Tai Chi Class Begins January 8

LABELLE, FL. -- The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL) is offering a free health and wellness program, Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention, in LaBelle. The eight-week workshop starts Jan. 8, 2019 and continues through Feb. 28. The class is designed to help older adults manage relieve arthritis pain and stiffness and improve balance and movement.

Class size is limited and advance registration is required. Workshops will be presented on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Hope Connections L.J. Nobles Center (475 E. Cowboy Way, LaBelle, FL 33935).

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries among seniors. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, one in four seniors fall each year. High fall rates among older adults are the result of physiological changes, including a loss of balance, muscle strength and stability issues. Data from the Florida Department of Health indicates that falls accounted for 2.6% of senior deaths in Southwest Florida in 2016.

“A lot of older adults are afraid of falling and begin to limit their activity because of that fear,” explains Sherry Young, Health & Wellness Coordinator at AAASWFL. “Less activity leads to less independence and in many cases, poorer physical health. Our health and wellness workshops help restore confidence and independence for seniors.”

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention is a basic beginner falls prevention workshop consisting of 12 Tai Chi movements. Funding for Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention is provided through the Older Americans Act title III-D and administrated through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.

For more information or to register for the eight-week Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Preventionworkshop, call Sherry Young at 866-413-5337 or email sherry.young@aaaswfl.org.

Micheal Martinez At Kiwanis

LABELLE, FL. -- On Tuesday, November 20th, the LaBelle Kiwanis Club was honored to have Michael Martinez as a guest speaker. He graduated from LaBelle High in 2015 and is currently a senior at West Point. He is the youngest of 3 children whose parents immigrated from Mexico. 

He is the first college graduate in his family. He emphasized West Point values of "Duty, Honor, and Country" to very proud LaBelle Kiwanis members. 

 Michael, Army bound and a math major will graduate as 2nd LT. Noting the Academy started in 1802 by President Thomas Jefferson, Michael was nominated for West Point by Senator Marco Rubio. 

Upon graduation, he will have 2 months before reporting to his first assignment in Missouri. His commitment to West Point will be 5 years of military duty. Congratulations to CDT CPT Michael Martinez, 2BN PDO, 1st Regiment.

Hospital Swing Bed Program In Hendry County

Clewiston, FL – When patients recovering from a hospital procedure no longer need acute care but are not quite ready to go home, the Swing Bed Program at Hendry Regional Medical Center allows them to receive extended skilled nursing care without the need to change facilities. This unique program acts as a bridge between the hospital and home, offering peace of mind to both patients and their families and allowing a more comfortable recovery.

Swing Bed is designed for patients covered under Medicare who have been admitted to the hospital for at least three days and are not quite ready to go home. Patients may not be ready to be discharged for a variety of reasons, including not having the healthcare resources at home to take care of themselves.

A Swing Bed doesn’t actually swing physically, but it swings in the way Medicare reimburses for the care provided to the patient. With Swing Bed, the hospital can “swing” a patient’s level of care from acute to skilled rehabilitation. If acute care is needed again, the patient can be “swung” back, meaning there is no need to change facilities.

Under the federally funded Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex Program), Swing Bed services are fully covered by Medicare for the first 20 days. When care is required past the first 20 days, Medicare becomes a co-insurance that pays for a portion of the service.

As part of the Swing Bed Program, patients recovering from an acute condition have access to 24-hour skilled nursing services, including nursing, wound care and physical therapy.

Patients can be admitted to the program for a variety of reasons, especially for extended care following extensive surgery such as a hip replacement or open-heart surgery, neurological disorders such as stroke and generalized weakness due to certain chronic conditions.

A referral from a physician is required for the Swing Bed Program when it is determined that skilled care will be needed. The Swing Bed Coordinator then arranges admission to the program. The program also accepts patients from other facilities so they can recover close to home.

Patients can remain in skilled care as long as there is a documented need for that level of care. Care plans must be developed with a physician at the beginning of the stay that establishes progressive goals of recovery

Brad Cornell At Audubon December 10

LABELLE, FL. -- Brad Cornell will present a program “Wood Storks, Wetlands and Water” at the Hendry-Glades Audubon meeting on Monday December 10 at 7pm, at the Dallas Townsend Agricultural Extension located at 1085 Pratt Blvd LaBelle, FL 33935.

Brad Cornell currently is Southwest Florida Policy Associate for both Audubon of the Western Everglades and Audubon Florida, a joint position he has held since summer, 2005, and for the regional organization since 2001. 

 He works on land use, wetlands, coastal habitats, and Western Everglades restoration issues to protect and recover imperiled species, especially the Florida Panther, nesting shorebirds, Corkscrew’s Wood Storks, and Marco Island’s Burrowing Owls. 

 He has degrees from Oberlin College and the University of Texas at Austin and played trombone for the Naples Philharmonic for ten years prior to joining Audubon. Brad and his wife Martha have two native Floridian children, one in graduate school and one in high school.

Marvin "Ralph" Harrell Dies At 80

Marvin "Ralph" Harrell, 80 years old 4th generation Floridian. Born on August 21, 1938 in Frostproof, Florida. He was raised in Belle Glade and settled in LaBelle in 1977. He was an avid outdoorsman, he loved hunting and fishing and being outdoors, also he loved to golf. In later years he enjoyed running his birddogs especially his special dog Star. He was a retired chemical and seed salesman.

He is preceded in death by his father and mother; Marvin and Mildred Lyles Harrell. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years Bettie (Evans) Harrell, son; Kevin Harrell and his wife Amy of LaBelle, daughter; Saundra Lynn of Okeechobee, grandchildren; Kathryn and Kevin Harrell, Jr, Alicia King of Mount Dora, Dawn Lynn of Wildwood, Jessie Bauerly of Indiana, and 10 great grandchildren.

He was the best father, but even a more wonderful grandfather and will be greatly missed.

The world lost a very fine man on November 27, 2018.

Celebration of Marvin's life was celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 30, 2018 in Akin-Davis Funeral Home where Mr. Robbie Hull officiated. Burial took place in Fort Denaud Cemetery. Visitation was from 6-8 pm Thursday evening.