The proportion of older persons is expected to rise worldwide. In the 1998 World Health Report, there were 390 million older people and this figure is expected to increase further (WHO). This growth will certainly pose a challenge to country governments, particularly to the developing countries, in caring for their aging population. In the Philippines, the population of 60 years or older was 3.7 million in 1995 or 5.4% of total population. In the CY 2000 census, this has increased to about 4.8 million or almost 6% (NSCB). At present there are 7M senior citizens (6.9% of the total population), 1.3M of which are indigents.

With the rise of the aging population is the increase in the demand for health services by the elderly. A study done by Racelis et al (2003) on the share of health expenditure of Filipino elderly on the National Health Account, the elderly are “relatively heavy consumers of personal health care (22%) and relatively light consumers of public health care (5%).” From out-of-pocket costs, the aged are heavy users of care provided by medical centers, hospitals, non-hospital health facilities and traditional care facilities.

Cognizant of the growing concerns of the older population, laws and policies were developed which would provide them with enabling mechanisms for them to have quality life. RA 9257 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003 (predecessor of RA 9994) provided for the expansion of coverage of benefits and privileges that the elderly may acquire, including medically necessary services. Parallel to this objective is the Department’s desire to provide affordable and quality health services to the marginalized population, especially the elderly, without impeding currently pursued objectives and alongside health systems reform.

One of the provisions of RA 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens act of 2010 is for the DOH to administer free vaccination against the influenza virus and pneumococcal diseases for indigent senior citizens. The DOH in coordination with local government units (LGUs), NGOs and POs for senior citizens shall institute a national health program and shall provide an integrated health service for senior citizens. It shall train community – based health workers among senior citizens health personnel to specialize in the geriatric care and health problems of senior citizens.

-www.doh.gov.ph

The CMC Management gave an award for "BEST IN 5S PRACTICE" during its 42nd Anniversary Employees' Program held at the Elements @ Centris on June 22, 2012. This is the first time that CMC gave recognition to an area or unit that consistently launched the 5S campaign last July 2011 with the end view of instilling the 5S spirit to all CMC employees. A quarterly inspection was conducted by CQI to evaluate compliance to 5S principles which are:

SORT- The sort step is where you remove everything from the workplace that is not used or needed to do the work.

STRAIGHTEN - The straighten step is based on the foundation " A place for everything and every thing in its place".

SHINE - The shine step is about cleaning the work place and keeping it clean.

STANDARDIZE - The standardize step is about making the 5S System's first three steps part of the daily routine.

SUSTAIN - The sustain step is about changing the culture and creating the discipline needed to sustain the 5S System. The Central Service (CS) Unit was the first recipient of "BEST IN 5S PRACTICE", award. The CS received a Certificate and cash award as its prize for a work well done. The CS is under the Office of the Asst. Director for Administration and its Unit In-Charge is Ms. Praxedes Del Mundo. Other units who made it to Top 10 for Best 5S Practice were Rehabilitation Medicine, Nursery, Delivery Room, Heart Station, Nursing Service Office, Nuclear Medicine Personnel Office, Eye Center, Medical Records / Archives and Central Supply.

by Ms. Zenaida T. Tagarda, Supervisor, CQI

 Bad breath, or halitosis, can be a major problem, especially when you're about to snuggle with your sweetie or whisper a joke to your friend. The good news is that bad breath can often be prevented with some simple steps.

Bad breath is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grow in the mouth. When you don't brush and floss regularly, bacteria accumulate on the bits of food left in your mouth and between your teeth. The sulfur compounds released by these bacteria make your breath smell.

Certain foods, especially ones like garlic and onions that contain pungent oils, can contribute to bad breath because the oils are carried to your lungs and out through your mouth. Smoking is also a major cause of bad breath.

There are lots of myths about taking care of bad breath. Here are three things you may have heard about bad breath that are not true:

Myth #1: Mouthwash will make bad breath go away. Mouthwash only gets rid of bad breath temporarily. If you do use mouthwash, look for an antiseptic (kills the germs that cause bad breath) and plaque-reducing one with a seal from the American Dental Association (ADA). When you're deciding which dental products to toss into your shopping cart, it's always a good idea to look for those that are accepted by the ADA. Also, ask your dentist for recommendations.

Myth #2: As long as you brush your teeth, you shouldn't have bad breath. The truth is that most people only brush their teeth for 30 to 45 seconds, which just doesn't cut it. To sufficiently clean all the surfaces of your teeth, you should brush for at least 2 minutes at least twice a day. Remember to brush your tongue, too — bacteria love to hang out there. It's equally important to floss because brushing alone won't remove harmful plaque and food particles that become stuck between your teeth and gums.

Myth #3: If you breathe into your hand, you'll know when you have bad breath. Wrong! When you breathe, you don't use your throat the same way you do when you talk. When you talk, you tend to bring out the odors from the back of your mouth (where bad breath originates), which simply breathing doesn't do. Also, because we tend to get used to our own smells, it's hard for a person to tell if he or she has bad breath. If you're concerned about bad breath, make sure you're taking care of your teeth and mouth properly. Some sugar-free gums and mints can temporarily mask odors, too.

kidshealth.org/teen/diseasesconditions

On November 22, 2012, Capitol Medical Center lost one of its founders and its first ever employee, Mr. LUIS CANICOSA CLEMENTE at the age of 92. Sir Luis as he is fondly called by his CMC family is a considerate superior, honest worker and a law abiding citizen. His subordinates’ vivid memory of his kindness springs way back to the early 70’s and this could be attested by the core group of retirees who keep on coming back to CMC for Sir Luis’ birthday celebrations. As a pioneer employee, he spearheaded the incorporation and eventually the establishment of the CMC 1 building in 1970 expanding to CMC 2, 3 and 5 over the years, together with his business and lifetime partner Dr. Thelma N. Clemente. Feeling the loss of its Corporate Patriarch, CMC employees trooped to Loyola Memorial Chapels in Commonwealth Avenue for the duration of Mr. Clemente’s wake from November 22–27,2012. Necrological Services were rendered by the different departments on separate dates.

During the funeral march to the Manila North Cemetery, the convoy passed through the façade of the CMC complex where employees, doctors, friends and acquaintances lined up to pay homage to our beloved Sir Luis. Tarpaulins were raised to bid him goodbye at the same time, flower petals and confetti were showered to the hearse. Such gesture did not only capture the hearts of those who witnessed CMC’s outpouring love and respect to its founder but most importantly it is the employees’ unique way of saying THANK YOU to the Man who made the CMC dream a reality and taught them the value of hard work, honesty, sincerity and dedication with the end goal of rendering QUALITY SERVICE to the community.

DOCTORS JOINING THE DIVINE DOCTOR Three (3) CMC Consultants shifted career from being medical practitioners on earth to become associates of our Divine Doctor. They are;

Dr. Gil Cabal FernandezDept. of Surgery - Plastic and ReconstructiveOctober 18, 1935 - December 3, 2012

	Dr. Hernani Castro Garcia Department of Medicine - Cardiology June 22, 1936 - September 26, 2012
	Dr. Ma. Lourdes Acosta- Babaran Department of Surgery - Opthalmology October 11, 1961 - October 20, 2012
	Dr. Gil Cabal Fernandez Dept. of Surgery - Plastic and Reconstructive October 18, 1935 - December 3, 2012

CMC will surely miss them but believing in the Supreme Dogma that we all GO BACK HOME after accomplishing our mission, we could only say, So long Sir Luis, God speed Doctors! It was a JOB WELL DONE! We will pray for your Eternal Rest in the loving fold of our Dear Lord. Until we Meet Again!