September is Sepsis Awareness Month

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Sepsis is the #1 Cause for Hospital Readmission

Sepsis is the Number 1 cause for readmissions to hospitals in the United States –  costing more than $2 billion each year, according to the JAMA Network. And only 55 percent of U.S. adults have heard of sepsis. September is Sepsis Awareness Month and Jefferson Community Health & Life wants everyone to understand the seriousness of this medical emergency. Sepsis kills more people yearly than prostate cancer, breast cancer and AIDS combined.

So what exactly is sepsis? Sepsis is defined as the body’s overwhelming and life threatening response to an infection. When infection gets out of control in the body it can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. Any infection, anywhere in your body, can cause sepsis.

While sepsis is more likely to affect very young children, older adults, people with chronic diseases, and those with a weakened immune system, sepsis is an equal-opportunity killer impacting people of all ages and levels of health. Sepsis is a medical emergency and requires urgent attention and rapid treatment for survival.

Symptoms of sepsis can include the following:

  • Fever or feeling chilled,
  • Confusion/sleepiness,
  • Fast heart rate,
  • Fast breathing or shortness of breath,
  • Extreme pain, and/or
  • Pale or discolored skin.

The goal is to recognize and treat sepsis early. As many as 92% of sepsis cases originate outside of a healthcare setting, so it is important for everyone to be aware of signs and symptoms. Call your doctor immediately if you suspect or have concerns about sepsis. Lab work, vital signs and assessment of the patient will help the medical team to identify if a patient has sepsis.

What can you do to prevent sepsis? Get vaccinated against flu, pneumonia, and any other infections that could lead to sepsis. Talk to your doctor about vaccinations which might be beneficial for your health. Prevent infections that can lead to sepsis by cleaning any scrapes and wounds, and practicing good hygiene/hand washing. Lastly, know that time matters. Watch for symptoms and notify your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms.

September is Sepsis Awareness Month. For more information on sepsis, visit https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/index.html.

Women’s Health Fair Planned for Sept. 27

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All women are invited to an evening of fun and learning!

 Women of all ages have health issues specific to being a woman. To offer women education, fun and chances to win prizes and pamper themselves, Jefferson Community Health & Life is planning the first-ever Women’s Health Fair for Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at JCH&L.

The event is designed in an open house format. Women are free to come for all or part of the evening. The evening will include presentations, health-related booths, “Just for fun” booths, screenings, opportunities to be pampered, and prizes. Features are still being added – here are some of the things we already know that you’ll want to come check out!

Presentations:

  • Urinary incontinence, exercises for all ages, posture
  • Breast health
  • Putting yourself first: stress, anxiety and depression
  • What screenings should I have?
  • Healthy aging: menopause, hormone therapy, libido
  • Insurance 101

Screenings:

  • Blood pressure
  • Body composition
  • Skin health screening
  • Height
  • Posture
  • Diabetes Risk Assessment

Health booths:

Thayne Tatro Chiropractic; Blue Valley Community Action; Hope Crisis Center; Public Health Solutions; Jasmine Schwisow, Licensed Nail Technician; Chelsee Criner, Licensed Esthetician; Smart Moves; Healthy Cooking; JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services; CPR (featuring infant and child choking demos); breast cancer awareness; Health Insurance Help; Financial Planning for the future, My Wellness Dashboard; Colorectal cancer awareness.

Just for Fun booths:

Lily’s, Complete Design, Scentsy, LipSense, Lulu Roe, Young Living Essential Oils, Pampered Chef, Norwex, Keep Collective, Relay for Life, Mary & Martha.

Door prizes

A one-year JCH&L Burkley Fitness Center membership, a pair of Husker Volleyball tickets, a FitBit and a Yoga mat and weights—plus many more from our vendors!

Plus …. Fitness Center activities for all ages, and free healthy treats!

For more information on the Women’s Health Fair, contact Erin Starr at 402-729-6889.

Introducing #jeffcohealthyforlife

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Use the hashtag on Facebook and Twitter to share healthy lifestyles

Jefferson Community Health & Life invites you to join us in sharing healthy lifestyles with #jeffcohealthyforlife.

“There are many ways to be healthy for life: living an active lifestyle, cooking and eating nutritious meals and snacks, making healthy choices, and more. When you are active – on your own, with your friends or with family – post on Facebook or Tweet with #jeffcohealthyforlife,” said Lana Likens, director of public relations at Jefferson Community Health & Life. “Let’s show the world that Jefferson County residents (and our friends and neighbors) are striving to be healthy for life.”

From all #jeffcohealthyforlife posts JCH&L will periodically choose posts to share on our social media. Please note, JCH&L will not be able to access posts if the user’s account is set as private, even if #jeffcohealthyforlife is included. Users have the option of making an individual post public even if their overall settings are private.

We encourage everyone to post a picture – or description – of their healthy lifestyle choice and add #jeffcohealthyforlife. Share it publicly to let everyone see the healthy choices we are making!

Prenatal Childbirth Education Class Offered

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Class set for Oct. 7

A Prenatal Childbirth Education class will be offered in October at Jefferson Community Health & Life for all expectant parents. The class will meet on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Jefferson Community Health & Life, 2200 H St., Fairbury.

The cost of the class is $35 per couple, which includes a free copy of the book “What to Expect the First Year.” The class is open to all expectant parents. Instructor for the course is Erin Starr RN.

The class will include information on changes which occur during pregnancy, knowing when you are in labor and what to expect, breathing, relaxation and other coping techniques, selecting your support team, pain relief measures, birth plan, recovery following delivery, newborn procedures in hospital, breast feeding basics and more.

Pre-registration is required. For more information or to pre-register, call Erin Starr  RN  at Jefferson Community Health & Life at (402) 729-6889.

Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group to Meet Sept. 18

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The Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group will meet on Monday, Sept. 18, at 6:30 p.m. in Jefferson Community Health & Life’s Small Conference Room.

The program will be a video on Making Visits Valuable (Movement and Rhythms of Speech) by Teepa Snow.

Easiest access will be by parking in the H Street parking and entering through the JCH&L Main Entrance. Follow the lobby signage to “Hospital.” The meeting rooms will be to the left. The Small Conference Room is the second door.

The Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Support Group meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Jefferson Community Health & Life.  Please note the September meeting is on the third Monday. It is designed for those who are caregivers and family members of those who have Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.

The group is designed to provide an opportunity anyone interested to share their experiences with Alzheimer’s Disease. There is no cost, and no pre-registration.

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

Parkinson’s Support Group to Meet Sept. 11

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The Parkinson’s Support Group will meet on Monday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m. in Jefferson Community Health & Life’s Small Conference Room.

The program will on Duopa Therapy, by Bethanne Bennett of AbbieVie. Learn about Duopa, a suspension form of carbidopoa and levodopa which utilizes a pump delivery method. Duopa is a prescription medication used for treatment of motor fluctuations in advanced Parkinson’s Disease.

Easiest access will be by parking in the H Street parking and entering through the JCH&L Main Entrance. Follow the lobby signage to “Conference Room.” The meeting rooms will be to the left. The Small Conference Room is the second door.

The Parkinson’s Support Group generally meets on the second Monday of each month. The group is designed to provide an opportunity for area residents to share their experiences with Parkinson’s disease. There is no cost for participants.

For more information, contact Lana Likens at Jefferson Community Health & Life at (402)-729-3351.

JCH&L Photo Contest Winners Announced

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Winners were announced today for the first-ever Jefferson Community Health & Life photo contest. Winners by category were:

Lifestyle: Malory Watson, children in black and white.

Landscapes: Lance Lawton, Moon Turbine.

Pets/Animals: Bob Bauer, cat with paper.

Birds: Bob Bauer, yellow bird on icy tree.

The bird category was added because of the large number of bird photos entered.

“We were pleased with the success of the photo contest and the many wonderful photos entered. The photos will be used by JCH&L in a variety of ways, including promotion,” said Lana Likens, director of public relations, marketing and development. “We would like to thank all of the photographers who entered.”

Winners in each category will receive a certificate for $25 in Fairbury Chamber Cash.

Full results by category:

Lifestyle: First place, Malory Watson, children in black and white; Second place, Bob Bauer, fisherman at sunset; Third place, Bob Bauer, Boy in Yellow Boat.

Landscapes: First place, Lance Lawton, Moon Turbine; Second place, Lana Grammer, Memorial Day Sun through Trees; Third place, Joyce Phares, Sun through Clouds.

Pets/Animals: First place, Bob Bauer, cat with paper; Second place, Joyce Phares, butterfly on flower; Third place, Bob Bauer, dog in doghouse.

Birds: First place, Bob Bauer, yellow bird on ice; Second place, Dennis Russell, blue bird; Third place, Dennis Russell, Hummingbird.

The judges gave two special awards for Judges Choice: Darcy Brown, Storm Clouds; and Dennis Russell, Black Eyed Susans.

Malory Watson – First place healthy lifestyles

Bob Bauer – Second place, healthy lifestyles

Bob Bauer – Third place, healthy lifestyles

Lance Lawton – First place, landscapes

Lana Grammer — Second place, landscapes

Joyce Phares – Third place, landscapes

Bob Bauer – First place, pets/animals

Joyce Phares – Second place, pets/animals

Bob Bauer – Third place, pets/animals

 

Bob Bauer – First place, birds

Dennis Russell – Second place, birds

Dennis Russell – Third place, birds

 

Dennis Russell – Special Award – Judges’ Choice

Darcy Brown – Special Award, Judges’ Choice

JCH&L Charity Golf Tournament Raises More Than $11,000

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FAIRBURY — The 21st annual golf tournament to benefit Jefferson Community Health and Life was successful, raising $11,000.

“We are very pleased with the success of this annual event. It’s a great way for JCH&L supporters to have a good time and help provide quality health care for our community,” said Chad Jurgens, JCH&L Chief Executive Officer.

The golf tournament, held Friday, Aug. 11 at the Fairbury Country Club, was a fund-raiser for Jefferson Community Health & Life, a 17-bed critical access hospital located in Fairbury.

A total of 27 teams golfed in the event.  Winning teams were:

American National Bank Team

Championship Flight —  first place, American National Bank (Don Osborne, Justin Peterson, Mike Beachler); second place, MedHost 2 (Don Sutton, Deanna Lierman, Erin Starr); and third place, Starr Buckow (Brooke Schwab, Larae Endorf, Reid Starr.)

 

 

 

 

 

AOS Team  

First Flight — first place, AOS (Dan Reikofski, Mike Bonham, Craig Stork); second place, Gerdes Meyer (Jeff Meyer, Bill Runge, Blake McGee); and third place, Goeking  (Chris Goeking, Jamie Swanda, Matt Blobaum.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glen Blobaum Team

Second Flight — first place, Glen Blobaum (Glen Blobaum, Fred Meyer, Tim Diller); second place, Barber Furniture (Terry Barber, Bob Schmidt, Bob Endorf); third place, ADP (Travis Hall, Marci Gillham, Penni Mitchell.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A total of 13 companies served as hole sponsors, helping to make the fund-raising tournament possible.  Hole sponsors were: American National Bank, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Brown’s Medical Imaging, Davis Design, Den’s Meat Distributing, M&B 2 Cylinder, MedHost, Pathology Medical Services PC, Rural Sleep Solutions, Seim Johnson, The Olson Group, Union Bank and Trust Co., and Westin Packaged Meats/Fairbury Operations.

Contributing sponsors included: Avadyne, Beckenhauer Construction, Heritage Care Center, Globe Rexall, HoriSun Hospice Community Foundation, Nebraska Medicine, Lottman & Carpenter Construction Inc., MMIC, Seneca Medical, SimplyWell, Dr. Vince and Brenda Sutton, Thrivent and UNICO.

Breakfast sponsor was Collection Associates.

Lunch co-sponsors were Gill Insurance Services Inc., Plymouth Electric, and Regional Care Inc.

