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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSenior Advisory Board - Minutes - 03/08/2000I. Attendance: CITY OF FORT COLLINS SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES: MEETING OF MARCH 8,2000 Chairperson: Erik Margolis 416-1411 Staff Liaison: Barbara Schoenberger 224-6026 City Council Liaison: Ray Martinez, Mayor 221-6506 Erik Margolis Florence Williams Blanche Yakmas Dorothy Kramka Darren Gunn Kristin Glenn George Kress June Tucker Excused Absence: John Roberts Marjorie McTaggart Alyce Eckley Guest: Don Matula— Senior Marketplace News Jill Taylor - PVH Sr. Services Eileen Hender - PVH Sr. Services Kay Rios OOA Staff: Barbara Schoenberger The meeting was called to order by Erik Margolis at 2:00 PM Citizen Participation: None Guest Speakers: Jill Taylor & Eileen Hendee from PVH Sr. Services Regarding the ASPEN Club, there are approximately 9800 members. They are averaging 125 new members per month. Approximately 12,000 per month use the wellness education, nutrition, screening and Medicare information services. • The ASPEN club has done a prescription survey (the results were distributed). • Most seniors do not qualify for assistance. • Mail order is the best option, it is inexpensive, convient, and delivered to the door. By ordering through mail order the interaction and relationship with the local pharmacist is lost. • Approximately 2000 people attended the 9News Health Fair. • The ASPEN club is interested in working on a committee with the Sr. Advisory Board regarding prescriptions, pharmacies and how we can assist the seniors. Kay indicated that the OOA is interested in participating as well. Barbara will coordinate. • They also spoke briefly about the Colorado Trust Program and what they have to offer to seniors. • One service that they discussed which few people are aware is the Veterans Rx program. If you are an honorably discharged vet you are entitled to prescriptions for $2.00. • Handouts were given to everyone regarding all the services they discussed. Dana Matula, assistant Publisher, Larimer County Marketplace News VP Loveland Senior Board • The Marketplace News is a free monthly newspaper that caters to senior topics. Marketplace is supported through advertising by local businesses. It reaches approximately 55,000 seniors per month. It is also distributed in over 200 locations throughout Larimer Country. The Marketplace works with all agencies. They support timely articles that are geared toward seniors and/or caregivers. • The Loveland Senior Advisory Board is sharing and struggling with the same issues that we have and they report to the Loveland City Council. • The Networking Luncheon is scheduled for September 29, 2000. There is a committee of 5-6 people that meet every 2 weeks for planning. The Fort Collins Senior Board is invited to participate. (A decision was made to appoint someone from our Board). • A copy of the newsletter was given to everyone. V. Correspondence: Florence received a letter invitation from SAINT regarding the Annual SAINT Spring Get -Together to be held on April 7, 2000 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room 1 at the Senior Center. VI. Approval of the Minutes: • There was a correction to the minutes from the meeting of March 8, 2000. They are as follows: Per Florence: Larimer County Office on Aging Volunteer Ombudsman program Manager Shelly McGraw is interviewing to hire a replacement for the Volunteer Ombudsman Coordinator due to the resignation of Lynette McGowan. After the correction was addressed a motion was made by Kristin to accept after corrections are made. Darren seconded. VII. Old Business • Transportation: Kay spoke about Dial -A -Ride's night service. There is a possibility of expanding its night service from 180 days to 310 days. There is a possibility that if seniors are not ADA certified they would not be able to use. The handbook and training are still being developed. Florence spoke about the Aril 4s' City Council meeting. During that meeting the alternative conceptual design for the transit corridor was approved. The council also upheld the P&Z decisions to approve the final plan. On April 7t' CDOT turned down the proposal for a roundabout at the Mulberry and LeMay intersection. City Manager John Fischback will pursue an appeal. Federal goat approves plan to widen 