Memorial Day is Monday, May 25.
Here are a few facts about the holiday.
- This American holiday honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
- Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday originated in the years following the Civil War. Americans in various towns and cities held tributes to fallen soldiers, decorating graves with flowers and reciting prayers. General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance on May 5, 1868. He designated May 30 because it wasn't the anniversary of any particular battle.
- On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield (who was elected president in 1880) made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
- Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971. The last Monday in May was established in 1968 when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.
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Remain vigilant
As you go about your holiday weekend and navigate Kansas reopening, family celebrations, and other activities,
please be sure to make good choices and protect yourself from COVID-19
.
- In an associate Zoom meeting earlier this week, Employee Health Nurse Christina Hasenkamp reminded everyone to wear a mask while in public, wash your hands often, and keep away from large groups. (The Governor has moved Kansas into a modified Phase 2 of reopening effective May 22; gatherings are limited to 15 people.)
- When at work, please remember to wear your mask, including while entering and exiting your location.
- Onaga associates need to use the associate entrance when coming to and leaving from work, even if it's not the most convenient door. Do not use the main entrance or the Emergency Department entrance when coming to work or heading home from work. This protects associates from potential exposure to COVID-19.
Thanks for doing the right thing to keep patients and associates as safe as possible!
One more reminder: BE KIND.
A co-worker who has been exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19 is probably anxious. Refrain from criticism or gossip, and be mindful of others' feelings.
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Fitness Centers open for associates
Fitness Centers in Onaga, Centralia, and Frankfort are open to associates as of yesterday (May 20). Special procedures are in place to protect therapy and rehab patients as well as associates; please note the following.
- Hours and access
- Onaga: 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. M-F. Use associate entrance and enter from hospital side during business hours; no keyless access through the north door.
- Frankfort: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. M-F. Keyless access through main fitness entry, or enter via clinic for staff.
- Centralia: 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. M-F. Enter through side therapy door; access code will be given by Fitness Center Supervisor upon signup.
- WEEKEND HOURS: We will send an update about this tomorrow (Friday, May 21).
- Sign-in process: Enter the gym and sign in, record temperature, and answer questions about symptoms. First visit requires working through and signing a checklist.
- Occupancy limits: Only 10 people may be in the fitness area at one time; if numbers exceed 10, associates will be asked to come another time.
- Distance from others: Maintain 6 feet of distance from others during workouts. Keep one machine between you and other users.
- Locker rooms: Use locker rooms only for restrooms and changing; showers are closed.
- Masks: Always wear masks to and from Fitness Center; during workouts, associates may choose to wear masks or not.
- Cleaning: Clean equipment before and after use; refer to instructions at Fitness Centers.
- Wellness benefits: Contact Kelsey Edwards (Onaga; kelseyedwards@chcsks.org or ext. 5048) or Lyndsi Morton (Centralia and Frankfort; lyndsimorton@chcsks.org or ext. 4701) to restart your wellness benefit.
- Payroll deducts: Payroll deducts for family memberships are frozen until we are able to reopen Fitness Centers to the public. The target date is June 3, but as reported on our blog, this date depends on a number of factors. Stay tuned for updates!
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Latex glove alert!
Because of current supply-chain interruptions, our supply of gloves may start to include some latex options.
Associates, please let your manager/supervisor know if you have an allergy to latex.
Managers, if you have an associate with a latex allergy, please email Employee Health Nurse Christina Hasenkamp at
christinahasenkamp@chcsks.org
.
It is important to identify staff members with a latex allergy and ensure they have access to non-latex gloves.
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Stress and COVID-19: How to cope
Roz Lewis and Angie Sauvage shared a number of tips for managing mental health in our associate Zoom meeting earlier this week. Here's a quick recap.
- Everyone is experiencing stress during the pandemic. Recognizing the sources of stress is one way to help us cope. Many are experiencing anxiety, which is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease related to uncertainty. We are also feeling grief as a result of our changed routines. We are grieving our loss of normalcy and loss of safety.
- Talking about our stress and how we experience it is important, and so is noticing when we find these feelings get the best of us. We can't control the sources of stress, but we can take control by doing the following.
- Focus on facts: Make sure you're getting information from a reliable source such as the KDHE website.
- Take an information break: Set aside some periods of the day to do something you enjoy without the TV, social media, and news.
- Take care of your body: exercise regularly, eat well balanced meals, take prescribed medications, limit alcohol, and take naps when you can. Caring for your body has a positive impact on your mental health!
- Maintain social connections by talking regularly to family and friends using Zoom, Facetime, or video chat. Check in on neighbors form a distance, and chat with co-workers.
- Remember that social media may not show the whole truth about how other people are coping during difficult times. Don't compare your experience to someone else's there.
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If you're looking for a good general resource, download COVID Coach
, a free app developed by Veterans Affairs, from the App Store or Google Play.
The app has a variety of self-care tools to improve emotional well-being, including trackers to check your mood and measure your growth toward personal goals.
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Testing in Holton
Holton Clinic staff assisted with COVID-19 testing last Sunday to relieve some of the burden from Holton Hospital and Jackson County Public Health. Jackson County has seen an uptick in cases because of a cluster at a workplace in Holton.
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Northeast Kansas Healthcare Coalition helps organizations respond to COVID-19
Community HealthCare System has many connections to the Northeast Kansas HealthCare Coalition.
We are the co-lead hospital; Michael Bomberger currently serves and the Coalition chair, and Jeremy Brandt, PA-C, currently serves as co-clinical advisor.
The Coalition has helped area hospitals, EMS, public health, and emergency management, plus many other related organizations, boost emergency preparedness in general and respond to COVID-19.
Learn more about the Coalition and how its efforts have helped CHCS and many other on our blog:
https://bit.ly/3dLEVDN
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Sweet treats
The Frankfort Clinic
received beautifully decorated and packaged cookies from "an anonymous friend" last week (below left).
Holton Clinic
staff received a second batch of homemade cinnamon rolls from grateful community members Helene and Paul Strube (below right). Both treats were much appreciated!
Please report donated items to
sarahhancock@chcsks.org
.
When possible, send exactly what was donated and the donor's name and mailing address so CHCS can send appropriate thank-you notes.
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Stay informed
Please note the following resources.
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Coffee Shop special
May 26-29
French vanilla latte
- 16 oz., $4
- Hot, iced, or frappe
We will be closed Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day.
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Note: St. Marys menus are changing frequently because of ordering challenges. We will resume publishing menus when we are able. For now, St. Marys menus are available each morning through the Activities chronicle.
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Send items for the E-Connection or for sharing with our broader Facebook audience
to
sarahhancock@chcsks.org
. Please send items by close of business on Tuesdays when possible. Ideas are welcome!
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