Health briefs

By: 
Press Staff Writer

Disposable mask giveaway
        Thanks to a donation to Lucas County from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Group (FCA), the City of Toledo will distribute 65,000 free face masks to city residents.
        Locally, masks will be given out at a drive-thru giveaway Wednesday, Aug. 12 from 3-5:30 p.m. at Navarre Park, 1001 White St. Attendees should use the park entrance on Raymer Boulevard, off Navarre Avenue near the tennis court.
        Masks will be available for anyone who drives through. Each adult will be permitted to take three disposable masks.
 
Alzheimer’s Assn. virtual programs
        The Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio Chapter is offering several virtual educational programs to help the community and families impacted by the disease.
        The presentations occur at different times during the day via videoconferencing to allow individuals to participate in the convenience of their homes. Topics of discussion include legal/financial issues families face, what to expect in the different stages of the disease and how to have difficult conversations.
        The programs are very helpful for anyone experiencing signs of memory loss, their family members who may be
concerned and community members looking for more education.
        All programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register, call 800-272-3900.
        Among programs scheduled are:
        • Aug. 10: Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s, 3:30 p.m.
        • Aug. 11: Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 2 p.m.
        • Aug. 11: Dementia Conversations, 5 p.m.
        • Aug. 12: Legal & Financial, Part 1, 12:30 p.m.
        • Aug. 14: Activities at Home, 10 a.m.
        The Alzheimer’s Association is leading efforts to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. In Ohio, more than 600,000 Alzheimer’s caregivers provide care for more than 220,000 loved ones impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.
        Visit alz.org or call 800-272-3900.
 
Dog Parade set
        A “Dog Days of Summer Dog Parade” will be held Thursday, Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Perrysburg Commons, 10542 Fremont Pike.
        The event will be held in the front parking lot of the facility. Attendees and their pups may stay in their vehicles or walk in the parade. Participants must maintain social distancing to ensure the safety.
        Perrysburg Commons clients and staff will be masked and practicing social distancing while viewing the parade from the parking lot.
        Treats and giveaways will be given out for human and canine participants.
        For more information or to RSVP, contact Susan Snoddy at 419-874-1931 or susan.snoddy@hcr-manorcare.com.
 
Magruder president & CEO to retire
        The Magruder Hospital Board of Trustees announced that Todd Almendinger will step down as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the hospital at the end of September.
        Nick Marsico, Magruder’s vice president and chief operating officer, will replace Almendinger beginning Oct. 1.      Almendinger, has served as the president and CEO of Magruder since 2012. He previously served as the hospital’s vice president of finance and CFO, beginning in 2006. Before joining the Magruder team, he was employed at Grady Memorial Hospital in Delaware, Ohio for 18 years as the vice president of finance and CFO.
        As CFO at Magruder, one of Almendinger’s major achievements was eliminating the hospital’s debt and strengthening its financial position. Magruder remains debt-free today.
        Almendinger has been active in the Port Clinton community serving on several chamber boards, business development organizations and social groups. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with an undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration and a master’s degree in Business Administration.
        Almendinger will be retained as Hospital Senior Advisor until January 2021, when he will begin full retirement.
        “I am leaving Magruder in great shape and in solid leadership with Nick at the helm,” he said. “That makes me feel good in my transition into retirement. Truly, I have enjoyed this last journey of my career, and Magruder will always hold a special place with me.”
        Marsico graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, graduating cum laude. He joined the Magruder staff in 2005 as the hospital’s director of pharmacy. In 2012, he was promoted to an administrative director of ancillary services and then in 2013, he became vice president and COO.
        “I am excited and humbled to continue my career with Magruder Hospital. This is a special place, and I’m proud to be part of a team that truly values people, care and safety,” Marisco said. “I know we will continue to affect the community in a positive way, and work with a vision that benefits all people in our area. Our mission is simple – ‘Improving Lives Together.’”
 
