Health & Wellness

Dr. Megan Jewell has joined the team at Barton Health as its newest OB/GYN physician. Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Jewell’s credentials tout a da Vinci® Surgery certification in benign gynecology. Dr. Jewell joins Barton Health in a time of momentum as the health care system has been recently been recognized for its quality and safety standards for women’s health in the local community.

El Dorado County residents who may qualify for CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal or the County Medical Services Program (CMSP) now have multiple ways to enroll in the programs, check their benefits and more. Through a secure internet portal at www.C4yourself.com, individuals can complete their applications and annual renewals, submit documents, and check the status of their case online at any time; they can also access their case information over the phone via the State’s secure Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System at any time.

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Mark Estee, chef and restaurateur, capped off a 6-month series of Healthy Lifestyles programming and curriculum at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada’s William N. Pennington Teen Center with a full menu of Local Mushroom Risotto, Panzanella Salad and Sabayon with Berries (recipes listed at the end of story).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Health has announced the addition of Dr. Gregory Burkard, Jr. to their family of care providers.

Burkard is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is an interventional pain and sports medicine physiatrist. This means he is a physician that treats a wide variety of medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, muscles, joints and more.

Did you know that one in three American adults is at risk for kidney disease? Major risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure, and being age 60 or older.

The best way to fight kidney disease is to find it before trouble starts. But if you’ve already been diagnosed, Medicare can help you make informed decisions about your care.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The votes have been counted and Dr. Keith Swanson has been named Barton Health’s Doctor of the Year. Each year, hundreds of Barton team members cast their vote to nominate a favorite physician in honor of National Doctor’s Day, and the 2018 winner was announced at Barton’s Doctor’s Day Celebration on March 29.

“We honor Dr. Swanson as our Doctor of the Year, and the incredible contributions he’s made to the community as an orthopedic surgeon and practitioner of nearly 40 years,” said Dr. Clint Purvance, CEO at Barton Health.

March is National Nutrition Month, a time to return to the basics of healthful eating. The El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) invites all community members to make March their healthiest month yet.

“Whether you’re starting the day off right with a healthy breakfast or fueling before a workout, the foods you choose can make a real difference,” said Theresa Fagouri, Health Education Coordinator for HHSA’s SNAP-Ed Nutrition Program.

Many Nevada schoolchildren will take part in organized events that promote walking or bicycling to school on Nevada Moves Day, held March 21.

Walking and bicycling to school events are planned for Carson City, Clark, Washoe, Lyon and many other counties across the state. Children not taking part in an organized school event are encouraged to involve their families in safely walking or bicycling to school on Nevada Moves Day and throughout the year.

The Family Caregiver Support Program of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency is pleased to present a free “Aging and Caregiving” educational series in South Lake Tahoe. This series will be held weekly on Mondays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. beginning April 16, 2018, and ending May 21, 2018, at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel located at 4130 Lake Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.

The educational series will give instruction and support for people who provide care for a family member or friend aged 60 years or greater.

The series will feature a different topic each week:

The current blizzard in South Lake Tahoe has postponed another public event. Friday's planned community blood drive has been moved to Saturday, March 10 at the Recreation Swim Complex, 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

The South Lake Tahoe Community Blood Drive will run from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. . Barton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary is sponsoring this event. Donate blood, get a t-shirt.

Blood Source 916-453-3039
Please bring a photo ID
Eat well and drink plenty of fluids

We are so excited to inform you of a fully immersive indoor cycle program we are bringing to Tahoe Mountain Fitness, in Truckee, CA, beginning March 3rd. This cycle program, LES MILLS IMMERSIVE: THE TRIP, is only offered at 3 other locations in all of the USA and in select cities all over the world.

Where the mind goes, the body will follow. That’s the philosophy behind Les Mills newest innovation. Much more than an exercise class, it’s an immersive sensory experience that pushes your fitness into a new dimension.

The TRIP allows you to get lost in the journey.

Location

A Community Hub will be opening up in South Lake Tahoe, connecting families to resources in one place that will enable them to be healthy and caring in a learning and growing environment.

The Community Hubs will offer classes, groups, and activities for families with children ages 0-18 and are staffed by a team of family engagement, literacy and health specialists.

