• Take time to Stretch!

• The Doctor is In!

• Spotlight in Wellness

• Benefits Corner

• Safety Tip!

• Wellness Lab & Flu Shot Program Calendar

• Wellness Staff Development Sessions

• Kickboxing

• Salsa Dancing Lessons

• Water Aerobics

• Employee Assistance Program

The Doctor Is In!
by Dr. Aaron Guerra

Simple Steps to Prevent Colds and the Flu

Coughs colds and flu are common during the new school year.  Because most of us spend most of our time indoors it is easier for germs to spread.  So in order to avoid becoming another statistic please keep this quick tips in mind.  

1. Wash your hands frequently.  This is by far your best defense.  Wash your whole hand with warm water and soap.  Do not forget to clean under your fingernails since this is where most of the germs lurk.  Wash for a good 15 seconds. 

2. Avoid putting your hands near your eyes, nose, or mouth.  Most germs are transmitted from surface to hands to face.  There are few viruses that are transmitted through the air.

3. Clean your shared spaces more often during this time of year.  Phones, keyboards, door handles, desks and even pens and pencils shared by other people.  You can use Lysol wipes or alcohol.

4. Get a flu shot.  Flu shots are very beneficial for school employees because they have close contact with students and each other.  This is also recommended for individuals with weakened immune systems. 

5. Get enough sleep.  Lack of rest or sleep can weaken your immune system making you susceptible to sickness.  During sleep your immune system goes into over drive to protect you from illness.

6. Drink more water.  In the fall and winter it is easy to overlook our need for 8 glasses of water a day.  This can lead to dehydration but it also helps clean out your body.

7. Exercise.  Try and have a 3-4 day a week exercise program to de-stress and increase your immune system.

8. Eat healthy.  A very good rule is to increase your fruits and vegetables in this time of year.  They are full of antioxidants which will help your immune system.

9. Limit alcohol intake.   Alcohol is dehydrating which may decrease your resistance to bacteria.

10. Lastly, Listen to your body.  If you are less than 100%, it is time to rest to recover and feel better.

These tips can help ward off getting colds and the flu this school year.  Remember you can also buy facial tissue that kills the virus when you blow your nose thus limiting your chance of exposing others.

"Talk About Prescriptions" Month

This October marks the 21st annual observance of "Talk About Prescriptions" Month by the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE). This year's theme is "Preventing Medication Errors: What YOU Need to Know / What YOU Need to Do."

The purpose of "Talk About Prescriptions" Month is three-fold with this year's observance:

1. To help call attention to the magnitude of personal health problems due to avoidable medication errors;

2. To encourage every affected person or group -- including consumers, healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, voluntary health agencies, and local, state and national government agencies to get involved in combating medication errors;

3. To suggest ways that consumers, their healthcare providers, and public, private, and voluntary organizations can get involved to drive down medication errors, and by doing so, help promote safe and appropriate medicine use.

Keep yourself and your family safe when it comes to prescription drugs. NCPIE provides medicine users with many fine tools at their web site. Click here.

Source: National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)

NCPIE is a coalition of over 125 diverse organizations whose mission is to stimulate and improve communication of information on appropriate medicine use to consumers and healthcare professionals. NCPIE is the nation's leading authority for informing the general public and health care professionals on safe medicine use through better communication. Better medicine communication can lead to better health outcomes and improved quality of life.

© 1999-2006 National Council on Patient Information and Education. All rights reserved.

http://www.talkaboutrx.org/index.jsp

Kickboxing

Salsa Dancing Lessons

Water Aerobics

Wellness...a way of life!

As the new school year has begun, many of us have made a commitment to begin a Personal Wellness Program. For some that means going to a gym, for others it means running or walking, participating in kick boxing or other sports, and still others are doing water aerobics. My hat goes off to you for beginning or maintaining some kind of exercise. You may be experiencing aches and pains because you are using muscles which you have not stressed before. This is not necessarily bad. Hopefully it will be temporary. Stretching before and after exercise will help your muscles get ready for use and can prevent unnecessary pain.

The following stretches, if done regularly, can dramatically reduce your chances of getting injured while exercising. Think you don't have time to stretch? This entire routine takes less than five minutes and could save you hours spent sitting in your doctor's waiting room.

	Hip and back stretch Lie down on the floor with both legs extended. Pull one knee toward your chest, keeping your head on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg.
	Shoulder stretch With fingers interlaced behind your head and elbows straight out to either side, pull your shoulder blades toward each other. Hold for 8 to 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat stretch several times.
	Knee stretch While leaning against a wall with one hand (or alternatively holding onto a chair), grab the top of one foot and gently pull it toward your buttocks. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg.
	Ankle stretch While sitting in a chair, lift your foot off the floor and rotate your ankle 10 to 12 times clockwise, then 10 to 12 times counterclockwise. Repeat with the other ankle. Stretch can also be done standing up.
	Calf stretch While leaning against a wall with your forearms, place one foot in front of you while extending the other out behind. Slowly move your hips forward. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg.

