SE*ED: Planning for that Inevitable Day

What will happen to your assets when you die? That’s a question best settled now, not put off until tomorrow. Join Melissa O’Rourke, PhD, Iowa State University Extension, on Monday, Sept. 26, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Senior Education Program as she presents, “Top 10 Mistakes of Estate Planning.”

O’Rourke will present on common questions and mistakes, such as procrastination, failure to communicate final wishes with family members, failure to coordinate estate plans and property ownership strategies, and other blunders that might cause unnecessary worry and stress on heirs when that day comes. O’Rourke’s position at Iowa State University allows her to combine experience in law, education, and agriculture, in an unbiased and non-selling approach to help individuals document their wishes.

O’Rourke is an attorney experienced in agricultural law and estate planning. She teaches and presents seminars with the Iowa State University Extension.

This program is free and open to the public. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Drake Community Library, with refreshments beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Parking is available at the Drake Community Library, along Park Street, on Fifth Avenue, and in the First Presbyterian Church parking lot. Seniors needing transportation may call GRMC Communications and Development at 641-236-2593 by the Thursday before the program. 

Help Beef Up Healthcare

As the start date for the emergency department renovation draws closer, donors are coming up with creative ways to help Grinnell Regional Medical Center raise those last few dollars to reach its fundraising goals. 

“The staff in the emergency department are very passionate about the planned renovation and they wanted to do something to help us finish fundraising for the project. We’re very grateful for their support,” says Denise Lamphier, GRMC director of communications and development.

The staff donated a heifer to GRMC for silent auction with all the proceeds going toward the emergency department renovation. It will be divided into quarters; four winning bids will be accepted, one for each individual quarter. Go to https://go.rallyup.com/feea5b to place a bid and keep checking in until the auction ends at 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9. The four winning bidders will walk away with approximately 100 to 120 pounds of high quality, locally raised beef. (Average fair market value $650-$700.) 

For more information about the GRMC emergency department renovation project or to make a donation toward this effort, please contact Denise Lamphier, GRMC director of communications and development, at 641-236-2589.

New Physician Assistant Joins GRMC Medical Staff

Kate Van Wyk, MSPA, PA-C, joined the medical team at Grinnell Regional Family Practice. She will practice with Drs. Doorenbos, Koller, and Rebelsky as well as fellow physician assistants Jake Boyer and Kristin Phelps. This clinic is located on the third floor of the Ahrens Medical Arts Building.

Van Wyk recently graduated from Des Moines University with her master of science in Physician Assistant Studies. She is familiar with GRMC after completing two rotations in the master’s program with Surgical Associates and Grinnell Regional Family Practice. She also completed family medicine rotations at a Pella primary care clinic and a family health clinic in Alaska. She gained experience at the hospitals in Marshalltown, Urbandale, and West Des Moines, during internal medicine rotations.

Having grown up in Lynnville-Sully area and graduating from the Lynnville-Sully High School, Van Wyk was drawn to the home town feel of Grinnell.

“I’ve been drawn to medicine most of my life and have a deep personal desire to help people,” Van Wyk says. “This community is a great place and I’m excited to meet the residents and patients.”

 Van Wyk will see patients of all ages, providing primary care.

“We’re pleased to welcome Kate to our practice,” says Michelle Rebelsky, MD, Grinnell Regional Family Practice. “She brings in the latest in medical teachings and a great personality that our patients will appreciate.”

When not in the clinic, Van Wyk enjoys outdoors activities including biking, hiking, and kayaking; as well as reading and baking.

Grinnell Regional Family Practice, located at 210 Fourth Ave., Grinnell, accepts new patients. The clinic hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For appointments, call 641-236-2500.

“Welcome to Medicare” Seminar Offered in Grinnell

Dennis Day and Kathy Szary

Are you going to be eligible for Medicare in the near future?  Have you been on Medicare for a while and want to better understand what it offers?  Do you have a family member you help with Medicare issues.

“Welcome to Medicare” is for you!  This two-hour seminar offered by the Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s SHIIP counselors will be held Thursday, Sept. 29, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The seminar will be held at Drake Community Library, 930 Park St., Grinnell. Please register by Thursday, Sept. 22, by calling 641-236-2588.

“We’re excited to offer this free seminar to the community,” says Jeanette Budding, GRMC assistant director of communications and development and the SHIIP coordinator. “Medicare is such an important program and understanding what it offers helps assure that anyone eligible gets the health benefits they deserve. We have four excellent SHIIP counselors who will assist individuals with Medicare questions.”

 Maralee Kruse and  Montie Redenius

SHIIP counselors are Dennis Day, Maralee Kruse, Montie Redenius, and Kathy Szary. These counselors received training and certification from the Iowa Insurance Division this summer about the latest Medicare changes.

“Welcome to Medicare” seminar will cover Medicare Part A and Part B benefits, the prescription drug benefit (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance. 

For more information or questions, leave a message at 641-236-2588. A volunteer will return your call.

SHIIP, the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, is a service of the State of Iowa.  SHIIP counselors are trained by the state and do not sell or promote any insurance companies, policies or agents.  GRMC is the local sponsor for SHIIP in Poweshiek County. 