Over 3,300 confirmed cases of the flu have been reported to the Washoe County Health District this flu season, leading to at least seven fatalities. These numbers have health officials urging everyone to take preventive measures to keep from contracting the nasty virus now circulating across the country. Of particular concern is this season’s H3N2 influenza virus which appears to be extremely virulent among young children and older adults.

January is National Radon Action Month, and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Radon Education Program is offering educational presentations and free radon test kits across the State of Nevada.

One presentation is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) offices in Stateline, 128 Market St. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has partnered with the California Radon Program, so free radon test kits will be available at the event for residents of both states.

Influenza (or flu) activity has increased significantly over the recent weeks in the South Lake Tahoe area. The majority of influenza cases this year have been typed as A(H3N2), a particularly nasty strain of the flu that has been associated with more hospitalizations and complications. Do yourself, your family and your community a favor by recognizing flu symptoms and avoid spreading it.

Have you had your flu shot yet? This might be the time to get it if not as the flu bug has made its way across the county. Health departments in Carson City, Douglas and Lyon counties are reporting many more cases of influenza this year than the same time last year, and Washoe County residents are being hit hard.

Low-income Californians will have access to dental services they’ve lacked since 2009, under a law taking effect on New Year’s Day.

The budget signed by Governor Jerry Brown in June fully restores dental benefits for adult Medi-Cal patients that were cut during the recession.

Providers and community advocates recount horror stories of patients with tooth problems taking drastic measures.

Starting January 1st, Denti-Cal will pay for adults to receive crowns and root canals, when dentists certify those procedures are necessary.

The Holiday Season is an especially wonderful time of year. We look forward to holiday get togethers, to holiday meals, to good cheer and yes, treats. But we don’t look forward to holiday pounds. Many of our New Year’s resolutions are testament to our holiday eating patterns. We vow to start a diet, or to exercise more, or change habits. We know we often consume more than we should. So what can we do to reduce the unhealthy parts of the holidays, and keep the treasured parts?

The conversations and attitudes we have with children about food can be linked to their eating habits. Use these new sayings developed by childhood obesity researchers to help guide children in a healthier direction during the holidays and beyond:

Old: Clean your plate.
New: Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full.

Does the cold weather stop you in your tracks? Maybe not if you are a winter sports enthusiast, but what if you aren’t? Maintaining your fitness goals can be challenging when you’re shoveling snow to get out of your driveway - or even to get into your car. But remember: shoveling snow is exercise!

If you’re someone who goes into hibernation with the bears during winter, I’m here to offer some tips that will help you stay motivated throughout the colder, darker months.

Registered Nurses (RNs) at Barton Memorial Hospital and Lake Tahoe Surgery Center voted 123 to 17 to unionize during a secret ballot taken Wednesday night according to the California Nurses Association (CNA).

After the Barton Health vote, 3,000 caregivers in 10 union elections have voted to have collective representation in California in 2017.

“A record of incredible accomplishment for CNA that will strengthen the ability of RNs to promote safer care conditions for all Californians,” said CNA Co-President Malinda Markowitz, RN, who is also an NNU vice-president.

Signing up for a health insurance plan can be daunting and time consuming. As a Certified Enrollment Counselor, my job is to make it easier for South Lake Tahoe families and individuals to navigate Covered California and enroll in a health care plan.

With all the talk the about health care, I have heard rumblings and rumors about what is happening with the Affordable Care Act and what is changing with insurance. Get informed! Make a free one-on-one appointment with me or one my fellow enrollment counselors, have your questions answered, and get enrolled for 2018.

There is a brand new club at South Tahoe High School that needs the help of student leaders to bring awareness about mental health to their fellow students on campus. Together, the students will work to end the stigma and made it understood that its okay to seek help, and where and when to find it.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of El Dorado County has spearheaded the new club which is called "STHS NAMI On Campus/Brain Health Leadership Club."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Barton Health announced today that Jeffrey Orr, MD, has returned to his hometown of South Lake Tahoe to join its network of talented orthopedic surgeons.

Dr. Orr received his medical doctorate from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He conducted his orthopedic surgery residency at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. He completed his fellowship training at the University of South Florida. He’s an affiliate of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine.