Thank you so much to those that were able to join the ARMS Luncheon

If you were unable to attend the meeting, or if you would like to view again, the video can be viewed below.

Please take a few minutes to fill out our post-luncheon survey.  This will help us in preparing for our future meetings as well as making ARMS what you -- its members -- want it to be.

Please click here to complete the survey.

Don’t forget to email wpmgretirees@kp.org if you:

• Would like to share something with ARMS members in our Newsletter or on our website (news about work, travels, family, experiences, obituaries/memorials of members, etc.)

• If you have any speakers to recommend or would like to present something of interest at our luncheons

• Have any questions for us (Hugh or the ACC members) or ARMS

Please continue to visit our website for the latest happenings and announcements at https://www.wpmgretirees.com/

Please be on the lookout for our next ARMS Luncheon.  Information will be sent out within the coming months.

Thank you for joining today’s meeting, and the engaging conversation and insights you have as our valued Senior Caucus members

Attached are the presentations from today’s meeting along with the link to the YouTube video.

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/gs78t7T5f30

Satisfaction Survey: https://kp.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5tM7R7nr8csUPb0

Additional Links:

• Individual Medicare Advantage plans: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/washington/shop-plans/ready-for-medicare

• Federal Retiree Medicare Advantage plans: https://healthplans.kaiserpermanente.org/federal-employees-fehb/medicare/

• Public Employee Retiree Medicare Advantage plan: https://mybenefits.kaiserpermanente.org/pebb/plans

• Member Health Apps: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/washington/health-wellness/mental-health/tools-resources/digital

• Hearing Aid benefit response:

  • Hearing Aid “Advantage Plus 2”:  The 24-month calendar does not reset if members purchase the optional rider. If a member used the benefit in 2024, and then purchased the rider in 2025, the 24-month timing would still apply to the use date in 2024. 

Upcoming Voices & Choices:

               Our second year of the Voices and Choices series will be rolling out in October 2024, with new topics from some of our favorite presenters, and some fresh faces. Please look out for upcoming information on these presentations, dates below if you would like to add these to your calendar.

• Eric Larson, What the Conversation Around Aging Presidential Candidates Can Teach Us About Our Aging Selves: Oct. 15th @ 10am

• Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIuc--tpj4vH9G0MUby2LlZeeEUENRbap0g

• Jackie Lopez, Patient Advocacy: November 5th @ 10am

• Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpd-ugqT8oHNNG66pUpp47srJOvZbNIPI6

• Bill Affolter, Social Connections and the Science of Connectedness, Project StoryBench : Nov. 19th @ 10am

• Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAoduquqzMtGNI56RkyvPd_mfa3_fUmjn_s

Getting involved:

• Have an idea for an upcoming topic we would love to hear from you, please email memberparticipation@KP.ORG

• Would you like to be on a distribution list for upcoming volunteer opportunities, or feedback requests? Email: memberparticipation@KP.ORG

• Have a KP member in mind who is not a Senior Caucus member, we are looking to grow our membership, email memberparticipation@KP.ORG for more information.

Thank you for attending today’s meeting.

If you were not able to attend the YouTube link is located below.  

Angela Dowling, Kaiser Permanent of Washington regional President, and Jennifer Keosky, Vice President, Consumer Experience.

• YouTube link: https://youtu.be/7FlQUy24XlQ

Ask from today’s meeting:

               Let us know how we are doing?

Voices & Choices:

               Our second year of the Voices and Choices series will be rolling out in October 2024, with new topics from some of our favorite presenters, and some fresh faces. Please look out for upcoming information on these presentations, dates below if you would like to add these to your calendar.  

• Chris Fordyce, Planning to grow old, Part 1: October 1st @10am

• Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwodOispjoiHNXFimokhdTlutAIXFk_0-vO

• Eric Larson, Aging Political Candidates: Observations from a Season of Electile Dysfunction: Oct. 15th @ 10am

• Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwodOispjoiHNXFimokhdTlutAIXFk_0-vO

• Jackie Lopez, Patient Advocacy: November 5th @ 10am

• Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpd-ugqT8oHNNG66pUpp47srJOvZbNIPI6

• Bill Affolter, Social Connections and the Science of Connectedness, Project StoryBench : Nov. 19th @ 10am

• Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAoduquqzMtGNI56RkyvPd_mfa3_fUmjn_s

Getting involved:

• Have an idea for an upcoming topic we would love to hear from you, please email memberparticipation@KP.ORG

• Would you like to be on a distribution list for upcoming volunteer opportunities, or feedback requests? Email: memberparticipation@KP.ORG

• Have a KP member in mind who is not a Senior Caucus member, we are looking to grow our membership, email memberparticipation@KP.ORG for more information.

Updates for Jeffrey Grice’s Celebration of Life:

The Celebration will take place at our Renton Campus in the Rainier Building in rooms 111/115.  Parking is free (2715 Naches Ave SW. Renton, WA 98057).

 Our agenda for the day is as follows:

·         11am – Arrival / Mingle

·         11:30am – welcome / opening comments

·         11:35am – Celebrating Jeffrey’s life and his work legacy

·         12:15pm – Open Mic – Reflections on Jeffrey’s impact

·         1:00pm – Adjourn / Wrap Up

Food & drinks will be provided during the day.

In addition, we will be having a slideshow to honor Jeffrey.  If you have any photos that you would like to share, please click here to upload your photos.

We look forward to honoring Jeffrey with friends and colleagues.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Friends and Colleagues of Jeffrey Grice,

We will be remembering the life of our dear friend Jeffrey Grice on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at the Renton Campus from 11a - 1p.

Please plan on joining us to have food/drinks and gather to share wonderful stories and memories of Jeffrey.  

More details will be forthcoming as we approach the date.  Please continue to check the website for all updates.

Feel free to share this with friends and colleagues that may not be on the ARMS distribution.

Paul Minardi

Linda Tolbert

Thank you so much to those that were able to join Thursday’s ARMS luncheon. 

If you were unable to attend the meeting, or if you would like to view again, the video can be viewed here.  The handouts provided at the meeting are attached to this email as well.

Please take a few minutes to fill out our post-luncheon survey.  This will help us in preparing for our future meetings as well as making ARMS what you -- its members -- want it to be.

Please click here to complete the survey.

Don’t forget to email wpmgretirees@kp.org if you:

• Would like to share something with ARMS members in our Newsletter or on our website (news about work, travels, family, experiences, obituaries/memorials of members, etc.)

• If you have any speakers to recommend or would like to present something of interest at our luncheons

• If you want to be more active in ARMS as we transition to new leadership next year

• Have any questions for us (Ruth & Annie) or ARMS

Please continue to visit our website for the latest happenings and announcements at https://www.wpmgretirees.com/

 Please save the date for our next luncheon, which will be on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.  It will be at the Kaiser Permanente Campus in Renton. (invitations will be sent out late August)

 Thank you all,

- Annie & Ruth

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus this Friday, June 7th for their First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom (link provided below). Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Patricia Boiko, MD

• They will be joining us to discuss skin cancer identification and prevention

If you have questions for the presenters in advance, please send to trista.e.lamar@kp.org

The presentation was recorded and can be watched by clicking the following link: https://youtu.be/giy8R7UZhV8

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus this Friday, May 3rd for their First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom (link provided below). Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Sarah Levy, MD - Medical Director, Telehealth Medical Center & Digital Health

• Connor Shea - Senior Director, Innovation, Business Development & Digital Health

• They will be joining us to discuss Kaiser Permanente’s Online & Digital experience

If you have questions for the presenters in advance, please send to trista.e.lamar@kp.org

The presentation was recorded and can be watched by clicking the following link: https://youtu.be/nqgWsEd6hGc

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus this Friday, April 5th for their First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom (link provided below). Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Erin Wei, PharmD, BCACP - Primary Care Clinical Pharmacist at Kaiser Permanente Burien and Rainier Medical Centers

• She received her PharmD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before going on to do a first-year pharmacy residency at University of Washington Medical Center and a second-year residency specialized in ambulatory care clinic practice at Duke University Hospital. Prior to this role, she has served as an Ambulatory Care Clinical Coordinator at MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, WA as well as a Pulmonology Clinical Pharmacist at Emory Clinic in Atlanta, GA. Her previous publications have included case studies of insulin and other anti-diabetic injectable medication errors and evaluating the impact of embedding a clinical pharmacist on prescribing practices into the primary care clinics, and she has presented to other pharmacists and pharmacy/medical students previously on topics such as deprescribing aspirin, medication safety, COPD pharmacotherapy, cystic fibrosis treatments, and endocrinology disease states. She has a special passion for making sure patients are on optimal medications at the right doses and helping patients achieve their desired health outcomes within an interdisciplinary team.

• Chris Fordyce MD, retired family doctor, geriatrician, and Senior Caucus Chair

• will be providing a Senior Caucus update as well as an update on COVID-19, RSV and Flu vaccines as well introducing the Senior Caucus’ next round of Voices and Choices presentations. 

If you have questions for the presenters in advance, please send to trista.e.lamar@kp.org

The presentation was recorded and can be watched by clicking the following link: https://youtu.be/iaF4T8XTCXQ

Please take a few minutes and complete the short meeting evaluation. The deadline for responses is Friday, April 12. Please click the following link to access the survey: https://kp.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a63N89GQXhNBaMm

We appreciate your feedback.

Thank you so much to those who were able to join Wednesday’s ARMS luncheon and hear from our guest speaker, Julie Blacklow.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, or if you would like to view again, the video can be viewed here.

Please take a few minutes to fill out our post-luncheon survey.  This will help us in preparing for our future meetings as well as making ARMS what you -- its members -- want it to be.

Please click here to complete the survey.

Don’t forget to email wpmgretirees@kp.org if you:

• Would like to share something with ARMS members in our Newsletter or on our website (news about work, travels, family, experiences, obituaries/memorials of members, etc.)

• If you have any speakers to recommend or would like to present something of interest at our luncheons.

• Would like to be a part of the ARMS Advisory Committee

• Have any questions for us (Ruth & Annie) or ARMS

Thank you all,

- Ruth & Annie

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus this Friday, March 1st for their First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom (link provided below). Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Dori Rosenberg, PhD, MPH

• Dori Rosenberg, PhD, MPH is a Senior Scientific Investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Associate Professor at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J Tyson School of Medicine and an Affiliate Associate Professor with the University of Washington, Department of Health Systems and Population Health.  

• She has conducted extensive research on physical activity and sedentary time among older adults and populations with chronic conditions. 

• She is currently the principal investigator of the Healthy Aging Resources to Thrive (HART) and Mind Boost trials where she is testing sedentary behavior reduction and physical activity promotion with older adults.  Dr. Rosenberg also co-leads the Adult Changes in Thought physical activity sub-study.

• Chris Fordyce, MD, retired family doctor, geriatrician and Senior Caucus chair

• will also be providing a brief overview of recent work happening at the KPWA Research Institute as well as an update on COVID-19, RSV and Flu vaccines as well introducing the Senior Caucus’ next round of Voices and Choices presentations. 

If you have questions for the presenters in advance, please send to trista.e.lamar@kp.org

The presentation was recorded and can be watched by clicking the following link: https://youtu.be/bZhBW-kBEuQ

Please take a few minutes and complete the short meeting evaluation. The deadline for responses is Tuesday, March 12. Please click the following link to access the survey: https://kp.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eG7sQlgPtvCyOP4

We appreciate your feedback.

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus this Friday, February 2nd for their First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom (link provided below). Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Angela Downling, Regional President, Kaiser Permanente of Washington

• Angela Dowling joined Kaiser Permanente as Regional President in Washington in February 2023 after serving for over a decade as the President and Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of a Blue Cross Blue Shield company.   

• An industry leader with more than 30 years of experience transforming the healthcare industry, Dowling previously managed commercial business lines in Washington, Oregon, and Utah and helped the company achieve 25 percent growth over four years. Her additional experience includes a 10-year run as CRO of Payne Financial Group and leadership and consultant roles with a variety of healthcare organizations, managing multiple accounts across 10 states.   

•  As Regional President for Kaiser Permanente Washington, Dowling oversees all aspects of the care delivery and health plan operations for the Washington region.

• Chris Fordyce, MD, retired family doctor, geriatrician and Senior Caucus chair

• will also be providing a brief update on COVID-19, RSV and Flu vaccines as well introducing the Senior Caucus’ next round of Voices and Choices presentations. 

If you have questions for the presenters in advance, please send to trista.e.lamar@kp.org

The presentation was recorded and can be watched by clicking the following link: https://youtu.be/WAVPr-oZZyY

Please take a few minutes and complete the short meeting evaluation. The deadline for responses is Monday, January 12. Please click the following link to access the survey: https://kp.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cUwtIOcrp7duDRA.

We appreciate your feedback.

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus this Friday, January 5th for their First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom (link provided below). Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Cynthia Steward, Director of the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County

• Will focus her discussion on covering the legislative process and what to expect in the 2024 legislative session with a focus on legislation important to Kaiser Senior Caucus members.

• Walt Bowen, President of Washington State Senior Citizens’ Lobby & Senior Caucus Board Member

• Will be focusing his presentation on the proposed “25 Aging Summit” and other important Federal Legislation topics affecting aging adults

Please note that there will be no COVID update from Dr. Chris Fordyce.

The presentation was recorded and can be watched by clicking the following link: https://youtu.be/-DWoQ40MB5o

During the fall and winter, germs are more likely to spread within the community and within healthcare settings. As a healthcare worker, you play a critical role in slowing and preventing the spread of viral respiratory infections, including flu, COVID-19, and RSV. CDC’s Project Firstline can help you access the infection control information and resources you need to take action this respiratory virus season. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Dr. Mandy Cohen, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, and AMA’s Immediate Past Chair Dr. Sandra Fryhofer as they discuss vaccinations and other tools that can keep everyone safe and healthy. 

Register and submit your questions today: https://bit.ly/CDC-AMAFiresideChat

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus this Friday, December 1st for their First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom (link provided below). Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Dr. Paul Minardi, Executive Vice President and CEO of KP Medical Foundation

• Will be focusing his discussion on how KPWA is evolving to meet the ever changing landscape of healthcare. He will speak to the new Foundation and how it’s formation will influence KP goals in WA and beyond.

• Chris Fordyce, retired MD and Senior Caucus Chair

• Brief COVID, Flu, and RSV update.

This webinar will be recorded for those unable to attend and the link to the recording will be sent out after the meeting has ended. Friendly reminder to please utilize the “Q&A” feature when asking speakers questions and to hold questions until the end of each speakers presentation. 

ZOOM LINK

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/99612336225

Or One tap mobile :

    +12532158782,,99612336225# US (Tacoma)

    +12063379723,,99612336225# US (Seattle)

Thank you so much to those who were able to join Wednesday’s ARMS luncheon and hear from our guest speaker, Dr. Eric Larson, who presented an update on his ongoing “Adult Changes in Thought” research as well as some thoughts on healthcare systems in the US. Answers to questions from his presentation can be found here.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, or if you would like to view again, the video can be viewed below.

Please take a few minutes to fill out our post-luncheon survey.  This will help us in preparing for our future meetings as well as making ARMS what you -- its members -- want it to be.

Please click here to complete the survey.

Don’t forget to email wpmgretirees@kp.org if you:

• Would like to share something with ARMS members in our Newsletter or on our website (news about work, travels, family, experiences, obituaries/memorials of members, etc.)

• Would like to be a part of the ARMS work group

• Have any questions for us (Ruth & Annie) or ARMS

Thank you all, happy holidays.

- Ruth & Annie

The agenda

Please join the Senior Caucus Friday, November 3rd for the First Friday Webinar that will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. via Zoom. Speakers for the upcoming webinar include:

• Cynthia Burdick, Medical Director for KPWA Medicare 

• Discussion on what care for seniors will look like at KPWA in 2024. Presentation slides are available here: Senior Caucus Update

• Chris Fordyce, retired MD and Senior Caucus Chair

• Brief COVID, Flu, and RSV update. Presentation slides are available here: Covid, Flu & RSV Update

The presentation was recorded and available below.

The agenda

We welcomed guest speakers:

• Jennifer Keosky, Vice President for KPWA Consumer Experience 

• Will be highlighting the importance of using the member voice in KPWA decision making. Jennifer’s presentation will focus closely on Medicare CAHPS, it’s importance to the organization, and KPWA’s biggest opportunities in that arena.  

• Rick Henshaw, Director, Individual and Family and Medicare Sales

• Will be providing an update on the 2024 individual Medicare Advantage Plan. Rick’s discussion will touch upon plan updates, rates, and enhancements.

• Chris Fordyce, retired MD and Senior Caucus Chair

• Brief COVID, Flu, and RSV update.

The presentation was recorded and available below.

NEW program!

The COVID years were hard on all of us and terribly isolating for many.  The Senior Caucus Board, along with the Association of Retired Medical Staff, has worked hard to create educational opportunities for small groups of Kaiser members led by retired Group Health and Kaiser professionals. 

The new series, ‘Voices and Choices’, will share valuable information in a small group, interactive environment to best serve our Caucus members who are seeking information on a specific topic. Here are the first of our upcoming courses: 

• October 12th at 10am – 11am: John Howe, MD will be hosting a discussion on Shared Decision Making

  Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tdu-qqzIrH9NCUPWorUd749pF4FZQrwJH

   

• October 17th at 11am – 12pm: Richard Rapport, MD will be hosting a discussion titled "The Spine: Top to Bottom".

  Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElcOCoqD8iE9Ie0K32AeQe3vTNHa9fmFIc

We are welcoming you to register for classes of your choice in advance as spaces are limited and registration is required!

If you have any questions, please reach out to memberparticipation@kp.org.

The agenda

We welcomed guest speaker:

• Linda Tolbert, MD, JD, EdD, MPH, Executive Medical Director, Washington Permanente Medical Group

Dr. Tolbert joined WPMG in 2023. Previously a practicing dermatologist, she served as Regional Chief of Dermatology at Southern California Permanente Medical Group. She also held the post of Assistant Area Medical Director and served two terms on the SCMPG Board of Directors. Dr. Tolbert’s dedication to equity, inclusion, and diversity has been a constant theme throughout her education and career. As a first-generation immigrant to the United States, she has used her voice and agency to support cultural and intellectual humility by nurturing curiosity and respect in herself and her colleagues. Full Bio can be found here.

• Chris Fordyce, MD, retired family doctor, geriatrician and Senior Caucus chair will also be providing a brief update on COVID-19, RSV and Flu vaccines as well as introducing the Senior Caucus’ new Voices and Choices series.

The presentation was recorded and available below.

NEW program!

The COVID years were hard on all of us and terribly isolating for many.  The Senior Caucus Board, along with the Association of Retired Medical Staff, has worked hard to create educational opportunities for small groups of Kaiser members led by retired Group Health and Kaiser professionals. 

The new series, ‘Voices and Choices’, will share valuable information in a small group, interactive environment to best serve our Caucus members who are seeking information on a specific topic. Here are the first of our upcoming courses:

• September 14th at 9am – 10am: Bill Affolter, MD will be hosting a discussion titled “The Policy, The Power of Choices.”

  Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwoc-mgrDstG9HKh0XC6uBvQg9C4VvvEO-e

• September 19th at 1pm – 2pm: Alan Fine, MD will be hosting a discussion titled “Advance Directives Demystified.”

  Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwufuiorjouG9B1jbUKA5aZgV9H6aG40rbH

   

• September 26th at 11am – 12pm: Eric Larson, MD will be hosting a discussion titled “Changes in thoughts about Brain Health and Aging.”

  Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvcO-opz0sHN0osKQNMl7kKxYSA_7fotKW

   

• October 12th at 10am – 11am: John Howe, MD will be hosting a discussion on Shared Decision Making

  Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tdu-qqzIrH9NCUPWorUd749pF4FZQrwJH

   

• October 17th at 11am – 12pm: Richard Rapport, MD will be hosting a discussion titled "The Spine: Top to Bottom".

  Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElcOCoqD8iE9Ie0K32AeQe3vTNHa9fmFIc

We are welcoming you to register for classes of your choice in advance as spaces are limited and registration is required!

If you have any questions, please reach out to memberparticipation@kp.org.

• Thank you to those who were able to join Tuesday’s ARMS luncheon and hear from our guest speakers, Linda Tolbert, MD, JD, EdD, MPH, the new WPMG Executive Medical Director (EMD), and Dr. Hal Leland, who shared some very interesting information from his recent trip to Antarctica.

  If you were unable to attend the meeting, or if you would like to view it again, the video can be viewed below.

  We hope to see you at our next ARMS luncheon on November 8th at Cedarbrook Lodge (invitations will be sent at a later time).

  - Ruth & Annie

• If you have any questions, please contact us at WPMGRetirees@kp.org.

The agenda

• Presenters were:

  • Kristin Conn, MD is a family medicine physician and the medical director of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity for WPMG.  Dr. Conn partners with leaders and clinicians throughout the organization to integrate equity into all aspects of operations—patient care and access, clinician recruiting, community engagement, innovations in telehealth, and more. To accomplish this, she develops and implements broad-based strategies to reduce inequities in care, as well as champion diversity and inclusion across race and ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, language, nationality, religion, economic, geographic, and other aspects of identity.

  • Zandrea Harlin MPH, RN-BC is a registered nurse and has been with Kaiser Permanente WA for 12 years. She works as a manager in the quality department leading teams that focus on quality improvement, bone health, and member equity, inclusion, and diversity.

  • Dr. Chris Fordyce – COVID Update

  The presentation was recorded and available below. Presentation slides are available here: KPWA Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (EID) Updates for Senior Caucus

  If you have any questions, please reach out to memberparticipation@kp.org.

The agenda

• Presenters were:

  • Dr. Jeffrey Yu – KPWA Otolaryngologist or “ENT” for short who specializes in the ear, nose, and throat.

  • Dr. Chris Fordyce – Brief COVID Update

  The presentation was recorded and available below. Presentation slides are available here: KPWA Senior CaucusCOVID and Communicable Diseases Update

  If you have any questions, please reach out to memberparticipation@kp.org.

The agenda

• Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH, with colleagues from the University of Washington and Group Health received a demonstration grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish a model Alzheimer’s disease registry in 1986.  This morphed into the landmark Adult Changes in Thought study with the establishment of the initial cohort of 2581 randomly selected volunteers who joined the study 1994-96. Larson, a general internist and eventually professor of medicine at the University of Washington came to Seattle as a UW fellow in 1975 after training in Boston at Harvard Medical School. He was Medical Director at UWMC and Associated Dean for clinical affairs 1989-2002 before moving to Group Health in 2002 to lead the Center for Health Studies. He also believed in the tremendous scientific potential of the ACT study if it could achieve continuous funding over many years. At Group Health /Kaiser Permanente Washington he eventually became the Executive Director of the Research Institute and Vice President for Research and Health Innovation. He recently retired from KPW,  July 2002, and continues to work part-time from his position in UW’s Department of Medicine as a Professor of Medicine.