Raffle prize donors were: Tim Olson Inc., Don Sutton Club Repair, Nebraska Healthcare Association, Casey’s General Store, Sims Florist and Gifts, and C&C Food Mart and Processing.

Flag prizes and door prizes were donated by: Alexander Open Systems (AOS), AseraCare Hospice, ByteSpeed, Credit Management, Directions EAP, First National Bank of Fairbury, Gill Insurance Services Inc., Nebraska Community Bloodbank, Nebraska Hospital Association, Schwarz Paper, and Walmart #418 – Fairbury.

Other sponsors for the day’s tournament included Precision Signs and Graphics LLC, Ray’s Applemarket and  Fairbury Country Club. Special Thanks to 9 and Dine for our meal and all of their work and assistance.

Teams participating included: Alexander Open Systems (AOS), American National Bank, Barber Furniture Co., Glen Blobaum, Blobaum & Busboom, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, Bryan Health, Credit Management, Davis Design, Den’s Meat Distributing, Diode Technologies, Fairbury Dental Associates, 3 Gs, Gerdes Meyer, Goeking, M&B 2 Cylinder, Marcotte, MedHost, Sara Nickel, PVI, Rural Sleep Solutions, Starr Buckow Insurance, Bill Welch and Westin Packaged Meats/Fairbury Operations.

“We especially want to thank our sponsors, donors, golf teams and volunteers.  It wouldn’t have been a successful event if we didn’t have such great support from our community, our peers, and companies we work with regularly,” Jurgens said.

JCH&L Offers Next Session of Smart Moves

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Lifestyle change program helps participants learn to live healthy

FAIRBURY — The fifth session of a successful lifestyle change program is being offered beginning in September at Jefferson Community Health & Life in Fairbury. The year-long program is designed for those who are at risk for diabetes and want to change their lifestyle to avoid getting diabetes. A free no-obligation introductory class will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30. To sign up for this session, call Lisa Edeal RD, LMNT, at 402-729-6846.

Lifestyle coaches who lead the program are Jill Duis RN, certified diabetes educator; JCH&L Dietitian Lisa Edeal RD, LMNT; and Craig Bontrager, director of JCH&L Burkley Fitness Center.

“This program has been successful in helping participants to make lifestyle changes which positively impact their health,” Edeal said.

Studies show that diabetes can be prevented. Diabetes risk can be lowered by losing weight, eating healthy, exercising regularly, and taking part in a lifestyle change program, such as Smart Moves. Smart Moves is a program of the National Diabetes Prevention Program. JCH&L is participating with the support of Public Health Solutions District Health Department.

For the first part of the program, participants meet in a small-group setting weekly for one-hour presentations. For the second portion of the program, participants will meet monthly.

The program provides lifestyle coaching and group support, promotes healthier eating and weight loss, explores ways to be physically active, creates strategies to overcome barriers, and teaches participants how to apply coping skills to stay successful.

The cost of the program is $150 for the full year. This fee includes not only the program, but also a six-month membership to the JCH&L Burkley Fitness Center (a $200 value.) Financial assistance may be available for those who meet eligibility criteria.

Anyone interested in the session is encouraged to attend the free no-obligation introductory class. Class registration is needed by Sept. 20. Call Lisa Edeal RD, LMNT, at (402) 729-6846 or email lisa.edeal@jchealthandlife.org to register or for more information.

Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group to Meet Aug. 28

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The Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group will meet on Monday, Aug. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in Jefferson Community Health & Life’s Small Conference Room.

The program will be a video on Making Visits Valuable (Taste and Pills) by Teepa Snow.

Easiest access will be by parking in the H Street parking and entering through the JCHC Main Entrance. Follow the lobby signage to “Hospital.” The meeting rooms will be to the left. The Small Conference Room is the second door.

The Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Support Group meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Jefferson Community Health & Life.  It is designed for those who are caregivers and family members of those who have Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.

The group is designed to provide an opportunity anyone interested to share their experiences with Alzheimer’s Disease. There is no cost, and no pre-registration.

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

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