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February Special Section
2 | February 2021 | NorthFulton.com | ForsythHerald.com
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Would you like legs that can stand up to your summer activities and look good while doing so? Brought to you by: Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta Many times, cosmetically bothersome spider veins are the tip of the iceberg. Between 33 and 50% of the time, patients with spider veins have underlying varicose veins or venous insufficiency. If someone has varicose veins, leg discomfort, leg swelling or other signs of deeper vein disease, then medical treatments are often useful to ensure that cosmetic treatments are successful. If underlying vein disease is present, medically significant venous disease can be a driver of cosmetic spider vein development. Treating underlying varicose vein disease can help make cosmetic spider vein treatments more durable and successful. If you are sure that you only have spider veins (little purple or red netted cluster of tiny veins) and have no signs of any underlying vascular issues (tired, achy legs, swelling of the ankles, discoloration of the skin at the feet or ankles, restless leg syndrome, blue bulging veins etc.) then you can treat the spider veins with sclerotherapy or laser treatments – sometimes a combination of both. Sclerotherapy is a method by which a vein expert injects a medical solution into a vein. The solution irritates the interior of the vein, which undergoes closure and becomes invisible as blood no longer can fill or pass through the vein. Lasers, such as the 1064nm Nd:Yag used in our practice are very effective at eliminating the spider veins that are too small to be injected with sclerotherapy. How many treatments are needed and how long do you wait between treatments? With each of the treatments listed above, a reasonable goal is that 75% of the veins treated will resolve with each treatment. Therefore, more than one treatment or type of treatment may be needed. Patients should wait roughly 6 to 8 weeks between treatments. The tiniest spider veins can sometimes resolve in as little as 3-4 weeks but many require 6 weeks for resolution, and larger reticular and varicose veins can take several months to resolve. The larger the vein, the longer the resolution takes. If you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms of vein disease, then your path to a cure is quite different. The first step is to visit a physician and discuss you vein disease. This is critical, as insurance companies require proof/ documentation of a vein complaint along with several specific questions answered about how your vein issues are affecting your quality of life. This first documentation of a vein complaint is Day 1. In order to get your vein treatments
covered by insurance, most insurance companies mandate that a patient try “conservative therapy” for 90 days before any medical vein procedure will be covered. Conservative therapy consists of over the counter pain medication, leg elevation, exercise and medical grade compression stockings. If it seems likely that vein disease is causing the patient’s symptoms, an ultrasound will be ordered. The ultrasound provides a map of the venous system and a diagram of which vein or veins are diseased and would benefit from treatment. Medical records and ultrasound report are sent to an insurance carrier for review and prior authorization is requested. (Prior authorization is not a guarantee of coverage, and if you know a politician, please ask them to fix that!) Often, a patient’s varicose veins can connect with one another. That means that treating one cluster of varicose veins can sometimes result in multiple adjacent varicose veins also going away. It is often in the patient’s best interest to space out treatments to minimize the number of treatments needed to achieve a cure. So, as you can see, a patient who has never tried “conservative therapy” and who has multiple varicose veins needing treatment may require 5 months or more to complete treatment given 1) a 90 day conservative therapy waiting period, 2) a prior authorization review, and 3) a month or two of spaced treatments. Cosmetic treatments would then typically follow medical treatments if desired. This can all be greatly accelerated if a patient has already completed conservative therapy before their first consultation with their physician or if the patient is not going through insurance for treatment. A final useful tip is that the spring and summer are still a great time for a first meeting with a vein specialist. Given the potentially lengthy timeline outlined above, a spring or summer appointment can help ensure that treatments are completed in the same calendar year. This helps eliminate the danger of having to reach a deductible more than once. If you or a loved one has venous disease or spider veins, know that advanced, minimally invasive, safe and highly effective treatments are available. Seek out a vein specialist who is a member of the American College of Phlebology (ACP) and who has taken and passed the board exam of the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM). Dr. Brent Taylor is a committed and caring vein specialist. Consider calling Dr. Taylor at Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta today.
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Friends, Family, and Future with Village Park Senior Living Residents at Village Park Senior Living are celebrating new milestones and developments within their community. Village Park Alpharetta welcomed future residents to tour their newly expanded campus during a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on March 23rd. The ceremony was not only a celebration of the growing community but also the new possibilities made available by the COVID-19 vaccine. Village Park is among Georgia’s first assisted living communities to receive the vaccine with more than 95% of residents fully vaccinated. The organization’s continued partnership with local pharmacists enables current and new residents to enjoy peace of mind and safely get back to doing what they love with those they love. Resident, Wayne Dahlgren, expressed that he is not only surrounded by a team that supports him, but also by friends, family, and future. “Even though we are making new friends, they are becoming a family, and we all have a future,” Wayne said. “No matter how old we are or what our physical condition is, this is a great place to experience those things.” Choosing a senior living community can be complex; however, selecting a Village Park Senior Living community means choosing quality care, developing
new friendships, and more. Village Park provides the care and support you need, so you can focus on spending quality time with family. Residents moving into Phase II of Village Park Alpharetta can look forward to quality care and camaraderie. The expansion also includes a wealth of new amenities. The main lobby greets patrons with fresh flowers from the on-site market and delicious meals from the Rose Point Café. This newest eatery adds a third dining venue to Village Park’s existing bistro and full-service dining. The café is perfect for active residents seeking a grab-and-go option for days when formal dining does not fit into their schedules. In addition to Village Park’s bungalows, cottages, independent living, assisted living, and memory care residences, Phase II includes a new residential concept known as city homes. City homes are distinguished by their private front door entrances and patios with a second interior entrance into the main building. Phase II is expected to fully open its doors within the next few weeks. If you would like to learn more about Village Park’s city homes, cottages, bungalows, independent living, assisted living, or memory care residences, visit their website at villageparkalpharetta.com.
