SPRING 2021
News from your Primary Care Team and eBrightHealth ACO
at home!
Tips to make your home safe and fresh
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Set a BP Target
Blood pressure screenings can save your life
WAYS TO BRIGHTEN A SUNNY DAY
Know where to go for care
Hope is on the horizon!
• Always call your Primary Care Team first.
It was a long, hard winter — OK, let’s face it, it’s been a long, hard year. But take heart: spring has sprung! Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, COVID-19 infection rates and hospitalizations are down and vaccines are on the rise. It’s time to head back out for a walk on the sunny side of the street (just don’t forget your mask and keep a safe distance from others, even if you have been vaccinated).
• Save Emergency Departments for serious illness or injury.
Spring into good health — mind, body and spirit
If the year’s events have left you feeling like you’ve lost the spring in your step, your Primary Care Team can help. Talk openly about your emotional well-being as well as your physical health at your next visit. The two go hand in hand, and keeping both in check is the best way to make sure you are ready to spring into action when restrictions lift.
• Use Urgent Care when your Primary Care office is closed.
But whatever you do, if you need help, seek help.
Check out the preventive screening and vaccination checklist inside. 1
Mental health, emotional health, behavioral health Why do they matter?
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hings like stress, anxiety, depression, addiction and how you relate to others all play a role in your well-being. They can all affect your physical health, too, so don’t let it slide. Just like you seek treatment for physical ailments, it’s important to ask for help with your mental, emotional or behavioral health, too.
Watch for these symptoms:
Behavioral health is different for each person. Work with your Primary Care Team for a plan that works for you. For more information, visit Medicare.gov/coverage.
• Little or low energy
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Good news! Meaningful social connections
with friends and family go a long way toward preventing mental health issues. Reach out to someone you care about today — and every day.
• Sleeping too much or too little • Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying • Smoking or drinking alcohol more than usual • Pulling away from people and favorite activities (not because of COVID-19) • Feeling irritable or annoyed more than usual • Unexplained aches or pains • Feeling sad, anxious or “empty” • Feeling restless, having trouble sitting still • Trouble concentrating, remembering or making decisions
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. But if you’re not… If you’re feeling overwhelmed with emotions such as sadness, depression or anxiety, reach out to a friend, family member or clergy. You can also call your Primary Care Team or mental health professional, or reach out to CareVio at 302-320-5600 or 1-844-227-3565.
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Photos taken pre-pandemic. Keep wearing your mask, as directed, to keep yourself — and others — safe.
6 ways to brighten a sunny day
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EAT HEALTHY, STAY HYDRATED AND GET MOVING.
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WORK ON PUZZLES OR LEARN A NEW SKILL.
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TEND A GARDEN — IN YOUR YARD OR IN POTS ON A SUNNY WINDOWSILL.
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CONNECT WITH AT LEAST ONE PERSON EVERY DAY, BY TELEPHONE, EMAIL OR OVER THE BACKYARD FENCE.
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KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL.
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CARE FOR A PET.
Don’t be silent about the Silent Killer (aka high blood pressure)
Hypertension, or high blood pressure (BP), increases your risk for heart attack and stroke, kidney failure, vision loss and aortic dissection. It can also raise your anxiety or depression. To help keep it all under control:
Put down the salt shaker (and read labels for hidden salt in your diet). Limit yourself to 1,500 mg per day.
Eat better by adding more
vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, plant-based protein, lean animal protein and fish to your diet.
Replace processed meats, refined
carbs and sweetened beverages with healthier options.
Check your blood pressure
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regularly — at home or at the grocery store or pharmacy. And make sure you have your BP checked at every medical appointment.
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A blood pressure screening could save your life. 130/80 is the standard goal, but ask your health care team what is right for you.
comes the sun, and I say, “Here it’s all right.” — THE BEATLES
Say it again, Sam
Tune in to better health with a hearing check With age comes wisdom, but unfortunately, age can also lead to hearing loss. If you struggle to keep up with conversations, or if your better half or neighbors complain that the television and radio are way too loud, it’s time to mention it to your Primary Care Team. You may be referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist, an audiologist or a licensed hearing aid specialist for treatment such as hearing aids, assistive listening devices or cochlear implants.
▶ For more information on Medicare coverage for treatment of hearing loss, visit Medicare.gov/coverage.
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Spring Family Friends Peace Connect
Q H T B W T O P F M P N J U O W L T U N
The cost of medicine should not make you spring into high anxiety It’s important to take medicine exactly as prescribed. If the cost keeps you from filling your prescriptions — or if you occasionally skip a dose to save money — let your health care team or pharmacist know. There may be less-expensive medicines that treat your needs, or discount plans that can help.
Spring is a great time to look ahead Part of caring for your body, mind and spirit is thinking ahead to how you’d like your care plan to look like in the days and years ahead. Are you safely able to remain as independent as you’d like? How do you know when it’s time to bring help into your home or move to assisted living? What will Medicare cover and what’s the best way to talk with your family about possible changes? Making a plan before it becomes an emergency is the best way to maintain your independence. Look for these and many more tips in the next issue of Be Well. Stay Well. at home! You can also visit Medicare.gov to start planning today for the next step in your good health.
SPRING into Wellness
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Schedule your Annual Wellness Visit.
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Point of care matters. Primary Care first; Urgent Care when you need help sooner; Emergency Department for true medical emergencies.
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Remember to let your Primary Care Team know if you do seek care elsewhere.
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Is your medication list up to date?
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Never skip a dose of prescribed medicine — let your health care team know if cost is a problem.
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Get all recommended screenings and vaccinations. Review the enclosed preventive screening and vaccination checklist with your Primary Care Team.
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SPRING CLEANING
What’s cooking
Make your home safe and fresh Nothing feels better than dusting off the cobwebs and freshening up your home for spring. These tips will make your home safer, too. DECLUTTER. Protect yourself from trips and falls by keeping walkways clear, inside and out, and getting rid of things you no longer use. Tidy up electric cords and use anti-slip pads under area rugs. INSTALL SAFETY BARS in the shower or tub. ORGANIZE YOUR MEDICINE CABINET and safely dispose of expired medications and check that you have basic first aid supplies on hand. USE NATURAL CLEANERS such as lemon, baking soda and vinegar in your kitchen and bath. LET SOMEONE ELSE DO THE HEAVY LIFTING AND CLIMB LADDERS to clean windows and gutters. OPEN THOSE FRESHLY WASHED WINDOWS and enjoy that fresh air.
Strawberry Chicken Salad
Think spring. Think strawberries! Wake up your taste buds with this easy, nutritious option for lunch or dinner that combines the freshness, colors and flavorful tastes of spring. Substitute grilled shrimp or add a few blueberries for another delicious option to carry you right into summer. I N G R E D I E N T S SERVES TWO 2 cups baby greens ½ cup sliced strawberries ½ cup mandarin oranges 6 ounces of precooked, chilled and sliced chicken breasts 1 tbsp. sliced, toasted almonds
MyMedicare.gov Take a few minutes to set up your personal account and add your favorite providers to your profile at MyMedicare.gov for easy access to your health information at any time.
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½ ounce sliced red onions 4 ounces poppy seed dressing In a medium bowl, place all the ingredients above, then toss lightly and serve. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER PORTION: TOTAL CALORIES 476, (EMPTY CALORIES: 32, SOLID FATS CALORIES: 2, ADDED SUGARS CALORIES: 29); PROTEIN 29G, CARBOHYDRATES 23G, DIETARY FIBER 3G, TOTAL SUGARS 15G, ADDED SUGARS 7G, TOTAL FAT 30G, SATURATED FAT 5G.
Thank you to eBrightHealth ACO partner Bayhealth for this recipe. To find more, visit our website at ebrighthealthaco.org.
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
WILMINGTON DE PERMIT NO. 357
200 Hygeia Drive, Suite 2100 Newark, DE 19713
Spring into good health — mind, body and spirit
Beneficiary to Beneficiary Meet Evelyn Hayes, YOUR beneficiary representative at eBrightHealth ACO. Evelyn understands what type of information Medicare beneficiaries need because she’s one, too, but she could use your ideas!
Be one of the first 50 readers to tell us what you think about our newsletter — or what you would like to read about in a future issue — and Evelyn will send you this FREE drawstring bag to safely carry medications to all health care appointments. Email her at info@ebhaco.org. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
This newsletter is from your Primary Care Team and these partners that make up eBrightHealth ACO. Be sure to stay in touch with your Primary Care Team throughout the year to help you Be Well. Stay Well.
COMMUNITY PRACTICES: Atlantic Family Physicians, Dover Family Physicians, La Red Health Center,
Quality Family Physicians, Curtis A. Smith, DO, Trinity Medical Associates, Westside Family Healthcare For more information, visit ebrighthealthaco.org and go to For Beneficiaries, or call the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY 1-877-486-2048).
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