  Dr. Larson’s presentation will provide an overview of the ACT study, the major expansion of funding for ACT and its related studies, and highlights in how our understanding of the aging brain and conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease has changed and will likely change even more from ongoing studies.  He will highlight how what we know about the aging brain is relevant to everyday life of older adults including their medical care. He has spoken to the Senior Caucus many times since coming to Group Health and enjoys the opportunity to share his knowledge and his appreciation of seniors who generously participate in ACT and other research at KPWHRI.

•  Chris Fordyce, retired MD and Senior Caucus chair will be announcing the new 2023-24 Board of Directors of the Senior Caucus along with general announcements about exciting new programs going forward.

  The presentation was recorded and is available below. Presentation slides are available here: Adult Changes in Thought Presentation | SC COVID Update

  As mentioned during today’s presentation, the Seattle Times published an article today highlighting the work done by Dr. Larson and the ACT program. Please click here to read the article.

  If you have any questions, please reach out to memberparticipation@kp.org.

Dr. Lester Thompson will be reading an excerpt from his recently released memoir, “Lucky Medicine: A Memoir of Success Beyond Segregation”.

Dr. Lester Thompson will be available to sign his recently released memoir, “Lucky Medicine: A Memoir of Success Beyond Segregation”.

Thank you to those who were able to join Tuesday’s ARMS luncheon and hear from our guest speaker, Dr. Lester Thompson who discussed his recently released memoir, “Lucky Medicine: A Memoir of Success Beyond Segregation” (now available on Amazon).

If you were unable to attend the meeting, or if you would like to view it again, the video can be viewed below.

Please take a few minutes to fill out our post-luncheon survey.  This will help us in preparing for our future meetings as well as making ARMS what you -- its members -- want it to be.

Please click here to complete the survey.

In addition, WPMG has offered to host a retirement services seminar tailored to the need of our ARMS members.  This would be conducted virtually on topics you suggest.  We will arrange this if a sufficient number of members are interested. Make sure to fill out the post-luncheon survey listed above so that we can capture everyone’s interest in the finance seminar.

Don’t forget to email wpmgretirees@kp.org if you:

• Would like to share something with ARMS members in our Newsletter or on our website (news about work, travels, family, experiences, etc.)

• Would like to be a part of “Ask the Expert” for the Senior Caucus

• Have any questions for us (Ruth & Annie) or ARMS

Thank you all, happy spring and early summer.

We hope to see you at our next ARMS luncheon on July 11th at Salty’s on Alki. (invitations will be sent at a later time)

- Ruth & Annie

Dr. Lester Thompson will be available to sign and read from his recently released memoir, “Lucky Medicine: A Memoir of Success Beyond Segregation” at the following times:

• Saturday, March 25, 2023, 11:00 AM 1:00 PM, Magnolia's Bookstore (signing)

• Tuesday, April 4, 2023, 7:00 PM 8:00 PM, The Elliott Bay Book Company (reading)

The agenda

• Kelly Stanford, MHPA, Vice President of KPWA Ambulatory Operations. Prior to her current role, Kelly held the position of Vice President for Telehealth Services, Access Management, and the Clinical Contact Centers for Kaiser Permanente Washington. In this role, she was accountable for the KPWA Telehealth Medical Center operations and virtual front door to care as well as leading the work around referral management optimization supporting internalization initiatives for the organization. In addition, Stanford also held accountability for the performance for the Spokane market including development of an integrated care model with external partners.

•  Chris Fordyce, retired MD and Senior Caucus chair will present a brief COVID update.

  The presentation was recorded and is available below. Presentation slides are available here: Getting Care at KPWA | SC COVID Update

  If you have any questions, please reach out to memberparticipation@kp.org.