125. Light rail funds are being looked into further, pending investigation of bridge structures. There is an Open House meeting on May 4`" at the Mulberry Street Holiday Inn from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. to review the plans to widen U.S. Hwy 287. Traffic manager, Eric Branche said "shortage of manpower and money lie at the crux of not being able to operate the Traffic Safety Program and hasn't made a dent in controlling traffic (speeding)". Dial -A -Ride: a series of meetings are planned to introduce residents to changes and invite comments with a City Council hearing and other opportunities for public comments. SAINT: Please check your folders • Outreach: The presentation that was planned was cancelled due to snow. It will be rescheduled for next month. • Housing: Affordable Housing: There is a CDBG meeting scheduled for tonight to review applications. OOA attainable housing: Surveys are being completed for the senior complexes. The "groundbreaking" for "Care Housing" (Windtrail) the low-income senior housing complex has been completed. • Paint-A-Thon: The letter was sent to potential corporate sponsors. A suggestion was made to have Rusty Collins speak at a future Sr. Advisory Board meeting. • Discounted Medications: Reviewed the survey form the pharmacies. The potential of a $23.00 savings can be made if one wants to take the time to call various pharmacies and be willing to pick the medication up from a pharmacy that might not be the nearest one to their home. June has a meeting with Congressman Bob Schafer to discuss seniors and the cost of prescriptions. • Human Relations Award: The award application was completed and submitted with 4 letters of reference and recommendation. Thanks to Florence and Darren. • New West Fest: ODA agreed to share our booth. The group decided that it would be appropriate to form a sub -committee to focus on the New West Fest and what we need to have at the Fest, etc. Darren was selected as the committee member from the SAB. He will work with the elected chair from the OOA. • Liaison Reports: OOA: Kay reported that the FIB 1092 was passed. Although the bill was originally submitted for I OM they only received 3M. The Miracle Bill was postponed indefinitely. Foundation On Aging: No report RSVP: The "I Remember Mama" fund raising is going well. Thomas Sutherland will be the guest speaker. They still have availability of tickets for older women who will be spending Mother's Day alone. A new staff member for nutrition and RSVP was hired. President Clinton's recent legislation to allow seniors to receive wages with out restriction that will not effect the Social Security benefits may affect RSVP funding. Volunteer Fair for senior volunteers will be held on May 22nd at the Senior Center. Community agencies will have booths at this fair. City Line: Per Kelly DiMartino, the community outreach, publicity coordinator, the City Line number has been publicized in the City News that is mailed in with the utility bills, also in the City Times as well as the Coloradoan since January 2000. There were no calls last month. HARP: Stan Ulrich, local AARP board member drives to Denver every Monday during the legislature sessions. He attends a meeting of AARP members who discuss pending bills affecting seniors. Then if necessary or feasible, committee members go to the State Capitol to discuss and/or argue with legislature members about these bills and how their Task Force wants them to vote. Per Blanche, she has attended these proceedings and can attest that AARP works very hard for senior legislation. PVHS: Erik submitted the minutes from the Board of Directors open meeting. (Copies are in your folders) There is a bill before legislature to support universal access to health care in Colorado. The District will send a letter of support of this bill. City of Loveland SAB: The Senior Spotlight is scheduled to start taping in July for broadcast in August. Shelly McGraw can provide programming. Others: Alyce reported that the following events were held at the Senior Center: March 9 ° Canasta Tournament, and lunch was served by Pat and the volunteers. March 17t' St. Patricks Day Dinner. Approximately 65 attended. Corn Beef and Cabbage, Potato Soup, and Irish Soda Bread was served. The entertainment was the Irish dancers. It was a great evening enjoyed by all. March 20ih Hats History, a