of cells in the direction of the nerve and grew toward the nerve. This challenges the idea that perineural tumor growth in patients is simply cancer extension along nerves already touching a tumor. Then, the scientists tested proteins found in the nerve and found that the entire nerve did not have to be pres-
50% of what you are going to learn during these four years will ultimately be proved wrong.”
ent in the dish to attract tumor growth. When scientists put a small amount of a nerve protein called GDNF (glial derived neurotrophic factor) in the dish, the tumor grew towards the GDNF. Apparently, proteins in the nerve attract tumor growth. So nerves are not just highways: some tumors seek out nerves by growing towards proteins that nerves produce. In another experiment, scientists placed pancreatic cancer cells next to the sciatic nerve inside of a live rat. Predictably, the cancer grew and invaded the sciatic nerve. The muscles relying on the sciatic nerve were unable to function which caused partial paralysis. However, when the scientists delivered radiation to the rat’s sciatic nerve BEFORE implanting the pancreatic cancer, the tumor grew
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6 | July 2021 | NorthFulton.com | ForsythHerald.com
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Premier: Continued from Page 5 but paralysis did not occur upon tumor implantation against the nerve. Nerves that had received radiation produced less GDNF. We have long thought of radiation as primarily working by killing cancerous cells because radiation is known to cause breaks in cancer cell DNA resulting in cell death. But these studies led Dr. Lester, a radiation oncologist, to ask if radiation therapy’s effect on healthy tissue is just as important to its success as its effect on cancer cells themselves. Perhaps in some cases, radiation’s effect on growth factors in healthy nerve tissue is critical to preventing cancer recurrence. As many questions as answers are raised by these studies. Will we one day have medicines that treat perineural tumors by inhibiting neurotrophic factors? For tumors that do not track along nerves but that invade muscle, bone or other tissue, will medicines increasingly target growth factors in these tissues to prevent spread? Already, medicine that targets “vascular endothelial growth factor” is being used to treat certain cancers. Perhaps one day a local injection of a medicine that blocks neurotrophic factors will be used to help treat perineural tumors. As a Mohs surgeon, I took interest in these studies because many skin cancers track along nerves and because identifying perineural invasion under the microscope is an important part of my job. When I find significant perineural invasion, radiation therapy after surgery is an option I discuss. I hope that I might one day be able to offer a targeted pill or injection as an alternative to radiation. However, I thought that these studies are of broad general interest because they are an intriguing example of how the obvious or intuitive answer so often is not the correct answer when biology is involved. Tumor growing along nerves is not just a case of taking the path of least resistance. So much of what we assume or are taught does not turn out to be the whole story. Nature is always more complex than we imagine, and new discoveries provide opportunities for medical advancement. If you or a loved one struggles with skin cancer or any dermatologic complaint, consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C are delighted to help you achieve your skin health goals. Dr. Taylor is a Harvard-graduate, a board certified dermatologist and vein care expert, and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. Kathryn Filipek has greater than 15 years of dermatology experience with expertise in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology including fillers, Botox®, and sclerotherapy.
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