Bungalows & Cottages City Homes Independent Living Assisted Living Memory Care Village Park Milton 555 Wills Road Alpharetta, GA 30009 470.509.4557
Village Park Alpharetta 12300 Morris Road Alpharetta, GA 30005 678.740.3499
4 | February 2021 | NorthFulton.com | ForsythHerald.com
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Understanding the two types of licensing for Assisted Living Communities in Georgia Brought to you by: Oaks at Suwanee Creek In 2012, Senate Bill 178 passed into law creating an additional level of licensure for Personal Care Homes in Georgia. The spirit of this legislation was to give seniors a choice on where they wished to live, and to equip Personal Care Homes with a license that would allow seniors to age in place, eliminating the need to move to a nursing home or skilled nursing facility. Requirements In order for a Personal Care Home to achieve the “Assisted Living” license, they must comply with several requirements from an operations and life safety standpoint such as increased staff training, employment of Certified Medication Aides, and increased life safety standards including sprinklers installed in all areas. Emergency Compliance Under Personal Care Home Regulations, residents must be able to ambulate independently and evacuate with minimal assistance in case of an emergency. This is referred to as “selfpreservation.” Under Assisted Living Regulations,
residents may live in the community as long as the staff is able to demonstrate that all residents can be evacuated to a point of safety within 12 minutes, regardless of the ambulatory status of the senior. How does this additional licensure benefit you? You can feel more secure knowing that the physical location and life safety elements of the licensed Assisted Living Community creates a much safer environment in the event of an emergency. You are assured that the delivery of medications is of the highest standards due to having Certified Medication Aides, compared to communities without this license where anyone of any training level can deliver and manage medications. You have the greatest possibility of never having to move again, allowing you to spend the rest of your life with all your friends in an environment that you love. Oaks at Suwanee Creek is currently offering specials and scheduling tours, so please reach out today for more information by calling 470-235-5300 or emailing benita.watts@oaksseniorliving. com. Make sure to like and follow their Facebook page as well!
Committed to Serving with Faith, Knowledge, Compassion and Love Newly installed GPS air purification systems with technology that attacks and kills pathogens such as viruses, mold spores and bacteria, in addition to reducing particles that bother those with allergies and neutralizes odors. Vaccine clinics being held on March 19, April 9 and April 30
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6 | February 2021 | NorthFulton.com | ForsythHerald.com
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Medicare Prescription Drug Plans: Did You Know? Brought to you byJay Looft, Medicare Insurance Broker, SeniorSource Medicare Solutions Whether or not you currently take prescription medications, it’s a good idea to be informed about Prescription Drug coverage. Below, we hope to shed some light on a few aspects about Medicare Prescription Drug Plans through a Question & Answer style format: Q: Did you know Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) are available in two different ways? A: Typically, when you go with a Medicare Advantage plan, the prescription coverage is built-in or embedded into the coverage. If you go the Medicare Supplement route, then you will need to purchase a StandAlone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan because Medicare Supplements do not cover prescribed medicine. Q: Did you know every Medicare Prescription Drug Plan must follow the Coverage Gap rules developed by the Federal Government?
A: The Coverage Gap, also referred to as “the donut hole” is a feature built into every Prescription Drug Plan. In 2021, once you and your drug plan have spent $4130 on covered drugs, you may pay more (ref: medicare.gov). Each drug plan will send you a monthly statement showing where you stand in regards to the Coverage Gap. Q: Did you know every Medicare Prescription Drug Plan has a different Formulary? A: The Formulary, or list of prescription drugs covered, can be different for each drug plan. Though every drug plan is required to cover at least two prescription drugs in each therapeutic category, it’s important to go with a Prescription Drug Plan that gives you the best coverage for what you are prescribed. We don’t expect you to be an expert on Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, that’s why we are here to help! Please contact us today. Call us at (770) 913-6464 or visit our website at www. SeniorSourceMedicare.com.
Your Local Broker for Medicare Insurance Needs Specializing in Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement Plans Serving North Atlanta Seniors for More Than 10 Years Representing Most Medicare Insurance Companies • Experienced Medicare Insurance Broker • Provides Personalized Plan Analysis Jay Looft Owner/Agent
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