display of 600 hats. Dessert was served. April I" White Elephant Card Extravaganza, which consisted of Pinochle, Bridge, Canasta, and Mah-jongg. There was a great turnout for this event. Volunteer Ombudsman hived Deana Hutchinson as the new coordinator effective May 1". Health Care Administration: Increased Medicare payments of almost 6 1 % starting October 1, 2000 was proposed by the administrator of the Health Care Administration, which runs Medicare for seriously ill patients who need expensive treatments. VIII. New Business: A. Chilli-Cookoff: Will be held on October 7th at the Sundance. We need a team to represent us. The judging will be at 12 noon. We will continue to discuss. B. Volunteer Appreciation Dinner: Will be held on April 21" at 5p.m. at the Senior Center. The SAB members are invited and the cost is $5.00. Bisetti's will cater the event. RSVP at the front desk. C. Luncheon for Board & Commissions Chairs with City Manager and Mayor: Erik attended and reported the following: 1. The Mayor stated that there would be no further discussions regarding the Boards & Commissions by City Council. The newspapers mishandled the information. 2. The Mayor brought up Boards & Commissions Day. 3. Best communication would be through letters to our council liaison. 4. Suggestion: Take a step back, find out more about the members of the Board, thew background, their interest in seniors, why SAB? 5. Suggestion: Boards & Commissions meet BI-annually and communicate e-mail addresses to be able to communicate common issues. 6. Orientation: effective in getting new members up to speed on issues and philosophy of the Board. 7. Suggestion: The Mayor suggested writing a soapbox for the Coloradoan introducing the Board members and brief summary on what the Board does. The directory of Chairpersons was given to Erik. (See attached) D. Senior Center Events: Barbara reported that On May 5th & 6th the annual SOAP production will be held. There will be two performances on Friday and one on Saturday and tickets are $3.00 per performance. Also on May 6 s the annual May Art Show will be held at the Senior Center. There will be a reception held at 4p.m. Having no other business before us, Kristin moved to close the meeting. Florence seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted by June M. Tucker Community Leaders Lunch 1 with the City Manager and Mayor Council Information Center City Hall, 300 West LaPorte Avenue AnnMarie Azul-Evans Chairperson Commission on Status of Women 6806 Deerhurst Court Fort Collins, CO 80525 Mary Brayton Chairperson Downtown Development Auth. P.O. Box 1488 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Ben Brooks Chairperson Youth Advisory Board 1628 Shenandoah Circle Fort Collins, CO 80525 Bob Browning — Not Available Chairperson Affordable Housing Board 1316 Hepplewhite Court Fort Collins, CO 80526 Donald Colby Chairperson Citizen Review Board 2443 Hampshire Square Fort Collins, CO 80526 Glen Colton — Not Available Chairperson Planning & Zoning Board 625 Hinsdale Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 Thursday, March 30, 2000 12:00 noon- 1:30 p.m. Charles Fielder Chairperson Building Review Board 436 Flagler Road Fort Collins, CO 80525 John Fischbach City Manager City of Fort Collins P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80521 Randy Fischer — Not Available Chairperson Natural Resources Adv. Board 3007 Moore Lane Fort Collins, CO 80526 Lance Freeman Chairperson Parks and Recreation Board 139 N McKinley Street Fort Collins, CO 80521 Corrine Govan Chairperson Cultural Resources Board 1304 Shamrock Street Fort Collins, CO 80521 Per Hogestad Chairperson Landmark Preservation Board 1601 Sheely Fort Collins, CO 80526 Jim Hume Ray Martinez Chairperson Mayor Retirement Committee City of Fort Collins 2530 Sunstone Drive P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80525 Fort Collins, CO 80521 Ed Jakubauskas Mike Sanders — Not Available Chairperson Chairperson Library Board Golf Board 801 Warren Landing 3224 S. Lemay Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80525 Fort Collins, CO 80525 Tim Johnson Thomas Sanders Chairperson Chairperson Transportation Board Water Board 1337 Stonehenge Drive 2201 Apache Court Fort Collins, CO 80525 Fort Collins, CO 80525 Mark Kramer - Not Available Roger Sherman Chairperson Chairperson Commission on Disability Art in Public