Additional pandemic funding approved
        State Senator Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) announced the state’s approval of over $87 million in additional funding for COVID-19-related expenses for Ohio’s K-12 schools, libraries, veterans’ homes and crisis support centers.
        The funds, approved by the state Controlling Board, are provided to Ohio through the federal CARES Act and can be used for necessary pandemic costs, including but not limited to personal protection equipment (PPE), safety and sanitation operations, and remote learning technology.
        “Ohio continues to be a leader by working to ensure that resources are available to those who are recovering from the financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gavarone. “I am certain these dollars will go a long way in helping protect both our vulnerable citizens and those who work every day to assist them.”
        The funding, approved July 29 includes:
        • $50M in matching grant dollars to Ohio’s K-12 school districts for remote learning tools, including broadband communication devices, hotspots, etc.;
        • $18.3M for Ohio’s libraries;
        • $8.75M for Ohio’s domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers;
        • $4.6M for BMV Deputy Registrar sites and State Driver’s Test centers;
        • $3M for Ohio’s congressionally-chartered veterans’ organizations;
        • $1M for Ohio’s two veterans’ homes located in Sandusky (Erie county) and Georgetown (Brown county);
        • $1M through the Attorney General’s office to be used on COVID19-related fraud prevention, especially as it relates to fraud targeting Ohio’s elderly population
        • Additional dollars for Ohio’s 86 rest stops, operated by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
        To date, nearly $1.7B in CARES Act funding has been approved by the General Assembly to be distributed to Ohio’s communities as they continue to battle and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Grants funding to aid mental health services
        Rescue Mental Health & Addiction Services recently received grants totaling $24,272 for programs and capital expenses.
        Rescue Mental Health & Addiction Services is a professional, nonprofit behavioral healthcare organization dedicated to providing timely and compassionate crisis care, recovery assistance and evidence-based treatment services that promote health, hope and optimism.
        All three grantors are under the auspices of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation. The grants included:
        • $5,000 from The Andersons Fund Supporting Organization to support the purchase of new beds and nightstands for clients from throughout Lucas County who stay at Rescue's on-site Adult Crisis Stabilization and Child and Adolescent Crisis Stabilization Units.
        • $15,000 from the David C. and Lura M. Lovell Foundation Fund to support Rescue professionals providing mental health assessments and behavioral medication for inmates at the Lucas County Correctional Center. These services are designed to help inmates better manage health issues and help decrease incidences of violence, suicide attempts and disruptive behavior and decrease incarceration times for those with mental health conditions.
        • $4,272 from the COVID-19 Response Fund of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation to provide personal protective equipment and sanitizer to Rescue’s clients and staff.
        “This funding is especially timely during the COVID-19 pandemic, as our mental health and addiction services are needed even more by Lucas County residents,” said Rescue President & CEO John R. DeBruyne.
 
New center speeds up cancer diagnosis
        A new center at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) gives patients direct, expedited access to diagnostic testing for cancer.
        The goal, says Chief Medical Officer David Cohn, MD, MBA, is to provide immediate community-wide patient access to cancer providers for anyone with a suspected cancer, especially in communities where access to healthcare is limited and has become even more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic.
        The James Cancer Diagnostic Center offers a platform for expert evaluation and access to the appropriate diagnostic testing so that a cancer diagnosis can be made in a timely and precise manner, in a low-risk environment. Center visits can be virtual or in-person based on the patient’s preference.
        The Cancer Diagnostic Center is open daily and staffed by a team of advanced practice professionals and nurses who have expertise in oncology. The center is available for both self- or physician-referral.
        Center staff first identify and prioritize patient needs and concerns and then coordinate appropriate testing and evaluation on behalf of the patient at facilities within The James and the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. Follow-up care is also coordinated with a specialized, multidisciplinary team at The James if a cancer diagnosis is made.
        “COVID-19 has limited and changed access to health care across the country and the world. Having timely access to providers is a very real concern. We want to ensure that anyone with a suspected cancer can get a timely, accurate diagnosis so potentially life-saving care is not delayed unnecessarily,” says Cohn, who is also a gynecologic oncologist at the OSUCCC – James.
        “Navigating a cancer diagnosis and treatment can be stressful enough during ‘normal’ times – adding the uncertainty and fear of the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to make it truly overwhelming. We want the community to know we are here to help, and patients should feel safe turning to us for testing and cancer care. That starts with being connected to the right experts and the right tests to get answers to guide treatment.”
        To connect with the Cancer Diagnostic Center or schedule another appointment, call The James Line at 614-293-5066.
 
                              
 

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