Impact Stories

Take Action to Reverse Prediabetes through Education Recent research by the CDC reports that half of people over age 65 are living with prediabetes, often unknowingly. Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Without acting, many people with prediabetes may eventually develop type 2 diabetes, compromising their health and ability to remain independent. Fortunately, prediabetes can be reversed if you act sooner rather than later. That’s what Diane did. She enrolled in Sun Health’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) one month after her diagnosis. “I saw information about the class in Sun Health’s LiveWell publication,” she said. “Enrolling in the DPP classes was absolutely worthwhile.” Diane attended DPP classes over the course of the year; a commitment she made for her long-term health. “I was impressed with the instructor’s knowledge and expertise,” she says. “The information was well organized so I could digest it and not feel overwhelmed.” The knowledge she gained about nutrition, activity levels and stress management have already made a difference. “My husband and I are more aware of overall nutrition and eating the appropriate things throughout the day,” says Diane. “We’ve started going to the gym routinely. And because we travel a lot, I appreciated information on how to handle vacations, holidays, and special events.” Diane recently returned from a cruise where she put her new skills to work. “In years past, I would typically gain eight to 10 pounds during a vacation trip,” she said. “This time I did not. I made smart choices including getting at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. It wasn’t painful to do, and I didn’t feel deprived in any way.” She is already seeing the benefits. Her A1c level has decreased, her energy level has

Diabetes Education Leads to Positive Health Future Larry W. has been a Type 2 diabetic since 2008 and thought he understood how to manage the disease. “Within the past year I started to see changes with extreme highs and lows with my blood sugar levels,” he says. “It was time to reeducate myself to better control my diabetes.” The changes in his blood sugar impacted daily living. “If I had extremely low blood sugar, I would find myself napping most of the day,” says Larry. “The extreme highs caused vision problems and confusion. It was time to get a better handle on it.” Luckily for him, he had access to Sun Health’s Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) program at the Grace Bible Church in Sun City. “The parish nurse prodded me to join the class, thinking it would be good for me.” The cost of the class was covered by his health insurance. Larry found the topics covered in class extremely helpful. “I learned the difference between Type 2 and Type 1 diabetes, diet, exercise, medications and how best to use them.” The last topic turned out to be life changing. DSME Instructor Julia Deen suggested Larry talk to his pharmacist about how he was taking his diabetes medications. “I was taking my medications at the wrong time,” he says. “I was taking them after food, when I should be taking them before food.” That change has helped him have better control of high blood sugar levels. Larry’s primary care doctor was especially supportive of the DSME class. “My doctor admits he’s not a diabetes specialist and commended me for using the Sun Health program,” he says. The support Larry received from other DSME class members was also impactful. “The camaraderie was great,” he says. “All of the class participants were

Second Chance at Life Supported by Diabetes Education Melody M.’s journey with Type 2 diabetes has been a rough ride at times.  After diagnosis 10 years ago, she unknowingly began progressing toward liver disease. In 2017 she was informed she had Stage 4 liver disease, which later turned into cirrhosis. By age 62, Melody was told she needed a liver transplant. After seeking treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix she underwent rigorous evaluation and tests before being accepted into the liver transplant program. “It’s a waiting game,” says Melody. “I was told it would be a two-year wait.” Liver Transplant Equals Second Chance In July 2020, she received a new liver and a second chance at life. Her motivation to live her healthiest life possible with her new liver and diabetes led her to join the Sun Health Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) program offered at the Grace Bible Church in Sun City. “You never stop learning about diabetes, because you can never know it all,” says Melody. “I wanted to attend an in-person class because I thought it would be beneficial to talk with others who were in the same situation and who wouldn’t judge.” She especially appreciated learning new tips on healthy coping, healthy eating, scheduling care and developing SMART goals. After taking the DSME class, Melody was motivated to add strength and weight training to her walking routine. She also began using the My Fitness Pal smart phone app to track food, especially carbs. “I do much better when I write things down, and My Fitness Pal does all the work for me,” she says. Education supported Melody’s self-management of diabetes. She has since lost five pounds and has more energy. “Attending the DSME class is one of the best things I’ve ever done,” she says. “Gaining

Education Provides Motivation in Managing Diabetes It takes practice and commitment to successfully manage diabetes every day. And since 90 percent of diabetes management involves self-care, Gene S. knows that education can help him be the best self-manager possible. “If you manage diabetes well, you can live a long and healthy life,” he says. Diabetes is a Family Disease and Family Affair At 85 years young, Gene has been living with diabetes for 20 years. Diabetes runs in his family, and both his mother and brother died from complications from the disease. “Even with a family history of diabetes, I was still surprised when I was diagnosed,” says Gene. “At the time of my diagnosis, I attended a diabetes seminar but didn’t feel I got much from it.” Twenty years later he wanted to get updated information after learning about the Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) Program offered by Sun Health at the Grace Bible Church. Best of all, his health insurance covered the cost. Knowing the Why Behind Diabetes Management “I think one of the plusses of DSME is that it explained not only what I should be doing, how I should be doing it, but also WHY I should be doing it,” says Gene. “Knowing the why gives me more motivation.” He believes that being active is an important aspect of diabetes management. Gene walks regularly, and after taking the Sun Health DSME he was also motivated to join a gym. “I’ve been focusing on walking, going to the gym, and knocking down carbohydrates,” he says. “I’ve lost nine pounds since attending the DSME classes.” Why He Recommends the Sun Health DSME Program Gene’s advice to other diabetics would be to attend a class like DSME. “I don’t think there’s anything better, whether you’re newly diagnosed or were diagnosed

With the help of Sun Health and lots of brotherly love, Janice Park of Phoenix is showing diabetes who is boss in her life. Janice says her brother has been trying to get her help for years, but nothing was working, that is, until they found Sun Health’s Diabetes Self-Management Education(DMSE) program. “What can I say, he’s my little brother and he loves me,” Janice says with a loving laugh. “We talk about our health a lot and we are close. With his encouragement, I had gone to multiple diabetes information classes, but it was not right and did not tell me anything. They had no personal interest and rushed me in and out. I did not bother to check anything or watch what I eat and I let everything go.” Letting everything go started to become dangerous for Janice as blood work showed her diabetes was continuing to get worse. Janice’s doctors and her brother were becomingly increasingly worried. Janice’s brother did not want to give up and suggested his big sister give Sun Health’s DSME program a try. “I didn’t expect it to work, but I was really surprised. Sun Health staff were knowledgeable, personable and never before had I wanted to get my life back together. They made it personal and clear that they were not dropping me. They hung in there with me and held me accountable.” Feeling that dedication from Sun Health, helped Janice lose 14 pounds and the 72-year-old received a big surprise at her physician’s office. “The incredible part, is I got my blood work and I was like, this has  got to be someone else’s blood work, not mine,” Janice shares. “My numbers were below a 7.0, my kidneys were better, cholesterol, blood sugar. It all improved.” The 72-year-old is also enjoying

A four-month time span is what holds together a lifetime friendship for Margie Davis and Don Grafton of Sun City. The duo became fast friends after both lost their spouses within months of each other. The kinship has proven to be beneficial from a health perspective too. Margie used the skills she learned while attending a Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing class, ‘From the Floor to Your Feet,” to give her friend a helping hand when he fell unexpectedly while doing yard work. Utilizing what she learned saved her friend from having to call 9-1-1. “Don was outside pruning trees and he fell and landed straight on his back. He already has a very bad back,” Margie recalls. “We immediately looked at each other and said, what did we learn from class?” Using what they learned, Margie grabbed something for Don to hold onto so he could get to his knees. From there he was eventually able to steady himself with his friends help and work his way back to standing. Margie added that Alex (Sun Health Wellness Specialist, Alex Star) even taught differences between how men balance versus women and the knowledge helped as they worked to get Don back on his feet. “I was really impressed that Alex during class used chairs and things around the house to show how to use them to get up in case of a fall,” Margie said. “He also helps you analyze how to move, how to sense if you’ve broken something. There were so many great ideas and things we learned that were easy to implement.” Both Margie and Don are big fans of Sun Health’s classes and support groups, adding that they have taken and learned from the various support groups and encourage others to do the same.

Slow and steady wins the race “I got this!” Those were the words that Linda K., of Sun City West, said to her doctor when he shared concerns that her A1c levels (a common blood test used to diagnose type 1 and 2 diabetes and to monitor how well you’re managing your diabetes) were going up instead of down. “My physician was concerned that I was not being consistent with maintaining a lower number, so rather than changing my medication, I told him “I got this” Linda explained. “I was determined to find a way to improve my health,” And Linda did find a way one day when going through her mail. She learned about the Diabetes Self-Management Education Series (DSME) offered by Sun Health Wellness after reading LiveWell Magazine. And, she decided it was the right time to join. It’s all in the family Linda is certainly familiar with diabetes, calling it a silent disease, since you cannot typically see what’s happening with a person’s body on the inside. “My father had diabetes and was not diagnosed for several years and ended up passing away at 61.  My sister and niece are both diabetic and on insulin, so yes, it definitely runs in the family,” Linda shared. “I have two sons who are not diabetic at this time and I caution them to stay on track with their activities and weight.” Why Linda recommends Sun Health’s DSME Program Linda found the topics covered in DSME– monitoring, nutrition, exercise, medication and coping skills — were most helpful as she made significant changes to her lifestyle, including food and drink when socializing with friends. “Damian, Sun Health’s registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator who lead the series, was professional and knowledgeable and had an easy manner in conveying the material. He gave

Improving Heather’s quality of life with regular massage After multiple back surgeries, Heather relies on regular massages to loosen up her muscles and ease her pain. This isn’t a luxury; massage is vital to her quality of life. When Heather’s usual therapist retired, skipping massages wasn’t an option. Thankfully, she found Susan Casaccio, a licensed massage therapist at Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing, and has made monthly appointments part of her wellness routine. “It makes all the difference in the world,” Heather said. “It really helps the muscles so that I’m not all knotted up.” Massage therapy may be perceived as a luxury but this treatment has been shown to play an important role in improving overall wellbeing. A key benefit is reducing long-term stress, which can lead to health complications when left unchecked. But massage therapy offers a range of other benefits too, such as increasing circulation and flexibility, improving concentration, promoting quality sleep and inducing relaxation. At the Center, massages are offered by licensed and trained massage therapists who specialize in working with clients to tailor treatments to their needs. Meeting a range of needs Massage services are open to anyone who wants to participate. No membership is required. Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing offers a wide range of treatments, including: Swedish, deep tissue, lymphatic, customized therapeutic, trigger point therapy and sports massage. Heather had no choice but to prioritize massage therapy in her life. The mom of three adult children has endured three back surgeries. The last surgery, about 11 years ago, was needed due to a spinal cord injury that caused the nerves in her legs to die and left Heather unable to stand. Through physical therapy and determination, Heather was able to walk again with the help of a brace. “I

Facing the road ahead with Memory Care Navigator program When Lorraine thinks back to the way her mother used to be, she remembers a woman who always took charge, ran the household, took pride in what she wore and enjoyed plenty of laughs with her husband of 65 years. Then dementia started to take hold of her life and nothing was the same. Her mother lost the ability to care for the house, her appearance changed and she became increasingly agitated. “She recognized it about herself,” Lorraine said. “She would say, ‘I can’t remember, I can’t remember, I can’t remember.’ It was hard.” At the same time, Lorraine was dealing with her own health issues. A difficult family situation was becoming almost impossible. But a referral to Sun Health’s Memory Care Navigator program, and navigator Marty Finley, allowed Lorraine and her mother to face the road ahead. “I would not have survived this if I did not have Marty,” Lorraine said. “She was the utmost professional. My mother was her first priority. Every recommendation she made was in my mother’s interest.” “She was so insightful and helpful and calming,” she said. “It just calmed me down.” The Memory Care Navigator program is designed for families just like Lorraine’s, who have a wide range of needs. Navigators assist clients, family members and caregivers as they manage emotional, psychological and physical effects of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. With guidance from navigators, clients develop a plan of care tailored to their needs. Navigators make home visits and are available by phone. Clients praise navigators like Marty for providing connections, making recommendations and, when needed, offering a caring shoulder to lean on at such critical times in their lives. A new chapter Lorraine’s parents retired to Arizona, after working and raising a family

Going Above And Beyond to Change Lives Berna Veach, age 76, has been active her whole life, starting with tap and ballet as a young girl and moving onto running and biking as an adult. “It seemed like I was always physical. It was just a way of doing things. It got me to venture out,” she said. “I was like the energizer bunny, going all the time.” Then everything changed. A series of traumatic injuries and a health scare took a toll on Berna’s body and left her in extreme pain all the time. But she wasn’t ready to give up. With support from Sun Health Wellness, Berna got connected to strength training classes at Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing and Wellness Specialist Alex Stark M.S. Today, she enjoys an active lifestyle and has learned to manage her pain thanks to her work with Alex. She credits the strength training program and wellness team for boosting her quality of life. “Everyone here has been so nice to me…they always make me feel like I’m special,” Berna said. Staying healthy Moderate physical activity can help ensure healthy aging, and has been proven to prevent age-related diseases, increase energy, improve sleep quality and maintain a healthy weight. Without regular physical activity, bodies tend to grow weaker in four areas that are essential to everyday living: strength, balance, flexibility and endurance. This can make it more difficult to engage in daily activities and manage self-care, which is necessary for maintaining independence. Berna was used to living a full and independent life. At a time when many choose to retire, Berna continues working at Trader Joe’s doing cooking demonstrations and managing her health issues. When inflammation from the injuries set in, Berna decided to take action. “Being so athletic as a

Finding assistance through Memory Care Navigator program Little by little, Norma Wilson started noticing problems with her memory. She would forget what word she was looking up in the dictionary. Her sentences just didn’t flow like they used to. Her short-term memory was almost non-existent. “I would lose my train of thought,” Norma said. “I would not be able to get words. I would not know the next word I wanted to say. I knew what it was, I just couldn’t get it out.” After visiting with her physician and a neurologist, Norma still didn’t have a clear diagnosis. Battling leukemia and undergoing chemotherapy, she wondered if she was foggy as a result of “chemo brain.”  She also wondered if something more, such as dementia, was causing her memory loss. On her physician’s advice, she decided to learn more about Sun Health’s Memory Care Navigator program. Typically, clients are referred to the program by physicians, friends or family members. But they can also self-refer to seek assistance for themselves. Norma, a longtime Sun Cities resident and former data processing manager for a wholesale distributor, wanted all of the information and referrals that she could get as she struggled with memory loss. The Memory Care Navigator program is designed to assist clients, family members and caregivers as they make their way through the maze of emotional, psychological and physical effects of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. With guidance from navigators, clients develop a plan of care tailored to their needs. Clients also rely on navigators to serve as a liaison between them and families, physicians, and community services. Navigators make home visits and are available by phone. The service is provided at no charge to clients through the generosity of Sun Health Foundation donors, and is supported by USAA, Sundt Foundation

Preparing for the future with Memory Care Navigators Looking back, Estene Tarber said there were signs that something wasn’t quite right with her husband Benny. There was the mix-up while taking care of the pool, the misspelled words, the feeling that he was just a little “off.” But it really hit home when Benny got lost driving, even with his trusty GPS navigation. The couple visited a neurologist who confirmed what Estene suspected. Her husband of 40 years had Alzheimer’s disease, a diagnosis that left the couple reeling. Estene dove into researching the disease. “I was looking into everything I could find because I knew nothing. I just felt so alone,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do. It was very upsetting and frustrating to me.” After attending an educational talk, she learned about Sun Health’s Memory Care Navigator program. After an in-home meeting with navigator Sherry Wagoner, Estene began to feel less alone and more equipped to face the path ahead. “When Sherry came it was like a godsend,” Estene said. “She was amazing. She had so much knowledge, she kind of opened my eyes to everything… she was also very compassionate in explaining what steps are next.” Estene and Benny began facing those next steps together, like they had always done – through careers, raising a family and life in general. A life well lived Benny, a veteran, had enjoyed a long career as an accounting manager at the Arizona Department of Economic Security. He had once been honored as the Employee of the Year for the state of Arizona. Estene had worked as a high school guidance counselor. The couple raised four children between them and would go on to have 11 grandchildren. In between work and family, the couple found a passion for playing tennis