Places Board 2319 Sunleaf Court 775 Eastdale Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525 Fort Collins, CO 80524 Bob Lenk Greg Smith — Not Available Chairperson Chairperson Human Relations Commission Telecommunications Board 322 E Pitkin Street 707 Rochelle Circle Fort Collins, CO 80524 Fort Collins, CO 80526 Eric Levine William Stockover—Not Available Chairperson Chairperson Air Quality Adv. Board Zoning Board of Appeals 145 N Meldrum Street 1806 Westview Road Fort Collins, CO 80521 Fort Collins, CO 80524 Phil Majerus Jim Swails —Not Available Chairperson Chairperson CDBG Commission Personnel Board 1931 Kingsborough Drive 2400 Marquette Street Fort Collins, CO 80526 Fort Collins, CO 80525 2Z l - i4."6-1 Erik Margolis Jim Welch Chairperson Chairperson Senior Advisory Board Electric Board 1019 Club View Road 318 Whedbee Fort Collins, CO 80524 Fort Collins, CO 80524 Dr. Julian Whiiakers Health TOMORROW'S MEDICINE TODAY Special Supplement to Dr. Julian Whitaker's Health E Healing April 2000 A Call to Arms When Martha visits her daughter in Southern California, she always includes a jaunt to Tijuana to stock up on her prescription drugs. What she saves by purchasing her medications there rather than at her local drugstore offsets the costs of her yearly visits to California. Mexicans, Canadians, and Europeans pay less, sometimes much less, for the same prescription drugs that Americans buy. What's going on here? The Pharmaceutical Monopoly The pharmaceutical industry is a rash cow —and a sacred one at that. It is, according to FonuneMagazine, the most profitable of all industries. Profit margins for the big drug companies hover around 40 percent, with annual growth in earnings averaging 11 percent. Expen- ditures for prescription drugs have increased two to three times as fast as all other aspects of health care, as drug costs are escalating at four times the rate of inflation. Michael Fedyna, chief actuary for Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New York, reports that HMOs and insurers now pay more for drugs than hospitalizations! I am a huge admirer of the free enterprise system, and I believe that it is one of the things that makes our country so great However, these guys aren't playing fait They get tax breaks that make other industries green with envy. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical giants have a long, incestuous, and corrupt relationship with the FDA, the regulatory agency that oversees them. The power wielded by this protected monopoly means we get dangerous drugs that must be pulled from the market months after they are given rubber-stamp approval, while being denied access to valuable drugs that are widely available elsewhere. The big boys get favored status and fast -track approval while "outsiders" seeking approval for nontoxic therapies get the bum's rush. And American consumers foot the bill by paying two to 10 times as much as the rest of the world for the same drugs! 0 2000 Phillips Publishing, Inc. (800/539-8219) We're Not Going to Take It Anymore For years these abuses went unchecked. In the past few years, however, as more and more FDA atrocities have come to light, a grassroots movement has gained momentum, and Health & Healing subscribers have been actively involved. You and hundreds of thousands of other Americans worked together to successfully thwart the FDA's attempt to ban many nutritional sup- plements several years ago. You're helping to put the brakes on FDA harassment of providers of safe, effective therapies, and fighting for the right of all Americans to have access to the medical care of their choice. Now its time to tackle the issue of drug pricing and particularly how it impacts older Americans. Dnig Costs: Sticker Shock Eighty percent of people over 65 take at least one drug, and many take several. For the 65 percent of them whose HMO or insurer pays for their drugs, price isn't a big deal. But if you are in the remaining 35 percent, its a huge concern. listen to this story told by one of our patients at the Whitaker Wellness Institute. Patricia is periodically plagued with excruciating migraines, so her doctor gave her a prescription for Imitrex, a new migraine drug. She never filled it, as she is usually able to stop a headache by holing up in a dark, quiet room for several hours. However, an intense migraine crept up on her while she was traveling, so when she got off the plane she went to the nearest pharmacy, prescription in hand. The pharmacist filled the order, then gave her a bill for $369. Eighteen bucks a pill! Some of you have probably had a similar experience. And this scenario is likely to become more common as mounting financial pressures force healthcare providers to cut back on prescription drug coverage. If you pay for a drug out of your own pocket, you pay an average of twice as much as HMOs and other big customers. 