ealth & wellness >> on the cover

ST. JOSEPH MERCY
fit/ OAKLAND

The Future of
Patient Care

SAINT JOSEPH MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM

Experienc
es

E2littr,e/

Intelligent

Flood Aftermath

Biggest health danger can
come from mold.

Stacy Gittleman I Contributing Writer

SYSTEM

A Smarter Approach to Care'

Water-damaged possessions from Jennifer Dudovitz's home in Huntington
Woods

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is the hospital of the future...today!

Our new South Patient Tower is a contemporary-styled, eight-story

patient facility featuring:

• 204 all private rooms outfitted with the advanced
Intelligent Care System technology

• Hotel-style amenities, including a spacious lobby with fireplace

and inviting seating areas

• Climate-controlled pedestrian walkways

• Healing arts program supported exclusively by Michigan artists

The newly constructed South Patient Tower represents a new day

for St. Joseph Mercy Oakland. The new environment combines

our commitment to medical excellence, improved patient safety

and clinical quality with a dedication to caring for the whole

patient—body, mind and spirit. For St. Joe's, it's all about creating

a healing environment to achieve the very best outcomes for our

patients and their families.

To learn more about the new South Patient Tower,
visit stjoesoakland.org/newsouthtower

58

August 28 • 2014

f

Jeffrey Band, M.D., epidemiologist
and director of InterHealth at Beaumont
Hospital in Royal Oak, confirmed there
is no imminent threat of a health crisis
from the floodwaters. As long as people
do not have open sores or wounds and
wear the proper protective clothing, Band
is "not too concerned" about people get-
ting sickened from sewage water. He also
said there are minimal health risks from
rodents attracted by lingering garbage
piles.
His biggest concern is illnesses from
mold, but it is too early to assess if there
has been an uptick in such cases.
"Mold can really compromise the
health of people susceptible to respira-
tory problems:' said Band. "It is vital that
basements are dried out and disinfected,
and to leave this work to the hands of a
cleanup professional:'
As a proactive measure, Band said now
would be a good time to check in with
your physician to see if you are up to date
on your immunizations, especially for
tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
Meanwhile, Jewish agencies working
with senior adults are advocating that
clients seek medical help if they suspect
they are ill, and also to make sure they
are getting honest price quotes from flood
abatement vendors.
Public health departments of Macomb,
Oakland and Wayne counties released
detailed safety and health guidelines
on their websites following the flood.
However, seniors who lack computer
access — or who may now have a water-

logged desktop computer — may not
have seen them online.
That is why staff at Jewish Senior Life
(JSL) is fielding phone calls from clients
and even going door to door to inform
clients on how to protect their health.
Shari Wenokur Smith, director of
Village in the Woods in Huntington
Woods (part of JSL), said she worked
"practically nonstop" helping the agency's
17 seniors in the Village when the flood-
ing started on Monday, Aug. 11. She said
some seniors who have difficulty climb-
ing stairs were not even initially aware
they had water in their basements.
"It has been physical and emotional
work:' Smith said, referring to a lifetime's
worth of possessions that her clients had
to toss to the curb. In addition to assisting
in cleanup, she informed clients of the
health hazards of flooding by hand deliv-
ering printed guidelines personally.
At this point, it is too early to tell the
extent of the effects on people's health:'
said Smith, who holds a master's degree
in public health. "Our biggest concern is
mold:'
Perry Ohren, CEO of Jewish Family
Service of Metropolitan Detroit, said
his agency's primary duty during the
aftermath of the flood was to coordinate
as best as possible with the agencies and
healthcare professionals who could best
service their clients. He said that JFS
received approximately 200 phone calls
from clients who needed help. If they
were complaining of health symptoms,
Perry said his staff urged them to call
their doctors.

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