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What’s New... What’s New...What’s New...

VITAS® Healthcare Launches Hospice and logical changes in the cell demonstrated the reliability and repeatability of the electri-
cal impedance-based measurements of cell sickling and unsickling processes.
Palliative Care Services in Florida’s Treasure Coast In the study, the researchers also established the correlations between the in vitro
measurements and the patients’ hematological parameters, such as the levels of sickle
and Okeechobee County hemoglobin (HbS) and fetal hemoglobin (HbF). These findings show a potential clin-

ical relevance because it serves as a proof-of-concept of electrical impedance as a
label-free, biophysical marker of cell sickling events as well as a sensitive tool for
VITAS Healthcare will accept hospice-eligible patients in Martin, St. Lucie and probing the dynamic cellular and subcellular processes beyond the optical
Okeechobee counties through its new office in Stuart, Florida, starting July 8. microscopy. The developed electrical impedance sensor may potentially be used for
Overseeing the Treasure Coast program is General Manager Susan Acocella, who assessing vaso-occlusion risk, disease severity, and therapeutic treatment in sickle cell
brings over 20 years of experience managing VITAS hospice operations to her new disease.
role. Since joining VITAS in 1996, Susan has managed program operations in
Broward, Palm Beach and Brevard counties and brings patient-focused care and exten-
sive knowledge of healthcare and community partnerships. FAU Receives $1.5 Million to Train Veteran
“We are ready to expand access to hospice and palliative care services for the
Treasure Coast and Okeechobee communities, which have a growing need for quality Nursing Students to Care for Other Veterans
end-of-life services, so patients and caregivers have the physical, emotional, social and
spiritual support they need at the end-of-life,” said Acocella. Florida is home to approximately 1.5 million military veterans and has the third

largest veteran population in the United States. Now, veterans will care for other vet-
Researchers Develop New Method to Rapidly, erans with a project designed to train veteran nursing students to provide primary
care services to veterans in rural and underserved communities.
Reliably Monitor Sickle Cell Disease Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
have received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services, to
Sickle cell disease affects millions of people of many nationalities throughout the form a primary care workforce of practicing registered nurses who understand the
world, including both children and adults. A major challenge in managing the disease unique needs of military veterans, and are practice ready and willing to serve rural
is the tremendous pain that patients endure from chronic and acute pain episodes and underserved communities.
called pain crisis. Unfortunately, these pain episodes are unpredictable and patients The project, “Caring-based Academic Partnerships in Excellence: Veteran RNs in
never know when or where these episodes will take place. Primary Care (CAPE-V),” is designed to educate and provide clinical training for
Current methods to detect and monitor sickle cell disease rely mainly on optical bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) students in primary care and to provide profes-
microscopy, which is time-consuming, causes delays in capturing important changes, sional development to practicing registered nurses (RNs) in primary care. The pro-
and moreover, does not capture changes in real-time. Morphological changes due to gram will enrich the BSN curriculum and student clinical experiences in the areas of
repeated cell sickling events may lead to permanent cell damage. To effectively man- primary care, unique population health needs of veterans, mental health and sub-
age sickle cell disease, time is of the essence. stance use disorders, value added care, telehealth, and health information technology.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and The goals of CAPE-V are to recruit, educate, and financially support a culturally
Computer Science have developed a rapid and reliable new method to continuously diverse group of veteran students for FAU’s College of Nursing BSN program (RN-
monitor sickle cell disease using a microfluidics-based electrical impedance sensor. BSN, accelerated, and second degree part-time BSN tracks), who are primary care ori-
Results of the study, published in the American Chemical Society’s journal ACS ented and willing and ready to work with underserved and rural populations. The
Sensors, show that this novel technology can characterize the dynamic cell sickling project team will establish partnerships with three veteran organizations and one new
and unsickling processes in sickle blood without the use of microscopic imaging or innovative academic clinical partner.
biochemical markers. The project team will continue linkages with four of its existing academic practice
With this method, Sarah E. Du, Ph.D., senior author and an assistant professor in partners serving rural and underserved populations for longitudinal clinical training
FAU’s Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, and co-authors from FAU’s experiences of veteran undergraduate nursing students in primary care settings.
College of Engineering and Computer Science and the University of Miami, were able Collaborators include the West Palm Beach Veteran Affairs Medical Center primary
to characterize the rate of cell sickling and the percentage of sickled cells, which are care clinics, Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s C. L. Brumback Primary
important contributing factors of abnormal blood flow and sickle cell vaso-occlusion. Care Clinics, Community Health of South Florida, Inc., Holy Cross Hospital, and
Vaso-occlusion causes acute pain in patients due to altered forms of hemoglobin. FAU’s Community Health Center, operated by the college.
Findings from the study show that simultaneous microscopic imaging of morpho-

Helene Berger Provides Hope to Alzheimer’s

Caregivers at University Plaza

Being the caregiver of someone with not helpless,” said Berger. “They can that they can, ultimately, find the same
Alzheimer’s or any other debilitating dis- make a difference, and they can live with success she did.”
ease can impact almost every aspect of joy.” Plaza Health Network continuously
one’s daily life. As an Alzheimer’s patient Most accounts of Alzheimer’s describe works to improve the quality of life for
begins to lose certain abilities, a caregiv- a process of irreversible degeneration patients with Alzheimer’s. One such
er must take on more responsibilities and decline but Berger’s comprehensive example is the creation of the Music &
while simultaneously trying to maintain guide chronicles the different elements Memory program that uses music to
their own emotional and physical fitness. that created the scaffolding that gave her access those memories stored deep in the
Seeking support from others who are husband the very best chance for posi- brain by tapping into the emotion that
experiencing the same caregiving jour- tive outcomes physically, emotionally, one’s special music can provoke.
ney can be helpful. and socially. Research has shown that music can
Helene Berger, author of Choosing Joy- According to the Alzheimer’s improve awareness, mobility, socializa-
Alzheimer’s: A Book of Hope shared her Association, there are approximately 5.8 tion and temperament in individuals
powerful story of being the caregiver of a million Americans living with with cognitive disorders, such as
husband with Alzheimer’s disease at Alzheimer’s disease. There are more than Alzheimer’s disease. It can also reduce
Plaza Health Network’s University Plaza. 16 million Americans who provide up to the need for certain medications.
Berger spoke to a packed room about the 18.5 billion hours of unpaid care for peo- “Music appreciation is an ability that
vital importance of promoting an active ple with Alzheimer’s disease or other remains in patients with cognitive depre-
mind and a positive, supportive attitude. dementias valued at nearly $234 billion. ciation, even after other abilities have
Attendees were also able to pick up an “This means that meaningful conver- faded away,” said Bloom. “Our Music &
autographed copy of Helene’s book at the sations surrounding caregivers will con- Helene Berger Memory program affects patients’ quality
event. tinue to be of utmost importance,” said of life and sets Plaza Health Network
“I hope to inspire and empower care- Elaine Bloom, CEO of Plaza Health have had Helene share her journey with apart as an innovative leader in care and
givers with the knowledge that they are Network. “We are extremely grateful to other caregivers in our community so services for our elderly.”

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