0 11 More than 25 percent of American seniors shell out of their personal funds at least $500 a year for prescription drugs; 12 percent pay more than $1,000. Why Do Drugs Cost So Much? Drugs are getting more and more expensive. Although less costly generic drugs make up 46 percent of all prescriptions sold, they account for only 8 percent of total expenditures. Newer, better advertised, and there fore more popular drugs that are still under patent cost at least twice as much as older drugs, and new drugs are being approved in record numbers: 90 came onto the market in 1998. Yet when you take a closer look at these new drugs, a majority are twists on older, less expensive drugs, or drags that have been used for years in other countries. Nonetheless, this ploy pays off. Newer drags aimed at treating four conditions allergies, high choles- terol, ulcers, and depression account for almost one- third of all drug sales. These are the drugs that are the most heavily advertised in magazines and on TV. Pharmaceutical companies defend rising drug prices with the same tired old arguments. Schering-Plough s CEO Richard Kogan recently stated before Congress, Only one in every 5,000 chemical compounds ever reaches the U.S. market Bringing a drug to the market- place takes 12 to 15 years and costs up to $500 million. The drag companies also claim that their wares are saving fives. Okay, Mr. Kogan. Providing that these figures are not highly exaggerated, as many suspect, how do you explain that for every dollar spent on research and devel- opment, the pharmaceutical industry spends 50 cents on advertising and promotion Or that upwards of 200,000 Americans die each year from the adverse effects of prescription drugs used as duecte& So much for altruism and piousness. This is all about money, pure and simple. . :7. - � .� - • .• Of course, the knee-jerk reaction is to get the gov- emment involved. Clinton wants Medicare, which now only covers drugs used in hospitals, to split the cost of outpatient drags with consumers. Another proposal, pending in Congress, would make drug companies give senior citizens whose insurance does not pick up drug costs the same discounts that the government receives. Although I agree that American consumers need a break, I am loathe to get government involved. What we ll get is higher taxes, price controls, and yet another layer of bureaucracy funded at taxpayer expense. I propose instead that we follow Martha s lead and go to Mexico. It is perfectly legal to purchase drags for Comparison of Drug Prices in U.S. and Europe D"e Ouand Potency U_.& Europe Price Price Premarin 28 0.6 mg $14.98 54.25 Synthroid 50 100 mg $13.84 $2.95 Coumadin 25 10 mg $30.25 $2.85 Prozac 14 20 mg $36.12 $18.50 Prilosec 20 28 mg $109.00 $39.25 Norvasc 30 5 mg 544.00 $23.00 Claritin 20 10 mg $44.00 $8.75 Augmentin 12 500 mg $49.50 $8.75 Zocor 28 20 mg $96.99 545.00 Paxil 28 30 mg $63.69 $43.00 Zestril 60 5 mg $53.49 $15.00 Prempro 28 0.6 mg $23.49 $4.75 Glucophage 50 850 mg $54.49 $4.50 Cipro 20 500 mg $87.99 $62.75 Zoloft 100 50 mg $80.00 $65.00 Pravachol 28 10 mg $55.60 $31.00 Based on a 1999 survey by Life Extension Foundation (lef.org) your own use and bring them back into this country. This practice is popular among Americans living near the Mexican and Canadian borders, but not so conve- nient for those living elsewhere. However, everyone should be able to take advantage of the fact that it is legal to mail order prescription drugs from foreign countries and if the price is right, this certainly makes sense. Not surprisingly, our nemesis the FDA has declared this practice illegal and routinely and arbitrah- ly confiscates such orders. Congressman Gil Gutknecht from Minnesota has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives (H.R. 3240) that would guarantee Americans right to import prescription drugs for their own