Learn the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

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FAIRBURY – “10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s” is a free program to be offered by the Alzheimer’s Association on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 5:30 p.m. The program will be held in the JCH&L Clinic Conference Room. Please use the main entrance (accessed from H Street.)

Statistics show that many Jefferson County families are affected by Alzheimer’s Disease.  This is a FREE informational and educational session open to anyone interested in or affected by Alzheimer’s Disease. It will cover what to watch for in yourself and others, the difference between normal aging and Alzheimer’s Disease, common warning signs, the importance of early detection and the benefits of diagnosis, and resources which are available. Refreshments will be provided.

The group will also discuss whether there is interest in starting a support group again in Jefferson County for caregivers who are coping with Alzheimer’s Disease. Anyone who is interested in a support group but unable to attend should call Lana Likens at (402) 729-6855 to express your interest in a support group.

For more information on the meeting, please contact Lana Likens at (402) 729-6855. Additional information on Alzheimer’s Disease is available at www.alz.org/Nebraska. You can also find additional programs on line at alz.org/CRF.

The Alzheimer’s Association has a 24/7 Helpline available. If you have questions or concerns about Alzheimer’s, call 800-272-3900.

Additional Oncologist to Provide Service at JCH&L

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Matthew Shupe, DO, began providing monthly oncology and hematology care at Jefferson Community Health & Life in Fairbury in August. Dr. Shupe is a board-certified medical oncologist with Nebraska Hematology-Oncology PC of Lincoln. Dr. Shupe will hold clinics on the fourth Thursday of each month.

Dr. Joni Tilford, board-certified oncologist with Cancer Partners of Nebraska, also comes to JCH&L monthly. Dr. Tilford will continue to hold clinics on the third Wednesday of each month.

“We are excited to be able to provide our patients with two oncologists from two excellent practices to care for their needs,” said Erin Starr, JCH&L chief nursing officer.

Dr. Shupe completed his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri. His residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology-oncology were completed at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to joining Nebraska Hematology-Oncology in Lincoln, Dr. Shupe was in full-time practice at the Callahan Cancer Center at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Dr. Shupe served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and the Air Force, and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served as Assistant Professor of medicine at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences at F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland; as a locum tenens physician at both Sanford Medical Hematology/Oncology clinic in Aberdeen, S.D., and Callahan Cancer Center; and as staff physician and chief of Joint Hematology/Oncology Infusion Clinic at David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in California.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Shupe join our growing specialty clinic services,” said Burke Kline, DHA, MHA, CHFP, FACHE, CEO at Jefferson Community Health & Life.

Heather Parde RN, oncology nurse at JCH&L since 2021, received her ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Certificate earlier this year. This course equips her with the tools she needs to safely administer chemotherapy and immunotherapy to our patients with cancer, while providing the type of quality care demanded by JCH&L.

JCH&L has a variety of ancillary services available, including lab, radiology, respiration therapy and surgery. JCH&L can take orders for services – including chemotherapy and ancillary services – from any physician or oncologist.

Referrals are required for oncology specialty appointments.

For more information, contact JCH&L Outpatient Services at 402-729-6851.

Engler Receives Orthopedic Board Certification

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Callie Engler, PT, DPT, has been awarded the professional designation of Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties of the American Physical Therapy Association.

To receive a board specialist designation, a therapist must have at least 2,000 of direct patient care or participate in an approved residency program and pass a 200-question competency exam. Once certified, a board specialist is required to maintain specialist status by performing research, providing mentorship, completing case studies, as well as testing every 10 years to prove exert level competency in orthopedics.

“As an orthopedic specialist, I have spent hours reading and applying the most up-to-date clinical practice guidelines and research to provide the most expert care,” Engler said. “Clinical guidelines are constantly changing and evolving. As an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, I am responsible for continuing my research and following the most up-to-date standards.”

JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services patients can be confident in knowing they are getting the most evidence-based tailored care.

Engler received her bachelor of science in exercise science and Spanish from Nebraska Weslyan, and her doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has been with JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services since 2018. She is a member of the Nebraska chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, Orthopaedic Section. She is also a Certified Manual Physical Therapist and is trained in Vestibular Rehabilitation and trigger point dry needling.

JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services provides a full range of therapy service, including physical, occupational, speech and pediatric therapy in Fairbury, NE. The department provides services to inpatients, outpatients and home health patients. JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services has six physical therapists, two occupational therapists, one speech therapist, one PT Aide, and two rehabilitation aides. If you need more information contact the department at 402-729-6840.

ABPTS was established by APTA as the governing body that awards certification to physical therapists who meet approved requirements. ABPTS oversees the physical therapy clinical specialist certification and maintenance of specialist certification programs and awards certificates to physical therapists meeting approved requirements.

DeBoer Receives Social Worker Designee Certification

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Laura DeBoer, RN, Director of Nursing for JCH&L Gardenside, successful completed a 42-hour in-person course to become a Social Worker Designee. This course was offered by Nebraska Health Care Association.

The Social Worker Designee must act as part of the interdisciplinary team in assessing the individual needs of the residents and participate in the development and implementation of the individualized care plan. The SSD must have interventions in place to meet resident’s goals, address resident needs, and provide SS support and guidance as needed. The SSD must establish and maintain relationships with the resident and their families.

JCH&L Gardenside has recently hired Kelli Pohlmann as social services coordinator. Pohlmann has a master’s degree in social work. She will also be taking the social worker designee course to comply with nursing home regulations. Pohlmann and her husband Micah live in the Diller area.

Franzen Receives Activity Certification

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Wayne Franzen, JCH&L Gardenside Day Activity Coordinator, successful completed a 42-hour course of instruction in recreational services and received certification in activities.

For this online course, Franzen completed home study and passed a final written exam. He received his certification in July.

This class was offered by Nebraska Health Care Association. As day activity coordinator he is a member of the of interdisciplinary team and participates in the development of the individualized care plans for the residents. The activity coordinator is responsible for providing daily activities for residents to stimulate and promote the physical, spiritual, social, emotional, and intellectual well-being. Wayne is our day shift coordinator. Nate Behrends is evening activity coordinator

Franzen began working at JCH&L Gardenside as a CNA in December 2008. He is a certified nurse aide and a certified nurse medication aide. He has been day activity coordinator since March 2021.

JCH&L Receives USDA Grant

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Jefferson Community Health & Life received $443,486 as part of the USDA Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program. The grant is designed to help rural community hospitals recover economically from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JCH&L’s grant is part of more than $74 million awarded by USDA nationwide, and more than $2 million awarded in Nebraska. USDA Rural Development promotes a healthy community and environment through the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants to make sure people, kids and families have access to the health care they need. The grants support the ability of rural communities to provide health care to the people and places in our country that often lack access. In August 2021, USDA made the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants available through the American Rescue Plan Act to help rural health care facilities, tribes and communities expand access to health care services and nutrition assistance.

JCH&L applied for the grant funding to reimburse certified operating losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic and increase access to quality healthcare services.

Chief Financial Officer Chance Klasek said JCH&L experienced lost revenues in March through June 2020, and in November 2020 through May 2021. The lost revenues occurred because of lower patient volumes than pre-pandemic levels, attributable to the public avoiding healthcare facilities as well as limiting procedures implemented by JCH&L to respond to and prevent spreading of COVID-19.

“We are happy to get some relief from lost revenues from the USDA Emergency Rural Health Care Grant program,” Klasek said. “This assistance will help us to recover economically from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Overall, JCH&L’s financial outlook remains positive, Klasek said. JCH&L opened its new family medicine clinic location attached to the health center in May, and continues to add more services, especially outpatient specialty clinics, to serve the area residents. Two new physicians will be joining JCH&L in the fall, to join the current medical staff of three physicians, 4 nurse practitioners, and 2 PAs.

Fitness is Fun Kids Activity Planned at the Burkley Fitness Center

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The Burkley Fitness Center and Jeffs Gone M.A.D. will be sponsoring 2 fun-filled days for kids entering Kindergarten through the sixth grade.  It will be an afternoon of Fun and Fitness with games, fitness activities and a healthy snack to help jumpstart kids to a lifetime of healthy habits.

Two separate dates are scheduled based on age groups:

Kids entering grades K-2—Thursday, August 4.—1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Kids entering grades 3-6—Thursday, August 11—1 p.m. to 4 p.m..

