JCH&L Auxiliary Salad Festival Successful

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FAIRBURY — More than $2,000 was raised during the annual salad festival of the Jefferson Community Health & Life Auxiliary on May 11 in Fairbury.

A total of 175 people were served at the festival, according to Lana Likens, director of public relations, marketing and development at Jefferson Community Health & Life. The Salad Festival is the biggest fund-raiser for the JCH&L Auxiliary each year, and has a long tradition in Fairbury. The first festival was held in 1965.

The event was not held in 2020-2022 because of the COVID pandemic.

“It takes a tremendous amount of community support to have a fund-raiser continue for more than 50 years – and even more to bring it back after a few years off because of a global pandemic. We thank all of those who helped to make this event successful once again,” Likens said. “It is a fun community spring event that also helps to fund good work by the auxiliary.”

The salad festival itself takes much volunteer time and effort, Likens said. More than 35 individuals volunteer their time to help during the day and more than 90 items of food are donated. This year, seed money from a Thrivent Financial action team also helped to cover some of the expenses of the event.

Tables were decorated with geraniums from the Fairbury FFA greenhouse, and $130 was raised for the Fairbury FFA with the sales of the geraniums.

The auxiliary provides scholarships to students entering medical fields and provides Christmas gifts for nursing home residents at JCH&L Gardenside, in addition to providing volunteer support for JCH&L in a variety of ways. After a few years of not having volunteers in the facility because of COVID, volunteer activity is expected to increase now that the COVID public health emergency is officially ended.

Itzen Receives QAA/QAPI Certification

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Anne Itzen, RN, WCC, QSP, Assistant Director of Nursing at CH&L Gardenside, has become a QAPI Certified Professional.

Qualifying for the course required 2 years of full-time healthcare experience, active participation in QAPI, or serving as a QAA committee member. The course involved 15 hours of webinar and course study and successfully passing a certification exam.

She is certified by the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing, formerly the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators.

Nebraska Community Bloodbank Visits June 12

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FAIRBURY –The next Nebraska Community Bloodbank blood drive will be held on Monday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mobile unit in the parking lot of JCH&L’s North Building, 825 22nd St.

All types are needed. Giving blood is giving a gift of life. Nebraska Community Bloodbank is Jefferson Community Health & Life’s blood supplier, and the two organizations partner for blood drives in Fairbury to save lives.

The June bloodmobile visit is one of the visits which go toward raising Hometown Hero funds for our community.

Appointments are recommended. To make an appointment, call JCH&L Outpatient Services at 402-729-6851, or visit NCBB.org/searchdrives and use sponsor code JCHC.

With iDonate you can save time by completing your health history on line ahead of your bloodmobile visit. To get started, visit mbc.org/iDonate

Caregivers Support Group to Meet June 8

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The Caregivers Support Group offered by the Alzheimer’s Association will meet on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. in the Jefferson Community Health & Life Clinic Conference Room.

The program will be a video “What is Alzheimer’s” by AboutAlzOrg.

Easiest access will be by parking in the H Street parking and entering through the JCH&L Main Entrance. Follow the signage to “Caregiver’s Support.”

The Caregiver’s Support Group is a program of the Alzheimer’s Association. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month in the JCH&L Clinic Conference Room. The meeting time has been changed to 5:30 p.m.

The support group is designed for those who are caregivers and family members of those who have Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.  The group provide an opportunity anyone interested to share their experiences with Alzheimer’s Disease and learn from other’s experiences. There is no cost, and no pre-registration required.

For more information, contact Lana Likens at Jefferson Community Health & Life at 402-729-6855.

JCH&L Encourages Reporting Receiving Unordered COVID Tests

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JCH&L is receiving reports about some area Medicare recipients receiving COVID tests by mail which they did not order or request. JCH&L recommends reporting this to Medicare, as it could be a sign of fraudulent use of the person’s Medicare number.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General states that scammers are sending COVID-19 home test kits to Medicare beneficiaries and then billing Medicare for reimbursement. The OIG recommends reporting such instances to Medicare. People with Medicare or private Medicare Advantage plans who receive medical supplies they didn’t order can contact the Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center at 1-877-808-2468.

Being targeted once can mean a Medicare recipient is a target for future scams, so it is very important to report anything that is a red flag. It is always important for Medicare recipients to check their Explanation of Benefits documents (which are provided quarterly by mail.) If a recipient is billed anything he or she did not receive it should be reported – including tests, medical supplies, procedures, etc. If Medicare has paid for an item once, beneficiaries may not be able to get it when they really need it – regardless of whether they actually received it.

The OIG states that if you suspect COVID-19 health care fraud, report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) or online at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/

Itzen Renews Wound Care Certification

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Anne Itzen, RN, WCC, assistant DON at JCH&L Gardenside, spent a week in Dallas renewing her wound care certification, and is once again Wound Care Certified by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy.

