COVID-19 Newsletter for Community Elders (July 2023)

Dr. Roger Villalba, Physician Team Leader

Photograph by T. Lee

Living in Balance

Substance Use Group

Mondays & Wednesdays

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Living in Balance

Intensive Outpatient (IOP) Substance Use Group

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays 10:00 am - Noon

New Beginnings

Adolescent Substance Use Group

Tuesdays 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Juvenile Drug Court (JDC) Adolescent Youth

Substance Use Group

Wednesdays 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Please call Behavioral Health Services: 520-562-3321 Ext. 7100

Safety Tips

Before

•Monitor your television, radio or cell phone for weather conditions.

•Dust Storm Watch: Tells you when and where dust storms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to your weather radio, commercial radio, television or cell phone for information.

•Dust Storm Warning: Issued when visibility is 1/2 mile or less due to blowing dust or sand, and wind speeds of 30 miles an hour or more.

Indoors

•Staying indoors as much as possible.

•Closing windows and doors.

•Consider turning off air conditioning until dust storm passes.

•Bring pets indoors or safe area outside.

Outdoors

•Seek shelter.

•Dust storms often accompany severe winds, thunderstorms and can lead to flash flooding.

•Avoid trees and low lying areas.

•Protect your face, nose, mouth and any exposed skin (mask designed to block dust particles).

•Get as low to the ground as possible far away from roads and freeways.

During

•Avoid driving into or through a dust storm.

•Immediately check traffic around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down.

•Do not wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway, do it as soon as possible. Completely exit the highway if you can.

•Do not stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane. Look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.

•Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers. You do not want other vehicles approaching from behind to use your lights as a guide, possibly crashing into your parked vehicle.

•Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.

•Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelts buckled and wait for the storm to pass.

•Drivers of high-profile vehicles should be especially aware of changing weather conditions and travel at reduced speeds.

After

•Follow instructions from the National Weather Service about additional hazardous conditions that may be expected.

•If you are pulled over in a vehicle, check traffic and carefully return the roadway.

•Drive with caution. Anticipate traffic light outages and obstacles in the road.

Mosquitoes breed in all untreated water

Keep yard items covered

Dump standing water

Use intact screens in windows

Fix leakyfaucets

Clean out gutters

Cover refuse containers and junk piles

Cover items that collect water

Extreme Heat

Heat-related deaths are preventable

WHAT:

Extreme heat or heat waves occur when the temperature reaches extremely high levels or when the combination of heat and humidity causes the air to become oppressive.

WHERE:

Houses with little to no AC

Construction worksites

WHO:

More males than females are affected

Outside workers

Older adults

Children

HOW to AVOID:

Stay hydrated with water, avoid sugary beverages

Stay cool in air conditioned area

Wear light-weight, light colored, loose fitting clothes

Cars

During extreme heat the temperature in your car could be deadly!

Outside Temperature 80°

WAYS YOU CAN HELP PROTECT YOUR VISION

Get regular comprehensive dilated eye exams.

Know your family’s eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease or condition, since some are hereditary.

Eat right to protect your sight: In particular, eat plenty of dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, and fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout, and halibut.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Quit smoking or never start.

Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home, such as painting, yard work, home repairs, and cleaning with household cleaning products.

Wear sunglasses that block 99 percent-100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.

Wash your hands before taking out your contacts and cleanse your contact lenses properly to avoid infection.

Practice workplace eye safety.

Scan the QR code for more information

If you would like to schedule an eye exam, please call:

Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital: ...................................(520) 562-3321 Ext. 7960

Komatke Health Center: ..............................................................(520) 550-6012

Hau’pal (Red Tail Hawk) Health Center: ......................................(520) 796-2690

Scheduling Policy What to Know:

Eligible transportation requests must be made by 2 pm two (2) business days before your appointment. Reservations can be made anytime before the deadline.

For example, if you know about your appointment two weeks in advance, call us, and we will gladly make your reservation.

