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WHAT WE’VE LEARNED FROM WORKING AT HOME Page 06
ALSO INSIDE Find Ways to Stay Connected While Social Distancing pg.05
Expanding our team of leaders in
CARDIOLOGY
Houston Methodist Welcomes Dr. Rasi Wickramasinghe Rasi Wickramasinghe, MD, board-certified interventional cardiologist, joins the physicians at Houston Methodist Cardiology Associates in Sugar Land in providing the highest quality of care. Together, this group of highly trained physicians provide patients with highly specialized care, ranging from cholesterol management to the most complex diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures, close to home. COVID-19 UPDATE — Our specialists are available to safely see patients in person or virtually, as needed.
Michael H. Koo, MD* Interventional Cardiologist
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Sangeeta Saikia, MD* Diagnostic Cardiologist
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Julia Adrogue, MD* Diagnostic Cardiologist
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*16605 Southwest Fwy.
Medical Office Building 3, Suite 625 Sugar Land, TX 77479
houstonmethodist.org/spg | 281.661.1455
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Kesavan Shan, MD* Diagnostic Cardiologist
Toussaint Smith, MD Diagnostic Cardiologist
Sherman Tang, MD Interventional Cardiologist
J uly 2020
DEAR DOCTOR DEAR DOCTOR: I went to see my family doctor for some joint pain I‘ve had. He thinks my symptoms could be arthritis. I think I’m too young for it. Can you explain?
DEAR READER:
The Social Distance Issue like walking or climbing stairs,” said Nguyen. It’s normal to experience aches and pains on occasion, but if it doesn’t go away in a few weeks, it’s time to see a doctor. To determine if the discomfort you are feeling is related to arthritis or another condition, your doctor will ask you some questions. These will be related to your symptoms, your general lifestyle and health, and your medical and family history. Your doctor will perform a physical examination to evaluate your joints and may also order laboratory tests and/or imaging, as needed.
The idea that arthritis only impacts the elderly is a common misperception. Your risk increases as you age but nearly two-thirds of people diagnosed with arthritis are under the age of 65. If your primary care provider thinks your sympTreatments for arthritis extend beyond just pain relief. It toms may be related to arthritis, you may be referred to an should be part of a complete wellness plan which, not only orthopedist or a rheumatologist. The difference between eases pain and inflammation, but also includes educathe two is that orthopedists are surgical specialists and tion and lifestyle changes to improve your overall health. rheumatologists are medical specialists. “Medicine works best when combined with other activThere are two common types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis ities like exercise, therapy, and disease education,” said causes cartilage, a hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends Nguyen. “It’s a good way to take charge of your health and of bone joints, to break down or degenerate. Rheumatoid increase mobility.” arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the cartilage, joint lining, and bone. “Rheumatoid arthritis can cause progressive and permanent joint changes if not treated,” said Nguyen. “However, we now have many different treatment options available to treat rheumatoid arthritis.” Speak with your health care provider to determine which treatments are best for you.
If you experience pain in one or more areas of the body, swelling over the affected joint(s), stiffness lasting more than an hour, or have difficulty moving, those are important warning signs for arthritis. “Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, impacting your ability to do daily activities
Binh Y. Nguyen, MD, specializes in all areas of rheumatology including rheumatism, arthritis, and tendinitis. He sees patients at UT Physicians Multispecialty - Sienna located at 8810 Highway 6, Suite 100, Missouri City, TX 77459. To schedule an appointment, please call 713-486-1200. UT Physicians is the clinical practice of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth.