SEED Welcomes Grinnell College’s Latham

Grinnell College is an integral part of the Grinnell community, with changes on campus causing changes in the rest of the community. Join Mike Latham, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College, on Monday, Sept. 19, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Senior Education Program as he speaks about Strategic Transformations at Grinnell College.

Latham will discuss steps that the College is taking to promote innovation in the liberal arts, such as promoting opportunities for student research, new steps in the “digital liberal arts”, innovations in global education, and plans for a new Humanities and Social Studies Complex.

Latham became vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college in 2014. An academic as well as an administrator, he has published several books, including The Right Kind of Revolution: Modernization, Development, and U.S. Foreign Policy from the Cold War to the Present and Modernization as Ideology: American Social Science and “Nation Building” in the Kennedy Era, as well as several articles. Before moving to Grinnell, he worked at Fordham University, where he received an award for outstanding undergraduate teaching in the social sciences.

This program is free and open to the public. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Drake Community Library, with refreshments beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Parking is available at the Drake Community Library, along Park Street, on Fifth Avenue, and in the First Presbyterian Church parking lot. Seniors needing transportation may call GRMC Communications and Development at 641-236-2593 by the Thursday before the program. 

Avoiding Norovirus

With the onset of the new school year, Grinnell Regional Public Health advises taking precautionary steps of handwashing and avoiding school or work while ill to avoiding the spread of illnesses such as noroviruses. Norovirus has been identified in the community.

The most common symptoms are nausea with vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps. People of all ages have these symptoms. Diarrhea is more common among adults; vomiting is more common in children. Many persons (25 to 50 percent) also experience headaches, fevers, chills, and muscle aches. Illness usually lasts 24 to 48 hours. There are no known long-term effects.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, there are no treatments for the virus, only symptom management. However, dehydration can be a complication. If you become ill, drink fluids and rest. Do not interact with people until 72 hours after the end of symptoms.

The symptoms may appear 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus, but onset may range from 10 to 50 hours after exposure. Norovirus are most commonly spread through the fecal-oral route, either by consumption of food or water contaminated with stool or by direct person-to-person spread. The virus can also be spread by contact with objects contaminated with stool and by spread due to the virus in the air after someone vomits. This may result in droplets landing on surfaces or entering the mouth and being swallowed. Noroviruses are also spread from person to person, especially among family members. 

Hand sanitizer is not effective with the norovirus. Soap and water with thorough washing is required to stop the spread of norovirus.  People can pass the virus to others while sick, and up to 72 hours after diarrhea has stopped.  Anyone ill with diarrhea, vomiting or fever should not work with food, the elderly, in health care, or child care. Anyone working in these occupations who becomes ill with these symptoms should leave work. Food recently prepared by this person should be discarded.

Individuals with norovirus symptoms should take precautions to avoid the spread of the virus. For more information about care, contact your primary care provider. For information about noroviruses, contact Grinnell Regional Public Health at 641-236-2385.

Q& A from Senior Health Insurance Information Program

Local SHIIP counselor Montie Redenius provided answers to a common question about Medicare.

QUESTION: I currently work for a company that includes health insurance and prescription drug coverage as part of my compensation package. I will turn 65 in two months at which time I plan to retire. After my employment ends, my health insurance and prescription drug coverage also end. What are my options?

ANSWER: First, you must decide whether you going to start drawing Social Security at age 65 or are you going to delay drawing it? If you are going to start drawing your Social Security, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A (hospitalization) and Part B (physician services). The premium for Part B (there is no additional premium for Part A) will be deducted automatically from your Social Security payment.

If you are married and your spouse is still working for an employer with 20 or more employees and you can be covered under your spouse’s employer health plan, you can defer Part B coverage until such time as your spouse quits working. At that time, you will have to re-enroll in Part B. If there are less than 20 employees, the employer plan does not have to pay primary and you may need to enroll in both Medicare Parts A and B.

If you are going to delay drawing your Social Security, you will have to contact Social Security to enroll in Medicare Parts A&B. If you do not draw Social Security, you will be billed quarterly for the premium.

Medicare has deductibles and co-payments so you might want to consider purchasing a Medicare supplement plan that will cover these health expenses plus some additional coverage not offered by Medicare. Medicare and Medicare supplements do not cover prescription drugs so you will want to purchase a prescription drug plan (Medicare Part D). You can enroll in this plan yourself by going to www.medicare.gov or you can receive free assistance from a SHIIP counselor who can help you compare the various plans available.

Another option is to purchase a Medicare Advantage plan. This policy is issued by a private insurance company so your Medicare coverage will be provided by them. The Medicare Advantage Plan includes Medicare Part A and B and may include Part D coverage. You still have to pay the Part B premium, which Social Security will withdraw from your Social Security payment. The main difference is that the Medicare Advantage plans have networks so you have to make sure your medical service providers are in the network and will accept the plan.

If you still have questions, you may contact a SHIIP volunteer at Grinnell Regional Medical Center by calling 641-236-2588. Four SHIIP volunteers are available to help you in Poweshiek County.