use from FDA - approved manufacturing facilities in other countries. Passage of this bill would lighten the load on consumers pocketbooks and send a strong message to the FDA and their cronies. I encourage you to contact your congres- sional representative and urge him or her to co-sponsor H.R. 3240. (Be sure to reference the bill number.) Check the federal government section of your phone book for addresses. Also, visit cirwhitaker.com for a sample letter and a link to the full text of the bill. 111 update you on our progress in future issues. ltlA� 14o Let freedom ring, Julian Whitaker, MD Health & Healing April 2000 Supplement (800/539-8219) Page 2 ■ it considers revs Onboards)AVID RUISARD�b ...c Coloradoan Councilwoman Karen Weitk The Liquor Licensing Author- ity is not the only advisory group facing changes. The ciWs 28 other boards and commissions could be in for a tune-up in the near future. Changes in recruiting prac- tices, outlining annual work Plans and establishing council oversight are under discussion. Planning and Zoning Board member Sally Craig said tweaks suggested by the City Council were reasonable and palatable. The biggest change is the suggested implementation of periodic council reviews to de- termine if the advisory groups are effective — and whether they are even needed. Councilman Scott Mason rec- ommended any council reviews to be based on the boards' an- nual self-analysis. "It becomes dangerous when (council reviews) appear to be a tool to control or eliminate a `.icular board or commis - "Mason said. In order to avoid the appear- ance of a witch hunt, the council wants to place the boards on a rotating review schedule. With Bach board coming before the :ouncil once every seven years, he reviews would be limited to :our a year: , The council wants to begin re- w_ _ ._ ■ A We want blue sky thinking, but we also want our policy agenda to be met. 7 Councilman Kurt Kastein viewing actions taken by its var- ious advisory groups as soon as possible. Mayor Pro Tern Chuck Wan- ner suggested the reviews begin next year. Craig said the review process probably will be time consum- ing, but that if council thinks the reviews will make the boards and commissions more effective, they are warranted. At a council work session this week, members struggled with how to aid the boards and com- missions in establishing achiev- able annual work plans. Mason said he would like the council's policy agenda to serve as a guideline for the board and commissions when they estab- lish their annual work plans. "The reason for that is that these boards and commissions are suppose to advise the coun- cil," Mason said. Noting that only seven boards and commissions submitted work plans to council last year, u- nat suggested that drafting a work plan be made mandatory for the advisory bodies. Wanner said the boards and commissions need to find a bal- ance between pursuing their own ideas and looking into is- sues before council. "If they're not responding to what we are working on, they can be almost irrelevant," Wan- ner said. He added that allowing the boards to look into issues on their own, however, could signif. icantly diminish the council's workload. Councilman Kurt Kastein suggested the council establish a percentage guideline for the boards and commissions to help them plan to address council is- sues. "We want blue sky thinking, but we also want our policy agenda to be met," Kastein said. Weitkunat was the only coun- cil member interested in reduc- ing the size of the city's boards and commissions. She said she would like to see the panels re- duced to between seven and nine members. Boards and commissions cur- rently have seven to 13 mem- bers. "Having served on boards and commissions, any time it gets over nine (members), they can become unwieldy" Weitki net said. Her thoughts were not we received by her fellow count members, who suggested thr, any size reductions be made n the request of the boards an commissions. "I'm happy with leaving ther the way they are," Mason said. Councilman Mike Byrne sai, part of the reason for the board and commissions larger mein berships is to increase the num ber of citizens serving as off cia advisers to council. The council agreed that peo pie living within the cites urbar growth area should be allowec to serve on the citys boards anc commissions. "People who live on the bor