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CONTENTS FEATURES
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Find Ways to Stay Connected While Social Distancing
06
What We’ve Learned From Working At Home
MONTHLY DEPARTMENTS
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UT Physicians at Sienna Village
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Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital
Dear Doctor Sponsored By
Health Matters Provided by
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ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact Denise R Williams, Publisher communitynews@entouch.net www.siennaplantationnews.com 281.750.2979
FORT BEND COUNTY LIBRARIES LAUNCHES “STORY SPINNERS WRITING CLUB” Join other aspiring writers at Fort Bend County Libraries’ “Story Spinners Writing Club” on Thursday, August 20, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. The topic for August is “Flashbacks.” This program will be a virtual session presented via Zoom; it will NOT be in person. From beginning blogger to published novelist, writers of all genres and experience levels are welcome to write, share, learn, support, network, and critique each other’s work. Writing prompts, brainteasers, and brief exercises will be available to ignite the imaginations of any and all wordsmiths who wish to hone their craft. This program is recommended for adults and teens aged 14 and up. Free and open to the public. Registration is required; a link to the Zoom session will be emailed to participants who register. To register online at the library’s website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” and find the program. Participants may also register by calling George Memorial Library at 281-342-4455.
GREGG MATTE, PASTOR MALCOLM MARSHALL, CAMPUS PASTOR 4309 SIENNA PARKWAY HOUSTONSFIRST.ORG
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For our weekend schedule, visit HOUSTONSFIRST.ORG or text SIENNA to 41411.
HEALTH MATTERS
VIRTUAL ‘BEAT THE PACK’ PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE QUIT SMOKING
The complimentary program, called Beat the Pack®, was developed by Pfizer Inc. and is sponsored by Houston Methodist Sugar Land Respiratory Therapy Department and Cancer Center. The next four-week series is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. on July 8 virtually via Webex. Participants will meet virtually each Wednesday for four weeks in July with a trained facilitator who will provide tools, tips and support to help smokers create and follow through with a personalized “quit plan.”
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital offers program to help smokers quit
“Studies show that close to 70 percent of smokers in the U.S. want to quit,” said Amy Sebastian-Deutsch, director of oncology and infusion services at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “But it typically takes a smoker between six and 11 attempts to successfully quit. Beat
the Pack is a proven program that can greatly increase those odds and make it easier to give up cigarettes for good.” “Beat the Pack provides all the tools and support needed, and it does so in an informative, friendly atmosphere that offers encouragement and camaraderie.” The four-week program is offered quarterly at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. Registration is required and space is limited. For more information or to register, contact Joan Burnham at jmburnham@ houstonmethodist.org or 281.274.0188. You will receive the meeting link after registering. Visit our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.
FIND WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING
The COVID-19 pandemic presents daunting challenges for many seniors and other vulnerable populations. Social distancing and shelter-in-place requirements are necessary for their continued health and safety. But with it comes the risk of social isolation, and the mental and physical tolls this can take.
Even popular board games have gone virtual. Classics like Monopoly, Scattergories and Scrabble can be played online together, and there are a host of sites with card games, trivia and other fun activities to do together. A game night is a great way to bring people closer, and take your mind off your worries.
Instead, try watching a news update in the morning, then check in again at night. And don’t stay with it all evening: 30 minutes or an hour is usually plenty to stay well informed.
If you need help getting started with a smartphone or tablet to use this technology, check the offerings from a carrier like Consumer Cellular. They’ve been an approved AARP provider for more than 10 years, and in addition to low prices and a wide variety of phones, offer top-rated customer support, which makes setting up and using your service easy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that communities create “buddy systems” to make sure vulnerable and hard-to-reach people stay connected, particularly to news about COVID-19. This can be done through a church group, social group or daily neighborhood email blasts.
Stay active in the community, from home It may sound counterintuitive. How can you remain a part of the community if you need to stay separated from it?
How can older people balance the requirements for social distancing with the inherent need for social engagement? Here are a few recommendations.
Many organizations, like political parties, faith-based groups or nonprofits, offer remote options, relying on volunteers to make phone calls. Explore your options for doing community-based activity right at home.
Explore new technology
Go on a news diet
Apps like FaceTime, Zoom and Skype offer fun and interesting ways to connect face-to-face with family and friends, even if it’s a screen version. And most don’t require a terrific amount of tech-savvy: a neighbor, niece or nephew can help with a quick tutorial.
While it’s important to stay informed, don’t get locked into endlessly watching “breaking news” on the 24-hour news channels. Typically, not much changes hour to hour, and enduring the repetitious pummeling from TV all day long can bring needless anxiety. 5
Find a buddy system
Reach out to people in your communities to locate these groups, or start one of your own. Something as simple as a message with a kind word can go a long way during uncertain times. Make a phone call All the digital options available today may make a simple phone call seem old fashioned. But sometimes, the old ways are the best ways. Just hearing someone’s voice can be enough to lift both your spirits. Even if you only reach voicemail, you’ve let someone know you were thinking about them, which is always good medicine. Social distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation, and even a threat like coronavirus should not force us to be alone. Now, more than ever, people need to find smart ways to stay connect
• Half said they take frequent short breaks to balance work and home responsibilities. • 37% are starting work earlier, while 17% are starting work later to manage schedules better. • 35% are learning to keep their whole household to a schedule. • 23% use visual cues (like signs) to let others know when they’re working. Mastering technological challenges Most people affected by the crisis say they have had to master (or learn from scratch) how to complete their work entirely from home, including the new norm of conducting video conferences from somewhere in their home. Technology has been crucial to this adaptation. Almost half (47%) have discovered a new app or service they say they now can’t live without - especially video chat apps that have helped them learn how to communicate better with colleagues and loved ones. As one might expect, a majority of respondents admitted to making conference calls from a common area in their house. However, some said they were stuck calling from a makeshift workspace in a lesser-used part of home. One-fifth of respondents admitted to calling from a basement or attic, while others said they took work on the go. The research shows 18% have called from their cars, and perhaps most surprisingly, 12% admit taking work calls in the bathroom.
What we’ve learned from working at home
For many, the time they’ve spent working at home has helped them appreciate how successfully technology has kept them connected on all fronts, including their work and personal lives.
The recent transition to widespread working from home has shown that the experience has been both educational and eye-opening for many. Working at home means learning to cope with distractions, space constraints, managing time with family and learning new skills. And, according to new consumer research, it has also meant reassessing what is most important.
Reevaluating life’s priorities Overall, the experience of working from home has had everyone reassessing what - and who - is most important to them. Among those who said they’ve discovered new apps, digital services or technology, many said that they were spending significant time using it for family or relationship management.
A nationwide survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of LG Electronics reveals the many ways working from home has challenged and surprised Americans.*
An overwhelming number of survey respondents said that they plan to continue at least one of their new practices even after returning to a “normal” work situation, including:
Connecting with loved ones The most striking survey results show the importance of close relationships. Social distancing has caused many to reassess who is most important to them, and how much they may have taken friends and family for granted.
• 39% plan to do more cooking. • 43% said they’re likely to arrange more family dinners. • 39% also said they would do more video chatting.
The global health crisis has turned socializing into a more deliberate act. More than half (53%) of homebound people said they felt closer to loved ones than before the outbreak, and 27% even said that they felt much more connected than before.
As a result of spending some more time at home, many have been rethinking their priorities, with nearly half considering buying or using fewer things. Some (16%) have thought about beginning a new career, and others are considering starting their own business (14%).
When asked what they want to do first when the crisis is over, the top answer was to visit loved ones, followed by going out to a meal.
No matter what your work-from-home experience has been, chances are it’s changed your attitudes about work and family life - and how to balance the two - in ways that will stay with you long into the future.
Managing work-life balance For many people, juggling priorities and obligations was difficult even before the switch to remote working. But having to work at home has shined a brighter spotlight on how we cope and find a healthy work-life balance.
The LG WFH Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. adults, working from home due to COVID-19, between April 10 and April 15, 2020, using an email invitation and an online survey.
Here are some of the tricks people have discovered:
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From screenings and diagnosis to the most advanced treatments, our leading cancer care is available in Sugar Land. And, you can be confident that we are taking every necessary precaution to keep you safe – so you can focus on healing, surviving and thriving.
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