The event will take place at the Burkley Fitness Center. Cost is $3 per child and pre-registration is required.

For more information or questions, please stop by the Fitness Center or call  402-729-6139 and ask for Jen Johnson.  Fitness is fun at any age!  Start creating good habits for your kids today!

JCH&L Sterling Connection Plans Ice Cream Program

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JCH&L Sterling Connection will host an ice cream social and program at Fairbury Senior Diners on Tuesday, July 26.

The program on the importance of dairy products by Ann Engelman of Classic Dairy will begin at about 12:15 p.m. at the Fairbury Senior Diners, 601 City Park Road.

We encourage those attending to have your noon meal at Senior Diners. Please note, you MUST call 402-729-5258 by Monday, July 25, to make reservations for lunch. If you are having lunch, you do not need to register separately for the ice cream social. If you would like to attend the ice cream social only, please call 402-729-6855 and leave a message so we can plan for enough ice cream!

For those 60 and older, the suggested donation for lunch at Fairbury Senior Diners is $4. For those under the age of 60 the cost of lunch is $6. Lunch that day is a garlic herbed pork loin, mashed sweet potatoes, spinach casserole, applesauce and cake. Ice cream will be served after the program.

Sterling Connection members are encouraged to bring a guest!

If you have questions, please call Pauline at 402-729-3351 or Lana at 402-729-6855.

Open House July 7 for Pediatric Area

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JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services will host an open house with activities for children, giveways, treats and door prizes in the new pediatric area from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 7. This event is free and open to the public. Please enter at the main entrance at 2200 H St. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Meet our therapists and learn about pediatric therapy. The area includes Kasey Murphy, PT, DPT, board certified pediatric clinical specialist; Lauren Cox, OTD, OTR/L; and Sarah Meyer, M.S., CCC-SLP.

Pediatric therapy offers physical therapy for delays in movement; improving balance; improving gross motor skills; strengthening; improving coordination; working with atypical posture or running; occupational therapy for fine motor skills; self care skills; social and emotional skill regulation; handwriting; cognitive delays; feeding difficulties; core strength; coordination; development delays; and speech-language therapy related to disorders or delays in the articulation, expressive and repetitive language; fluency, voice and social skills.

For more information on pediatric therapy, call JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services at 402-729-6840. Check us out on line at JCHealthandLife.org, care and services, Sports Medicine and Rehab Services.

Two New Physicians Will Join JCH&L Fairbury Clinic

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Dr. Madhav Narayan and Dr. Sean Flor will join JCH&L Fairbury Clinic this fall.

“We are excited to welcome two new family medicine physicians to the Fairbury Clinic,” said Burke Kline, DHA, MHA, CHFP, FACHE. “We have a beautiful new clinic and are glad to increase our excellent medical staff to help meet our community’s needs.”

Dr. Narayan will begin his work at JCH&L on Sept. 6, and Dr. Flor on Oct. 3.

Dr. Narayan, who is from Broomfield, CO, recently finished his residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Rural Training Track.  He received his MD from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.  He has had training in EGD and colonoscopy.

Dr. Flor, who is from Omaha, recently finished his residency with the Lincoln Family Medicine program. He earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Prior to medical school he had an extensive career in the Air Force.

With the addition of Dr. Narayan and Dr. Flor, JCH&L’s medical providers will include five board-certified family medicine physicians, four board-certified nurse practitioners, and 2 certified physician assistants. Our team includes: Dr. Sean Flor, Dr. Madhav Narayan, Dr. Craig Shumard, Dr. Rebecca Stroklund, Dr. Brett Wergin (all board-certified family medicine providers); board certified nurse practitioners Kirisha Afuh, FNP-C; Carolyn Ferguson, FNP-C; Megan Knutson, FNP-C; and Keegan Williams, FNP-C; and two certified physician assistants Bryce Taylor, PA-C; and Kensly Williams PA-C.

JCH&L Fairbury Clinic is accepting new patients.

For appointments at JCH&L Fairbury Clinic, call 402-729-3361, option 1. When visiting the Fairbury Clinic for your appointment, please use the main entrance, accessed from H Street.

Dr. Sean Flor

Dr. Madhav Narayan

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