der are just as much a part of this city as anyone else," Byrne said. They also said the majority of each board and commission should be city residents. The council also was in agree- ment on establishing a Formal orientation process for new boards and commissions mem- bers. Craig applauded the decision. citing a high turnover on boards and commissions that she be- lieves is the result of members who don't realize the commit- ment their appointments de- mand. Jew doctors help alleviate Medicare load SONJA BISBEE WULFF Coloradoan 'he Choice City is starting to up to its name for seniors in rch of medical care, according 3 Colorado¢n survey of local lical offices. 1114 Fort Collins internists — uding five who arrived last rust — are accepting new 3icare patients, office staff re- 4 last week. all but four internal medi- + physicians accept Medicare gnment, meaning they min- e out-of-pocket expenses for iors covered by the federal ith-care program. hat has not always been the I. With Medicare's mediocre to some seniors scrambling for med- ical care. "When the crunch started a few years ago, we started re- sponding," said Dr. David Abbey, co-founder of Internal Medicine Clinic of Fort Collins, lloo Poudre River Drive. Abbey defined internal medi- cine as "primary care for adults." In addition to new a physician assistant, Dr. William Harrison joined the practice 21/z years ago, followed by Dr. Jorge Allende last August. "We wanted to serve the need of the community," Abbey said. Other recent internal -medicine arrivals include: drick with Poudre Valley In- ternists, 1025 Pennock Place. ■ Dr. Mark Simmons, 1080 E. Elizabeth St., who also special- izes in pediatrics. Poudre Valley Health System helped recruit three of the new physicians, offering to pay salaries for Allende and the Hen- dricks for a year while they get established in Fort Collins. A community survey and dis- cussions with local physicians in- dicated a need for primary care, especially for seniors, said Matt Kilton, director of business devel- opment. After Fort Collins re- ceived national recognition as a top place to retire, anticipated growth in the senior nopulation University professor and vo1- teer Medicare counselor Jar, Ogg recently reported continu. difficulties among his clients, c ers say they have seen impro ments. Fort Collins resident Jc Rainwater, retired from the oil dustry, said he's been hearing t ter news from people he knows the community. "I think most of them are € ting in (to a physician)," 77-ye old Rainwater said Tuesday as left the Fort Collins Senior C. ter. Rainwater and his wife he had a physician since arriving the Choice City five years ago. i ! f 0J I ill+ %OWU AMU iut:u, Ulf 1=25 corridor considered prime Jfor development By DAVID PERSONS Impact study The Coloradoan A public -private partner- A $250,000 study will look at the traffic impact along a corridor on ship is being forged to do a either side of Interstate 25 from the Colorado 292 interchange to $250,000 comprehensive the U.S. 34 interchange. traffic study on a section of Interstate 25 that is under heavy pressure for develop- went. The nine -month study ——'—,3z= -- should begin in mid -May and be completed by Febru- ary. The study area — called the Crossroads Boulevard a sub -area — extends about 11/2 miles east and 11/s miles _ ( _ west of I-25 from a half -mile north of Colorado Highway Loveland 392 to a half -mile south of i Fort Carus U.S. Highway 34. It includes i airport three interchanges and three jurisdictions — Love- land, Windsor and Larimer U;?.• County. � The study goals include 2s I Crossroads Boulevard —�;� idea ' the transP orta- tifying improvements 24�� san toaddress existing problems and meet future i demands, and developing a plan o fund and construct ❑ Loveland Urban area ❑ those improvements. "It's a particularly critical Windsor Urban area rei 3 Study area boundaries area to get transportation: s i planning done Fight,! MAT¢ Engemoen, L ; r •i ty's public WOT q.... �_ •,. #.L�a.:arrmmz il. •-a>:. es,..xx�wrx�rs �.I�e,ca:.z.,w3.d� said Tuesday. "You have two key interchanges — U.S. 34 Sou ca: Ladmer County Kirk Alberts The Coloratloan is a key interchange for prises have pledged $50,000 affected municipalities and Loveland and the inter- each. The planning council private interests in the change at Colorado 392 is has authorized $40,000. study