Ukrainian doctors, medical administrators tour PACE Concord

CONCORD

A delegation of Ukrainian health care administrators toured PACE Concord recently as part of their 10-day U.S. tour of medical facilities. Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) offer day care services and in-home health care. Qualifying seniors get transportation to and from centers one or more days per week, receive meals, participate in activities, and receive medical and rehabilitative care. The Center for Elders’ Independence has been a PACE provider for the past 40 years.

CEI Chief Medical Officer Jim Mittelberger, CEI Director of Government Affairs Uche Uwahemu and PACE Concord Center Director Emily Hoshida led the tour of Ukranian doctors and administrators. Part of the discussion focused on the future of senior health care and the challenges the industry faces meeting the needs of the growing elderly population.

“We often talk in the United States about our aging population, but it’s an issue that is being addressed globally,” Mittelberger said. “Across the world people are exploring best practices to provide the care needs for frail elders”

The local portion of the tour was organized by the Rotary Club of Concord as part of its Open World Program. The federally funded and supported program is part of efforts to bring leaders from Eurasia to the United States to engage with their professional counterparts. The focus of the 2022 delegation is health care administration.

PACE Concord was the last stop of the day, which included visits to Stanford Medical Center, San Francisco General and John Muir Health. The delegates were to also visit Sacramento, tour the state Capitol and meet with Assembly members.

The PACE Concord visit concluded with a short discussion about the success of the PACE model of care and how CEI serves senior participants in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The program is offered in 31 states through Medicaid, but only about 55,000 seniors and disabled adults are enrolled in PACE nationwide.

— Susana Mendoza

PLEASANT HILL

Foundation hosts recent Celebrate Your Community event

The Pleasant Hill Community Foundation (PHCF) recently hosted its Celebrate Your Community event. The Cornerstone Award recognized three people for their continued support of the PHCF and Celebrate Your Community. Jason and Kathy Olson as well as John Matthesen with DVC Culinary Arts have provided the drink and food each year.

Outstanding employees of the city of Pleasant Hill and the Recreation and Park District were recognized with $1,000 stipends funded by the Holmes Family Fund.

“This year, Korey Riley, aquatics program panager for Rec and Park, and Ananthan Kanagasundaram, city engineer, were the staff whose work ethic and contributions led them to be selected by their managers for these awards,” stated PHCF President Jim Bonato. “Oliver Holmes left this legacy so that public servants could be recognized for going above and beyond on a daily basis.”

Donations and endowed funds that allow the Pleasant Hill Community Foundation to provide such awards can be made online at phcommunityfoundation.org/make-a-donation. For any questions about the Pleasant Hill Community Foundation or interest in joining its Board of Directors, email info@PHCommunityFoundation.org.

— PHCF

WALNUT CREEK

Woman to receive about $50K worth of free dental work

Donna Wilson, 52, of Concord, has been announced as the recipient of the second annual Share A Smile program at Muir Oral, Facial, & Dental Implant Surgery of Walnut Creek. During a special ceremony at the practice, Wilson was surprised by Dr. Nestor Karas with the news that she would receive a free, life-changing smile makeover that would otherwise cost about $50,000. She is an auctioneer who says her mouth is her business.

“I’ve felt that I always had a great smile, but having bad and missing teeth is slowly leading me into a depressed state of mind,” she wrote on her application. “I cringe when smiling in photos, and when I do it’s always with a closed mouth. I long to feel happy, confident, unembarrassed and unashamed.”

Share A Smile gives one East Bay resident in need who suffers from extremely poor oral health an opportunity to receive a brand-new set of permanent teeth. Wilson was selected from a pool of more than 75 applicants because of her inspiring story.

— Bob Diehl

WALNUT CREEK

Library soon to host ‘Who Could Ask for Anything More?’

The Walnut Creek Library Foundation’s (WCLF) “Live! From the Library” series will host musician Dulais Rhys, Ph.D., and his latest interactive presentation, “Who Could Ask for Anything More?” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 13. Area singer Tim Lynch will join Rhys.

The famous songs of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, though beloved by Americans everywhere, are just a fraction of the Great American Songbook. Rhys will discuss the evolution of these timeless pieces; the lives, careers and tragedies of the composers and lyricists; and how these songs have inspired new generations of American performers and composers through the years, demonstrating that the best music never grows old.

Rhys is a professional musician with more than 30 years of experience in a variety of practical, educational and academic disciplines. He earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in music from the University of Wales, as well as teaching diplomas from the University of Wales and Trinity College of Music, London. Lynch, a San-Francisco-based singer and actor, most recently worked in the San Francisco Playhouse production of Steven Sondheim’s “Follies.”

Free and open to the public, this event will be held in the Walnut Creek Library’s Oak View Room. Reservations are required and can be made online at wclibrary.org/live or by phone at 925-935-5395.

— WCLF

BRENTWOOD

City charging usage, parking fees for EV charging stations

The city of Brentwood owns and operates nine electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the Brentwood City Hall parking garage, and these stations have operated without fees since 2012. Over the past several years, the combination of increased electric vehicle ownership along with rising energy rates has resulted in $40,000 in annual operating costs for the city.

In addition, the increased demand has made finding an available station difficult for drivers at many times during the day, and some vehicles often remain at stations well after their charging is complete. To reduce the city’s increasing costs, a usage fee of $0.25 per kilowatt hour has taken effect in November. After the first four hours at a station, a parking fee of $3 per hour will also be incurred.

The parking fee serves as an incentive for EV owners to move their vehicles after four hours of charging and provide access to the stations for more users. City staff will monitor the impacts this has on charging station availability and provide a report back to the City Council in early 2023.

— city of Brentwood

CONCORD

City relaunches Shop Concord e-gift program for holidays

The city of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce are relaunching the popular Shop Concord e-gift card program to support the city’s small businesses by encouraging residents to shop locally over the Thanksgiving weekend and into the winter holiday season.

Thanks to a $10,000 contribution from the city of Concord, shoppers will earn a bonus gift card with every purchase. While supplies last, receive a free $50 Shop Concord bonus card with every original $100 gift card purchase, a free $25 Shop Concord card with every $50 gift card purchase or a free $10 Shop Concord card with every $20 gift card purchase. Gift cards can be used for purchases at any participating business.

The e-gift cards can be purchased on the Shop Concord Yiftee page (app.yiftee.com/gift-card/concord), which includes a list of the more than 70 participating merchants. The cards purchased can be redeemed at any participating Concord business.

Concord business owners can sign up anytime for free to participate in the Shop Concord program. Instructions for how to become a participating merchant are online at concordfirst.com/shop-concord.

— city of Concord

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