Non-Emergent Medical Transportation Services (MTS)

What to Know:

Shared Ride Service

Non-emergent medical transportation is a shared ride service. Shared ridership means you will enjoy transportation with other patients and get to your non-emergent medical appointment on time!

• Other passengers may be picked up and dropped off during your transportation. Be courteous to other passengers by being ready at time of pick-up time so we don’t have delays for yourself and other riders.

• As a Non-Emergent Medical Transportation (NEMT) service, we can only provide transportation to non-emergent medical appointments.

• Example: Dialysis, Primary & Specialty Care, Dialysis, Behavioral Health Services and other medically necessary appointments

•If you have a Medical Emergency, CALL 911.

HOURS AND LOCATIONS

Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital

Sacaton, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Mon - Thur 7:30 am - 6:00 pm

Fri 7:30 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 602.528.1384

Switchboard: 602.528.1200

Main Number: 520.562.3321 Ext. 1384

Toll Free: 888.484.8526

Komatke Health Center

Laveen, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 520.550.6328

Switchboard: 520.550.6000

Hau’pal (Red Tail Hawk) Health Center

Chandler, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 602.528.1384

Non-Emergent Medical Transportation Services (MTS)

Cancelling Trips What to Know:

If you can’t make your trip, please call to cancel at least two hours before the scheduled pickup time. This will help the driver go directly to patients ready for pick-up.

To cancel transportation, call the Clerk line at 520-562-3321 Ext.1384. If a Clerk does not immediately answer, leave a voicemail using option #2 and a Clerk will promptly cancel your pick-up appointment.

In addition to patients, caregivers and patient doctors and nurses may cancel trips when calling with the patient’s authorization

HOURS AND LOCATIONS

Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital Sacaton, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Mon - Thur 7:30 am - 6:00 pm

Fri 7:30 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 602.528.1384

Switchboard: 602.528.1200

Main Number: 520.562.3321 Ext. 1384

Toll Free: 888.484.8526

Komatke Health Center Laveen, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 520.550.6328

Switchboard: 520.550.6000

Hau’pal (Red Tail Hawk) Health Center Chandler, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 602.528.1384

Non-Emergent Medical Transportation Services (MTS)

What to Know:

Holidays

The reservation booking timeline is a guide for weeks when there are no holidays.

Should a holiday fall on a business day (Monday - Friday) and Gila River Health Care is closed, patients must make transportation arrangements one day earlier than shown on the booking timeline.

When there is a two-day holiday (such as Thanksgiving), reservations must be made two days before the deadline shown.

HOURS AND LOCATIONS

Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital

Sacaton, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Mon - Thur 7:30 am - 6:00 pm

Fri 7:30 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 602.528.1384

Switchboard: 602.528.1200

Main Number: 520.562.3321 Ext. 1384

Toll Free: 888.484.8526

Komatke Health Center Laveen, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 520.550.6328

Switchboard: 520.550.6000

Hau’pal (Red Tail Hawk) Health Center Chandler, AZ

HOURS OF OPERATION: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Direct: 602.528.1384

MEDICAL ASSISTANT

LOCATION: ALL LOCATIONS

Assists in the provision of quality health care by performing a large variety of patient care activities such as preparing patients for visits, assist in basic procedures, and enhancing patient flow. Supports department activities by performing duties such as maintaining inventory stock and laboratory supplies, completing regular safety checks, and cleaning and sanitizing relevant surfaces and materials. The Medical Assistant (MA) will perform various office and clinical duties to keep the department running efficiently. Records and inputs pertinent data into the Electronic Health Record (EHR) and reports abnormalities to Health Care Provider.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or GED required.

• 1 year experience of patient care preferred.

• Current and valid Medical Assistant certificate from an approved and accredited program.

• Current and continuing BLS training and certifications within 90 days in position.

FREQUENTLY CALLED EXTENSIONS

Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital - Main Number: (520) 562-3321

Komatke Health Center - Main Number: (520) 550-6000

Hau’pal (Red Tail Hawk) Health Center - Main Number: (520) 796-2600

Behavioral Health Services - Main Number: (602) 528-7100 District Service Centers