planning area. The one of the key access points CDOT has said it can pro- cost of the study is high but for Windsor and a back door vide $20,000 for the study. necessary, officials say. to Fort Collins. Larimer County's partici- "It had to be at least "It's just essential that we pation is guaranteed as $250,000 o get what we get a transportation study Part of the language in last needed out of it," Engemoen done right before there's any year's voter -approved sales said. more development pressure taa['_ initiative o fund con "Phis should significantly there." struction of the fairground reduce their future invest- Larimer County, the city and events center that ment in transportation of Loveland, the North be located northeast of th planning," Engemoen said. Front Range Transporta- 1-25/Crossroads Boulevard "That's why we tried to get lion and Air Quality Plan interchange. everyone to cooperate in the Wing Council, McWhinney The other entities still study." Enterprises and the COl- must off cially approve their Larimer County commis- orado Department of Tra s- participation. That is ex- sioners praised the effort. portation have tentatively petted to happen in the next "It gets all the neighbors j agreed to the study. three to four weeks. together and gets them in- ° Loveland, Larimer Co The remaining $40,000 is volved," said Commissioner ty and McWhinney Enter- expected to come from other Cheryl Olson. 3octor says technoiiy, simple hygiene ke* to stopping infections v PATRICIA LnHAY e Associa�edj,'.. ATLANTA -- Infections atracted in hospitals kill as ony as 88,00( people each at, a mmmbor that could be duced with inn'essed use technology and simple "asures such as more be- ent hand washing, a re - lecher said Sundav at a iference on the problem. 'I'hc U.S. Centers for Dis- le Control opened a five; day conference on prevent and reducing healthcare -as - Bar eted infections i nAtlanta. Dr. Richard P. Wenzel, chairman of the internal medicine department at the Medical College of Virginia, said new devices such as catheters coated with an- tibiotics have proven Oleo - live against infection spread at health facilities. But those are still far cost- lier than simple but equally necessary steps as getting doctors and nurses to wash their bands alter every pa- tient contact, he said. "Hand -washing is cheap, but the impact from it is great," Wenzel said. Using what he Called con- servative estimates, Wenzel calculated that blocdstmenno infections contracted at health care facilities could be the nation's eighth leading Gmse of death, claiming more than 25,OW people each year. On Tlmraday, the CDC re- ported that the rate of such infections fell by about 44 pereent in the 19908 in med- ical intensive etire units at 300 facilities that report to the government. The infections typically are caused by catheters,in- travenous lines and breath- ing tubrs, common to most hospital stays. Such devices allow bacteria easy entry Social Security plans electronic newsletter By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Social Se- curity recipients can keep up with the latest changes in bene- fits and rules through a new elec- tronic newsletter the govern- ment will offer starting March 1. E-mail subscribers will be able to customize information they re- ceive in the free monthly updates from the Social Security Adinhr- istration. A retiree might choose to get news about benefits, including announcements of Social Securi- ty's annual cast -of -living raises, for example. The newsletter also will in - elude topics of inGreat to employ - era, such as pilot projects W test easier ways of reporting workers' wages to Social Security. into the body Wenzel said simply plac- ing an alcohol dispenser at each patient bed cut blood infection rates by 40 percent in one hospital because workers disinfected their hands more alto). Dr. William Jarvis, with the CDC's Hospital Infec- tion Program, said medical professionals must control infections better because the number of older Ameri- cans will soar in the BE century The elderly are pr ticularly at risk for infectii and more likely to sper time in a hospital. .Jarvis estimated the Ixa, ulation of people older the 65 in the U.S. — 40 nnillic in 1998 —is likely to doub by 2035. Jarvis calculate that about 88,000 people d' each year directly from n factions Contracted In healt Caro facilities.