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/beatpain.html

Copyright 1995-2006, AARP. All rights reserved.

Meet Rey Hernandez. Rey is one of those “AV guys”—You know one of those friendly techs who are always extremely helpful and dependable, and who always seem to smile regardless of the workload. I think we do not thank our AV staff enough. I appreciate all of them. But let’s get back to Rey. About two years ago, Rey began to experience blurred vision. As most of us would, he attributed the blurriness to needing new glasses, but it was not time for his annual exam, so he said to himself, “It’s OK to wait. Besides, I can’t afford it right now.”  If we are honest, I think most of us would admit to saying and doing the very same thing—I’ll wait. Maybe it will get better.

Rey waited six months, finding it increasingly difficult to read or use his eyes. Finally, their secretary, Irene, encouraged Rey to see the eye doctor. The doctor found macular degeneration, a serious condition which damages the retina and most often leads to blindness. Until recently, there was no treatment for this condition. Rey agreed to an experimental  treatment. It would not restore the vision (nothing can), but it might arrest it. Thankfully, the treatment worked, and the degeneration was arrested at the stage where it was. Rey’s vision has not decreased since then. He says his doctor refers to him as “the poster child for this treatment”. If you want more information, contact Rey.

Why did I want you to know about Rey? I want all of us to listen to our bodies, and when they are telling us something is wrong, don’t wait. Rey was fortunate to have Irene constantly on his case about going to the eye doctor. If he had waited much longer, the new treatment might have been useless. Rey, thank you for letting me tell your story. I am so glad you have your vision today. Your experience might encourage someone else to seek help.

Sharon B. Wilkes, RN, MA, CPS, CCS, Coordinator, Prevention Services

HEALTH/DENTAL BENEFITS FOR 2006-2007

As previously reported via memorandum, the District’s Health & Dental benefits plan design will remain the same for the 2006-2007 plan year.  The health and dental benefit package will continue without disruption without any reduction in benefits.  The claims administrator, retail and mail order pharmacy benefit management program providers and preferred provider organization (PPO) network will also remain the same. 

The most notable changes for 2006-2007 were the rate adjustments to both the employer and employee medical plan contributions necessary to adequately fund the self funded program.  The new medical plan rates were reflected in the September payroll checks for October coverage effective date.            

HEALTH/DENTAL CLAIMS QUESTIONS?

American Administrative Group (AAG) Customer Service may be contacted at 1-866-471-6047 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday.  An AAG representative will also continue to be available monthly through May to meet with employees one to one regarding any unresolved health/dental claims.  The claims examiner schedule is available from the Employee Benefits Website.  Click here for the schedule. Monthly email reminders of the claims examiner schedule will also continue to be provided from the Employee Benefits Office. 

ANNUAL BENEFITS OPEN ENROLLMENT

The annual benefits enrollment period is upon us.  The enrollment period is scheduled to begin October 23, 2006.  This is the annual opportunity to make changes to the benefits.  Representatives from the Health/Dental claims administrator, Cancer, Disability, Legal, Life/AD&D Insurance and IRC 125 Cafeteria Plan Flexible Spending Account programs will be available during the two week enrollment period to assist employees with benefit plan questions and/or any benefit changes.    

Final enrollment schedule and other related information will be provided to all employees on or before October 13, 2006 via email and/or interoffice mail.

Visit the MISD Employee Benefits Department web site for up-to-date benefit forms and information.

Mr. Andres Silva is the Director of Employee Benefits/Risk Management

Through our insurance plan, each year we are given the opportunity to have blood tests, flu shots and mammograms or PSA (prostate) tests. These screenings are designed to give us a report on our health status and alert us to potential problems which might not be detected otherwise until symptoms begin (and it is too late for the condition to be treated).

School nurses at every campus will be making arrangements for their staff members to have the wellness screenings. The district schedule is listed in this publication. If you miss the blood drawing at your campus, you may participate at a nearby campus, but you must call that school’s nurse in advance for approval.

The cost is a one-time fee equivalent to your co-pay ($20 for the high plan or $30 for the low plan). One co-pay covers 24 blood tests, a flu shot, and a mammogram or a PSA test (for those 40 years of age or older). What a deal!!!

Staff members who do not have district insurance and family members (over the age of 18 years) may participate in the screenings; however, they must pay regular price for the tests.

School nurses have additional information.

Be good to yourself.  Make plans to participate in the health screenings offered.

Lunch and Learn Sessions

All sessions will take place in the Board Room of the McAllen ISD Administration Office from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm.