December 2007

In her role as nurse health educator at the Community Health Resource Center (CHRC) at PAMF’s Fremont Center, Kim Greer, R.N., frequently goes into the local communities to give presentations on health topics to seniors and give tips to individuals for whom English is not their first language on how to make the most of their doctor’s visits. Greer’s work is just one example of the many ways that PAMF is making a difference in the lives of those in the communities it serves.

One of the many ways that PAMF is working to achieve this goal is through its involvement with the Community Ambassadors for Seniors Program (CAPS), which seeks to better address the needs of underserved seniors within their own communities. Greer and Margie Dino, R.N., a part-time nurse health educator at the CHRC, have been helping develop curriculum – along with staff members from Stanford University’s Geriatric Education Center and San Jose State University – to educate seniors and provide them with information that is tailored to their respective lanaguages and cultures.

Greer, Dino and others at the Fremont Center are involved in a wealth of other community activities, including the Afghan Elderly Association and the Fremont Unified School District, among many others. Similarly, at PAMF’s Dublin Center, nurse health educator Leiliani Stone, R.N., is working with the Dublin School District to explore how PAMF and the district could collaborate on various health initiatives. Stone and the Dublin Center’s pediatricians are also providing training to teachers in the local school district on how to administer and care for a child who uses an EpiPen – a device that treats anaphylaxis (a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction). In addition, Center’s pediatricians are presenting to parenting groups on how to prevent childhood obesity.

"Being healthy is not just about getting care at your doctor’s office," said Greer. "It’s about having the knowledge, resources and support necessary to make healthy choices. By working with members of our communities, we’re giving people the tools they need to be their healthiest."

Much of the work that PAMF does in the communities is supported by PAMF’s community advisory councils (CACs). (In the East Bay, PAMF has a CAC in Fremont and is currently establishing one in Dublin.) The volunteer group is comprised of community members of diverse professions, ethnicities and backgrounds.

"The CAC helps us identify ways we can collaborate with local organizations and agencies to provide resources, information and other assistance to help improve the lives of vulnerable or underserved populations," said Janet Lederer, R.N., vice president of PAMF’s Education Division.

PAMF also provides health support and resources through its Community Health Resource Centers (CHRCs), which offer a large array of materials on a variety of health topics at no cost. The CHRCs’ nurse health educators also provide special services, including instruction on breast self-examination and how to complete an advance health care directive. Also within its clinic walls, the Fremont Center offers a postpartum support group in which new moms in the first three months after giving birth can ask questions about newborn care and get hands-on help, including breastfeeding advice, in a supportive environment. For patients who need help managing their diabetes and nutritional guidance, PAMF’s diabetes educators create individualized management plans and coordinate care with patients’ physicians.

"Patients feel more empowered to lead healthier lives if they have the necessary support and resources, as well as knowledge about their and their loved ones’ medical conditions," said Stone. "We help people identify and find the information they need in a caring, respectful environment."

Guidance is provided at no cost on a drop-in basis or by appointment. For more information about the Dublin and Fremont Centers’ CHRCs, including hours of operation, visit www.pamf.org/health/chrc, or call 925-875-6150 for Dublin or 510-623-2231 for Fremont to schedule an appointment.