This advanced certification allows Itzen to assist the nurses and residents at JCH&L Gardenside with the most recent knowledge and standards for wound care, which dressing to use, prevention, and why we do what we do. This knowledge will aide not only the healing of wounds, but prevention of wounds, as well.

Doty, DeBoer Complete Water Management Training

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Laura DeBoer, RN, Director of Nursing, and Kelli Doty, RN, Infection Preventionist, completed a Water Management Training course for the safety of JCH&L Gardenside residents.

Healthcare facilities need to develop an effective water management plan to prepare for, respond to and recover from a total or partial interruption of a facility’s normal water supply. The course provided long-term care facilities with information on what a water management plan is, how to identify the elements of an effective water management program and how to develop and maintain a comprehensive water management program. Residents could become critically ill if steps are not taken to reduce the risk of waterborne illnesses.

Bentley, Thorp Certified in Pelvic Floor Therapy

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Cassidy Bentley

Cassidy Bentley

Nichole Thorp, PT, DPT

Nichole Thorp

Cassidy Bentley, MOT, OTR/L, CLT, and Nichole Thorp, PT, DPT, were recently certified in pelvic floor therapy through Herman and Wallace. Both are therapists with JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services.

The certification allows Bentley and Thorp to address many pelvic floor issues with a physician’s order. Through the course they learned to complete both internal and external examination and how to provide both internal and external treatment. Pelvic floor therapy can address many issues including urinary incontinence, pain and prolapse, along with many other concerns.

Many women experience pelvic floor disorders, and may not realize treatment is available.

We encourage women who may be experiencing concerns to ask their family medicine physician, OB/GYN or urologist whether pelvic floor therapy might be right for them.

For more information, contact JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services at 402-729-6840.

Sports, School Physicals Important for Students’ Health

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The Nebraska School Activities Association requires that a physical evaluation be completed each year before an athlete can participate in sports. The state of Nebraska requires students entering Kindergarten and Seventh grade have school physicals.

“A sports physical is completed to evaluate the overall health of an athlete to ensure they can safely do the sport they are enrolled in,” said Brett Wergin MD, family medicine provider at Jefferson Community Health & Life.

By having your Primary Care Provider such as a Medical Doctor, Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner complete a physical exam once per year they will be able to check the appearance of the athlete including musculoskeletal, check for conditions that would be exacerbated by exertion including asthma, cardiac conditions including the presence of a heart murmur.  During the sports physical the medical provider will do an exam, listen to heart and lungs, evaluate ears, nose and throat. The provider will also ask you about your family history which would put the athlete at risk for serious cardiac conditions or sudden death.

For school physicals, students entering Kindergarten and seventh grade are required to have physicals. A urine screening is not required.

It is important that your athlete sees someone they are comfortable speaking with because important preventative and safety measures will be discussed including smoking, vaping and a youth risk behavior survey as well as some depression screening questions.

The forms for school and sports physicals required by Fairbury Public Schools and the NSAA are on the JCH&L website on the JCH&L Fairbury Clinic page. Forms can also generally be picked up at your school. Forms should be filled out before a student arrives for a school or sports physical.

Typically, Kindergarten and seventh grade physicals are required to be complete before school starts, and immunizations must be up to date. Immunizations in Jefferson County are offered by Blue Valley Community Action at Jefferson Community Health & Life North Building, 825 22nd St. Sports physicals are generally required before the first sports conditioning or practice of the new school year.

At JCH&L Fairbury Clinic, school and sports physicals may be billed to insurance, and may be combined with a well child check if the child has not had a well child check in the last 12 months. Most insurances do not require well child checks to go toward the deductible. JCH&L Fairbury Clinic has also scheduled 2 evenings for sports physical appointments this summer, July 6 and 25, in addition to regular daytime appointments.

To make an appointment with one of our family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners or physician assistant’s, please call 402-729-3361.

JCH&L Gardenside, Heritage Plan Fund-raising Car Show

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JCH&L Gardenside and Heritage Care Center in Fairbury are planning a fund-raising car show for Sunday, May 21, to conclude Nursing Home Week festivities for both facilities. Proceeds from the show will benefit residents at the two facilities.

Pre-registration for vehicles to be entered is $15 if entered by May 7, or $20 if entered after May 7. All types of vehicles are welcome. Awards will be given for Top 10, Best of Show and Residents’ Choice. For more information on entries email wayne.frnazen@jchealthandlife.org or call 402-729-6848.

The show will be held on Sunday, May 21, at JCH&L Gardenside’s parking lot (just west of Gardenside.) Cars need to check in from 10:45 a.m. to 11: 45 a.m. that day. The show will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Judging will begin at noon and prizes will be awarded at 3:30 p.m. There is no admission fee for the public. In addition to the car show there will be baked items and crafts for sale, tshirts for sale, and concessions available to purchase.

For more information or to enter call 402-729-6848, or email  wayne.franzen@jchealthandlife.org.

2200 H St., PO Box 277, Fairbury, NE